Magazine: Solusi Isu 34: Isu Khas Ramadan & Syawal 2011

As you know, I have never ever review a magazine issue. Why? obviously, I can’t cover the the whole thing in one post. Plus the regularity is another factor. So why am I featuring this magazine? Well I did promise on giving a feature on Ramadan and I have yet to produce any. *gasps* I had a really hectic, busy and stuffy past 3 weeks. Not to forget, my isp decided to have a PMS, that I staying online was a pain in the ass.

Anyhoo….This magazine is Malaysia-based, and I think it’s  a monthly publication.. I’m not sure. One of the teachers at work actually donate this magazine to the school library I work at, hence I don’t really get how frequent this one put out. What drawn me to this edition is thea article called ‘A-Z Tentang Puasa’. It provided a page full of what I called a cliff notes on:

♠ Definition
♠ Types of fasting (Wajib, Sunat, Haram, Makruh)
♠ Syarat Wajib
♠ Syarat Sah Puasa
♠ Rukun Puasa
♠ Sunat Puasa
♠ Perkara yang membatalkan Puasa
♠ Mereka yang diizinkan Berbuka

There are other interesting articles, and the Ramadan time table, provided at the end. Check it out =^_^=

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Review Movie Sunday: Khurafat (Malaysia)

Khurafat
(Malaysia, 2011) – PG13

Release Date: 13th January 2011
Language: Malay
Running time: 80 Mins
Genre: Horror
Director: Syamsul Yusof
Cast: Syamsul Yusof, Nur Huda, Fauziah Nawi, Salina Saibi, Sabrina Ali
Local Distributor: Skop Production

Khurafat" begins with Johan (Syamsul Yusof), a young man working as an assistant in a government hospital. He is a married man who has a wife named Aishah (Liyana Jasmay). The newlyweds are leading a peaceful life when suddenly they find themselves besieged by a weird creature. The presence of a mysterious old woman, together with the sudden emergence of Johan's ex-girlfriend Anna (Sabrina Ali) add to the mystery. Anna is always disturbing Johan even though she knows Johan is now with Aishah.

Verdict: Disappointment. I expected better. MUCH BETTER!

*Warning of harsh Review ahead due to disappointment*

Yes, I have finally watched Khurafat! I actually hold off from watching this due to the trailer of people scared shitless watching this for a long time. Not to forget the news of them going hysterical watching it. I’m a horror fan but I need to suck it my guts before sitting down with this one.

All the hype, all the suspense, all the suppose scare the shit out of you, to me that is a whole “WHAT A BUNCH OF CROAK” reviews! Yes! I am frowning! I AM FROWNING at whoever that had mention this is a bad ass freaking scary movie, and all the hysteria of people watching this movie is just a waste of my time that I can’t get it back ever… EVER!

I spent like 1/2 way throughout the movie, blinking… thinking when the movie is about to start. Where’s the scare? Where’s the part where I am suppose to react like the ones shown in their trailer that involved early viewers of the movie? I felt dupe. I have watched better ghost movies from Indonesia and they have BAD special effects! But their story lines are far scarier than this one! 

***Spoiler***

Ok sure, I admit, the twist was good. I really thought the EX did it but that was about it.  Gloomy scenes was naturally haunting, and that’s about it. The movie isn’t that good to actually keep me up all night after watching it. More of a blah! I love Fauziah Nawi, and I love watching whatever she’s in, but I feel so sorry she was stuck in this one. Nice effort but Syamsul need to get his next horror movie a lot of creative juice running before getting making a new horror movie. The trailer was far scarier than the movie itself.

Meh! Sorry… I can’t even give it a 'Spade Rating’.. Sorry…

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Book Review: Buyungku Hanyut; by; Abd. Ghaffar Aris

Buyungku Hanyut
by; Abd Ghaffar Aris

language } malay
genre } children, readers
rating } 8 yrs +
date released } 1996
edition } Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd.
isbn } 9766536083
acquisition } work library

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Melur lives with her step-mother, Mak Embun and her step-sister Kembang. Melur does every chore in the house as her step family abused her. Once day, they wish to kick Melur out of the house but has no idea how until one day they came up with a plan.

