SYNOPSIS

Meet the kid who made “wimpy” cool, in a family comedy motion picture based on the best-selling illustrated novel Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, the first in a series that has thus far sold 28 million books.  DIARY OF A WIMPY KID chronicles the adventures of wisecracking pre-teen Greg Heffley, who must somehow survive the scariest time of anyone’s life….middle school.

To Greg Heffley, middle school is the dumbest idea ever invented.  It’s a place rigged with hundreds of social landmines, not the least of which are morons, wedgies, swirlies, bullies, lunchtime banishment to the cafeteria floor – and a festering piece of cheese with nuclear cooties. To survive the never-ending ordeal and attain the recognition and status he feels he so richly deserves, Greg devises an endless series of can’t-miss schemes, all of which, of course, go awry. And he’s getting it all down on paper, via a diary – “it’s NOT a diary, it’s a journal!” Greg insists, preferring the less-sissyfied designation – filled with his opinions, thoughts, tales of family trials and tribulations, and (would-be) schoolyard triumphs. “One day when I’m famous,” writes Greg, “I’ll have better things to do than answer peoples’ stupid questions all day.”  So was born the Wimpy Kid’s diary.

PLOT/STORYLINE

When I first saw the books at the bookstore, they caught my attention. Even though they were kiddy-ish, but they looked interesting with interesting concept. It looks like a kid’s diary with cute cartoonish scribbling. If I was a kind, I would definitely buy. Then I heard they’re making a movie out of it. Not something I was looking forward to unlike Harry Potter.. it’s a kid’s movie.

It took me a while at a very random time out of pure boredom to actually take the time to sit down and watch the movie. It’s actually a very basic kid’s movie about friendship and surviving middle school. For kids movie, these are very common story. But hey, it actually turned out a-okay! The movie wasn’t those typical kid’s movie that’s meant for kids only. Adult who enjoy this kind of movie will definitely get some kick out of it. Even I did and I’ve outgrown kiddy movies.

Main focus, like I said, was about friendship and surviving middle school. None on love interest because that’s way too common. You get to see all the things that a middle school kids experience – nasty kids and bullies at school, the rumor (in this movie it’s a deadly cheese touch, same kind of beliefs that kissing girls will give you cooties), and the typical types of groups – nerds, jocks, popular kids and so on. What I really like is that the story really shows a very good friendship story apart from surviving middle school.

THE CAST & CHARACTERS

I would say all the characters were very well chosen and totally like-able. Everyone played their part well. What I like the most are the characters in the movie. Now I haven’t read the book so I can’t compare anything to the book but based on the movie on its own, the characters are very fun and interesting and funny. One thing I can’t stand is obnoxious kids.. the movie doesn’t really have that. Sure, Greg is a little whiny, but the rest of the characters make up for it.

The mom and dad are hilarious! I loved Steve Zahn from That Thing You Do! movie. He’s hilarious. The two main characters, Greg and Rowley showed great chemistry. Rowley is that other kid that you usually have as a friend who’s around you like a magnet but you don’t want him to be…. get what I mean? The friend that really brings down your ‘cool’ factor. But this is the kind of friend that is loyal to you and totally adores you or in extreme case, worship the ground you walk on. Always wanna be just like you.

I can’t help but go GAGA at Greg’s brother, Rodrick! OMG he’s so totally cute as the mean brother who bullies his little brother. I think guys who is in a band and wears eyeliner are totally cute/hot. I think for girls, he’s the main attraction in this movie

VISUAL FX/CINEMATOGRAPHY

I so love the little animated cartoon drawing that you see throughout the movie. They’re smooth, flawless and very well done! If you read or have seen/taken a peak inside the book, you’d see little cartoon drawings that is supposedly drawn by Greg. In this movie you see them being animated and sort of like you could see them switching from the real Greg and cartoon Greg when he’s explaining or expressing his thoughts (as if he’s writing in his diary). The movie tries to bring you inside Greg’s head and his little drawings.

Very cool.

