Chet's Chatter » Movies

Yasmin the storytelling filmmaker

Chet — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:09:33 +0000

She is the award-winning creative director of tv commercials for such companies like Petronas (her multi-racial festive ads always remind me of my childhood) who transferred her storytelling talents to films a few years ago, resulting in such classics as Sepet and Gubra.

Now she’s made a short film for the Singapore Government. Don’t let the title turn you off. Yasmin is THE storytelling filmmaker.

Her blog post and the many comments the film received.

How can?

Chet — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 05:18:59 +0000

Boo (Monsters, Inc) is asking:

“Ang Lee won the 2006 Best Director Oscar for Brokeback Mountain but the movie did not win Best Picture?

How can?”

Reruns

Chet — Fri, 23 Sep 2005 16:27:01 +0000

I was at my sister’s place and asking her to change channel to 51 (Animal Planet) when I saw a documentary Fate of the Panda was about to come on. So I went on home so I could watch it in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

It’s one I’ve seen before, but I never tire of watching anything about pandas. This one’s actually about both the giant panda and the red panda. They look worlds apart but are actually related. Well, they’re also both on the list of endangered animals.

After the documentary, I was flipping channels when I came across a Lara Croft movie. It was just beginning, and I didn’t recognise the opening scene, but since there are only two Lara Croft movies, and I am familiar with the other one, I figured this must be the other other one.

Actually, I’ve seen the movie before (Lara Croft and the Cradle of Life), but somehow never the opening scene, only the rest of the movie.

Of course, I continued watching the movie, cuz it was Angelina Jolie in the starring role. And not just as a pretty face, but a strong female lead character. The pretty face is the icing on the cake.

So, that was my evening of back-to-back reruns. Both of which I enjoyed tremendously.

Taxi the movie

Chet — Sun, 17 Jul 2005 15:25:16 +0000

I picked up three DVD movies from my regular movie store today – Mrs Doubtfire, Kagemusha, and Taxi.

Reasons for getting these three titles? Robin Williams, Akira Kurosawa, and Queen Latifah.

I’ve seen Mrs Doubtfire before (who hasn’t?), and thought it was time I added it to my small but growing DVD collection. I’ve never seen Kagemusha, but have seen both Seven Samurai and Ran, and suitably impressed by both to buy this one.

As for Taxi, I didn’t even know there was such a movie. The only Taxi I know is the TV sitcom that aired for five seasons (1978 – 1983) and featured the likes of Danny DeVito, Tony Danza, Christopher Lloyd and Carol Kane who went on to post Taxi fame of their own.

Anyways, one name and face jumped out at me from the DVD cover …

Guess whose?

Yup, based on the name of one actor, I bought the movie. And have no regrets getting it. She did not disappoint.

Queen Latifah.

The movie is fast moving and fun. What do you expect of a movie about a taxi driver in New York City? Not just any taxi driver, but a woman taxi driver, ex messenger (despatch rider) who rode a mean bicycle throughout the city, right through a stationary subway train, exiting just moments before the door closed behind her. And driving her cab the same way she used to ride her bicycle.

All the best scenes went to her. In fact, all the best scenes, including the car chase scenes, went to the women in the movie. And that’s what I like best about Taxi – it’s a women’s film. A positive women’s film. Empowering.

Queen Latifah’s adversary in the movie is the leggy Gisele Bundchen. In one scene, the lieutenant, played by Jennifer Esposito (yes – female) offers herself in exchange for the hostage, and is accepted. Gisele’s character proceeds to frisk her, an act which prompts one of the male officers on the scene to say “I’d like to offer myself …”

Unlike the female characters, the guys don’t come out looking too good in this movie. Leading the pack is Jimmy Fallon, the Queen’s sidekick in the movie. Popular with many Saturday Night Live fans (he joined the cast in September 1998), Jimmy unfortunately comes across as too hyper in the movie. It was exhausting to watch him. Fortunately, he redeems himself towards the end of the movie.

A real bonus in the movie is the presence of Ann-Margret as Jimmy’s mother. She’s a real hoot in the movie (I’m laughing out loud right now as I remember her scenes in the movie).

There are quite a few references to real car brands, with reverence shown for the Beemer, and the opposite for a certain Korean brand (no, not the one beginning with the letter “H” ).

I’m glad I bought the movie. I really enjoyed it. And like Mrs Doubtfire, good enough for repeat viewings and laughs.

Official Taxi site
Official Queen Latifah site

At long last

Chet — Tue, 25 Jan 2005 02:21:23 +0000

Malaysian premiere of Yasmin Ahmad’s Sepet.

Date	:	24 February 2005
Venue	:	One Utama, Mid-Valley, KLCC, Sunway, Times Square, and a host of cinemas in JB, Ipoh, and Penang

View the trailer here (thanks, tarlia, for the link).

Read what Yasmin has to say about:

The film’s Malaysian release
Her decision to agree to the cuts and release the film
Her fight with the Malaysian Censorship Board
The Board’s reaction when they viewed the film

Thanks, Yasmin.