My favorite is "Tiny Ball of Light".
Although "He Doesn't Own a Shirt" is great too....lol.
Although "He Doesn't Own a Shirt" is great too....lol.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
http://www.inc.com/ss/30under30/2010/top-young-entrepreneurs#0
Categories: business, entrepreneurship
Friday, February 25, 2011
So, Academy Awards this weekend! WOOT. Here are my final predictions (I usually get something around 90% of them right):
Best Picture - The Social Network
Actor in a Leading Role - Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
Actor in a Supporting Role - Christian Bale (The Fighter)
Actress in a Leading Role - Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Actress in a Supporting Role - Melissa Leo (The FIghter)
Animated Feature Film - Toy Story 3
Art Direction - Robert Stromberg (Alice in Wonderland)
Cinematography - Wally Pfister (Inception)
Directing - David Fincher (The Social Network)
Documentary Feature - Gasland
Film Editing - Tariq Anwar (The King's Speech)
Foreign Language - In A Better World (Denmark)
Make-Up - Idk
Music Score - Alexandre Desplat (The King's Speech)
Music (Original Song) - "We Belong Together" (Toy Story 3)
Sound Editing - Tron: Legacy
Sound Mixing - Inception
Visual Effects - Inception
Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - The Social Network
Writing (Original) - The Fighter
Best Picture - The Social Network
Actor in a Leading Role - Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
Actor in a Supporting Role - Christian Bale (The Fighter)
Actress in a Leading Role - Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Actress in a Supporting Role - Melissa Leo (The FIghter)
Animated Feature Film - Toy Story 3
Art Direction - Robert Stromberg (Alice in Wonderland)
Cinematography - Wally Pfister (Inception)
Directing - David Fincher (The Social Network)
Documentary Feature - Gasland
Film Editing - Tariq Anwar (The King's Speech)
Foreign Language - In A Better World (Denmark)
Make-Up - Idk
Music Score - Alexandre Desplat (The King's Speech)
Music (Original Song) - "We Belong Together" (Toy Story 3)
Sound Editing - Tron: Legacy
Sound Mixing - Inception
Visual Effects - Inception
Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - The Social Network
Writing (Original) - The Fighter
Categories: Academy Awards, film
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Absolutely brilliant!
As a comment on YouTube said it: Beethoven would probably be rolling over in his grave, but he would've probably done a little dance too. ;D
As a comment on YouTube said it: Beethoven would probably be rolling over in his grave, but he would've probably done a little dance too. ;D
Categories: music
Monday, February 21, 2011
I was (once again) surfing the MIT Media Lab's page (I really really want to go there for grad school in a few years) and was looking into the projects being explored in the Fluid Interfaces group (when applying to the Media Lab you need to list 3 groups you would like to work with and so far my top picks are Camera Culture, Fluid Interfaces, and Opera of the Future) and I was amazed with the stuff being developed there. The project that interested me the most is called Sensei and it is an application designed to aid children with language learning. It runs on a cell phone (it is being tested on a Samsung Galaxy using Android software) and operates by pointing the phone's camera at an object and it will recognize the object and tell you the word for that object in any language you want (I gather that it both displays it and also pronounces it). What's amazing is that they're working on having future versions of the project be not only able to recognize objects but also detect whether or not you are pronouncing it right when you practice it. I think this is brilliant and would do wonders for the field of language learning in general (not just applied for children) - I would love to have something like this on my iPhone.
Speaking of the iPhone, I'm really happy that I got it because I'm getting so much use out of it. I keep applications that are helping me practice my Chinese and learn basic Japanese, Dutch, and Korean. Best part? Most of those apps are free - for the basic pack! I also have some really great Chinese dictionaries installed (one with 20,000 characters and another with 40,000), one of which allows me to create study flashcards, can magnify the characters to see them better, AND also has an animation mode that will show you the proper stroke order for the character.
Other great apps for the iPhone? I have an excellent Currency Converter (OANDA Corp), Measurement Unit Converter (ConvertBot), Instrument Tuner (tun-d - can help tune over 20 instruments), NYC Subway Map (CityTransit), Expense Tracker (Mint), Lightmeter (LightMeter), Fitness Trainer (Nike Training Center for Women), and Cocktail Recipe library (Mixologist). I'm also a huge fan of the Panascout Lite app from Panavision that is designed to help define the cinematic composition of a frame prior to filming and the American Airlines app (because I'm a frequent flier on American Airlines) that helps me keep track of all of my airplane connections and segments, I can check-in through it, and it even acts as a digital boarding pass for some airports! The camera is also really nice (5 megapixels with a LED flash). The camera is so good and versatile that in fact, a well-established Korean filmmaker shot an entire 30-minute film with it and it is said that the film's image quality "can play with the best of them". Currently experimenting with building a steadicam and tripod mount to see if I can do some quality ultra-low budget filmmaking on it.
Speaking of the iPhone, I'm really happy that I got it because I'm getting so much use out of it. I keep applications that are helping me practice my Chinese and learn basic Japanese, Dutch, and Korean. Best part? Most of those apps are free - for the basic pack! I also have some really great Chinese dictionaries installed (one with 20,000 characters and another with 40,000), one of which allows me to create study flashcards, can magnify the characters to see them better, AND also has an animation mode that will show you the proper stroke order for the character.
