Archives For Spanish

Remembering P!nk – There You Go

I’m pretty sure I discovered Pink on one of the non-subtitled broadcasts of some Music Award they used to aired back in the day on Fox or something. That same year or maybe the next (?), in 2001, I went to Los Angeles to spend my 15th bday there… and then head off to San Francisco to visit family.

On that trip? I remember Popular was airing the few of their lasts episodes on The WB. Which episode? I remember it clearly… I have one of those memories. The News of my Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated.

On my stay in LA? I almost pissed myself because I was in LA the day of the Grammy awards. Two Spanish girls that were on the tour bus with us were attending… I watched from the hotel, of course, but I remember seeing all the limos arriving. I was over the moon, because you know me… I get celebrity-giddy really easy… and I was 15.

I saw the Grammy broadcast, and saw Faith Hill performing Breathe. Wow. Guess what I ended up getting when I got to SF, and told my parents I wanted to get some CDs? xD A broad variety, because you know me… I’m not genre specific, if I like it, I like it and that’s it. So I ended up getting Pink’s debut Can’t Take Me Home, Faith Hill’s Breathe, and Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP.

I still own those CDs — it’s rare I would decide to throw them out — and even though I only own one or two more albums by Faith Hill and Eminem, I can proudly tell you that I have bought every Pink album that’s been released.

So here’s to There You Go, and the Pink hair that started it all!

Posted on August 11, 2010 In English, Music, Music Videos, Sharing, Spanish, Television , , , , , , ,
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Hmm… I’m a little behind on stuff

August 10, 2010 — Leave a comment

Again.

I actually think I’m short of 2 reviews…

I wanted to watch some of the Peruvian films playing at the Lima Film Fest, but 8pm is a horrible time. I hate going to the cinema at 8pm… it’s just so full of people. That was Octubre last night, instead I saw The Art of the Steal… and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Time well spent? I’m not sure about Wimpy Kid, but at least I avoided 8pm rush hour.

Contracorriente (Undertow) plays tomorrow… at 8pm. I might try to catch that, but again. Why 8pm?

Instead, I caught my 2nd viewing for Inception today. I was surprised to catch myself yawing a couple of times. I have made up my mind about it. It’s still a good movie, but this time I can officially tell you that I liked Joseph Gordon Levitt and Marion Cotillard scenes the best.

I need to keep up with my music reviews.

While formatting my aunt’s computer. That’s  a bonus. I hate Vista.

I also need to format mine. The audio and video are playing… funny.

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Top5 Tips to Better your Red Carpet Event

August 9, 2010 — Leave a comment

;P

I’m lazy, don’t wanna make a Top10.

I hate photographing social events, mainly because I’m anti-social. Also because social events are usually all about who you photograph, and them posing, and faking their smiles. There’s nothing I hate more about photos than fake-smiling. But alas, we must photograph those sometimes… not so much about social events parties, but the events themselves.

I have a few rules that I follow. They might be strange rules, and nobody probably does it because they’re not anti-social like me, but I always keep them in mind.

– I never call out celebrities so I can take pictures of them. I don’t want them to see me — I do carry weird hair, and that calls attention… but that just goes with the hair — I don’t want them to look into my camera. I like that when they don’t look at my camera, it feels voyeuristic. LOL

– I never use flash. Flash is hard on the skin – mind you, sometimes events are so badly lit, it’s impossible to take photos without it. However, in those cases, sometimes I borrow/steal other people’s flashes. I believe the use of flash is only appropriate on studio settings, because when flash is used in a natural or “non-set-up” setting, it just makes it look out of place.

Plus, women who aren’t necessarily made-up like models for a shoot look rough with a flash hitting on their faces. Clear skin women looks very pale like zombies… and overall, people have shiny skin. Plus PLUS, flash in these cases make wrinkles pop up as if they were the grand canyon.

I have a lot of issues with flash.

