Modern fairy tale

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. Each and everyone of us have significant reasons to believe with our own opinion; background family, environment, trauma or the flow of information can be the factors. However, I found it very amusing when a person arguing over an opinion with no valid facts.

For example, if one person dislike Justin Bieber or Twilight, she/he must have a valid reason not to like them. Just because you read 9gag and the community dislike them, you with no absolute reason have to dislike them too. You must not gather your opinion based on what other people said. Be a man of principle.

Oh, by the way, I dont like Twilight and yes, I've watched all the twilight series (that been released of course). I didnt like the movie from the very beginning from the first movie when all girls were getting crazy over Edward and I watched all the series just to ensure that my judgement towards the movie is not mislead. I believe that any kind of art (movie, song, book, etc) shall have a good message that overthrow the bad ones but it seems that Twilight have no such things. A story about clingy girl who have low self-esteem and manage to attract a handsome vampire which inspire her to be vampire too as her life vision- yeah, aint my type of movie.

I rather watched Kate and Leopold as my modern fairy-tale love story. Case closed.

Najwa Latif

Saya memang menentang apa sahaja rancangan yang mengeksplotasi kanak-kanak seperti Bintang Kecil atau Tom Tom Bak (just to name a few). Kanak-kanak atau remaja kebanyakannya masih dibawah pengaruh ibu bapa dan mereka yang lebih dewasa. Apa sahaja kesilapan yang berlaku adalah dibawa tanggungjawab penjaga kerana kanak-kanak dan remaja masih tidak berfikiran matang dalam membuat keputusan.

Itu sebabnya saya sedih melihat Najwa Latif. Saya sebenarnya tidak mempunyai apa-apa agenda berkaitan anak remaja ini. Cuma lagunya yang bertajuk 'Cinta Mukabuku' betul-betul mengecewakan. Dia barangkali mempunyai suara yang bagus dan bakat mencipta lagu (walaupun melodinya kedengaran seperti lagu gitar kapak tepi pantai) namun liriknya betul-betul membuat saya loya. Dia hanya berumur 16 tahun tapi berbicara soal cinta? Walaupun liriknya ditulis oleh kakaknya yang mungkin berumur 20-an tapi apa layak seorang budak berumur 16 tahun menyanyikan lagu cinta? dan facebook?

Lebih membuatkan saya kecewa bila di dalam satu temubual dia mengakui sangat mengagumi Justin Bieber dan berharap menjadi sepertinya. Justin Bieber? Budak yang menyanyikan lagu mengenai perang dan keganasan kononnya tapi tidak tahu tentang peperangan yang berlaku di saentero dunia? Saya boleh memaafkan Bieber bila dia 'tidak tahu' mengenai Jerman tapi isu semasa? pffft. I have every right and reason not to like him.

Saya berharap Najwa Latif adalah berbeza dan menunjukkan kepintaran seorang gadis Malaysia remaja yang berpendidikan dan bertudung tapi lagu-lagunya menunjukkan sebaliknya. Kalau 'ikon' remaja kita hanya boleh bercakap mengenai cinta, apa lagi tinggal untuk generasi akan datang? Mereka inikah yang kita harapkan untuk menerajui negara di masa depan?

Ibu bapa zaman sekarang terlalu tergila-gilakan populariti. Anak kecil dipakaikan baju orang dewasa dan dibawa ke pentas untuk menyanyi. Sedangkan yang betul-betul berbakat hanyalah 1% tetapi mereka disogok dengan pujian seolah-olah mempunyai suara yang sedap dan aura yang hebat di pentas. Kenapalah anak-anak ini tidak dihantar ke kelas muzik contohnya dan berharap menjadi ahli muzik sehebat Beethoven yang pekak itu? Kenapa mereka semua terlalu gilakan anak untuk menjadi Justin Bieber yang menjadi kegilaan para gadis sedangkan bakatnya sekadar suam-suam kuku.

