Fangirl Friday: Aquaman (movie)

Nearly 80 years after the King of the Seven Seas was introduced by DC Comics, the most underrated superhero that nobody even talked about him—finally gets his own movie. Directed by James Wan and featuring Hawaiian-born actor Jason Momoa as the titular character, Aquaman is the first underwater superhero movie to the genre. I had been waiting for this movie pretty much since it was announced many, many years ago and I was so excited to see Aquaman on the first day it was released. Some of the opinions presented in this post may be slightly biased because why not, today is Fangirl Friday!

Aquaman basically tells the origin story of Arthur Curry, the son of the queen of Atlantis (Atlanna) and a lighthouse keeper (Tom Curry), from his birth to become King of Atlantis. The movie opens with Atlanna running away from an arranged marriage to Orvax Mauris and leaving Atlantis for the surface world. On a dark and stormy night, Tom discovers the queen washed up on the rocky shore and helps her to recover. The following months after meeting, the two fall in love and Atlanna becomes pregnant with their son, Arthur. Shortly after Arthur's birth, Atlantean soldiers attack the lighthouse and drag Atlanna back to Atlantis.  Later that day, Atlanna voluntarily returns to Atlantis in order to keep her family safe. She promises Tom that she will return to him one day. After that no one really knows what happens to her.

Growing up on land, Arthur always feels like he never quite fit into two different worlds. He is only half-Atlantean, but Arthur inherits various incredible powers and abilities from his mother. He is secretly taught and trained in Atlantean ways by mentor Nuidis Vulko, his mother's loyal adviser. Arthur later finds out from Vulko that Atlanna has been sacrificed to the Trench after King Orvax discovered the truth about him. Getting rejected by the Atlanteans for being a half-breed, Arthur shows no interest in visiting Atlantis, although he is always the rightful heir to the throne of the legendary underwater kingdom.

Fast forward to present day after the events of Justice League, adult Arthur is now becoming protector of the deep. People call him Aquaman. He protects the oceans and helps everyone in trouble at sea. One day, he fights a gang of high-tech pirates lead by a father/son duo (Jesse and David Kane) attempting to hijack a submarine. This scene sets up  the secondary conflict of Aquaman, which reveals Black Manta's origin story and the reason for his deep hatred towards Arthur.

Meanwhile, in Atlantis, Arthur's fully Atlantean half-brother (King Orm) is trying to unite the seven kingdoms of the sea and declare a war between Atlantis and land dwellers (that's us) which have been ruining and polluting the oceans for too long. In response, princess of the underwater kingdom of Xebel (Mera) comes seeking help from Arthur to prevent the coming war. She also confronts him on his responsibility to protect both humans and Atlanteans, and claim the throne of Atlantis. It takes some time, and after some reluctance, Arthur eventually decides to pursue his rightful place in Atlantis and save humanity. The journey then begins.

Aquaman is a somewhat classic tale of coming home, sibling rivalry, legends, and myths. Greatly influenced by the New 52 Aquaman series, it follows the comics very closely: the origin story of Aquaman, introduction of Black Manta, the trench sequence, the ancient history of Atlantis, and the classic characters costumes.

The oceanic superhero adventure features non-stop action with themes revolving around family, and of course, romance. Here we get two love stories for the price of one, what more could a lover of romance ask for? Both of them are engaging and delightful in their own way. However, Aquaman is not all about romantic story between two lovers. It is more focused on a broad concept of love: family love—including Arthur with his half-brother King Orm, Mera and his father King Nereus, David Kane with his father Jesse Kane, and Arthur with his mother Atlanna. It is no secret that family, specially mothers (let's say the two Marthas, Hippolyta) are such an important part of the DCEU and as you would expect, Aquaman's mother plays a key role in the story and the development of the characters as well.

