Monday, May 09, 2011

"Nur Kasih The Movie" Rentap Perasaan Peminat

Here's my Nur Kasih The Movie review as translated by GUA :

Lupakan apa saja yang telah dihebohkan dan digembar-gemburkan oleh filem tempatan yang lain! Terkini, "Nur Kasih The Movie", filem yang dijangka menerima sambutan hangat penonton tahun ini akan mula ditayangkan mulai 19 Mei ini di seluruh Malaysia dan Brunei. Drama bersiri tersebut berjaya mencetuskan fenomena dua tahun lalu ketika ia ditayangkan di TV3 apabila berjaya menarik minat lebih 19 juta penonton, sekaligus mengubah persepsi penonton mengenai industri penyiaran tempatan.

Pelakon-pelakon yang membintangi drama bersiri ini, terutama sekali Tiz Zaqyah selaku pendukung utama wanita berjaya melonjakkan namanya sekelip mata sahaja seiring dengan kejayaan drama tersebut yang sentiasa menjadi topik perbualan hangat sehingga apabila kemuncak drama ini ditayangkan. Ini jelas terbukti, di ‘catch-up videos’ di laman web www.tv3.com.my, ia telah dilawati lebih 64 juta pengunjung! Iya, Seramai 64 juta penonton yang telah mengikuti drama bersiri arahan Khabir Bhatia ini menerusi online.

Lupakan tentang drama, ayuh kita bercerita tentang filemnya pula!

Sebelum saya meneruskan ulasan saya, perlu saya jelaskan kepada anda yang saya telah dicemburui oleh ramai orang apabila diberitahu yang saya sudah pun menonton “final cut” filem Nur Kasih The Movie ini. Peminat fanatik drama ini telah menberi amaran kepada saya supaya jangan terlalu panjang lebar mengulas plot filem itu. Mereka berkata “tak syoklah kalau dah tau”. maka, ulasan filem ini akan saya cerita sedikit sahaja tanpa merosakkan keseronokan dan ‘feel’ anda ketika menonton kelakber.

Sebenarnya filem ini adalah rentetan atau sambungan drama bersiri Nur Kasih yang telah tamat ditayangkan. Cerita ini berkisar mengenai konflik percintaan tigasegi diantara Nur Amina (Tiz Zakyah), dan adik beradik, Aidil (Fizz Fairuz) dan Adam (Remy Ishak). Seperti yang kita tahu, Adam berkahwin dengan Nur demi memenuhi permintaan ayah Adam yang sedang sakit, dan dalam masa yang sama abangnya, Aidil menyimpan perasaan terhadap Nur.

Perwatakan Adam yang agak kasar menyebabkan dia tidak melayan Nur dengan baik. Tetapi keadaan berubah apabila Adam menemui sinar baru dalam hidupnya. Perkahwinan yang kembali indah berubah dek kerana Nur diuji dengan berita kehilangan Adam yang dipercayai meninggal dunia di luar negara. Drama “happy ending” ini ternyata tidak menghampakan peminat siri Nur Kasih ini. Jelasnya, di akhir episod drama ini, Adam masih hidup dan pulang ke pangkuan Nur, dan dan mereka berdua hidup bahagia selamanya.



Adakah kemuncak drama bersiri itu tetap sama di dalam filem?

Babak ketika perlanggaran keretapi di sebuah negara di Timur Tengah pada lima minit pertama permulaan filem ini bisa merungkai dan membongkar plot yang amat penting. Dalam waktu yang sama, Emosi penonton bakal terpukul ketika babak Aidil yang kehilangan isteri kesayangannya Aliya (Ayu Raudah). Sebab kematian Aliya tidak ditonjolkan serta-merta tetapi dijelasnya menerusi visual yang Aidil sedang menderita dalam kesedihan yang teramat atas kematian Aliya.

Dalam masa yang sama, Adam dan Nur sedang menjalani kehidupan yang bahagia walaupun mereka belum lagi dikurniakan cahaya mata. Masa mereka banyak terisi di rumah perlindungan kanak-kanak termasuklah kehadiran seorang remaja lakonan Sara Ali dengan jelasnya mempunyai perasaan terhadap Adam. Dan ketika Nur menerima berita gembira tentang kehamilannya, pasangan ini merasa amat bahagia.

Plot diteruskan dengan Adam dan Nur yang kemudiannya berhijrah ke Jordan kerana ingin bertukar angin dan bercuti. Di plot ini, kita boleh lihat apa yang sebenarnya terjadi di sebalik kejadian keretapi itu (plot permulaan) dan akibat dari perlanggaran tersebut.

Kembali ke babak di Kuala Lumpur, Aidil masih bergelumang dengan kesedihan. Sesiapa yang menonton pasti akan simpati melihat keadaan Aidil terutama sekali adegan ketika seorang anak kecil (lakonan Mia Sara) membuat pengakuan pelik tentang arwah ibunya. Tetapi bagi seorang yang cukup tabah, Aidil meneruskan kehidupannya dan turut bertanggungjawab membantu kanak-kanak dan remaja di rumah perlindungan sewaktu ketiadaan Adam dan Nur.

