Films (May) / Películas (mayo)

I didn’t have much time this month… So basically I only saw half a dozen films and, of course, a lot of short films. Let’s start with A Perfect Getaway (2009), a thriller with a very promising beginning but ultimately a bit of a forced ending. The Company of Wolves (1984) is a back to the basics approach on fairy tales, with a special emphasis on sexuality, rape and sexual awakening. Dorian Blues (2004) is a great comedy that follows the life of high school student Dorian and his conservative and traditional family.

The Cement Garden (1993) is a dramatic film based on Ian McEwan’s novel. Dark humor, decay and ominous moments find a most poetic expression thanks to director Andrew Birkin. For a more in depth analysis please check out my review on IMDB and, as usual, if you consider it useful vote for it here.   
Other films of interest were District 9 (2009), a very compelling sci-fi metaphor that should make us think of the apartheid and other discriminatory practices. El último verano de la Boyita (2009), is an interesting film from Argentina that deals with cross-dressing, transsexual characters and gender issues.

And now onto the short films: That thing we do (2003), is a Canadian production that confronts the life of a homosexual man with a young boy who is just starting to discover his own sexuality. Trevor (1994) tells the story of a young boy that doesn’t want to be labeled as gay, even though at times he displays a very effeminate behavior. Death in Venice, CA (1994) is a homage to the classic Visconti’s film (which I wrote a review on http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067445/usercomments?start=10) although it combines also elements from Lolita.

From Ireland comes Stand up – don’t stand for homophobic bullying (2011), a short but optimistic take on a very serious problem. Follow you follow me (1979) tells the story of best friends Peter and Joseph, two boys that go to the same high school and see each other often after class… until parental pressure puts the friendship on the brink of collapse. For a more in depth analysis please check out my review on IMDB (it’ll be easy to find because it’s the only review for this short film): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0229394/usercomments

Clu Gulager’s A Day with the Boys (1969) is a fierce exploration of childhood amorality and unbridled violence; this is a strong, original short film that remains as powerful as it was after four decades.

Pascal-Alex Vincent’s Candy Boy (2007), a French animated film tackles on environmental issues and orphan boys. Twoyoungmen, UT (2009) expresses the need for male companionship (John Cameron Mitchell and Tom Kalin appear in the credits in the “thanks to” section). Blokes (2010), from Chile, is an extraordinary story about masturbatory fantasies, sexual awakening and prying mothers. David (2005) focuses on a young mute boy as he runs into an unemployed albeit horny Mexican man. Sweat (2008) is set in a bath house, and explores briefly the protagonist’s need for adventures.

Heiko (2008) is production from Portugal that dares to take bondage and fetishism to the ultimate conclusion. Postmortem (2004) deals with old romantic flames. Braedrabylta (2007), from Iceland, depicts a cold and devastating reality, devoid of any real passion or joy, in this setting, two professional wrestlers must decide what comes first: wrestling or love. Vandalen (2008) ventures into the world of graffiti and the complicated relationship between two graffiti artists.

Love (2008), from Sweden, is centered on a college student named Love: he feels ashamed of being a virgin at 22; at the same time, Sebastian, married with a woman, feels the need to circumnavigate his heterosexual position by engaging into homosexual intercourse. Once the two of them meet, problems arise. For a more in depth analysis please check out my review on IMDB and, as usual, if you consider it useful vote for it: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1494794/usercomments

Shakespeare’s Sonnets is a take on college and the friendship between two students. Pascal-Alex Vincent’s En Colo (2010) shares an anecdotic episode: the first kiss; although in this case it’ll be a boy on boy kiss. Pascal-Alex Vincent also directs Far West (2003), examines family dynamics as a young gay lad visits his grandfather in a rural French town. Finally, Go Go Reject is a funny comedy about dancing and body types. I also saw other short films such as Twenty-Two, Lilo Wanders, All you can eat, The Toe Heel Polka and On Earth as it is in Heaven.

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En todo mayo solamente he visto media docena de películas... y muchos cortometrajes. Así que empecemos con A Perfect Getaway (2009), producción con un inicio prometedor pero un final un tanto forzado. The Company of Wolves (1984) toma una conocida fábula infantil y la narra tal como fue escrita originalmente, haciendo especial énfasis en el despertar sexual de la protagonista y en la amenaza de violación. Dorian Blues (2004) es una ingeniosa comedia sobre la vida de un estudiante de secundaria y su conservadora y tradicional familia.