Other great apps for the iPhone? I have an excellent Currency Converter (OANDA Corp), Measurement Unit Converter (ConvertBot), Instrument Tuner (tun-d - can help tune over 20 instruments), NYC Subway Map (CityTransit), Expense Tracker (Mint), Lightmeter (LightMeter), Fitness Trainer (Nike Training Center for Women), and Cocktail Recipe library (Mixologist). I'm also a huge fan of the Panascout Lite app from Panavision that is designed to help define the cinematic composition of a frame prior to filming and the American Airlines app (because I'm a frequent flier on American Airlines) that helps me keep track of all of my airplane connections and segments, I can check-in through it, and it even acts as a digital boarding pass for some airports! The camera is also really nice (5 megapixels with a LED flash). The camera is so good and versatile that in fact, a well-established Korean filmmaker shot an entire 30-minute film with it and it is said that the film's image quality "can play with the best of them". Currently experimenting with building a steadicam and tripod mount to see if I can do some quality ultra-low budget filmmaking on it.
Categories: Chinese, iphone 4, language learning, MIT media lab
Sunday, February 20, 2011
The future is not fixed, but fluid.
- (Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Apprentice: The Fight for Truth)
- (Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Apprentice: The Fight for Truth)
Categories: wisdom
Saturday, February 19, 2011
So just thought I'd share a few opinions on stuff I've been watching and re-watching recently.
Here goes:
The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) - (2010. Argentina. Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Film)
I'm usually torn about watching Latin-American Cinema. Not because it isn't good, but because it all sort of runs in the same vein that has been going on for a long time. It is really hard to find fresh and good films coming out of this continent. I know that sounds harsh, but the stuff that is usually critically acclaimed and actually goes to international distribution (stuff like "Amores Perros" or "María Llena Eres de Gracia" or to use an Ecuadorian example, "Crónicas") fall into the Latin America is all full of sex and drugs and violence. And while that certainly is a cultural reality that is everpresent in our lives because it is more exposed to the public, it is certainly not a good descriptor of what contemporary Latin-American life is like. I tend to gravitate towards films that see and depict Latin-American life and our issues in a different, and fresh light. Which is why I truly love Tania Hermida's "Qué Tan Lejos" (Ecuador. 2006) as it is a road-trip film that shows Ecuadorians all of our ridiculous mannerisms and habits and cultural issues in a comedic way. It makes the viewer reflect on their identity through a heartfelt comedic setting. Likewise "Machuca" (Chile. 2004) views Chile's political turmoil during the coup d'estat that overthrew Allende and the instating of dictator Pinochet through the eyes of two young boys. An innovative point-of-view that not only really drives the intensity of that political transition home but also reflects on the political turmoil the rest of the continent continues to suffer until today. Finally, "Diarios de Motocicleta" (Argentina-UK-US-Germany-Chile-Peru-France. 2004) allows us to observe the transformation of Ernesto Guevara into the iconic revolutionary "Che". It complicates the image of Che and humanizes him, turning him from an icon for revolution into a living, breathing, human being that decides to make a change in the social order of the continent after witnessing the neocolonial social mess that has developed throughout the region after the Spanish crown left two centuries ago. It is a call to act on the things that need to be changed in our lifestyle, but also a call to reflect on the proper way to go about doing them - on thinking about what comes before and after the act of revolution.
With this in mind, I was a little weary about watching "El Secreto de Sus Ojos": the Argentinian film that won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film last year. I expected it to be something along the traditional line of Latin-American Cinema. In a way, it was, but at the same time it wasn't. The aspect of violence was there, but it served as a starting point for the film rather than a driving force. The story itself is very resonant of Spanish Cinema - in particular of Almodóvar's work (it reminded me of his first film "Tésis" in narrative construction) - and is slightly too long (at 130 minutes it pushes the length of time you want to spend watching what is essentially a sort of criminal law drama). Additionally, I was less than impressed with the cinematographer because of his odd frame compositions consisting of blocking most of the frame with an object that was usually out of focus in order to sort of claustrophobically enclose the face of a character or object of importance into the edge of the frame (usually in the top right corner). Usually this is done to inspire a sense of claustrophobia in the viewer, to enhance the feeling of entrapment (think about the enclosing frames in "Raise the Red Lantern" that at a micro level symbolize 4th Wife's entrapment in the marriage, the compound, and her own mind and at a macro level symbolize China's entrapment into its own ideals of radical change during the cultural revolution). However, the film is not about entrapment or claustrophobia - it is about one's inability to live without one's passions. This can be an entrapment, but for the characters in this story, that realization is what eventually helps them be liberated. The bizarre framing decisions might have made sense had the film started out with a claustrophobic frame and then progressed into a less obstructed one OR if the framing had help define the different mindsets of the characters in the flashback scenes or in the present. But there is no evidence to support that any of that really happened, so the odd framings are just odd framings. Odd framings that really got on my nerves an hour in. I think that might be something I picked up on though - as I watched this film with MJ and she didn't really notice it. So I guess it is 4 years of analyzing film at work...haha. Despite all of this, the narrative construction and the acting is excellent. It is one of the few films where I've seen flashbacks work in a non-cheesy way. One of the things about the narrative that I liked the most is that the flashbacks aren't quite flashbacks. They are the retelling of a case the main character worked on, but tailored into a narrative structure with fictitious elements because they are part of the novel he is working on. This structure raises a lot of interesting questions about the nature of our memories and the way we recall things, the way we use non-fictional stories to create fictional ones, and the blurring of the line between reality and fiction (how fiction mirrors reality and reality mirrors fiction). So overall, a really excellent film, but not the freshest subject matter or approach to the subject matter. Which is ok. Some of the greatest films ever made are great because of their exceptional storytelling of a story that was perhaps not so exceptional to begin with ("The Godfather" was considered to be a cheap travel book that wasn't that fantastic, but the storytelling done in the films really transformed and gave importance to an otherwise unexceptional story).
