A poignant cinematic exploration

By Adrian D. Mendizabal

Usmar Ismail’s recently restored “After the Curfew” revolves around a soldier returning to his former life in the bustling city of Bandung, Indonesia, only to find himself increasingly alienated by the American-influenced modernity prevalent there.

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Set in postwar Indonesia following the nation’s struggle for independence from Dutch colonizers (1945-1949), the film reflects the shaping of Indonesia’s contemporary historical and political landscape. This period also gave rise to significant global alliances, notably the Bandung Conference of 1955, uniting nations of the Global South against colonialism and neocolonialism, with the Philippines among the participating countries. Nationalist, democratic, and communist ideals proliferated in postwar Indonesian society, championed by figures like Sukarno, the leader of Indonesia’s anti-colonial movement against the Dutch. During this period, the sense of impending freedom was palpable, reflected in the mise-en-scene that portrays Indonesian society still steeped in revolutionary fervor but gradually embracing a more Westernized way of life.

At the heart of this societal shift is the protagonist/anti-hero, Iskandar, a former revolutionary soldier grappling with his newfound existence. Reuniting with his fiancée Norma, former comrades and acquaintances like the infrastructure developer Gafar, brothel owner Puja and his companion Laila, as well as his former military superior-turned-governor Gunawan, Iskandar navigates these encounters, attempting to reconcile his past with an uncertain future.

For Iskandar, the Indonesian nationalist revolution defines the true reality that everyone must experience. It constitutes the site of maximal change, the historical turning point of his nation that seemingly slips into ordinariness and oblivion when faced with Indonesian postwar contemporary life which seemingly forgets what happened to the struggle for independence.

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For Iskandar, the Indonesian nationalist revolution represents the ultimate reality that all must confront, a pivotal moment in his nation’s history. It constitutes the site of maximal change, the historical turning point of his nation that seemingly slips into ordinariness and oblivion when faced with Indonesian postwar contemporary life.

“After the Curfew” masterfully argues for the irreconcilability between the revolutions fought on the frontlines and the societal transformations that follow. Through Iskandar’s alienation and disillusionment, one sees the incomplete nature of such social revolutions. On a broader scale, it contends that true social revolution eludes postwar Indonesia, with the old order persisting and bourgeois values and feudal structure retaining their dominance. It subtly critiques American cultural imperialism, embodied in Laila’s aspiration for a more modern, Americanized lifestyle portrayed in magazines like LIFE.

In addition, the filmmaker posits that a revolution’s success hinges on its ability to fundamentally alter societal norms and behaviors, echoing Maoist principles in cultural revolution. In postwar Indonesia, as depicted in the motion picture, capitalism prevails, leaving revolutionaries like Iskandar disconnected from a society that fails to align with their ideals. It argues that the new American-influenced Indonesian society metaphorically extinguishes the revolutionary spirit, foreshadowing the tragic events of the 1966 CIA-backed communist purge, which claimed the lives of countless intellectuals and activists, further underscoring its central thesis.

In conclusion, “After the Curfew” stands as a poignant cinematic exploration of the complexities surrounding postwar Indonesia’s transition from revolutionary fervor to modernity. Through the lens of protagonist Iskandar’s alienation and disillusionment, Usmar Ismail skillfully examines the tension between the ideals of the nationalist revolution and the societal changes that ensued. With its nuanced portrayal of the struggle to reconcile past and present, coupled with its commentary on the enduring influence of imperialism and capitalism, what emerges is a thought-provoking reflection on the nature of social revolutions and their lasting impact on individual lives and collective consciousness.

This review first appeared in Omnitudo as part of The Big Continent: Asian Cinema Challenge.

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The Temple of Geek podcast, hosted by Kari, dives into the movie The American Society of Magical Negroes.  Kari welcomes guest Natacia, a non-binary Black femme with a passion for film, television, and social media discussions. Together they give their honest thoughts about the film. A warning is issued for spoilers to those who haven’t seen it yet.

The American Society of Magical Negroes, is a new comedy film that takes a satirical look at the trope of the magical Black character who exists solely to help white protagonists. Written and directed by Kobi Libii in his directorial debut, the film stars Justice Smith as a young Black man who discovers a hidden society of Black people with magical abilities dedicated to uplifting white people. David Alan Grier and An-Li Bogan also star.

The film premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on January 19th and was released in theaters nationwide by Focus Features on March 15, 2024.

Temple of Geek Podcast

The Temple of Geek Podcast has been around since 2012 and is hosted by various geeky people from the Temple of Geek team. Here we cover all manner of geek and pop culture news and events.

You can listen to the Temple of Geek Podcast directly on this page or stream it on Apple Podcasts / Google Podcast / iHeart Radio / Stitcher / Spotify and wherever you stream your podcast.

Movie Review: The American Society of Magical Negroes

The Temple of Geek podcast, hosted by Kari, dives into the movie “American Society of Magical Negroes.”

Initial Thoughts on the Movie

Kari asks for Natasha’s initial thoughts on the movie. Natasha admits to entering with measured expectations, aiming for an open mind. They felt the movie missed the mark in its message and target audience. While some cute rom-com moments existed, the overall experience felt underwhelming.

Kari shares a similar experience. Having avoided spoilers, they expected a fantasy film based on the title. However, it turned out to be a social commentary with a fantasy element seemingly added for distinction. They felt the movie arrived a few years too late for maximum impact.

Both Kari and Natasha found the movie’s title referencing the “Magical Negro” trope understandable. However, they felt the title wasn’t accessible to a broad audience and the movie itself lacked strong fantasy elements. This created a disconnect between audience expectations and the film’s true focus.

