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hv just watched The Other End Of The Line … a movie with Jesse Metcalfe and Shriya Saran … i give this movie 3.8/5
i love the casting, especially Shriya Saran and Jesse Metcalfe as Priya and Granger. they have lovely chemistry in this film. it’s not sizzling but it is like a bubbling pot of hot water … heheh. you can see how the attraction grows. but i wish they’d include Granger into the Indian culture more.
anyway, it’s about this Indian girl who works in a call centre in Mumbai, Priya. Her American name is Jennifer David and she calls up Granger about a possible credit card fraud. their telephone relationship grows, sort of … and Granger invites Priya to meet up in San Francisco (where she’s supposed to be based). Priya, who’s engaged, actually decides to go to San Francisco. the night they’re supposed to meet, she chickened out because he mistook a blonde girl for her. but then, as she was about to leave the hotel, they bumped into each other and he fell on top of her causing a bit of a bump. and they had dinner and then they got to know each other. but Priya’s parents got upset and flew to SF to find her. it so happens that they have a relative in Palo Alto. And … well, you gotta watch the movie.
the movie is not as good as Monsoon Wedding, which i absolutely love … but this movie has HEART … and that means it’s won half the battle with an audience such as myself. some parts where there’s supposed to be a ‘punch’, there’s none. and the part where Granger kisses Priya at the call centre … ummm … i don’t think people do that in India. it would be nicer if they kiss somewhere private. oh, and the soundtrack is a bit cheesy. heheh. although i do like the fact that they included Frank Sinatra’s The Way You Look Tonight.
but the CINEMATOGRAPHY is beautiful, just like an Indian movie. i noted that the cinematographer is indian. of course i don’t know whether he’s from India or the US. but if he’s from India, then it’s not surprising. because Bollywood movies have great cinematography.
if i were to make a movie, i would want an Indian (from India) to do the cinematography. really.
in Malaysia, i love Khabir Bhatia’s movies because of the cinematography. it’s luminous.
anyway, The Other End Of The Line is produced by Ashok Amritraj who actually produced Jeans (which I like very much!!) including Premonition starring Sandra Bullock.
stumbled across this guy’s blog. his name is Raja Zulhilmi. at first i wasn’t really interested coz he was using a lot o F words and his english is tunggang-terbalik. but after reading it through, i have to accord him due respect, because he is passionate, he speaks from his heart, he has beliefs!
he posted this stuff on being a typical ‘Malay’, also what non-malays think of malays …Fenomena Normal:
sebelum saya memulakan topic perbicaraan saya, izinkan saya mempamerkan sesuatu buat tatapan orang Melayu.
1.You MALAY call each other ‘BODOH’ for fun, and too ‘BODOH’ to realize it’s an offensive word.
2.You’re the LAZIEST person on God’s earth.
3.Always update with “lagu-lagu A-minor”, “lagu-lagu rindu” and “wayang hindustani”.
4.Always give a very long honorable speech start from Duli Yang Maha Mulia, Tan Sri, Puan Sri, YB-YB, Yang Berbahagia Datuk, Datuk-Datuk, Datin-Datin, Tuan Haji, Tuan Pengerusi Majlis.. and last sometime least….”rakyat jelata” sekalian…….”terlebih dahulu saya ingin membuka majlis dengan asalamualaikuwaramatulahiwabarakatu……”
5.Many Malay ended at “pusat pemulihan dadah” for common drug abuse.
6.”Air sirap” is the cheapest drink you can afford.
7.You like to tease and act perverted when someone with sexual appeal passing by.
8.You self proclaimed from a superior race (Arabs).
9. You love to eat, especially FREE FOOD.
10. Malay favorite quote = REZEKI JANGAN DI TOLAK.
11.Malay least favorite word = JANJI MELAYU.
12.Your girls got a mouthful of chicken’s ass (loud mouths).
13.You can’t stand it and always keep on staring at someone who is better dressing / looking rather than your back-dated looks.
14.You wear your shirt more than 4 times before wash it.
15. You feel it’s not right to eat first before everybody gets their meal (while your meal is getting cold).
16.You got that annoying habit of wanting people to acknowledge you.
17.You know for the fact that you are superstitious (bomohs and dukuns).
18.You know for the fact that Malay jokes are decently lame and you always force yourself to laugh when other Malay joker telling their lame jokes.