Here goes:
The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) - (2010. Argentina. Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Film)
I'm usually torn about watching Latin-American Cinema. Not because it isn't good, but because it all sort of runs in the same vein that has been going on for a long time. It is really hard to find fresh and good films coming out of this continent. I know that sounds harsh, but the stuff that is usually critically acclaimed and actually goes to international distribution (stuff like "Amores Perros" or "María Llena Eres de Gracia" or to use an Ecuadorian example, "Crónicas") fall into the Latin America is all full of sex and drugs and violence. And while that certainly is a cultural reality that is everpresent in our lives because it is more exposed to the public, it is certainly not a good descriptor of what contemporary Latin-American life is like. I tend to gravitate towards films that see and depict Latin-American life and our issues in a different, and fresh light. Which is why I truly love Tania Hermida's "Qué Tan Lejos" (Ecuador. 2006) as it is a road-trip film that shows Ecuadorians all of our ridiculous mannerisms and habits and cultural issues in a comedic way. It makes the viewer reflect on their identity through a heartfelt comedic setting. Likewise "Machuca" (Chile. 2004) views Chile's political turmoil during the coup d'estat that overthrew Allende and the instating of dictator Pinochet through the eyes of two young boys. An innovative point-of-view that not only really drives the intensity of that political transition home but also reflects on the political turmoil the rest of the continent continues to suffer until today. Finally, "Diarios de Motocicleta" (Argentina-UK-US-Germany-Chile-Peru-France. 2004) allows us to observe the transformation of Ernesto Guevara into the iconic revolutionary "Che". It complicates the image of Che and humanizes him, turning him from an icon for revolution into a living, breathing, human being that decides to make a change in the social order of the continent after witnessing the neocolonial social mess that has developed throughout the region after the Spanish crown left two centuries ago. It is a call to act on the things that need to be changed in our lifestyle, but also a call to reflect on the proper way to go about doing them - on thinking about what comes before and after the act of revolution.
With this in mind, I was a little weary about watching "El Secreto de Sus Ojos": the Argentinian film that won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film last year. I expected it to be something along the traditional line of Latin-American Cinema. In a way, it was, but at the same time it wasn't. The aspect of violence was there, but it served as a starting point for the film rather than a driving force. The story itself is very resonant of Spanish Cinema - in particular of Almodóvar's work (it reminded me of his first film "Tésis" in narrative construction) - and is slightly too long (at 130 minutes it pushes the length of time you want to spend watching what is essentially a sort of criminal law drama). Additionally, I was less than impressed with the cinematographer because of his odd frame compositions consisting of blocking most of the frame with an object that was usually out of focus in order to sort of claustrophobically enclose the face of a character or object of importance into the edge of the frame (usually in the top right corner). Usually this is done to inspire a sense of claustrophobia in the viewer, to enhance the feeling of entrapment (think about the enclosing frames in "Raise the Red Lantern" that at a micro level symbolize 4th Wife's entrapment in the marriage, the compound, and her own mind and at a macro level symbolize China's entrapment into its own ideals of radical change during the cultural revolution). However, the film is not about entrapment or claustrophobia - it is about one's inability to live without one's passions. This can be an entrapment, but for the characters in this story, that realization is what eventually helps them be liberated. The bizarre framing decisions might have made sense had the film started out with a claustrophobic frame and then progressed into a less obstructed one OR if the framing had help define the different mindsets of the characters in the flashback scenes or in the present. But there is no evidence to support that any of that really happened, so the odd framings are just odd framings. Odd framings that really got on my nerves an hour in. I think that might be something I picked up on though - as I watched this film with MJ and she didn't really notice it. So I guess it is 4 years of analyzing film at work...haha. Despite all of this, the narrative construction and the acting is excellent. It is one of the few films where I've seen flashbacks work in a non-cheesy way. One of the things about the narrative that I liked the most is that the flashbacks aren't quite flashbacks. They are the retelling of a case the main character worked on, but tailored into a narrative structure with fictitious elements because they are part of the novel he is working on. This structure raises a lot of interesting questions about the nature of our memories and the way we recall things, the way we use non-fictional stories to create fictional ones, and the blurring of the line between reality and fiction (how fiction mirrors reality and reality mirrors fiction). So overall, a really excellent film, but not the freshest subject matter or approach to the subject matter. Which is ok. Some of the greatest films ever made are great because of their exceptional storytelling of a story that was perhaps not so exceptional to begin with ("The Godfather" was considered to be a cheap travel book that wasn't that fantastic, but the storytelling done in the films really transformed and gave importance to an otherwise unexceptional story).
Categories: film, Latin-American Cinema, The Secret in Their Eyes
Friday, February 18, 2011
When people stand in line and leave too much space between them and the person in front of them (if two more people can comfortably stand in front of you in line, that is TOO MUCH SPACE) and then when you ask them to please move because there are about 10 other people behind you, they refuse to move on the basis of they don´t want to dance a bolero with the person in front of them. And to top it all off, you stand in line for 10 minutes with this guy in front of you and then when it is the guy´s turn, he realizes he´s in the WRONG LINE.
Seriously. This happened to me at the bank today. I´m all for respecting the personal space and whatnot, but seriously, the guy has a whole empty row in front of him and he refused to move. And the people in the line behind me were lining up past the roped area. There was also this other guy who cut in the line two guys ahead of me. Also kind of irritated me.
Line etiquette is important and not that hard!
(1) Don´t cut in the line (unless you are in a group of friends who you are meeting wherever you are lining up at),
(2) Move when the line moves,
(3) Don´t stand too close to the person in front of you,
(4) Don´t stand too far away from the person in front of you,
(5) Asking someone to hold your spot is legit.
(6) If you leave the line but didn´t ask someone to hold your spot but then want to come back, you have to go to the end of the line.