SOUND FX/SOUNDTRACK

The music in this movie is composed by Theodore Shapiro so the soundtrack features his instrumental music. Listening to the samples they’re very good music, something catchy enough for me to enjoy. It doesn’t however include the the song ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ that Greg sing at his play audition in the movie.

CONCLUSION

Surprisingly I really enjoyed and liked this movie. It’s not the typical kids movie that’s only meant for kids. Story is nothing major but the way they tell the story is very interesting… interesting enough to keep me sit through it to the end and would wanna watch it again. The cast are great and the characters in the movie are really funny and quirky. Plus the cartoon animation in the movie are cute enough to catch my intention! Oh no forgetting the cute Rodrick (Greg’s brother)

The movie is not for all though. I doubt those who love action movie would enjoy this. It’s meant to be very light hearted kids movie. Nothing major. May not be grown adults’ cup of tea but somehow I really did enjoy this. It’s a good movie to watch together with your kids too to show the value and meaning of true  friendship.

Movie Title:  Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Director: Thor Freudenthal
Cast: Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn, Devon Bostick, Chloë Grace Moretz
Year: 2010
Language: English
Country: USA
MPAA: Rated PG for some rude humor and language

Ava’s Rating: 

TRAILER:

Literally translated as ‘Ghost in Soy Sauce Bottle’.

Okay. I am SO SICK of Malaysian’s so called ‘comedy horror’ movies that are too stupid for me to digest. Seriously. Stop making these. Is this the kind of quality Malaysians can made? A stupid movie? Unfortunately these are the kinds of movie that Malaysians like because well who cares about quality and intelligent movies right? As long as there’s stupid comedy, it’ll be a hit. Just looking at the trailer makes me sick.

It’s very sad that the minds of Malaysian movie makers are limited to this. I mean, the late Yasmin Ahmad was the only one who had quality in her work. Some of the quality ones are unheard of because nobody cared. It’s sad, really. Even the title is ridiculous.

I’ve been seeing this movie’s trailer on tv everyday for the past couple of weeks because it’s on Pay-Per-View. All I could say is that this movie is so SAD!

HAFALAN SHALAT DELISA (2011)

Delisa (Chantiq Schagerl), a cheerful little girl who lived in a small village named Lhok Nga on the coast of Aceh, had a wonderful life.

She was the youngest child of the family of Abu Usman (Reza Rahadian). Her father worked in an oil tanker of an international oil company.

Delisa was very close to her mother that she called Ummi (Nirina Zubir), her older sister Fatimah (Ghina Salsabila), and the twins Aisha (Reska Tania Apriadi) and Zahra (Riska Tania Apriadi).

December 26, 2004, Delisa with Ummi was getting towards the prayer exam  when suddenly there was an earthquake. An earthquake that made Ummi and her sisters frightened. Suddenly the tsunami struck, eradicate their small village, destroying their school, and washed away Delisa as well as hundreds of thousands of other in Aceh and other parts of the coast in Southeast Asia.

Delisa was rescued by a soldier named Smith, after days passed out on the rocky hill. Unfortunately, serious injuries makes Delisa’s right leg must be amputated. It makes soldier Smith wanted to adopt her, but Abu Usman managed to find Delisa. Delisa happy together again with her father, though sad to hear news of her sisters has gone to heaven, and Ummi still not found.

Delisa has become a little angel who shared a laugh in every presence. Delisa learns how to survive a new life after the disaster and the true meaning of the more values in life which is sincerity with her father and everyone around her to guide her.

‘Delisa love Ummi because of Allah’

HAFALAN SHALAT DELISA
Genre: Drama
Writer: Armantono
Producer: Chand Parwez Servia
Director: Sony Gaokasak
Production Co.:Kharisma Starvision Plus
Cast: Nirina Zubir, Reza Rahadian, Chantiq Schagerl, Al Fathir Muchtar, Mike Lewis, Loide Christina Teixeira
Release Date: December 22, 2011

STORY

This movie is so touching. At one point I actually had tears in my eyes. The story is based on the book by Tere Liye.

