Tag: awards

Award Season is upon us… 7×7 + Liebster Blog Awards that is

On By ruthIn Blog Events57 Comments

Hello, hello! It’s mid week and right smack dab in the middle of the Olympics. Turns out that Michael Phelps isn’t the only one decorated w/ medals 😀

Thanks very much to Michael @ It Rains… You Get Wet and Raghav @ Ticker Talks Films , the co-founder of the weekly Twitter event #MTOS for tagging me with this award… and sorry it’s so long overdue! 🙂

The 7 x 7 Award highlights a blogger’s favourite pieces of work and is passed on to others so that they too can do the same as a way to promote posts and/or blogs.

As is the case with such awards, there are certain rules;

1.Tell everyone something that no one else knows about you.

Hmmm, let’s see. Well, most of you already know I’m from Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, but even some of my friends don’t know that I actually spent time in a Catholic boarding school from the age of 7 – 12. It’s a bit unusual for folks in my country and no, it’s not exactly the kind of elite boarding school like Hogwarts or Eton College, yeah I wish! It was a bittersweet experience to be sure, and though at the time I hated being there, now I’m thankful for the experience and I do believe it shaped me to be the person that I am today.

2. Link to one of the posts that I think best fits the following categories;

a. Most Beautiful Piece.

I LOVE rain scenes, and so my top ten list of Ten Indelible Rain/Wet Scenes is full of beautiful, atmospheric scenes 🙂

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b. Most Helpful Piece.

Well, I hope this is helpful to some people, but I’d like to think that this Gregory Peck birthday blog-a-thon of sort is helpful for those who aren’t well-versed about the variety of films he has done [about 50+ plus total!]. Thanks to my blog friends for their submissions of posts/reviews on the acting legend.

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c. Most Popular Piece.

I think my Musings on Movie Crushes post is popular because ALL of us surely have one, so it’s fun to see people sharing which actor/actress have captured their hearts. Do share yours if you haven’t already, there’s no such thing as a late comment 🙂


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d. Most Controversial Piece.

It’s not exactly ‘controversial’ in the sense that it gets people up in arms, but I think my post of What Critical Darling You Can’t Sing Praises Of sort of went against the grain as a lot of people love The Hurt Locker, but I thought it was just ok, certainly wasn’t Oscar-worthy. To this day I still don’t know what the fuss is about Jeremy Renner. Now that might push a lot of people’s buttons, too 🙂

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e. Most Surprisingly Successful Piece.

This is an honest list that my pal Ted and I did relatively quickly last January. Well, it turns out a lot of people agreed with us 🙂

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f. Most Underrated Piece.

For this one I’m going to pick one I did a couple of years ago since not many people read my blog then, but I’m hoping to do a follow up to this as most of the then up-and-coming actors have sort of ‘made it’ in Hollywood now.


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g. Most Pride-Worthy Piece.
Well, since last year I went with my first movie pitch for Castor’s Anomalous Material blog, I’m going with the last movie pitch I did. It took me quite a while to do but I’m pretty happy with it. It’s an Irish crime drama directed by Kenneth Branagh starring Gabriel Byrne, Tom Hiddleston and Richard Armitage.


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3. Pass this award on to seven other bloggers.

Ok, I’m going to tag the five lovely ladies who kindly gave me the Liebster award, and not only because I’m returning the favor, I mean these are seriously kick-ass bloggers. Girl power! 😀 And to be fair, I’m tagging two other bloggers of the opposite sex, he..he..

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Thanks to Lady Sati, Diana, Anna, Ruth and Iba for kindly granting me this lovely award.

The rules for this award are as follows:

  1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
  2. Answer the 11 questions the person giving the award has set for you.
  3. Create 11 questions for the people you will be giving the award to
  4. Choose 11 people to award and send them a link to your post.
  5. Go to their page and tell them
  6. No tag backs.