This is just a bit of a pet peeve of mine. I´m actually a very patient person when waiting in line so I hate when other people are not respectful of the line and the people in it.
Seriously. This happened to me at the bank today. I´m all for respecting the personal space and whatnot, but seriously, the guy has a whole empty row in front of him and he refused to move. And the people in the line behind me were lining up past the roped area. There was also this other guy who cut in the line two guys ahead of me. Also kind of irritated me.
Line etiquette is important and not that hard!
(1) Don´t cut in the line (unless you are in a group of friends who you are meeting wherever you are lining up at),
(2) Move when the line moves,
(3) Don´t stand too close to the person in front of you,
(4) Don´t stand too far away from the person in front of you,
(5) Asking someone to hold your spot is legit.
(6) If you leave the line but didn´t ask someone to hold your spot but then want to come back, you have to go to the end of the line.
This is just a bit of a pet peeve of mine. I´m actually a very patient person when waiting in line so I hate when other people are not respectful of the line and the people in it.
Categories: pet peeves, Quito
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.
- Joseph Campbell
- Joseph Campbell
Categories: Joseph Campbell, wisdom
Monday, February 14, 2011
I got offered a 1-week gig at the Galápagos Islands in early March. I come back a few days short of leaving for the Asia trip. So the next few months I will be going to the following places:
The Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Miami, FL, USA
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Fresno, CA, USA
Chicago, IL, USA
Shanghai, China
Tokyo, Japan
Hong Kong, China
Xian, China
Luoyang, China
Kaifeng, China
Beijing, China
New York City, NY, USA
That's one helluva trip! Looking forward to it! :D
The Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Miami, FL, USA
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Fresno, CA, USA
Chicago, IL, USA
Shanghai, China
Tokyo, Japan
Hong Kong, China
Xian, China
Luoyang, China
Kaifeng, China
Beijing, China
New York City, NY, USA
That's one helluva trip! Looking forward to it! :D
Categories: China, Ecuador, Galápagos Islands, travel
Friday, February 11, 2011
So, usually around this time (shortly before Oscar season) I make a mental note about what films are coming out this year that I should watch. Some I put on my "watch in Ecuador" list and some in "I will watch this no matter where I am". The difference is mainly that these are all films I want to watch at the movie theater but that the ones I'm willing to watch in Ecuador, I am not necessarily prepared to pay a full $12 movie ticket for anywhere else. But this year, I've just decided to consolidate the whole thing and share the general list of films I will be watching this year with you. So here goes (in order of release date):
(1) The Other Woman - February 14
A small film starring the brilliant Natalie Portman as Emilia Greenleaf who married a guy she started seeing while he was still married to his now ex-wife played by Lisa Kudrow. Emilia has a baby with her husband but the baby dies and the rest of the movie is about how she deals with the loss of the baby and starts to forge a relationship with her husband's son from his previous marriage.
(2) I Am Number Four - February 18
A science-fiction film about a group of aliens that escape the destruction of their home planet and hide on Earth from another alien race that seeks to destroy them. They are assigned numbers and can only be killed in sequence. At the beginning of the film, One, Two, and Three have already been killed and so they are coming for Number Four. Looks better than it sounds!
(3) The Adjustment Bureau - March 4
Another Sci-Fi flick coming up soon. This one is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick (one of my favorite Sci-Fi writers) who also wrote Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (made into the very upsetting Blade Runner) and the short story on which Minority Report is based off of. It looks to be a pretty good film overall. Unlike Blade Runner.
(4) Happythankyoumoreplease - March 4
The directorial debut of How I Met your Mother actor Josh Radnor. Looks like your typical Garden State-like indie fare. I watched the trailer, and it looked pretty good to watch when I'm feeling a little pensive on life and whatnot. Probably not a masterpiece of cinematic art but nonetheless something worth seeing this year I think.
(5) Paul - March 18
To be honest, I don't know why I want to watch this. But I saw the trailer and it looked really funny. Also I like aliens. Have you noticed that? Anyways, this is about a group of UFO-buffs that go visit Area 51 and stumble upon an alien grey that calls himself Paul who has just escaped from the compound. Hilarity ensues. Think E.T meets The Hangover. Ha. Again, don't know why I'm intrigued by this.
(6) Sucker Punch - March 25
Being billed as the female version of 300, I'm sort of intrigued by this. Mostly because the main cast is all-female and is shown kicking tons of butt. A bit of a Hollywood first. A female action flick? Brilliant. On the other hand, they're all dressed up in some sort of representation of a male fantasy (schoolgirl, nurse, soldier, whatever...). Tons of potential for cinematic analysis on male voyeurism! And also a chance to see strong women kick butt.
(7) Your Highness - April 8
Yet again another Hangover-style film. I wouldn't give this much thought if it weren't for the fact that Natalie Portman and James Franco are both in it. Natalie Portman doing a sort of stoner comedy...brilliant! And the trailer actually looks funny. Expect it to be really campy though!
(8) Scream 4 - April 15
I must admit I liked Scream 1, but didn't take too kindly to the second or third sequels. I hear that the 4th is a return to the essence of 1 so I'm willing to give it a try.
(9) Bridesmaids - May 13
Looks a bit like the female version of The Hangover which is a concept that intrigues me. How will they handle the set of characters? Also looks like a bit of a good laugh to be honest!
(10) Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - May 20
I admit I cannot get enough of the amazing Captain Jack Sparrow. And will the Elizabeth/Will storyline gone, I'm intrigued as to what they've cooked up for our favorite film pirate.
(11) The Tree of Life - May 27
From IMDB: Follow Jack O'Brien from his upbringing in the 1950's Midwest, through his complicated relationship with his father (Pitt), to his adult life in the modern world, as he seeks answers to the origins and meaning of life.