19. You always try to take advantage on other people work.
20. You are trained to be a sweet talker.
21. You love to offer drinks to your boss while polishing his shoe.
22. You always pick on juniors.
23. You don’t care if everyone in your class/office knows for the fact that you are lazy.
24. You are very protective on your seniority.
25. You are quite a slow thinker.
26. You prefer to borrow people’s stuff rather than buy it, but hardly return it back.
27. You also always use other’s property without asking permission.
28. Many of you are not sincere when making friend with non-malays.
29. You always waste your time in the public phone talking about “janji-janji manis”,”omong- omong kosong”, “aku hidup dalam blues”, “Hindi superstar” and “cinta-sayang”. (These are direct quotes…)
30. Malay most popular ambition… * to the public = “ingin menjadi seorang insan yang berguna” * in reality = to be a clerk, despatch, factory worker .
31. Gossip is number 1 favorite past time.
32. Malay favorite magazine are URTV, Mangga, Jelita, Remaja and Variasari.
33. Mark as “bangsa pendengki” by other race in Malaysia.
34. When someone giving a speech, a Malay usually will nod their head (kepala terangguk-angguk) not to show that they understand, but just simply to act that they understand in a serious manner.
35. Deep in the eyes of Malay, the meaning of “TERSIPU-SIPU BAHASA” and “MALU-MALU KUCING” are….. * GREAT APPETITE WITH A VENGEANCE.
36. Malay got fewer friends from other races because… * Malay is too proud of their own language which makes them stuck-up * Malay also ignores that other ethnic groups and foreign people are willing to learn to speak in Malay while got other knowledge in other language. (So now you know why this email is written in ENGLISH)
37. In Malaysia, people said “wear condom and don’t forget to take a bath with Dettol if you make love to Malay”.
38. An example of a Malay with good grades =STRAIGHT C-MINUS
39. A Malay boss are known as
* intimidating his staff
* Sexual harassing & Blackmailing
* Welcome more family member and friends to join the company
* Corruption
* Always bring company’s item home for personal use.
40. Malay, as the biggest population in Malaysia, are always feels threatened with the minority Christian in the country.
41. Malay chicks always dream to have sex with White Man but always ended get f*ck by their own species. (I’m sorry if this offended you, but it was a promise)
42. Most babies found in the bushes and dustbins are Malay.
43. Most adultery/incest cases are by Malay.
44. Most divorce cases are by Malay couple.
45. Most yuppie wannabes are Malay.
46. Malay man got the habit using sink/wash hand area to rinse and wash their penis mostly in their bathroom, hostel and also in the public toilet.
47. Malay love to make fun at people who use toilet paper to wipe ass because they love to touch their sh*t with their hand.
48. Malay knows that other races could not dare to eat Malay food not because of the spices but because the food was process by their ass-wiping-hand.
49. Malay use toilet paper in Malay restaurant / food court / warung to wipe customer’s mouth and hand.
50. A typical Malay Ready-to-wear…..
* a long, torn jeans,
* a T-shirt
* a pair of loafers
51. Malays can’t live without rice and chili.
52. A Malay who checks in a foreign hotel will cook their food inside the hotel room with water boiler and a portable mini cooker to save cost.
52. Malay knows their favorite fast food……KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN hot and spicy.
53. Malay will eat fried chicken and burger just like in the manner of eating rice with hand “one hand lean on the table, slouching head to the plate and other hand with finger close to each other to enter mouth”.
54. Malay toilet always smells like “petai”.
55. Malay love to remind people to have their morning shower but they themselves always ended up having a BO in the afternoon. (BO=body-odour)
56. Backstabbing is Malay greatest asset.
57. cheating in examination or test are heredity.
58. Malay favorite brand are G.A Blue Jeans, Lady-like Jeans, a fake Ray-ban.
59. Upper class Malay favorite brand are the cheapest Versace t-shirt, Marlboro Classic sometimes fake sometimes not jeans, an old fashion (Erik Estrada CHIPS) Ray-Ban glasses and a discount sales Mark and Spencer.
60. Weekend is racing paradise for “Mat Motor”.
61. Malay never learns to accept people’s opinion as a guide or challenge.
62. You feel that you had to support Moslem terrorist just because their are Islam and not because their are a serial killers.