Sekali lagi, saya tidak akan menjadi perosak keadaan, tetapi apa yang saya boleh beritahu kehidupan Adam dan Aidil berada dalam situasi yang terancam. siapa yang akan mati? Siapa yang akan terselamat? Nak tahu, kena tengoklah nanti. Ok?


Apa yang saya boleh katakan di sini, saya betul-betul enjoy dengan filem ini. Para pelakon mempunyai keserasian dan amat selesa di antara satu sama lain di dalam setiap adegan. Lakonan mereka amat ‘natural’ dan tidak kekok. Tidak hairan sekiranya dialog-dialog dalam filem ini akan menjadi topik hangat di setiap status peminat siri Nur Kasih di laman Twitter mahu pun Facebook.

Diarahkan oleh Khabir Bhatia, kehebatan cerita ini memang tidak boleh disangkal lagi. Drama bersiri yang dahulunya hanya dinikmati di kaca TV kini beralih ke layar perak. Keseronokkan menonton di medium yang lain adalah satu pengalaman yang sangat berbeza. Ia terbukti dengan visual yang cukup menarik perhatian sewaktu pasangan berada di Jordan, jalan ceritanya nampak amat realistik, mengagumkan dan sangat lancar. Babak di pemandangan kehijauan lambaian jelapang padi di Malaysia, bisa membuatkan anda tenang dan aman.

Muzik latar yang digunakan juga cukup memberangsangkan hasil sentuhan Hafiz Hamidun. Sarat dengan adegan yang dramatik, ternyata membangkitkan lagi keunikan dan keistimewaan filem ini. Dan siapa sangka cerita cinta epik tempatan seperti ini akan menjadi kenangan yang sentiasa tersemat dalam ingatan setiap penonton filem ini.


Cuma ada sedikit kekecewaan di bahagian CGI (ya, kesan khas yang sebenar) yang tidak berapa menyengat berbanding adegan lain yang sememangnya menyeronokkan. Dan kepada penonton yang sebelum ini tidak pernah mengikuti perjalanan drama bersiri Nur Kasih di televisyen, mungkin akan tertanya-tanya ketika menonton di permulaan plot. Tetapi jangan risau, garapan cerita yang tersusun dan kemas sehingga ke hujung cerita, mampu membuatkan anda faham jalan cerita filem ini.

Dan ya, saya percaya Nur Kasih The Movie (ditayangkan pada 19 Mei 2011) akan mengegarkan pawagam anda dan dijangka akan mencapai tahap ‘box office’ setanding filem hebat yang lain. Bukan disebabkan peminat siri Nur Kasih yang sudah sememangnya ramai, tetapi kerana filem ini sememangnya sangat bagus. Jadi jangan lepaskan peluang menonton filem di pawagan anda yang berdekatan.

Hey Look, It's Rod Stewart! Almost...

So yesterday, we went for a Mother's Day Hi-Tea Buffet at the Pyramid Tower Hotel that featured the one-and-only, Rod Stewart!
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Yup, Rod Stewart came all the day from the UK to entertain us as we tucked into murtabak and prime ribs. Well, almost.

The "Rod Stewart" that turned up, wasn't exactly THE Rod Stewart, but tribute artist Rob Caudill from Las Vegas.

But dude was pretty good actually. He got the mannerisms down really well, and the raspy voice was quite spot on as well.

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Ron tackled most of Mr. Stewart's hit songs during two different sets, including sing-along favourites "Have I Told You Lately", "Sailing" and "The First Cut Is The Deepest".

So overall, a nice afternoon with good food and good entertainment. We had a blast Rod. I mean, Rob!

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

ntv7 Feel Good Run: Meet The Celebs!

So last Friday , the second PC for the ntv7 Feel Good Run was held at the Tropicana Golf & Country Club.


Just to recap, the event is held in conjunction with ntv7's 13th Anniversary, and it has four categories: the 7km Feel Good Run, the 3km Run with Celebrities, the 3km Costume Fun Run and a 700m Kids Run.

And during the PC hosted by Naz and Nadia, the majority of the celebs were revealed to the media!


Among those in attendance were Phat Fabes and Ben, Jac, Black, Dynas, Alan Yun, Sasha Bashir, Joanne DeRozario, Jehan Miskin, and of course, yours truly lah...


For your info, proceeds from the event will benefit various bodies and charities, including the National Cancer Society, Yayasan Jantung Malaysia, The National Autism Society of Malaysia and the Malaysian Aids Foundation.

So, jom lah! It's gonna be really awesome. Just click here to register: www.ntv7.com.my/feelgoodrun

And oh, on the very next day of the PC, this ad came out in The Star...


