I am a Sex Addict (2005)

Of all the movies that I’ve ever watched, the movie that I am going to review this time must be the obscurest movie I’ve ever watched. I mean I have watched a few indie movies before but seriously this movie came to me almost out of nowhere. With the title of ‘I am a Sex Addict’, I was expecting nothing more than what it directly suggests, but instead I found a charming yet also very honest movie about coming to terms with our own demons and finding those who could accept the unsavory parts of ourselves.

This low-key autobiographical movie tells about the experience of the director, Caveh Zahedi; a film lecturer and independent film director and his addiction to, no prize for guessing; sex and how his addiction and various visits to brothel houses and patronage of escort girls ruin his marriages and relationships. What is amazing about this movie is how Caveh, who plays himself in it, is able to turn its biggest disadvantage, its miniscule budget to work for him and charm the hearts of the audience. For example, when reenacting a scene from twenty years ago, he stops his on-camera narration to have his balding hair be sprayed with wig hairspray by a hairstylist before saying to the audience “Imagine this is me twenty-years ago” and getting on right away with the scene. And at times he explains (without sarcasm and irony) how certain scenes can not be shot due to budgetary constraints. The movie is also interspersed with personal footages that Caveh had recorded throughout his life, further blurring the line between fiction and reality.

Now as I have stated before, this movie is not readily available especially in Malaysia which is a shame since this is a very good movie, but do keep an eye for it and buy it if you manage to find it.

The GOOD:
1) An honest story that, despite its creepiness, you could relate to
2) An unwinking and unflinching sense of humour that makes you think that this movie was made to be unintentionally funny. You’re simply laughing for two hours at a moron who can’t keep his boner down to save his life
3) The blurring of fiction and reality is obvious yet seamless at the same time.
4) Ultimately a heart-warming story about our own, very personal flaws and accepting them that is done without making it cheesy
5) A very low-key, yet very charming movie without a lot of whistles and bells that distract you from the story

The BAD:
1) Caveh Zahedi isn’t a really a good looking guy. He looks creepy, to be honest. And he drops his pants and show his (fore)skin quite often in this movie, although you do get to see a lot of naked women at the same time.

Now for my VERDICT for this movie: I’m giving it 9/10 for what it is able to achieve with very little resources.

Zombi Kampung Pisang (2007)

So far I have only reviewed foreign movies. Now now before you call me a Euro-centric elitist and a 'kacang lupakan kulit', let me tell you that I do watch Malay and Malaysian movies (I even know enough about local filmsphere to not assume that they are the same, see?). It's just that it's such a small industry with a fairly clueless notion of aestheticism. All those David Teo-produced garbage which I won't bother naming here, well-meaning but misguided FINAS-funded historical epics with scripts which seem to have been lifted right out of my 13-year old brother's school history book which would eventually tank at the box office (but they never learn, funnily enough) and you get the picture.

But now and then someone who actually knows something about film-making comes along with a novel idea and you'll actually get a Malaysian film that is worthy of your RM10 and two hours of your time. And no I'm not talking about those artsy indie film types with their 10 minute dialogue-scenes and maximum budgets of RM10,000. I'm talking about people who try to combine enjoyable movie moments such as decent gags and decently-talented good-looking actors with a plot that requires the audience to think a little and also a little bit of gall and inventiveness to challenge the conventions and the norms. It's people like Afdlin Shauki, Bade Azmi, U-Wei Saari and James Lee who provide the occasional streaker action into the lamefest that is the Malaysian movie industry.

One other such Malaysian director is Mamat Khalid and what I consider his best movie so far, one that I am going to review this time; the comedy 'Zombi Kampung Pisang' which came out in 2007. I've heard people lambasting this movie left and right, and it's such a shame because it is a good movie and I believe that people who deride this movie do so without knowing an iota of film history in general and that they take everything at surface meaning. The plot is simple, an idyllic village populated by your typical kampung residents; the loafer, the ustaz, the village beauty, the junction coffee shop operator ,is plagued by a sudden infection that causes its residents to turn into mindless, brain-eating zombies. Against the threat of this non-religious, biological conversion, the non-brain hungry population of the village have to find the source of the infection before they all turn into a village-wide brain buffet and its guest at the same time, with the inept help of a rock-kapak band members (easily the scene-stealers of the movie) and a police officer played by funnyman Lan Pet-Pet.

