uber homebody no more: like the phoenix i left my domesticity in ashes.

and i intend to keep it that way, yessiree.

so the sneaky arabs turned out to be sneaky mongolians. flight of the phoenix is set in the gobi desert and not on some random dune fest in the middle east i had previously and oh-so-quickly gathered. my bad. note to self: get my sandy barren landscapes right.

like its monumental banners, gargantuan star-sprangled posters and loud trailers the film is, like most of u already know, typical. it's well into 2005, and hollywood's blocking the busters. i guess the only thing that appealed to me was that part of the cast were competent actors and that dad was very keen. oh alright... i'll give credit where it's due. the film does present some interesting insight into the human condition... when it's stuck in the middle of nowhere with very limited resources. how is humankind to respond to calamity.. or life for that matter? to stay put and be manhandled by fate (which can be very unkind sometimes) or act and take matters into your hands (when it doesn't always end with good results)? risk, gambles and decisions, decisions, decisions where ever our heros turn... but in their case, a slight misjudment, a small human error cost lives. intense huh?

but as usual... the protagonists overcome their personal frustrations and fears, outsmart the sneaky menacing "other" and soar... to show the world that western civilisation will once again prevail over the harsh brutality of eastern nature. pun intended. ok, ok... i shall play fair. no hitting below the belt and i will chuck that soapbox in the corner. for now. =p

like it or not... i choose not really. interesting but no lasting impressions on me.


heave...ho...
image courtesy of countingdown.com
for the trailer, proceed here.
for the official website, proceed here.

bad education makes for good company.

greater than good actually. take this critique however u like it, but let it be known that i am a huge beyond huge fan of pedro almodovar and be forewarned that appalling gushing is due ahead. almodovar- that bohemian soldier who unseated the hegemonic cultural wasteland franco left in his wake, a relentless pioneer of la movida, a pillar of film history and an outstanding auteur of film destiny. yes, in my eyes he is guru cinematique and i want to have his children. tough that he's gay though.

bad ed tells the tale of two friends who come together to collaborate on a film based on their experiences during which they spent in a strict catholic institution for boys where one of them falls prey to the sexual advances of a priest who teaches there. it thus becomes an emotional and psychological journey with a delicious twist towards the end.

in the spirit of almadovar's take on postmodernist art, la mala educacion is a self-reflexive, meta-narrative with a pastiche of genres. what i love about almodovar films is that he questions and challenges, not only social issues, but filmic conventions as well. aside from his trademark controversial focus on love, homosexuality, passion, obssession, religion and the human condition, he compels the audience to rouse from cinematic complacency with 3 intriguing parallel stories and engaging characters who are masters at keeping secrets and weaving tales as a means to achieve their desires. who can the audience trust? the characters? almodovar himself? there are many sides to a single tragedy with too many narrative threads to follow... not only are his characters put to the test, but viewers are as well. at the end of the day... a film is just a film. a concocted tale no matter how willing we are to be pulled into its mind numbing and consuming sphere.


va va bernal!

part melodrama, part romance and part noir, it does not have a distinct genre.. it is in fact, a pastiche of genres where the conventions of one category dissolve into another. it makes for an engaging story aided by complex, intriguing characters and great performances particularly by gael garcia bernal who was almost freakishly convincing in every role he donned. i am also extremely, totally impressed with the two young actors, nacho perez and raul garcia forneiro who depict the protagonists as children. it is no small feat to depict two young prepubescent boys who are in love and engage in sexual experimentation. my salutations to the courage and the maturity with which these young actors approach their roles.


talented performers nacho perez and raul garcia forneiro.

the script's witty charm is woven effectively into the narrative's mainly despairing take on these characters' lives. all in all, this is an almodovar treasure... and the best i've experienced so far this year. hopefully it's not the last for 2005.

watch the trailer or die!
go to the official website to save your life!

movie slut signing off... for now. so tough! =p