Hmmm, this is the hardest part…

11 things about myself:

  1. Though my dad was in the film biz before I was born, I had only seen bits and pieces of one of his films, which co-incidentally is about an Indonesian Superman, ahah.
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  2. I took piano lessons as a kid, maybe for about 3 years or so, but unlike Ruth from Down Under, I don’t know how to play it anymore 😦
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  3. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a screenwriter. In fact, in grade school when all the other kids wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, fireman,  etc., I was convinced that was what I wanted to do. Alas… who knows if my dream would ever come true.
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  4. I went to the same umbrella school that President Obama once attended when he briefly lived in Indonesia: St. Francis of Assisi. I only attended the Jr High part of the school, but it shared the same complex.
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  5. I have a Javanese-dialect accent [the island where the word Java for coffee comes from] when I speak Indonesian, I might’ve gotten that from my nanny growing up. I don’t speak the language fluently though, but my mother did.
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  6. My grandma was pretty strict growing up so I never could go clubbing until dawn like my friends did, yet I never had the desire to do it even as an adult. In fact, the few times I did go in college, I did not enjoy it at all.
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  7. I grew up Catholic but now I attend a non-denominational Evangelical church in my neighborhood that has the most awesome Worship Band ever. I believe this Bible verse with all my heart and soul: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16
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  8. I might’ve shared this before but I don’t like chocolate, seafood or alcoholic beverage. I know those are a lot of people’s favorite things but I could do without those my entire life.
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  9. I LOVE Zumba!! I’ve been taking the Latin-inspired cardio dance classes for about a year now and I’m addicted. I go three times a week, though now I’m also taking a cardio kick-boxing class just to mix things up.
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  10. My love for British actors/movies might’ve stemmed from taking ESL classes from ‘native speakers’ from Britain. For some odd reasons, they only accepted Aussies and Brits in most of those schools, not Americans. I became friends with a few of them and I’ve always thought they were the coolest guys!
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  11. I have a very high prescription that I’m practically blind. I guess it’s hereditary as most of my family members wear glasses.

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Sati’s Questions:

1. What is your favorite movie scene?
Oh, there are sooo many! I picked twenty of them here and here, and I plan to do another post this year. Since I just did the Sense & Sensibility post though, I’d say the moment Brandon showed up in the movie all smitten for Marianne is one of my all time favorite scenes.
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2. Your favorite performance?
Again, too many to list here but I’m going to go with the performance I saw in the last few months and that is Christian Bale as the Dark Knight. I think he shall remain to be my favorite Batman actor, just like Christopher Reeve will always be my favorite Superman.
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3. Movie character that is most similar to you?
Hmm, this is a toughie. I really don’t know, but I tend to be kind of a dreamer and a bit of a loner, so I feel that there are some traits in Paul Dano’s character in Ruby Sparks that I identify with.
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4. Favorite movie quote?
Again, since I just watched this recently, I really love this quote in Sense & Sensibility that explains why I LOVE Elinor so much:
“…It is bewitching in the idea of one’s happiness entirely depending on one person”
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5. What is one movie where you would change actual director/actor/actress for someone else?
Well, I think I’d definitely cast someone other than Kristen Stewart in Snow White in the Huntsman, it’s automatically raise the level of enjoyment right of the bat. It’d be a lot better if a more capable director helmed it too.
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6. What is the first film you saw?
Superman: The Movie. Which explains why I LOVE superhero movies to this day 🙂
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7. Would you change any character’s fate? If so, whose and for what?
I wish Christian + Satine in Moulin Rouge and Joe Bradley + Anne in Roman Holiday lived happily ever after. But then again, the film probably wouldn’t be as compelling otherwise.
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8. Your favorite track from movie soundtrack?
City of Lovers from Casino Royale.
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9. What book would you like to see adapted for screen?
Amongst other books I’ve discussed here, I’d love to see Love Walked In as a romantic drama, which I think is in the works. I wholeheartedly hope they cast the right person for the protagonist though… and that Cary Grant look-alike!
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10. Favorite guilty pleasure movie?
I’ve mentioned five of ’em here, but I should mention a classic guilty pleasure. That’d be Duel in the Sun. I mean Gregory Peck as a sexy scoundrel? Yes please!! 😉
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11. Favorite trailer?
This turns out to be the case of good trailer, not-so-good movie, but I really enjoy the trailer for the NINE musical with Daniel Day-Lewis. The Cloud Atlas trailer that’s recently released is gorgeous as well.
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Diana’s Questions:

1. What’s the song that you keep listening these days (the repeat curse)?
Well, I listen to classical radio and fortunately they don’t play the same music over and over. But not too long ago I was obsessed with Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap, apparently the lead singer is Indonesian and from the same region as my husband!
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2. The last film you saw in cinema? 3 words to describe it please.
Total Recall –Sleek, bland, empty.
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3. Childhood crush?
Christopher Reeve.
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4. Think of a soundtrack of a movie and tell me the best song from it, one that you still listen, years after you’ve seen the film.
Come What May from Moulin Rouge is one I can never get tired of.
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5. What’s that one genre of films that you usually don’t watch?
Horror.
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6. If you could adapt a book into a movie or miniseries, what would it be and why?
I’ve answered this above. Since Hollywood seems hot on Biblical epics again all of a sudden, I’d love to see the story of King Solomon, Job or Ruth get a faithful adaptation, perhaps as a miniseries with a bigger budget and a great ensemble cast.
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7. Tell me one actor/actress that you would be starstruck by (imagine you walk in a Starbucks and you see him/her 2 feet from you – possible reaction: eyes wide open, legs shaking, suddenly it’s hot in the room).
Well I have met such a person: Gerry Butler, and my reaction was pretty close to how you described it, ahah. Another actor I’d probably get weak in the knees for is Henry Cavill. That man is incredibly beautiful!!
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8. If you could recommend a book to your readers, what would it be and why?
I haven’t read too many books unfortunately, but I really like Love Walked In, an unconventional love story.
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9. How would you describe a perfect (or close to perfect) script? what are they key elements it should have?
Oh boy. I don’t know, I guess for me, I like a combination of suspense and heart-wrenching love story. I think the key element is unpredictability, which is a tricky one to pull off.
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10. Favorite British actor/actress?
I think it’s obvious from the above answer, no? Let’s just say most of my favorite actors are British 😀
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11. What did you have for lunch?
I love it, a non movie-related question. I had a Subway sandwich.
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Ruth’s Questions:

1. What is the first film you remember watching?
Same answer as above: Superman: The Movie.
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2. If you could pick one film composer to score your life, who would it be?
I’ve been loving Patrick Doyle’s work, so he’d be my first choice!
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3. On that note, how much of your music library contains film scores/soundtracks?
About 90% of them!
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4. Do you have a prized film poster on your wall? 
No. I’ve been wanting to get the Roman Holiday poster though.
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5. Film (as in 35 mm etc.) or digital? 
No preference to be honest, so long as it has a good story!
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6. Favourite foreign language film?
Paris Je t’aime
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7. Not including ‘director’ if you could have any type of role in creating a film, what would you like to do? (Writer, Producer, DOP, Sound Designer – even a production assistant if you like!)
Casting director, hands down!
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8. Desert Island Flicks – pick 5. Go!
I’ve done a post of ’em here.
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9. If you could only choose to watch either dramas, or comedy films for the rest of your life (and this includes black comedies), which would you choose?
Oh boy, I hope I’d never have to choose, but I probably would go with comedies.
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10. Favourite animated feature (or short, if you like)? 
I LOVE a lot of Pixar movies. My latest favorite is BRAVE.
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11. First film festival you ever attended (or wish you attend. I’ve only gone to my first this year).
TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) back in 2005 and I’ve been covering for the local Twin Cities Film Fest (TCFF) for the past two years. I’d LOVE to go to Sundance or Cannes one day.
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Anna’s Questions:

1. Any actors you show promise for?
The first time I saw Sophia Myles was in Jane Austen’s adaptation Mansfield Park many years ago. Though she only had a small part I thought she’s very talented, plus she looks like Kate Winslet. I’ve seen her in a few things since and was impressed with her acting. I hope she’d still get her big break in Hollywood in the coming years. 
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2. Anyone you’re hoping makes a comeback soon?
Michael Keaton and Brendan Fraser. I know they’re working in some stuff but I’m talking about a high-profile project with a decent director. I think they both are pretty underrated actors.
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Name someone in Hollywood you find overrated.
I’ve already said it here and I’m going to say it again: Brad Pitt. I don’t feel the need to explain why.
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What do you do apart from blogging and watching movies?
Um, well I have a full time job so that’s at least 40 hrs I spend at the office, ahah. Oh you mean in my spare time? Workout, spend time with hubby and friends, shopping, etc.
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What TV shows do you watch?
None at the moment, still hoping to catch up on BBC’s Sherlock season 2 at some point.
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Your most prized DVD?
My Gregory Peck collection 🙂
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Do you watch movies in theaters more or at home?
On average I probably watch more stuff at home as it gets to be expensive to go to the cinema every week.
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You have the chance to go back in time to see a film premiere. Which film would you see?
I’d love to travel back in time and go to ANY movie premiere of Gregory Peck, especially The Big Country so I might also run into Charlton Heston 🙂
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Dog or cat person?
Both. I used to have a cat and a dog when I was growing up and my dog actually ‘nursed’ on my orphaned kitten even though she had no milk! Yeah I know, it was bizarre!
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Whose movies have you seen the most of? (This can apply to actors and directors.)
Gerry Butler and Gregory Peck‘s, I haven’t counted exactly how many but probably two dozens of them. I’ve also seen about 20 of Christian Bale‘s movies.
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Name your guilty pleasure.
Already covered in Sati’s question above. Now, I’ve never mentioned this before, but I quite like cheesy action flicks like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Eraser and Wesley Snipes’ Passenger 57 🙂
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Iba’s Questions:   

1. LOTR or Harry Potter?
Well I owned the Lord of the Rings box set but no plans on buying the Harry Potter set, so that tells you which one I love most.
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2. What’s the longest you have waited in line for a movie?
It’d have to be Beowulf and Grendel as I waited in the rush lines for 3.5 hours in the rain at TIFF and was so worried I won’t be able to get in!! Fortunately I did get in and was able to meet Gerry Butler afterwards, so yeah it was well worth the wait!
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3. Have you ever fallen asleep in a film? If so, which one?
I never fell asleep but I did dozed off a bit watching The Bishop’s Wife, the one with Cary Grant. I must’ve been very tired.
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4. What was your first concert experience?
It might’ve been Tina Turner, I think I was in Jr High. It’s also the ONLY concert that I went with my extended family, including my grandma!
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5. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Scotland!! I’d LOVE to spend a month exploring all the cities: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Paisley, the Highlands… see where I’m getting at? 🙂
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6. Any hidden talent(s)?
Not exactly hidden but I used to create a comic-book of sort, well more like illustrated stories back in Jr. High. I might’ve made about 4-5 of them, they all have romances with suspense/thriller thrown in. It was quite popular that my classmates would take turns reading them.
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7. Subtitles: Yea or Nay?
Yea. No problem with them whatsoever.
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8. What book would you like to be seen made into a movie?
Already covered this above under Diana’s questions
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9. What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?
Say a thank you prayer to the Lord Almighty.
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10. Have you ever snuck into a film without paying for it?
Nope.
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11. What is your favorite silent film?
I haven’t watched too many of them other than Laurel & Hardy and some Chaplin stuff, so I’d say The Artist.
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Now the easy part… the nominations!

Well I guess not too easy as everyone seems to have been tagged for this award, but ah well, so they just have to answer more questions like I did, ahah.

  1. Josh @ Classicblanca
  2. Kristen @ Journeys in Classic Film
  3. Paula @ Paula’s Cinema Club
  4. Kristin @ All Eyes on Screen
  5. Samantha @ Banana Oil Movies
  6. Ronan @ Filmplicity
  7. Fernando @ Fernando Rafael Blog
  8. Mark @ Marked Movies
  9. Keith @ Keith and the Movies
  10. Alex @ Film Forager
  11. Raul @ The Movie Lounge

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My 11 Questions:

  1. Who’s your favorite movie actor who’s currently starring in a TV show?
  2. Could you date someone who does not love movies?
  3. What makes you want to have a movie blog?
  4. Which director/actor collaboration you’d like to see [it has to be people who have never worked together before]
  5. What dish are you good at making?
  6. Any encounter with a celebrity you care to share?
  7. Since the Olympics is still going on, what’s your favorite movie set in London?
  8. Which is your favorite movie writer [could be a journalist, novelist, etc.]
  9. Which do you prefer: sweltering heat vs. cool, rainy days?
  10. Favorite outfit/costume from a movie?
  11. Which actor/actress you initially detest but then slowly warming up to [feel free to reverse the question, that is an actor you initially love but now can’t stand]

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Sorry for the super long post! Thanks for reading guys, now you know a little [or a lot] more about yours truly 😀