Talking about characters, what would Arthur be without Mera and Atlanna? Though he is the central character of the movie, this is definitely not a one-man show. The two female characters are strong, independent, and awesome in their own right. They are their own hero; the epitome of everything a woman and a lady should be. Meanwhile, the villains are not cliché and pretty well-developed in all aspects. Their motives are reasonable and easy to follow. The other supporting characters are very interesting and pleasantly incorporated into the story. Even each character gets the right amount of time to shine and stand out. In addition to Jason Momoa, Aquaman features some of the most talented actors who are active in the industry today; including Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Dolph Lundgren, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

Aside from the star-studded cast, this movie is filled with epic thrilling action sequences that are completely new not only to the superhero genre, but all of cinema. Due to its setting, Aquaman is different from most DC movies which are quite dark and edgy in tone. This one takes place predominantly deep underwater and presents a different world under the ocean we haven't seen before. It employs some truly spectacular special effects, stunning cinematography and solid direction. All thanks to James Wan who has brought Atlantis to life on the big screen. It looks purely magical, colorful and vibrant. Visually breathtaking and mind-blowing from start to finish. The sea creatures and monsters are just beyond extraordinary. Wan, who is better known as a "horror movie maestro", also brings out a little touch of horror with the Trench creatures, some jump scares and surprise explosions.

And it's not all underwater, Aquaman takes us on the surface from the Sahara desert and to Sicily, then back to Atlantis to keep the story moving forward. There is a major plot twist in the second third of the movie and it plays a big time towards the end. Aquaman certainly comes with lots of pretty funny moments and genuine humor, but also offers very emotional and touching scenes at times. The ending even brings tears to my eyes every single time. Yup.. I'm soft. Sometimes great movies make me cry. The best part of the whole movie is without a doubt the final battle scene. It's just so wow.

Having said that, not everything is perfect. For instance, the dialogue is somehow quite dramatic and corny. Some parts of the movie look a bit cartoonish at times, especially the action scenes. May be it's just me, but I think Mera is overacting when she uses her powers and it just kind of annoys me. Still, I'd much rather see overacting than underacting. The story itself is kind of predictable, but is done so expertly that it doesn't matter. Other than that, I don't have more complaints. Aquaman is a breath of fresh sea air for DCEU.

Wait.

As a professional fangirl, I think Momoa's portrayal of the titular Aquaman deserves an appreciation paragraph for everything. Long haired, bearded, muscular and tattooed (what else?) Arthur in his classic orange-and-green Atlantean armored suit.. Pretty badass! Yes, the suit looks straight out of the comics and it's uber cool. You can't make Aquaman jokes anymore. Momoa's cheerful yet macho personality makes the character easier to relate to and it's his nature that makes him perfect for his Aquaman role. That's why I want to thank God everyday for creating Jason Momoa on this planet Earth. For his long dark luscious hair, his full glorious beard and his magnificent beauty. Aquaman now becomes everyone's favorite underwater superhero. No reason needed.

Speaking of scores, the soundtrack in this movie is on point (not counting that Pittbull song, sorry). “Kingdom of Atlantis” by R Gregson-Williams and “Everything I Need” by Skylar Grey are my favorites. Her voice is that of an angel. When I first heard the song start playing, I instantly fell in love with it. I got chills. It was growing on me. And finally they released it, today.

This is literally a song from Mera to Arthur and whenever I listen to this song, it draws me back to the world of Atlantis. By the way, I still can’t get over the fact that they use one of my favorite Sigur Rós song—Sæglópur—at the beginning of Aquaman. I was crying like a baby. It's so beautiful. Oh, that lighthouse dock. Reminiscing all those romantic scenes. This all gets me super emotional  

Last but not least, the movie is also sending a warm and powerful message about the Earth we live in today, more particularly the oceans. Besides the rivalry with Arthur, the main reason Orm is coming for the land is because of marine pollution. It is probably not the first time we get to meet an "environmentalist villain" in a movie. Orm is possibly right and not really evil at all. He tries to help his people, but goes about it the wrong way. I like the idea when a superhero movie addresses environmental concerns although it leaves the conflict unresolved. I wonder if the ocean could speak, what it would say? It is time for us (the surface dwellers) to act to protect our oceans and marine life now. Stop polluting it, help clean it and keep it clean. If it is not us who are willing to change, then who is?

Aquaman is one of the best, if not the best, DC movies ever made. James Wan never could've done it better. Actually don't want to spoil anything, but you shouldn't miss this opportunity to be into the journey. It's fun and entertaining. Billion dollar club, here we come!

I'm so in love with the suit!

Hail King Arthur, long live the king!

