Without Plan and Agenda, She Left.

picture taken from impresscreative. One of my favourite photos of late Kak Yasmin.

I attended the Tokyo International Film Festival last week to watch Muallaf (The Convert), one of the controversial films of arwah Kak Yasmin (it has been banned in Malaysia before but insyaAllah will be screened this December with some lines muted). Was my second time watching it, the first time when it first released in Singapore. Although my favourite Yasmin's piece is still Gubra, I admit Muallaf has the aura as well.

Muallaf is a story of three souls finding a solace in religion. Started with the tale of two sisters who runaway from home, they become the subject of attention in school where Rohana, the younger sister studying, as they appear to be weird for some people. Rohana frequently chants some number (with later appear to be versus from Bible, Quran and also Tao Te Ching) and Rohani, the elder ones, is been rumored to work in a pub. Both of them are fan of comparative religion and theology, and discuss it publicly. Then comes another character Brian, Rohana's teacher, who always received call from his mother on Sunday reminding him to go to church, but Brian lost his faith in Christianity because he was humiliated by his late father who is a strict Catholic when he was 12 years old.

I was hoping someone could direct her upcoming project, Wasurenagusa (a Japanese movie, means 'Forget Me Not'), since I heard from Kak Orked (Yasmin Ahmad's younger sister, who came to represent Yasmin in Tokyo International Film Festival) that the script has been completed before she died. Ho Yuhang maybe?

The Tokyo International Film Festival organizer this year made some special tribute to the late Yasmin (read about it here).

We are after all just a normal human being. What I love about late arwah Kak Yasmin's works is the way she reminds us that we are all finding God in our way and everyone wants to find happiness in their life. She always starts her movie with the verse BismillahiRahmanniRahim (in the name of God, the Most Merciful and Most Gracious) and in Muallaf the Bismillah is written in Chinese (奉大仁大慈真主的尊名). I recall encounter some Japanese article about her, ヤスミンアハマド：早すぎる死ぬ / Yasmin Ahmad: Gone Too Soon, and realized she created a strong fanbase here in Japan. Everyone still expecting more from her, but without plan and agenda, she left.

"If I could paint a sad goodbye;
I’d paint your eyes a clear blue sky.
Pluck you grace from a pale faced moon
And slumber down this tattered room.
If I could find an amber train;
Lord I’d ride it to the bitter end.
Passing hope in the summer bloom;
Passing dreams and a fading tune.
If I should stray amid crimson rose…
Whither angels on wings of gold?
Who for flowers in the month of May?
Who for you on your winter’s day?
Who for flowers in the months of May?
Who for you?"
-Pete Teo's Who For You, the ending song for Gubra.

One Month

It's been ages since I update anything here, pardon me for being so busy with mathematics and studies (like that is something bad to do, sigh). My entrance exam will be one month from now. And I already prepared my research plan presentation slide and receive a good feedback from fellow labmates and my supervisor. I really hope everything will turn out well (of course with the math too :p)

So what I am going to confront in this entrance exam? Starting on 25th August, until the following four days, I will face TOEFL in the first day, written examination (comprises of 300 words environmental essay and two questions that can be chosen from math, physics, chemistry, biology and geoscience-time duration 2.5 hours) on the second day, five minutes presentation on research plan and undergraduate thesis on the third day, and the last day for interview and results!

So wish me luck people!

There are so many things I want to update, but I just don't have energy to write to tell you the truth. My life everyday is full of numbers and math formula cheat sheets, that utterly complete my lost of words. During my hiatus I have been to Kansai (Osaka region, which includes Kyoto, Hyogo, Kobe, Wakayama and the surrounding area), been to Universal Studios in Osaka, watched my first Kabuki performance in National Theatre in Hanzomon, Tokyo and many more things. My elaborate updates will only begin after the exam ended people, so just hang in there.

On another matter, I received an sms about Yasmin Ahmad passed away and was totally shocked. Thank God the rumor was not true, and apparently she stopped breathing after a stroke attack during her presentation in TV3 and now stabilizes to coma. My prayer for her, ya Allah. I really love the endless creative idea that comes from her movie and commercial.

My favourite Yasmin Ahmad movie is still Gubra. I remember I watched it four times in cinema (yes, I was that pathetic) and I still remember the ending part dearly.



Beautiful.

And from the same movie, comes my favourite line from Malaysian movie, the script when the people from different faith prays and that time you realize that no matter what God do you pray for, we all still pray for the happiness in life and forgiveness of all the sin we had done.

