Superman - The Death and Life of (Roger Stern, 1994)

Roger Stern, being a narrative veteran in the vast plethora of the Comics Realm, plunges us into the amazing situations around the cosmopolitan city of Metropolis, his super hero Superman, and the fast paced circumstances leading to his (apparently impossible) untimely death in 1992.
The story begins with a brief background of Superman (and other super-beings involved), including his arrival on Earth, his life, loves, and escalates to his death at the hands of the creature called Doomsday. The greater part of the book focuses on the time right after his death, where several impostors try to re-live his name by taking justice and the world's safety into their varied-visioned and twist-goaled hands. Where did these other self proclaimed Supermen come from? Did Superman really die? How did he come back to life and bring back order in that tumult of Super-men chaos? Topped with intense emotional conflicts amongst the people who love and miss (Superman's secret identity)Clark Kent, we immerse ourselves in a journey of discovering family, friendship and romantic values that only a great loss can unveil. These are all topics easily read and answered in the action-filled plot of heroism and suspense. While entertaining, the writing is mildly slow at times. Stern has done a great job in filling in the "narrative" blanks not relevant in comics and having us care (or not care and actually skimming through the parts) for characters that surely are not portrayed in the Action Comics, giving it the Novelesque flavor needed for a book. Although adapting comic dialogs to a narrative can prove tedious or cheesy, rendering them unrealistic, full of stereotypes, and very dated, not to mention the "cringe worthiness" of the many one-liners, the author sure managed compensating well with vivid descriptions and colorful action sequences. Although it keeps the reader at a "safe distance" from the whole plot to feel Real, taken into account that Super beings with Super powers exist in a Mega metropolis, it did it's job in translating the graphic novel into a narrative easily read prose.

Extinction: The G.M.O. Chronicles

Extinction: The G.M.O Chronicles from AO on Vimeo.

Althought one only sees a couple of high leaps and landings, seems to me there could have been more on the trailer if it Reeeaaally was a Parcouring movie. Begs the question, Where are the real Parcouring Zombie movies?! Nice premise!

Tropic Thunder (USA, 2008)

Not a total fan of Ben Stiller's Humoristic (artistic) role in Hollywood, this movie not only blew me away with the wise and satiric-like comments on over acting and Hollywood industry in general, but left me in Awe to the maturity of Stiller's work as a screen writer, actor and specially as Director.
During the filming of a Vietnam veteran memoir in Southeast Asia, the cast ensemble start behaving very much "actor like" in demanding unreasonable production details. They're already behind schedule, production's going poorly and waaay over budget. With the head on the chopping block, as in real life, the novice director struggles with the cast and crew as they are unable to be controlled and the Whip lashes down from production executives to get their act together ASAP! Determined to make the movie work, he drops the actors into the middle of the jungle, where he has installed many hidden cameras and special-effect explosions rigged so he can film "guerrilla-style". Apparently back on track, the actors manage to get attacked by a gang of local drug dealers, not realizing these aren't actors who are stalking them, with very real guns, very real explosions and in very real danger, fumbling into what they believe to be an elaborate hoax through the jungle.

Excellent cast call, with top notch acting performances by Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey, Jr., Brandon T. Jackson, Jay Baruchel, Nick Nolte, Tom Cruise, Danny McBride, Matthew McConaughey, Steve Coogan, and Bill Hader (amongst others). The story drops you in the middle of a real Hollywood production scenario, with tons of details to attend to and people to please in a massive up-to-date Blockbuster production.
Endearing characters help you locate rather easily the one you can identify with, and understand the frustration on a good work gone ballistic due to one Non-Team-player.

Great locations (most exteriors filmed Hawaiian island of Kauai), excellent photography, cool music and hilarious situations since minute 1, make this movie a must for comedy, action and human behavior.
Reluctant to invest my money in any Ben Stiller productions, I proudly admit I take it back, convinced that Stiller's notion of cinematography has greatly evolved since “Reality Bites”, having all these Big Named actors make a fool of what they might represent in the movie making industry, and taking that stereotype to limits that only comedy would.

I was persuaded on watching this feature by a good Danish friend who simply said, “You know Robert Downey Jr. plays a black guy, right? Man, he is Black!”

And you know you can’t go wrong with the caliber of Robert’s work! Even so, that he was nominated at the 81st Academy Awards for best supporting actor for his role as Kirk Lazarus. Downey lost to Heath Ledger for his take on Joker in Christopher Nolan's Batman Dark Knight.

