LU PIKIRLAH SENDIRI DE MOVIE

Director :	Aminah Rhapor
Producer (Company) :	SDAF PICTURES (M) SDN BHD
Category :	Feature Film
Language :	Malay
Genre :	Family, Comedy
Classification :	U - General viewing for all ages
Release Date :	2009
Duration :	110 min
Audio :	No Info
Format :	35mm

Synopsis

This film is all about love. A love chemistry between a young couple who have differences on socio backgrounds. A love story between 'the rich and the commonner’.

Nabil, an SPM qualifier, is a hard working delivery boy. His routine is all about work... work... and work. Even during weekends, he continue to work at a motorcycle workshop by day and sell things at ’pasar malam’ by night. His only happiness is just by knowing that he helped his family. If possible, he try to give them some comfort. He filled his life only with work. His discipline makes him a very good person and extremely cautious about negative influences. As to him, SIMPLE LIFE IS THE BEST.

While, Natasya is a daughter of a multi-millionaire. She is pursuing her tertiary education at a local University. Due to her beauty, whealthy and glamorous lifestyle, she also get involved in modelling. Her dream is to become a famous model. She wanted to be ’The Beauty With Brain’. As for Natasya, life is too short to be wasted. So, ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN!!

By logic, it is impossible for these two person to fall in love. Especially, when the rich and beautiful girl is the one who pursuing her tertiary education in University, while the guy chose to quit study and become a ’breadwinner’ for his family. But... it seems that fate has its own plans.

On one fine day, these two people meet each other for the first time. And it was by accident. That incident makes Natasya so angry with Nabil. They keep mumbling and yelling towards each other for the sake of winning an argument but both of them fails. At one point, Nabil did make an effort to solve the problem but natasya was so persistant and unrealistic. So, he failed. As from that moment, they really hate among each other. Both of them were trying to protect their ego and let the ’status quo’ maintain. They left the place and let the misunderstanding unsolved.

The truth is, that argument was a decoy. It doesn’t have to take a genius to find out that they are trying to hide ”something”. A feeling that they never had before. They were confused about the feeling. They don’t understand how does it happen but it happened. It was like LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT but they didn’t dare to admit it. Both of them thought it was not the time yet to get involved with love. And so, the feelings was buried in the deepest place of their heart.

As time goes by, hate becomes love. But both of them are still afraid to admit it. They just want to play safe and wait for someone else to make the first move. They preferred to show their love by their own unique ways. And hope that the other parties will understand it.

At the same time, they are also afraid to fall in love due to their background differences. Even worst, they are more afraid of rejection. Unspoken love creates uncertainty and it could leads to a continous misunderstanding. Once again, the quest for an everlasting love have been tested by situation.

LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN... to Nabil and Natasya. Even when they are departed by their own busy life routine, they felt like they MISS something. Nabil, a funny person and always make people laughs through his jokes, has lost his touch on how to make one. The bad memories of his parents divorced incidents, came to surface.

All these years, Nabil was trying to hide the sadness in his life by being funny infront of other people, especially towards his mother, younger brothers and sisters. He wanted to make them happy. Now, he can’t be happy because his love story was going towards an end. He wanted to tell natasya that he really loved her, but how? He really can’t stop crying just by thinking how unlucky his life is. Life seems so dull.

The same goes to natasya. No more smily faces. She felt totally incomplete. But, natasya manage to overcome the unwanted feelings quickly. She realise as an educated young women, it is time to throw away the snob and silly image and start to become more matured. Natasya take charge of her life and entered a beauty pageant competition. She tried so hard for the competition and win! It was a starting point of a successful modelling career for her. She became famous right after that. At the same time, Nabil has entered a reality tv competition and also win! He also was quite popular eversince.

Fate does really have a sense of irony... Nabil and Natasya meet once again, during a magazine photography session. But this time, they pretend they have never met before. Maybe, it is the best way to restart their relationship all over again. They try to act calm. But, only god knows how excited are they to finally meet once again. However, the outcomes of that photoshoot session does not as to what they expect but they act professionally.

Until one day, both of them have acted in a film where the story line was quite similar to their life story. In that movie, they became lovers. Journalists have throw a controversial question to both of them. Rumours has it that both of them are truly in love. They hardly deny it without realising that they have answered the question wrongly. An argument starts once again... but this time, they admitted that they really falling in love to one another with a pure heart. Everybody celebrate Nabil’s and Natasya’s love...

Resource: Sinema Malaysia

Budak Kelantan

Director :	Wan Azli
Producer (Company) :	Grand Brilliance Sdn. Bhd.
Category :	Feature Film
Language :	Malay
Genre :	Drama
Classification :	U - General viewing for all ages
Release Date :	30 October 2008
Duration :	No Info
Audio :	No Info
Format :	35mm

Synopsis

Two childhood friends, Buchek and Jaha, met again in Kuala Lumpur after being separated for so long. They’re now young adults – but due to different experiences in life, their attitudes and views about the world became totally different from one another.

Buchek is a graduate from UM while Jaha, who used to stay in a rehabilitation school Henry Gurney, is now trapped into the hustle and bustle of city life in Kuala Lumpur.

After they met, Jaha decided to share and show some parts of his life with Buchek, who happens to lead a totally different lifestyle than him. Buchek witnessed the wild lifestyles of Jaha and felt the need to bring him back into the righteous path.

Throughout their times together, Buchek suddenly realized that Jaha had suddenly fallen for his girlfriend, Che’ Nor. Buchek was willing to let go of Che Nor with the hope of Jaha becoming a better person, as he believes that true love could change a person’s life.

