Oblivion..Oblivious ...Oblivioso^^

Almost weekend and I deserved to pamper myself as I finally managed to submit all of the assignments on time!!!Yippeeeyy. To even make it even better, I think I did a good job in finally finishing all of the scripts for today's broadcasting @ KBS. So.......it's MOVIE time!!!!

Being a movie freak, I do not know as to why I always have an urge to watch the movie while it's still in its first days of release...^^

After having finished recording, I made sure that there were some slot of time where I could sneak myself into movie experience by soaking myself in the IMAX theater where I could watch Tom Cruise muscled up his action on the screen.^^ 

Not that many people were around since it was around 4 pm where most people were still at the office. I guess students like me were the ones who dotted a place like this at this hour. 

It was a good thing that I managed to have a good seat for this particular viewing of OBLIVION  

Yes...I just watched his latest sci-fi flick 'Oblivion'
I came into the theater without any expectation of what to see. Didn't know what the story was all about prior to entering the theater. So, with no expectation at all, I think I kinda enjoyed the movie.

Had it not been on IMAX, I would not have been so blown away by the spectacle.

Indeed it was a feast to the eyes although...I got to admit that the story was kind of "oh-that-look-familiar-kind of story.^^

I don't know why..but the Tom Cruise-style Wall-E was something that came to my mind.

Of course, ..only to find that......Wall-E has some deeper and touching 'heart'^^

Once again...Yongsan CGV has finally become one of the hangout places where I could spend my time after working. hmm..sounds irresistible. 

John Carter 존카터 @Lotte Cinema

Finally I made it. I came. I saw. I was glee-ed^^ by John Carter. Being a movie-freak, I used to watch movie a.k.a. going to movies twice or at least once a week back home in Jogjakarta. But now, since I am living in Korea--where the price of movie ticket is 8 times more expensive than that of Indonesia's-- I have to admit it...that I am no longer a movie freak in cinema. ^^
I rarely go to the cinemas.
Well, the price of movie ticket is 8,000 Won. But, since the emergence and the lucrative market for the highly hype 3D movies set into the minds of movie's marketing world.....more and more 3D movies are released.....along with it pricey ticket.....which...in term of Korea: it is 13,000 Won. Well, of course....for the Korean standard...it is still inexpensive. But, still...for a movie-freak (oh noooooo)...it is not cheap. ^^.....^^......:)
So, I have to make sure that I choose what I see.

Last month, I saw Mission Impossible.
This month, ( what I mean by two days ago.....^^) I just watched John Carter 족 카터  in 3D.
LOTTE Cinema is one of the places where I mostly watch movies. I'm glad that it just takes about 15 minutes or so from home to reach this place at Cheongnyangni. I think Lotte Cinema provides one of the best one-stop entertainment services in the areas. By having this in my vicinity, it is not necessary for me to go as far as downtown Chongno or Gangnam to see movies. Good.
It saves time and money, too.
Oh...by having Lotte card membership, one can also get a point and keep our points increased in order to redeem them in the form of any services available.
Well, the experiences of watching movies in Seoul, like the one I usually have right here in Cheongnyangni's Lotte Cinema is worth-pondering and worth-citing about.

Oh, one more thing...this particular movie that I saw....is worth-watching. Despite the mixed reviews which tend to vaguely discern the movie, I myself portrayed the movie as the perfect escapism to Mars or Basoom(?) as Martian call it.

CARS (2)

It was their Mom's day off :) Looks like she never has any day off...^^ 

OK. It was Saturday and as what their Mom promised the kids, she took them out to see Cars (2). Well, my kids love all of Disney or Pixar's movies. I don't know...I guess...who doesn't. Anyway...I could not imagine how my wife managed to handle the kids while watching the movie. They usually watched movies with me. But, It's been two months since I left them. But, things just turn OK. I see that they pretty seem to be OK and doing just fine.

Thank You, Momma..for taking care of the kids...like (esp). taking them out for a movie like this.

I will make it up to you in Seoul when all of you are with me in Seoul.Ok?

Well well well....I just realized that Eyra's sister fell asleep after about 45 minutes of watching McQueen and Mater had their time in around the world adventure.

Guess, 3D was still too much for her, then.

