:*: Tear-jerker 'Ungu Violet' presents beautiful picture of Jakarta :*:

Taken from The Jakarta Post:

Director Rako Prijanto's debut feature film, Ungu Violet, is a tear-jerker of a love story. From screenwriter Jujur Prananto of Ada Apa dengan Cinta? and featuring actress Dian Sastrowardoyo, the movie was anticipated with high expectations.

Dian plays Kalin, a bus conductor who is accidentally captured on film by photographer Lando (Rizky Hanggono) and rises to become a famous cover-girl model.

Fortunately, the story doesn't end there, and in fact, this is only the beginning. Ungu Violet focuses more on the sad love story between two protagonists and on slowly uncovering intricate details about their lives.

Kalin seems to be a girl born under a curse: She has lost both parents and loses a grandparent, one after the other, nearly loses her sight and is dumped by the love of her life.

The central love story between Kalin and Lando is almost irritatingly tragic, with Lando withdrawing from the relationship because of his fear of losing her -- but with a twist of ironic denial. In this, Ungu Violet revisits the themes of heartbreak and fatal illness, two of the most common themes in 1970s Indonesian melodrama and pop novels.

Kalin's relationship with her manager, which is a third side to a love triangle, however, was very weak and unconvincing. Expectations for Ungu Violet was at least met with a surprisingly attractive panoramic shot of Jakarta from a bird's eye view. One of the most beautiful is the funeral scene, which manages to convey sadness and loss without slipping into hysteria or spookiness that are typical of other Indonesian films.

The director's fascination with color compositions perhaps accounts for the bizarre, repetitive title of this movie -- ungu means violet in Bahasa Indonesia. Rako tries to use red consistently in developing Kalin's character and blue for Lando, a stereotypical gender association that recalls the signs on public toilets. Apparently, Ungu Violet refers to the union of these two colors, symbolizing the reunion of a long-lost love.

Unfortunately, Dian's acting has evolved very little since Ada Apa dengan Cinta? Her performance was promising in the first half of the movie, but slips toward the end. She does a good job portraying a naive, ordinary girl and in the scene when Kalin calls her grandmother in the middle of a fashion show, but that is it. She somehow retains a childish quality to her voice throughout -- it works brilliantly for Kalin the bus conductor, but fails to show Kalin's maturity after what she goes through.

Meanwhile, Rizky's constantly murky facial expression all through the film was a bit disturbing, probably because the kissing scene, the only chance for him to show emotion, was censored.

However, the movie's sub-plots offer some very strong details to fill out this tragedy. Ungu Violet tries to depict the gloomy lives of the urban middle class, a theme that seems to be Jujur's forte. Kalin's rise to stardom, which initially appears to be the solution to her family's financial problems, doesn't come cheap in the end, and she sacrifices quality time with her grandmother for fame.

Kalin's best friend's affair with a married man is also revealed brilliantly in a brief dialog. Similar to what he achieved in Ada Apa dengan Cinta?, Jujur once again shows his talent in providing a critical description of modern-day urbanites.

The movie also gives an interesting insight to the ups and downs in the life of a model and a photographer, perhaps two of the most sought-after jobs among young people these days.

Beginning with Lando's instinct as a photojournalist to document a pickpocket on a bus, the story then proceeds to show the pressures of working in the mass media: Following his failure to meet deadlines, he falls into commercial wedding photography. Lando's presence during Kalin's grandmother's funeral also provokes an ethical question as to the role of photographers in the life of a model.

Despite its flaws, Ungu Violet definitely stands out among other local films currently playing at theaters. It has everything a good film should have: great camerawork and interesting characters. All in all, it presents a beautiful and exotic picture of a city and its people, with a striking resemblance to contemporary Chinese and Korean cinematography.

And do watch out for the soundtrack -- it's lethally melancholic.


Note by me :
I wanna watch the movie ! The soundtrack is so touching.
Can't wait for August 4th, lol.

:*: Jaded : You've got your momma's style but you're Yesterday's child to me :*:

My friend, Eddie looked at me with pity today when I met him in Uptown after I had roti canai at the pink nasi kandar shop nearby my place.

"You're so cynical you know. So... jaded. For a girl your age, you behave like your 30, like you've been through it all." He said to me, as if telling me would change anything. After all, if I've grown up, I can hardly recede back into the juvenile mindset he expected all girls my age to have.

"Then how should I be behaving?" I asked.

"Like the rest of us ! They date one another, or at least people their age, with our values, and they are enjoying it!"

I felt punched in the head. Did he think I was stupid? Or was he the one that didn't have any clue. That the other students dated one another didn't mean that they were less "jaded" then I was ; did he really think all of them believed they were going to get married to their current flavour of the year? There were people cheating on one another as it were already, and I wasn't the only one that was shagging around town anyway. And I wasn't the only one that was had varied sexual preferences.