Quote:
Melur pun berlari-lari ke hilir sungai.
Dia menyeru ibunya:
   Mak-mak, buyungku hanyut,
   turut dayang turut,
   makin turut, semakin jauh

Why did i pick it up?
I was cataloging and waiting for the system to get ready

My 2 ¢ ♠♠♠♠♠

This is another typical Cinderella sort of story. It’s an easy short story to read for the kids that could run for an easy 30 minutes class.  It’s a morale tale of do good deeds and receive good rewards.  Do other wise, and get likewise. Cute beautiful duo-tone illustrations an pretty much a straight forward easy understanding of the book itself

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Movie Review: Magika (KRU – Malaysia)

Magika (Musical)
Rating: ♠♠♠♠♠
Based on Mythology & Malay Legend
Directed by Edry Abdul Halim (KRU)
Starring: Mawi AF5, Diana Danielle, Fimie, Saiful Apek & Senario original, Ziana Zain, Maya Karin, M. Nasir, Raja Azura, Ning Baizura, Sharifah Amani, Sharifah Aleya, Norman Hakim, KRU, Nabil, Adbah Noor, Aznil Nawawi

From KRU Studios

Ayu and Malik, two sibblings is going through their darkest moments of life when their beloved mother just passed away. Malik feels so depressed believing he was the main cause of his mother’s death. During one of the evenings after a fight with his sister, Malik left to take a stroll in the forest. On and on he went until he realised he was lost and the next very moment, he appeared in another dimension called Magika.

Not only had he gotten himself lost, he was captured by a Nenek Kebayan and her follower, Awang Kenit. He is now subjected to be used as an experiment by the Nenek Kebayan to produce Essence of Youth made of human child’s tears. Upon hearing Malik’s cries for help, Ayu rushed to help her brother and she too is sucked in the Magika mystical land.

Ayu had to endure various types of challenges and obstacles in finding and to save her brother in her journey in the Magika world. And so begins the encounters of both the siblings with famous Malay heroes and myths like Badang, Dragon of Tasik Chini, Nenek Kebayan, Puteri Bunian, Pak Pandir, Hang Tuah and the Warriors of Melaka, Puteri Gunung Ledang, Bawang Putih and a lot more characters. The irony of it, all these characters actually sing in their conversation with each other!

Will Ayu be able to rescue Malik and leave the mystical land of Magika? What happens to Badang, Nenek Kebayan and other characters in Magika? Will Malik be able to overcome his dilemma over his mother’s death? Come and watch Magika the movie which is destined to be a phenomenal in the local filming industry while already setting a record to be the first local musical movie and it will be reaching our cinemas in 2010.

I have hold off from watching this movie for a bit while because I do not wish to get dragged in all the hype it is causing. Of course, I got rather curious after hearing it was getting awards after awards even before it reached the mass audience.  Yes.. It is kind of taking example from the movie “The 10th Kingdom”, but hey, I don’t really care about that, at least they are trying to revive and keep the old legends and mythology alive throughout the years. I actually know people who picked up books regarding characters within this movie, just to know their origins. Edry has done quite a masterpiece to this movie. awesome soundtrack and a completely great script in interweaving the literature together into this movie.



Storywise: This movie actually begins with the taboo of playing during sunset,… or you might be kidnapped by “ghosts”.. not exactly ghosts, probably suited if I called them some sort of fairies and some other Paranormal beings. It started fast but what actually keep me watching is to answer the mysteries of “Who is the mother?” and “Why is Malik a brat?” other than it is a great watch.

I’m pretty much emo when I was watching this. I was cursing the hell out of Malik, for being a jackass unappreciative little brat, regardless being a tearful kid.  That’s my summed up for that Malik character. He however made it up later in the movie.

I like to share a few memorable scenes with you guys and these actually popped up to me:

There’s this moment in the movie with Ayu encounter with the Orang Minyak:
Orang Minyak: Kecik ni? *points somewhere in the groin area*
Ayu: uh huh kecik tu. Nampak?
Orang Minyak: Dulu Kecik, sekarang dah Besar
Ayu: Besar? *with this cute innocent clueless look*

I’m not criticizing, but only people who knows the story would understand what exactly is the interaction about. Suppose to be very um.. dirty *laughs*

Does this one makes you want to look for a book regarding it?
Badang (Mawi AF5): Menurut cerita, Naga Seri Gumum ni…tak apalah

I love the cgi with Maya Karin (there are 10ths of her) and the Dragon transforming M. Nasir. That was actually one of the smoothest transformation I have ever watched. That itself is a bravo!



Beautiful colors, beautiful scenery, catchy songs that hooked you from the start. I actually know them by heart after just one watch *tongue in cheek*.

I also like to dub this as the “superstars movie”. All the big names in the entertainment industry are in this movie and it kinda tickles me, they actually hired M. Nasir as the Keeper of Lake Chini. To all of my out of South East Asia friends and readers. N. Nasir is one of the top most big respectable names in the entertainment industry in this part of the world.

Then, there’s Ziana Zain. Her part in this movie will overshadow her past movie parts. *lol* I mean it! That Nenek Kebayan character overshadows everythign else she had done prior to that. :P 

Ning Baizura did an awesome number as an old Puteri Gunung Ledang. 

