Movie Review "Star Wars: The Rogue One"

Movie Review: 

Star Wars: The Rogue One (2016), dir Gareth Edwards

I have to do a finishing touch work for something for my little sister but I just watched Star Wars: The Rogue One and I can’t take it off my mind T_T

First, this’ll be a total spoiler review so you’ve been warned!

So as you all might have known, the story is pretty much a crucial ‘side story’ set up before the beginning of Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977. By now, most people who follows the movie industry must have known that Darth Vader is a jedi turned villain whom with the Emperor controls the galaxy through fear and terror. Jedi, a group of naturally born people who are strong with the ‘Force’ has extinct. And despite some people who call themselves Rebels or the Rebellion, regular people who still tries as much as they can to fight against this tyranny, there’s not much people left who are still in a fight against this. We know that Luke will come and together with Leia and Han Solo will save the day. One of the key for them winning as is the main plot for A New Hope (and then used again for Star Wars: The Force Awakens), is finding this flaw in the construction of the Death Star. Which requires a map of the arhictectural structure of the Death Star. This is a story of people who were able to steal the map and send it to the Rebellion.

from tumblr page http://thestarwarssith.tumblr.com/

for Star Wars Celebration Europe 2016

So my concern was, how do they make a movie out of something we already know what the outcome is?

Well first thing first, as I read in a post in tumblr, the Rogue One DOES NOT care to give a first viewing people ANY background story for the characters that we’ll see along the way which we know as a fan was important throughout. Senator Organa, Tarkin, Senator Mon Mothma, a glimpse of R2DR and C3PO, the Imperial Ships, the Death Star, a little implied mention of Obiwan Kenobi, and most beautiful of all, seeing that scene that started A New Hope, Princess Leia in her white dress ready to do some badassery against Darth Vader! All this wasn’t necessarily explained, and I can understand it’ll be quite uninteresting for a non-fan. You won’t get the easter eggs. And I don’t know how this movie feels for a fresh eyed viewer!

Next, the feel of the movie. When we watch The Force Awakens, we also felt along the movie, the freshness and newness of everything. The Force is displayed in such a cool (although emo) way by Kylo Ren, the new fancier robots, I mean, it is set some decades after the galaxy was saved by the original trio. They’re now legends being spoken from time to time by the locals. They have a new enemy and both the good and the evil parts have just been ‘re-started’. That’s why it feels lacking in how threatening the situation was. But it’s also something which we like because it’s kind of A New Hope v.2.0.

The thing that suprised me is how old the movie feels. It felt like it was made in a different time, Star Wars galaxy wise. The rebel fighters with their moustaches and I don’t know the background felt like how I used to remember the time Luke infiltrate the Death Star to blow it up together with the rebel pilots!

The fact that Darth Vader was also there and being his menacing self was also another thing that makes this movie so special. My husband’s main complain about the movie is how the villain felt like an emo boy. Well he is really young still. And compared to DV, he just didn’t have the background story (yet) to be so villanous and menacing. Darth Vader has always been this decisive villain, who always so sure about why he does the things he did. The fact that Anakin was being told as the first three prequels annoys the heck out of me. Old Anakin does feel like Kylo Ren. Darth Vader is a standout from the two (or one?).

And now to the main plot! What I love so much about the movie is that it’s a movie where you see people who are actual heroes. You meet Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor (DIEGO LUNA!!! with his sweet mexican accent!), Chirrut Imwe, Bodhi Rook, Baza Malbus, Saw Gerrera, and Galen Erso (MADS MIKKELSEN!!) all with their own background story. Jyn is so far the most heartbreaking for me. Well she’s the main protagonist here anyways :D She was a little kid when his father, Galen Erso, who is an architect of Death Star who decided that he no longer wanted to do this job anymore, and her mother, Lyra Erso, a brave scientist who tries to protect her husband and kid, got separated from her. Galen was taken back by the Imperials to finish his work. Lyra was killed that day. And after such shocking moment, she was taken care by her father’s friend, rebel turning to an extremist, played by awesome Forest Whitaker, Saw Gerrera. Fast forward few years ahead, Jyn seemed to be living her live alone. I was wondering where Saw Gerrera was. Apparently, she was abandoned by him when she was 16. When Jyn confronted Saw after those years, my heart almost broke. This girl must have left all her trust to this man. Just like Mako trusted Stacker Pentecost :’( When he told her that it was for her own good, she was softened by it. And when after such brief moment she had to be separated from him forever, despite her best efforts to stay or take him with her, she lost her guardian.

Not long after, she finally tracked down her dad who has been caught for betraying the Imperials. Usually some movies will give like 5-6 minutes of cheesy moment for catching up and all. But no, just when she felt hope once more, and met the man who was her only family, and someone she loved so dearly, he too was taken away. They only get to talk on his dying moments. Freaking 5-6 seconds dammit. And when Cassian tried to take her away because the place was attacked, she too had to leave her father’s body after decades not seeing him… HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO HER T__T

So yeah so far the movie was already heartbreaking. But no worries, it’ll continue to do so.

Anyways, now they know what to do. Find the map for Death Star and send it to the Rebellion so they can plan an attack. But of course nobody’s willing to do this suicide mission. I mean it’s placed at the center of the enemy’s line. Oh by the way, creepy Darth Vader actually have his palace stationed at the place where he was butchered by Obi Wan Kenobi. That is just so sick.

Anyways, Jyn and Cassian’s team, agreed to go with her. And isn’t it so heartbreaking that Cassian told her, after her disbelief about finding people that would stick by her side ‘Welcome home’?? T__T I’m really like TT. So they went, and hello hello IT WAS REALLY A SUICIDE MISSION. When it was said that there’s no way for them to came out of the planet alive, that the only thing that matters now is to send the data of the map to the rebellion ship, I knew that they won’t survive. And none of them did. Not Jyn, nor Cassian, and all their friends whom they just met… not even the robot K-2SO who sometime ago said that he will survive if they were trapped in space cause he doesn’t breathe. Dammit… :(

We all knew that the map got delivered to the rebellion, but we didn’t knew that so many people died fighting for it… :(

So the movie is the literal Suicide Squad. It was beautiful because they didn’t sugar coat it. They don’t have to, there are other Star Wars movies with happy ending, so it’s okay to do this. When the file of the map got delivered to Princess Leia, I teared up a little. It is, a glimpse of hope. There might be a chance, finally for the rebels… but the sacrifice was not little. All the pilots who died fearlessly after helping Jyn and her team…Bodhi Rook who just tried to do good… The Ip Man guy who probably did his own stunt work and his friend… all of them fighting for the greater good in the time of war, just like Stacker Pentekost, Raleigh and Chuck Hansen… T_T

Anyways, I don’t know whether the movie is slow or not. I have to rewatch it to know. The guy sitting next to me kept on checking his phone while I was busy spotting all the easter eggs in the movie LOL. The noisy kids behind me is another reminder that parents really should TEACH THEIR KIDS MANNER or don’t take kids under the supposed rating age. How can they scar their kids by letting them watch people who died like this? Can’t relate.

But I like this movie. I bet the alt right men hated it. All the POCs as good guys. White men as villains. A female as the main protagonist. All the references to Nazi Germany. Well done well done. Such fitting movie for such a time! 

notes:

1. i spazzed so many times. mads showed up. whitaker showed up. the guy who always plays the villain showed up (Ben Mendelsohn). senator Organa showed up. he mentioned Obi Wan Kenobi. and most importantly, Princess Leia showed up (RIP Carrie Fisher... may the Force always be with you...). 

Movie Review: The Nice Guys

Movie Review: The Nice Guys, 2016, dir: Shane Black.

Russell Crowe plays Healy, a hitman (not that type of hitman, more like, hitting someone in the face when you're stalking someone and get paid for it) who accidentally met Ryan Gosling playing March, a detective, after March being asked to find a girl named Amelia, while Healy just got paid by Amelia to hit March. I know, it's a bit complicated. Wait till you get to see the movie, it's worse, but it's good. Hahaha.

Anyways, the movie has a rather complex plot, which in the end entertain you thoroughly. Plot wise, I love it. If I say more, I will spoil you with the story, so now let's talk about other aspects of the movie.

