Of Motions and Words : Of Movies and Poetry

Raya Martin's Buenas Noches España
Shown in the Cine Adarna UP Diliman December 21-22, 2011
Synopsis:
In another lifetime, a Spanish couple takes drugs and teleports through their television set. A troubled young man travels through the countryside and meets a lost woman. During the trip, they discover a museum housing the expatriated paintings of the most important Filipino artist of the revolution. Eventually, the Spanish couple disappears toward their colony. Inspired by one of the earliest teleportation accounts, which happened between the Philippines and Mexico during the colonial period.
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Romance's Demise by Veronica Laurel

Let me see you tonight,
For tonight this romance will face it's demise
This informal engagement will strike the last toll of the bell
And I'll never be able to touch you again
Nor be able to keep my vows
I knew the end before it all began
But I won't let midnight come to pass
I'll crawl back to the prologue of the day we met
To the previous definition of my loneliness

End of first part out of three parts.

The poem is included in my Sorrow is the Romanticist's Necessary Affliction of the Soul Poetry Collection for 2011.

I saw the movie Buenas Noches España the other day after posting my Selected Poetry (2011) at the Ishmael Bernal Gallery in UP Diliman.
The movie was reminiscent of surreal music videos back in the 90s with a little bit of nostalgic touch of romance. This isn't your typical movie that is shown by local cinemas so it probably won't capture the taste of the masses but it is a breath of fresh air for those who hasn't seen any movie similar to it. Though the taking of drugs here is rather tolerated, we all know that drugs are bad for the health and well being. But people will have their issues and will choose their own poison. We all know which road to take and hopefully, our individual judgments are sound enough on what and what not to avoid and abuse.

My poetry selection are available at the Bernal Gallery til classes resume after the holidays. I cordially invite you to take a look at the artworks made by young artists displayed and also to take a glimpse of my poetry selection this year. Copies of my poetry is available on exhibit and are for sale at a price friendly to the pockets. Giving the wonders of Letter Arts this season will definitely be a breath of fresh air and perhaps a step up to Philippine independent literature. Give poetry as gifts. View my Poetry at the Ishmael Bernal Gallery here.


After visiting the gallery you can easily go to Cine Adarna and watch the film since the theatre is just behind the gallery.

Somewhere South

My head exploded.

No, it didn’t. I was watching an episode of House and to my surprise Spencer (Christian Gabrielle) of South of Nowhere guest starred in it. It reminded me of the wonderfully cancelled TV series which was quite tragic, it’s was as if some of my parts were murdered.

So here I was, searching south of nowhere on youtube and voila! I discovered they are going to make a movie of the TV series.

They said they need 100,000 views in order for the movie to be produced, so whether that’s true or not I hope there would be a movie, do promote the awesome clips. 

Apparently I'm at work, I don't feel like working. Still have articles to finish...

If you have no idea what South of Nowhere is here is a Promo:

How to achieve Vegan Powers

I was rather excited to start my year with the movies I’ve always wanted to see.  I thought I was going to start it with SAW6 but a friend of mine who was going to lend it to me probably had forgotten about it. I downloaded the movie in our office. I thought it was alright to download anything in the office but then my boss asked me why my bandwidth exceeded 2GB in 2 days when the articles I send doesn’t even exceed 1MB. After that, I refrained from downloading anything from our office.

I had a great start with -

Scott Pilgrim VS The World

Currently holds my no. 1 position under MOVIES for the year of 2011. It’s a must watch and I really enjoyed every minute of the story. If my life were a movie, it would be this one.

The movie kicks off with a guy most of the geeks could probably relate to, in which I did. Although I’m not exactly scrawny or in a band, the story revolves around Scott who must fight his new girlfriend’s 7 evil-exes. Cholo, a friend of mine, mentioned that the comic book was hilarious but the movie was also amazing.

The movie restored the quirky videogame sound effects which can easily be referenced to Super Mario Brothers from the SNES console and other popular Nintendo games from the ‘90s. Who wouldn’t forget Mario’s 1up sound effects? Aside from awesome nostalgic sounds, the movie also expressed it s decent graphic effects reminiscent from classic comic books, the words POW, BLAM and others to appear smoothly during the scenes. There are a lot of retarded scenes that I loved, especially the part where the drummer girl would shoot herself in the head with her fingers formed as though a gun and the words BLAM would appear then she would drop dead.

Most of all the characters’ sense of humor captured the teen sarcasm and whimsical personalities of the teens and early adolescents. The stereo-typing was done in a hilarious way, throwing in gay and lesbians, vegans, action-stars and so much more. What caught my attention was the Chinese Ex-girlfriend stereo type, it affirmed my conclusion that Chinese girls are crazy especially if you dated them. Then again, I know it’s a wrong judgment, I only dated one Chinese girl and she’s not even full, she’s half Chinese/Filipino and I hope she goes back to Hong Kong for good after she graduates college this year, so she could stop creating havoc and drama all over the place. Scratch the judgment, I’m sure there are nice and sweet Chinese girls out there. I’ll just avoid dating them to be certain they remain nice and sweet.