(12) X-Men: First Class - June 3
A prequel that focuses on Prof. X and Magneto's friendship and falling out before they were Prof. X and Magneto. Check out trailer in previous post.
(12) Super 8 - June 10
Have you seen the trailer for this thing? Nobody knows exactly what it is about. Except that it involves an alien entity en route from Area 51 to a facility in Ohio breaking free from captivity. But it is J.J. Abrams's work. And J.J. Abrams is brilliant (any Fringe fans around here? Or Lost for that matter?)
(13) One Day - July 8
A love story between Dex and Em that spans a few decades. A really really beautiful book, hoping it will be a beautiful movie too.
(14) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - July 15
I definitely am looking forward to seeing how they conclude the whole film franchise. I really really liked Deathly Hallows Part 1 as it really captured the essence of that first part of the book
(15) Cowboys and Aliens - July 29
This movie has a ridiculous premise. But it has a ridiculous premise that has me intrigued. And it has Harrison Ford. As a cowboy. I want to see Harrison Ford kick some alien ass in a cowboy hat...oh wait. Wasn't that Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? (Let's pretend that film never happened...).
(16) Real Steel - October 7
I met the guy who wrote this (Vassar alum!). From what he mentioned at the panel, it sounded pretty awesome. Robot fights? Hugh Jackman? Produced by Spielberg? Yeah. I'm there.
Unknown release dates:
Sin Otoño, Sin Primavera - unknown
So this is the film I'm taking to Hong Kong Filmart. I've only seen an extended trailer (and read the script) but it looks really promising. The director describes it as a "Punk Ballad" with a feel of Wong Kar-Wai's Chungking Express. Only in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Reason it lacks a release date is because I have to go out and get a distributor to buy it and release it outside of the country. But when I do (and I will), I recommend that go and see it. It really is a refreshing view on Latin American contemporary life.
El Pescador - unknown
So I also worked on this....the first time around. Unlike the previous film, it is your typical Latin American fare, but it is really good nonetheless. Also, it is directed by Ecuador's prime film director Sebastián Cordero. Expect some pretty brutal scenes, but some excellent storytelling.
*note: I might update this as I go along and post any new films that might be coming out. Release dates are consistently fluctuating so...
(1) The Other Woman - February 14
A small film starring the brilliant Natalie Portman as Emilia Greenleaf who married a guy she started seeing while he was still married to his now ex-wife played by Lisa Kudrow. Emilia has a baby with her husband but the baby dies and the rest of the movie is about how she deals with the loss of the baby and starts to forge a relationship with her husband's son from his previous marriage.
(2) I Am Number Four - February 18
A science-fiction film about a group of aliens that escape the destruction of their home planet and hide on Earth from another alien race that seeks to destroy them. They are assigned numbers and can only be killed in sequence. At the beginning of the film, One, Two, and Three have already been killed and so they are coming for Number Four. Looks better than it sounds!
(3) The Adjustment Bureau - March 4
Another Sci-Fi flick coming up soon. This one is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick (one of my favorite Sci-Fi writers) who also wrote Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (made into the very upsetting Blade Runner) and the short story on which Minority Report is based off of. It looks to be a pretty good film overall. Unlike Blade Runner.
(4) Happythankyoumoreplease - March 4
The directorial debut of How I Met your Mother actor Josh Radnor. Looks like your typical Garden State-like indie fare. I watched the trailer, and it looked pretty good to watch when I'm feeling a little pensive on life and whatnot. Probably not a masterpiece of cinematic art but nonetheless something worth seeing this year I think.
(5) Paul - March 18
To be honest, I don't know why I want to watch this. But I saw the trailer and it looked really funny. Also I like aliens. Have you noticed that? Anyways, this is about a group of UFO-buffs that go visit Area 51 and stumble upon an alien grey that calls himself Paul who has just escaped from the compound. Hilarity ensues. Think E.T meets The Hangover. Ha. Again, don't know why I'm intrigued by this.
(6) Sucker Punch - March 25
Being billed as the female version of 300, I'm sort of intrigued by this. Mostly because the main cast is all-female and is shown kicking tons of butt. A bit of a Hollywood first. A female action flick? Brilliant. On the other hand, they're all dressed up in some sort of representation of a male fantasy (schoolgirl, nurse, soldier, whatever...). Tons of potential for cinematic analysis on male voyeurism! And also a chance to see strong women kick butt.
(7) Your Highness - April 8
Yet again another Hangover-style film. I wouldn't give this much thought if it weren't for the fact that Natalie Portman and James Franco are both in it. Natalie Portman doing a sort of stoner comedy...brilliant! And the trailer actually looks funny. Expect it to be really campy though!
(8) Scream 4 - April 15
I must admit I liked Scream 1, but didn't take too kindly to the second or third sequels. I hear that the 4th is a return to the essence of 1 so I'm willing to give it a try.
(9) Bridesmaids - May 13
Looks a bit like the female version of The Hangover which is a concept that intrigues me. How will they handle the set of characters? Also looks like a bit of a good laugh to be honest!
(10) Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - May 20
I admit I cannot get enough of the amazing Captain Jack Sparrow. And will the Elizabeth/Will storyline gone, I'm intrigued as to what they've cooked up for our favorite film pirate.
(11) The Tree of Life - May 27
From IMDB: Follow Jack O'Brien from his upbringing in the 1950's Midwest, through his complicated relationship with his father (Pitt), to his adult life in the modern world, as he seeks answers to the origins and meaning of life.
(12) X-Men: First Class - June 3
A prequel that focuses on Prof. X and Magneto's friendship and falling out before they were Prof. X and Magneto. Check out trailer in previous post.