The movie is classified by Wiki as a neo noir comedy thriller, made by Shane Black. My sister once introduced me with this vlogger, Nerdwriter, who explains that Shane Black, who made the fabolous Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, is a director who manages to make violence in a movie important to the plot, or making the violence right. In some movies, the violence is usually served purely as violence and it gets to you at some point or you became so numb and don't appreciate it anymore. Here in this movie, there are many scenes with violence which not only push the plot forward, but were also very horrific and dramatic, you can only ended up laughing. REALLY.

 from here

Russel Crowe, Gosling and the girl who played as Gosling's daughter are brilliant. It's not everyday for you to see Gosling (I mean... DRIVE??!) played as a big ass pitiful man who cries with a high pitch. Gosh that was so funny to watch! And Russel Crowe! I wouldn't have expected him to play this type of character, but he was really cool and I respect him throughout this movie. Not cool as much as he is in Gladiator or the new Superman, I mean, it's a totally different genre, but as a seasoned hitman who play no games, but softened by this young girl, but not too much that it gets cheesy. Thank God.

One of my favorite scenes, and this is truly a spoiler, so if you don't want to spoil your enjoyment of the movie, please don't read this, is when Ryan Gosling's character pretended to act stupid and delirious when it's actually a scheme to distract his enemy. I think he did it like 3 times here, and we believed it every single time, because he was a rather foolish/clumsy character in the movie (with glimpses of his smartness as a real detective. Really, this movie impressed me!), but he used people's assumption on him to make a fool out of his enemy and use it for his best advantage.

I love the color (yeah, retro). And the craziness (tanks filled with mermaids?!). And glimpses of Detroit on its golden days (this is due to Only Lovers Left Alive). And all the absurdities which falls into place in the end.

By the way, I read that this movie flops in box office although praised by critics, which is quite a shame considering this is a very well written one, very funny, and through and through enjoyable. My sister and I laughed like crazy the whole time, and I'm gonna make my husband watch it as well!

Movie Review: Green Room

Movie Review: Green Room, 2015, dir: Jeremy Saulnier

So from some of the movies I've been watching during the last couple of weeks, this would have been one of the most memorable. This'll be a spoiler free review, so feel free to read with ease.

The story tells about a struggling punk band, travelling to play some gigs (wiki said around Pacific Northwest). One time, especially after having no money left, they decided to take a gig in a place which as they arrived apparently is a Neo-NAZI skinhead bar somewhere in the midst of a forest. They played their gig, ALMOST with an incident. But managed to (almost) get out alive before trouble befalls on them. Do you want to know what's next? I think you should watch it yourself. Oh dammit, I'll write the rest of the spoiler review at the end of this!!

Movie poster by: Harijs Grundmanis aka Harry Movie Art

Some notes on the movie:
1. it is a VERY intense movie. I was on the edge of my seat ever since the problem arises. You can totally see the split second when this band members can either avoid or deal with the problem. Geez.
2. the movie CREEPS ME OUT because of the amount of white supremacists/Neo-NAZIs skinheads and the righteousness they emanate. They really truly believe on their ideology and like soldiers ready to snap back at people who doesn't fall into their belief. It's really scary. Fundamentalists at any shape is scary.
3. the movie has a very dark tone because the bar was dark (hah! I remember I must have went to one of these kinds back in Berlin), and the story goes deeper into the night, and so all fear are being contained and you just stuck there watching.
4. I think all the casts were brilliant! I mean, we have Anton Yelchin (RIP), the great Patrick Stewart being absolutely a character which made me scared, Imogen Poots and her effortless charm, and there's also Joe Cole whose face reminded me that I've seen him somewhere, then I checked, and YUP! he was the little brother in Peaky Blinders!
5. if you want to watch a through and through good thriller of a movie which keeps you on your seat, choose this. The Rotten Tomatoes rating is way up there, and I agree. Unless, seeing white supremacists doing their activities scared you off, then don't.

Disclaimer: this movie is really not for the weakhearted because there'll be a lot of blood, awful sadistic scenes (not Tarantino style, though), etc.

AND NOW THE SPOILER PART a little bit down below to avoid people who don't wanna read the spoiler...




So! Continuing our story in the beginning, so after the band gave their gig (with an opening song which insults the Neo NAZIs), they were about to leave when one of the band member accidentally peaks inside the room where one of them left their cellphone to witness a dead body lying on the floor while some people looking terrified/shocked/neutral. The guy, Pat, while walking away tried to call the police but the band was then rushed back into the room together with the murderer, a bodyguard, and the friend of the dead girl (Amber, the friend, I mean). They were locked inside, meanwhile the manager of the bar called the leader/cleaner of the Neo NAZI group, Darcy Banker. He then tried to 'clean this mess' in which clean means kill all the witnesses. OH LOORD. In addition, apparently the place was also a cocaine chemical lab, so more reasons to kill this poor kids who are just hungry because they're trying to sell their music! GAAH.

In the middle, there's a lot of fighting scenes, heart breaking because these kids are like skinny underfed young musicians having to deal with this NAZIs who are just so freakish not only in their ideology, but also in their muscle build and sadistic behaviour.

So yeah, you better watch the rest yourself, but I guarantee you it's very intense and a satisfying watch at the very end! RIP Anton Yelchin, you did great here.

Movie Review: Suicide Squad

Movie Review: Suicide Squad, 2016, dir: David Ayer.


OH MY GOD. I can't believe that Independence Day: Resurgence got 34% rating when Suicide Squad got only 27% in Rotten Tomatoes! Oh well, here goes my review and how I'll argue, that for sure Suicide Squad is a better movie than Independence Day!

DC movies have had it tough this year with bad reviews again and again. Although, really, BvS, the director's cut IS ENJOYABLE, I'd say (I made my sister watched it, and she also agree that it's very long but comprehensive which makes it more understandable than SS's plot. She was shocked when I told her about the scenes cut out from the theater released BvS).

After reading some of the reviews, I really almost didn't want to watch Suicide Squad, fearing that it's THAT BAD. Especially, I'd rather not to be disappointed maybe by not watching it or watching it much much later. But, some friends also said, that although I might not like it that much, I should really really give it a try, especially when this is quite my genre. At least it won't be as bad as the recently re-made Fantastic Four. So, I watched it with my sister last weekend.

This will be a full spoiler review!

First of all, we'll get to the bad parts first:

1. Despite all the hype, the Joker isn't really that much shown in the movie. He's basically used to move the plot forward. I guess they're really using all these weird news/publicity stunt just to get people to go to the cinema, so if you're going for that reason, to see Joker, I think you'll be disappointed.

What I found interesting during the trailers, is that you can pretty much guess how many type of scenes will be in the movies, and you're right. There's the introduction of the characters, problem, and the Suicide Squad, although kinda hating it, was forced to deal with the problem in the city (Gotham). That's pretty much all of it.

I couldn't really make it out from the trailers, but I had the impression that there'll be two types of problem, first is this thing we don't know from the trailer, and second, Joker giving out problems as well. Does Joker cause the first trouble? I wasn't sure. But in the end, Joker had very short scenes which was used to explain Harley Quinn's character. I really felt cheated with the promotion, but they do it all the time to male character and the female characters usually only played as a plot device, so, I guess in the end it's just fine? Or maybe just use him as flashbacks only, why the necessity of putting Joker in the plot during the big fight?

I don't know how Joker's relationship with Harley in the comics is, or his real depiction other than glimpses of the flamboyan/crazy-laughing-penguin played by Jack Nicholson and of course Heath Ledger's Joker. But I guess he's more fitting to Jack Nicholson's character? After all the hype, I'd agree with my cousin on this one. In this movie, Joker was like a big mob leader/gangster who cares A LOT about his looks and his money (and I suspect, rather emo), that I can't really feel like he's a villain I would feel awe at. After 8 years, Heath Ledger's Joker resonates deeply, and despite me  trying to appreciate this one, it still makes me feel that the character is so cheap compare to Ledger's Joker.

So I agree with my sister when she said his character can just be taken out of the movie, and we won't have any problems with it.