Unfortunately, this movie wasn’t shown in the Philippines. However, we are Filipinos – We are smart enough to find ways and see this retardedly-awesome movie. Go and see it!

I would really love to read the comic book but I don't have the time, perhaps when I finish my projects! :B

This year's Firsts

A brand new year has come yet the feeling that clothed the days after the last of 2010 felt almost the same, though we believe for this to be the current year where the dates written everywhere will definitely have a bit of change.

With a faithful belief that this is the beginning of a year, wishing it to be a wonderful and beautiful year then it’s only just to treat it as it is.

Books

For my first book this year, continuing my Classic reads would be F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Beautiful and Damned. After reading The Great Gatsby, I thought I’d like to read the rest of his works. 

The Beautiful and Damned

Movies

I am thinking for Black Swan or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for my very first movie that I’m going to watch from beginning ‘til the end this year. Perhaps I’ll go for Black Swan first then The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo next on the same day. Which will be this coming Saturday.

Black Swan

 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Euro Version)

 

I was sort of disappointed with the cast of the European version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but I know I would enjoy watching the movie when they speak in their original tongue and I read the English subtitles at the base of the screen. 

Then again, I was happy to find out that in the Hollywood Version, they took Daniel Craig as the lead role! I knew it... It was just as how I imagined it to be haha! But the Hollywood release would be on December 2011. 

The Movie trilogy was already released by the Europeans starting just last year. Isn't Hollywood rather a few steps behind? I suppose I'd like watching their version since Blomkvist in the European version has a face of the moon's crater.

The question still remains... Who will play Lisbeth Salander for the Hollywood version?

Was that good for you as it was for me? ...

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I must admit that for a book that has at least 500 page, this was the book I read as quickly as I could. It broke my previous record. Reading from the first chapters, it was obviously written by a man and is a book that’s probably made to be on film. Which gave me the impression that it’s a sell out, let’s see… 21 million copies sold world wide… I thought so.

Reading the book was fun, it was gripping. It was as though the book grew tentacles and wrapped me, pulling and tugging then making me fall with my face flat on the pages. Then getting up and walking away.

After reading the last page, I had that feeling when one wakes up next to a girl whom you try very hard to remember the name, then it hit you that you didn’t bother asking the previous night. But you know only too well that what happened was thrilling while it lasted, as a matter of fact it was amazing, then you wake up with that awful taste in your mouth. Getting up and wearing your clothes the right way suddenly became a tedious task.

To make it simpler, reading the ending was a headache. After opening all the mystery boxes what’s there left? You’ve devoured the main dish and the dessert is just too bland. Should I continue reading only to find out that the protagonist hadn’t changed a bit and is still boning one of the women casually?

The book may be described as dark, twisted and “insert macabre suggestive word here” but let me assure you that this book is nothing more than pure entertainment that was wrapped with a sweet happy ending.

Perhaps having the book translated from its original language made it seem as though it was written by a ghost writer. Since I don’t know how to speak or read Swedish, then I would never know the difference or even know Larsson’s writing style.

Mikael Blomkvist is the product if James bond had a baby with Sherlock Holmes (I know, Nancy Drew is also a detective but I’m a Lesbian and I want it that way)

The frustration perhaps of every geeky writer, computer programmer etc embodied the protagonist of the book. A writer with investigative journalism as major and someone who seemed to be the boy toy of the women in the book. In his book, there are no women who were conservative but women who indulge themselves in casual sex whenever they feel like it and women who crawl into Blomkvist’s bed, deliberately. The protagonist had it very easy that he doesn’t even have to wink at all.

Gripping true, at least when I was at the middle of the book, putting it down was the last thing I want to do. But reading the last few pages? Not as satisfying…

My rating: One-night-stand. However since it’s a trilogy, Occasional-lover then, given I’ll be able to purchase the next book. Hopefully someone would be kind enough to give it as a gift just as the same with this one. Yes, it’s those nights where after waking up and finding yourself to the door, you ask her number despite the fact you won’t ever call her for dinner and a movie. You didn’t ask for her name but she will be remembered by the evident image of a dragon on her back.

Final rating: One-night-stand that has the potential to be an occasional lover, if I buy the next book then the rating would change to Whore for Kronor, which is very unlikely.

Since the book is making its way to film, who should play the characters?

Mikael Blomkvist in my imagination could be Clive Owens.

I have no idea who they're casting but if it were up to me... I thought Clive Owens, he seems like that writer guy who can pull it off.

 

I was also thinking about Daniel Craig

Mikael Blomkvist must be a sort of rugged writer with a bit of sex appeal since he was one of the women's walking vibrator in the book.

For my Lisbeth I would like to see

Because I like her, despite the fact she's getting married now and is pregnant. You betrayed me Natalie!!

On the other hand, she's a great actress and I think she can give life to Lisbeth Salander.

 I'm also thinking about Neve Campbell or Selma Blair... Either one of them if not Natalie.

Neve

I think I would go with Selma on this one, she seemed almost perfect for the role of Lisbeth, at least in my imagination. Neve seemed a sweet compromise for the role.