The Cement Garden (1993) de Andrew Birkin, se basa en la novela de Ian McEwan. El humor oscuro, la decadencia y los momentos ominosos son expresados poéticamente gracias al talento del director. Para un comentario más elaborado por favor revisan mi reseña en IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106535/usercomments?start=10 y si pueden voten por ella.

Otras películas interesantes fueron District 9 (2009) una impactante metáfora de ciencia ficción que nos hace reflexionar sobre el apartheid y otras prácticas discriminatorias. El último verano de la Boyita (2009) es una cinta argentina que maneja temas como el travestismo, la transexualidad y los problemas de género.

Y ahora vamos con los cortometrajes: That thing we do (2003) es una producción canadiense que reúne a un homosexual adulto y a un niño que empieza a descubrir su sexualidad. Trevor (1994) narra las experiencias de un chiquillo que no quiere ser etiquetado como gay, aunque sus gestos afeminados terminan por traicionarlo. Death in Venice, CA (1994) es un homenaje a la obra clásica de Visconti (pueden leer una reseña en http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067445/usercomments?start=10) aunque también combina elementos de Lolita.

Desde Irlanda llega Stand up – don’t stand for homophobic bullying (2011) una apuesta optimista para un serio problema actual. Follow you follow me (1979) resume la amistad entre Peter y Joseph, dos chicos de colegio que están juntos todo el tiempo hasta que sus padres deciden que no deben verse más. Pueden encontrar mi reseña en IMDB fácilmente porque es la única que ha sido escrita sobre este cortometraje: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0229394/usercomments 
 A Day with the Boys (1969) de Clu Gulager es una feroz exploración de la amoralidad infantil y de la violencia sin límites: este original cortometraje, es tan impactante hoy como hace cuatro décadas.

Candy Boy (2007) de Pascal-Alex Vincent (animación francesa) dedica su atención a problemas ecológicos y a niños huérfanos. Twoyoungmen, UT (2009) expresa la necesidad de buscar compañía masculina (John Cameron Mitchell y Tom Kalin aparecen en los créditos). Blokes (2010), de Chile, es una extraordinaria historia sobre fantasías masturbatorias, despertar sexual y madres invasivas. David (2005) se enfoca en un chico mudo que conoce a un mexicano desempleado. Sweat (2008) explora la necesidad de aventuras del protagonista en un sauna.

Heiko (2008), cortometraje portugués, se a treve a llevar la dominación y el fetichismo hasta el extremo. Braedrabylta (2007) es una fría y devastadora mirada a la realidad de Islandia; dos luchadores profesionales deben decidir qué es más importante: la lucha libre o el amor libre. Vandalen (2008) se aventura en el mundo del graffiti y en la relación conflictiva entre dos grafiteros.

Love (2008), de Suecia, se centra en un joven estudiante universitario llamado Love, quien avergonzado de ser virgen a los 22 años aceptará pasar la noche con un hombre un tanto siniestro. Pueden leer más en IMDB y votar por mi reseña: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1494794/usercomments

Shakespeare’s Sonnets aborda la amistad entre dos alumnos de una universidad. En Colo (2010) de Pascal-Alex Vincent presenta una anécdota sobre el primer beso, aunque aquí se trata de un beso entre dos chicos. Pascal-Alex Vincent también dirige Far West (2003), un relato sobre dinámicas familiares protagonizado por un adolescente gay que visita a su abuelo en un pueblo rural de Francia. Go Go Reject es una divertida comedia sobre baile. También vi otros cortometrajes como Twenty-Two, Lilo Wanders, All you can eat, The Toe Heel Polka y On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Ken Park (2002) / Inti Fest - 2011 (Asia)

Ken Park (2002) 
Directed by Larry Clark


"Ken Park" is firmly inserted in Larry Clark's narrative universe. From the uncouth reality of teenage boys and girls in "Kids" to the more visceral and shocking take on youngsters in "Bully", Clark has never let go of youth, whether as an immanent symbolism of life at its fullest or as the paradoxical demonstration that even life at its most intense peak can be removed at once.