2. This movie tells you the details of the main problem of the movie 1/4 along the way. I don't know about you, but I feel that it's way way waay to soon. I was hoping for a deeper more complex revelations towards the ending, but nothing much was there.

Funny thing is, since we all know what happened 1/4th of the movie, having all the other characters not knowing what is happening until 3/4 of the movie feels kind of silly. The suspense is lost.

3. There are some patchiness in the story telling. I also didn't get why when the Squad went into this building, why did they end up helping Amanda Waller? Is this her rescue mission? I thought they were trying to get the villain? And that she killed her team so they don't spoil anything? Does it mean Amanda simply didn't want the government to know that SHE caused all the mayhem? AND THE TOP SECRET SCENE LMFAO

4. If Joker is gonna be used at all in this movie, I wish that there'll be more of his mind manipulating ways on Harley Quinn, because I still need more to understand how Harley can give away her career and life to follow a man who abuses her physically and mentally.

5. The villain, aka the Enchantress, during the final scenes was so-so. I don't know if I'm saying this because I wasn't much impressed, and a tat disappointed for lack of other possibilities on how the story and the villain can unfold, but it isn't the type of a good villain which makes this type of movie interesting enough. But that's only my opinion. Plus, it wasn't really clear what type of machine is she trying to build to end human life? They're just collecting metals and make some swirlings in the sky but I don't feel the threatening presence of this machinery?

6. Owh the last scene where they slow-mo Harley throwing the knife to Deadshot, and Killer Croc throwing the bomb, that was really a way to be extra dramatic for nothing.

7. Poor underdeveloped Katana's character. She seems like a typical Americanized Asian character, funny name with irrelevant importance in the movie, almost only use to serve exoticness in the movie, because hey, i'm Japanese who speaks Japanese randomly when I know no one understands me, and I cry over my husband's soul under random moments of pressure during a big fight? Ugh, she deserved so much better. Or just don't force to have her here if her character is so unimportant.

8. El Diablo's character has such bad lines, hasn't he? I kind of imagine Will Smith's super awesome character with heartfelt lines would be laughing trying to act back to El Daiblo's cheesy lines. I can't believe myself. What a waste.

9. I don't know about Slipknot, but since he's from the comic book, I would have thought that he'd at least have some fighting scenes. I also feel bad because he was the only (?) character played by a native american, yet he played such short of a role. Again, it's such a waste!

AAND now to the good parts of the movie:

1. AMANDA WALLER played by QUEEN VIOLA DAVIS. Gosh, she can fill the screen with so much presence, I LOVE IT. I know I love her already from her previous movies and tv series, and SHE'S AN AMAZING ACTRESS. But she filled Amanda Waller's shoes so well, and so cruel and mean and cold hearted, you can't help to like her. They gave her some silly scenes though (like my sister pointed out, after being held by the Enchantress, she still came out un-hurt and her cellphone was still okay when she threatened the Squad not to run away), but she still pulled it off till the very end.

2. The introduction scene was enjoyable! I love knowing all the characters one by one like that, a bit cheesy, but still. I don't know what kind of researcher go alone into a cave by herself to spot a 6000 year old spirit just to get possessed, but it was sort of a badass intro.

3. I don't know much about Harley Quinn, but I love how Margot Robbie depicts her to be really strong and full of joy at one point, and tried her best to hide her vulnerability. And how she always speaks truthfully and straight to the point, like when El Diablo talked about his background story. I'm just sad that this terrific character is being manipulated by Joker. I almost thought that this is actually what she really wants (not being Joker's lover, but being a villain which kinda let her spirit breaks free?).

4.  Will Smith's character's is the one that pulls the gravity towards the movie. I guess they wrote his character best, and he is so good with acting that you empathize towards his character easily. I almost feel like the movie can just use him and Harley plus Viola Davis's to make the movie works perfectly. Maybe add the Rick Flag's character (his acting was also rather nice). His concern over his family is so Will Smith-ish, but you still like it a lot. His developing friendship with Harley felt genuine and heart warming at times. Maybe rather than trying out making other solo heroes movies, they can pick Deadshot and make one for him? We know for SURE Will Smith can pull it off! (like many times he did)

5. There's not much humor in this movie, but many scenes are so silly that my sister and I kept laughing at it. Wait, am I being sarcastic?

6. It's still unfair to put this movie below Independence Day: Resurgence's rating. That movie had NO relevant characters, even sillier plot lines, unneccessary as if heroic end of the day speech, basically you don't feel any emotion towards any of the characters. It's such a waste of money. Suicide Squad has better offerings. It's not the best of superhero or to be more exact supervillain movie, but in addition of serving us with pretty nice cinematograpy (I actually kind of like this retro feel), it has plenty of characters which keeps you seated and enjoy it simply as an easy entertainment (Independence Day Resurgence was SO STUPID you get annoyed; here, you still feel entertained). Now that we got through with this painful first phase (introducing characters and their background story), I hope, if they ever make another Suicide Squad movie, they can delve directly with better story telling and  focus (something which also feels lagging in BvS) to make it a much better movie. I mean look at Pacific Rim. Or Mad Max. Or Captain America: Civil War. Or Captain America: the Winter Soldier. They are good because they have a clear focus on what big problem they want to solve in the movie. Having too much plans for a movie can really sometimes annoy the hell out of us.

Reasons

Reasons why I'm crusading to finish my meta-analysis:
1. it's been too long
2. I want to do my next projects: learn Danish, learn Japanese, and learn coding!
3. books are waiting
4. maybe, my next meta-analysis? :p
5. I need to write to my friends but feel too much guilt to do it because I'm still stuck with this analysis.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, 2016, J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne

As posted in Goodreads

I think that anyone who knows Harry Potter that well would understand that this is, after all, a spoiler. So read with caution :) I really didn't plan to read the book since: 1. it might ruin my already canon story of the seven books of HP 2. it's from a play, so it might not be as enjoyable as reading a through and through novel (but hey, what about Shakespeare, then?)                                    But I saw the review that the book is devastating to one's emotion, so I had to give it a try. And so this is what I have to say about it: 1. although it took me a bit of time to dwell into it properly, I immediately came home to the never forgotten familiarity of the wizardry world in Harry Potter's universe. And it feels good. 2. it isn't, after all, a 'new story' but partly feels like a fan-fic of what ifs, but I'm not saying this as a negativity, because I think we do need to know more to feel more appreciative about the people in HP's universe, especially the ones we never properly said goodbye to. 3. it settles one of the most argued about romantic relationship in this particular universe. 4. it's true that we need a proper, good villain to make a good hero, and the book brought us back to the origin of origin. I mean, basically, there's nothing much you can tweak but coming back to that point. That's why I think we should put it at this, and move on!!! 5. Harry Potter is one of the kindest person ever lived in science fiction, and I'm just so sad that even after ~20 years, he had to feel worse and worse about the whole thing. I mean, can we PLEASE give him a break?? 6. this book certainly gave the right chuckle and almost brought me to tears. 7. Now I really want to be friends with Scorpius Malfoy. 8. I will love this universe, always.

Gonjang-ganjing!

Tadi pagi ngecek hape buat update berita penyerangan di Nice, tahu-tahu malah baca berita tentang plot kudeta di Turki. Astaghfirullah, ini berita buruk kok terus-menerus gini ya? Dan di jaman sekarang, di dunia modern ala demokrasi, kok bisa Turki yang udah 'setengah Eropa' masih terancam kudeta militer. Bener-bener bikin gak habis pikir, dunia sedang penuh gejolak.

