Monday, March 12, 2007

First Love

Weekends and days off work are usually reserved for outings at the cinema with Charming Calvin and the gang. Has been a tradition of sorts of me since I was in white shirt and blue shorts rushing out of the school gates to catch that first trishaw from school to the nearest cinema hall for the early matinee.

Makes me sound old, doesn't it :)

Nothing could be as wildly contrasting with the movie we saw the day before than the one we saw today. Instead of a perfectly choreographed beautiful ballet of bloody carnage with dozens of gorgeous Greek gods battling evil overlords in 300 while testosterone-laced heavy metal rocks the screen, what we had was a simple tale of first love between a pair of budding tweens set in a typical Malaysian kampung while old-style keroncong plays in the background.

Yasmin Ahmad excels in telling sweet, heartwarming tales that hearken to simpler times ( while still laying hints on deeper sociopolitical undercurrents ) and she doesn't fail in her latest effort that tells the story of the love between her favourite It girl, feisty Orked and her besotted pre-adolescent beau who takes her on innocent dates filled with bicycle rides, tree climbing and kite flying. The simple tagline for this prolific lady's latest movie, Mukhsin is.. everyone has a first love story to tell.

Mukhsin
Mukhsin broods

Since my memory's never the best, my true first love's probably consigned to some ancient photo album that I've probably lost somewhere in my old closet. Though it might shock some, wouldn't surprise me if I actually had some well forgotten crush on the proverbial girl next door. I'm a peculiar sort after all. But the love that I recall best - especially since he's still a regular fixture in my life - would be my ISO.

My ISO : My first love? Sorry lah but I think you're the second.
Paul : What? Don't tell me it was one of the teachers!
My ISO : Eeewww! Please! I think I loved that monstrous toad we once shared... that is before you chopped the poor guy up in Biology.

Sure, he remembers Biology lessons best.

Can't remember ever playing hantu galah with him ( unlike Orked and Mukhsin ) but I know I once trounced him in rugby - yeah, I admit I can be a little rough sometimes. Never one to take it lying low, the man took his revenge though by beating me handily in badminton and tennis - which I suck badly since I have zero hand-to-eye coordination.

Better at contact sports after all :P

Doubt I could beat him at any of those games right now since the last time I handled a ball ( get yuir mind out of the gutter! :P ) was way back in school. Still I recall beating him up in Diablo not too long ago so there!

Like mine, my ISO's schedule is somewhat erratic which is why we usually end up meeting up at the oddest hours. Terribly unsociable hours and yet it's good to avoid the pressing crowds. And obviously one of the reasons why a dedicated 9-to-5-er like my Charming Calvin hasn't met him yet.

My ISO : What have you told him about me? Then again don't tell me, I don't wanna know. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's all lies!
Paul : And how would you describe yourself?
My ISO : I'm a sweet, gentle soul who writes bad poetry and helps little old ladies across the road?
Paul : Try another one.

The man told me that's how he wanted to be known so I conceded.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sure you knew how to handle the ball well, considering you had two to play with. =P

Dave said...

Yasmin Ahmad's Sepet and Gubra leaves me with deep thoughts. One of the rare M'sian gem that should be make a general release, compared to other crappy Malay flicks from M'sia.

And catch Pedro Almodovar's Volver 2 weekends ago with tiramisu ice cream. Think story of 6 women, some really sweet pastries and cookies, and the warmth among each other created by a highly acclaimed male director who understands women.

Anonymous said...

that's a coincidence.. i watched 300, then followed by mukhsin shortly after.. and i really enjoyed mukhsin, even though I loved the hunky half-naked men.

mukhsin is just a simple tale of love, but the magic that yasmin weaves.. is astounding.

William said...

Keep those crazy-exs away...

Anonymous said...

heh. First loves, huh? I hope to keep mine.

Anonymous said...

Your ISO was your high school sweetheart? You played rugby with him? What exciting rough-and-tumble!

Sounds like fun, these movie outings with Charming Calvin and gang... where and when is the next one? Perhaps I could come along?... :P

Allan Yap & Nigel A. Skelchy said...

Mukhsin was cool. Went to see it with connerkent. That hilarious moment when the bratty girl next door pointed out that he had something sticking up in his pocket after he was spying on Orked from the tree. It was such a double entendre! ;-) hehehe

savante said...

Yeah, I do shane :P Wanna try?

Volver! Yeah, I'm waiting for that to arrive here, dave - though I wondeer if it ever will!

GASP! We might have been in the same cinema, c!

Not easy doing so, william :P

Hope you manage that task, dan!

Yeah, he was. But not really high school sweeties... didn't do anything wild in high school at all, allvin.

I know! I was stunned, nigel! Such a suggestive scene!

Paul

阿佐 said...

havent been here for a while. Not realy convenient to view your blog in the office (my gosh those sexy pics...)hehe.

i enjoyed Mukhsin too, much of the time i was actually laughing in tears. though its my 2nd time watching it.

by the way i told Yasmin about your comments on Mukhsin :-)

joshua p