– A natural pose is better than Pose-Hard. I rather catch a person standing naturally in conversation with someone else, than having to photograph them standing in pose and smiling at cameras.

– Be a tourist. I love photographing the stages and how the light hits different parts of the scenery. It makes the event about the place, as well as the people behind it. You know, the people who work on the stage and the lights.

So having said that, these are my Top5 Tips for Red Carpets Events from my photographing point of views – as well as a viewer at home ;P

Continue Reading…

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This is my attempt at Classic Cannes Photos~

August 7, 2010 — Leave a comment

Only without the Cannes part. xD

The Lima Film Fest opened tonight, at a freezing night for reporters. I saw people shivering, but we had to wait outside for people to go in before us… and you know I don’t do “social photos” I HATE, LOATH the social section on magazine and newspapers. So I decided to take more photos of the sceneries xD

And then camera people screamed at people “please, such-and-such a pose for this side too” so I felt obliged to take photos. And you know I hate using flash, even though it’s so dark… but I like blurry grainy photos anyway… so when I was going through the few photos I took, I thought… Hmm… wouldn’t they look nice in black and white?

So this is me trying some “classic” look.

I’m thinking of writing a 10 Tips for a Better Red Carpet event list. xD
Remember guys, it’s PASO, PASO, POSE. Not PASO, PASO, PASO… OKAY I’M GONE.

Check out the whole set here.

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Lima Film Festival: La Casa Muda

August 6, 2010 — Leave a comment

La Casa Muda (2010) – aka. The Silent House
Genre: Horror, Suspense
Directed by: Gustavo Hernandez

The Silent House tells the story of Laura, a young woman, and her father who decide to install themselves in their country house to fix it for sale the next day. At night time, Laura hears noises, so her father decides to check it out without ever returning.

The film, directed by Gustavo Hernandez, is supposed to be based on a true story from the 40s — I can’t tell for sure, though. The Silent House is very stylish, with prime photography, and nice sound design. The acting is fine, and it all should make a pretty good film, except it isn’t that great. Sure, the film is supposed to be a horror suspense, and it is in the beginning, but it gets boring 30 minutes into the film with repetitive running around, and cheap thrills without moving the plot… or lack thereof.

In the end, there’s a big reveal… of sorts, which isn’t that surprising. However, the lack of plot is just too much for a one 78-min-long shot — was it really one shot? It seemed like a DV camera, so it’s possible. Like I said, The Silent House looks really REALLY good, but that’s it.

2.5/5

COMPETENCIA OFICIAL – FICCION

Screenings:
Monday 9 – 8pm – Cineplanet San Miguel – Sala 1
Tuesday 10 – 5.15pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 1
Wednesday 11 – 3pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 5
Thursday 12 – 8.30pm – Cineplanet Risso
Saturday 13 – 8pm – Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Azul

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Lima Film Festival: Agua Fría de Mar

August 6, 2010 — Leave a comment

Agua Fría de Mar (2010) – aka. Cold Water of the Sea
Genre: Drama
Directed by: Paz Fabrega

Cold Water of the Sea tells the story of a young couple about to get married that go on a holiday trip to a tropical “paradise”, when they run into a girl who seems to be lost in the middle of the night. When they try to find her parents, the girl has long gone, which creates a bizarre connection between the girl and the woman.

Perhaps Cold Water of the Sea’s best feature is its locations in the “exotic” beaches of Costa Rica, because neither characters nor situations live up to anything. It’s not as if we wanted high tension drama on this, but we at least expected to sympathize with the characters. However, we end up knowing little about them, having spent a bit less than 1.30hr into these people.

A lot of the time is spent on the little girl, who tells the couple that her whole family has died in a transit accident, when in fact they were alive. Why is that? “Kids are like that” stated the mother, but why did she come up with something like that? She is certainly more than a spoiled brat, treated differently from her three older brothers by her dad. There are certainly hints of Electra Complex in the girl, but nothing is explored. Instead, director Fabrega decides to make some sort of distinction between social classes? Just because one side of the story is set with a poor family at the beach, and the other of a well-off young couple at a fancy resort?

