The sixth episode of “Joko Anwar's Nightmares and Daydreams” seems like a trip down the memory lane of his cinematic past. The story is written by Tia Hasibuan, who has been producer at “A Copy of My Mind”, “Impetigore” two “Satan's Slaves” while even acting in the second. The protagonist, Fachry Albar, was also in the two aforementioned entries but has also collaborated in Anwar's past futures, as in the case of “Dead Time” and “The Forbidden Door” for example, with the two being among his most frequent collaborators. Apart from these, “Hypnotized” takes another favorite concept of the horror genre, in order to present something rather different.
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The story takes place in 2022 and revolves around Ali, his wife Ningsih, and their children Ayu and Hendra. Ali is color blind and finds it difficult to get jobs as the introductory scene,...
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The story takes place in 2022 and revolves around Ali, his wife Ningsih, and their children Ayu and Hendra. Ali is color blind and finds it difficult to get jobs as the introductory scene,...
- 6/23/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The fifth episode of the series moves towards Hollywood pulp territory once more, while also fostering a very intriguing metaphor. The timeline this time is 1997, when Indonesia was experiencing recession.
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Bandi is a movie poster painter barely making a living along with his wife Dewi and their son, Marhan. Dewi's environment does not want her to be with Bandi, as they consider their relationship a dead end, as the violent scene in the beginning eloquently highlights, but the two love each other too much for anything to break them up. This, until one fateful night, Bandi decides to enter a rundown cinema and spend a bit of time with the owners there. When he returns to his apartment, though, it seems that years have actually passed.
While the main premise might seem cliché, Randolph Zaini's unique approach and...
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Bandi is a movie poster painter barely making a living along with his wife Dewi and their son, Marhan. Dewi's environment does not want her to be with Bandi, as they consider their relationship a dead end, as the violent scene in the beginning eloquently highlights, but the two love each other too much for anything to break them up. This, until one fateful night, Bandi decides to enter a rundown cinema and spend a bit of time with the owners there. When he returns to his apartment, though, it seems that years have actually passed.
While the main premise might seem cliché, Randolph Zaini's unique approach and...
- 6/22/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The fourth episode of Joko Anwar's Nightmares and Daydreams moves back towards the style of Asian horror (I should say Asean actually), while in contrast to the previous ones that took present in the present or close past, it transfers us to1985.
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Wahyu is an unlucky guy. He was abandoned by his mother as a child, but he still thinks he can go to Saudi Arabia and live with her, along with his wife, who feels sympathetic towards his wishes, but has her doubts. The two seem to be in love, but as the story begins, Wahyu hears rumors of her flirting with another local from the slum they live in. The locals make a living by picking up sea oysters and he seems to be quite good at it, but he is also frequently bullied by another local,...
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Wahyu is an unlucky guy. He was abandoned by his mother as a child, but he still thinks he can go to Saudi Arabia and live with her, along with his wife, who feels sympathetic towards his wishes, but has her doubts. The two seem to be in love, but as the story begins, Wahyu hears rumors of her flirting with another local from the slum they live in. The locals make a living by picking up sea oysters and he seems to be quite good at it, but he is also frequently bullied by another local,...
- 6/21/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The third episode in “Joko Anwar's Nightmares and Daydreams” moves in yet another direction, in a style that reminds intently of Hollywood noir and even pulp on occasion, although the rich social commentary is here once more.
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Rania, a celebrated author whose “Poems and Pains” novel was largely successful, is struggling to come up with an equal one moving forward, but cannot seem to get a break. Her editor and best and only friend Adrian is pushing her to publish a sequel, but she declines, supposedly because she wants to change direction from the exploitative pop aesthetics of the original, but that is not the only reason. Actually, when she was writing that book, she would have blackouts that would find her with bruises in her body and a number of pages being written without her remembering at all.
Follow our tribute to Netflix by clicking on the image below
Rania, a celebrated author whose “Poems and Pains” novel was largely successful, is struggling to come up with an equal one moving forward, but cannot seem to get a break. Her editor and best and only friend Adrian is pushing her to publish a sequel, but she declines, supposedly because she wants to change direction from the exploitative pop aesthetics of the original, but that is not the only reason. Actually, when she was writing that book, she would have blackouts that would find her with bruises in her body and a number of pages being written without her remembering at all.