Nevertheless, Che Nor was not willing to fulfill Buchek’s wishes as she’s already in love with Buchek. Buchek then became unhappy with Che Nor’s decision for not wanting to accept Jaha, as he believed that the whole scenario was God’s will. Then, a tragic accident took Jaha’s life before he could repent on all his wrongdoings. Due to that, Buchek blamed Che Nor for rejecting Jaha. He then decided to leave Che’ Nor and accepted the love from Lee Chen Chen, a Chinese girl who was one of Jaha’s victim whom he had saved.

Resource: Sinema Malaysia

Antoo Fighter

Director :	Azizi Chunk
Producer (Company) :	Grand Brilliance Sdn. Bhd.
Category :	Feature Film
Language :	Malay
Genre :	Horror, Comedy
Classification :	U - General viewing for all ages
Release Date :	27 November 2008
Duration :	No Info
Audio :	Dolby
Format :	35mm

Synopsis

A group of ghostly creatures from the past led by Drakulat Van Listerooy returns to the present time terrorizing and dominating the town after they had escaped from a group sworn to fight against evil spirits in the past. Drakulat and his ghost journeyed from theri place to Kuala Lumpur and conquered the KL Tower and made it as its headquarters. There they began to destroy the ciy till it brought the whole nation to a dangerous state. The main objective of Drakulat is actually to free Lord Sharon, satan's spawn, so they could conquer and destroy the whole world together. In order to make it all happen he needs to locate the chosen girl, Delyla, who carries the blood line of having extraordinary powers and becoming the perfect sacrificial victim to Lord Sharon an freeing him to the world. The presence of Drakulat's clan is felt by Pak Din (one of the last Antoofigheter in the late 50's). Antoofighter is a top secret group consisting of 5 chosen people on earth to protect the world from evil spirits every 60 years.

Resource: Sinema Malaysia

Anak Halal

Director :	Osman Ali
Producer (Company) :	Tayangan Unggul Sdn. Bhd.
Category :	Feature Film
Language :	Malay
Genre :	Drama, Crime, Action
Classification :	U - General viewing for all ages
Release Date :	13 December 2007
Duration :	115 min
Audio :	No Info
Format :	35mm

Synopsis

Hisham, a drug dealer, finds himself stuck in a situation where he had to hand over his young son to a homeless woman. Hisham is caught and jailed. Mariam, who is a few cans short of a six pack raises the baby, now named after the famed legend “Indraputra”, in very meager circumstances, but full of love and art. They live in a squatter area and have neighbors named Bu Leha and Putra’s best friend, Johanna. Both without fathers, they have found a substitute in Abi, a homeless man who teaches them how to play guitar and to find glass and cans for sale. Their almost perfect childhood is spoiled when Abi dies of a drug overdose, and when Mariam is taken away by the Social Services, and henceforth, Putra is raised by Bu Leha. They move to Kuala Lumpur in hopes of a better life, but Putra and Johanna inevitably grow up to be street kids, tough and full of conflict. They live hand to mouth, but at the same time their poverty does not stop them from having strong friendships and at times, to enjoy their youth.

Putra works at a storage warehouse, whilst Johanna helps her mother sell fruit and vegetable in Chow Kit. Johanna has grown to be somewhat of a tomboy, who is secretly in love with Putra, a fact only her mother knows. Putra however, falls in love with a beautiful rich girl, Amiera, a girl who accidentally comes into their lives. Her life, unlike Putra and Johanna, is filled with loneliness and sadness. She finds true friends in the form of Putra, their friends Milya, Erzan, Shah and Danial. They have a created a world for themselves and no one can break that. They hang out and jam together in Erzan’s burger stall. Erzan’s life is the worst of all, having adopted a debt to Alongs (money lenders) since his parents have both passed away. His elder sister Milah and younger sister, Milya depend on him to solve all the family’s woes. He has no choice but to peddle drugs, without the knowledge of the rest, and ends up being forced to use by the drug dealer, Malik and his sidekick, Ijam. His life quickly deteriorates, and he is accused of stealing from the dealer.

In his attempt to seek help from his friends, he finds Putra unbending and in fact, violent, when he finds out that Erzan has also helped to provide drugs to Amiera. Amiera’s secret has been her addiction to LSD and after an incident of all the kids being caught in a raid, her father has locked her away in order to help her with her addiction and at the same time, save himself from the humiliation of his high flying friends finding out about his child. She escapes only to find herself in withdrawal and in desperation seeks drugs in the most dire of places. Erzan and Amiera both take the drugs and are found by Putra and this is when Putra loses all control. Erzan is now left without the help of his best friend. Amiera runs away only to be found by Putra, she begs him to help her. He takes her to the place in Kg. Ara, with the intention to find the dealer himself, the man who has destroyed his friends’ lives. Without Putra’s help, Erzan is badly beaten and shot by Malik, and Putra comes… to late to help.

The guilt takes over him. Amiera continues with her drug taking, and in a moment of fantasy jumps off a building thinking she can fly… Putra faces two of his loves dying from drugs. He has only one resort, revenge. He goes to the port where he knows he can find Malik. There is a shoot out, and Johanna is involved, along with his other friends, Shah and Danial. He meets with the leader of the group again… and this time shoots to kill…. Only to see Mariam coming out to try to save the drug dealer. Who is this man he has just killed? Will Putra realize that the one love of his life that he has never seen is right by his side? Is it true that the sins of the fathers are passed on to his children? Catch ‘Anak Halal’ to find out….

