By the time Saus Kacang (Peanut Sauce), a romantic comedy starring newlyweds Bunga Citra Lestari and her Malaysian husband Ashraf Sinclair, is released on Dec. 31, 2008, more than 90 Indonesian films will have been released in cinemas nationwide this year (at the time of writing, the number is at 84).

In a year that began with the dramatic failure of Susahnya Jadi Perawan (It's Hard to Remain a Virgin) and art-house fare Mereka Bilang Saya Monyet! (They Say I'm a Monkey), we have seen Indonesian cinema near its pinnacle.

This year had the most Indonesian films released in a decade -- and 10 times as many as in the first years of the new century. It has been the norm for the past couple of years for a multiplex cinema to be screening Indonesian films in every cinema hall, something that was unthinkable five years ago.

If 2008 is to be remembered for anything, let it be that this was the year when the all-time Indonesian cinema box-office record was broken, by the year's two chart-topping films.

Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warriors), a film based on Andrea Hirata's best-selling novel of the same name, has pulled in 4.5 million viewers nationwide since its first release during the weeklong Lebaran holiday. The film was directed by Riri Riza, who ushered in the new era of Indonesian cinema earlier this century when his children's musical Petualangan Sherina (Sherina's Adventure) took the nation by storm, pulling in 1.4 million viewers, still a record for a local musical.

Before Laskar, it was Ayat-Ayat Cinta (Verses of Love), a pious romantic drama based on another best-selling novel by Habiburrahman El Shirazi. Some 4 million people, including the untapped market of religious groups, watched the film during its initial release. The film's success prompted many to jump on the bandwagon with religious-themed films, with varying results: from camp (Syahadat Cinta) to modest (Kun Fayakuun and Mengaku Rasul, or The Self-Claimed Prophet) to applaudable (Doa Yang Mengancam or The Threatening Prayer). The latter was directed by Hanung Bramantyo, who also made Ayat but in Doa showed his filmmaking skills at their best; he will continue indulging his penchant for religious drama with Perempuan Berkalung Sorban.

Although two literary adaptations topped the charts, adaptations were scarce in 2008. Others were the aforementioned Monyet, Lost in Love (the sequel to Indonesia's highest-grossing teen film Eiffel ... I'm in Love!), D.O. (Drop Out) and the blink-and-you'll-miss-it Rahasia Bintang (Secret of a Star).

What continues to be popular is in fact the reverse: film tie-in novels, with the screenplays of most Indonesian films released being adapted into novels.

This is a considerable feat, given many Indonesian films have little plot, or little coherent one anyway, particularly horror films with the likes of Hantu Ambulance (Ambulance Ghost) and Pulau Hantu 2 (The Ghost Island 2), and sometimes drama falls to its nadir, such as the rarely seen Puber (Coming of Age). If anything, often tie-in novels work better than their original sources, which should encourage teenagers, the novels' main target market, to read more.

Nevertheless, that did not deter them from flocking to cinemas, taking in populist horror fare Tali Pocong Perawan (The Virginal Ghost), Sumpah Pocong di Sekolah (The Ghost Oath in School), Hantu Perawan Jeruk Purut (The Virgin Ghost of Jeruk Purut), Tiren -- Mati Kemarin (Died Yesterday) and others, adding up to a total of 15 Indonesian horror films this year.

One genre that has been steadily on the rise is the adult comedy genre, which started with Quickie Express late last year with a very healthy box-office result.

This year, members of the strictest religious groups found their hearts stopped beating when titles such as Kawin Kontrak (Contractual Marriage, followed by its sequel Kawin Kontrak Lagi within 10 months of the release of the first installment), Extra Large, Namaku Dick (My Name is Dick), Anda Puas Saya Loyo (You're Satisfied, I'm Exhausted), Basah (Wet), Kutunggu Jandamu (I'll Wait Till You Become a Widow) and Mupeng -- Muka Pengen (Horny Look) were displayed side by side on multiplexes for weeks, indicating their continuous massive appeal. Judd Apatow would surely be glad to find his method is working well locally, albeit without any signs of his charming effects.

With the addition of other comedies playing in a relatively safe zone, such as the genuinely funny Otomatis Romantis (Automatically Romantic) and Tarix Jabrix (The Bikers), comedy and horror remain safe bets for filmmakers and producers to make quick profits from relatively low investments.

Yet, as an audience, sometimes we cannot manipulate our feelings about what we see. Often we use words like "the film was made with genuine feeling written all over it" to describe our otherwise inexplicable reaction.

As unfair as it may sound since all films are obviously made with tremendous effort, including sincerity, honesty and true perseverance, quite often what is reflected on the big screen moves us in many different ways.

The champions of the box office this year, Laskar and Ayat, clearly show those elements, while the sweet and pleasant nature of Love will ultimately make a film a staple for any romantic evening. Susan Bachtiar's economical and subtle acting performance in her debut Perempuan Punya Cerita (Chants of the Lotus) mirrors Widyawati's award-winning turn 20 years ago in Arini, which gives the whole Perempuan omnibus a heartfelt resonance once we walk out of the cinema.

Varying quality aside, we conclude that 2008 was a rich year for Indonesian cinema. My personal lament about the lack of sport-themed films earlier last year was answered with successive offerings from Rudi Soedjarwo with the bike-racing drama Liar (Wild) and boxing tale Sebelah Mata (One Eye), and the comedy Gara-Gara Bola (Because of Balls), directed by newcomers Agasyah Karim and Khalid Kashogi. Children's musicals were not ignored with Liburan Seru! (It's an Exciting Holiday!), and the political-themed drama May was released in time for the commemoration of 10 years of political reform in Indonesia.

And just as Kate Winslet reunites with Leonardo DiCaprio in Revolutionary Road after their box-office king of the world Titanic, so do our Dian Sastro and Nicholas Saputra, whose teen flick sensation Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? (What's up With Love?) paved the way for Indonesian commercial cinema six years ago. Their reunion in 3 Doa 3 Cinta (Three Wishes, Three Loves) has been eagerly anticipated, especially with their willingness to depart from their usual predictable screen personas.

The fact that the film was premiered at the Pusan International Film Festival in Korea, still the prime haven for Asian cinema for worldwide recognition, and is currently on its way to the glitzy Dubai International Film Festival, is also a conclusive sign of a stronger showing of Indonesian film at an international level.

As we look forward to next year's initial lineup, which includes the heavily promoted religious love story Ketika Cinta Bertasbih (When We Pray for Love), children's soccer drama Garuda Di Dadaku (Garuda In My Heart) and comedy Kambing Jantan (The Male Goat), we could not be more glad about how Indonesian film is ruling the local cinemas, claiming more than 55 percent of the film-going market.

Still, an average audience cannot help but tire of looking at simultaneous releases of Indonesian films on a weekly basis, prompting some of us to ask: How saturated is Indonesian cinema right now?

The answer remains to be seen in years to come. What can be held onto firmly is what we have been holding dear during the many difficult years in the past: That film remains one of the most affordable escapist forms of entertainment, and as far as our audiences are concerned, local flavors always taste better, whenever and wherever they can be found.

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