For other reports, click HERE and HERE

Thursday, April 28, 2011

"Nur Kasih The Movie" Review

Forget previous proclamations made by other local films, THIS is the most anticipated movie of the year in this part of the world. I mean, the Nur Kasih TV series sparked a phenomenon a couple of years ago when it was aired on TV3, attracting over 19 million viewers and changing perceptions about local shows along the way.
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The show’s stars, especially leading lady Tiz Zaqyah, shot into superstardom almost over night and Nur Kasih has remained on the lips and consciousness of the general public long after the last episode was screened. The catch-up videos on tv3.com.my meanwhile, notched up more than 64 million views. Yes, 64 MILLION VIEWS. Kapow!
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So now, about the movie.
. But before I go any further, let me just tell you that I’ve been shot plenty of envious looks since I told people that I had actually watched the final cut of Nur Kasih The Movie. The hardcore fans have even warned me about revealing too many plot details (“tak syok lah kalau dah tau”, they say), and so, this “review” will reveal just enough stuff without threatening to spoil your viewing pleasure.

And oh yeah, I’m not one of those hardcore fans that could remember every single scene and dialogue from the TV series (like I know every single thing about “Ali Setan”, for example). But I know enough lah. Haha.

So the movie is in fact a continuation of the series that basically featured the conflicts of a love-triangle of sorts between Nur Amina (Tiz Zakyah), and brothers Aidil (Fizz Fairuz) and Adam (Remy Ishak). We know that Adam married Nur due to his father’s dying wish although the pious Aidil clearly had feelings for her.

The loutish Adam went on to treat Nur like sh** but after he finally repented, their marriage came under threat when he went missing and presumed dead in a foreign land. But of course, he was still alive (though not exactly “kicking”) all along, and by the final episode, we saw him returning home to Nur (yay!), and everyone lived happily ever after.
Or did they?
.Apart from a train crashing in a middle eastern country, the first five minutes of the film also reveals a very important plot point, i.e.: Aidil has lost his wife Aliya (Ayu Raudhah). (This is SIX YEARS after we last saw them in the series, btw). The reason for her demise is not immediately revealed but Aidil is now suffering in the depths of despair and it is my prediction that the crying will already start in the cinemas within these first few minutes. So, crank out the tissue boxes early, yeah?

Also, at this point, I bet the women in the theatres will be going: “I’ll marry him! I’ll marry him! Tak kiralah dia single father, janji macho dan beriman, ok?” Hehe.

Meanwhile, Adam and Nur are leading a rather good life, although still childless. Their spare time is spent at a shelter for troubled kids, including one (Sara Ali) who obviously has the hots for Adam. And when Nur receives confirmation from the doctor that she’s finally pregnant, the couple feels like they’re on top of the world.
.Like I said, I won’t spoil it too much for you lot, so I’m skipping one important plot point and just tell you that Adam and Nur would later wind up in Jordan for some R&R. It is there that we see what really happened to that train and the consequences of it.

Back in KL, Aidil is still bergelumang dengan kesedihan, and you would really feel for him, especially when the kids (one of whom is played by the super adorable Mia Sara) make awkward statements about their late mom. But the fighter that he is, Aidil soldiers on and even helps to look after the shelter for troubled kids in the absence of Adam and Nur.
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Again, I won’t be giving away big spoilers, but just to say that both Adam and Aidil will be put through life-threatening situations. Who will die? Who will survive? Ah, kena tengok lah, ok?

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The actors have such great chemistry between them that even the corniest of lines or scenes seem natural and never out of place. And this film DOES have some retweet-worthy lines that will also no doubt be on the FB status updates of its legion of fans.

Directed by Kabir Bhatia, there’s also no doubt that this is one absolutely gorgeous film. And while the top-notch cinematography was only previously enjoyed on the small screen, seeing it on the silver screen is a different experience altogether. The scenes in Jordan especially, look stunning and soothing all at once and the sweeping paddy fields back in Malaysia will also take your breath away.

I also like the original music, expertly done by Hafiz Hamidun. The dramatic scenes greatly benefit from the soaring score and it lends a certain “bigness” to the film. And who would have thought that a local epic love story like this would have some memorable action scenes as well?

A minor disappointment is in the CGI department (yes, there’s actual special effects!) that looks, well, not as impressive as the rest of the film. And yes, those who’ve never seen the TV series at all, might have some questions about the plot earlier on, but everything is tied up nicely at the end; so no big worries there.

So yes, I believe Nur Kasih The Movie (opening 19th May 2011) will break all kinds of records at the box office. Not because of the hype or its huge fan base, but simply because it’s a pretty darn good movie...



Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Will & Kate: The Royal Wedding on ntv7!

As I'm writing this, I'm watching Piers Morgan with a slew of guests talking about The Royal Wedding coming up this Friday. And yes, I'm one of those who actually cares about it and will be watching it on TV. Come on lah, this is part of history. Dude is gonna be King one day and how cool it'd be to say to your grandkids that you actually witnessed the whole thing! (albeit on TV)


Almost all major broadcasting companies in the world are already parked around Buckingham Palace now, including CNN who will have the dream team of Piers Morgan, Cat Deeley, Richard Quest and Anderson Cooper covering the event.


And guess what, you can also catch the Wedding this Friday on free TV i.e.: ntv7!


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