By casting the Sharifah sisters, Edry has shown the daughters of Cikgu Fatimah could actually sing and not just being her daughters other than just actors..



There’s no big parts in this movie, just small parts that are efficiently done. I don’t fancy much musicals but this has manage to be one of my favorite movie. Not bad, for Edry’s  movie debut. I’m actually looking forward in watching his next movie.

Some of the Mythology & Legendary characters included:
• Pak Pandir & Mak Andeh
• Puteri Bunian
• Nenek Kebayan
• Mahsuri (I’m sorry I can’t get rid of that Ping Pong from my head lol, as well as her flopping in the back drop)
• Hang Tuah & Friends
• Badang
• Puteri Gunung Ledang
•  Orang Minyak
• Bawang Putih, Bawang Merah
• Pak Belalang
• Dragon of Lake Chini

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Review: 100 Keajaiban di Dunia; Muhammad Miqdad

100 Keajaiban di Dunia
by; Muhammad Miqdad

genre } non-fiction | Islam | paranormal | supernatural
date released } 2008
edition } Penerbitan Seribu Dinar Sdn Bhd (246 Pages)
ISBN } 978-9833247936
acquisition } bought
purchase @ } 1st Choice Books @ International Book Fair, Brunei
language } malay

Semakin tuanya dunia ini, semakin banyak kisah aneh dan ajaib telah berlaku yang tidak akan dijangkakan oleh pemikiran manusia. Buku yang menghimpunkkan sebahagian daripada kejadian aneh dan ajaib ini menunjukkan kekuasaan Maha Pencipta ke atas seluruh kehidupan di alam dunia ini.

Rakaman dan catatan yang dimuatkan sebagai bukti kepada keajaiban yang berlaku bukan ada campur tangan dari usaha manusia malah ia benar-benar berlaku kehendak Allah SWT.

Maka bukti ini sudah pasti memperlihatkan kebenaran yang selama ini banyak di kalangan manusia tercari-cari atau menafikan apa yang berlaku ke atas kehidupan di atas dunia ini.

Kebenaran itu hanya datang dari Allah SWT dan kepalsuan itu adalah dari manusia yang lemah dan daif.

- Penerbit

Quote

Bulan september 2006, di sebuah kampung di kepala Batas, Seberang Perai Utara telah dikejutkan dengan kemunculan kejadian aneh, iatu pokok pinang berwajah manusia menggerunkan.

Why exactly I picked out this book?

I was in book heaven (it was a book fair & I feel like a kid in a candy store), I found this book by chance and I got curious when I saw there's a picture of a humanoid face on a tree in the cover.

My 2 ¢ ♠♠♠

Book Cover. Great appealing cover. I got suck in by the face thing, a picture of the back of the hand coincide with the Jawi words of Allah and of course, something looks like there's smoke coming out of somewhere.

Aiyaya yaya.. what have I bought! Oh man.. seriously. Let me translate the title for you: 100 Wonders in the World. I was actually expecting something else! This book is full of mostly pictures of strange paranormal & supernatural things. And some of them have been proven to be hoaxes. I just wish the author of this book did his homework about some of the things he had included in here because, it is embarrassing to actually read the chapters of what has been proven to be hoaxes.

The first part of the book, is called "Bukti-bukti Kebenaran untuk Mereka yang berfikir". (Proof of the truth for the ones who can think). Second part is called "Bukti-bukti Kebenaran untuk Mereka yang Mempunyai Hati" (Proof for whoever has a heart). This is where you see pictures of clouds, the tsunami, stones, body parts, nature, resembling the word Allah. the miracle of unaffected mosques during devastating natural disasters. The one that attracts my curiosity is the floating rock (where exactly is that from?)

Third chapter is "Tanda-tanda Kebenaran yang Menambah Iman dan Takwa." (True points to increase faith). This chapter is actually interesting since Islam & the science collide. They compliment each other in this chapter from the human chromosomes to the universe, Noah's ark, fire demons, origins of the Hajar al-Aswad, etc there's even a sub chapter regarding the Quran wavelength.

Chapter four is "Makhluk Ghaib dan Misteri Selain Manusia Wujud di Mana-mana" (Supernatural creatures and mysteries, other than human exists everywhere). Yup... ghost, demons, and whatever in between. Scary.. but yeah.. this chapter I won't be able to read in the middle of the night =X

Bottomline, this book is full of interesting pictures and articles. Some are disappointing, some are awing and teh pictures are just colorful eye treats.

Librarian Muse

Umm.. Well...honestly.. I won't add this into any of the school library due to some of what I've said about it above. This would interest any leisure readers out there.

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