Honeymoon in Bali (1939)

I just bumped into this movie on the internet (http://www.live-online-tv.com/tv-movie-tv-movies-tv-online-live.html)
I loved it.
It is a simple romantic movie. ^.^
I learn a lot about how Bali was pictured in the 1930's, as well as how the actors and actress portrayed its beauty as well as how American life was back then in the Pre World War era back in the 1930s. It is truly a remarkably light and delightful movie.^^
This is one of the quotes that I like^^

Gail Allen: Well... there aren't that many white women there, are there?
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: Not many.
Gail Allen: But a lot of Balinese girls...
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: Oh, a lot of them.
Gail Allen: A man like you, any man I mean, do you... er... I mean, do you marry those girls?
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: [Shakes his head] No.
Gail Allen: Oh. I... I... I suppose some of the men... I mean I suppose, er, I mean...
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: Well, you said you've seen the pictures.
Gail Allen: Do *you* have a girl out there?
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: Five.
Gail Allen: Five?
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: Five. One does the cooking, one keeps the house clean, one takes care of my clothes and one dances for me.
Gail Allen: But that's only four.
Bill 'Willie' Burnett: [Raises eyebrows and nods knowingly] 
taken from (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031440/quotes)

In flight the Incheon-bound KE 628

the selections to choose from

Rio!!!!!

It is actually a bit late entry of my journey to Korea. Well, it is because I got to squeeze time in between the orientation time that I had during my first week of stay here--just to write entries into my blog.

interactive flight data

icing window in the morning

I just want to share the in-flight entertainment that I enjoyed during my 7 hour flight from Jakarta to Incheon, Seoul.
I found this so-called Korean Air experience a rewarding and memorable one. As for me, personally, because I spotted this familiar movies that my kids love the most: Rio. They keep watching it over and over again until they pretty much memorize the scenes and at times the dialogues in the movie!
So, the first movie that I watched was Rio.

the flight location

the flight route

Then, I also spotted another familiar movie (thanks to my kids): Kung Fu Panda 2-s--- a movie that I watched with my kids 2 days before I was leaving for Korea!!!! So, finding the movie on-board the flight was a nice and homey feeling.:)

morning through sky-window

Oh, the interactive menu that I could use for free is numerous. I kept on watching the flight information regarding the ground speed, outside temperature, the distance to destination and from the origin departure, and so on.....an endless arrays of entertainment.

me:)

I also took a snap shot of myself. I love window seating, so whenever I check in, I always ask whether I could sit on window seating. The window shows an icing process, guess it was due to the extreme cold temperature overnight that the plane had to endure....during the flight.

Gosh...suray the movie-freak

I know that this is Ramadan and I am not supposed to think about this worldly stuffs like going to movies or let alone watching them. hmmm.....I know I should not at least have this kind of idea of going there again (at least until the end of Ramadan). *chuckles* But the thought and the idea of watching HP7 for its second time always lures into my mind and keeps ticking and bugging my head.
So, this time around....I got to keep the track of what to do to ease this urge of going to cinemas again.
But...just when I tried soooo hard in getting myself not in the way of thinking about movies.......the greatest temptation of all came to me just now. My friends asked me whether I could get the ticket for them. No, I can't do that. But once again.....I knew just how to get the tickets in hand.
Simply...I call my student who has been proven to get me the premiere tickets to Harry Potter last week.
Now...I got to do the same thing again.
and to make things worse.....Transformer 3 is coming on its way to town.
Oh bugger......

Harry Potter 7 Part 2: The Deathly Hallows

Finally.....Finally....Finally....I made it.
I managed to secure two tickets to see the premiere of the last installment of Harry Potter series.
I've been waiting for this movie for two weeks and now I stop waiting 'cos I just watched it today.
After the gloomy days out of fear of not being able to see the HP7 at cinema in 3D.......my mood is kind of changed to the most ecstatic moment I have ever felt.
I am so happy to be one of the thousands who saw the first day of HP7 screening.
Thanks to my student who managed to get me the two tickets for the premiere.
I read the book but only half of it....intentionally.
So I did not know what to expect from this movie.
I got nervous and jittery, worried as to what I might come to face and behold before my eyes.
The excitement preoccupied my feeling.

I was petrified, glued, touched, baffled, amazed, and....solemnly surrender myself to the wondrous and magical story that wraps up the whole story...
I first saw Harry Potter in Korea back in 2001 when I was studying there. I grew up with Harry for the past 10 years.
and now I conclude the Harry Potter series in Jogjakarta where I live now....

I watched it in 3D at XXI Cinema .....which I think worth it. I think 40,000 Rupiahs is worth it for 3D.
As I finished watching it, I really really admire J.K.Rowling for having been so keen and far-reaching in writing and twisting the end of the story. She is so brilliant. Upon watching the Harry Potter 7 part 2, I could not help but saluting J.K Rowling for giving me such a wonderful story.....and also I could not help but admiring Chris Columbus for having been successful in capturing the memorable moments and scenes in the first movies. To think that the J.K Rowling had not yet written or let alone exposed the final fate of the HP saga (in 2001), but yet Chris Columbus managed to capture the most essential moments or footage that are re-used or re-shown in the last HP movie....in such perfectly tune and nuance.......once again...I am so speechless.
Bravo and I am happy to be a part of this worldwide phenomenon.

