Film industry

Malaysia film industry to be exact. I was quite sceptical with it for a while. The same star. The same slapstick humour. Until I was proven wrong.

I am always too engrossed in the film industry of the Hollywood kind which I thought was the benchmark of film industry the world over. That was the case between 1990s, when I watch any Hollywood film of any kind as long as it is in the Top 10 box office of that week. Seriously, I watched every single one. I had even had this one session where I would sit in my room for 8 straight hours trying to finish the VHS that I just rented from the video store and then I changed these VHSes for another batch for for late night viewing.

I think I know now why I am wearing such a high-powered lenses. That was how much I love Hollywood films. I even watched bad movies like what M. Night had to offer before he became famous for the 6th Sense or what Leornado DiCaprio looks like when he played a mentally unstable boy with Johnny Depp (it was not that bad though as DiCaprio was nominated for an Oscar for it) or even those Kid n Play with their own brand of 'black' humour. Award shows and television shows on movies became my favourite sources to see which movies were worthwhile for me to rent although it become redundant as I still watched whatever movie which came out of the 'dream factory'.

I was asked by one of my client to attend this premiere screening of a local Malaysian movie last Saturday as my client's company had bought 10 seats and they need to fill it up. The legal officer of the company was the one who ask me to do her a favour as she was flying off to Siem Reap for a short holiday making her unable to attend the event. My partner's birthday was the next day but as we were told by the one who was trying to get us to go that one of the company's highest ranked officer we have been trying to meet for awhile is there, we relented. As the event started at 8pm, we targetted by 9.30pm we could make our escape when the light in the ballroom are dimmed for the film to be shown.

In the first hour, the producing company, cast members and the director of the film was on hand to talk a bit about the film and how the film was conceived. The director is an Indian from India itself and had been famously made a film using a few storylines which intermingle and finally culminated in one finale. My partner and I both did not watched that film although it was said to be as good as 'Love Actually' in which there are similarities to it. As for the actors, all are well-known in Malaysia especially this one guy who is getting married to a famous dancer who is much, much older than him. So, he was going to be the next actor-actress couple in the making. The lady beside us keep telling us that she is jealous of the would-be bride. Hold down your horses (panty?) auntie.

Anyway, when the film was shown, I didn't go out the ballroom until the film was truly over unlike my partner who already had some birthday event planned with her girlfriends. Even she was reluctant to go but as it was, it was her birthday. I really enjoyed the movie. It was an action comedy with just a dose of slapstick which was not incoherent like some of Seth Rogen's movies or too gross like the Farrely's. And it may be safe to say it has some elements of Fargo or those movies made by the other famous Hollywood siblings. I truly enjoyed it and is even willing to go and see it when it is properly released in 3 to 4 months time (it was a charity event after all).

There may be hope yet for Malaysia film industry...