The performance in this movie is also enjoyable, if a bit slapstick. Well, Mamat has to sell movie tickets somehow, and what other way to sell movie tickets in Malaysia than to make slapstick jokes. The main cast; Awie, A.C Mizal and Ezlynn gave their comedic best. However, as I have stated before, the show-stealer is the clueless rock-kapak band who is helmed by the late Loloq. I didn’t know he had it in him. They are funny in almost every scene they are in.

Now if it is such a simple comedy movie, why does it deserve such an accolade from me? you might ask. So I am going to tell you one important fact. Keep this in mind and tell your children on your deathbed (or the medic as you’re bleeding to death in a car accident for those of you who will not be fortunate enough): movie-makers have always made and used zombie movies to address contemporary issues. For example when George Romero made 'Dawn of the Dead', he was trying to address the issues of segregation and prejudice that was rampant in Vietnam-era America, as exemplified by the movie's atmosphere of mistrust and his decision to make the film's lead a black dude. Even his more recent zombie-flick 'Diary of the Dead' still retains this discreet symbolism, although the issues are different altogether. What shows Mamat Khalid's knowledge of film-making is his use of 'Zombi Kampung Pisang' to highlight a contemporary issue in Malaysia. I am not going to tell you what the issue is, I consider it a spoiler for those who haven't watched it, but pay attention to two scenes from the movie; one with RELA members (why RELA and not the cops?) and another with zombies in grocery shops. For me, finding out that a Malaysian director knows how to use a movie genre that is relatively alien to the Malaysian audience to convey a contemporary issue is such a sweet discovery.

The GOOD:
1) Earnestly hilarious performance by the stars especially Lan Pet-Pet and Loloq
2) The hidden meaning behind all the comedy. Watch it to get it!

The BAD:
1) The jokes are ultimately only funny to a point. After then it becomes a bit annoying and gets in the way of the plot

So my VERDICT for this movie is: 8/10.

Here's a piece of movie TRIVIA: Mamat Khalid is actually the brother of Malaysia's most prolific cartoonist Dato' Lat. I guess artistic talent does run in the family.

The Mouse That Roared (1959)

Hi followers (if there's any). Today I'm gonna review a classic movie, and I say classic in both senses; old and exceptional. I don't know whether you can still get a copy of this movie but when there's a will, blablabla.

'The Mouse That Roared' is a screwball comedy that tells a story of a fictitious backwater European country; the Duchy of Grand Fenwick, that is deep in debt and trouble. Counting on the United States of America's monetary generosity towards her vanquished war enemies, the country's leader, Grand Duchess Gloriana XII (Peter Sellers) embarked on a plan to invade USA and quickly surrender and capitalise on the subsequent war reparations. However, upon arriving in New York with twenty or so soldiers who are not quite armed to the teeth with chain-mails and long-bows, the country's military Number 1; Grand Constable Tully Bascombe (also played by Peter Sellers) finds himself actually succeeding with the invasion after somehow gaining possession of the Q- bomb, a weapon of mass destruction prototype; - he is now stuck with the responsibility of looking after the table-turing yet volatile bomb. The movie shines in itself as a movie, but what also makes this movie a truly exceptional comedy is the great Peter Sellers' multiple roles as various members of (the clueless) Fenwick's aristocracy.

The GOOD:
1) The premise of 'The Mouse That Roared' is hilarious
2) Peter Sellers showcases his enormous Pre-Pink Panther comedic talent in this movie, you can't take your eyes off him

The BAD:
1) The story and the jokes peter out halfway through. You can't help drawing a comparison to Grand Fenwick's war effort itself, they can't sustain it beyond the beginning.

So my VERDICT for this movie is: 8/10.

Here's a piece of movie TRIVIA: The New York invasion sequence was filmed in Manhattan on a Sunday morning when most residents were attending Mass, accounting for the city's empty streets.

