Eye in the Sky: My DVD Stash From Indonesia Part 2

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

My DVD Stash From Indonesia Part 2 - Indonesian Films

I am particularly proud of the Indonesian titles I purchased from Jakarta, scouring through 2 shops at the Plaza E-X along Thamrin Road and another at Sarinah Department Store. I didn't wanna spend so much of my cash on "vices" such as these so my credit cards graciously took the brunt of my compulsion. I love their covers (very contemporary) - and I like the way they include "censors" stickers with them. All of these titles were released 2009 and 2010; each is original - and everyone has English subtitles, except for Nayato Fio Nuala's "Belum Cukup Umur" (Too Young) which looked interesting anyway.

I actually forgot 2 other titles here: "Glitch" and "18+".

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Here are the titles:

Title: D' Love (above)

Capsule: When Elmo (Agung Saga) learns of his father's wayward ways and indiscretions, he leaves home and earns his keep as a street fighter. But life in the streets isn't as easy as he thought it would be. Meanwhile, Neina (his girlfriend) bemoans of a family secret (her father's gay) while their friend Aprilia (the beautiful Aurelie Moeremans) is being roped into Elmo's world. What becomes of Aprilia's and Elmo's seeming mutual attraction with each other? Won't Neina notice?

Young lookers - Agung Saga and Aurelie Moeremans - star in this romantic drama about infatuations at the wrong time in Hela Kardit's "D' Love".

Title: Love and Edelweiss

Capsule: An abused child Ryo grows up a conflicted psychopath seeking the help of a psychiatrist. On his way to redemption, he finds Cinta with whom he’s fallen in love. Unfortunately, Cinta is spoken for – and her boyfriend is starting to get suspicious. So is Cinta’s sister Marsha who’s compelled to inform the authorities about Ryo violent tendencies and possible murderous past. And Ryo isn’t too amused with Marsha’s poking around.

Title: All About Love (Tentang Cinta)

Capsule: Like hundreds of Indonesian flicks, this has "Cinta" on its title. And like many mainstream love stories, it has popular actor Vino G. Bastian as the male lead. In the story, Shereen is a broken-hearted soul whose boyfriend recently died. She stays in a villa trying to forget her boyfriend. There, she meets Evan (Bastian), who's also nursing a broken heart. His girlfriend recently left him. Their paths will eventually cross - at the most unexpected time.

Vino G. Bastian's popularity is buoyed by his boyish good looks. He stars in several DVD titles available in DVD shops.

Title: Emak Wants To Go To Mecca (Emak Ingin Naik Haji)

Capsule: Faith and perseverance come together when a mother so desperately wants to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. His son Zein goes along for the ride. A multi-nominated feature that has a lot of local color.

Title: Jermal (Fishpen)

Capsule: A father-son relationship is forced when Jaya arrives at the fishpens (fish cages) in the middle of the ocean. Meanwhile, his father Johar, who's initially unwelcoming, must accept working along side his son. The film is an intimate examination of a long estranged father-and-son relationship with the backdrop of the unpredictable blue waters.

Title: White, Grey and Sepatu Kets (Putih, Abu-abu Dan Sepatu Kets)

Capsule: Three close friends in a high school deal with issues that include the wild fire circulation of Dea's intimate encounters with boyfriend Adit (through cell phones and the internet). Young lives and their domestic preoccupations - parental divorce, lesbian mothers, menstruation - there are no secrets among them. A youthful, albeit charming cast.

Rendy Septino and Adipati star in "White, Grey and Sepatu Kets".

Title: Too Young (Belum Cukup Umur)

Capsule: Three friends, all 15 years, encounter unwanted pregnancy, jealousy and the boundaries of friendship. Will they find a doctor who's willing to abort a baby? This is the only title I bought without an English subtitle so I decided to just wing it.

Title: Nakalnya Anak Muda

Capsule: A group of young people gather at a villa, passing through forests and waterfalls. But they soon realize that their holiday would soon turn fatal. Who is the killer? Another slasher flick led by Ratu Felisha.

Title: Pengantin Topeng

Title: Bride's Waterfalls

Capsule: Tiara invites her friends to join her on a soul-searching holiday near the spectacular Bride's Waterfalls. But a killer is on the loose and the body count soon piles up. If you haven't seen any of director Rizal Mantovani's horror-suspense fodder, this might as well be a bearable introduction (although my pick would be "Jelangkung" if you have the means to get a copy).

Casualty at Bride's Waterfalls.

The cast of "Bride's Waterfalls" - a typical slasher flick from director Rizal Mantovani. His "The Chanting" and its sequel was shown in Manila.

Title: The Dreamer

Capsule: The sequel to last year's spectacular "Rainbow Troop" which absolutely renewed my faith in Indonesian cinema. This one follows the boys from the first film as they dream of studying abroad (Their ultimate goal was Sorbonne in Paris) and seeing the world - and loving someone. Also stars rockstar Ariel Peterpan (of the notorious sex scandal that went viral) aka Nazril Irham who commendably played the dreamer Arai, one of the 3 main protagonists!. The story telling was told in languid, leisurely pace that, in several levels, offered inspiration. Dreaming is free, but to attain it entails several obstacles. Then, it will all be worth it!