** All gifs are taken from Aquaman trailer videos

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Beauty Thursday: The Saem 99% Jeju Fresh Aloe Soothing Gel

It is dry season here and the weather is insanely hot for a couple of months. The sunlight is intense outside even high SPF sunscreen can't save me. As a result, I get sunburned badly for just walking on the street or during a long ride. My skin turns really red and sore, then cracks and slowly peels. It's not fun at all. Unable to bear severe itchy skin, so about four months ago, I decided to try aloe gel once more. I once had a bad experience with aloe gel from another brand, but that was year ago and didn't know if there was any better products out there. After checking out many aloe gels available in the market, my choice went to The Saem 99% Jeju Fresh Aloe Soothing Gel.

This is pretty much an all-purpose gel that can be used for face, hair, and body in many ways. As soon as it goes on the skin, it has an immediate cooling effect and absorbs quickly into it without leaving any sticky feeling thereafter. The smell is heavenly, refreshing and not overpowering. This stuff is such a lifesaver! It definitely does what it needs to do. It eases the pain of my sunburn like nothing else has. Not only does it soothe my skin, but it relieves the itching as well. This aloe gel, unlike the previous one I used, doesn't dry out and sting my skin. Sometimes I apply a thin layer as a light moisturizer before sunscreen and makeup, or a thick layer as a sleeping mask overnight. Aside from after-sun care, it can treat various types of burn too. I have used this when I get a chemical burn from using skin care products that contain acids, and it works wonders. I also like to put this on after waxing or shaving to reduce irritation from razor burn. It is packed full of natural extract ingredients and doesn't contain any harmful chemical for skin.

While it's perfect for skin relaxing, it doesn't help that much with acne. As soothing gel, this product is not meant to be used as a stand-alone moisturizer. However, for everyday use, this stuff is very nice. I don't experience any breakouts or dryness from using this. I'm on my second jar now and I will continue to repurchase in the future. It is also available in the same size tube, which makes it more hygienic and travel friendly. Overall, this is a product that I think everyone should have and recommend this to all-skin type.

Notes: Make sure that you are purchasing authentic Korean beauty products from official stores or authorized distributors. Please be aware that buying beauty products online from unauthorized sellers should be done with caution. If it is extremely cheap (and not on sale), this could be a sign that the product is fake.

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Friday, November 2, 2018

I have been questioning my life for such a very long time.. The question I have is not if life is worth living, because it is, but am I worth living?

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Mudahnya Menanam Cabai Pelangi Razzamatazz

Hai, semua!

Kebetulan beberapa hari yang lalu ada yang bertanya apakah saya masih memiliki bibit cabai pelangi atau tidak. Sayang sekali, tapi sudah satu tahun belakangan ini saya tidak menanam cabai lagi. Bicara soal cabai pelangi, saya pun jadi teringat dengan artikel ini deh, sayang kalau hanya bertahun-tahun teronggok dalam draf. Jadi, tahun 2015 silam, penjualan benih cabai unik dan hias secara online benar-benar marak dan menjamur di tengah masyarakat. Mulai dari cabai berwarna pelangi, hitam, dan cabai dengan bentuk-bentuk aneh lainnya. Penasaran akut dengan bagaimana rupanya, saya tak mau ketinggalan dong untuk ikutan menanam cabai hias di rumah. Akhirnya saya pun memesan berbagai jenis benih cabai unik dari beberapa penjual. Dari sekian banyak cabai yang dicoba untuk ditanam, salah satu yang berhasil tumbuh besar adalah cabai razzamatazz.

Sekilas mengenai cabai ini, razzamatazz adalah varietas cabai dalam genus Capsicum dengan nama ilmiah Capsicum annuum longum group. Sebagai tanaman menahun (perennial plant), varietas ini dapat bertahan hingga lebih dari dua tahun. Razzamatazz memiliki tipe pertumbuhan pendek (dwarf) dengan tinggi sekitar 30-50 cm sehingga ideal untuk ditanam dalam pot atau polybag. Tanaman ini menghasilkan buah yang produktif, cabainya tumbuh menjulang menghadap langit dan berdiri tegak pada tangkainya. Buahnya berwarna-warni dengan warna menyesuaikan tingkat kematangan dari cabai tersebut. Warnanya akan berubah dari ungu tua saat muda lalu menjadi merah menyala ketika masak. Begitu pula dengan tingkat kepedasannya yang  akan semakin meningkat.