Memento (2000)

My second review for my blog is on one of my personal favourite movies of all time by my favourite director; Christopher Nolan. Yup, he's the guy who directed the two Batman movies and whose new movie, 'Inception' is coming out sometime this year. However, this movie came out before he made it big in Hollywood and upon viewing, you could see how hassle-free it seems to have been made, production-wise. No big 'splosions, no crowd-pulling A-listers, just a pure solid story. And that's why I love his movies; he is equally adept at handling high-budget blockbuster flicks as he was with low budget, location-shot movies. But I'm being a bit of a fan boy here so let's get back to 'Memento'.

This movie tells the story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a short-term memory loss amnesiac former insurance-claims investigator who, despite his condition, goes in search of the man who causes his amnesia and also his wife's death in a house break-in. Given his condition, he extensively takes notes and photographs in the course of his investigation and he is particularly suspicious of people. Despite his mistrust in people, two seemingly helpful characters pay special attention on him and also help him in his pursuit. Now what's mind-blowing about this movie is that it is told out of sequence, with things that happen chronologically in the end are put at the beginning the movie and as the movie progresses, we are essentially also moving closer towards the beginning of the chronological story. And at the same time, a subplot is also spliced into the movie in a linear order, making the story disorienting, but not in a bad way. In the end, these two plots will merge in such a powerful way that you would have to watch it again to understand because by the end; your understanding of the plot, the characters, everything would have been turned on its head. And trust me, when it comes to Christopher Nolan's movies, you would actually want to watch it over and over again. And for me, one indication that a movie is exceptional is when you keep coming back to revisit it from time to time.

I'm refraining myself from saying that everything about this movie is GOOD so I'll try to be a bit more detailed:

1) the script is solid and water tight and there are almost no plot-holes that Chris Nolan's detractors can use as ammo;

2) it's use of perfectly-timed humour. Given that this is quite a heavy movie, Christopher Nolan was careful in using homour to lighten up the mood just a teeny weeny bit. It's not that there's a lot of it in 'Memento, but when it's there, it's when it is very much needed and used sparingly, just the right amount. In my humble opinion, solid scripts and intelligent use of humor are among Nolan's strongest points and also his trademarks.

The BAD: seriously I can't think of any. Apart from it being a little confusing at times. But it's nothing that someone with an average level of intelligence can't handle.

So my VERDICT for this movie is... 9.5/10! 'Memento' is an exceptional early movie from Nolan that introduces all movie-goers to his masterful handling of brilliant yet at-times convoluted stories that would otherwise have dissipated in other less-capable hands.

MOVIE TRIVIA: Joe Pantoliano and Carrie-Anne Moss who star in this movie had previously worked together in 'The Matrix'. I wonder why Nolan didn't cast Keanu Reeves as Leonard, since he was already doing that with the two?

P/S: Now I remember. Keanu Reeves can't act to save his life.

Invictus (2009)

Admittedly, rugby would not be an obvious choice for a movie subject for An American movie director who started out playing gun-slingers in western flicks. However, Clint Eastwood did just that with his latest offering 'Invictus'. This movie tells the story of the early days of Nelson Mandela's presidency over post-apartheid South Africa and how he used the South African national rugby team; the Springboks entry in the Rugby World Cup to unite the previously segregated people of South Africa.

I was excited over this movie because as much as I'm a football fan, I've always thought that rugby is a more exciting spectator's sport from my days in a rugby-nut boarding school. Too bad I don't get too see too many rugby matches in Malaysia except those shown on Astro 816.

Anyway, let's start with the GOOD:

1) it's hard not to like sports movies and this movie delivers on the pitch;

2) Clint Eastwood has definitely shown that he had done ample research on rugby and it is treated with respect; and sporting and historical accuracy in the movie.

Now for the BAD:

1) if you've seen a real rugby match, you can spot that the rugby sequences are kinda soft. But then again these are actors playing rugby players. Can't afford to get Matt Damon's face get mashed in the scrums and the rucks right?;

2) Clint Eastwood has a way of being too direct with his scripts that when coupled with a little too much optimism, you can't help rolling your eyes at certain moments in 'Invictus'. Show it, don't tell.

So my VERDICT for 'Invictus' is: 6.5/10! It is a good movie with an engaging subject-matter, but ultimately executed in an all-too-formulaic manner.

Here's a piece of movie TRIVIA: Although the All-Blacks are portrayed as a formidable team in this movie, they actually have won the World Cup only once, in 1987. They are like the England football team of rugby, quite good but inconsistent.