It’s a very religious movie, but also emphasizing on moral values in life. It’s sad to see how tough it is for a little girl (I think she’s 6?) who lost one of legs due to the Tsunami, lost all of her family except her dad, everything she had – her homes, the village, best friends, to struggle to survive the aftermath. She barely understood much the meaning of the disaster, the situation and always keep a cheerful face but when she did, you could actually feel her pain.

Chantiq played Delisa very well. She really did get into the character. You could see how close she was to her family.

Same goes for others. They all did their parts well and it makes you really connect with the characters and not feel as if they’re just characters. They pulled you into their life, and their pain and their struggle to survive with what’s left after the Tsunami. As you know, the Tsunami was one of the biggest devastating disaster in the history. You saw the disaster and the effect, but through this movie you will see how they’re trying to survive the aftermath and rebuild their lives.

Only thing that irks me is that in some part, the characters were overdone to almost seem unreal. Acting I mean. But other than that, they were good.

You also see how Delisa tries to grasp the meaning of certain values like doing something with sincerity and not hoping for something in return. You do it because of Allah swt, not because of a prize or a gift. There are also some other moral values that they tries to teach in this movie.

EFFECTS

This is not million dollars Hollywood movie, I have to keep reminding myself therefore you don’t expect Steven Spielberg or James cameron level of true special effect. The CGI was so obvious that it kind of ruins the whole experience. When there’s no CGI involved, they story is well done. You actually see what the Tsunami did, and all the wreck. I was hoping for more severe image of the effect of Tsunami, like the bodies and all but you don’t see that. It’s sort of the very mild version of the real Tsunami.

SPOILER ALERT!!! SKIP THIS PART!!

ENDING (SPOILER ALERT!!!!)

The only thing I don’t get is the ending. It shows that the necklace that Delisa’s mother promised to give her once she passed her prayer exam is on her neck. You see her finding her mother, lying on the beach, holding the necklace which she took. Her mother disappeared with the necklace during the Tsunami. Maybe because I watched this quite late that I probably couldn’t digest this part but seriously, I got really confused as to how she got the necklace. Did she find the mother? If she did, then wow, her mother was in good condition that it’s unreal. I seriously don’t know.

SPOILER ENDS.

Overall, it’s a very good and touching drama. It’s worth watching. It’s something fresh from the Indonesian cinema because I am so friggin sick and tired of all the stupid horror movies. As an obsessed horror movie freak, I always feel very insulted when watching Indonesian horror movies. They used to be good – especially the classic ones but modern horror movies? PURE TRASH. They’re more like softcore porn rather than horror movies. They also always make fun of the ghosts especially pocong. God, I can’t even count how many pocong movies are there. 90% of them are pure piece of dog shit. They insult your intelligence.

Now I feel like getting the book but I might have some trouble understanding Indonesian language but I still want it. I wonder if I can find it here. Before I end this, here’s the trailer of the movie. Enjoy.

PS: One major plus point about this movie is that all the guys in this movie are very good looking! Ustaz Rahman, Delisa’s father and Smith.

A new post in a new year. I’m reviving this dead site again and start blogging. I have been so busy that I’ve been neglecting a lot of blogs of mine, with posts piling up just waiting to be written but I never got the chance to. So I’m hoping that this year I can start focusing on blogs again and revive this blog.

For the first movie review, I’m gonna start with an Indonesian movie. Stay tuned for it!

I have totally forgotten about this blog!

Well starting from now I’m gonna try to write reviews more often. I’m busy with a lot of stuff, so I lack the time to customize this site but slowly… slowly… Well happy new year!

Hello everyone! Welcome to my blog.

This is my first post. So I’m thinking to make this blog to review movies that I’ve watched because I love watching movies. I’m obsessed with horror movies, especially zombie movies. The site is still quite a mess, I still have to tweak a few things here and there but I’ll get there. Hope I could have people who actually enjoy this blog. Well, toodles.