(12) Super 8 - June 10
Have you seen the trailer for this thing? Nobody knows exactly what it is about. Except that it involves an alien entity en route from Area 51 to a facility in Ohio breaking free from captivity. But it is J.J. Abrams's work. And J.J. Abrams is brilliant (any Fringe fans around here? Or Lost for that matter?)
(13) One Day - July 8
A love story between Dex and Em that spans a few decades. A really really beautiful book, hoping it will be a beautiful movie too.
(14) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - July 15
I definitely am looking forward to seeing how they conclude the whole film franchise. I really really liked Deathly Hallows Part 1 as it really captured the essence of that first part of the book
(15) Cowboys and Aliens - July 29
This movie has a ridiculous premise. But it has a ridiculous premise that has me intrigued. And it has Harrison Ford. As a cowboy. I want to see Harrison Ford kick some alien ass in a cowboy hat...oh wait. Wasn't that Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? (Let's pretend that film never happened...).
(16) Real Steel - October 7
I met the guy who wrote this (Vassar alum!). From what he mentioned at the panel, it sounded pretty awesome. Robot fights? Hugh Jackman? Produced by Spielberg? Yeah. I'm there.
Unknown release dates:
Sin Otoño, Sin Primavera - unknown
So this is the film I'm taking to Hong Kong Filmart. I've only seen an extended trailer (and read the script) but it looks really promising. The director describes it as a "Punk Ballad" with a feel of Wong Kar-Wai's Chungking Express. Only in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Reason it lacks a release date is because I have to go out and get a distributor to buy it and release it outside of the country. But when I do (and I will), I recommend that go and see it. It really is a refreshing view on Latin American contemporary life.
El Pescador - unknown
So I also worked on this....the first time around. Unlike the previous film, it is your typical Latin American fare, but it is really good nonetheless. Also, it is directed by Ecuador's prime film director Sebastián Cordero. Expect some pretty brutal scenes, but some excellent storytelling.
*note: I might update this as I go along and post any new films that might be coming out. Release dates are consistently fluctuating so...
Categories: 2011 film watch list, film, Summer Blockbusters 2011
The new trailer for X-Men: First Class. Looks pretty good!
Categories: film, Summer Blockbusters, Summer Blockbusters 2011, x-men
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
As I logged onto Facebook today I was met with a comment made by an acquaintance of mine posted as her status. It reads as follows (translation):
All those who defend the bullfighting culture would never dare to do a good deed for an animal. They are the typical people who see a dog that has been run over on the road and look the other way instead of stopping to pick them up and giving up their partying lifestyle to pay for his medicine. The people that surround us really are something.
The discussion that followed in the comments was less than civilized and reminded me a lot of the censure brought about by the Ecuadorian government. A girl who called herself a bullfighting fan pointed out that this was an irresponsible generalization as she was someone who had 3 pets (all rescues) which she had given up a lot for. Instead of reflecting on the unfair generalization made in this statement, the one who made it and her supporters proceeded to attack the commenter on her hypocrisy. It made me sad, because the issue that the girl was objecting to (and that I object to) is not the fact that bullfighting is right or wrong but that the logic presented by the person arguing against it is irresponsibly generalizing their opposition and thus hurting their cause. And to post something like this on a public space is bordering on attacking someone for not sharing your point of view. This kind of logic only appeals to those that already agree with it, not those who might be turned to help.
I personally am a free-range vegetarian. I believe in animal rights but I also believe that there isn´t anything wrong with eating an animal in itself. Meat has been a part of our diet since the beginning and there´s also the fact that when we die, our own bodies will be food to other organisms. Circle of life and all of that. I´m also no fan of bullfighting. I spent a good chunk of my adolescent life around Fiestas de Quito trying to understand why the phenomenon is so popular and I think that in the end, I chalked it up to a cultural thing. That being said, institutionalized racism is also part of Latin America´s cultural heritage and I´m not about to let is slide because it is part of that cultural baggage. I´m staunchly against bullfighting but I will never resort to saying that anyone who isn´t is a puppy-killer of sorts.
I don´t respond well to extremist and hateful arguments like the one I saw on Facebook today. And I personally have a lot of issues with the way extremist animal rights activists sacrifice advances in the rights of other groups for their own cause. Case in point: PETA´s I´d rather go naked campaign. The objective behind that campaign is brilliant. The fur industry is cruel and not environmentally sound. It is great that they want to create awareness of that. It is the means through which they attempt to achieve this that are highly questionable - that campaign reinforces problematic cultural standards of beauty and male voyeurism and exploits the female body. Or the release of a worse-dressed list in which a slew of celebrities are called names because of their use of fur. Worst-dressed list? Brilliant. Resorting to calling people names? Being a bully much?
The statement made by my acquaintance isn´t constructive at all and is instead, quite frankly, alienating. I support animal rights, but the end doesn´t justify the means. I was also saddened to see that a lot of the comment writers on that statement resorted to call the girl who didn´t agree names, and to tell her to shut up and not voice her opinion if it was going to be that sort of opinion.
The result of the comment posted and the reactions it got is that I, who had been thinking of showing some support for the organization headed up by my acquaintance, will no longer offer that support. Perhaps it doesn´t matter to them - losing one potential supporter. But that one potential supporter also has a voice and people who listen to it.
Keen to listen to thoughts!
All those who defend the bullfighting culture would never dare to do a good deed for an animal. They are the typical people who see a dog that has been run over on the road and look the other way instead of stopping to pick them up and giving up their partying lifestyle to pay for his medicine. The people that surround us really are something.