Sekitar dua tahun lalu kalau gak salah, di pinggir sungai di kampus pas di London, makan siang sama temen-temen seangkatan, temen Perancis bilang, kok rasanya was-was ya, di Eropa sedang terjadi banyak pergerakan yang belum tahu arahnya ke mana. Seolah-olah peta politik dunia sedang berubah drastis. Yang pasti ini bukan sesuatu yang gak ada asal-muasalnya. Perang di Irak dan munculnya ISIS, berdirinya European Union yang membebaskan pergerakan seluruh warga Eropa ke negara manapun di benua tersebut, krisis karena kondisi ekonomi Yunani, itu semua ternyata masih permulaan. Masuk 2015, imigrasi ke Eropa meningkat. Dan permasalahannya bahkan bukan dari banyaknya orang yang masuk ke Eropa karena perang di negara mereka (1. inget di tahun 1938, warga Eropa keturunan Yahudi pun harus bermigrasi karena tekanan Nazi Jerman, dan salah satu efek dari imigrasi yang tak terbendung menjadi salah satu penyebab holocaust 2. adanya kemungkinan bahwa gak semua yang bermigrasi ke Eropa adalah korban perang, tapi oportunis yang mencoba peruntungan nasib di Eropa), tapi gap sosial baik di dalam negara-negara yang tiba-tiba dipenuhi warga asing, kesan negatif yang lekat dengan Islam = teroris, membuat politik masyarakat makin terpecah-belah. Di beberapa tahun belakangan bahkan, partai-partai ideologi far right yang biasanya gak populer memperoleh makin banyak suara.

Ayah, sekitar 3 tahun lalu di Spice Market di Istanbul. 

Lalu muncul kejadian terorisme di Paris akhir tahun lalu. Simbol kehidupan orang Eropa diserang, menumbuhkan rasa takut yang membuat mereka merasa kehidupan damai mereka tercerabut. Seminggu setelah penangkapan pelaku teror di Paris, metro dan bandara Belgia juga ikut diserang. Yang cukup menarik adalah, kasus di Belgia misalnya, bukan hanya pihak intelijen Turki udah menginformasikan potensi munculnya kejadian ini, banyak media yang akhirnya menghighlight ketidakmampuan polisi Belgia buat mengantisipasi kejadian penyerangan ini. Temen orang Cina yang tinggal di Belgia cukup lama juga menghighlight gimana kurang sigapnya polisi Belgia. Gue baca tentang kepolisian di sana yang memang pendanaannya kurang kuat. Dan lihat sendiri kotanya kalau dibandingkan sama Jerman misalnya. Daerah yang dilanda kemiskinan dibiarkan tumbuh jadi ghetto, dsb. Pun ketika diperiksa lebih mendalam, pelaku teror di negara-negara tersebut masih warga sana yang lahir dan besar di sana (bukan imigran yang suka dijadiin argumen orang-orang ultra kanan sebagai ISIS selundupan). Apa mungkin radikalisasi orang-orang ini disebabkan salah satunya karena ketimpangan sosial?

Di Austria, orang-orang ultra kanan bikin pertemuan untuk mempertemukan partai-partai seideologi di Eropa. Ugh bikin gue bergidik. Di Amerika, dua kandidat yang maju ke pencalonan presiden satu punya kecenderungan suka perang, satu buka-bukaan bigot, rasis, dan islamofobik. Plus, hasil poling sejauh ini menunjukkan kalau Clinton dan Trump gak jauh banyak popularitasnya. Tapi sembari deg-degan menanti hasil pemilu di sana, kita malah dikejutkan dengan berita lepasnya Inggris dari Uni Eropa! Pas gue baca beritanya, memang iya, sebagian yang memilih lepas dari EU ya memang orang-orang rasis aja, yang gak suka misalnya sama orang Polandia (lagi-lagi efek bebasnya pergerakan warga se-benua Eropa) membikin pendapatan mereka menurun (argumennya, orang-orang Polandia bersedia dibayar lebih rendah untuk pekerjaan yang sama dibanding warga Inggris lokal, akibatnya gaji minimum juga makin rendah) atau bahkan, warga Inggris lokalnya malah gak bisa mencari pekerjaan yang layak. Tapi sebagian yang memutuskan untuk lepas dari EU juga adalah orang-orang yang sudah muak sama pemerintahan yang gak representatif, jadi untuk bilang 'f**k you' ke status quo, akhirnya mereka memilih untuk lepas dari EU. Efek ke depannya bagaimana? Ada yang bilang, ini bakal memicu referendum ulang dari Skotlandia untuk lepas dari UK dan masuk ke EU. Uni Eropa yang pastinya masih sakit hati (apalagi melihat kebodohan orang-orang dari partai UKIP di parlemen EU. ugh.) mana mau memudahkan UK untuk transaksi ekonomi dan bisnis dengan Eropa. Tapi melihat banyaknya orang-orang dari pihak kampanye Brexit masuk ke pemerintahan baru di bawah Theresa May, jelas ini bikin kita juga bergidik. Apakah Inggris akan semakin menuju ideologi Ultra Kanan? Semoga nggak. Tapi dengan atmosfer belakangan, siapa yang tahu.

Sementara itu, Turki terus-menerus mengalami peristiwa terorisme, bus-bus di Ankara dan Istanbul dibom, terus baru-baru ini bandara Istanbul juga diserang. Di pihak Turki sendiri, bukan hanya efek dari dekatnya perbatasan dengan Syria yang memungkinkan penyelundupan orang-orang ISIS, tapi mereka sendiri punya konflik internal dengan orang-orang Kurdi yang membuat situasi pertikaian internal makin kompleks. ISIS pun makin ganas, ngebom di pasar Irak yang isinya ibu-ibu dan anak-anak, ngebunuh ratusan, hanya beberapa hari sebelum lebaran... Astaghfirullah. Belum lagi penyerangan-penyerangan di Saudi Arabia (pas gue pikir-pikir, ISIS ini memang gak beragama ya. Penyebab mereka bisa sampai menyerang SA bahkan deket mesjid Nabawi, ngebunuh petugas keamanan yang sedang berbuka puasa, astaghfirullah ... mungkin karena SA jadi ally Barat dalam perang melawan ISIS).

Lalu, piala Eropa berlalu tanpa insiden berarti (well, berantemnya hoolligan Inggris vs Rusia vs Perancis memang nunjukin kebodohan manusia sifatnya memang universal, apapun latar belakang kulturnya ya. ugh). Tau-tau kejadian di Orlando. Pelakunya muslim lagi. Walau kejadian penembakan di Amerika bukan cerita yang bikin shock lagi (ih...), tapi ya gimana ini gak bikin orang tambah prejudice sama benci sama Islam? Walaupun ternyata si pelakunya ini memang psikopat galau yang butuh pengakuan diri. Konflik batin karena dia sendiri homoseksual. Terus, kejadian lagi di Nice. Ya Allah... Korban pertamanya dikabarkan seorang ibu-ibu muslim yang berdiri paling deket ketika truk-nya masuk ke kawasan promenade. Puluhan orang meninggal. Walaupun reaksi pertama "ah teroris lagi", setelah informasi dikumpulkan (gak pernah masuk pengawasan polisi sebagai korban radikalisasi, disinyalir bukan muslim taat, pelaku kdrt pula), kok kayaknya si pelaku ini melakukan aksi terornya sendirian dikarenakan depresi, total psikopat, yang mengingatkan gue kejadian Germanwings yang pelakunya juga psikopat yang butuh pengakuan publik. Tapi nama depannya aja udah Muhammad, ya bakal dikoneksi lagi dengan Islam = teror.