"Have mercy on me, oh God...
Maka ampunilah bagi kami segala dosa kami
According to your unfailing love
According to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions, wash away all my iniquity,
dan hapuskanlah dari kami segala kejahatan kami
and cleanse me from my sin
Wahai Tuhan kami,
berikanlah pada kami apa yang telah Engkau janjikan melalui Rasul Mu
dan janganlah hinakan kami pada Hari Kiamat
Sesungguhnya Engkau tidak menyalahi janji"

-Gubra, Yasmin Ahmad 2006 (the English lines come from Psalm 51, and the Malay part comes from Ali-Imran 192-194).

I Come With The Rain

It is almost impossible for me to skip this. I am a big fan of Takuya Kimura, Josh Hartnett and Shawn Yue and all of them is in this movie. Finally something to anticipate to drag my lazy bones to Japan's cinema.

Okuribito by Youjirou Takita

I used to have some perception regarding Japanese movie; they tend to be draggy, slow and monotonous. If they are scary type of movie, the ghost is easily predicted or recognized. A long rebonded hair is so Japanese type of spook. Or in general we can call it Asian type of ghost. If they're melancholic type of story, it must be one of the main cast is dying for serious illness. Yada yada yada.

I know about Okuribito long before I came to this land of Japan. I know it wins the Oscar. And I know Ryoko Hirosue is in it. But perception does influence me to temporize watching it. Although deep inside I do think it's gonna be a good watch.
And finally I downloaded it. And yes, now I know why they deserve the Oscar. It is like the same feeling when I first watched Volver (by Pedro Almodovar).
I do not want to further explain about the plot line and so on. Watch it yourself. I highly recommend it.
My favourite quote from Okuribito:

"Working here for a long time make me think
that death... is a gateway.
Death doesn't mean the end
but leaving the present, heading for the next stage.
Truly a gateway.
As a gatekeeper..
I've seen off many people
"Have a nice trip, and see you again"
I would say."

Updates

No, I am not busy. Maybe not yet. But to post something about what's on my mind is somehow kind of complicated. There are so many things in my mind right now that not easily composed in one complete essay. So, for the time being, let list it down to few points:

1. I love shinkansen (the bullet train). Contrary to popular belief and my own otherworldly mind, it is not really feel fast inside the train. Yes, you can still see the view from the window and read the letters from sign board and so on. But I believe the train runs fast from outside view.

2. I love Land Rover bicycle and I want it for my ride. Forget about Freelander folks. They are too pricey for my current financial flow right now, and I am going environmental. Not talking about saving another whales, but living eco-friendly life and stop releasing another CO2. Yeah, and I didn't even bother to switch off the light during Earth Hour campaign because I was totally forgotten that campaign. Sigh.

3. I have Konosuke Matsushita: His Life and Management Philosophy book to review (and to write report to Panasonic as well) and Kafka on the Shore by Murakami Haruki to read now. Finally. I have been hesitating to read Murakami's for almost 2 years because there's too much to read in my reading list and I just don't bother to read in train sometimes (back in my working life back then).

4. I listen to Ayumi Hamasaki new album, Next Level and Koda Kumi's Out Works and Collaboration recently. They're good.

5. I just downloaded Okuribito, the Japanese film who won the Oscar. Some of the cinemas here is still rolling it but I don't want to watch it alone and I don't want to spend another 1500 yen for it. And please somebody upload Talentime as soon as possible because I am desperately want to watch it too.

6. Another so called sustainability stuff. I love it when the bus driver here turned off the engines when they stopped in traffic light. That's super awesome. Malaysian (and the rest of the world too) should follow this good move.

I am extremely exhausted. Off to bed people. Have hanami date tomorrow.

Slumdog Millionaire: Love It or Hate It?

Although everyone had talked about it ever since few months back, I am not ashamed to say out loud that I just watched it last weekend. On DVD pasar malam mind you. I want to watch it in cinema, but the days have been so busy and tight lately.

I've put a higher standard and expectation to this movie not just because they're Oscar winning type, but because everyone went so gaga over them and the super cute casts (I don't want to sound like paedo, but hey they're really cute actually). I don't want to be mean, but Slumdog Millionaire just not up to the expectation that I hope for.

Overall storyline and cinematography is awesome. The soundtrack is good as well. But something had missing. I cannot describe it into details because I simply don't know how to describe it. It just the feeling of satisfaction when I watch any movie that been missing.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. 20 million rupees. Don't you feel life is so sweet that you can be a millionaire just by sitting on the chair and answering who is the third Three Musketeers?