The discussion that followed in the comments was less than civilized and reminded me a lot of the censure brought about by the Ecuadorian government. A girl who called herself a bullfighting fan pointed out that this was an irresponsible generalization as she was someone who had 3 pets (all rescues) which she had given up a lot for. Instead of reflecting on the unfair generalization made in this statement, the one who made it and her supporters proceeded to attack the commenter on her hypocrisy. It made me sad, because the issue that the girl was objecting to (and that I object to) is not the fact that bullfighting is right or wrong but that the logic presented by the person arguing against it is irresponsibly generalizing their opposition and thus hurting their cause. And to post something like this on a public space is bordering on attacking someone for not sharing your point of view. This kind of logic only appeals to those that already agree with it, not those who might be turned to help.
I personally am a free-range vegetarian. I believe in animal rights but I also believe that there isn´t anything wrong with eating an animal in itself. Meat has been a part of our diet since the beginning and there´s also the fact that when we die, our own bodies will be food to other organisms. Circle of life and all of that. I´m also no fan of bullfighting. I spent a good chunk of my adolescent life around Fiestas de Quito trying to understand why the phenomenon is so popular and I think that in the end, I chalked it up to a cultural thing. That being said, institutionalized racism is also part of Latin America´s cultural heritage and I´m not about to let is slide because it is part of that cultural baggage. I´m staunchly against bullfighting but I will never resort to saying that anyone who isn´t is a puppy-killer of sorts.
I don´t respond well to extremist and hateful arguments like the one I saw on Facebook today. And I personally have a lot of issues with the way extremist animal rights activists sacrifice advances in the rights of other groups for their own cause. Case in point: PETA´s I´d rather go naked campaign. The objective behind that campaign is brilliant. The fur industry is cruel and not environmentally sound. It is great that they want to create awareness of that. It is the means through which they attempt to achieve this that are highly questionable - that campaign reinforces problematic cultural standards of beauty and male voyeurism and exploits the female body. Or the release of a worse-dressed list in which a slew of celebrities are called names because of their use of fur. Worst-dressed list? Brilliant. Resorting to calling people names? Being a bully much?
The statement made by my acquaintance isn´t constructive at all and is instead, quite frankly, alienating. I support animal rights, but the end doesn´t justify the means. I was also saddened to see that a lot of the comment writers on that statement resorted to call the girl who didn´t agree names, and to tell her to shut up and not voice her opinion if it was going to be that sort of opinion.
The result of the comment posted and the reactions it got is that I, who had been thinking of showing some support for the organization headed up by my acquaintance, will no longer offer that support. Perhaps it doesn´t matter to them - losing one potential supporter. But that one potential supporter also has a voice and people who listen to it.
Keen to listen to thoughts!
Categories: vegetarian
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Happy New Year! May the Year of the Rabbit be very good to all of you!
The sentiment comes a little on the late side since the actual new year was on tuesday or wednesday (I forget) but I only just celebrated yesterday. I went to this event for USFQ's Confucius Institute (Kongzi Xueyuan 孔子学院) yesterday morning and found out that my jiaozi-folding skills are unfortunately sub-par, but that I'm pretty good with chopstick (kuaizi 筷子) dexterity! After that event the fam and I went up to "Gran Shanghai", which I am pleased to report, offers a good selection of authentic Chinese food. Like really authentic. It made me happy! I had some chicken with sesame sauce and some steamed jiaozi. I also ate a lot of my dad's roasted Peking Duck (Beijing Kaoya 北京烤鸭) and of my brother's vegetables with tofu. Good stuff!
The fact that I celebrated the Lunar New Year with my family didn't strike me as odd until I got home. We'd never really celebrated it before (maybe once, I think?) as a family, although I've gotten used to celebrating it at Vassar. The Chinese and Japanese department made this really big event where they usually made us sing Chinese songs and then fed us insane amounts of Chinese food. There was also the ASA (Asian Student Alliance) celebration which I usually went to too. The reason that celebrating it this year was odd was because I realized we were celebrating the tradition of another culture as if it were our own. That sort of blew my mind a bit because it just shows how much the process of cross-culturalization and globalization has started to affect our individual lives. Just an interesting thing to think about - how much of other cultures we are slowly adopting as our own. It is not to say that we shouldn't...it is just an interesting observation on the evolution of our own identity.
Anyhow, I'm getting into full China/Chinese mode again. I've downloaded some really helpful podcasts from Popup Chinese that I've been listening to as I work and also just getting into the swing of practicing my Chinese. Although, it gives me hope that the owner of "Gran Shanghai" yesterday said that I had excellent pronunciation (she said it was almost as good as a native). It bodes well that I haven't lost my accent!
The sentiment comes a little on the late side since the actual new year was on tuesday or wednesday (I forget) but I only just celebrated yesterday. I went to this event for USFQ's Confucius Institute (Kongzi Xueyuan 孔子学院) yesterday morning and found out that my jiaozi-folding skills are unfortunately sub-par, but that I'm pretty good with chopstick (kuaizi 筷子) dexterity! After that event the fam and I went up to "Gran Shanghai", which I am pleased to report, offers a good selection of authentic Chinese food. Like really authentic. It made me happy! I had some chicken with sesame sauce and some steamed jiaozi. I also ate a lot of my dad's roasted Peking Duck (Beijing Kaoya 北京烤鸭) and of my brother's vegetables with tofu. Good stuff!
The fact that I celebrated the Lunar New Year with my family didn't strike me as odd until I got home. We'd never really celebrated it before (maybe once, I think?) as a family, although I've gotten used to celebrating it at Vassar. The Chinese and Japanese department made this really big event where they usually made us sing Chinese songs and then fed us insane amounts of Chinese food. There was also the ASA (Asian Student Alliance) celebration which I usually went to too. The reason that celebrating it this year was odd was because I realized we were celebrating the tradition of another culture as if it were our own. That sort of blew my mind a bit because it just shows how much the process of cross-culturalization and globalization has started to affect our individual lives. Just an interesting thing to think about - how much of other cultures we are slowly adopting as our own. It is not to say that we shouldn't...it is just an interesting observation on the evolution of our own identity.