Terus, tadi pagi, Turki yang sudah bergejolak dari tahun lalu (tapi kalau baca novel-novelnya Orhan Pamuk, kayaknya this super enchanting country memang terus-terusan bergejolak 100 tahun terakhir ya? Efek posisi barangkali), pemerintahan resminya malah terancam kudeta. Ya ampun... apalagi ini? Gue bukan penggemar fanatik Erdogan, karena walau banyak hal yang dia lakukan sepertinya bener, tapi kalau denger pendapat temen-temen Turki atau baca artikel Al Jazeera dsb, ya dia gak 100% pemimpin sempurna (kebebasan pers yang dikekang, rencana Erdogan untuk merubah konstitusi, dan emang orang-orang gak pada baca ya berita minggu lalu rencana kerjasama dia dengan negara uhuk uhuk). Yang jadi permasalahan bagi gue, kalau pemerintahan Turki sampai kena kudeta, gimana antisipasi konflik lokal yang belum selesai? Kamp-kamp imigran (yang dipakai Erdogan untuk negosiasi dengan EU), perbatasannya dengan Syria, rencana Turki untuk masuk EU, dsb, apa yang bakal terjadi? (temen Turki pun berteori, kudeta ini direncanakan pihak pemerintah untuk semakin mengokohkan posisi mereka di mata rakyat)

Sebelum gue pulang, temen gue nanya, kenapa gak berusaha aja tinggal di Berlin. Gue bilang, 'kayaknya di Indonesia lebih damai negaranya'. Kata temen India, tapi terorisme kan bisa terjadi di mana aja. Iya, tapi setidaknya, gue gak harus mengalami rasisme balik. Dan Indonesia (insya Allah) kan gak masuk hitungan untuk harus diterorisasi (alhamdulillah kejadian teror di Jakarta terakhir berhasil digagalkan dan warga Jakarta yang sudah keras kehidupannya mengambil hikmahnya dengan bercanda terhadap situasi yang berlangsung). Terus, walau Indonesia gak sempurna, kayak kata teh Ika, buang sampah aja masih gak bisa, tapi mudah-mudahan negara satu ini jauh dari konflik-konflik Barat vs Timur di atas sana. Gusti Allah, semoga negara satu ini tentram dan damai. Jauh dari konflik antar negara seperti di benua Eropa sana. Semoga rakyatnya makin pinter-pinter dan pada dicukupkan rezekinya. Semoga yang berbeda agama tetap saling menghargai dan memahami satu sama lain. Semoga yang mampu gak lupa untuk membantu yang kurang.

Inti tulisan ini apa ya? Intinya gue pengen menuliskan sebagian hasil pengamatan gue beberapa bulan terakhir ini sih. Ke depannya, kita masih musti liat gimana peristiwa-peristiwanya bakal unfolded. Mudah-mudahan gak ada perubahan yang terlalu dramatis, sementara itu gue menunggu 2NE1 buat ngeluarin album baru untuk menghibur isi kepala gue dari semua kejadian-kejadian tragis belakangan.

ps: ada dua buku yang esensial untuk memahami gonjang-ganjing ini, setidaknya gue selalu teringat sama kedua buku ini: (1) Grapes of Wrath yang menceritakan krisis ekonomi di US (2) A Strangeness in My Mind yang menceritakan kondisi politik Turki di background cerita.

Movie Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Movie Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, 2016, dir: Burr Steers. 

I'll go on full spoiler in this review! Sorry! But you for sure know the storyline of Pride and Prejudice, right? 

I don't know which scene was more appealing to me. Seeing the Bennet girls went into battle to fight zombies? Watching them putting on their blades and guns attached to their undergarments? Watching Mr. Darcy suffered being headlocked by Liz's legs after confessing his love to her? Seeing sweet sweet Jane without fear took out her small dagger to kill a zombie running towards her? I don't know, but I like them all!

This movie was adapted from a book under the same title, written by Seth Grahame-Smith with Jane Austen as the co-writer. When I saw the book on display a couple of times back in Dussman, I always thought, it'll be quite a cheesy easy gothic story kind of book. I'm sorry, but I'm still hurting after a renowned (late) writer took Pride and Prejudice into an investigative crime novel, Death Comes at Pemberley, and absolutely botched it. So I take extra caution to read any extra adaptation of Jane's book.

So I also didn't bother when the movie was out. Remember the 1999 version of Mansfield Park? Where the movie writer or the director decided to infuse Jane Austen's character into Fanny Price? The shy, closed, Fanny Price turned into another Elizabeth Bennet. What a shame. And until now, we still haven't got a proper Mansfield Park adaptation. Oh look, when it comes to Jane I always rattle out from my original plan.

Anyways, so with caution did I watch the movie. The Rotten Tomatoes rating was not very good, so I expect nothing, actually. But it turns out to be quite and enjoyable take of the novel. So Great Britain was infected by a plague which turns people into zombies, and so people on that Island after years of attack had to learn to defend themselves, including the amazing Bennet girls who, unlike most people who'd learn martial art in Japan, studied in Shaolin temple in China. So the rest of the story was pretty much like Pride and Prejudice (even with scenes which remind me of the 2005 adaptation: the cleaning up the house when the Bennets left Netherfield, Liz entered the dining room to visit her ill sister, and the room where Darcy (almost) confessed his feelings to Liz). And plenty of scenes took the original script from Jane's book. But it also in a way, felt quite original and fresh. Like some of the reviewers (of the book), saying that the zombie story was infused nicely to the original P & P plot, this also applies in the movie.

I checked the plot of the book, and it seems quite different to the adapted screenplay, so I think I can still read it and feel surprised. But it was really a fun watch to see my favorite characters got involved with zombie war. The Bennet girls felt more badass in this adaptation, and gosh seeing Jane and Liz taking out their swords to fight is just sooo exciting! So although the movie might not be the best of the best, it is still a very entertaining one. And I'd suggest it to fellow Jane Austen's lover who would agree that Jane's sense of humor would appreciate this. Because, really, it's so funny and entertaining to see Liz cut off a zombie's head in front of the love of her life!! Would non-Jane Austen fan love it? I'm not so sure, because the fun part is seeing how the characters from the original story got their own twisted story line. But I can't really tell, because I'm really biased :P

Ah, and I decided to watch this movie because of Condro. So here goes my review, Condro :D

"Liz, let's spend the rest of our lives hunting zombies together. Do you like the idea of it?"

Movie Review: Independence Day: Resurgence

Movie Review: Independence Day 2: Resurgence, 2016, dir: Roland Emmerich.

I had a hunch that when they have Liam Hemsworth in the trailer, despite the awe-making scenes, this movie might simply be an easy going summer flick that you shouldn't let your brain think too much. But it was bad and in the end made me think too much out of passionate disappointment.

This review will be on full spoiler, so move forward with caution!

I didn't watch the first movie. I didn't know why, I mean I watched Jurassic Park which is the other revolutionary movie in terms of special effect around that era, but didn't bat an eye on this one. So I spent the hours before watching it reading through the original storyline.

Oh my God, the movie was filled with 'why aren't they thinking straight?' moments which is just mind goggling for me. First was the first alien ship which was already mentioned to be looking 'not intimidating' but they blew it anyways. Wow. You see, the movie said that after the attack from 20 years ago, the world has created cutting edge technologies due to learning alien ships landed on earth, etc. But... they can't make a comprehensively thought over decision? Why attack something which doesn't look intimidating? ('because the writers can't find better reason for the story to move forward!' said me in the background)

the alien ship

Second, the scene where they scanned the landed (bigger) alien ship, and found heat center in the middle of the ship, suggesting 'ah this is the mother alien, if we kill her, the-similar-to-beehive-community will for sure destroyed'. I immediately thought, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A TRAP, but the movie dragged another 10 minutes or something to show, and act surprised, OH WELL THIS IS A TRAP! Why? How can high level military personnel, experienced scientists, came to such decision SO SO EASY. Gah. I felt insulted.

And then the typical 'I'll sacrifice' scene plus the 'We will overcome this together' speech close to the ending which was shot so cheesy-ly, I cringed, like how does the actor able to even say these words? If you wanna use it, use it well! See for example, Pacific Rim, scene: Marshal Pentecost giving his final speech. That's the way to deliver this over-used type of scene! Gah.

And although I love seeing Maika Monroe on the screen, I wish there were more to it. Liam Hemsworth's scene where he pissed the aliens by literally pissing WAS ABSOLUTELY stupid, the conflict between Liam and Jessie Usher's character was so standard I don't know why it matters. Plus, Jessie Usher's character is also handsome and has this sweetness in his face, why not have him date Maika's character if you need to add ((an) unnecessary) a love scene.

I told my husband, 'Maybe, the producers of the movie thought that they are sick of complicated storyline during the last few years, so they thought 'Hey, let's make an oversimplified movie, just for fun', so they make this one, where everybody ended up being happily ever after and now 'let's hunt the villainous alien with this cutting edge technology' aka let's make this a new franchise and make more movies and hence more money' GAAH (if it's good, keep it coming. but if it's not, why spent all those money to make bad quality movie -- this one must be expensive, just look at the CGI and special effects).

And so... I'll watch the first movie, maybe I'll know something more?