Resource: Sinema Malaysia

9 September

Director :	Pierre Andre
Producer (Company) :	Metrowealth Movies Production Sdn. Bhd.
Category :	Feature Film
Language :	Malay
Genre :	Romance, Comedy
Classification :	U - General viewing for all ages
Release Date :	01 November 2007
Duration :	90 min
Audio :	Dolby
Format :	35mm

Synopsis

'9 September' is a romantic comedy which tells the story of Nia (Fasha Sandha) a very cute girl with a tomboy character who has been recently dumped by her boyfriend. Since then she has kept this hatred towards guys. Her anger is being let out on Kogi (Pierre Andre). Kogi is very much an honest and kind guy. He is seen as someone who is easily a target for Nia to bully. The first time they met was when Nia accidentally entered Kogi's house. Since then many coincidental meetings had happened between them. No matter how many times Kogi is being bullied by Nia, he stills put on a strong front and very much a gentleman most of the time they spend their time together until they eventually fall for each other but this was cut short when Adrian, Nia's ex lover, came back to her.

Without a doubt Nia is still head over heels for Adrian. But her love for him isn't much like it was before. Her mind was always thinking about Kogi . One day Nia decided to fly off to Tokyo with her boyfirend for a year. As she returned from Tokyo her feelings towards Kogi was so overwhelming that she had to search for him but pretty much failed. When she finally found him again a shocking surprise awaits for her. What will be the end of their relationship? Will the two hearts ever be united again in love?

Resource: Sinema Malaysia

Anak

Director :	Barney Lee
Producer (Company) :	Box Lite Film
Category :	Feature Film
Language :	Malay
Genre :	Thriller, Horror
Classification :	U - General viewing for all ages
Release Date :	21 February 2008
Duration :	90 min
Audio :	Stereo
Format :	35mm

Synopsis

It all begins with Nita (Erra) starting with a new life in a new place. With her is her cousin Kay (Ida Nerina). Nita a pretty girl but she looks as if there is nothing in this world were left for her. Kay a successfully model, dub as the most beautiful lady in Malaysia. She is at the peak of life and full of zest.

It is in her new home that Nita starts to see things or rather a person, a young child around the age of 5.

Nita tells this to Kay who refuses to believe her and tells her that all these things are in her mind. Nita then starts to doubt her sanity. As if to convince her further, Kay suggests Nita seek Psychiatric help. In the midst of convincing Nita of sanity deep down Kay she is afraid. She was further afraid when she discovered Mak Mek has pass away unexpectedly.

At Mak Mek’s funeral Kay was further shock to know that Mak Mek has a twin sister called Mak Mah. At the funeral Mak Mah warned Kay to stop whatever she is practicing before everything is too late.

Meanwhile Nita has begun psychiatric therapy and regresses to her abortion incident. 6 months before. Kay was in the dressing room smoking and crying. At the same time 3 guys were raping Nita. Nita discovered she was pregnant and Kay convinced Nita to abort the baby. The abortion process did not go well. Nita can never be able to have babies anymore.

Since then all sorts of strange occurances involving the young toddler and their life seemed to be taking out of control and driving them nuts. What does the young child have to do with their lives?

Resource: Sinema Malaysia

BrainScan

Director : Ahmad Idham Producer (Company) : Metrowealth Movies Production Sdn. Bhd. Category : Feature Film Language : Malay Genre : Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction Classification : U - General viewing for all ages Release Date : 25 December 2008 Duration : No Info Audio : No Info Format : 35mm FILM INFO

Director Ahmad Idham

Script Shahrul Ezat : (Scriptwriter) Ahmad Idham : (Screenplay)

Cast Nik Adruce : Adruce (Main Actor) Erin Malek : Erin (Main Actor) Eric Fuzi : Eric (Main Actor) Faten : Fatin (Main Actor) Sharifah Shahirah : Dr. Suzana (Supporting Actor) Cat Farish : Cat (Supporting Actor) Bob (KU2)@Kuman : Kupan (Supporting Actor) M.Rajoli : Prof. Taib (Supporting Actor) Zul Yahya : Ayah (Supporting Actor) Mek Siti : Emak (Supporting Actor) Khatijah tan : (Supporting Actor) Zaibo : (Supporting Actor) Muhammad Nasiruddin : (Supporting Actor)

Crew Abang (Indra Che Muda) : (Cinematographer) Naindra Anuar : (Assistant Cameraman) Mokharul Shamsul : (Production Manager) Ollynn : (Property Master) Brian Ng (Kang) : (Sound Designer) Brian Ng (Kang) : (Music Score) Ahmad Mustadha : (Editor)

Producer David Teo : (Producer)

Synopsis The tale begins when Dr. Suzana, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Taib Siron, created a machine named BS21 which is capable of reading people's minds. The machine would be very much useful for millitary use but would be very deadly if it were to fall in the wrong hands. The most feared incident happened when Cat and his sidekick Kupan stole BS21 from Dr. Suzana's lab. One of the eyewitness who saw the incident was Hashim a security guard at the lab. Another thing that they don't know about the machine is that it is also capable of granting wishes those who use the machine. As they were trying to get away with the machine they were stopped with a police road block. As they paniced seeing the cops Kuman threw the machine out of the window and drove away and manage to get through the police. The next day Adruce, Hashim's son came across the machine and brought it home. Adruce began to inspect the machine and was thinking all sorts of things. He had so many things on his mind about his parents, about his school friends and his life. He just shook it off and went didnt bother about it and just left it. The next morning as he went to school all things began to change and it seemed to be the life he has dreamed of for so long. But as much as he likes the new situation he is in being treated like royalty, he had to change it back because he couldn't stand the fact that his parents have changed characters. Will he ever manage to change the things that have changed in his life? Resource: Sinema Malaysia