There are so many opportunities this world can offer. Life is good. Certainly.

Prayers Answered and Some Little Updates.

As some of you had heard, I has passed my JLPT Level 3. Although it's not really appropriate to reveal the score here, but I am happy to say that I received quite a high marks and what surprises me more is that I can score a few marks from Listening paper (which I still feel that I made a major careless mistake) but praise to Allah, I able to tackle the challenges smoothly.

And now, it is just a few weeks before departing to Tokyo and start the new phase in my life. Excited and nerve-wrecked, I realize that I will miss many things and peoples here in Malaysia and at the same time, wondering whether I can assimilate well into the Japanese society later. Being introverted, I am known as a person who not really talk much to strangers or new acquaintances and until now, I believe that is the major make-over I need so much to start making new friends.

On another note, some little updates I wish I could elaborate and post it here, but I keep procrastinating because of my daily workloads and my TOEFL preparations (I am scheduled to sit for TOEFL this Saturday):

1. I really can't wait any longer to watch Slumdog Millionaire, not just because they are the monopoly of Oscar trophies, but the cute kids and inspiring storyline. Inspire me, people.

2. Zara starts their final clearance and I really need to do some retail therapy on spring clothes. It is 7 degrees in Tokyo, and I reckon I need some layers instead of jacket. Previously I was drooling over trench coat, and I found a nice one from Armani Exchange (with a nice price tag mind you), but they ran out of my size so there goes my bargain list, another deferment.

3. I need luggage. Or suitcase. What ever you call it. What I have in my mind is the Globe-Trotter super-awesome luggage. But of course, I will only get it in my dream considering my current financial situation.

4. Still on bag topic. I love Monocle and its content including all their merchandise items.Their collaboration with Porter for bags is what I think a smart man will choose for travel(but they're actually too pricey). Pay a visit to their online shop.

5. I need a new chronograph. But put aside all the formalities, I think I opt for more casual design this time. What I have in mind is Bell & Ross military green watch. Better get one before I depart to Tokyo.

6. I will start applying for visa next week.

7. Panasonic Scholarship Office has arranged for us a visit to Japan Foundation on 18th March. Time to practice my rusty Japanese and bow.

8. I am thinking of being a member of Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE, UK) but apparently my degree is not accredited by them.

9. I need a new reading material. Right now I am still reading Heat by George Monbiot but I think I need some fiction to turn me back to the world of literature. Haruki Murakami is on top of my list now.

10. Last but not least, still on books. I just finished A World Without Poverty by Dr. Muhammad Yunus and I was in awe, what an inspiring person he is. I wish there could be more people like him (especially Muslims) who can inspire people to the max rather than complaining and downgrading the moral values of the society.

11. I am currently hooked up with Anggun's latest album, Elevation. Seize The Moment not really sounds like her previous tracks but I admit I like her new experiment. Good job, Anggun!

More to come soon. But until then, give me some time to check out what it takes for me to prepare for my TOEFL.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Life Fiction.

"You can be as mad as a mad dog at the way things went. You could wear, curse the fates, but when it comes to the end, you have to let go." -Capt. Mike

I cursed Google because I can't seem to google the right information as I want it to be. I cursed Blogger because I can't even open the site to publish not even a single post for Valentine or whatsoever. I cursed Youtube because I can't watch the Scrap Teacher drama because it was simply failed to load. And most importantly, I cursed Streamyx for snail-like connection speed in my office and Izzi for being so realistic to control the download speed for their so-called mobile broadband.

Enough cursing. When it comes to the end, I have to let go.

"Benjamin, we're meant to lose the people we love. How else would we know how important they are to us?" -Ms. Maple

The weekend was a hurricane of things. My primary school English teacher passed away because of sudden high blood pressure attack. I remember her dearly since I was seven, because she is my ex-classmate's mom and I joined her English tuition class for UPSR (and that is the only extra tuition class I ever joined for my dear whole school life). It shocked me when I heard the news, of course. But I believe it will be harder to the sons and families since her husband also has passed away few years back. My former primary school classmate now an orphan and he is the eldest in the family of six. He hugged me and called my name even though it has been 10 years since we met with each other. I am sorry for your loss, Danial. And my prayer with your mom's soul, always.