The fun thing about this movie experience is because I went to watch it with Bizki, his older brother Agah, his younger brother and the younger brother's wife Ihsan and Dania, for the first time hanging out as a big family (usually it's just me and my sis and sometimes with mbak Dian ;D). And I get to spend the evening before the movie walking around CiWalk which I rarely go to when I was studying in Bandung because I didn't have money to hang out in the cafes, etc (I usually go to the shopping mall where they have the cheapest movie tickets). And I had my first Bakmie GM. And I get to spend the evening discussing about movies with Bizki and Agah. Found out that Ciwalk is a pretty cool place, looking like a forest with building structures with plenty of restaurants and cafes. I mean, it's so futuristic for me, so I enjoyed it a lot. So yeah, the movie was pretty crappy, but I had some fun time :D And I guess that's more important :)

Movie Review: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition)

Movie review: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition), 2016, dir: Zack Snyder

Batman v Superman was one of the last movies I watched in Berlin before going home to Jakarta. I didn't like it at that time, for me there were plenty of times when I feel like the story got botched and edited in a bit of a messy way. Then, last week another movie goer (whom I trusted) posted in his Facebook that the Ultimate Edition, with the extra ~ 30 minutes is out, and it really made the film better. So I hunt it down and finally got to watch it last night with Bizki.

This will be a total spoiler review, because I need to get to the details, so... sorry!

I was happily surprised to find out that yes, the film now makes more sense. For example, one of the arguments from the movie critics about the movie is the lack of acting on the side of Henry Cavill/Superman. As if he was in the movie only to be shown as the Messiah figure with no relevance. I myself, and I guess as mentioned in the movie critics by the time the movie was out, thought that there are plenty of story going on on the side of Batman, but there wasn't much on Superman side. Well, the Ultimate Edition gave a balanced view of the two sides fighting. We already knew Batman's motivation in hating Superman, but why is Superman trying to pursue Batman back, and this edition explained it.

the Trinity

Another scene which makes me absolutely confused was when Batman was aftering the kryptonite moved by Luthor's thugs. Suddenly, Superman came unto Batman to tell him to back off. I was so confused, why? Don't you know that Batman is hunting the kryptonite? Well, again, it was explained by the apparent sadism of Batman towards the criminals in Gotham, which message didn't delivered that well in the original version, but understandable from the Ultimate Edition.

There is also the scene about the suicide bomber. It wasn't suicide after all! It totally changed the mood of the movie. Lois's investigation which made her realize that the bomber wasn't doing it as a suicide attempt, and also the added scene where the woman from Nairomi  was explained to be giving false testimony, well that gives a lot of weight not just to Lois's role in the movie, but also explained the on going motive and conspiracy behind the accusations of Superman being the vigilante. Oh and the scene where Superman helped people after the 'suicide' bombing? Was it there, or was it added? Because that gives that 'missing' humanistic side of Superman.

Oh and one other thing is... JENA MALONE'S SCENES!! HOW DARE ONE CUT OUT HER SCENES, COMPLETELY OUT OF THE MOVIE! Really, it's not that long, but her character was important, adds to Lois's investigation, and it's JENA MALONE! (i love her because of the Hunger Games :p).

As some people said, this version is the original vision of Zack Snyder, which makes sense because it's really wrapped up much better. Connectivity between the scenes, background story to explain the motivation of the characters, all makes it a better story. As mentioned by that movie goer friend, this also has something to do with the need to get a PG-13 rating for the movie rather than the R rating for the Ultimate Edition. The film is already pretty long with 151 minutes of running time. This edition made it extended up to 181 minutes, so this might be one of the other reasons why the movie got cut (I'm leaning more towards the rating thing. Big studios would get more money if it's PG-13 rating rather than an R one).

But yeah, so glad that this version was out. Can't wait for Wonder Woman's full movie. Some people complained about the abundance of super heroes movies these days, but I'm a happy fan to have all these sci-fi stories flying around, so just give it to us, please please please!!

Discussion: The Conjuring 2

This one's only for people who have watched it or absolutely don't care about spoiler!


So there are some parts and mysteries which I like best about Conjuring 2:
1. the intro music and animation. The scene where they just showed 'THE CONJURING 2' in the beginning, black background and text in yellow, taking the whole space of the screen and the screeching music which just put you on the very edge of your seat. Damn it.
2. the fact that Valak, the nun ghost, showed up in the middle of the comfort of Ed & Lorraine's home, under daylight sun. like, seriously. they can't stop, can they?
3. I like that they added some mysteries in the story. the fact that the ghost which haunted Janet is only a pawn, used by Valak, disabling him from moving to the other side, and that Valak scared Ed and Lorraine so they won't want to send any more devils back to hell in addition taking the vision as a nun which is like a holy symbol for Lorraine, so it's like an extra abomination. nice touch.
4. I like the scene when Lorraine imitated Ronald DeFeo Jr when he was killing his family. The way she pretended to shoot using the big gun! Nice scenes!!

Movie review: The Conjuring 2

Movie review: The Conjuring 2 (dir. James Wan)

Here's the spoiler discussion

I was very cautious when I was about to watch this movie. My sister and I avoided any rumors and spoilers and only see other reviewers' reactions to know more or less what to expect in the movie. We were so worried that it's gonna be so scary that we can't sleep or anything. It got even scarier in the cinema as we realized that there weren't that many people watching it, damn it! (if it's crowded, when it got scary, at least there are plenty of people that can dilute the creepy atmosphere)

So I love watching (1) horror movie (2) ghost movie (3) exorcist movie, well you get the idea. But it's so hard to find a good one. It's not enough to have scare jumps, you have to built an atmosphere, have interesting characters, a good story, and most of all, a good mystery. That's why I like all Insidious series, and It Follows, but disliked Annabelle. And boy oh boy, The Conjuring 2 is certainly one of the best horror movies out there.

pic from here

The story takes us back a few years after the Amityville incident, where we're back with our duo exorcists/psychic, Ed and Lorraine Warren, this time investigating a case of a haunted house of Hodgson's family in Enfield, England. Despite the many incidents that happened, especially centered around one of the kid in the family, Janet, they were still unsure whether they actually do have a case of a haunted house. Why? Well, you should watch it yourself. In any case, how the case was disentangled were more complicated as you'd think a horror movie should be, and it's just good that they've decided to do it like that. One of the best scary character would be the haunting nun. Ugh she/he freaked me out. Especially when it came unto you while you're simply enjoying your daily bliss.

The movie was also made in such a way that you were given moments of brief relief just to drag you back into anxiousness, damn it. I screamed twice and held my sister's hand too hard (sorry). But, like my friend said in his facebook post (Jombang), the movie was ultimately a romantic story. And it's really partly true. It is also a very well executed horror movie, and I'd love to re-watch it.

*still, the ultimate source of really really scary horror movies, you gotta give it to The Ring and all those good Japanese horror/ghost stories.

Book Review: A Strangeness in My Mind

Book Review: A Strangeness in My Mind, 2014, Orhan Pamuk

As posted in goodreads

After being traumatized reading the Museum of Innocence, I still somehow want to indulge myself to read Orhan Pamuk's work again. There's just a sense of magnetism to keep on coming back to his home city Istanbul. And when I read the general plot of the story, I was simply hooked. Hoping, please, don't let it be too hurtful this time.

And oh boy.

I have to write back a little on Museum of Innocence to be able to put my thoughts properly here. Museum of Innocence tells a story about a rich Istanbul man who fell in love with his distant, somewhat poor cousin, Füsun. Throughout their relationship, he grew obsessive, following and setting her up for his advantage and by the end of the book, I was so mad and stressed, and I can't figure out why some people can say that this is a romantic love story. Ugh.

YOĞURTÇU (yoghurt street seller). Cihangir neighbourhood, Istanbul, 1950s.

(https://de.pinterest.com/jeancriel/street-vendors-in-turkey-former-ottoman-territorie/)

So I was slightly worried, but curious at the same time, when I found out that the central theme of A Strangeness in My Mind is a love story as well. But it turns out that it has have an opposite atmosphere compare to Museum of Innocence.