Goalpost & Lipsticks

Gol & Gincu

• Goalposts & Lipsticks
• Original title: Gol & Gincu
• Production: Red Films
• Year of Production: 2005
• Genre: Drama
• Shooting Format: HD
• Theatrical Release Format: 35mm
• Language: Bahasa Malaysia/English
• Subtitles: English
• Original Soundtrack Album available from EMI
• Theater Screenings: Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei
• Distribution Contact: info@redfilms.com.my

Festivals
2nd Malaysian Film Festival – Singapore 2005
Tokyo International Film Festival 2005 - Winds of Asia competition
Bangkok International Film Festival 2006 - ASEAN competition

Synopsis
This movie follows the development of one girl from fashion victim to futsal champion, learning along the way about what is important in life and love. College trendsetter Putri is determined to win back her sports-mad ex-boyfriend by turning into a futsal heroine herself. Facing prejudice and ridicule, and discovering, through her motley futsal team, the many difficulties faced by women in sports, Putri gradually finds within herself the strength and values of a true winner, on and off the pitch.

Cast
Nur Fazura, Sazzy Falak, Ashraf Sinclair, Rafidah Abdullah, Mohd. Pierre Andre, Sharifah Amani, Kartini Kamalul Arifin, Celina Khor, Zarina Zainoodin, Anding

Production
Executive Producers – Lina Tan & Marina Mahathir
Director – Bernard Chauly
Director of Photography – Haris Hue
Screenplay – Rafidah Abdullah
Associate Producer – Lee Mee Fung & Alan Tan
Producer – Choong Fook Heng & Javine Wong
Editor – Grace Tan

Resource: redfilms

Monday Morning Glory

* Lampu Merah Mati (Malay title)
* Genre: Drama
* Format: DV
* Language: Malay
* Subtitles: English
* Duration: 87 mins
* Production: Greenlight Pictures
* Year of Production: 2005
* Distributor: Red Films Sdn. Bhd
* Distributor Contact: info@redfilms.com.my

Festivals
48th San Francisco International Film Festival (World Premiere)
2006 Bangkok International Film Festival

Synopsis
Set in a small town in southeast Asia, Monday Morning Glory takes place a week after a bombing at a night club, which claims 199 lives. Having captured the core members of a cell group he thinks is responsible for the bombing, the local police chief invites a select group of journalists to witness a “reenactment” of the events leading up to the attack. Already facing immense pressure from his higher-ups and also the press, the chief hopes on this Monday morning to vindicate himself and reveal the truth behind this act of terrorism. The “truth” however, can never seem so far away…

This is the debut feature by USA film-school trained Woo Ming Jin, who won MVA's Best Short Film in 2002 (for Mina in Perfection) and famously pursued FINAS for more than a year for the promised RM30,000 grant. The resulting film, Monday Morning Glory, which costs more than three times that amount, has since travelled to the 48th San Francisco International Film Festival 2005. With documentary-like camera work by James Lee.

Production
Director: WOO MING JIN
Executive Producer: Amir Muhammad
Producers: Zan Azlee
Music: Hardesh Singh
Cinematopgraher: James Lee
Editor: M.J. Salinger
Screenwriter: Woo Ming Jin

Casts
Patrick Teoh, Azmon Hassan

Review
Known mainly for his prize-winning ironic short, Love for Dogs, with its slacker protagonist, Woo Ming Jin’s first feature is—to outsiders used to Hollywood stereotypes—a seemingly offbeat approach to a movie about terrorists. Set in a fictitious country, Woo’s film follows a group of ordinary-looking types who are shepherded by the police as they describe and reenact their terrorist deed to a group of journalists in and around their jungle headquarters. Although it may look strange, the on-site reenactment for the media and the public is commonly done for terrorism cases in Southeast Asia and South America. The film’s incident is not based on any real-life terrorist attack, but Woo’s approach was inspired after seeing photos of suspects of the Bali bombing reenacting their meetings on location, complete with large name tags around their necks. Shot in a verité style (by award-winning filmmaker James Lee), Woo’s film is an indictment not only of the terrorists but also the corruption of the authorities who pursue them. One of the terrorists, Kosovo, is released but then shot by the police to stop him from revealing the truth—a different truth from the rehearsed statement he gave to the press.

Resource: redfilms

The Big Durian

* Genre: Docu-drama
* Language: English/Malay/Cantonese
* Directed by: Amir Muhammad
* Shooting format: DVCAM
* Duration: 75 mins
* Year of Production: 2003
* Availability: Immediately Available
* Distribution Contact: info@redfilms.com.my

Festivals

2003
16th Singapore International Film Festival
5th Cinemaya Asian Film Festival ( India )
5th Makati Cinemanila (Philipines)
Yamagata International Documentary Festival
Hawaii International Film Festival
International Documentary Festival Amsterdam

2004
Sundance Film Festival
Bangkok International Film Festival
6th Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente
28th Hong Kong International Film Festival
5th Jeonju International Film Festival
3rd Commonwealth Film Festival
25th Durban International Film Festival
6th Docudays Beirut International 2004: Documentary Festival

Awards

2003 Yamagata International Documentary Festival
New Asian Current Awards (Special Mention)

The Big Durian received the Ogawa Shinsuke - Special Mention prize (New Asian Current Awards) at the recent Yamagata International Film Festival, Japan . The jury citation reads:

"While taking up a historical incident of superficially little relevance, the film reveals a deep social consciousness through a non-serious filmic style. The director uses his eccentric imagination and variety; full means of expression to reach a politically apathetic young audience."

