This is the theme for Leehom Wang’s directorial debut Love in Disguise, premiering August Thursday 12th, right on time for the debut of his new album 18 Martial Arts… which I am already pre-ordering (plus, re-packaged Jing Chang’s album xD and other stuff from YesAsia… thankyouverymuch).
I feel the MV spoils the film though, but that’s just me. The song’s good, though.
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.
5th single already? If you paid attention, I posted Jing Chang’s 4th single just a week ago.
Otherwise known as 義氣 (Yi Qi), referring to the spirit of loyalty and self-sacrifice. Aiya They Didn’t is reporting Jing Chang will be releasing a re-packaged album by the end of the week (Aug. 13th), which will include:
Not sure why this is a 5th single, since it’s not included in the copy I’ve listened of The Opposite Me, but it’s kind of a nice rock/dance song. Kinda weird… but I could dig.
I’m considering purchasing this re-packaged album. Seems like a good deal.
Just started a Greta Garbo Fake Criterion Collection, from the TCM Garbo Signature set. The only one I’m choosing not to do is Grand Hotel… and of course, the TCM archives. So I’m only missing Queen Christina, Anna Karenina, Camille and Ninotchka. ;P
My favorite fake cover… is between The Mysterious Lady and Flesh and the Devil.
In this one, I like the flame… which you know, I picked from the classic scene where they are lighting their cigarettes and the shot gets so awesome with the light. Of course, I couldn’t find a lighter, so decided to just use the flame. And in it, you can see a bit of that scene if you squint enough.
Plus, Flesh and Devil sounds so sinful and all about kinky passion. LOL Fire, right? xD
And The Mysterious Lady plays the whole spy thing. I’m not even sure if the gun fits the movie, it just looked like it did… it wasn’t too “period-like” and it wasn’t a modern shotgun.
It just didn’t feel right to use Greta Garbo and/or the movie stills. It seemed kind of… dull. That’s why I’m kind of disappointed on my version for Mata Hari. I couldn’t find a still of just the head piece, and I didn’t want to use Garbo’s face — as striking as it was — and I was about to use just the ring, but I guess it’s not really that striking.
And of course, Anna Christie plays on the whole “Gimme a whiskey!” line. After all, Garbo Talks! LOL
You can check the rest of the set here.
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
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
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
Hotel Atlântico (2009)
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Directed by: Suzana Amaral
Hotel Atlantico tells the story of an actor (Julio Andrade) – referred to as The Artist – who finds himself without a job, so he decides to embark himself into an aimless adventure, where he meets people and gets himself in unexpected… and even absurd situations.
Funniest thing is, all the supporting characters are probably more memorable than the protagonist himself. From the sacristan (Gero Camilo from Carandiru) and his aid, to Diana (Mariana Ximenes), the daughter of the doctor who wanted to be major. Though, Andrade had moments where he could have looked like the protagonist on Jesus Christ Superstar.
Perhaps, the most absurd of situations is how The Artist ends up in the hospital, and his meeting with Diana who happened to recognized him when he needed aid. But the most moving encounter is when he meets Sebastian or Sebastião (João Miguel).
2.75/5
COMPETENCIA OFICIAL – FICCION
Screenings:
Friday 6 – 10.15pm – Cineplanet Alcázar – Sala 8
Monday 9 – 7.30pm – Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Azul
Friday 13 – 10pm – Centro Cultural Católica – Sala Azul
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