Malioboro

On Trans Jogja en route to Malioboro where Cars 2's The Lightning McQueen is said to be displayed at Malioboro Mall. So, we headed there with one purpose of taking the picture with McQueen.

It took almost an hour for us to go there--due to bad traffic. Jogja is notorious for being crowded with people/tourists/school girls-boys on their educational tour to Jogja/ and other visitors.So, Malioboro was packed with people.

We arrived at around 2.15 pm. It was cloudy so it was a good thing, for we could just walk through the sidewalk easily--not to mention the motorbikes being parked!!!:) 

Before entering the mall, we managed to take a snap of the big golden rabbit statues in front of Tourism Office at Malioboro. 

 So, upon arriving at the mall....we just stood and did nothing for we were not allowed to easily take the picture of McQueen without paying as much as Rp 40,000. Well, it might've been worth it. But, we decided not to.

Instead, we were just looking at the displays and other toys tossed around the main hall.

Then, we had late lunch at PH. Eyra and Freya as usual got their mix-4-fun ice cream +++ their dog-shaped balloon and teddy bear shaped balloon on request.
We then headed to Periplus Bookstore. Eyra and Freya got a chance to ride the merry-go-around animals available in front of the store. It was a fun afternoon with my daughters.

Fun with Dick and Jane

Just recently watched this movie again. Turned out to be quite amusing. Not-that-bad movie to watch and enjoy. Two scenes really got my attention:

the first one was....

...the one with Jim Carrey being apprehended by the US-Mexico border police. Alas, he just dropped his wallet just when the police raid a group of supposedly immigrants where --once again alas--Jim carrey was there. He couldn't prove his Identity as an American. 
To top if off, he just had a bump on his lips that he barely speak American accent English...which surely led the police to assume that he must be one of the supposedly illegal Mexicans. Trying hard to convince the police that he was indeed an American, he had a chance to hand in his handphone to the police asking him to call home...just in time when Jim's son answered the phone by saying, "HOLA?"

..

the second one

was the closing minutes when Jim or Dick and his wife, Jane, were driving their newly purchased car after being able to get their money back........

on the road..they met one of their colleagues who shouted that the had been hired at a new energy company named: ENRON.

what?

I was flabbergasted and churned my tummy to see the movie ends just like that.!!!

what a nice ending:) simply loved it.

Pondering over SOURCE CODE (the movie)

Just watched “Source Code” for the second time. It really got me. It did. I never thought that I would be able to see one of the most positively reviewed movies in the first few months of 2011, i.e. Source Code. I do not know who I should thank to for having released this particular movie to Indonesian cinema. Okey, I am not going to talk about this..but I am thinking of writing what I have been thinking over the movie since I watched it twice. Yes, twice in a week.:)
I think it owed to the fact that the movie itself successfully intrigued the moviegoer like me to watch one of the sleeper movies like this one. I think the credit should come to the Director (Mr. Duncan Jones….?:)
I was glued to the seemingly intricate and preposterous storyline, BUT yet….it won my heart and my mind as well. An idea that parallel realities do exist as suggested in the film DOES get me head over heel about the movie Especially, Jake Gyllenhaal’s superb and subtle acting did get me. I did buy his acting and his feeling. In addition to his plausible acting, I also admired Vera Farmiga’s cool and determined acting as portrayed in the movie. Their gesture, their eyes, everything they do in the movie DO support the plausibility of “Source Code”
And…yes…the soundtrack (which was arranged by Chris Bacon–or so I learned)…does give me chill and an eery feeling especially the opening credit of the movie or at least the first 5 minutes of the movie and the time-freeze moment at-the-almost- the end part of the movie. I am so carried away by the scene as well as by the music accompanying it.

I am not in the position of telling (writing) any spoiler of the movie. no, never. The movie should speak of itself. Therefore, I am just recommending anyone interested in ‘Great’ movie to see this for themselves.
I can assure you that it will be worth the wait, worth the time and worth the money. Just go and see it…and prepare yourself to be blown away by arrays of surprises in the most positively reviewed recent sci-fi movie of the 2011 (at least up to May 2011).

Ibu Hamil Dilarang Nonton "Skyline"

Di entri ini, saya mau bercerita tentang film yang saya tonton bulan NOVEMBER 2010 yang lalu. wel, memang sudah lama, tapi tak ada salahnya bila mau cerita lagi di sini. 