2004 BIG DURIAN SPECIAL MENTION in VANCOUVER
The Big Durian picks up the Special Mention award at the recent 23 rd Vancouver International Film Festival ( Dragons & Tigers). The award is given to a first or second feature.

"For its witty and unusual handling of an incident which ultimately allows deep insights intothe racial tensions in Malaysian society."

Synopsis
On 18 October 1987, a soldier went on a murderous amok with an M-16 in Kuala Lumpur 's Chow Kit district. Due to circumstances peculiar to the time and place, this became the trigger for a citywide panic amid rumours of racial riots. Nine days later marked the start of an infamous Internal Security Act clampdown, "Operation Lalang." The subsequent months also saw a certain shift in the Malaysian public's perceptions of the police, media, judiciary, royalty and political process. The Big Durian is a fiction/documentary hybrid in which 23 Malaysians (some real, some fictitious) talk about how the chain of events affected them ... or not.

Cast
Farish A. Noor, Ghafir Akbar, Patrick Teoh, Anne James, Jo Kukathas, Low Ngai Yuen, Namron, Rashid Salleh, Salleh Ben Joned

Production
Screenplay by: Amir Muhammad
Producer: James Lee
Executive producers: Rogayah Shahariman & Sylvia Tan
Associate producer: Lina Tan
Music: Hardesh Singh
Director of Photography: Woo Ming Jin
Animation: Deepak Kumaran Menon

Resource: redfilms

Berbagi Suami

Synopsis

The film brings together three women (in three different stories) from three different social classes and ethnic backgrounds, conveying their passages in dealing with polygamy:

Salma is a gynecologist who had questioned the morality behind the practice of polygamy and had secretly wished it wouldn’t happen to her own marriage. But, her wish remains just a wish. As a faithful Moslem, Salma accepts her fate to have a polygamous husband. Salma’s husband bears the title of ‘Pak Haji’, meaning a holy man who has gone through pilgrimage in Mecca and has an important religious contribution to the society. Salma knows that as the first wife, she is entitled to the higher status and therefore refuses to interact with the younger wives. She protects her household and her one and only son, Nadim. Salma shuts her world; she lives in denial. Until one day her husband gets a heart attack and becomes bed ridden. Salma has to face the other wives on a regular basis since all the wives thrive to offer attention to the sick man. Salma can no longer protect herself and her son from the unfairness. It is then when Salma begins to evaluate the meaning of her life as she witnesses the absurdity of her day-to-day drama.

Siti is a Javanese village girl who has high hopes for a better life in the metropolitan city of Jakarta . Her dreams are shattered once she realizes that living in the slum of the city in a polygamous household of her own uncle will not take her anywhere. The notion of three women living under one roof and serving one husband itself is constantly disturbing her. The only reason for her to survive is the growing intimacy with one of the other wives. One night Siti has to help the second wife deliver her baby unassisted by a doctor or a mid-wife when the master of the household barges in unannounced, stone drunk with a stranger hanging on his arm. The stranger is introduced as his newly acquired fourth wife. His insensitive behavior enrages Siti and this urged her to explore the new possibilities of freedom and choices that she makes with her life.

Ming is a waitress in a famous roast duck stall in downtown Jakarta . Her youth and striking mixed Chinese-Indonesian parentage allows her to stand out amongst the rest. The cook, who owns the stall does his daily preparations with the help of his wife and his favorite waitress, Ming. This Chinese-Indonesian man in his 40s can barely conceal his jealousy when he sees Ming flirting with the male patrons. The cook becomes one of the men who date Ming regularly. But he cannot stand the fact that he does not win Ming’s exclusive attention. The competition gets even tougher when Ming begins dating a rookie filmmaker who promises her a role in his first feature film. Soon, we find out that Ming is willing to go the distance to fulfill her ambitions for stardom.

Resource: redfilms

Bernafas Dalam Lumpur

Synopsis

Set in present day Kuala Lumpur, the movie follows a life of a middle class Malay family. Din operates a driving school, is married to Nina and they have two children, Rosli, aged ten & Mina, aged five. Nina’s life revolve around Din’s business and the children. Din is a good father but he’s also having an affair with his secretary Liza a twenty something year old college graduate.

Mina the five year old girl is Din and Nina’s daugther by birth however Rosli, the ten year old boy is actually from Nina’s previous marriage with Din’s best friend, Meor.

Nina’s previous marriage to Meor had been chaotic and stressful because of Meor’s illegal activities and his constant run-in with the police. He has been in and out of Nina’s life and one day while their son Rosli was only 3 years old, Meor completely disappears and cannot be found anywhere. All this while Din has been taking care of Nina during the period when Meor went missing. Finally after waiting for a few years, Nina gives up and marries Din.

It has been seven years since, and one fine day when life has become a routine for Nina and Din, Meor returns. He’s well, alive and a very changed man. Din and Nina are shocked and surprised. They do not know what to do next but accept him temporarily to stay with them in their house. Meor’s disappearance remains a mystery since he doesn’t want to tell them what had happened to him during the last seven years. Meor’s son Rosli does not recognise him and has always considered Din was his only father.

