Movie: Mal Dia Para Pescar

I went to see the Uruaguayan film, Mal Dia Para Pescar (Bad Day to Go Fishing), by director, Alvaro Brechner, at the movie theater this weekend. The film earns a mixed review from me. On the one hand there were a few funny lines, artistic shots, and references to Uruguayan culture, but for the most part it just wasn't my type of movie.


It is the story of an aging boxer and his manager trying to run a gambit to make money. They come to a certain town in Latin America and their plan hits a bump in the road.

It's not that I hated the movie or that I loved it either. The profuse amount of chain smoking and booze-drinking started to pester me about three-fourths of the way through though. The movie's premise (fighting) didn't make it any better either--more of guy movie perhaps? If the characters had been developed better I may have been won over. As is, I could take it or leave it. The Pope's Toilet is still the best Uruguayan film I've seen.

The Pope's Toilet

A very good Uruguayan Film: El Baño del Papa Written and directed by César Charlone and Enrique Fernández

English name: The Pope's Toilet. No, you are not reading wrong, that is the correct translation. The movie follows one man who smuggles goods from Brazil for a living. There are rumors that thousands of people are going to visit Melo, his hometown, because the Pope is planning a visit. He comes up with the brillant idea to build a private toilet to accomodate the visitors who are expected to arrive to the town, and to charge them to use it. Will he succeed? Will he be able to pull his family out of poverty?

It was a great movie. I would classify it as a low-budget drama with the classic independent foreign film feel. I liked it just about as much as I liked Slumdog Millionaire (and I really liked Slumdog Millionaire). The film was showcased at MoMA (New York City's Museum of Modern Art) last week, so the critics liked it too. There's a lot of imagery, symbolism, social commentary, and artistic development. It's one of those "make you think" types of movies that I could chatter about for hours.

If you watch it, we can discuss. Poverty? Religion? Capitalism? Relationships? Corruption? Morality? Greed? Hope? Media? Globalization? Sacred vs. Profane? This one's got it all.

Slumdog Millionaire

What a good movie.
I know now what all the hype surrounding Slumdog Millionaire is all about. I give it an A+


From the first moments of this movie you will be drawn in. It's different and refreshingly so. The cultural elements are beautiful. The symbols potent and messages complex, ripe for criticism and deconstruction. I don't want to spoil the plot for any of you who have not seen it yet; just know that you must see this one.

The first showing of the movie was sold out this past weekend so we had to buy late night tickets, but it was well worth the wait. The whole ride on the train back home we discussed what is all meant. A movie that can make you feel, think, and chatter that much ought to be appreciated.

Settling In

Last night my new roomie and I watched Phantom of the Opera together. Yes, I think we will get along just fine. (Thank you Gerard Butler).

I also used the gas stove in our kitchen for the first time, and managed to make a horrible mess. I dumped a can of soup in my new pot, put the lid on, set it on the burner, and wouldn't you know as soon I look up, there is Campbell's Cream of Mushroom rapidly boiling over the top of the pot. I don't know what happened. I thought I had it set on medium heat, but apparently it was on super high. It takes real talent to mess up soup...

Today I explored campus with another newbie from the Department of Communication. I really think that I am going to like it here. The people I've met so far seem very friendly and the campus is nice. UMD has a completely different atmosphere than my undergrad school had.


I am so happy to be in the Maryland/DC area.

However, my new friend and I quickly learned that listening to eager direction-givers is not always a smart idea. Maps, on the other hand, never lie (if you can read them correctly). We took a few large round-about circles to get places, but that's ok, we chalked that up to exercise and adventure. That's what exploring is all about anyway.

bella, the movie

I just watched the movie, bella, for the second time, and I think I liked it even more than the first time. It has the whole independent/foreign film feel to it. It was artful and emotional. The plot is simple but beautiful; the cinematography basic but insightful. My favorite scenes are when a blind man asks Nina to describe the day to him in exchange for one of his folded paper origami creations. See clip here. Another one of my favorites is when girls on the street compliment Nina's Mexican dress that they think Jose spent a fortune on, but really it was her waitressing uniform.

The casting was excellent. Eduardo Verástegui is a perfect soccer player turned mysterious chef, and Tammy Blanchard is a great down-and-out New York City waitress. Alejandro Sanz even put one of his songs into the film that infuses the soul of his music with the lives of the characters.


After watching this movie my heart feels heavy (in a good way). This is a film filled with humanity and brimming with a positive message despite seemingly overbearing hardships. You've got to watch this one.

What the Bleep Do We Know?

Perception is everything. The docu-drama film, What the Bleep Do We Know was interesting to say the least:

Starring Marlee Matlin and 14 Scientists and Mystics. Exploring the worlds of Quantum Physics, Neurology, and Molecular Biology in relation to the spheres of Spirituality, Metaphysics and Polish weddings.

The whole phenomenon expressed in this movie is likely pseudoscience, but many of the ideas considered are still worth thinking about. You should watch it if you are want a good "thinker."

My lingering thought after watching the film is that linking quantum mechanics with consciousness, is the modern day humanism. Think about it; the movement is shockingly similar to ideas that sparked humanism during the Italian/European Renaissance. God within the self. Connectedness--now termed "entanglement". Individual empowerment and actualization. Marriage of religion and science. Emphasis on human creation and the ability to affect one's world. Humanism has reinvented itself into post-modern thought.

Also, my thoughts on this docu-drama continue...maybe we need these whack ideas to push our society out of constructed thought. Sure, believers get excited and take their theories too far, but asking people to step beyond what they have always assumed is a healthy dose of perspective. I predict, that just like humanism, the collective idea will be debunked, but a few of the more coherent principles will prove to be likely.

Get Smart

Went to see Get Smart last night. Wow. It's been a loooong time since I've been to the big screen and the theater raised their prices again. Geez, and to think, I could buy two cups of Starbucks for the same price...

But anyway, I thought this movie was going to be another one of those cheeky comedies that aren't really funny, but sad, sad that anybody would laugh at it, and namely, of course, I mean every movie in which Will Ferrell stars, but in truth, Get Smart was actually funny. It was amusing and even action packed. My favorite lines went something like this:

Mr. Boss Man: "You did great on your field agent test. You aced the essay on existentialism."
Steve Carell's character confused: "I left that part blank."

Teehee. Still makes me giggle.

The Motorcycle Diaries

So after seeing this image plastered everywhere in the more liberal sectors of Europe, I did research to figure out who on earth this guy was. He is the revolutionary "Che" Guevara who was really famous in South America.

When I got a free movie rental at a picnic I was at awhile ago, I used the coupon to check out The Motorcycle Diaries. I am adding it to my list of favorite movies. The film follows Che from Argentina to Venezuela and allows you to see how he formed his ideologies along the way.

While I don't really think armed revolutions and communisim is the answer to world poverty and suffering, I must applaud him for being a compassionate, well-intentioned man.

As far as the movie goes, A+ for artistry, Gael Garcia Bernal (he he), and keeping the original Spanish.

Selena

So I see we need to get Emily a counselor (see earlier post). I don't really want this blog to be one of those kind of blogs...

Saturday I watched the Selena movie about the famous Mexican-American singer who was shot by her fan club president when she was only 23 years old. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Selena's music. My favorites are Amor Prohibido, I Could Fall in Love, Como la Flor, and Dreaming of You. I must say the movie was very sad; only imagine how much more great music she would have made if her life hadn't been so short. Jennifer Lopez played the part of Selena, and I think that is what launched her career.