Then again I'll wait for the film to surprise me. Right now I haven't checked who will be the cast and I don't want to...

 I don't want to describe Lisbeth much since it will spoil the book but I imagined Selma as Lisbeth.

Selma

*Spoiler* If you haven’t read the book and would like to, then please skip this portion.

Rumor has it that the writer was a feminist. The title of the book is not exactly as it were translated from its original language. Larsson has named the girl with the dragon tattoo Lisbeth, the same name of the girl he had witnessed to be gang raped but failed to help out. I don’t understand why would a writer name one of his main characters (that was also raped and molested in the book) after a girl who was gang raped. The girl was already violated in the most violent way and he wanted to immortalize that as well in a novel? It’s so Carlo J. Caparas if you ask me.

I believe frustration has something to do with it, in the book, Lisbeth fought her tormentor back in an interesting manner. I suppose it’s a way of saying that the writer had wished the girl fought back, taking justice into her own hands or it’s also a way of saying that women can fight back and should fight back.

Revenge maybe sweet but the satisfaction of prevention is beyond taste buds.

Movies and Psychopaths

I just saw the movie, The Orphan, last night since it was aired by HBO and I was nailed in front of the television. I already knew the plot that some adopted kid was despicably an evil entity out to wreak havoc and destroy the family who took her in.

There was this girl I dated before who loves horror and gross out movies as much as I do and she told me to watch The Orphan, I guess that encouraged me. Too bad we don’t see or even talk to each other anymore, would really love to tell her what I thought of the movie.

Nonetheless I liked it, it was entertaining and it gave me a few laughs while watching. I liked the girl who played the orphan, she was cute and had an interesting accent (And I love Russian, German etc. accent when they’re speaking in English). That was also the reason why I watched it ‘til the end. I have no patient watching predictable movies. In a show or movie I seek for content, art and execution etc. so I can appreciate it more. Although at times, I simply watch for the stars but how rare of this to happen.

Also before that I saw “Enemy at the Gates” with Jude Law and Rachel Weisz. Loved it. I love movies about war and holocausts. I’m quite excited about the upcoming Saw 3D movie and would really go to the theatres to see it, sigh… gut wrenching terrorized screams. How relaxing…

Alright then, back to my writings.

The orphan’s behavior was psychopathic but as much as I would love to discuss her behavior, psychopaths in our modern society are not necessarily like her, the orphan.

Psychopaths could be your boss, your friend, your mother, your father, your child or the one you sat in the bus with. Psychopaths aren’t always driven on such extreme levels like the orphan or the guy in the popular movie “Psycho”.

Of course in the movie, it had to be driven to such extent to be entertaining however in real life that is not how psychopaths play it. They are not necessarily anti-social and most of the times can get a long well with people. They are not always evil, there are psychopaths who didn’t have to kill just to achieve what they want like con-artists.

And psychopath does not exactly mean they are mad geniuses roaming our land.

Psychopaths are completely devoid of feelings and would stop at nothing for their desires since they lack guilt and conscience that the weight of responsibility and obligation is unknown to them. Since conscience is something that can’t be seen and in a naïve’s world, conscience is something thought as universal, psychopaths can easily hide the fact that they are conscious-free with not so much an effort lifting a hair strand.

If a psychopath is a genius it is probably he or she was surrounded with intellectuals and if they’re rich then they are pretty much pre-disposed to it. Like Dr. Hannibal Lecter, now that is one evil genius, he was well educated since he came from a rich family more so.

What makes other psychopaths smart or geniuses is of course their desire to gain knowledge or money just like the next guy. It’s just that they would stop at nothing to gain it. And there are those dimwitted psychopaths who were hill billies roaming around with a gun.

The dumb chainsaw wielding maniac in the Movie “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is a psychopath. It’s not genius when he used other people’s faces as mask, it’s just that he didn’t have the necessary feelings that would complete a morally bounded human being. Respect to life, an original quality of a soul, is missing. Therefore he’s pretty much only limited by his imagination. Which to my opinion is pretty dull, his family has a vast amount of land he can farm or sell and get education or a plastic transplant if he really wanted a pretty face. Then again what was on the movie was nothing more than an exaggeration, something to get the audiences at the edge of their seat. He was too obsessed, too exaggerated to play the role of the psychopath, yet the movie, in one of them, made him look like he had feelings. Think back, a scene where he sees his face and at the sight of it threw a fit of sadness, hatred, disgust and he threw objects and wrecked his place, he even let out a scream or maybe it was a grunt?

I love the franchise though, saw at least 4 movie versions of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, some were hilarious and worth a few laughs.

Most psychopath movies were American Movies, because they have a lot of psychopaths in that country.

Psychopathic movie here in the Philippines: Sigaw with Iza Calzado and Richard Gutierrez, no he wasn’t the psychopath in the movie. I don’t think he can act the part.

Apparently, I think the Philippine Cinema don’t know the profile of a psychopath that is why evil villains here lack the character of one and one can’t exactly diagnose them as psychopaths. The villains here are always portrayed as borderline evil and confused.

More talk next time on Psychopaths, I’m going back to work.