Sebenarnya saat ini saya nonton ‘Skyline’ setelah nonton ‘HP 7 Part 1’. It terribly ruined my day!!! Andai saja saya balik, nonton ‘Skyline’ dulu lalu baru nonton ‘Harry Potter’. Tapi apa daya, sudah terjadi. Intinya, saya pulang dengan perasaan gundah dan sedikit disgusted dengan ide yang tertuang di film tentang invasi alien ini. Semoga apa yang saya tulis tidak malah membuat orang penasaran. Bukan itu tujuannya. Sepertinya ada pakem film yang (menurut saya; paling tidak) dilanggar. Biasanya atau paling tidak sepanjang sepengetahuan saya, tak akan ada wanita hamil yang akan secara eksplisit menjadi korban di film. Baru kali ini saya melihat hal yang membuat saya terperanjat di akhir film. Maaf saya tak akan membocorkan spoiler film ini. Lagi pula menurut saya film ini ceritanya biasa sekali (kalau tak bisa dibilang payah) . Yang membuat saya menonton pun sebenarnya hanya special effect yang dijanjikan dari trailer yang saya lihat dan penasaran dengan bentuk alien yang ditawarkan film ini). Ternyata hanya rasa penasaran pertama yang dalam beberapa segi terpenuhi. Yang kedua malah saya saksikan adanya penjiplakan sana-sini dari film-film Hollywood lain yang sama-sama mengusung tema alien. Yang paling nyata adalah filmnya Spielberg dengan Tom Cruise: War of the Worlds (WOTW). Bagi Anda yang menonton WOTW, Anda akan ingat betapa mengerikannya tentakel-tentakel alien yang mencari dan memangsa manusia bagaikan serangga-serangga hina. Di sini pun demikian. Malahan ada ide yang membuat saya sedikit pening, yaitu para alien mengejar otak manusia. Untuk apa? Tak perlu saya ceritakan di sini. Intinya, di akhir film semuanya terjawab dengan gamblang dengan penggambaran yang terlalu gamblang dan bahkan membuat saya sampai menulis judul tulisan ini seperti di atas. Saya tak tahan membiarkan otak saya berpikir bahwa para wanita hamil tersedot para alien pastilah mengalami kengerian yang tak terbayangkan sebelumnya…

Biasanya saya merasakan bahwa menonton film invasi alien akan membuat saya harap-harap cemas mengenai nasib dan peluang ras manusia di hadapan para alien. Saya biasanya berpikir, “ah..pasti ada bantuan”. Di film ini saya merasakan bahwa saya seperti nonton film thriller dengan mayat hidup (zombie) di dalamnya di mana tak ada secercah harapan pun; manusia (aktor-aktornya) tinggal menunggu waktu kapan dia akan bertemu zombie untuk jadi santapannya. Intinya film ini ternyata menawarkan perasaan yang berbeda, bukan kapan akan ada harapan; sebaliknya saya merasa hanya menonton berapa lama (lagi) para manusia bisa bertahan, tinggal menunggu waktu saja hingga film ini selesai. Dan…benar.

Dua hal yang menyelamatkan film ini dari omelan saya adalah:

Pertama, untunglah bahwa film dengan cerita yang biasa (bahkan film-film serial TV banyak yang lebih bagus ceritanya) ini sedikit terbantu dengan special effect dari mereka yang memang pernah bekerja membantu pembuatan film Avatar-nya James Cameron. Hebatnya katanya dengan biaya yang sangat minim.

Kedua, Ending film ini sangat provocating (dalam dua arti: tak bisa ditebak; tapi sekaligus seperti terasa agak dipaksakan juga). Malahan, saya pikir ending-nya akan terlihat keren bila itu dijadikan bagian tengah film ini. Selanjutnya…(tak perlu saya bahas di sini).

Sedihnya atau lucunya…. saya tak akan bisa tenang bila tak akan ada ‘Skyline 2’ !!!!!

nach lho..saya sendiri juga bingung karena tak begitu suka filmnya tapi kog berharap ada sekuelnya…

A Ponder on Time Travel

What would yo do if you could just turn back in time and do something or better yet—fix and mend—the flaws you made in the past. You might want to change the way you looked or what you had said when you met your first time boy/girlfriend….(to say the simplest thing)..or better yet…you might want to put a bet on a game or buy some rocketing stock by investing some money in it (to say the coolest thing).

Wouldn’t it be an intriguing treat if we could? Suppose we could not just go back and forth in between, but rather..we could do much more than that….such as what I’d mentioned earlier. Still, would there be any moral hazards from the deeds we would’ve done if we could do it? I think there will be, unless we just go and be back in between time to enjoy our other-selves in the past as a mere ‘vacation to the past’ without any intention of changing what had happened. Then, only then, would this be a simple yet rewarding treat in itself—as a medium to understand ourselves.

Now the question is, up to now, this so-called “time travel” has always been just a mere and distant fantasy that most people would enjoy dreaming of. And, that is the very reason as to why we have lots of entertainment dealing with the theme, be it in movies or in books.

Until human finds a way to realize this (seemingly?) improbable feat, could  we just wonder and dream about it. God knows when…even if it did come…or will it? (once again, improbable…)

**This has been  nothing more than a trivial thought of someone who watched too many sci-fi movies**