Two Year End Film Reviews

At the year end I get busier not only blogging, but a few other details demand attention.  I watch a lot of films and would like to blog more of them, but many are time fillers.  This December I caught two unexpectedly good ones.  The two are both non English languages.

"Emilia Pervez" (2024) has the bigger budget.  A most interesting plot using an unexpected tool.  "Heartbreak Motel" (2024) comes from a developing nation, Indonesia, but struck a chord..   

The plot of "Emilia Pervez" is difficult to detail, but here is a rough outline.  Set in Mexico.  Rita, a lawyer, after winning a case using a subterfuge is kidnapped and taken to meet a drug lord who has an unexpected request.  He wants to be a woman.  A lawyer is needed to help him cover up his tracks, including faking a death and sending his wife and two children to a safe haven in Switzerland.  Four years later after a successful operation and coverup (the wife thinks her husband is dead) the drug lord now known as Emilia Perez encounters Rita in London with a new request.  This time she wants to live with her children and before too long this is granted, although the wife is still kept unaware of the truth.  This leaves a lot of possibilities considering human emotions soon intrude.  That is enough of the plot.

"Heartbreak Motel" seems to run on two tracks.  In one we encounter Ava, a new actress given an opportunity in a more important role in a new film.  We learn she has panic attacks due to some traumatic history.  A co-star Reza tries to comfort her and they warm up to one another.  There are problems in their relationship as they continue on the movie.  On the other track we are introduced to a maid, Maya who seems excessively nervous, but has attracted the interest of a foreign negotiator staying at the motel (more like a hotel).  They get off to a bad start with her accusing him of stalking her and he accusing her of trying to steal a wallet.  Eventually they sort out their differences, but she still seems uncertain.  You will wonder how these two tracks are connected and towards the end it begins to make sense.  

 

"Emilia Perez" is the idea of Jacques Audiard who got the idea from a story.  He wrote, directed and was a producer.  Contrary to perception the film is shot in France, although the scenery and language  depicts Mexico with a few side trips to other countries.  Jacques has 29 writing credits, and 17 for directing and 8 for producing including:  "The Beat That My Heart Skipped" (2005), "Rust and Bone" (2012), "Dheepan" (2015) and "A Prophet" (2019).  Along the was capturing many awards.  

Over in Indonesia Angga Dwinas Sasongka was developing ideas and skills that led him to also be a director, writer and producer.  In university he majored in political science.  Gravitating to films he at first worked on tv commercials and music videos.  He has accumulated 43 producer credits, 20 for directing and 13 for writing including "13 Bombs" (2024).  His latest, "Heartbreak Motel" (2024) is something unexpectedly charming. 

Music plays a key role in Emilia Pervez and early on an opera libretto was  composed by Clement Ducol with songs written and sung by his wife Camille.  It had been written in Spanish assisted by a Mexican translator.  They had worked together on "The Little Prince" (2015).  Paul Guilhaume with 31 cinematographic credits handled the photo works.  Editing was handled by Juliette Welfling with 31 editing credits including "The Diving Bell and Butterfly" (2007 nominated for Oscar editing), "Dheepan" (2015), "The Prophet" (2009), "Rust and Bones" (2013), Miral (2010) and "Read My Lips" (2001).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/09/free-state-of-jones.html

Arnand Pratikto provided the cinematography for "Heatbreak Motel"  and Hendra Adhi Susanto did the editing with 19 editing credits including  "Cemara's Family" (2019) and "13 Bombs" (2023). Abel Huray provided music.  He has 10 composing credits and 18 for the  Music Department including "Cigarette Girl" (2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/11/cigarette-girl.html  

 The cast of "Emilia Pervez" gets international attention.  Zoe Saldana has the central role of Rita, the lawyer who negotiated the transition.  She trained in dancing and it shows.  She has 74 acting credits including "The Terminal" (2004), "Avatar" (2009), "The Words" (2012), "Infinitely Polar Bear" (2014) and "From Scratch" (2022).  

Selena Gomez played Jessi, the wife who was kept in the dark.  She has made herself a popular singer and has 124 acting credits including "The Big Short" (2015) "Only Murders in the Building" (2021-2024).

The last of the trio that won an acting award together at the Cannes Festival is Karla Sofia Gascon.  She was born in Spain and moved to Mexico to further acting opportunities and where she finalized her transition to female.  She has 40 film credits mostly under the name Juan Carter Gascon.  

Edgar Ramirez played Gustavo Brun.  He was born in Venezuela with a lawyer mother and a soldier father that moved around a lot allowing Edgar to learn five languages.  His film credits include "Zero Dark Thirty" (2012), "The Liberator"(2013) "Joy" (2015), "The Girl on the Train" (2016), "Gold" (2016). and "The Undoing" (2020).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/01/the-undoing.html

There is a sort of love triangle in "Heartbreak Motel"  

Laura Basuki played Ava the rising actress attracted by two men.  She was born in Berlin, Germany to a Indonesian/Chinese father and a Vietnamese mother.  She got her start as a model where she was noticed by film makers.  Laura has 27 acting  credits.

