GUBRA HABIS

James: So are you coming to my play?

Me: No, I am watching Gubra tonight.

James: You chose Gubra over my play??

Me: Yasmin Ahmad is famous. You are not. Hahahah!!

It has been sometime since I went to the cinema. The last movie I watched on the cinema was probably Nanny McFee, which was also a complimentary ticket from WY. It has become a habit that I will not pay for any movies since I am getting freebies for sometime now. The outcome of this – I might miss a few damn good movies because of my cheapo attitude. Haha! Oh well.

I didn’t let my cheapo attitude get in my way for Gubra. Having watched Sepet and loved it, it is proper to follow the continuation of story of Orked, since the passing of Jason in Sepet (or did he die??). I watched it in KLCC with Ann and Yuin, paying RM11 per ticket. For friends who never support local films, they will never understand this. I watch Gubra, because (1) I am patriotic and (2) I love Yasmin Ahmad!

The story line is a bit “kelam kabut” (hence the movie title – Gubra – how do you pronounce it? Gabra or Goobra?), but it is still peppered with generous doses of typical Malaysian humour. I still find it very charming to have Jason’s mother muttering to the father, Mr Lee Kwan Yu (hahahahahhaa!!!!) in baba language while the Mr KY Lee kept on complaining in Cantonese. He is a damn good whiner. He should win an award for his portrayal as the disgruntled, crippled and jobless Cina Kui.

Nevertheless, I loved it. It is a feel good movie and it had me in stitches since the beginning of the movie. If you are a foreigner and watching it, you probably might not understand it - why we find it funny when someone commented that Pak Bilal’s hair is wet, or why some non-Muslim men had “cheese” on their groins, how everyone gasped when Pak Bilal patted a three-legged dog, lying on the road, the use of the word “sotong”, etc. ( I know lah – we all damn hamsap).

The crowd watching the movie with us were a mixture of locals and foreigners. The cinema was not even half full, I guess must be because we were watching it rather late. We were the only Chinese there. Mostly were Malays and surprisingly quite a number of foreigners. Everyone must have heard of Sepet to come here to watch the sequel.

We were very surprised that the censorship board did not censor certain parts which we consider rather sensitive. I guess Yasmin did a great job, highlighting the blatant racial issues in the subtlest way. I, too believe, that Malaysia is a nicer place to live in with the many races co-existed harmoniously. How I wish everyone would feel the same. We co-existed symbiotically – what we are good at, we share. What we are not good at, we learn from others. Malaysia has a lot to offer if everyone realize their parts and play their roles well, rather than worrying who is getting the bigger share. Well, if only greed do not exists....

Some of the audiences were shocked to see Pak Bilal’s wife being rather playful. There was a scene where the wife was mischievous, even when she was donning the prayer cloak, which made some of the audiences cringed and expressed disgust.

To us, we feel that, the pious Pak Bilal, apart from being a man who fears God, he is also merely a human. We have our own ways in expressing our love and feelings to others and I guess we just have to accept it. What might not be a norm to other families, not necessarily is not a norm to other families. So – mind your own business!!

I never felt so good after watching a local movie since P.Ramlee’s and Sepet, for that matter. So, better make sure don’t miss this one, folks!

Ikan Tenggiri, Ikan Yu,
Jaga diri, I love you!

(The hospital attendant's love letter to the chubby maid)