2/5

COMPETENCIA OFICIAL – FICCION

Screenings:
Monday 9 – 3pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 5
Tuesday 10 – 8pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 5
Wednesday 11 – 8pm – Cineplanet San Miguel – Sala 1
Thursday 12 – 10pm – Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Azul
Saturday 14 – 8pm – Cineplanet Primavera – Sala 1

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Lima Film Festival: José Martí: El Ojo del Canario

August 5, 2010 — 1 Comment

José Martí: El Ojo del Canario (2010)
Genre: Drama, Biography, Historic
Directed by: Fernando Perez

FYI: NOT official artwork.

Jose Marti: El Ojo del Canario tells the story of Jose Julian Marti Perez, the Cuban national hero and Latin American literature figure, between the dates when he was 9 years and 16 years old.

The film is more a representation of different things that could have had an effect in the way Jose Marti saw his motherland Cuba. Born from his Spanish father from Valencia and his mother from the Canary Islands, Jose Marti grew up a pretty privilege life getting to study at private school, learning mathematics, and reading.

He is bright and studious, and his mother and teacher want him to continue his studies, despite his father’s desire for him to start working right away. At a tender age, he goes off to work with him, and earns him praises for his King-styled handwriting. In school, he is very influenced by his best friend Fermin Valdez Dominguez, as well as his teacher Rafael Maria de Mendive. All of this, plus his exposure to slavery, which was still practiced in Spanish-ruled Cuba, made him want to yearn for a free Cuba.

The two leads who play Marti in the film — one as a child, and the other as 16-year-old Marti — are more than capable to carry the film. In fact, Damian Antonio Rodriguez who played kid-Marti reminded me of a young combination between James Franco (Milk) and Ben Whishaw (Perfume: The Story of a Murdered). Despite me not believing that Daniel Romero, playing 16-year-old Marti, looks anything like Rodriguez, there’s no denying the talent put into his characterization.

The film doesn’t feel all that connected, sometimes jumping scene from scene without any flow, however that doesn’t take away much from the acting and the story director Perez wanted to tell. Cuba is showcasing a very well put together biographic piece.

3/5

COMPETENCIA OFICIAL – FICCION

Screenings:
Monday 9 – 10.30pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 5
Tuesday 10 – 10.15pm – Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Roja
Wednesday 11 – 9.45pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 1
Saturday 14 – 3pm –  Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 5

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Lima Film Festival: El Vuelco del Cangrejo

August 5, 2010 — 2 Comments

El Vuelvo del Cangrejo (2009) – aka. Crab Trap
Genre: Light Drama
Directed by: Oscar Ruiz Navia

Crab Trap tells the story of Daniel (Rodrigo Velez) and the relationship he makes with La Barra, a little black community in Colombia’s Pacific coast. In it, he meets with Cerebro (Brain), the leader of the afro-descendant natives who are having territorial issues with a white man called El Paisa, who wants to build a hotel on the beach.

The film is a little over 1.30hr, even though it feels it could hit the 2hr. mark. It’s slowly-paced with descent performances from the main cast — even if some of the scenes and situations felt forced. The most interesting part of the film is, perhaps, Daniel’s relationship with Lucia (Yisela Alvarez) a little girl he befriends in the community. Other than that, I did not care about him as a character, so I didn’t care for what he was looking for, or whether he would get it.

Cerebro’s struggle with progress distanced me even further from the story, when you had other characters that didn’t have issues with it. Cerebro’s antics just end up as a childish, not comfortable with things changing. However, I will give in into something — El Paisa playing his damn Reggaeton music every night was annoying.

