Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Amores Perros
Amores Perros (Love's a Bitch) is a film that talks about love, betrayal and death. This film takes place in a small town in Mexico City, where three different stories come together as a result of a near-tragic automobile accident. Each of them have to learn how to handle loss, regret, and the harsh realities of life, all because of love.
By entering his dog Cofi in a dog fight, Octavio (played by Gael Garcia Bernal) tries to make enough money to help his sister-in law (played by Vanessa Bauche), who in fact that he falls in love with. However, she ends up staying behind with her family and he ends up crippled and alone. Octavio is the one who causes the accident, because things really started to heat up after his dog Cofi was shot in the middle of the dog fight. It was not long after the fight when Octavio marched back in the arena and stabbed the gunman to death. That's when he ran to his car, ran a(red) light and crashed right into the other car.
The driver of the other was Daniel's (played by Alvaro Guerrero) mistress Valeria (played by Goya Toledo), who was distracted by her dog's (Richie) barking. After losing one of her legs in the accident, Daniel and Valeria's romantic escapade came to an end.
The only one who was an eyewitness to the accident was a homeless man named El Chivo (played by Emilio Echevarria), who is a caretaker for dogs who have been injured and ran away from their owners. He is also a former guerilla who plans an assassination. In one of the final scenes of the movie, he breaks into his daughter' home, walks into her room, calls her on a cellphone and left this long message, reviling his true self to her.
This movie was such a tragedy. It just seemed to me that there was always one tragedy after another. Even though love was the common factor between all three characters, there was just too much twists and turns involved. Not to mention the use of profanity was just so unbelievable. However, it was very written and done.
By entering his dog Cofi in a dog fight, Octavio (played by Gael Garcia Bernal) tries to make enough money to help his sister-in law (played by Vanessa Bauche), who in fact that he falls in love with. However, she ends up staying behind with her family and he ends up crippled and alone. Octavio is the one who causes the accident, because things really started to heat up after his dog Cofi was shot in the middle of the dog fight. It was not long after the fight when Octavio marched back in the arena and stabbed the gunman to death. That's when he ran to his car, ran a(red) light and crashed right into the other car.
The driver of the other was Daniel's (played by Alvaro Guerrero) mistress Valeria (played by Goya Toledo), who was distracted by her dog's (Richie) barking. After losing one of her legs in the accident, Daniel and Valeria's romantic escapade came to an end.
The only one who was an eyewitness to the accident was a homeless man named El Chivo (played by Emilio Echevarria), who is a caretaker for dogs who have been injured and ran away from their owners. He is also a former guerilla who plans an assassination. In one of the final scenes of the movie, he breaks into his daughter' home, walks into her room, calls her on a cellphone and left this long message, reviling his true self to her.
This movie was such a tragedy. It just seemed to me that there was always one tragedy after another. Even though love was the common factor between all three characters, there was just too much twists and turns involved. Not to mention the use of profanity was just so unbelievable. However, it was very written and done.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Battle of Algiers
The Battle of Algiers is a film that features a war between the French and the Algerians. This is also a film which demonstrates the Algerian revolution on the side of the French as well as the Algerians. After a devastated loss in Vietnam, the French Foreign legion felt that they had to prove something to themselves as well as for their country.
Often times, the NLF would prefer to use women (instead of men) to plant the bombs for them. In the film, they had three women carrying the bombs in her handbag. Two of the women were sent to different bars, while the other one was sent to plant one at the Air France office. And from three different locations, all the bombs blew up and took the lives of many.
Colonel Mathieu (played by Jean Martin) is the head commander of the French military forces. He is very abusive, disrespects the rights of human beings and is very fond of using torture to end the lives of the NLF.
After fighting the hardest war that they have ever been engaged in, the Algerians finally got what they were fighting for; their independence and freedom in 1962.
This movie was very well written. Every little detail went with the story line. There was very little profanity and the actors were all brilliant in playing his/her roles. I have to say that the movie was so realistic that, at some point, it made me feel as though I was a part of the action.
As for the Algerians, all they ever wanted was their independence and freedom. And similar to the wars that has happened in the past, so many of their people (including their soldiers) had to die just to have it. However, it was not going to make any difference to them. For they were not afraid to die for their country and they were determined to get their independence at all costs.
And so, both countries clashed and declared war on each other. Each country had their own methods of torture. The Algerians would create bombs and used them to kill the opposition. For those who take part in it, war is a very nasty and harmful.
Thousands of French police officers were shot by the National Liberation Front of Algiers in 1954; which started a movement for the Algerian's right for independence and freedom. This gave the Chief of the French Police to set up a bomb in their quarters. Unfortunately, thousands of lives were taken from the Arabs.
Often times, the NLF would prefer to use women (instead of men) to plant the bombs for them. In the film, they had three women carrying the bombs in her handbag. Two of the women were sent to different bars, while the other one was sent to plant one at the Air France office. And from three different locations, all the bombs blew up and took the lives of many.
Colonel Mathieu (played by Jean Martin) is the head commander of the French military forces. He is very abusive, disrespects the rights of human beings and is very fond of using torture to end the lives of the NLF.
After fighting the hardest war that they have ever been engaged in, the Algerians finally got what they were fighting for; their independence and freedom in 1962.
This movie was very well written. Every little detail went with the story line. There was very little profanity and the actors were all brilliant in playing his/her roles. I have to say that the movie was so realistic that, at some point, it made me feel as though I was a part of the action.
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