Meor is filled with regret but he does not know what he should do.. As he tries to reconnect with his estranged son Rosli, Din begins to feels uncomfortable and Nina begins to feel confused, with new feelings developing. Their lives are thrown into turmoil again and everyone is in a dilemma. Should Meor leave the family alone but does Nina want him too.

Cast
Nam Ron, Mislina Bt Mustaffa, Mohammad Hariry Bin Abdul Jalil, Nur Yasmin Hanna Binti Zulkarnain

Production Crew
Director of Photography: Haris Hue
Audio: Zolkefli Mat Tahir
Editor: Ahmad Azharuddin
Script: Amri Rohayat
Producer: Angie Choo
Executive Producers: Lina Tan, Lee Mee Fung, Alan Tan Director: James Lee

Resource: redfilms

Goodbye Boys

English (with Malay & Chinese dialects)
Genre: Drama
Director: Bernard Chauly
Starring: Jay Eng, Nas-T, Razif Hashim, Farid Ramlee, David Eng, Peter Khor, Daniel Henry
RunTime: 1 hr 28 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: PG















Official Website: www.redfilms.com.my/goodbyeboys.htm

Opening Day: Pls refer to http://www.thepicturehouse.com.sg/

Synopsis:

What happens when a gang of Form Five boys embark on a 100km hike to fulfill a King Scouts requirement but come back on the road to becoming men?

Goodbye Boys is a simple journey with complicated realizations. Set in 1990, Malaysia, it is about a gang of pimply guys with raging hormones, undecided ambitions and formative identities. They set out on a grueling 5-day journey through the Kinta Valley – once the richest tin deposit in the world, now an abandoned plain - that changes friendships and selves.

It’s a group expedition with individual goals. The harsh realization is that although the boys are a troop/patrol, they’re not necessarily a ‘brotherhood’. Friends are important but eventually, it’s not always about togetherness. Some will return mini-heroes, content with being welcomed by their dream dates at the 5th Form Farewell Prom dates. Others will realize that the expedition is the beginning of other things in life… the need to escape a small town to realize… one’s dreams…

When you grow up in any small town, you know that you have to breakaway in order to discover your fullest potential. This is a story that will capture the psyche of a group of young boys on the brink of leaving their comfort zones, in transition… It is a confusing yet exciting time where you wish the possibilities were endless but in reality, you know your escape routes are limited. It’s a time when your identity, ambition, sexuality is evolving. It is about looking back at a crucial formative period, much of which is reflected within a microjourney of an expedition. Youth is a time when everything seems exaggerated. A slow dance with your girl means everything. People’s actions and deeds affect you in a big way. Negative emotions in particular seem amplified.

What you were then, what you have become. What you continue to be… Yet we constantly look back. The personal journey of a few that can be understood universally. It is a timeless journey that affirms growing up as being a beautiful tragicomedy..

Movie Review:

Goodbye Boys looks deceptively simple. Glancing at the surface, it's a coming of age road trip on foot movie, about a group of 8 King Scouts wannabe embarking on a 100km route march in 5 days around Perak's Kinta Valley to fulfill the qualification requirement. However, even the Scout's motto "Be Prepared" could not be any better warning for the challenges they face, the decisions they have to make, and the life changing experiences each of them will undergo.

Director Bernard Chauly, whose first film Gol & Gincu featured a dominant female cast, now puts the spotlight on the males with his semi-biographical remembrance of his school days, going on a similar expedition. Set in 1990, it chronicles and documents some of the little seen sights and sounds of the road less travelled, as we follow the scouts through varied landscapes which even included disused, abandoned tin mining areas. Despite being shot in digital format, the movie brought out the flavour of the main star of the show, and that is the on location sites used throughout in places like Batu Gajah, Kampar and Tanjung Tualang.

The male dominated ensemble cast were surprisingly credible and able to flesh out their characters quite naturally, and what made it more amazing, is that all of them are rookies. This is in spite of the characters being introduced in a way that made them look rather one dimensional, like the strong silent type for the leader, the cool guy and his jester sidekick, the fat and skinny contrasting duo, and one who is a stickler for the rules.

But before you jump to conclusions that movies like these follow a feel good formula of male bonding, camaraderie and the likes, with each of them helping one another out through difficulties from the trip, Goodbye Boys offers a lot more. Perhaps drawing from personal experiences and adding a dash of dramatic license to package the story, helped bring across a sense of familiarity that you would find easy to identify with the issues being presented. Herein lies its strength. You'd come to realize that the characters have a lot of background which slowly unfolds itself as the story progresses, that in the end, everything changes, for better or worse.

Beneath the veneer of simplicity, lies a fairly intricate web of themes and issues presented, as they float in and out of the story depending on the character in focus. Never preachy, and at times bringing along a chuckle or two, Goodbye Boys is extraordinary in its deft handling of the subject matter, and the associated growing pains - of various tests, relationships, friendships, and the unknown future.

Resource: MX

The Last Communist

SYNOPSIS:

A semi-musical documentary inspired by the early life and legacy of Chin Peng (real name: Ong Boon Hua). He was born in 1924 and is the last leader of the banned Communist Party of Malaysia. He now lives in Thailand because the Malaysian government does not allow him to return despite his repeated attempts to go through the courts.

Interviews with the people in the towns he lived in from birth to national independence are interspersed with especially composed songs in the mould of old-fashioned propaganda films.

MOVIE REVIEW

The Last Communist made its debut here in Singapore as one of the 19th Singapore International Film Festival selections, and producer-director Amir Muhammad was in Singapore too to promote his latest documentary. With a title like "Last Communist", it inadvertently is set to raise some eyebrows by the powers-that-be, and I admit I was pleasantly surprised that it was passed uncut, and the discs making it to the shops here.