63. Malay favorite living c.. BIAR PERUT KOSONG ASALKAN RUMAH CANTIK MACAM ISTANA.
64. The only musical instrument you can play is a GITAR KAPOK.
65. You Malay will pretend to ignore and deny that you are typical.
66. You MALAYS dreaming to become rich, but not by hard working or studying BUT with ALL KINDS OF SKIM CEPAT KAYA and STUPID MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING BUSINESS.
67. Don’t have money but always want to action – buying cars like Waja, Wira and other expensive cars while you know you can only afford a KAPCAI.
68. Parents very rich but still go overseas using government scholarship. Go overseas to enjoy and not to study.
Inilah apa yang orang Cina fikir dan cakap pasal orang Melayu. Fikirkanlah.
Hidup di Malaysia yang majoritinya bangsa sendiri dan bangsa lain boleh memperkatakan apa-apa yang mereka suka membuatkan saya marah dan terkilan. Saya berbelah bagi dengan ’statement’ di atas. Ianya 50/50.
Ianya berkait rapat dengan fenomena normal yang saya sebutkan di atas.
Sekarang kita dapat perhatikan, anak-anak Melayu kita yang lebih selesa memasuki dunia hiburan dengan menjadi artis, pelakon dan sebagainya daripada belajar dan memasuki university untuk menjadi ahli falsafah, cendikiawan dan sasterawan.
Ini dapat kita lihat dengan munculnya pelbagai program realiti tv yang kini mendapat sambutan hangat dari semua pihak terutamanya kaum Melayu. Titisan air mata yang sepatutnya ditangisi demi Tuhan yang maha agung dibazirkan hasil dari rancangan tersebut. Beribu ringgit dilaburkan untuk menyokong artis kesayangan dan masa dihabiskan dengan duduk di hadapan tv atau pergi ke konsert setiap minggu semata-mata untuk menatap ‘live’ artis pujaan hati.
Wanita Melayu kalau nak senang? Pakai pakaian menjolok mata, tunjuk benda yang tak sepatutnya ditunjuk dan buat perangai tak senonoh. Senang dapat perhatian. Publisiti murahan. Bukti paling senang, lihat sahaja MySpace dan Facebook.
Tidakkah terasa pedih di hati apabila bangsa lain mengutuk sesuka hati. Jangan mengutuk dan salahkan Cina kehidupan mereka kaya-raya. Jangan pandang rendah bangsa lain. Jangan ‘racist’ tak bertempat!
Sampai Raja kita pun dihina!
Zaman persekolah saya penuh dengan campuran bangsa. Tidak kira warna kulit atau bahasa, pergaulan yang luas telah saya alami. Tiada perbezaan. Semuanya satu hati. Apabila saya masuk ke alam universiti yang bangsanya majoriti Melayu, perbezaan yang amat ketara dapat saya lihat apabila Melayu itu sendiri dibeza-bezakan.
Bercakap soal agama, tak usah disoal. Serba-serbi tahu. Ustaz ustazah di mana-mana. Soal mempraktikkannya, yang betul jadi salah, yang haram jadi halal dan sebaliknya.
Inilah yang terjadi apabila “typical Malay” menjadi majoriti.
i went to buy nasi katok mama a few nights ago. it was so funny. the indonesian guy who works there told me that he really likes the way Malaysians speak. by that i mean, Malay. he said it’s “lembut” …. hhahhahahaha…that really made my day.
becoz i actually love the way indonesians speak, ie Bahasa Indonesia, especially when i watch Safira, the way Aditya speaks … like when he says “tak ada apa apa kok … Cemburu itu tandanya sayang” … aaawwww … does not that make your heart melt? i mean, seriously?
one of the reasons i absolutely love sheila majid’s earlier songs was the lyrics …
kata demi kata, jalin dengan indah, untuk menguraikan … maksud hati … kuberanikan diri, untuk memulainya …
language is such a precious thing. that’s why i find it hard to learn a new language, coz i get impatient with the communicative aspect of it, hello, goodbye, can i buy a lemon? groaaan …
that i’d feel jealous of those who can appreciate poetry in that language like neruda’s poems are already beautiful in english, but in its original language, his poems must be sublime, an unforgettable experience!
found this interesting article which begins with a commentary on Ayat-ayat Cinta. I have yet to read it eventhough my mum actually bought me one. and i have yet to watch the movie, although i love the song by rossa.