"The frame of mine you are referring to, the "un-jaded" state of mind is stupid, useless and a liability. It gets you hurt when things don't work out, because you don't know that there will always be other people that are just as good who would want you just as much. It's like believing in The One, it makes no sense for your well-being. Emotional or otherwise." I told him as a matter of fact-ly.

"That's exactly what I mean! You're cynical!"

"I don't think so. But it's better to be cynical then naive." I said. "I'd rather expect disappointment and be pleasantly surprised, then expect good things and be knackered over by life. You're wrong, I am not jaded, and I have no reason to be. I don't believe in the things 18 year old girls that read Sweet Valley High on a regular basis believe in, but I have faith in the goodness of people. And you know what? I've never been disappointed. "Jaded people do not bother with the subject of their faithlessness. I'm still a romance junkie."

"Ah, everyone wants romance, but it isn't just like that. It's not so easy, and if you want it, why are you living the way you live your life. You're never going to find romance this way. And you're doing it all wrong."

"I live the way I live because I like it. And it does find me romance it would seem." And if not with people, at least with the act of romancing itself, but I didn't add that in, it would have hardly been possible to explain it to him.

"People like you, my dear best friend," I had wanted to say, "are the sort that never really live." I bet your girlfriend cheated on you before, but you just don't know it. Why should you be sad that I know better then the dim-wit still thinking a kiss to a perfect stranger should mean something? And why should I be frowned upon with pity when I kiss someone new I really like, even though I've already lost count of the people I've kissed?

I'm not able to feel less, I'm just incapable of feeling wrongly.

:*: There He Goes :*:

There he goes again.

He's off to Australia today at 9 pm. I'm gonna miss my boyfriend. Nothing much to write I'm just sad and eyes too red to be looking at the keyboard.

Back to Lonely Land.

:*: Moral Quacks :*:

I don't really write much about the whole racial thing any more because I generally don't like to think of people in terms of the colour of their skin. I think it quite unfair actually, how so many local people can find it logical to slander someone based on their choice of lifestyle and partner or the way they speak, and accuse me of being racist against my own. If I am racist against my own race, then so are they, because last time I checked, my nationality is Malay and I'm a Chinese descendant, and damn proud of the fact that I am.

Concerning myself with my own ethnic culture is not something I do at all, but this is what I was born into, and if you cannot do anything about it, then why not just be proud of what you were given?

It is shocking how people easily determine us as liberals (I actually don't quite like the term, because with some people it's a demonizing, racist label, but let's just stick with it for convenience's sake) as trash just because of their choice on friends, the way they speak or whatever options there is. I do not see why that should be, since people are people, and should be allowed to pursue what they want, to the business of no one else. It is completely absurd. Just because my partner is a city guy, I'm trash? Perhaps. Because if my boyfriend were a normal Malay guy (how do you define normal anyway? ) , then that'll be more normal, and therefore I cannot be cracker-scrap. But if you think logically, and know that race is just a fucking race, then I would be chink-trash.

But whatever. That's the way the world behaves with racial minorities. If they've a better lot in society, they're hated, and if they've a lower lot, they're mocked. And better or worse, we're all parodied.

I find it fascinating always how some people can accuse me of being shallow in my preference for having someone as a friend, and then proceed thereafter to judge me based upon what kind of people I hang out with. Or how they can say my choices, based on affluence and generally what I find attractive is shallow, materialistic and prejudiced, and then later on proceed to spite me by saying that I'll never find true friends because after-all, ' no one wants a snobbish brat '.

So we're both equally shallow. I base my choices for a friend on how open minded they are, and you base yours on how great they think you are.

Have you ever noticed how moral bigots are always accusing other people before actually looking upon themselves and realizing how full of bigotry they are themselves? Some one told me the other day, saying that he didn't think the Malays she know is not typical as what I think they were, because people here come across as incredibly shallow. The girls especially. Well, people here are incredibly shallow, and insecure to boot, but not just the girls. If you take a look at the guys, you'll see the guys can be equally as bad.

Above all, I think this society just need to grown up and become comfortable with itself. In the past year, I know I have. It is completely untrue that I find friendship only towards the non-Malays. I generally relate to the people I have relationships with as people, whatever colour their skin and whatever standing they have in life. No way do I think they are superior to us as a race, or how clever they are... let's just say, to each her own. I know what I prefer, and no one has a right to criticize that. I don't criticize the Malays for being shallow for not wanting to mix around (I still get people telling me saying that I'm not a Malaysian inside-out, believe it or not. I'm completely resigned to the fact that I'll never be good enough for them, so why even bother).