- 6/20/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Sequel to the great Satan's Slaves, “Communion” is the first Indonesian film to be released in IMAX format, and a huge box office success which has already become the third highest-grossing Indonesian film of all time, with 6.3 million viewers.
Satan's Slaves 2: Communion” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
The film begins in the 50's actually, when a photographer is “invited” by a friend into a truly hellish setting, where a number of bodies have been exhumed and used for some sort of satanic ritual, with the friend asking the photographer to do everything in his power to let people know about what is happening. Back in the 80s, several years after they managed to save themselves from the terrible events that resulted in the death of their mother and the youngest sibling, Ian, the family are now living in a block of flats. Rini, Toni and Bondi...
Satan's Slaves 2: Communion” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
The film begins in the 50's actually, when a photographer is “invited” by a friend into a truly hellish setting, where a number of bodies have been exhumed and used for some sort of satanic ritual, with the friend asking the photographer to do everything in his power to let people know about what is happening. Back in the 80s, several years after they managed to save themselves from the terrible events that resulted in the death of their mother and the youngest sibling, Ian, the family are now living in a block of flats. Rini, Toni and Bondi...
- 4/24/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Joko Anwar blessed horror fans with "Satan's Slaves" in 2018, and now he's back with a compelling sequel that takes haunted house rules and applies them to a busier apartment complex. "Satan's Slaves: Communion" follows "Satan's Slaves" in continuity, hoping to answer questions about cultists with umbrellas, antichrist offspring, and how families move on after satanic rituals. Anwar builds the mythology behind "Satan's Slaves" into something more twisted, which opens as many doors as it closes — not the cleanest evolution in storytelling, but the scares are still tremendous. Whatever's lost in the latter half's exposition dumps is salvaged by Anwar's masterful horror filmmaking sensibilities because while "Satan's Slaves" does reign supreme, that's a loaded comparison to one of the top-ranking horror films of its decade, and since.
It's been several years since Rini (Tara Basro) and her family lost their mother and mute younger sibling Ian (M. Adhiyat). Father Bahri (Bront Palarae...
It's been several years since Rini (Tara Basro) and her family lost their mother and mute younger sibling Ian (M. Adhiyat). Father Bahri (Bront Palarae...
- 10/18/2022
- by Matt Donato
- Slash Film
Sequel to the great Satan’s Slaves, “Communion” is the first Indonesian film to be released in IMAX format, and a huge box office success which has already become the third highest-grossing Indonesian film of all time, with 6.3 million viewers.
Satan’s Slaves 2: Communion is available from Shudder
The film begins in the 50’s actually, when a photographer is “invited” by a friend into a truly hellish setting, where a number of bodies have been exhumed and used for some sort of satanic ritual, with the friend asking the photographer to do everything in his power to let people know about what is happening. Back in the 80s, several years after they managed to save themselves from the terrible events that resulted in the death of their mother and the youngest sibling, Ian, the family are now living in a block of flats. Rini, Toni and Bondi all...
Satan’s Slaves 2: Communion is available from Shudder
The film begins in the 50’s actually, when a photographer is “invited” by a friend into a truly hellish setting, where a number of bodies have been exhumed and used for some sort of satanic ritual, with the friend asking the photographer to do everything in his power to let people know about what is happening. Back in the 80s, several years after they managed to save themselves from the terrible events that resulted in the death of their mother and the youngest sibling, Ian, the family are now living in a block of flats. Rini, Toni and Bondi all...
- 10/16/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Joko Anwar directs a film that cruises through the genres, as it begins like a realistic drama, then becomes a romance and eventually a thriller with political elements. Furthermore, his distinct sense of humor is always present, and exemplified in scenes like the one with the gay porn. Apart from that, the movie features much less violence than his previous works (“The Forbidden Door” for example), although it is not completely absent. The political message is quite poignant and derives from the concept of the crime lord and her dealings with the authorities, in a segment that is largely based on true events.