Bagi saya, cara menanam cabai razzamatazz sama saja seperti menanam cabai pada umumnya. Mengikuti beberapa saran agar benih direndam dulu sebelum disemai, maka saya rendam benih cabai tersebut selama dua belas jam dalam air irisan bawang merah. Untuk penyemaian, saya hanya menggunakan media tanam siap pakai agar tidak repot dipindah saat sudah berkecambah, lalu pesemaian tersebut langsung diletakkan di tempat yang terkena sinar matahari penuh. Boleh juga menggunakan metode penyemaian dengan media rockwool dan tissue atau kain yang dibasahi. Tidak masalah, kok. Dalam kurun tiga hari (biasanya lima hari hingga dua minggu), benih yang ditanam sudah berkecambah. Bibit cabai siap pindah tanam dari pesemaian ke pot atau tanah pada usia 14 hari atau bila tanaman telah berdaun 2-4 helai dengan tinggi 10 cm. Jangan sampai terlambat dipindah tanamkan karena dapat menghambat pertumbuhan dan produktivitas tanaman cabai itu sendiri. Persiapan media tanam sangat penting sekali terhadap pertumbuhan tanaman cabai. Media tanam yang saya pakai adalah campuran tanah gembur, sekam, dan pupuk kandang. Diameter pot yang digunakan sebesar 30 cm untuk satu tanaman cabai. Hingga tahap ini, saya belum menggunakan pupuk kimia.

Bibit usia tiga hari: batang dan daun tanaman razzamataz terlihat lebih gelap cenderung ungu dibandingkan dengan tanaman cabai lainnya 

Memasuki usia satu bulan, baik pupuk organik maupun kimia dapat mulai diberikan. Bila boleh jujur, saya sendiri kurang menyukai penggunaan NPK dan lebih memilih menggunakan pupuk guano sebagai pupuk lepas lambat setiap dua minggu sekali. Kompos dan pupuk kandang dapat ditambahkan setiap satu bulan sekali. Untuk pupuk kimia, saya mengaplikasikan pupuk daun setiap dua minggu sekali. Pemberian zat pengatur tumbuh juga dapat diberikan setiap dua minggu sekali untuk merangsang munculnya bunga dan buah. Tentu saja, semua pupuk harus diberikan secukupnya dan sesuai dosis yang dianjurkan karena jika tidak, tanaman cabai akan layu dan kemudian mati.

Kelopak bunga razzamatazz berwarna ungu

Saat usia dua bulan, tanaman cabai razzamatazz akan mulai berbunga, meski awalnya akan lebih sering rontok dengan sendirinya. Seperti kebanyakan cabai pelangi, razzamatazz juga memiliki bunga berwarna ungu muda. Unik, ya? Kalau cabai sudah siap berbuah, jangan lupa untuk pasang ajir yang kecil saja supaya membantu menopang tegaknya tanaman. Biasanya tanaman cabai akan berbuah pada usia tiga bulan. Buah cabai razzamatazz akan mengalami perubahan warna, yakni ungu tua-ungu muda-kuning-jingga-merah. Lantas bila cabai sudah berubah merah dan matang, apakah razzamatazz bisa dikonsumsi selayaknya cabai biasa? Tentu bisa dong, baik dalam kondisi mentah maupun dimasak. Menurut laman web salah satu produsen benih razzamatazz di Inggris, Mr. Fothergill's, cabai ini merupakan sumber vitamin C, antioksidan dan serat yang sangat baik. Dengan tingkat kepedasan menengah, kita dapat menambahkan razzamatazz ke dalam masakan untuk menambah cita rasa pedas dan warna pada salad, misalnya. Konsumsilah secara bijak, jangan berlebihan. Namun, saya pribadi kurang menyukai tekstur dan rasa dari razzamatazz ini. Sebagai seorang penikmat cabai, saya rasa razzamatazz lebih baik dijadikan sebagai cabai ornamental saja deh ketimbang untuk dikonsumsi bersama gorengan atau dibuat sambal. Haha.

Cabai-cabai bermunculan!

Razzamatazz mampu bertahan dalam kondisi  cuaca buruk. Cabai ini sangat menyenangi sinar matahari penuh dan tidak pernah berhenti berbuah sepanjang musim panas. Pemangkasan tidak begitu diperlukan karena cabai ini termasuk tipe pendek dan rimbun. Boleh saja dilakukan pangkas tunas agar tanaman cabai tumbuh dan berbuah lebih lebat. Sama seperti tanaman cabai lainnya, razzamatazz juga banyak membutuhkan air, tapi tidak boleh berlebihan. Terlebih lagi, media tanam cabai sangat mudah sekali kering pada musim panas sehingga dapat menyebabkan daun layu dan rontok. Oleh karena itu, penyiraman dapat dilakukan sebanyak dua kali sehari (pagi dan sore hari), kecuali saat hujan. Bila musim hujan datang (off season), produksi razzamatazz akan mengalami penurunan.

