A researcher on Southeast Asian mythology and Malaysian film.
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Monster 2023
It’s been quite some time I haven’t watched a film without dialogue (or rather minimal). But the way Anantya Kirana carries the weight of the film on her shoulder alone was exceptional. Even though some of her actions to escape are rather absurd, but it follows the logic of a child to act in certain way, given those pressing circumstances. Batara Goempar as cinematographer has captured the nuances of rusty, old places and it reminds me of the film “Rumah…
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Iman Untuk Bulan 2018
The spiritual journey of Alena (as Bulan) towards finding her roots via music is a reflection of how we neglect our core tradition. Mathew (as Amai) represents the last custodian of the dying Kenyah music culture. As an audience, I feel a sense of connectedness when Dain infuses mystic element of the sape’ instrument throughout the story. Every time Alena and Mathew plays the sape’, it is like listening to a sacred object that permeates the air with healing properties.…
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Dukun 2018
This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.
No doubt, this is the best courtroom drama in Malaysian cinema history. The masses might expect it to be more intense and gore, but the way Dain crafted his story is more than what is being portrayed visually. It dealt with the complexities of our society via the ideas of syncretism. Our nation might progress into the realm of modernity, but it is just a facade. In terms of our belief system, we tend to seek the help of the…
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Interchange 2016
This film explores how old cultures collides with the idea of modernity. The idea of exploring the taboo in photography brings us back to the idea of self-preservation among the locals (Tinggang tribe specifically). When the taboo is considered as something profane, it leads to the distorted idea of our own identity since we tend to compare the reproduction of our own image (via printed photo) with other people. Essentially, Dain wants us to reflect how much we regard our…
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