“A Copy of my Mind” is also a hymn to Jakarta, as it highlights everyday life in the capital of Indonesia and features many different aspects of it. In that fashion, Ical Tanjung’s cinematography does wonders in portraying the various locations in the city as realistically as possible,...
“A Copy of my Mind” is also a hymn to Jakarta, as it highlights everyday life in the capital of Indonesia and features many different aspects of it. In that fashion, Ical Tanjung’s cinematography does wonders in portraying the various locations in the city as realistically as possible,...
- 4/17/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Probably the most difficult, and occasionally the most defining film in the career of any filmmaker is the second one, particularly after a successful debut. Robby Ertanto Soediskam found himself in that exact position, after his rather successful first feature, “Ave Maryam” a title that we included in our Best Asean films of 2019. Those credits included Joko Anwar and Chicco Jerikho in the cast and Ical Tanjung and Wawan I. Wibowo in the crew, and an overall visual approach that seemed to wink at Wong Kar Wai. Unfortunately, the only thing that was left for “Jakarta, City of Dreamers” is Jerikho, and even he, just for a cameo of sorts.
The story focuses on Dom, a young man who tries to make it in the movie industry of Jakarta, but his temper frequently gets the best of him resulting in a number of failed opportunities. Out of coincidence, he meets a couple,...
The story focuses on Dom, a young man who tries to make it in the movie industry of Jakarta, but his temper frequently gets the best of him resulting in a number of failed opportunities. Out of coincidence, he meets a couple,...
- 12/21/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Joko Anwar showed his knack for genre filming and for breaking the box office from his debut, “Janji Joni“, and in the last two years, with movies like “Satan’s Slaves” (remake of the cult classic) and “Gundala” has cemented both of this traits, even in an international level. “Impetigore” in particular, apart from Rotterdam, also screened in Sundance, a quite significant feat since the representation of Asian cinema in the particular festival is scarce, to say the least.
“Impetigore” is Screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
Maya works at a toll booth in Jakarta until one night she is attacked by a strange man with a machete, who seems to know a lot about her past. The girl barely survives but starts researching about what the man said, with her “investigation” leading her to a rural village in the woods, where she was born by parents she never met.
“Impetigore” is Screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
Maya works at a toll booth in Jakarta until one night she is attacked by a strange man with a machete, who seems to know a lot about her past. The girl barely survives but starts researching about what the man said, with her “investigation” leading her to a rural village in the woods, where she was born by parents she never met.
- 12/1/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Prolific hitmaker Joko Anwar further cements his reputation as one of the non-English-speaking world’s foremost fantasy filmmakers with “Gundala,” an action-packed and emotionally satisfying adaptation of the treasured Indonesian comicbook created by Harya “Hasmi” Suraminata. Set in a bleak future-now Jakarta, where the lightning-powered superhero is the city’s last hope against corrupt politicians and a megalomaniac crime boss, “Gundala” packs a few too many characters and side-stories into the mix but as the first entry in a planned series it’ll do very nicely. On the strength of this, a successful franchise with strong international appeal could be in the making. After attracting 1.7 million admissions in domestic theatrical release in late 2019, Anwar’s latest hit will land on Well Go USA’s streaming platform on July 28.
Featuring in 23 comics published between 1969 and 1982, Gundala has made just one prior screen appearance, in Lilek Sudijo’s cheesy but enjoyable “Gundala...
Featuring in 23 comics published between 1969 and 1982, Gundala has made just one prior screen appearance, in Lilek Sudijo’s cheesy but enjoyable “Gundala...
- 7/10/2020
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising of ten countries in Southeast Asia, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. Evidently, the movie industry of these countries does not yet reach the size of Japan, India and S. Korea for example, so we decided to include them in one list, although we still retain a hope that in the next years, we will see a cinematic boom from there also. Evidently, the Philippines are at least a step ahead of the rest of the Asean countries in that regard, which is the reason so many films from the country are included in the list. Lastly, some films in the list were produced in countries outside Asean, but we felt that due to their themes, they also belong in the list.
Without further ado, and with a focus on diversity, here...
Without further ado, and with a focus on diversity, here...