"Ken Park" provides the viewer with a glimpse, only a brief instant, of a handful of characters that interact with each other and their parents. Relationships throughout the film follow very closely the actantial model established by literary critic Greimas. There's always an actant, someone who necessarily carries out an action so that a story, any given story, can actually progress. According to Greimas, characters are neither the embodiment of psychological concepts, nor extensions of the author's mind. Characters are simply entities that act, that carry out an action which makes possible the existence of a story. In his narrative model, an opponent is essential. No action can be performed completely without something that opposes to it.

Most of the opposition in "Ken Park" comes from the dichotomy produced between parents and children. When the teenage characters are alone they coexist in an ideal harmony, but when they face an adult problems ensue. Shawn, for example, transfers his Oedipus complex into another mother's womb, namely the mother of his girlfriend, thus engaging into an illusory Oedipal infraction while at the same time establishing himself as the bridge that will join mother and daughter in a symbolic incest. Peaches obeys what Lacan defined as inter-subjective desire, she reenacts the mother's presence by filling her void through a fantasy that nurtures her father, she is there to fill a void, to replace the dead mother symbolically while maintaining her other identity, that of the modest, sweet and virginal daughter; it's only when she fails in masquerading as an immaculate virgin that balance is disrupted and thus the father retains only the fantasy of the mother and wants, incestuous and literally, to marry her after beating her boyfriend to a pulp. Claude's situation is a bit more complicated: his father is a rampaging homophobic and after getting drunk as usual he steps into Claude's bed and attempts to take pleasure from his own son's body. Tate is an "acting out" case taken to the extreme, he seems incapable of expressing his sexuality through normal channels and he eventually snaps and savagely attacks his grandparents, id est, his parental figures.

The film clearly shows the failure of the preeminent heterosexual model in every instance. As Michele Foucault explains, the heterosexual drive was part of the industrialization movement in 19th century Europe, a healthy sexuality implied the capacity to procreate healthy children and nothing else mattered. The Victorian age specialized in forbidding and punishing masturbation or non-heterosexual practices; these were, after all, a blatant threat to progress. However, in the 21st century the heterosexual couple which has only procreation as a goal is no longer functional. If this kind of couple is only the "means to an end" then it's no surprise to see them falling apart. That, perhaps, explains Ken Park's decision at the beginning of the movie. Is life worth living? And what happens when his girlfriend, his true antagonist, forces him to accept responsibility and take on his newly gained parenthood? She asks him "Aren't you glad your mom didn't abort you?". His eyes express what words cannot say. And then, to renounce to his own life suddenly makes sense.
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If you consider this review useful please vote for it in IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209077/usercomments?start=20 
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Fuimos diez esta vez. Todos reunidos durante el fin de semana. Salimos el viernes en la tarde, rumbo a Asia, y regresaríamos a nuestra querida Lima el domingo. El viernes en la noche estuvo dedicado al Hypnotique y al whisky; mientras que el sábado todo giró en torno al pisco.


En Cocoa, nuestra playa, se organizaba la fiesta temática Moulin Rouge. Todos los veranos estas fiestas temáticas adquieren protagonismo, ha habido un poco de todo (hasta Titanic), pero en esta ocasión la fiesta fue eclipsada por un evento multitudinario que concita la asistencia de un público más joven: el inti fest (www.intifest.com.pe). El año pasado hubo 4500 chicos y chicas, este año, ¿quién sabe?


Aquí algunas fotos que tomé el fin de semana; y también, cómo no, las fotos que mi amiga María Fe tomó durante nuestro último almuerzo en enero. Ella me ha enseñado una muy grave lección: no es de mala educación tomarle fotos a la comida (siempre y cuando todo sea con fines artísticos). Animado por ese tipo de sabiduría, dejo espacio para las fotos. Como siempre, el almuerzo lo hice yo. Preparé una ensalada con aderezo ligeramente agridulce, y de plato de fondo ñoquis (que siempre hago a mano aunque quizá me ahorraría tiempo comprarlos ya hechos), con lomo en costra de hierbas (tomillo y romero, sobre todo); el postre fue cortesía de María Fe y su enamorado David. Maridaje: un malbec mendocino de 2008, no tan agresivo y de taninos moderados. Puntaje final: a mis invitados les encantó todo.