Contemporary Dance: Millenium!

Yesterday we had the amazing opportunity to witness two mayor events:
1. Greta's graduation.
2. Contemporary Dance ensemble.

Contemporary dance is more than a genre of concert dance that employs systems and methods found in modern dance and postmodern dance. It is a complete type of corporal expression based on Classic Ballet techniques, involving less rigidity of movements. Draws on modern dance techniques as well as newer philosophies of movement that depart from classical dance techniques by altogether omitting structured form and movement. Its oringin goes back to the late XIX century, as a cry for an alternative to the rigorous technique of Clasic Ballet, breaking the ice with dancer finally dancing barefoot and leaping through the air without restrictions on the stage.

A Guatemalan Contemporary Dance team that has been around for a while, Millennium. With several years in performance and tour, this group of exceptional Guatemalans bring us human nature and movements to a stage that projects vivid emotions and complete joy (of life) to the stools... to your minds. This dance is 100% interpretative, its movements synchronizing with a plethora of musical styles in the effort to communicate and transmit a message. A distinct characteristic is the wide use of Multimedia to tag along with the coreography, as videos, images, lighting and props for the background. It is a style of dancing that reaches to express, through the dancer and his (her) body, an idea, a feeling, an emotion, stirring in corporal movements pertaining to the XX and XXI century.

Divided in 3 acts, marvelous costume design, illumination, great posture and extensions, and a sense of grandeur as only Dance can transmit.
The first act, pretty much a Tribal leitmotif, connects us to our bare human nature. 9 dancers on stage (only one male, by the way) take us on a journey to explore rhythms and movements that open our eyes to the marvel of the human expression. (Almost) Like being in a dream, the choreography of all the characters, plunges you into a deep emotional place of peace and tranquility. One has to admire the impressive, yet sober, costume design and team work that is soaked all through the act. Even the hairstyles and lip gloss made sense (one percieves throughout the whole show, but finally notices late in the second act). One is left speechless to the amount of training and concentration required to endure all that dancing and joy one sees in the performers, just to find out that it was waaay from over!
Second act takes us back to nature in its essence, with what (to me) seemed like Mushi: ubiquitous creatures, beings of various shapes and dimensions in touch with the essence of life, far more basic and pure than normal living things. Due to their ephemeral nature most humans are incapable of perceiving Mushi and are oblivious to their existence, but there are a few who possess the ability to see and interact with them. Gliding life forms, dancing souls, playful beings, obviously well comprehended and interpreted by Millennium's director and performers. Joy!
And, as if all that was not yet enough, ebbing and flowing of movements take us from one mood to another, injecting Johan Sebastian Bach into our visual veins for the most physically demanding choreography on the third and final act.
Lasting from 15 - 20 minutes per act, even the transitions seem imposing, in the capable (hands?) bodies of young handsome Guatemalans that bring Interpretative Art to another level. One that I highly recommend getting indulged with!
If you haven't lived the Contemporary Dance experience, I suggest you do it just for fun. I garantee you won't be disappointed.

La Nana (Chile, 2008)

Del director Sebastian Silva, una obra que retrata la relacion tipica entre familia y empleados. Una realcion fuerte, de mas de veinte años de trayectoria "amorosa" en donde la sirvienta es como parte de la familia, con su territorio estrictamente delimitado. Catalina Saavedra (Raquel) entrega una poderosa interpretacion de la distante y emocionalmente avejentada sirvienta en una numerosa familia de clase acomodada, en este drama salpicado de momentos comidicos por los que pasa una familia comun en el día a día.
Cuando su posición como muletilla de aseo en el hogar se ve comprometida por su falta de entusiasmo hacia la vida, recurre a actitudes pueriles para "deshacerse" de las ayudantes que la familia bien intensionadamente busca para hacerle la vida mejor.
Aunque con un ritmo ligeramente lento, los movimientos de camara y la fotografía asiste a dar a conocer cada uno de los integrantes de la familia, sus comportamientos y caprichos (como en toda familia), asi como las relaciones particulares para con la empleada.
Una reafirmacion a la vida guiada por personajes como vos o yo. Un cuento de la vida real que nos muestra como aprender a apreciar el valorar a las personas con tooodas sus diferencias y actitudes a veces (aparentemente) irracionales.