Reza Rahadian played the co-star would be lover.  Born of a Persian father.  He got started as model.  He has 77 acting credits, 3 for directing and 1 for writing including "Habibie & Annum" (2012).

Chicco Jerikho played Raga, a motel guest.  Born of a Thai father.  Chicco has 31 acting credits and 7 as producer including "13 Bombs" (2023).

Both movies are available on Netflix with subtitles.  A big budget makes for a good presentation, but newcomers have their dynamics that are well worth pursuing.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  They are not necessarily a recommendation, but generally I found them worthy of my time.  If you follow the links you should be able to determine if a particular film is worth following up.

Surga Yang Tak Dirindukan (The Heaven None missed)

A part of the world lives very different from what most of us (us Westerners, that is) and if we want to understand them we need to be aware of some cultural differences.  These two films are from Indonesia.  There is a moral dilemma depicted that would not be encountered in our culture, but is of interest.   ACT QUICKLY! Netflix has a deadline of January 27th.    They likely will be picked by another streamer--possibly Disney.  

Pras, a young boy witnesses his mother's suicide, years later he meets Rini.   Both are religious and in love.  They marry, have a girl while he has a responsible, but challenging job as an architect.  Driving he encounters an accident.  A woman is near death and he decides to drive her to the hospital and sticks around to see how she is doing.  She gives birth and shortly we learn she is suicidal (abandoned by a lover).  She jumps off a roof, but he is there to catch her.  She pleads to die and this drives him to promise marriage and shortly they are.  Pras names the boy Akbar.

 

Did I mention he is a Muslim?  When he returns home he learns his father in law has died and in passing learns further more that he had a second wife which is a bit upsetting to some of the relatives.  He decides not to tell his wife about his second wife.  His wife expresses disgust that her father had married a second woman.  He sets up a second household and learns his new wife is not religious, but sets out to teach her about the religion.  It is just a matter of time before Rini discovers the second marriage and she is very upset and forces him out.  He is very conflicted, but it turns out his mother in law knew about her husband's second wife and counsels patience and forgiveness.  Eventually circumstances conspire and  Rini ends up advising  Mei how to deal with Akbar's illness.  Further she becomes concerned about her husband's second family and tries to set up a household for all five.  Not over, but there isn't much left

 Sequel:   Another accident, another woman, this one from Malaysia, but despite some initial misgivings there is no repeat.   Meanwhile Rini has written a book and been invited to Budapest.  We learn that  Rini is at stage 4 cancer and wants Mei to fill her space.  It turns out Mei is also in Hungary (partly to escape her guilt feelings).  She finally has found a worthy man, Rini's doctor, Dr. Syariet.  Pras has felt it would be most ethical to divorce Mei, but Rini doesn't want that feeling Mei is the most logical replacement--at the last moment Rini seems to have caught on to Mei's new interest--Mei at first berated the doctor for not doing everything possible as he explained she refused all this strategies

 Suicide is a very grave sin and two of the characters had seen a parent commit it and Mei had attempted it herself.  Pras felt obligated to do whatever he could to prevent it and then he felt the need to keep his word.

Forgiveness is an easy thing to talk about, but can be very difficult.  The key people are Rini and her  mother.  Her mother feels forgiveness helps heals wounds.

What makes a movie go smoothly is the cast and crew.

Asma Nadia, novelist who has had several of her novels adapted to movies.  Near as I can tell they all have a Muslim theme.  She has also acted in a few movies and even produced one film.

Alim Sudio has written all three scripts for this series and done acting as well <check other browser>

Kuntz Agus directed only the first in this series

Hunung Bramantyo directed the second segment as well as helped to write script.  Meisa Felaroze co-directed the last two segments.

Manoj Punjabi  the producer of all three themed films.  He is the founder of MD Pictures, the largest media software company in Indonesia and as such deals with Disney where several of his films are schedukled.  He produced "Habibi and Ainum" (2012) that hit the highest Indonesian audience to date about 4.7 million.  

Fedi Nuril plays the leading male in all three versions.

Laudy Cynthia Bella plays the leading lady in the first two films of the series

Raline Shah plays the second wife in the first two scripts.  She goes from a desperate suicide attempt to a respectful.  She was award nominated for for this role

Landung Simatupang played the mother of Arini who suffered her own indignity, but calmed down her daughter..

Reza Rahadian plays Dr. Syarief who cares for Rini in Hungary.  He appears in the second two films  Also in "Habibi & Ainum" playing the lead and won a national award) and also "Kartini:Princess of Java" (2017).  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/11/kartini-princess-of-java-feminist.html

At this point I am unsure how to see the final film, but suspect it might become available thru the Disney streaming.  There is already a moral dilemma lined up.  A reminder that time is running out for viewing on Netflix, January.