You want to know what I think about Malaysia? I cannot say I hate it, because I do not, but I've no feeling for it either. What I feel is this: I want to get out. And maybe that's why I generally dont like the company of local people, because too many of them are too rooted in the country. The truth is, I've no problem relating to those that do not; the ones that want to leave as well. Fine, I'm not patriotic, but was there ever a doubt to that?

Oh, I am proud of being Malaysian. There are so many things in this country to be proud of. But just like how I can be proud of the fact that I actually made a good biology student, but yet hate the subject quite violently at the same time; I can think this country is delightful in so many ways, through observing it passively, but feel absolutely repressed and suffocated when I actually realize I've been living in it for far too long.

And someone actually made me think about this the other day, and I've come to the conclusion that one of the reasons why I like mixing with other people than my own race is the fact that they help me escape. I'm getting out of here soon, but in the meanwhile I have to make do. It's nearly embarrassing I think, this constant striving to break away from the nauseating uneventful-ness that characterizes this place. I've no idea about why I feel this way. All the world strives from the same mundane things, economic growth, smaller waistlines, more and more material possessions. But somehow, I get the sense that all that does not characterize the existence of many other societies, as much as it seems to characterize ours. It's the whole question of who's living to work, and who's working to live.

I am completely disturbed, upset, confused and betrayed by this society.

Aside from the fact that I believe all individuals should strive for completely independence on one's self, I never criticized anyone else for the choices they make in the way they wished to live their life. And I do not see why they should criticize mine, or anyone else's. (But this society, darling, has nothing else to do but criticize and complain).

It has always occurred to me that it is always the people who think they are completely 'moral' that attempt to hurt other people by insulting and condemning. But seldom the other way round.

I hate this school of mine and I want to go away for a very long time.

How far we have gone

without realizing it, its been 1 year and 1 month that eryn and i have been a couple. if u ask me, i say thats a long time and yet a short one too.. hehe..time passes so fast that it seems like only a month ago since i knew her :)

we have been thru a lot of ups and downs..but hey, thats what relationships are all about. we are having a long-distance relationship, at that too. theres definately gonna be conflicts but thats what its all about. right? i love u, eryn. sayang sangat.....

this short holiday i am having is a great one and that is because i get to be with my comel often . and i promise i'll be back at the end of the year so i can be with comel for 2 months :)

syg awak ok?

cant wait till monday!! at 1.40pm :O

:*: Please leave a message after the beep :*:

Roses are red, violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet, and so are you.

The roses have wilted, the violets are dead,
The sugar bowl's empty, and so is your head.

The roses stink, sorta like sheep.
But leave your name, number, and message after the beep.

The roses are molding, the violets are rotten.
And I might call you back, if I haven't forgotten .

Cute right ?
Eryn.

:*: The Words of a Lover :*:

The words of a lover
Can be as soothing and calming
Like a cup of hot tea on a cold blistery day.
They can be as tender as a petal
Or as loving as a tender caress
A drop of water in a parched land.

Yet the words of a lover
Can be like a sting of a bee,
A sharp slap on your face,
A roar and growl of savage beast,
A piercing of a nail into the palm of your hand,
Or like a prick of a spindle.

Thus are the words of lovers
That can build you up
And then tear you down.
The words that can fill your heart
The words that can also make you drown.

By : Red Sugar

:*: Ughh I'm Pissed :*:

Oh yes. I'm so pissed. Someone used my pc and deleted my Ares, ughh all my songs are gone . Everything, EvEryThinG !! You know, Eryn without music is ughhh that is just not ME !

Oh well, I have to download all over again my songs. Isn't that just pathetic ?

In the mean time, I'm happy. Because I've been spending my time with my bf after school everyday = )

Recap of what I did this week :
Monday - Bakry
Tuesday- Bakry
Wednesday - Bakry
Thursday - Bakry
Friday - He went back to his kampung to visit his granny.

Seeing him on Monday. Oh guess what, this coming Tuesday is a special day for us = )
It is gonna be our 1 year 1 month anniversary, and Thursday is his birthday..yay he's gonna be 22 this Thursday, tua dah my bf nih... Sayang awak Comel.

Sorry for not blogging much, nothing much to talk about for this 3 weeks other than Bakry, Bakry, Bakry !
If I blog about what we did everyday, you'll get bored over it. Lol, ok now back to downloading songs time !

Toodles Coodles,
Eryn.

:*: He's back :*:

Yesterday I hang out with my bf, after like 4 months haven't hug him and kiss him. My boosuk. His hair grew longer and he look much more cuter.

