Best Indonesian Movies of All Time

Probably the most flawless film from Indonesia that i've watched. Yandy used to be my lecturer back in my college days and the only intellegence i've known in Indonesian film industry. Such a simple story told with such wit and understanding of what film and filmmaking is. Every aspects (comedy, plotting, dialogues, etc) is within it's proportion and very much... how do i say it: Yandyesque. Definitely an auteur to watch in the future.

One of the best Indonesian film i've watched. Many Indonesian say this film is about sex education. while it's a part of it, it's more of a genuine portrait of how some Indonesian families would react and deal with pregnancy outside marriage. clashing with moral values that's rooted from religions, old age beliefs, family pride, etc. All intertwining with one another and created this masterpiece. Don't be fooled by the poster and expects over-romantization from this film because it's really not that kind of film.

It's 2022 and i, a young guy had already a stranger to love, this beautiful film really opens up doors for everything bitter and sweet from the past and encourage me to celebrate it. The two characters in this film represent me, the person who can create something out of what seems to be nothing (works better under the influeance of songs and surroundings) and the other one who slaps the first one and says: "it's not that deep". Yet both personas are longing for one thing, that archetype: love, the out of comfort zone, and this film reminded me of that.

A very fine Indonesian film-noir from the 50s, telling an honest story about a man's struggle getting into an ordinary life as he juggles with moral dillema and social norma. It also tells about life after revolution that is not yet free from disappointment and unsatisfaction. Funny thing about this film is that the main character can be considered as the prototype for Travis Bickle, and turned out this film was chosen by Scorsese to be a part of his World Cinema project for criterion.

The first Indonesian film that i called a masterpiece. Not a lot of people liked it the first time they wayched it cuz it was promoted to be similar as The Raid, when it's a whole different film. It's about two different people from different background, connected on the internet and share the same problem: how they deal with the "killer" inside themselves.

A genuine story about a woman whose life is driven by a sense of fulfillment of her obligation and duty, held back by her past and guilt, and haunted by her longing for desire whom face has withered. The film almost didn't antagonize any of the characters and their decisions. that's the magic that Kamila Andini always presented in her films, it's more about explorations of good and bad, of pleasure and pain, of black and white, and their in betweens.

Probably the best from Joko Anwar (although he's just the writer for this film) and what introduces me to Mouly Surya. The main character in this film is the villain, the anomaly, the one that you don't sympathize with. Yet, very interesting and amusing to watch. A truly unique experience watching this film.

I grew up with the image of prophet Muhammad and even learned some christian perspective of jesus, both are what people would call the spotless man, without any sin. The concept might sound unrealistic, unachievable, but heaven is what you're gonna get if you can manage, yet the price is suffering. Yahya does not only understand that, he possesses that archetype, he couldn't help it but to be virtuous which is impossible to be when you live Jakarta. His ultimate desperation is not only the obsticles that he has to get through, but also his confusion of himself and his surrounding: why can't he be a bit dirty to get through? Yet he's not built that way.

It's a shame that i only get to watch the 109 minute version because it's pretty clear that there are some details that has been left out. Christine Hakim is the best actress that Indonesia has ever had. The spirit of Tjoet Nja' Dhien lives through her performance: a strong willed woman whose jihad's knows almost no boundaries.

It's rare to see an Indonesian film to have a well-developed hitchcockian character where the villain's psyche is tangled and intertwined; thus creates an out of the ordinary complex. Audiences also said that in a film industry where horror films are produced by the dozens each months, Autobiography trampled them all by being genuinely scary.

The differences between this film and KKN di Desa Penari (both involves woman dancing) is that this is a great piece of filmmaking. Ifa is certainly one of the most outstanding director in Indonesia, his understanding and way of presenting the details that makes a film is good will always be better than Hanung whose weapon is cheap romances and cries.

To sacrifice your ambition, your dream, your future, your comfort, yourself, for the greater good, most of the time doesn't really make sense. For Kaluna, she lives her life pushing through thin air to grab something she has no idea whether it's within or out of her reach, but it's seems fair. To be the youngest child and sacrifices the most for the big family is an option she never think she deserves. This film is about how the modern world, and us human; shape each other, juggling through what's right/wrong, what's urgent what's not, what's selfish what's self-care. It's a film enriched with wisdom and lessons without being patronizing. Truly a masterpiece.