Writing for God
Piety and consumption in popular Islam
By February 2008, the novel Ayat-Ayat Cinta (Verses of Love) had been republished 30 times since its launch in December 2004. It has sold more than 400,000 legitimate copies and an unknown number of pirated ones. In 2005, The Muslim women’s weekly Muslimah chose it as Indonesia’s ‘Favourite Book’ of the year, defeating the latest Harry Potter volume by four votes. The movie bearing the same name hit the cinemas in March 2008. It beat many Hollywood movies at the box office, gaining an audience of more than 4 million people. A special viewing was organised for President Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono and his family, who invited his cabinet ministers and members of the diplomatic community in Jakarta.
i love it when malay guys wear the baju melayu, with samping and songkok. that’s when they look really handsome. seriously sexy. hahhahahaha.
i have finally gotten over my brief 3 hr writer’s block by actually willing myself to write. no booze, no drugs, no smokes … just plain old willpower. oh, and a little help from The Nanny Diaries movie. i needed to watch a movie about the adult-child interaction and at the moment, this is what i have in my room. i am currently adapting my unpublished novel into a script which i hope i can get done before July, because that’s about the time i hope to go back home and show my script to someone … maybe Aziz M Osman or Yasmin Ahmad … or Tiara Jacquelina (but i think she’s on sabbatical now) … YEAH RIGHT! okay, i do not know any of these people. but … like Martin Luther King Jr said: I HAVE A DREAM!!!!
anyway, so was typing away with a little window of The Nanny Diaries on the left side of my screen, headphones on … lalalalalala … after like, the umpteenth time of watching my favourite parts, i channel surfed (well, i only have 5 channels (TV1, TV2, TV3, RTB1, RTB2) and discovered Bold & Beautiful was on TV2. Soaps are horrible but they can be like a drug. compelling. hahahaha.
anyway, Ridge is at it again. being indecisive. he’s questioning Brooke’s commitment to their relationship because she looks at Nick a certain way, when both Brooke and Nick and their son Jack were posing for a family photo. DUH! how stupid is he? and Taylor doesn’t act like the supposedly intelligent doctor that she is meant to be. I mean, come on, people! although it’s just soap opera, i wonder why the adults in B&B … are so weird. they keep playing musical chairs, exchanging one partner for the other’s partner, etc, etc … and when their children grows up, they follow their parent’s footsteps – swapping partners! sick or what. but like i said … compelling, very compelling. 
so, i had to stop writing my equally compelling script, get online and rant.
i mean, c’mon B&B people … get settled before you get old like Stephanie and can’t enjoy the sex! okay, i know it’s a ficitonal world, but sometimes art can imitate life?
it got me thinking … about my relationship and my friends’ relationships. when i say relationships, i mean those of us who are not yet in a MARRIAGE. so, anyway … one of my friend’s hubby (new hubby) thought i shouldn’t be with my bf now, coz i guess due to the fact that he’s a musician (and therefore, by career choice, unfaithful!) and also coz we’ve been together ages and are still very far from signing that dotted line. my other friend and i, on the other hand, thinks my friend’s new hubby is being a bit of a dork because he hasn’t told his first wife about my friend (and he promised he would before they got married) and he hasn’t yet found her a new place, letting her live in her grotty rented flat. okay, my friend is a second wife, and that’s ok. they’re both muslims. but well, sigh …
see, my point is … people outside the relationship may find a lot of things wrong about your relationship, but the only people that can navigate the relationship through the stormy waters are the both of you. ergo, brooke and ridge, etc.
so, even if i think Ridge is a spineless mama’s boy character … someone (in this case two) out there in tvland can still love him.
people enter into a relationship in spite of their weaknesses. and if they’re lucky, they become stronger, better people from being in that relationship.
okay, i’m done. back to my script!
arrrggghhh … three more days to do my taxes!!
i am an avid reader of The Malaysian Insider. mainly because of all the comments submitted by readers … hahahahaha. politicians don’t really have to get an expensive agency to find out what Malaysians think. just read the comments posted below the articles, and you can really guess what the average urban/suburban middle class multi-ethnic voter is thinking about in regards to politics as usual. Of course, the other reason i read TMI is because it’s design is user friendly AND it’s FREE! try getting on Malaysiakini without a subscription … groaan.
