On movies and Sunday articles

Well, I haven't really written about movies just yet, have I? Yeah, I've mentioned X-men and Kill Bill, but that's it. So, I think I'll spend this post writing up a synopsis/general opinion on several of my favorite movies.

Rent: A movie based on a NYC Broadway of the same name, written by Johnathan Larson. Basically, it's like La Boheme, only set in NYC, with AIDS as the main thing killing off people since it's the early 90's and there was that huge epidemic, and a bunch of bohemians struggling to get through life. This movie has by far the most loveable cast around, and it's what will keep you hooked throughout the whole thing. There's Mark, the film maker wannabe who's basically at the sidelines, watching everything and kind of guiding his friends. There's Roger, the depressed former rock star who's looking to write one good song before AIDS takes him. There's Mimi, a young stripper who's fighting off drug addiction and falls for Roger. There's Maureen and Joanne, Maureen being a lesbian performer of sorts who dumped Mark for Joanne, a lawyer. And there's Collins and Angel, Collins being a sort of anarchist who got thrown out of MIT and Angel being a drag queen street performer and Collins's lover.

The whole movie is based around a year in their lives which changes constantly, with highs and lows and a tear-jerking ending. Plus, the music's catch as hell, and, as mentioned before, the characters are loveable and quirky. A word to the wise though: if you don't like musical movies, this won't change your opinion. Otherwise, just kick back and enjoy the fireworks.

Kill Bill: Pure Tarantino genius. That's the most important thing to mention. It's a revenge story at its best, and in which none of the characters, not even the protagonist, is "good". It just centers around The Bride, who gets screwed over by her lover, and her quest of sorts to exact revenge on all those that ruined her life and left her in a coma for four years. Now, the first and best thing about this movie is the action. The action scenes are wonderfully choreographed down to the last detail. One of my favorite fights would be The Bride versus Gogo Yubari, because watching it is like watching choreographed dance. And it has all kinds martial arts.

Another great thing is the aesthetic on the whole. It plays out like this odd mix of a 70's action film and a modern-day crazy plot. Seriously, what kind of alternate world is this? I had no idea there were places where you could destroy hotel property and it was fine 'cause you'd never get caught. Finally, both a good and bad part is the unsettling ending. It leaves you wondering if this is all Tarantino really wanted to say. I think not. Anyway, if you like action movies, give this a go.

All I Want: This is a very strange movie. And it stars Elijah Wood. Oh god, more hobbits? Fear not, keep reading. This movie is actually about a barely-legal kid who, after taking one look at who his roommate would be in college, decides to drop out right on the spot, and moves into an apartment in the same town. And, the movie centers around this one kid and how he sees things and how he interacts with characters. There's his mother, for one, who's single, loose, and a heavy drinker, but still cares about her son, even if their relationship is iffy. There's the photographer across the hall, who is, at first, completely perplexed by this strange kid and somewhat obsessed, till by chance they finally talk like normal people.

The way it's told, through this kid's eyes, is very interesting, most especially because the kid's a writer, and is constantly writing. He especially likes to write letters to his father, of whom he's convinced his mother is hiding because she doesn't want him to see the guy. The ending also leaves you feeling as though you yourself learned something about life while watching too. It's different, yet uplifting nonetheless. One of the better byproducts of wasting cash to watch Starz on this shit-ass expensive cable, I'll tell you that.

So, that's all the movies for now. On another note, the Sunday El Nuevo Día's makeover isn't too shabby. I like the way they redesigned Negocios and Revista, my favorite parts of the newspaper. It's actually interesting to read now. I heard they have versions of this paper in the States, but I've never been too sure, not having set foot on American soil in about five years. Still, it's about time. I think they've had the same look since...since I moved here in '97 come to think of it.

Speaking of crappy cable...



THE best image my camera could capture of crappy digital cable. In other words, there was no cable this morning, and one channel was frozen on this image. Still makes me chuckle, which should make my current feeling of loneliness ease itself just a bit. Happy Sunday.