- 1/29/2020
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
Joko Anwar showed his knack for genre filming and for breaking the box office from his debut, “Janji Joni“, and in the last two years, with movies like “Satan’s Slaves” (remake of the cult classic) and “Gundala” has cemented both of this traits, even in an international level. “Impetigore” in particular, apart from Rotterdam, also screened in Sundance, a quite significant feat since the representation of Asian cinema in the particular festival is scarce, to say the least.
“Impetigore” is screening at the International Film Festival Rotterdam
Maya works at a toll booth in Jakarta until one night she is attacked by a strange man with a machete, who seems to know a lot about her past. The girl barely survives but starts researching about what the man said, with her “investigation” leading her to a rural village in the woods, where she was born by parents she never met.
“Impetigore” is screening at the International Film Festival Rotterdam
Maya works at a toll booth in Jakarta until one night she is attacked by a strange man with a machete, who seems to know a lot about her past. The girl barely survives but starts researching about what the man said, with her “investigation” leading her to a rural village in the woods, where she was born by parents she never met.
- 1/27/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
By Kyriacos Kyriacou
With the questioning title “Lovely Man,” and the main characters being a transvestite prostitute and his religious Islamic daughter, being intriguing enough, the movie takes us in a human reconciliation journey, in the streets of the capital of Indonesia, during a single night.
Cahaya (Raihaanun), a 19-years-old girl with strong Islamic values, arrives in Jakarta seeking her long lost father Sailful (Donny Damara). To her surprise, she finds what she is looking for in the face of a stranger, a transvestite man named Ipuy, working as a prostitute in the streets at night. Hesitant at the beginning, they wander in the streets of Jakarta until the dawn and they end up in an encounter of self-realization and soul salvation for both of them.
Teddy Soeriaatmadja, who writes and pens the movie, unfolds the story at a slow pace. It takes place during one night and focuses on...
With the questioning title “Lovely Man,” and the main characters being a transvestite prostitute and his religious Islamic daughter, being intriguing enough, the movie takes us in a human reconciliation journey, in the streets of the capital of Indonesia, during a single night.
Cahaya (Raihaanun), a 19-years-old girl with strong Islamic values, arrives in Jakarta seeking her long lost father Sailful (Donny Damara). To her surprise, she finds what she is looking for in the face of a stranger, a transvestite man named Ipuy, working as a prostitute in the streets at night. Hesitant at the beginning, they wander in the streets of Jakarta until the dawn and they end up in an encounter of self-realization and soul salvation for both of them.
Teddy Soeriaatmadja, who writes and pens the movie, unfolds the story at a slow pace. It takes place during one night and focuses on...
- 8/23/2019
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
One of the most celebrated Indonesian horror efforts, the original “Satan’s Slaves” (or Pengabdi Setan) was initially released during the height of the country’s horror boom in the early 1980s by Sisworo Gautama Putra, one of the leading horror directors of the time. Now in 2017, a remake of the original becomes poised to offer the same overall impact for its director, Joko Anwar, with one of the most enjoyable efforts of the year.
The film screened as part of Five Flavours Asian Horror Night
After their mother comes down with a mysterious illness, a family including the Father (Bront Palarae), and his kids Rini (Tara Basro), Tony, (Endy Arfian) Bondi (Nasar Annuz) and Ian (M. Adhiyat) try to get by in life despite the strain it puts on the family. Once she finally passes away, the family pay their respects and try to move on but find themselves...
The film screened as part of Five Flavours Asian Horror Night
After their mother comes down with a mysterious illness, a family including the Father (Bront Palarae), and his kids Rini (Tara Basro), Tony, (Endy Arfian) Bondi (Nasar Annuz) and Ian (M. Adhiyat) try to get by in life despite the strain it puts on the family. Once she finally passes away, the family pay their respects and try to move on but find themselves...
- 8/19/2019
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
Stories about forbidden love is not something new for cinema, not even when we are talking specifically for ones between priests and nuns, which is the main theme of “Ave Maryam”. Robby Ertanto however, manages to overcome almost all clichés of the category, particularly through the way he implements image and sound. Let us take things from the beginning, though.
