[hither-thither]

The first time I browsed through this post, I knew Mr. Kei Kagmi has an architectural background.

I too wasn’t surprised when I found out he is acquainted with the late and still great Mr. Lee McQueen.

His Ready-to-Wear has that Balenciaga and Vivienne Westwood feel. As for his shoes, I keep thinking of a female Batman - Which obviously won’t be Batman, she’s be Batwoman, or something.

Although, However, I find it weird that I love his work so much.

He’s still not mentioned much on Style.com which means he’s still a treasure to hunt for. Awesome. Love.

Overall I find this movie to be just plain bitter and dark. There was literally not a single scene that gives a positive aura. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie, a lot more than ‘Rumah Dara’ - another Indonesian Gory Thriller Movie. ‘Pintu Terlarang’ has a more solid plot, and it’s not just a bunch of human slicing scenes.

First thing that cross my mind when I recall the movie is that none of the female in the movie is a protagonist. They emasculate Gambir to his bones. He has absolutely no control over his life, these females do. Talyda his wife, who insisted that he sticks with sculpting pregnant woman - in which he put an actual aborted baby in every sculpture. Then there’s his mother, who keeps forcing him to get medication for his impotence so she can have a grandchild. Lastly there’s Ibu Mona from Herosase the disturbingly sick club where people go to watch videos from CCTV installed in homes of people with mental issues - completely mental. These characters can be easily replaced by males - except for Talyda of course, which by the way is a cute name - but not only will it contradict with the ending, it will also lessen the support for the focal subject of the movie, that no child in this world ever requested to be born to the world, that they’re merely here as a consequence to their parents’ actions… Seriously? That is a dark thought, Sir. Really.

Gambir’s career as a sculptor boosted after his first pregnant woman sculpture, which started with an eerie beginning. Talyda asked him to put their aborted baby’s corpse inside the belly of the sculpture. Since then inside every pregnant sculpture is an aborted baby corpse. It is apparently the ‘umph’ factor of his sculptures. Of course the people who bought the sculptures didn’t know that there’s anything at all in the sculpture. But, still… am I lost or are they saying that these babies are worth more as a corpse than they will if they were born alive? That these babies get more appreciation as a lump of meat than a living, breathing human?

This movie was still a treat, it gave me – and I am sure a great number of other Indonesian Movie buffs – a big hope that the Indonesian Movie Industry is heading to a better place amidst the tacky and often pornographic Dramedy and Horror movies. As for Joko Anwar, as this particular movie has proven, is obviously not a very sane man. He is a whacky nut case, and we all Indonesian Movie enthusiast, should thank him for staying that way. I personally have promised myself to watch each and every movie he is involved in. I want to witness the making of this particular history.

A christmas present from a friend who lives in London.

Loving every word. I may have to read it ten times to solve his riddle but I enjoy it. I may even not solve some at all. But who cares?

“… but there were times the night

sat beside me on my bed

quietly

like it was a big man

who had to do what I told him to

he was too dumb

or he loved me too much

either way he had the same smile …”

- Four Stars by Anis Mojgani

No, it’s not the Indonesian version of the infamous vampire movie, don’t worry - we’re not that lame. Maghrib is actually one of the 5 Muslim Prayers that is performed when the sun is setting. But most Indonesians, Muslims or not are quite familiar with the name, as the adzan (call of prayers) is somewhat inevitable, it will also be on TV. It’s almost as if everything stops and takes a break at that time.

Although, in my opinion people make a bigger deal out of Maghrib simply because it is supposed to be performed in a range of approximately 1 hour, unlike other prayers that allows 2 hours the least. It only takes less than 5 minutes to do the prayer but in Jakarta, at 6 pm, sparing 5 minutes to perform a prayer can be a serious chore, so people who actually care would perform it immediatly after adzan to get it done and over with. That’s why most mosques tend to be more crowded during Maghrib.

The movie itself is presented in segments of 5 short stories that cross path in the end of the movie. Salman Aristo did such a good job in portraying the lives of different groups of people living in Jakarta, and he did an even better job in portraying his statements on current social issues in every story. He rubbed in about poverty - of course, authorities against society - or the other way round, lack of education from medias, and radical religion fanatism.

Jakarta Maghrib is Salman Aristo’s first film as a Director. Previously he wrote for ‘Garuda di Dadaku’ ‘Laskar Pelangi’ and ‘Sang Pemimpi’ all of which made me weep to my core. So I was actually expecting more emotional ride from his first movie as a Director, but instead each story in it has a very mild kick to it. And guess what, I still enjoyed it. I think it’s just how he rolls, he doesn’t say much - he says just enough to make people think.

Each and every story is presented in such a way that is easy for the audience to digest, in fact so easy that I personally have a rough idea of how each of them will end. Like the couple in the car, I knew they’ll end up in a big fight, the gangster will have an epiphany that’ll lead him to repent. But I still enjoy every predictable prose as it is actually the bumps in the ride to the predictable ending that I enjoy most. And the way Aristo ended the whole movie when each story crosses path, is also another plus. It wasn’t too forced like the movie ‘Valentine’s Day’ was. And it didn’t even have the briefest hint of copying ‘Love Actually’ - you know, like ‘Valentine’s Day’ did. Is it obvious I didn’t enjoy that movie? But Taylor Swift cracked me up alright.

It didn’t make me laugh loud but it definitely made me smile. It didn’t make me weep but it deffinitely created a brief well in the corner of my eyes. ‘Jakarta Maghrib’ is not a film about Maghrib nor Muslims nor Islam. Yes, ok fine, there were hints of Islam here and there but there wasn’t a single scene of anyone performing Maghrib. Jakarta Maghrib is a film about Jakarta and the people living in it. It’s more about how they handle their lives when the sun begins to set and the day is dark - little do they know, Maghrib is actually the brightest time of the night.