With this film, we know that Joko is going to be the next big thing in Indonesian Cinema. he understands and loves cinema and filmmaking that his first film is about film roll delivery and the obstacles. It's almost everytime we watched any Joko Anwar films the star of the film would be him, because we want to indulge ourselves with the cinematic experience that is design by him.

A very good story and plottings with very good characters played by great actors that still working until today, Meriam Bellina and Rano Karno was giving a stellar performance that elevate the film even more. Viewers might have problems with it's dated soap-operaish style, but i celebrate every genre and storytelling that shape Indonesian movies nowadays. An almost perfect film.

This has proved that Bene Dion is not only funny, but also a brilliant storyteller. Coming from batak tribe/ethnic group made him familiar with their stereotypical characters already, put them in Bene's comedic style plot, and you'd have this masterpiece: a human story about what it is to be a family.

To live as poor people is a curse that you need to free yourself from, there's almost no romantization other than the will to live by constantly moving. The story centre around Berlian and her daughter living through trials that is life. Where they live is a no place for a single mother to raise a daughter. The daughter is played by Dian Sastro whom a master at playing as a naive girl (both here and aadc) protected by her mother.

Homo sapiens is the only homos that hadn't went extinct, one of the contibutor is because of the survival instinct that we had against all obstacles, and don't forget that we were born to be able to achieve and overcome anything with our akal. this film depicts that, a family of homo sapiens surviving under modern obstacles and pressures to be able to have a better living standards. My mom said to me when she first came to Jakarta, she didn't know any skill to survive but she definitely born with the skill to be able to possesses skills to survive. But it's not just about capitalism, there's human story; what makes us unique from other animals, that aspire us as a surviving species to never give up and to fight so we are still deemed to be worthy of this inheritance: triumphant over the earth.

While Janji Joni is a love letter to film roll deliveries, Melancholy is A Movement is a cynical letter to Indonesian film industry, that's the only thing i remember about the film. I have to admit that i vaguely remember any of the detail about the film, but this is what introduces me to one of the best indonesian filmmaker: Richard Oh. I only remembered that i enjoyed it very much at the theater filled with only 3 people (including me and my friend).

Indonesia is a conservative and traditional country where people has not much room to improvise and innovate by straying out of the solar system, or at least in most areas. I wasn't trying to villainize most of my own people as being that also keeps lots of things in order and keeps the society rolling. But for an Indonesian girl like Yuni and many others, it's a dilemma, as for straying out is not to fail the system, but to seek better selves and better future. Yuni is about a character many are found mostly nowadays where women feels trapped in a web built by many participants throughout a long period of time that they seem unable to see the way out.

Joko Anwar and his most psychotic character and twisted imagery. As expected, there's a scene that Will make most muslim pray 5 Times a day again, but is it accurate to islamic teachings? if you get the ending and the many implications throughout the film about what the film is, the film might avoid any potensial accusation of "toying" with religion. But as a psychological horror, it's definitely Joko Anwar's best to date.

It is somehow, an uplifting story as it unfolds for a pessimistic premise. The old man is burdened by the rock that is his guilt from his past decision, and the young woman is a very optimistic woman whom always look for the future no matter hard the burden are. This is truthfully one of the best Indonesian film that rarely got mentioned (along with pasir berbisik) nowadays as one of Indonesia's great cinema.

Deddy Mizwar (whose sinetron i grew up watching) is one of the truest yet underrated auteur in Indonesia. His theme has always been about morals, socials, education, religion, and how they clash with each other in lower economic class in Indonesia. Accompanied by his characters trademark's witful dialog and heartwarming (not necesseraly happy) ending.

I live in greater Jakarta where Indonesia's capitalism is most thriving at, Suci is one of the inhabitants you'll encounter frequently roaming around the city with many faces, her goal is to have luxury and comfort by her hand pragmatically. This film asks everything about the moral of the big city's inhabitants especially relating it with money, and just like old movies, love is the only idealism that confuse the goal of the almost-femme fatale

The world of pleasure is cunning, all you see is flowers and all beautiful things but there are millions of predators that are going to destroy you. It tells about two characters: one is entering it via pornography, the other one entered it in a rough way, by a big bad wolf. It is a cautionary tale told by Gina: Indonesia's treasure in cinema, and also a call for help as so many victims has fallen already.

The film is about an observation of a born-feminine guy in a changing society. some hated him, some wants to take an advantage of him, but he also met a guy who was very tender to him, treated him as he was destined for. Despite winning best film at Film Festival Indonesia, it was a controversial film as it was banned in several cities and theatres in also a changing country that is Indonesia.