Finding Positives

Kari acknowledges Natasha’s dislike for the movie but clarifies they didn’t hate it. Natasha points to the cute moments between Aaron and Lizzie, the love interests, as a positive aspect. They praise actress An-Li Bogan’s screen presence and acknowledge that actor Justice Smith did well in his role.

Natasha suggests the movie could be an entry point for some viewers new to social discussions about race relations. However, they acknowledge that in 2024, such a basic introduction might not be as necessary.

Kari agrees, finding the rom-com aspect with Lizzie the most enjoyable part. They find it ironic that this wasn’t supposed to be the movie’s highlight.

About our Hosts

Natacia is a Black queer content creator who loves to discuss nerd culture and fandom media, especially Star Wars and the MCU. They share a podcast, Pop Chatter, with their best friend and co-host Lindsay to chat about all things pop culture. You can find Natacia on Twitter and TiKTok at @nknapper and their podcast Twitter account at @popchatterpod.

Kari is well known in the Star Wars fandom on TikTok as @estarguarstia. Her Tiktok account has become a safe place for fans who love the prequels. And she enjoys giving a thoughtful approach to discussing Star Wars. She is also a contributor at Temple of Geek.

About Author

Alba K. Guerrero

“Kari” is an entertainment correspondent for Temple of Geek and a popular geek culture content creator. She is best known for her TikTok account @estarguarstia.

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Monica Duarte

Born and raised under the California sun. Monica is the Editor-In-Chief at Temple of Geek. She also serves as Executive Producer of The Temple of Geek Podcast, Retro Rebel Podcast, and Portrait of a Fangirl. Lover of all things geeks but especially sci-fi like Doctor Who, The Expanse, Star Wars and Star Trek.

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A warm family film that could’ve been explored more 

By INDRANIL BASU — arts@theaggie.org

“Wonka,” directed by Paul King and written by him and Simon Farnaby, was released in December of last year under Warner Bros. Pictures. The film has been a commercial success and well-received by audiences and critics. It became the 70th-highest-grossing film of 2023 and was nominated for awards including the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film, a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (for Timothée Chalamet).

The musical fantasy comedy film is premised on the origin story of Willy Wonka, the well-known character from Roald Dahl’s famous children’s novel, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” starring Chalamet in the titular role. King uses Dahl’s body of work to visualize his backstory and create a fantastic exploration of the intriguing personality of Wonka.

Set in a vague 1940s European city, Wonka arrives as a young man, inventor, magician and chocolatier after spending seven years as an innovative chef at sea. He is ready to make a fortune, and more so a life for himself, with his chocolatey inventions that he has perfected during his time and travels across the world. The film follows his journey of achieving that dream, one strongly connected with themes of family — both blood and chosen — love and generosity.

“Wonka” is well written, in plot, dialogue and lyrics, as well as brilliantly filmed by Chung-hoon Chung and scored by Joby Talbot. The musical numbers are well worked, performed (mostly) by Chalamet, and well created but don’t stand out too much vocally in the way they are composed or sung. 

Chalamet as Wonka fits into the image of the beloved character in the overcoat, hat and cane, with a suitcase full of his inventions and dreams, as iconized in previous films by Johnny Depp in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005) and Gene Wilder in “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971),” definitely drawing more from the latter in its characterizations. He seems out of place in his young boy-next-door looks with ruffled hair and American accent, which matches Wonka’s background if we consider him American and the film as a modern interpretation of him (which it is in many ways). 

He is simple, friendly, innocent and giving, unlike Depp’s portrayal and more importantly the novel’s sassy, socially awkward, apathetic and androgynous Wonka who is the embodiment of eccentricity. The filmmakers run with the straighter 1971 version of Wonka who is none of those but innovative — rather an aspirational underdog the audience can relate to, which he perhaps was before making it as a chocolatier and becoming the pop culture phenomenon he is seen as in previous appearances. Although the filmmakers have stated that Chalamet was their top choice for casting, maybe someone else could capture the fantastic seed of eccentricity that must have still been in him as a young adult, one that the film could have explored more.

The ensemble cast delivers wonderful supporting performances in the film: particularly Calah Lane as the orphan girl Noodle, whose character arc is significantly in parallel with Wonka’s’; Keegan-Michael Key as the corrupt Chief-of-Police, Paterson Joseph; Matt Lucas and Mathew Baynton as the “Chocolate Cartel” leaders; Jim Carter as the accountant Abacus Crunch; Olivia Colman as the British-evil Mrs. Scrubitt and Hugh Grant as the single Oompa-Loompa of the film.

The film is definitely a “savage indictment of capitalism,” as the filmmaker has stated himself, especially in Western socio-political structures, with a hugely corrupt (three)-man monopoly (on chocolate). Constantly colluding with the church and the police, the film uses (chocolate as their currency of) bribe, to maintain their hegemony and the large economic gap between them and the consumer. 

Daydreaming comes with a fee in this economy. Some of the language, however, such as Chocolate “cartel” for the corrupt oligarchy of the three Galéries Gourmet Chocolatiers, or “monks” for the “chocoholic” clergymen, is fairly questionable. It makes a good critique of capitalism but falls just a bit short on Wonka and leaves it to us to bridge the gap between him at the end of this film and the beginning of Wonka as we know him.

“Wonka” is a good film to watch with family, with its themes of family, love and sharing over greed and dreaming. The movie maintains a visual spectacle with excellent set and costume design that absorbs the audience into an earlier fantastical era in Europe and its musical numbers. You will understand Wonka as someone just like us, and discover the story of his drive for spreading happiness by making chocolate. Be ready to shed a chocolatey tear of joy. “Wonka” is now streaming on HBO Max.

Written by: Indranil Basu — arts@theaggie.org