Saya berharap bakat suara dan bermain gitar yang ada pada Najwa Latif atau anak-anak kecil lain digunakan sebaiknya. Tanggungjawab adalah dibahu ibu bapa untuk mencorakkan hidup dan memberi panduan arah yang terbaik kepada mereka. Bidang nyanyian atau muzik bukan seharusnya sekadar populariti tetapi ia mengenai seni dan ilmu. Tanpa ilmu, bidang ini hanya akan dimonopoli oleh mereka-mereka yang jahil sampai bila-bila. Without art, it just a bunch of crap.

“For me this award means alot because it shows that the human element of making rock is the most important. Singing into a microphone and learning to play an instrument and learning your craft is the most important thing for people to do. It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about sounding correct. It’s not about what goes on in a computer. It’s about what goes on in here (points to heart) and what goes on in here (points to head.)”

David Grohl: Grammy 2012 Award Acceptance Speech

Review: A Separation

What is wrong is wrong, no matter who said it or where it's written.

Nader: A Separation

If you enjoy watching a foreign language movie, there is one movie that I would like to suggest: A Separation. It is an Iranian movie which won Golden Globe Award and gained 98% ratings in Rotten Tomatoes (If you're a movie addict, you should know rotten tomatoes or metacritics). I was triggered to watch the movie when I was watching Golden Globe Award where it won the award, defeating so many other good movies.

A Separation is a simple story about life. If you were expecting any dramatic scene, there isn't. I didnt cry watching the movie because there is nothing to cry about. But the issue and the message that came from the movie is very beautiful.

The story move in the right pace. It just keep you intrigued to know more and more. It portrayed community issues which included faith, trust, truth and love. I like the daughter-father bond in this movie. I like the fact it doesnt need to have any dramatic scene just to make the audience weep or cry. I like how it touches complex/common issue in the most simplest way.

Well, I highly recommend this movie. But if you had any issues with Iranian's workpiece or anything with regards to Syiah, please keep this movie away. Like many said; haters are only going to hate.

A good story will not be a good movie without a great acting. The actors and actresses done a very good job in this movie. They should without doubt won the award for the best actor and best actress. So, with great story line and great acting, what else could I say? Happy watching people!

Revolution

We are told to remember the idea and not the man. Because a man can fail. He can be caught, he can be killed and forgotten. But 400 years later... An idea can still change the world.

V for Vendetta (2006)

When rebellions took place in Egypt and Tunisia, all I can think and relate is the movie; V for Vendetta. The rebellion in Tunisia for example started with the death of Mohamed Bouzizi, where he set himself on fire as a symbol of resistance to the government. The same thing went to Egypt, the death of Khaled Mohamed Saeed becomes the catalyst of Egyptian's revolution.

I believed, almost everybody already watched the movie. I watched the movie in 2007 where the movie was released by 2006. The Guy Fawkes mask is so popular that recently a group of minister worn it as a sign of protest.

In the movie, V marked the symbol of revolution when he planned to destroy the Houses of Parliament which he succeeded doing it. The people of London worn the mask and marched through the city to protest towards the corrupt government. As V said in the movie, the best tool that been used by government is fear; the fear to make change in the thought that everything is going to be worst if they went against their own government.

When Evey asked V, if there is the need to destroy the House of Parliament in order to bring the change to the country, V replied; The building is a symbol, as is the act of destroying it. Symbols are given power by people. Alone, a symbol is meaningless, but with enough people... Blowing up a building can change the world.

V for Vendetta is a mere movie or fantasy. But everything that happened to Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, Syria or Yamen is real. I chatted with an Egyptian friend and he shared the current situation at Egypt where things get ugly and the people is divided with different idea and opinion. But they have done their part ultimately, fighting their own fear and stand up against the government.

We shall do our part too, taking responsible to be a better citizen. Register as a voter and vote in the coming election. If we wouldnt, who else will?