"Along the way you bump into people who make a dent on your life. Some people get struck by lightning. Some are born to sit by a river. Some have an ear for music. Some are artists. Some swim the English Channel. Some know buttons. Some know Shakespeare. Some are mothers. And some people can dance." -Benjamin

The quotes that come within the paragraph of this post is from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I watched it and I loved it. I admit I am a huge fan of Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. They are part of the league whom I adore and I like. And I admit what dragged me to the cinema hall last Sunday to watch it was solely because of both of them. But the beautiful wordings has give an extra point to my whole impression of the movie.

It has give me some sort of feeling to value the life from different perspective. From different view and angle. I looked back to the my whole 25 years of journey on this beautiful Earth and I know it might not as impressive as Mr. Button had, but I am forever grateful to God for every shower of blessings I have.

"It's a funny thing about comin' home. Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same. You'll realize what's changed is you." -Benjamin

I wonder about what my journey will look like in the next five or ten years time. Will I succeed in my graduate school plan? Would I hold the Masters scroll? What would happen next? I can't answer that, definitely. All I can do is keep moving, stay breathing, continue struggling for all I believe I deserve to have and pray to God that is the best for me. I walked through my memory lane and saw my face when I was a kid, free and easy, and then see my face now in the mirror and I realize I am looking to two different person.

"For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again." -Benjamin

I am on this journey to write the fiction on my own. The last chapter is about to coming to an end. And the next chapter will soon begin.

The Movie Marathon

I am actually in the middle of getting my Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for my student visa to Japan to be done, but I won't rather let it to cost me boredom. I was busy the whole week emailing the respective person in admission office in University of Tokyo to ask about my situation (I still have not received my official offer letter yet, and I blame Pos Malaysia for it) and finally, I am going to submit my COE form back to them insya Allah by today. Within that frame of time, I was actually manage to download three movies and watched them back to back, marathon style.

The first movie is Volver, directed by Pedro Almodovar. It's a Spanish film, with Spain as the background. I first know about the movie when I was back in London 2 years back, was passing the film poster on the tube station. My friend who was me, instantly saying he already watch the movie, and it was good. 2 years after, I managed to download the movie and up to my surprises, the movie has won so many awards and recognitions. Even Mr. Almodovar is actually quite a renowned name in the industry. The movie, basically revolves around few characters but actually the main spotlight is on Raimunda, played by Penelope Cruz (she's awesome) who live in average life with her daughter, Paula and the always drunk husband, Paco. Paco was then been stabbed by Paula, after an attempt from Paco to molest her. Frightened and panic, they're apparently did not deal with one death alone that night, after at the same time, Raimunda's sister, Sole called her to inform that their Aunt Paula has passed away. The story then goes revealing the secret Raimunda had been kept all this while, and also the funny part where her deceased mother, Irene come back in their life. No, it's not a scary flick we're talking here. Volver was presented in a more cynical and dramatic way, with beautiful Spanish feeling to it.


The next film is the Long Time Dead. It's a British production film and I have watched this back in the university years. I always fond to hear people speak with British accent and somehow I can say, Long Time Dead is quite scary too. The plot of the film is loosely centers about a group of youngsters who played Ouija board and the ghost spirit named Djinn haunted them to death. Sounds like a boring film, but after all, I pretty interested to watch this film again.


The last film review, is A Beautiful Mind. I watched this after SPM and believe me, it's one of the film that I feel so satisfied watching it in movie hall and I do love genius people. A Beautiful Mind is a story about John Nash, a Nobel laureate in economics who use to work in Princeton and MIT. The main plot centers around Nash struggles against his disease of schizophrenia, where his creates imaginary friends and persons, and drawn to it. His disease has taken to a level where he thought he worked as the code breaker of the United States in Cold War. He was then been taken to the psychiatrist but managed to marry the love of his life and had one son (despite his condition). It appeared that schizophrenia cannot be healed easily, as he deals with the imaginary character every single time until he aged. He tried to ignore and while he struggle to do it, he faces discrimination and humiliation from people around him who always think he is crazy (yeah, he is but discrimination and humiliation is simply intolerable). A Beautiful Mind has taken me into the pleasure of being academic and knowledgeable.

On the book note, I am still waiting for the book of Tariq Ramadan arrive in Kinokuniya end of the month. Still reading the dramatic Michael Crichton's State of Fear.

Movie Goers: After This Our Exile

After This Our Exile
Originally uploaded by fid anuar.

When Aaron Kwok and Gouw Ian Iskandar won themselves a trophy for their role in this film, I told myself that I have to watch this piece. It's not just the matter of Aaron always gives great performance in every single role in his movie, but the fact that After This Our Exile has been filmed in Ipoh seduces me. I wonder what it is gonna be looked like. Does it sounds and looks like a Malaysian movie? Or maybe it just look similar to other Hong Kong movie?