i also read Harakah online. to know what the other side is thinking about. it’s interesting how Harakah, thought of a few years ago as an old man’s party, has jumped on the Internet bandwagon a lot earlier than UMNO’s mouthpieces. Harakah is even on Twitter. ha.ha.ha. heck, even i don’t know (and at the moment is not interested) how to use Twitter. but a young colleague said it’s good for making cheap international calls.
oh, and i also read The Star. when in Malaysia i would also read NST, Berita Harian and sometimes Utusan Malaysia (but it’s really boring coz too one-sided). But in Brunei, i just rely on TMI and The Star. One thing i like about The Star (eventhough it’s owned by MCA) is that it does a lot of community-based events esp focusing on teens. they are good at this community outreach stuff. which i don’t see the other Malaysian papers doing so much.
at home, my dad will buy Utusan … it’s his bedtime, or naptime reading. he gets comfortable on the sofa, reads a few pages, then dozes off … this happens esp after lunch. even though dad says (and it’s common knowledge) that Utusan is very pro-Umno … he says it’s good to read to understand the Malay psyche. i don’t think it’s Malay as much as Umno. so … whatever. some of the stuff in Utusan is interesing, but i could never stomach the stuff by Astora Jabat. don’t think he’s on their payroll anymore. wonder what happened to him.
read that TMI is going to have a print edition. hmmm … i wonder whether tht’s going to be another NST. i say, a waste of paper. unless they are trying to reach the non-urban population who don’t go online. then they should create a Malay edition.
well … more profit for the paper lama guy.
honk honk … paper lamaaaaa, old newspaper … paper lamaaaa, old newspaper! heheheh.
oh, in Brunei, you can read Borneo Bulletin or The Brunei Times. These are the only two English newspapers published. Borneo Bulletin or BB is tabloid-sized AND tabloid. The Brunei Times or BT is broadsheet. If you read BT, you’d think life in Brunei is hunky-dory and crime free. but BB will pull you back to earth: smuggling, rape, incest. yup. it happens here too. but still … this place is a paradise compared to KL. muggings, snatch theft everywhere. urgh! and yes, i … like most women living in the Klang Valley have been mugged at one point in my adult life. Have handbag, be victim. Have handphone, be victim. so crazy. in Brunei, i can heave a sigh of relief. not having to look over my shoulder. but who knows? we can’t be too sure.
had to post this. saw the last 40% of the Malay drama Intan Sayang Manja on i think RTM just now. very funny. and directed by Shahrulezad Mohamedin. just discovered that he is actually the talented young director of Emil Emilda (another hilarious work) among others. found only one photo of him. i have to say. HE IS GOOD! apart from my other fav director son of Zami Ismail, Hitler Zami who directed the crazy Dunia Baru.
but i will always hold Meor Hashim Manap at the top of my director’s list.
anyway, Jue Aziz plays the lead in Intan Sayang Manja. She’s very versatile and she glows on screen. I have to say, she’s one of my most favourite young Malay actors. i suspect she will go far only i hope she doesn’t screw it up with stupid scandals. hmm.
i hope they’ll show ISM again soon. very funny.
the islamic prog Qudwah is on RTM1 … a live discussion with three panel speakers including the famous Ustaz Ravi (Farid Ravi Abdullah) … the audience comprising indian muslims. anyway, Ustaz Ravi was talking about the use of ‘tangkal’ in the indian muslim community (heck the malay community uses this too) to ward off evil, etc. he said it’s wrong, syirik … coz why would you need an intermediate between you and God? just ask God, berdoa.
incidentally, when i was younger … like still babies/toddlers, my mum got us tangkal to wear. some kind of thread bracelet or necklace thing. sometimes they put it on the baby’s ankle. it’s kinda cool … heheh … only if you wear is as fashion … but as an amulet … well, muslims can’t do this. but mum said that was her ‘zaman jahiliah’ … a reference to the age of ignorance in the Arab world before Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) arrived bringing the message of Islam.
(tangkal – amulet)
i think Madonna wore some kind of tangkal too … a red thread on her wrist. personally, i think they shouldn’t allow her to adopt mercy until she gets over her middle aged angst. sure she has lots of money. but is she gonna do the child any good? who’s gonna be minding the baby? she loves to go on tour? what can she give? money? might as well provide a scholarship fund for these poor children. that would be more helpful. yeah, and maybe a food bank thing for babies so that they can get nutritious food and milk formula.