Beryukurlah kita hidup di negara beriklim tropis, menanam cabai pun menjadi lebih mudah dibanding negara empat musim sehingga tanaman cabai tidak perlu melewati fase dorman. Cabai pun dapat dipanen dan dinikmati kecantikannya sepanjang tahun. Razzamatazz dapat hidup menahun sehingga perakarannya pun berkembang dan menjadi semakin kuat. Kadang hingga tidak ada ruang tersisa lagi bagi media tanam dalam pot. Pada saat inilah, mengganti pot dengan ukuran yang lebih besar dan penambahan media tanam sangat dianjurkan.

Usia enam bulan

Yang paling menyebalkan dari menanam cabai tentu saja serangan hama! Kutu kebul dan tanaman cabai sepertinya adalah dua hal yang tidak dapat terpisahkan deh. Namun, menurut saya razzamatazz ini patut diacungi jempol loh, sebab cukup tahan dari serangan kutu kebul yang menyerang tanaman cabai lain di sekitarnya. Penggunaan insektisida pun jarang sekali, sedangkan fungisida dapat dikocor di sekitar perakaran setiap satu bulan sekali. Tidak banyak masalah yang ditemukan selama menanam razzamatazz, kecuali pasukan semut yang bersarang dan bertelur di dalam media tanam. Biasa deh, problematika tabulampot.

Cukup berwarna, ya!

Dalam pot, tanaman razzamatazz dapat bertahan hingga dua tahun lebih sebelum akhirnya terbengkalai dan produktivitasnya ikut menurun drastis. Razzamatazz adalah cabai pelangi yang saya rekomendasikan untuk ditanam oleh pemula karena perawatannya yang mudah dan tidak rewel. Tanaman cabai pelangi berbagai varietas umumnya dijual dengan kisaran harga 30.000 hingga 80.000 rupiah. Biasanya di pameran flona yang digelar tiap tahun, cabai hias dan unik banyak diminati dan dicari kaum ibu rumah tangga. Memang sangat cantik untuk ditaruh di pelataran rumah. Akan membuat setiap orang yang melihatnya berdecak kagum dan memuji keindahannya.

Sebenarnya, razzamatazz bukanlah cabai hias pertama yang saya tanam. Saya  lebih dulu mencoba menanam Bolivian rainbow, hanya saja hasilnya tidak sesuai seperti yang dibayangkan. Cabai yang muncul ternyata berbentuk bulat menyerupai cherry bomb pepper dan sama sekali tidak berwarna pelangi. Entahlah, bisa saja benihnya tertukar saat pengemasan atau mungkin yang dikirimkan memang benih F2 (ih, su'udzon saja). Meskipun begitu, cabai tersebut sangat cantik dan layak dipajang sebagai pemanis pekarangan rumah, serta dapat dikonsumsi dengan tingkat kepedasan yang cukup rendah. Namun berbeda dengan razzamatazz, cabai satu ini sangat disukai oleh hama terutama kutu kebul. Karena sulit ditanggulangi, maka bolivian rainbow hanya dapat bertahan selama satu tahun dan kemudian mati.

Katanya sih bolivian rainbow sayy

Oiya, postingan ini dibuat hanya sekadar untuk berbagi pengalaman menanam cabai razzamatazz, ya. Barangkali bermanfaat bagi yang membacanya. Senang  deh rasanya bisa berbagi, walaupun saya sendiri masih harus banyak belajar lagi. Baiklah, selamat berkebun semuanya!

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Kedatangan Para Bayi Mungil

Pagi ini, kami dikejutkan dengan munculnya sekumpulan "bayi mungil" yang sedang berbaris manis di atas daun-daun tanaman kami. 

Inilah mereka. Imut, kan?

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Catching up on some old portrait drawings

Last night, I finally opened up my Path account after a really long time. I took a moment to look back at some of my old posts and look what I found.

I know they don't look that good, but I'm proud

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