Good piece does not come cheap. And not that easy too. What really piss me off was, why this so-called great movie (it won many awards I guess, so I refer it as a 'great movie'), and been filmed in Ipoh (which apparently is part of Malaysia), is only screened in one cinema in Klang Valley?! I have been to KLCC, Midvalley and 1Utama (major cinema centre in Klang Valley, I think everybody around this area watch their movie in the same venue), but up to my frustration, After This Our Exile can only be watched in Cathay Cineplex Damansara. And bloody hell, Cathay just screened it twice a day, one show at 1100 (for early birds) and the other one in the evening (of course I don't want to miss my favourite TV series just to watch this movie).

But finally, I've got the chance to watch it today (last day, because they finally made an afternoon show).

So how does it feel? Hmmm, a bit like Sepet (Yasmin Ahmad's second movie) because it has an 'Ipoh' feel to it. But believe me, After This Our Exile is more MALAYSIAN than ours! Why? It's not because any Malaysian stars like Amber Chia innit, but it feels so Malaysian (somehow Aaron Kwok presented himself like a real men from Ipoh!).Imagine this, an Indian guy get wasted in a kopitiam, yellow bus written with big 'BAS SEKOLAH', 'Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam 2' movie poster and soundtrack comprises of Sudirman, Siti Nurhaliza and Shima songs! What more Malaysian can you asked in a movie?

Apart from the Malaysiana feel, this movie consists of great, in fact very great casts. Aaron Kwok, as always, is terrific. He plays Ah Shing, a compulsive gambler who try his best to be a good dad, good husband and good cooker in a local restaurant. His unstoppable gambling habit makes her wife can't stand him anymore, and run to Johor Bharu with another guy, get married and have another baby. His son, Ah Boy, as other normal kids, always wants a happy family. Represent himself as a good son, Ah Boy tries as best as he could to please his father, even when his father teaches him to steal.

What makes this film so good is that, at the first quarter of this film, the audience will feel that the mom ruins the happy family. But as the story goes, somehow, it seems that nobody is to be blamed. What tear their family apart is fate. And that is why this movie is so ironic, you feel that every single roles responsible to what happened in Ah Shing's family, but at the same time, nobody is to be blamed for it because shit happens in our life and that is sucks.

In a nutshell, if this movie comes in VCD or DVD version, grab it. Not just because it is the only Hong Kong movie with Shima/Sudirman/Siti Nurhaliza songs innit, but because the fact that this movie is worth to watch.

Movie Goers: Cinta (Malay)

Trailer untuk filem ini rasanya dah sebulan lebih kat TV dan suratkhabar. Ada orang kata Cinta ialah filem Melayu yang ditunggu-tunggu tahun ini. Ada jugak orang kata Cinta ialah lambang kebangkitan filem Malaysia. Semua review kat paper kata Cinta ialah satu filem yang mampu menyentuh naluri kemanusiaan. Senang citer, semua orang kata Cinta filem yang best. Review jugak kater, Cinta ialah filem Malaysia pertama yang guna multiplot macam Love Actually. And due to the fact that I am a sucker of Love Actually (minat giler sampai ade kat dalam hard disk PC nih and ulang tengok for zillion times kot), I'm overly excited for Cinta.

Opps, plan tanak guna English untuk review Cinta. So kembali berbahasa Melayu. Kalau nak diceritakan tentang jalan cerita Cinta, sinematografi dan soundtracknya, anda boleh baca mende mende tu kat paper. Kan? Jadi apa lagi yang ada kt filem ni sampai sumer orang kate filem ni wajib tonton tahun ni? Ini sebabnya.

Since ever, dunia memang pandang ke Barat dalam sumer perkara. Okay, that's maybe a mistake historically (sbb bukan since ever pon) but hakikatnya, itulah realitinya sekarang ini. Hollywood menjadi pengeluar filem-filem hebat dunia, kerana mereka mampu memberikan yang terbaik dalam seni sesebuah filem itu, baik daripada kesan efek khas hinggalah kepada pelakon-pelakon yang hebat. Namun itu tidak bermakna dunia Timur (khasnya Asia) ketandusan karya-karya yang boleh dibanggakan. Filem-filem Asia mungkin tidak sehebat Hollywood daripada segi teknologi (CGI effects and so on), tapi filem Asia memang hebat apabila menyentuh aspek emosi.