Things aren't as rosy across the Causeway though. The documentary, originally passed uncut, was withdrawn and banned. There probably should be a reason for this, and perks your curiosity just what is in it, that prevented the film to be screened. No doubt the subject matter was about Chin Peng, the last leader of the CPM - Communist Party of Malaya, but there is nary a video or photograph of the man, save for a caricature for less than a minute.

For the uninitiated, you can probably get more information about the person and the party through links like these - Man or Party. than you will from the movie. The movie's not set to demonise or praise both, toting the middle line to present the events in neutrality, and that perhaps have irked authorities. If you were to watch this film, you'll only get very peripheral information about the man though titles briefly explaining the places and events, and the only appearance of the
controversial man is through a caricature, together with figures like the late former Malaysian Prime Minister Tengku Abdul Rahman and Singapore Chief Minister David Marshall.

You'll begin to wonder then, what exactly is this documentary about? The opening shot will already hint at the things to come. The shot alongside the body of a moving car running parallel to the road, clues you in that this is a road movie. And like most road movies, you go from location to location to capture the sights and sounds peculiar to the locale. Here, we're brought to the locations that Chin Peng grew up and lived in, from Ipoh to Penang, and up to the Thai border. However, while some locations still existing are shown, some no longer are around. And the narrative flow sends you from place to place, and from person to person.

The highlight is on the common folks, as the movie snapshots life in general, about the people now occupying places where history was once created, and the way of life of ex-rebels currently living near the Southern Thai border. The Chendol seller, the bicycle shop owner, and the ubiquitous Pomelo, fruit of Ipoh, take centerstage, as would have folks from the past caught up in a dangerous political environment..

And adding superb flavour to the movie, is the music. Peppered throughout are songs and music composed by Hardesh Singh that infused the movie with a cheesy karaoke style (I meant that as a compliment), as it added plenty of laughter and smiles between scenes. The song-and-dance routine poked fun at Communism, and sings of topical events that transpired or of the location, so you'll have songs about Tin and Rubber, of Guns, Malaria and even about the Identity Card..

By the time you're finished with the movie, you'll begin to wonder just exactly what all the unwarranted fuss is about. No doubt the title alone sounds controversial, but there is absolutely nothing, in my opinion, that is remotely controversial about the movie.

You can click on this link to read Amir Muhammad's The Last Communist blog: http://lastcommunist.blogspot.com

SPECIAL FEATURES

None, but Amir's blog more or less gives you a current account of the movie, especially since after the ban was announced.

Resource: MX

Village People Radio Show

SYNOPSIS: In the propaganda war against the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), much was made of the fact that the party comprised ethnic Chinese who adopted an atheistic political philosophy. This tactic proved effective as the country was mainly Malay and Muslim. However, a large and - influential division of the CPM comprised Malay-Muslims. This documentary is a portrait of life in a tranquil South Thailand village, complete with mosque, where the retired members live in exile. But recollections of the decades-long guerrilla war keep breaking up into a fictional Thai radio drama.

Genre: Documentary
Starring: -
Director: Amir Muhammad
Rating: NC-16
Year Made: 2007

SPECIAL FEATURES
- Short films: Longmach by Kawan2Kampong and Man in Love by Liew Seng Tat


TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Languages: Malay & Thai
Subtitles: English
Aspect Ratio: -
Sound: -
Running Time: 1 hr 12 mins
Region Code: PAL 3

Resource: MX

Congkak

SYNOPSIS: Kazman is a dedicated husband who, despite his wife Sufiah protests, decided to buy a bungalow for their family near a lake as a family getaway. Anxious in the new house, Sufiah feels as if someone is watching her. Her daughter Lisa, who would always go downstairs at night to play congkak with someone whom she could only see, compounds her uneasiness. Sufiah throws the congkak in the lake, but is awakened the next night by the sound of the congkak being played again and upon investigation, she sees an old lady playing it. When her daughter disappears, the oldest resident in that area, Pak Tua, comes to the family rescue and helps in locating the missing family members.

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Starring: Nanu Baharudin, Riezman Khuzaimi, MRajoli, Erin Malek, Erynne Erynna, Ruminah Sidek
Director: Ahmad Idham
Rating: PG
Year Made: 2008

SPECIAL FEATURES
- NIL
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Languages: Malay
Subtitles: English/Chinese
Aspect Ratio: -
Sound: DTS Surround
Running Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Region Code:NTSC 3

Resource: MX

SEPET

SYNOPSIS:
19-year old Ah Loong is in charge of a street stall selling pirated VCDs. Contrary to what you might expect someone of his social standing to be, Ah Loong is an incurable romantic with a unique hobby – he loves to read and write poetry. Quite contented to carry on being the Romeo of he slums, Ah Loong’s life takes on a sudden change one day when a 16-year old Malay schoolgirl arrives at his stall in search of Wong Kar-Wai films.