“Ave Maryam” is screening at CinemAsia Film Festival
The story takes place in 1980, in a nursing facility for nuns. Sister Maryam “works” there, completely devoted to her chores and to God. However, when Yosef, a handsome and liberal pastor, who is to take charge of the local orchestra, arrives at the facility, all things change. Yosef does not waste much time in showing his feelings to Maryam, but she resists initially. He does not back down though, and the Sister finds herself in front of a life changing decision.
Ertanto...
“Ave Maryam” is screening at CinemAsia Film Festival
The story takes place in 1980, in a nursing facility for nuns. Sister Maryam “works” there, completely devoted to her chores and to God. However, when Yosef, a handsome and liberal pastor, who is to take charge of the local orchestra, arrives at the facility, all things change. Yosef does not waste much time in showing his feelings to Maryam, but she resists initially. He does not back down though, and the Sister finds herself in front of a life changing decision.
Ertanto...
- 3/9/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
HBO Asia’s “Folklore” is a six-episode, hour-long series that takes place across six Asian countries – Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Each episode is based on a country’s deeply-rooted myths and folklore, featuring supernatural beings and occult beliefs. The respective episodes are helmed by a director from that country and filmed locally in the country’s primary language. In the particular segment, Joko Anwar deals with the myth of Wewe Gombel, a female supernatural being or ghost in Javanese mythology, which kidnaps children.
Folklore is available to Us subscribers on HBO Now®, HBO Go®, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms
Murni, a single mother and her only son, Jodi struggle to make ends meet, since the lack of money they experience, and the mother’s fear that the father will kidnap her son, has led them to live a secluded life, with the child not attending...
Folklore is available to Us subscribers on HBO Now®, HBO Go®, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms
Murni, a single mother and her only son, Jodi struggle to make ends meet, since the lack of money they experience, and the mother’s fear that the father will kidnap her son, has led them to live a secluded life, with the child not attending...
- 2/1/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
While I’m not familiar with the original film that Satan’s Slaves is actively remaking, Indonesian director Joko Anwar delivers a confidently crafted tale of terror (here’s a friendly reminder that Ritual is a pretty good film) where he mixes together a satanic cult with a classic chiller brimming with otherworldly apparitions and appearances of the living dead. It might take some time to really get going, but once the second half of Satan’s Slaves kicks into high gear, that’s when it feels like Anwar is having the most fun as a filmmaker, leaning into some darkly comedic notes that balance out the movie’s fright-filled moments that keep Satan’s Slaves from feeling like other recent movies cut from a similar cinematic cloth.
In Satan’s Slaves, we’re introduced to Mawrani Suwono (Ayu Laksmi), a formerly famous singer who has been struck ill over the last several years,...
In Satan’s Slaves, we’re introduced to Mawrani Suwono (Ayu Laksmi), a formerly famous singer who has been struck ill over the last several years,...
- 6/25/2018
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Shot in just 8 days in true guerrilla fashion, with Joko Anwar placing his actors in neighborhoods in Jakarta that neither police nor army would accompany them, “A Copy of my Mind” proves that talent, planning and expertise do not need time in order to achieve a great outcome. Financed by the S. Korean powerhouse Cj Entertainment, the film is the first part of a trilogy.
Sari works in a beauty salon, but her real passion is movies, particularly “trash” ones, usually involving hybrid monsters like the anacobra. Being poor though, she has to buy her films from shops that sell copied DVD, which usually feature awful subtitles. Alek is responsible for this fact, since he makes a living by writing subtitles for pirate DVD, almost exclusively by using Google Translate. The two of them eventually stumble upon each other as Sari is complaining about the quality of the subtitles, and...
Sari works in a beauty salon, but her real passion is movies, particularly “trash” ones, usually involving hybrid monsters like the anacobra. Being poor though, she has to buy her films from shops that sell copied DVD, which usually feature awful subtitles. Alek is responsible for this fact, since he makes a living by writing subtitles for pirate DVD, almost exclusively by using Google Translate. The two of them eventually stumble upon each other as Sari is complaining about the quality of the subtitles, and...
- 11/27/2016
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
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