Amat jarang jika diperhatikan dalam sesebuah filem Hollywood, scenes yang mampu membuatkan penonton mengalirkan air mata setempayan. Tapi ia adalah perkara biasa bagi sebuah filem Asia. Bukan setakat filem, malah turut merangkumi semua produksi termasuk drama TV. Lihat sahaja semua karya-karya Asia. Contoh yang telah saya tonton dan minati termasuklah Korea (Taegukgi), Jepun (One Litre of Tears, Mukodono 2003 etc.), Indonesia (Tentang Dia etc.) dan banyak lagi. Ini belum masuk filem Hong Kong, Iran dan Bollywood. Cinta, as a matter of fact, juga tergolong dalam kategori ini.

Namun apa yang menarik tentang Cinta ialah, it looks, sounds and feels great. Sinematografinya menampilkan shot-shot yang terbaik. Nampak macam commercial raya Petronas and a music video at the same time. Selesai menonton Cinta, akan ada suatu perasaan di hati penonton untuk berkata dalam hati, "Cantiknya KL! Apsal selama nih rasa cam biasa je?". Yes, Cinta telah membangkitkan perasaan itu pada saya. Who needs London anyway, hehe!

Soundtrack, superb. Saya sangat teruja apabila mendengar lagu Anggun - Selamanya menjadi tabir untuk scene Dyan dikebumikan (spoiler ahead!), sebab I'm a die hard fan of Anggun. Ternyata pemilihan lagu yang dibuat sangat sangat bersesuaian untuk semua scene dalam filem ini. Two thumbs up.

Feeling. Hmmm. Apa nak citer lagi? Sumer feel ade. But scene yang bole buat anda menangis ialah scene hujan (masa tu lagu Cinta by Misha Omar and Jaclyn Victor) and scene Dyan baca puisi (eh puisi ke? cam doodles je) kt Dani at ward.

Apa lagi? Tak reti reti nak gi wayang tengok citer Melayu? Cinta finally at our cinemas brother, watch it with love.

Movie Goers: Step Up

Step Up
Originally uploaded by fid anuar.

Apart from the rainy and dreary climate recently, November has always been a month for movie goers. Almost every week, the screen show will be flooded with new great movies. And the first week of November this year seen Step Up and Death Note listed in my Must Watch List.

Since I haven't watch Death Note yet, Step Up will be my first Movie Goers review this season.

Storyline.
So, sedap sangat ke citer Step Up ni? The answer is, sedapp giler. If you like Save Your Last Dance, this piece is for you. Step Up, starring by Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan, is a story about dance, friendship and a lil bit about violent truth of nigga's world. I have always like the cool and great choreography moves, so that explains the reason why I like this movie so much. The storyline however, is a lil bit biasa. The story starts with a scene in a party, shows the friendship among Mac Carter and his brother Skinny with nigga-wannabe white boy named Tyler Gage(Channing Tatum). They then, are caught vandalizing theatre stage at Maryland School of Arts(MSA) but only Tyler is busted.

So there it goes. Tyler need to complete 200 hours community service in MSA. As a new 'janitor intern' he then falls for Nora Clark(Jenna Dewan), who is a senior in dance, and apparently stressed out and struggle to perform the best she can in her next dance showcase. Her dance partner, Andrew, suddenly involves in accident and he is not able to perform the dance routine. Then comes Tyler, who has talent in dancing (but basically in hip hop and breakdance move).

Next, Nora breaks with her boyfriend (watch if you want to know why), and she starts dating Tyler. It is basically quite predictable, and the storyline is pretty similar with other teen flick.

Choreography.
I must admit, the best thing about Step Up is the choreography. It is directed by Anne Fletcher, who is also responsible for the choreography of the movie.

I like the scene where they have a party and Lucy is performing together with Miles as the DJ. The dance move in that scene is the best, and I was almost dance along, haha.

Soundtrack.
I am not a big fan of hip hop, but I admit I like the soundtrack. My choice: 'Till The Dawn' by Drew Sidora. It is the one in the party scene (which I like the dance move).

Trivia.
Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan is rumored to starts dating after starring together in this movie. Cool huh? There was critic says they doesn't look good while dancing together (as in no chemistry), but it appears to be wrong since the movie grossed quite well in the States and Canada.

Conclusion.
Step Up is absolutely worth a watch if you a big fan of dance and choreography, teen flick and hip hop thing. Believe me.

Cool Quote.

"Is... is this where you kill me?"- Tyler Gage (Channing Tatum)