Thoughts on Films

Episode 104: Far, Far Away and Close to the Heart

Recorded in September 2023, Fikri and friend of the show Hafiz fly off into a galaxy far, far away to talk about ‘Andor’. They touch base with the diversity in the story, and analyse how the show’s settings (such as Coruscant) and real-life locations (like London) can say about the classism and gentrification of society as a whole. Fikri is especially interested in the prison arc narrative, while Hafiz points out how its difference from other Star Wars shows made it a great Star Wars show. Finally, they both remember their former colleague and mentor Ches Skinner, who passed away in June 2023.

Episode 103: How the Brothers Ali Dunk on Films (with Care)

Fikri check in with friend of the show Iki Ali on his latest venture, the Brothers Ali YouTube channel. Launched earlier this year as a film review outlet with his brother, Sy Ali, they discuss its seeds of origin, and the scope and approach employed in their film discussion. They also consider how Iki’s film reviewing career (starting in 2010) has evolved over time, including the transition from text-based analysis to a more audio-visual form. Finally, Fikri and Iki touch on the significance of the bigger picture that is the Malaysian audio-visual film review landscape.

Episode 102: Selected Indonesian Films in 2022 (part 2)

Fikri, Nadia and Tiara conclude their discussion on selected 2022 Indonesian films. Inspired by an article in The Jakarta Post, they run through the rigmarole of films they have seen (or not) in ‘Nana’, ‘Like & Share’, ‘The Big 4’ and ‘Ngeri-Ngeri Sedap’. They discuss the communist purge in the 1960s, contexts of female conditioning, the representation of youth angst on screen, and how common cultures like Bataknese are seen on screen. They also consider films that did not make the official cut, like ‘KKN Di Desa Penari’ and ‘Sayap-Sayap Patah’.

Episode 101: Selected Indonesian Films in 2022 (part 1)

We kick off the next century of episodes by looking at selected Indonesian films from 2022. Friend of the show Nadia returns along with a debuting Tiara, and their passion for Indonesian cinema will guide Fikri through this discussion inspired by an article in The Jakarta Post. The first of two parts considers the films they have seen (or not!) in ‘Pengabdi Setan 2’, ‘Noktah Merah Perkawinan’, ‘Keramat 2’, ‘Mencuri Raden Saleh’ and ‘Evakuasi Mama Emola’, touching on the representation of female role models, the monstrous feminine in horror and whether the film landscape is still a Java-centric one. 

Episode 100: The Centurion Episode

Finally, our 100^th episode! Ezzah, Fikri and Muz got together (separately) to discuss their recent film experiences in Europe and Asia respectively. In the first part, Muz details the distinctions between the different parts of Italy and how it affects stories found in the likes of ‘Gomorrah’ and ‘Cinema Paradiso’. Later on, Fikri checks in on Ezzah in Scotland, exploring her latest documentary exploits, touching on the film ‘Sr.’, and discussing more deeply about life, family and distance.

Episode 99: On the Malayan Film Unit (part 2)

This episode is the final part of Fikri and Hassan Muthalib’s discussion of the Malayan Film Unit. They look at some key films like ‘The Red Book’ and ‘Abu Nawas’; given Fikri’s research interests, they also delve into the likes of ‘Letters from Home’ and ‘Rohani Steps Out’, highlighting how women are instructed to ‘behave’ in certain contexts. In relation to Malayan independence, there is also a chat about how ‘Merdeka Mission’ positioned Tunku Abdul Rahman with a more post-colonial objective in mind.

Episode 98: On the Malayan Film Unit (part 1)

In part one of a two-parter, Fikri invites friend of the show, film historian Hassan Muthalib, to discuss the Malayan Film Unit. Created by the British colonial administration, they talk about the start of Hassan’s film career and how he came to be involved with the department. They also get into its efficacy in combatting communism in the country, look at key figures like Tuan Zain and Gillie Porter, and discover its connection to films like ‘Superman’.

Episode 97: Let’s Talk about Whispers of Silence

Fikri welcomes Emily to the show to talk about ‘Whispers of Silence’ and some aspects of Burmese cinema. In the first half, they focus on the short film by Zaw Bo Bo Hein and Mg Bhone, a film released in 2018. They consider the text in its social, political and religious contexts. Subsequently, Emily expands on filmmaking in Myanmar and the experience of watching films in the country, considering the impact of censorship on filmmakers, and the role played by the Wathann Film Festival.

Episode 96: On Ang Lee and Hirokazu Koreeda (part 2)

Fikri and Thim Kian conclude their discourse on thoughts inspired by a discussion between Ang Lee and Hirokazu Koreeda. Thim Kian reflects on his personal meetings with Koreeda and Ang Lee, when he took part in film academies led by the both filmmakers. They also discuss how both have affected Thim Kian’s own filmmaking efforts, especially in areas related to editing and working with child actors, as well as the difference between fiction and non-fiction storytelling.

Episode 95: On Ang Lee and Hirokazu Koreeda (part 1)

Recorded in 2021, Fikri and Thim Kian sit down for a chat about a discussion between Ang Lee and Hirokazu Koreeda. Held at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival, it was one of their contributions to the We Are One: A Global Film Festival. Connecting it to their contexts, Fikri and Thim Kian consider the influence of Taiwanese and Japanese films and cinema culture on the Malaysian Chinese community and filmmakers. They also mull over Ang Lee’s experience of making international films, as well as his notion of time and space in their own works.