BMW Shorties 2009

I've just finished watching the finalist of BMW Short Film Competition. I Love to watch the finalists and so far I've watched ASTRO Kirana Short Film Award and London's Bob Award's participating films, all in 2009. I guess I am only able to be so active watching short film now because Malaysian internet connection sucks. Period.

• Anyway, I enjoy watching short films by the finalists and I vote for them :)
• In BMW Shorties there are 9 finalists, and I will comment according to the order presented in the website here.
• The first one is Flashes by Prakash Murugiah.

The director use the first person's view to film the whole story. At first I was not fascinated by this technique due to the shortcoming of using such way to film the story. But as the story proceeds, it starts to get interesting and I have to say I love it.

• I vote for this :)

At first the loud and noisy opening of Ma Chai irritated me, but as it proceeds it is so funny and interesting to watch, that it became one of my top favourites :)

• I can't stop laughing watching it and it's sooo Malaysian^^ (with heavy Indian style of course).

Seriously, I am very sure and certain that Afiq Deen's short films are better than this one (sorry Chow!).

• Make sure you manage to enter the next BMW Shorties Afiq :)

I kinda expected what is the end of the story when Tok Imam talked to the troubled guy. And little bit of Final Destination feeling. Hmmm, makes me wonder about some values and thinking related to Islam but I'm not going to talk about them here.

This director has a funny nickname "Katak Chua". Though the story is soooo ordinary that it would touch everyone's heart, somehow there is something missing. What is missing I don't know, you have to watch it yourself.

• But I have to say out of the 9 films, this one gives the strongest impression on BMW car XD

I have to say the plot surprised me a little bit. I thought this would be like Yasmin Ahmad's "Chocolate" where the parent's face would not be shown throughout the film, only at the end the audience realied why it is the case. The actors speak Hakka, reminds me of my next door neighbour in my hometown :)

• The second strongest impression on BMW----> the car key XD

I am very much annoyed by this film. May be I just dislike loud speeches, that's all. Er, may be it is also because I don't like Cantonese, remind some of the lousy Hong Kong TV shows. In my opinion, though dogs pay attention to their breeders but it does not mean they would focus on their owner's face for THAT long. If you ever tried to talk to a dog (of yours), you would know what I mean :p

• By the title of the film I thought there would be a conversation between the two (either people to people or people to animal, it does not matter), but from what I see it is only one-sided story-telling. Misleading betul punya title lah Mr. Bernard Loh.

I am surprised that a short animation is included. I have no faith in Malaysian 3D or CG animation making but I would say this one is not bad. The Boutique's owner reminds me of the old man in Pixar's "Up".

• A very french-themed animation. Guess the production unit loves French culture very much. I would suggest the title be changed to "Les Mannequins". There are 2 mannequins there people. LOL.
• *Mannequin is pronounced as mah-ni-kan (short n) in French*

Finally, a short film about suicide message. I have many dissatisfaction regarding this film. Minus the personal fact that I dislike the narrator's low-tone voice, I would like to question that would you read a boring creepy suicide notes falls out of no where until the end of the letter and just threw it on the street (no civil responsibility as well)? And many more regarding the points made in the suicide note and the method of suicide but I need to rest LOL.

• Just checked the news about the winners from NST. And I become a fan of Parakash's Flashes on Facebook.

Hmmmm, seems like my predictions are not much differ from the outcomes but I am very surprised about the Conversation with the Mad Man :(