What an embarrassment of riches. Looks like New Malaysian Essays 1 will not only have Sufian Abas as a launch-mate.
Chuah Guat Eng will unleash her first volume of short stories, The Old House, at the same time and place. Guat's previous book was the novel Echoes of Silence (1993) and she has since been busy with matters academic.
I do have a copy (autographed, natch) but have not read it yet. And if you (yes, you) wanna get your hands on the book, you know where to come.
1.Teh Hong Piow: A Banking Thoroughbred Author : Bowie, Paddy
2. 1957 - 2007: Chronicle of Malaysia (Fifty Years of Headline News) Author : Mathews, Philip (Editor-in-Chief)
3. Growing Up in Trengganu Author : Awang Goneng
4. Confessions of an Old Boy: The Dato' Hamid Adventures Author : Kam Raslan
5. In Good Faith: Articles, Essays and Interviews Author : Zaid Ibrahim
6. Judging the Judges Author : N.H. Chan
7. News from Home Authors : Chua Kok Yee; Shih-Li Kow; Rumaizah Abu Bakar
8. The Certain Way to Life's Riches Author : Peter Yee; Alexandra Ng
9. Rahsia Raja Lelong Author : Eruwan Gerry Norsen
10. Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires Author : Adam Khoo
* Yes, after 10 consecutive weeks, the book is nowhere to be found in the Top 10. But that's OK because:
a) Unlike, say, the film box-office or pop singles chart, what goes down can come up again. Witness the case of Kam's and Zaid's books, which were both not around last week.
b) 5,000 copies in the first three months is quite good what.
c) I own five of the books here, and I am glad others are buying them too.
I managed to see, in the cinema, 14 of the 21 widely-released local films of the year. (There used to be a time when I would make it a point to watch all, but this year I somehow wasn't up to it).
Although no one's asking, this is my ranking anyway:
1. Mukhsin 2. Anak Halal 3. Puaka Tebing Biru 4. Zombi Kampung Pisang 5. Jangan Pandang Belakang 6. Waris Jari Hantu 7. Syaitan 8. Chermin 9. Kayangan 10. 1957 Hati Malaya 11. Diva 12. Cinta Yang Satu 13. Impak Maksima 14. Orang Minyak
I missed the following:
Haru Biru Qabil Khushry Qabil Igam Sumo-lah 9 September Budak Lapok Otai Nana Tanjung 2
My own co-directed, much-delayed Susuk should be out sometime in the middle of next year. It's basically done, but the studio wants to release two of its other films first: Dunia Baru The Movie and Sepi. Mwahaha!
Saw it last night. Although not a perfect film (Why on earth would we want to watch a perfect film? Wouldn't it be as intimidating as knowing a perfect person?) I am amazed anew at Osman Ali's empathy (heart), energy and skill with actors. If nothing else, this film is significant for finally making a credible leading man of Farid Kamil (!)
If Osman's earlier, underrated film Puaka Tebing Biru reminded me of old Malay movies, Anak Halal is like gritty Bollywood. As such, some would flinch that it's all 'too much', which is fine. But the excess is wedded to a generosity of spirit, which makes it all right by me.
Osman has been creating a consistent cinematic world since his graduation short in 1999 (also called Anak Halal), a world of sensuality, underdog camaraderie, outrage, provocation, pathos. He always goes that little bit further than anyone else would dare to – just to get that little bit closer.