The two books have some similarities, though. In addition for both being set up in Istanbul, the story tells about the changes the characters experienced in relation to the development of politics within the decades when they lived in Istanbul. Funny enough, while Museum of Innocence delved inside the life of Istanbul's upper class where it's more 'Western' dominated, A Strangeness in My Mind is being told from the eyes of the more poor (very very poor), traditional, lower classes, migrants from villages part of Istanbul. I have to check, but maybe the two books are actually set in the West (Museum of Innocence) and the East (A Strangeness in My Mind) sides of the city?

So the book tells about a boza seller, Mevlut, who came from a village near Istanbul trying to make a living in the big city, starting when he was a young 12 years old boy. It further described about Mevlut and the dynamics of his family - dad, cousins, uncle, aunt, best friend - and later on his wife, his in-laws, children, nieces, nephews, as they struggle to survive, and how Istanbul's  landscape changes from the 1950s towards 2012. There's of  course the whole political situation, both within the country and outside, used as a background or sometimes directly affecting the characters. The  book described (mostly in a fun way) of the life and culture of Turkish people, and the different people who lived there, and how they clashed, or get together.

Anyways, as I've mentioned about the atmosphere of the book, I couldn't help myself to be so comforted along the reading experience. Sure, it's so stressful to see the main character, honest boyish looking, Boza selling, Mevlut, working throughout his whole life trying to make ends meet by working various jobs with such optimism and earnestness. Or the people around his life who are simply ordinary people with the greatness and complexity of human beings. But while Museum of Innocence left me feeling depressed, this book comforts me about the reality of a changing life, of being young, falling in love, growing older, the relativeness of success, of happiness, of what home means, of how changes are unavoidable, and the fleeting lives of our species, and how time waits for no man. This book have so many ways to make the readers sad and depressed, but through Mevlut's heart and his soft feelings, you'd be comforted knowing that kindness and love can cure your heart.

The nights when Mevlut walks down the old small streets in Istanbul, carrying his boza drink, knocking peoples' doors, listening to their story and peeking on their lives; the comfort of knowing that you have loved and shared blissful years with your beloved, going home to a place where your heart can rest; when you can be comforted by the quiteness of the night, taking a refuge from the craziness of the world under daylight; for all that, I just need to say, thank you Mr Pamuk for writing such a wonderful story. Thank you for letting us know about Mevlut's life and the amazing people around him. Especially, Rayiha. It's always been her.

Kindle AND Printed Books

So what is the purpose of this particular blog post? Me, using my bragging right that, 'Hey, I have a kindle y'all!'. Or is it some sort of bragging under the disguise of being humble? Hahaha. Well, I hope that this is purely my sincere writing about one of the thing I love the most, which is reading. And this time, it's about the medium which I used for reading.

Let's start with a story. When I was planning to go home, back to Indonesia, I thought to myself, a. I'm not earning money myself; b. For books that I want, access to a printed version would be difficult. So sad we're not on the level of Singapore or Malaysia when it comes to literacy; c. I've collected during the last 6.5 years almost all books which for me would be the 'required' reading - so far LOL -; what can I do about it?

An illustration by my sister, original can be seen here

See more of her work here

My friend Roshni, has long suggested that I should get myself a Kindle. The one from Amazon was the obvious option, because I have been used to use my amazon account to get books, etc. And hey, there's an incorporated built-in light for the KindlePaperWhite version. Which means I can read in the dark (good for when travelling, etc). I checked Roshni's copy, and she's right, the surface of the Kindle isn't like a computer screen with its strong light, but it's simply looked like a page of a book. Plus, the coolest thing for me is, this thing only has internet connection so you can have your books sent to your Kindle address. You can't browse the internet, or waste your precious reading time doing anything else. So I thought, it is pretty awesome. It will solve my a-b-c problems.

And the other funny thing was this. So I was being super cheeky on money before going back home, it's just there are plenty of expenses that I need to pay, etc. That's another reason why I was a bit resisting on getting one, because a Kindle Paper White costs 120 Euros, holy cow, I can't spend money like that. But THANK GOD, one day I was finishing some lab work, during the weekend, and I found a 50 Euros bill on the way out. I thought holy cow this is a lot of money. So I took it, and when I opened, there were two 50 EUROS BILL!  THIS IS CRAZY! POOR PERSON MUST BE GOING CRAZY!

So I thought, well, if it's an outsider's money, than that person is screwed (sometimes, people came in and out through the garden because it's usually unlocked; and I've seen a couple of times people got lost coming inside the green house garden). If it's someone who's working here, students most likely, there's still a possibility to give this money back. So I sent an email to the group where most of the people who works here belong to, and it took another week before the email was posted, but I still hoped someone would contact me to get this money back.

A month passed and no one contacted me. Oh well, I guess I can use this money. Don't worry, my fellow muslim friends, I paid out 25% of the money for charity (it's an obligatory rule in Islam, if you found treasure who no one claims to, you should pay out 25% off it as zakat).

Now, when I checked Amazon to see the Kindle Paper White's price, it was strangely discounted for 40 Euros (Easter holiday discount!). So now the price was 80 Euros. It was just 10 Euros higher compare to Roshni's Kindle, the one without the built in light, but I still have my doubts because come on, 80 Euros is a lot. Maybe I can it the usual way, using the Kindle I got in my Smartphone? (with the small screen and runny battery) But I thought to myself, there might not be any better chance, and if I postpone it even later, it might be too late for delivery because I have to fly home.

SO I FREAKIN' ORDERED IT! along with a black cover so I wouldn't scratch the surface too much. All and all costs exactly 100 Euros (I found the money one or two weeks after I bought the Kindle).

When I got the Kindle, I was soo happy. I rarely buy new electronics, but looking at the super light, rechargeable, version of a book, made me soo freaking happy.  I packed it in my bag and it's small enough and light enough to carry around (just a few weeks before, I ruined my bag because I carried 2-3 books at the same time. poor thing).

The Kindle Paper White's battery lasts for weeks. I can just finish one book, and there'll be enough battery for at least 10 more books or something like that. I learned to use only MOBI extension, because pdf or other format would not be comfortable for browsing. Roshni and I once took the u-bahn and saw a guy reading a Kindle (maybe other brand) and we both looked at it while giggling, wondering which version that is.

Now to the Kindle vs Printed book thing!

So during the last few months, I've finished three books in my Kindle. The first one is a book I wasn't sure would be worthy for collection as a printed version. And I was right. The book wasn't as good as I expected, so I was left wondering, is it the book that makes the Kindle experience feel lesser, or is it just the Kindle? Next was Room which for me was also not that very good of a book. So still, an unfortunate Kindle experience.

But then, there was Santonius's Twelve Caesars. This book started off awkward, it felt a bit like a wikipedia page. But as I move on deeper, I found it very enjoyable. I just couldn't take myself off the Kindle and just rowing through and through.

I also finally was able to use the built in light function when my husband and I were traveling to Bandung, and the night falls, and the trip was long and it has a weird tinted windows so everything outside looks so much darker and sinister. Kindle saved the trip by letting me going back to the world of pages. Comforted me as books always do.

I also read some printed books, in between: The Nuns of Sant'Ambrogio. Which was in addition for being a pretty awesome book, I realized what's unique in a printed version, and no matter how efficient a Kindle might be, it won't replace this experience. Well, I guess it's just not meant to replace it in the first place. But there's the essence of turning pages, the feel of the book weight in your hand, or when you had to turn back some pages back, putting your finger in the current page while skimming back. Or yeah, the sentimental 'smell of a book'.

So here's my verdict. If you don't have to, just get printed books. But if you know that you need to be efficient (like myself, I ended up sending in total 12 boxes standard IKEA box, mostly filled with books. Plus all the other books I brought along on the in between trips to home), and you're truly an avid reader, then own both of them. Give yourself the printed version when it's truly your special writer (Jane Austen, Orhan Pamuk) (like I can't help myself to get A Strangeness in My Mind on a printed version. It's just the magic of the book is in both the written text and the way you can skim it through under your fingers!), or a book you know will lasts in your heart (Steinbecks', Baldwins'), keep them in your cupboards, and hold them to remind you of their stories. Have copies of books you love in your Kindle so in case you don't bring them along, or you feel the urge to return, there it is your old pal Kindle ready to take you home (I sometimes put it back in my cupboard along with my other books).