Anyhow, I'm getting into full China/Chinese mode again. I've downloaded some really helpful podcasts from Popup Chinese that I've been listening to as I work and also just getting into the swing of practicing my Chinese. Although, it gives me hope that the owner of "Gran Shanghai" yesterday said that I had excellent pronunciation (she said it was almost as good as a native). It bodes well that I haven't lost my accent!
Categories: China, Chinese, chinese food, New Year's Eve
Friday, February 4, 2011
I found a Film School Thesis Generator!
Here are some of the gems it came up with:
(1) Through the political use of voiceover, Star Wars unpacks the fascist aesthetic.
(2) Raise the Red Lantern hybridizes the major pillars of post-feminism through its use of mise-en-scene.
(3) Through the juxtaposition of poverty and nature, seven samurai demystifies socioeconomic ambivalence in American society.
(4) Through the juxtaposition of poverty and nature, Hero demystifies pre-Oedipal guilt.
(5) Inception masks the disavowal of the female lack through its fluid identification of the viewer.
(6) Casablanca exposes male fears of castration through its fluid identification of the viewer.
(7) The conflicting duality of progress and humanity in City of God delegitimizes established notions of the star system.
(8) The Matrix exposes the plight of the migrant worker in post-war America through its prevalance of foreground obstructions.
(9) Pan's Labyrinth unravels order and chaos through its conflicting duality of progress and humanity.
(10) The collapsing of identity and whiteness in Batman Begins masks scopophilic tendencies of the viewer.
(11) Toy Story demystifies the rise of currency and the loss of utopia through its use of subversive semiotics.
(12) The prevalance of foreground obstructions in Wall-E reduces the canonical status of the post-war crisis of masculinity.
(13) Through the fluid identification of the viewer, The Lord of the Rings reminds the spectator of colonial attitudes toward race.
Oh film school! Everything was a crisis of masculinity....hehe.
Here are some of the gems it came up with:
(1) Through the political use of voiceover, Star Wars unpacks the fascist aesthetic.
(2) Raise the Red Lantern hybridizes the major pillars of post-feminism through its use of mise-en-scene.
(3) Through the juxtaposition of poverty and nature, seven samurai demystifies socioeconomic ambivalence in American society.
(4) Through the juxtaposition of poverty and nature, Hero demystifies pre-Oedipal guilt.
(5) Inception masks the disavowal of the female lack through its fluid identification of the viewer.
(6) Casablanca exposes male fears of castration through its fluid identification of the viewer.
(7) The conflicting duality of progress and humanity in City of God delegitimizes established notions of the star system.
(8) The Matrix exposes the plight of the migrant worker in post-war America through its prevalance of foreground obstructions.
(9) Pan's Labyrinth unravels order and chaos through its conflicting duality of progress and humanity.
(10) The collapsing of identity and whiteness in Batman Begins masks scopophilic tendencies of the viewer.
(11) Toy Story demystifies the rise of currency and the loss of utopia through its use of subversive semiotics.
(12) The prevalance of foreground obstructions in Wall-E reduces the canonical status of the post-war crisis of masculinity.
(13) Through the fluid identification of the viewer, The Lord of the Rings reminds the spectator of colonial attitudes toward race.
Oh film school! Everything was a crisis of masculinity....hehe.
Categories: film
Thursday, February 3, 2011
So I was looking at the MIT Media Lab website (yet again) to read up on what´s going on at the Camera Culture research group (because if I want to apply in the near future, I figure I should know and understand all the details about what is being done there) and I came across a few press releases about what is being developed at the lab and thought that I´d post the links here because they´re actually pretty cool stuff:
(1) Albeit (as the article points out) somewhat useless considering the widespread accessibility to weather forecasts in a computer or pda or iphone or whatever, a toothbrush that tells you what the weather is going to be like today is sort of creative and awesome (especially since it will tell you what the weather is by dispensing different flavors of toothpaste. i.e. if you get mint, it will be colder than yesterday).
(29) Holographic displays! If I go to the Media Lab, I would probably want to be working on this sort of technology. Maybe helping to develop holographic film cameras? That experience would be pretty amazing! Anyways, the Star Wars geek in me wholeheartedly approves trying to reproduce Princess Leia´s hologram (in R2D2) as a demonstration for the currently available technology.
(1) Albeit (as the article points out) somewhat useless considering the widespread accessibility to weather forecasts in a computer or pda or iphone or whatever, a toothbrush that tells you what the weather is going to be like today is sort of creative and awesome (especially since it will tell you what the weather is by dispensing different flavors of toothpaste. i.e. if you get mint, it will be colder than yesterday).
(29) Holographic displays! If I go to the Media Lab, I would probably want to be working on this sort of technology. Maybe helping to develop holographic film cameras? That experience would be pretty amazing! Anyways, the Star Wars geek in me wholeheartedly approves trying to reproduce Princess Leia´s hologram (in R2D2) as a demonstration for the currently available technology.
Categories: film, Graduate School, MIT media lab, star wars, tech
Love this advertisement! Quite adorable! AND AWESOME.
Darth Vader is, indisputably, the best villain of all time. :)
Yes. I'm a Star Wars geek.
Darth Vader is, indisputably, the best villain of all time. :)
Yes. I'm a Star Wars geek.
Categories: advertisements, darth vader, star wars, volkswagen
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