Life happens when I want to post the recap of the month, so I apologize for posting couple days late. September was like a roller coaster, but it’s a nice feeling after it has passed. I didn’t watch as many films, since I always found out a movie I want to watch already running for an hour on cable. Raging Bull for instance, I didn’t watch it with full concentration, although it was clear it’s a great movie. There’s a couple of movie that is more odd than what I expected and one Indonesian movie (I haven’t seen local movie in a while). Furthermore, here’s my mini reviews :
Raging Bull (1980)
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The Lunchbox (2013)
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Begin Again (2013)
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The Godfather (1972)
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Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Who always wish Tom Hiddleston to be the lead of romantic movie? The charming actor is acting as an eccentric rock star, a loving husband of a wise woman played by Tilda Swinton. They have a secure and loving relationship. But Tilda’s sister (Mia Wasikowska) comes to visit and make their calm lives a little chaotic. Did I mentioned they are all vampires? There’s no arguing about Swinton and Hiddleston’s performances, both as themselves and as a vampire couple. Wasikowska also managed to be refreshing as a spoiled and adorable little sister, but she smells trouble. This is how the real vampires live and survive today, living in a discreet but tasteful lives. But I wasn’t wowed in anything else other than that.
Score : 7
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Hostel Pt. 2 (2007)
I never watch the first Hostel, but I find this B class thriller easy to follow and fun-thrilling, though felt a tad shallow. Lots of beautiful girls.
Score : 5
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Mood Indigo (2013)
Referencing The Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind, you’ve got to think Mood Indigo should inherit its excellency. With Roman Duris, Audrey Tatou and Omar Sy, the atmosphere of the movie is somewhere reality, dreams and cartoon. I have trouble keeping up watching it because it is so out of ordinary. I remember thinking people who have made this story maybe drunk or high. Considering it’s quite expressive and comical on visual, the visual language should be more dramatic on angle and color (kind of like Amelie).
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Frank (2014)
One of the movie I anticipated, Frank is about one ordinary guy aspire to be a songwriter and found himself to be the new keyboardist of an eccentric band called Soronprfbs. You may want to skip my review since I watched it without subtitles, I may have missed some of its dialogue meaning. I find this movie is also ‘eccentric’. The band surely have an unusual frontman who uses a doll head, not just for performance but for life. Some band have their own color, speaks its own language which nobody could relate, they just fit together like puzzles. It’s easy to label them ‘weird’. But they have fan base and uniqueness, they have their own creative process. The question is whether they can accept a foreign man while it is such a closeted band. Frank tells a low point journey of a band, also the importance to stay true to your own root. Yours and someone else’s vision can bedifferent, you shouldn’t force your idealism to others.
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Words and Pictures (2013)
Words and Pictures is one light-hearted romantic comedy you should watch if you love smart characters, Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche. Both plays teachers, teaching highly potential high school students. Both challenge each other, debating which is best; words or pictures, presenting their own teaching; literature and art. You got to love how Owen and Binoche flirt by challenging each other. The students feel excited with their ‘battle’. I love how their intelligence and idealism match for each other. I wish there are more romance scene and more natural ending.
Score : 7
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Tabula Rasa (2014)
Lifelike Pictures takes quite a turn after Forbidden Door and Kala, by making Tabula Rasa. It’s nice to have an Indonesian movie talk about traditional culinary, especially the one that is very familiar to my daily life. I eat Padang food every week, since the restaurant is in every corner. Tabula Rasa tells about a homeless man being helped by an owner of Padang restaurant, end up being the help of the place. I feel like the homeless man is like my relative since I am from the East of Indonesia also. I love how this movie is grounded and real on telling one of Indonesian culture, which is food. Padang food is tasty and medium-spicy. You’ve got to at least eat before watching this unless you’ll want to search for it after watching. The actors were good, the pictures too. It tells how despite life is messy, a comfort food can make you forget it for a while. And also, the ups and downs of running a traditional restaurant and small ownership.
Score : 7
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Top 3 in September
Like most of the month, my Blind Spot pick ended up being the best of the month. Who can really top The Godfather? I love how sweet and real The Lunchbox were (thanks to the blog’s contributor, Febrian for recommending this movie). I think Begin Again would be one of my favorites from 2014.
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How was your September? Any movie you are expecting in October?