But I guess, most importantly, if you can, and if you know you'd really love to do it, read more and more books. They'd take you to places you wouldn't have expected. I'm currently in the streets of Istanbul in early 90s, walking together with a boza seller, and I keep on hoping he'll get enough boza sold before going home (on a side note, geez, Orhan Pamuk must love Istanbul A LOT). The book is weird and funny, but enjoyable and at least the tone isn't depressing like *cough-cough* Museum of Innocence.

And well, thank you for reading my rant and jumbled notes! Till next time :D

Oh and happy fasting!

Book Review: The Spirit of Venice

Book review: The Spirit of Venice: From Marco Polo to Casanova, 2012, Paul Strathern

As posted in Goodreads

Oh gosh. According Goodreads, I started reading the book in 2014 and finished in 2016. Haha. What can I say, I wasn't so much inclined towards history books at that time. I guess the details and the many characters within is quite overwhelming for me. But I have to thank the Romans for igniting in me love for historical books!

So I was lucky enough, that on my second trip to this city, I get to spend a whole day all by myself. I think I've written and re-written this in so many different blog posts/writing, but it was on a very fine spring day, dew falling from the leaves, birds chirping, fresh wind blowing, and you get to get lost in the small streets next to the small canals, passing the bridges, dropping by a supermarket to get some cheese, see university kids going to school, a simple pleasure to just walking around the city. Gosh that time was so lovely.

Anyways, as one of the city I've enjoyed traveling the most, I felt obliged and well, simply curious, to know more about it. The book was a good gateway towards it. It tells about the history of the city as an independent republic especially through the eyes of its many interesting characters. It's such a fun thing that when I get the chance to go again to the city, I was able to pinpoint towards the Bridge of Spies (Ponte dei Sospiri) 'Hey, you see that tiny window on the enclosed bridge? That's where convicts were taken down to their cell, and they got this one last chance to see the beautiful city. Cruel, eh?'. Or passing by Piazza san Marco and pointed out, where traitors of the city were hanged. Or simply understanding that the massive Doge's palace interior used to be filled by people from the government, running this expansive city. Or, having known the history, sat down to contemplate how time has passed, and the once so called great republic is now a city simply for tourists (really. I went another time with my husband, and we stayed a little late in the city and saw most workers in the city head back to the mainland. It seems mostly only tourists stayed).

See, now I'm just reminiscing my memories there!

Back to the book! After I started to finish the book earlier this year, I was easily engrossed in it, by how prostitutes lived and make a living there, of the conflict between competing countries around Venice and how a Venetian princess had to be married of to Cyprus and later on identified herself more as a Cpyress rather than Venetian and how life became so difficult for her because people tried to take advantage or on the contrary closed her access to any luxury of life so people can take away Cyprus from her, how the minorities lived in the city, ah, so interesting and full of exciting details! It is in fact a very readable history book, and surely helps to enjoy your trip to Venice or simply just to know the history of this once great city!

Book Review: The Grapes of Wrath

Book review: the Grapes of Wrath, 1939, John Steinbeck

As posted in Goodreads

I shouldn't have taken this long to write my review on the Grapes of Wrath. It was such a moving book, and I should've written what I felt right on the spot. But, I'll do it now, hoping that there'll still some sparks left from the experience.

So I was on the mood to check on Great American novels, and John Steinbeck's the Grapes of Wrath is one of the books on my top list. It's also my first reading on Steinbeck's work. The book was published in 1939, so I assume that most people have read it, and knew the storyline. But, I'll write a bit about it.

So the book was set in the Great Depression in the 1930s. I've heard about it in some movies, but never really understood the effect. The main characters of the book are the Joads family, poor farmers who used to live in Oklahoma but had to move to California, not just because of the economic depression but also because of the Dust Bowl, a period of time where several prairies in the US and Canada endured severe dust storms which made growing plants for agriculture purposes impossible.

So they, with very very little that they had, head for their long journey in their old truck to California. The Joads were not alone. Hundreds of other families also migrated along. They were promised jobs in California where people can make money and feed their family. Little that they knew, the jobs in California was of seasonal nature, plus there's a huge influx of people coming trying to find jobs. So if they were lucky enough to find a job, they will earn very little. And not far better then the place they've left. Gosh it's such a sad, impossible story!

The Joads family started of as a complete set. Ma, Pa, their pregnant daughter, Rose of Sharon, and her husband Connie River; Tom Joad, Ma's favorite son who just recently released from jail, the somewhat mentally challenged Noah, the hot blooded younger Al Joad, the two youngers, Ruthie and Winfield, Granma and Granpa, Uncle John, and a former preacher Tom met on his way home, Jim Casy. It is so heartbreaking... - I'll be all out on spoiler now! - to see as they journeyed the long dusty road, the family started to be separated. Granpa died in the first night during the trip, partly due to (literally) a broken heart leaving the only place he'd known to be home. Granma lost her will to live and also died just before the family reaches California. Connie left his wife and the baby in her belly out of overwhelming mixed emotion? Noah decided to just live off fishing when they stopped near a river during their trip.

Tom tried his best to kept the family together, along with Ma. Pa's role in the book diminishes from the head of a family to a broken man because he failed again and again to support his family. Ma's role became stronger and stronger as the story moves along. She was like the strong pillar which enables the family to move on. Tom fills in Pa's role until he too had to leave the family.

The book shows how people in the lowest economy level are so helpless against the giant economy power, that a person is only regarded as numbers and a source of profit. If else, they're simply abandoned and pushed away. Their humanity wouldn't matter. The Joads and all the other families who decided to become migrants, didn't leave everything they had in their homes just to be rich and make a lot of money. They just didn't have anything left. LITERALLY NOTHING. And if there's hope, however bogus it sounds, they will definitely go for it. So that their children wouldn't die from starving. I mean, can't you understand it, their driving force is something as simple as to feed their stomach for another day!

I also found it interesting how the Oklahomans people who moved to California were prejudiced by the locals, being called with a derogatory term, 'Okies'. Looked down by people who knew that they were poor, and to assume that, because of that they are more likely to steal or have no manners, etc. It's like, being poor was simply their fault and therefore, you can steal the only thing left from them, their dignity! One of the greatest scene in the book is when Ma talked to a grocer who was selling his products at a much higher cost. Ma had only enough to get some sugar, salt and after long weeks of eating off whatever's left from their home, a bit of meat. And the boys had worked so hard to get this little money they finally got only to face the over pricing. Ma stood still, I mean, she was like a wall of wave, brazing herself so powerfully and with so much compassion, bargaining to the grocer to have a little more of heart not to do this harshly to her family.

"I'm learning one thing good," she said. "Learnin' it all the time, ever' day. If you're in trouble or hurt or need – go to poor people. They're the only ones that'll help – the only ones."

And it was the very thing that the book highlights. How despite being pretty much troubled and overwhelmed themselves, the Joads took another family of two whose car broke down to travel with them. The scene at the very last page was also such a description of how you can find humanity even at the most desperate situation.

Another scene which I liked and lasted for so long in my mind, was on one of the chapters of the 'general narrative'. So in the book, there are two types of''sub-chapter', the story of the Joads and the 'general narrative'. In this sub-chapter, Steinbeck usually described the Oklahoman people as a group of people having to deal with their difficulties and their journey migrating to California. One of the scene was about one of these dusty farmers who were moving along the road, and had to stop to get some food (if I recall properly) in one of these diners. They were so desparately poor, but still couldn't bear their wide eyed children hoping for some candies, so despite all that, they get the kids some. The waitress in the diner knew how helpless these people were, but still she tried to make extra money to the disgust of another costumer there. I mean, how could you? How dare one take advantage out of that? What if you're the one in their shoes? What if you were the one who desperately needed help?

Despite the sad theme, the book left me with such a proud feeling of how great humanity can be. It disgusted me how people can do wrong to others, but I can't help to feel sympathy towards the Joads. Especially Tom and Ma. I sure do hope that Ma can get, a little peace and comfort after all this ordeal...

Beautifully written book, Mr. Steinbeck. Thank you.