Genre:Drama/Comedy/Romance
Starring:Sharifah Amani Yahya, Adlin Aman Ramlie, Ng Choo Seong
Director:Yasmin Ahmad
Rating:PG

SPECIAL FEATURES
NIL

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Languages:Malay / English / Cantonese
Subtitles:Chinese, English
Aspect Ratio:
Sound:
Running Time:108mins
Region Code: 3(Malaysia Edition)

Resource: MX

GUBRA

SYNOPSIS:
Orked is a upper-middle class working woman who married to a successful advertising executive Arif. Early one morning, Orked receives news that her father had collapsed. This unfortunate event proves Arif to be a caring husband who takes charge of the crisis while the rest of the family undergoes an emotional breakdown. However, things take a turn when Orked discovers, by accident, that the seemingly reliable Arif may be seeing another woman behind her back. On the other side of town, in a relatively poorer housing area, a young Muslim cleric and his cheerful wife live next door to a couple of prostitutes. Even though the loving couple is surprisingly non-judgmental of their neighbors, they soon find themselves embroiled in the dangers that come with the ladies way of life. "Gubra" weaves back and forth from one story to the other. As the stories unfold, it becomes increasingly clear that even though the two worlds are physically disconnected, the people who dwell in them share a similar struggle – that of dealing with all the pleasures, the pain, and the challenges that come with loving.

Genre:Drama
Starring:Sharifah Amani Yahya, Adlin Aman Ramlie, Alan Yun, Ng Choo Seong
Director:Yasmin Ahmad
Rating:PG

SPECIAL FEATURES
- Theatrical Trailer
- Making of

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Languages:Malay / English / Cantonese
Subtitles:Chinese, English
Aspect Ratio:16x9 Letterbox
Sound:
Running Time:100 mins
Region Code: 3

Resource: MX

MUKHSIN

SYNOPSIS: From one of Asian acclaimed filmmaker, Yasmin Ahmad comes the latest chapter in her SEPET, GUBRA trilogy...

Genre: Drama/Romance
Starring: Sharifah Aryana, Mohd Syafie Naswip, Sharifah Aleya, Adibah Noor
Director: Yasmin Ahmad
Rating: PG
Year Made: 2007

SPECIAL FEATURES
- MTV
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Languages: Malay
Subtitles: English/Chinese/Malay
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen
Sound: Dolby Digital
Running Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Region Code: 3 (Malaysia Edition)

Resource: MX

Muallaf

In English, Malay & Chinese with English Subtitles
Genre: Drama
Director: Yasmin Ahmad
Cast: Sharifah Amani Syed Zainal Rashid, Brian Yap, Yeo Yann Yann, Rahim Razali, Tony Savarimutu, Hazel Fernandez, Haris Zakaria, Ning Baizura, Ho Yuhang
RunTime: 1 hr 27 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films & Lighthouse Pictures
Rating: PG

Opening Day: 27 November 2008

Synopsis:

Two Malaysian sisters, Rohani and Rohana, run away from home to escape their wealthy father’s mistreatment. They find refuge in a small town where they get to know Brian Goh, a young Catholic schoolteacher. Brian is irresistibly attracted to the two girls. Impressed by their extraordinary courage in the face of adversity, their relationship forces him to confront the ghosts of his own childhood. Director Yasmin Ahmad explores the possibilities of emotional survival after being traumatised by loved ones. Through the wanderings of three lost souls who band together and console one another, Muallaf celebrates friendship, forgiveness, and the coming to terms with the past.

Movie Review:

Every once in a while, it is good to appreciate a film which doesn’t bombard you with explosions, car chases, silly slapstick and over the top computer generated effects. The wham bam of things numb our senses so much, we take these hustle and bustle as part of our lives. So when a film which makes us reflect on our inner selves comes along, we realize the impact it has on our well being. Malaysian filmmaker Yasmin Ahmad’s fifth feature finally makes its way to our busy city to seek audiences who are willing to make an effort to search deep within themselves to realize the true meaning of forgiveness.

After the Orked trilogy (Sepet, Gubra, Mukhsin) which centers on a Malay girl’s trials and tribulations like her interracial relationships and childhood romances, Ahmad writes another provocative story about two Malay sisters staying away from their violent father. Just when they thought that things are fine in the small town they are staying in, a Chinese teacher with a secret past comes along. He becomes drawn to the sisters’ charismatic personalities and these three troubled souls will soon find solace in each other and understand the meaning of forgiveness.

One can immediately pick out the religious undercurrents with the protagonists being Malay and Chinese. Being a film made in Malaysia, this will definitely evoke some discussions in its home country. We’ve got a Malay woman and a Chinese man being attracted to each other. We’ve got a young girl who has the strange ability to quote from holy books and ancient scriptures. We’ve got a Malay woman acting like a tomboy and working in a nightclub. If these aren’t enough to trigger controversial discussions in Malaysia’s media, we don’t know what will.

There are several themes and subject matters in the film that will set you thinking, that is, if you prepared to. First, because the film is set in Malaysia, there are certain contexts and situations which local audiences may not get. Nuances like cultural practices and body movements may alienate the unfamiliar viewer. Second, the film deals with heavy handed topics which may not be the best things to think about on a difficult day at work.

But that shouldn’t deter you from making sense of this well written story to recognize that although religion cloaks this movie, it is the universal message that love for others creates opportunities for us to forgive and reconcile with ourselves that matters.

Having worked with the director on her three previous films, lead actress Sharifah Amani is evidently comfortable in her role as the protective elder sister who is determined to make a difference in her life. Her real life younger sister Sharifah Aleysha has natural chemistry with her older sister in the film. Brian Yap plays the Chinese teacher with a quiet reluctance which allows viewers to ponder about his troubled character. Also, watch out for performances by “881 Sister” Yeo Yann Yann as a nightclub girl, Malaysian singer Ning Baizura as a flamboyant stepmother, and also fellow Malaysian filmmaker Ho Yuhang.

While these characters are not glamourous and dolled up personalities, they are a true reflection of this thing we call life.

Resources: MX