Guess what he got me for my birthday, well a belated b'day gift. Paris Hilton's perfume =). His best friend Nick got me Paris Hilton autobiography =). I love Paris cause Paris loves Pink ? Lol.

On Monday gonna hang out the whole day with him. Gonna have my belated b'day muffin and strawberries. He told me he is gonna sing me b'day song too. Well monotonous-ly...Lol. He's cute.

Yesterday, we had fun cuddling and karaoke-ing in the car to Sunday Morning by Maroon 5. As usual he makes a bad lead singer. Lol..can't wait for Monday.

[Heart] Bakry,
Eryn.

:*: Broadening the Eryn's effect =P :*:

Yay. Tomorrow is Friday. That means I get to see my boyfriend tomorrow..yay. He's coming back for 3 weeks holiday. I wanna hug him so tight and never let go my Boosuk tomorrow.

Anyway let us talk about school today. School was stressful yet fun. We had maths test today. I've flunked my last test, I hope I don't flunk on this one lol...Ughh Form 6 is so friggin hard, everyone knows that meaning I have to work extra hard. But look at me.

What have I been doing at school for the past 1 and 1/2 months I'm there ?

.....Lol.....

Nothing much just walking around spreading and broadening the Eryn's effect. Call me "perasan" or what but I've realised the guys been asking me whether I have a boyfriend or indirectly asking me,
" Are you attached to anyone...SpEcIaL ?

.....Lol.....

I found it so funny. Cause who would like this arrogant "perasan bagus" , pink girl ?

So far I've annoyed everyone at the school with my snobbish spoilt brat attitude but yet they find it attractive ? A dude passed me a candy, and I've return it back to him by smashing the candy with a mug at paste it on a piece of paper and yet he still wanna be friends with me. Funny. I've been telling them I don't eat cheap stuff, to make them hate me but yet they think I'm cool. I've been doing a lot of stuff to make them hate me and leave me alone. So far it ain't working and it is only making they like this pink girl more and more.

The effect ? Girls hate me. Lol. Especially the former girls from the school, they just find it annoying for a new girl like me drawing the attention of all guys not just my own race, even Chinese and Indians.

The Malays ? Ughh, they're still living in a dilemma. They don't accept me, they look at me like I'm some alien or something. They ditch me like I'm not a part of them, well technically we're the same race. They don't accept the open-minded side of me, I quote about Mawar rumbling over UiTM university that is overpopulated with bunch of malays, especially the typical ones. When are they gonna grow up, and accept people like us ?

Is it wrong for not sticking to your own community and search for friendship with other people ?

I feel sick looking at them. They annoyed the hell out of me, but hey I think one of us have to step out and break the ice right ? My fault too for not mixing up with them.

Oh well let us not stress out about it. Tomorrow is Friday, and I'm so happy to get to see my boyfriend after school. I'm so happy about it.

I haven't been writing lately. Tons of work to do. Busy busy school life. I'll try to blog more often. Furthermore my boyfriend's new apartment comes with broadband so he could load the blog easier and blog. So soon, you wont just be hearing more from me the annoying brat but from my Comel. Lol.

I'm out of idea to write. Oh well probably there's something to talk on Friday and the Weekends. Since I'm gonna help and attend a wedding of one of my cousins. So..Toodles Coodles my duh-lings !

Broadening the Eryn's effect,

Eryn.

:*: It's Like That :*:

What a week.

Friday was a tiring one. Went Mid Valley after school to shop for a new sweat-pants to wear on Saturday, and a new sport shoe. Then I came back around 6.30pm and I slept till 12.30am. Then I woke up feeling super hungry, had a cup noodle then sleep again.

Woke up at 6.50am the next day, which is a Saturday. Went to school at 7.30am, cause we had this sport-orientation thing. Oh god, it was Fun. Altho' we end up in a mess with flour all over me, and paint all over my body. A total war between the seniors and the juniors. Lol. But my team didn't win anything sadly but we had fun. We were forced to drink thick salt water, soya sause water, and Wasabi biscuits...ughh end up getting stomach ache. I'll update this post with pictures soon, as soon I have the pictures cause it wasnt mine camera.

Oh well, next year it would be my turn to torture the juniors. Lol, I'll be good. Nyahaha. Instead of Wasabi biscuits, it would be chili padi + wasabi + tobasco + mexican pepper Sandwich ? Instead of salt water and soya sauce... it would be fish pond water ?

Today is Sunday. I'm still exhausted from yesterday, I bet tomorrow it would be talk of the school about what happened on Saturday.

My Comel just moved out of his dorm and staying in a student accomodation in the City. A very apartment-like room, not bad I guess. Hope he enjoyed his new house.

Hmm its like 4 days more till I get to see my boyfriend. Cant wait !

Missing my Boosuk,
Eryn.