2.75/5

COMPETENCIA OFICIAL – FICCION

Screenings:
Saturday 7 – 8.30pm – Cineplanet Risso
Sunday 8 – 10pm –Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Azul
Wednesday 11 – 10.30pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 5
Thursday 12 – 8pm – Cineplanet Primavera – Sala 1
Friday 13 – 3pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 5

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Lima Film Festival: Rompecabezas

August 4, 2010 — Leave a comment

Rompecabezas (2009) – aka. Puzzle
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Directed by: Natalia Smirnoff

Puzzle tells the story of Maria del Carmen (Maria Onetto), a housewife who has just turned 40-ish, and has spent the last 20 years of her life worrying about her husband and two sons — who are now about to leave the nest. On her birthday, she receives a puzzle as a gift, and finds out she’s got a natural ability for them. Maria del Carmen decides to answer an ad of a man who’s looking for a “puzzle partner” to compete on the puzzle championship in Germany, despite her family’s discontent of her new hobby.

The film starts like this, Maria del Carmen is busy making snacks, and a cake for what’s obviously a birthday party. Later that day, her house is filled with relatives we will never see again, everyone is talking and eating while Maria del Carmen is still busy with party chores, like slicing the salami and serving it up. Finally, the lights are out and Maria makes her entrance carrying the cake with the candles, while the people sing Happy Birthday. Maria sets the cake on the table, and blows the candles herself. It was her birthday, and it makes the viewers see how much her family under-appreciates her.

Puzzle is a light dramedy about a woman who decides to put herself first, after years of putting her family’s needs ahead. It just so happens to be a slight obsession on puzzles, which is somewhat hilarious. World puzzle championships? Right, we couldn’t believe it either.

She begins training for a world-known puzzle championship with Roberto (Arturo Goetz), who like Maria, has a knack for puzzles. While she meets with him at his luscious place in the city, telling her family she’s visiting an aunt, her Taichi-practicing husband finds it somewhat annoying that she keeps forgetting the cheese, and her youngest kid begins dating a vegan who’s obsessed with how much pain a fish feels when getting caught.

Puzzle is full of charm, and Maria will surely remind everyone of their mothers — especially if they don’t have a grasp on technology. E-mail, anyone?

3.25/5

COMPETENCIA OFICIAL – FICCION

Screenings:
Friday 6 – 10pm – Cineplanet Risso
Sunday 8 – 10.15pm –Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Roja
Tuesday 10 – 2.15pm – Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Roja
Thursday 12 – 3pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 5
Friday 13 – 10.30pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 5

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Lima Film Festival: Carancho

August 4, 2010 — 1 Comment

Carancho (2010)
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Directed by: Pablo Trapero

Carancho tells the story of Sosa (Ricardo Darin), a lawyer specialized in traffic accidents in Buenos Aires. Thanks to the corrupt system and insurance companies, he takes advantage of countless families victims of the roads who end up with nothing of the money these lawyers end up keeping. One night, while searching for a new client, Sosa ends up meeting Lujan (Martina Gusman), a young ER doctor who keeps herself awake with drugs.

Pablo Trapero’s thriller is filled with loads of good elements starting up, from your sassy young medical student, and a somewhat rough-on-the-edges Sosa and his victim-lawyers-insurance dealings. There’s fraud, and brutal beat-ups… however, it all falls apart in the last act. We don’t exactly understand why Lujan would end up willing to give it all up for Sosa, who promises to leave his way of earning a living behind, but we know from the start that it won’t be possible.

In the end, Trapero decides to wrap it all up nicely, but ends up feeling a bit desperate with an over-the-top rescue mission.

3/5

COMPETENCIA OFICIAL – FICCION

Screenings:
Saturday 7 – 10.15pm – Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Roja
Sunday 8 – 8pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 5
Monday 9 – 2.15pm – Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Roja
Tuesday 10 – 8pm – Cineplanet Primavera – Sala 1
Thursday 12 – 7.15pm – Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Roja
Friday 13 – 9.45pm –  Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 1

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