March comic books / Cómics de marzo

And finally I started reading my March comics: Here they are, in alphabetical order and as per solicitations:


ALAN MOORE NEONOMICON #4 (OF 4) AUXILIARY ED (MR)
Neonomicon, the sequel to The Courtyard Graphic Novel, is slithering its way onto shelves to take its place as a Great Old One of comics terror! Illustrated by Moore's favorite demented artist, Jacen Burrows, Neonomicon pulls no punches as every full-colored page is covered in nightmares brought to gruesome life! Agent Brears has, quite literally, been to hell and back. Hell just happens to look like a network of tunnels beneath an esoteric little bookstore in Salem, Mass. But now that Brears has walked out of hell, she can see things that most people can't. Things that would drive most people mad. But as Neonomicon draws to a close, Brears has one more thing she wants to show you...


AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE YOUNG AVENGERS #1
"Young Avengers" co-creator Allan Heinberg and legendary artist Alan Davis (Avengers Prime) team up to create an epic stand-alone tale that's the perfect jumping-on point for new readers and introduces the Marvel Universe to an all-new team of Avengers. As a result of the Young Avengers' crusade to find the Scarlet Witch, Patriot has become Captain America, Hulkling has become Captain Marvel, and Iron Lad has become the Avengers' new leader, Kang the Conqueror. But the future of these new Avengers is deeply rooted in the untold story of the Young Avengers very first adventure -- before the events of 'Young Avengers #1.' The past and the future collide - and the secrets of the Children's Crusade are revealed - in 'Avengers: The Children's Crusade - Young Avengers #1.'


BLUEBERRY GIRL (SC)
This is a prayer for a blueberry girl... A much-loved baby grows into a young woman: brave, adventurous, and lucky. Exploring, traveling, bathed in sunshine, surrounded by the wonders of the world. What every new parent or parent-to-be dreams of for her child, what every girl dreams of for herself. Let me go places that we've never been, trust and delight in her youth. By Neil Gaiman & Charles Vess


BOYS #28 (MR)
By Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson & John Higgins New York turns emerald green as Saint Patrick's Day strikes, and Hughie gets to see the G-Wiz boys at their very worst. He also sits down for a pow-wow with Butcher, who lets a couple of secrets slip- to Hughie's extreme discomfort. And back at the G-Mansion, the G-Men face the most vocal component of the G-Empire... in We Gotta Go Now, part five.


BOYS #34 (MR)
Stormfront: the super-nazi, the Aryan demigod, the worst of the Third Reich's racial dreams come true... versus what's left of The Boys. Can our ragged little band defeat this dreadful ubermensch? Will the Female ever awaken from her coma? Will the cavalry arrive in time, or ever? All this and more, in the bonesnapping, gut-rupturing conclusion to The Self Preservation Society.


BOYS #36 (MR)
Mother's Milk's story concludes with a bang, as we find out the nature of the debt he owes Butcher and see him bear witness to a great American tragedy. Hughie gets another view of The Boys' mission, one he hadn't considered before, in part two of Nothing Like It In The World.


BOYS #46 (MR)
(W) Garth Ennis (A) Russ Braun (C) Darick Robertson Having learned a certain unpleasant truth, Hughie sets out to discover just how dangerous things will now be for the Boys. Frenchie and the Female stay glued to the Homelander, MM almost blows his top, and Annie hears some words of wisdom from an unexpected source. Butcher, meanwhile, gives Hughie the scoop on one of the team's highest-placed informants... but the most dreadful secret of all is still to come, in part three of 'Believe. MATURE THEMES


BOYS #47 (MR)
Written by GARTH ENNIS • Art by RUSS BRAUN Cover by DARICK ROBERTSON And it all comes tumbling down... Hughie's nightmare begins as he finds out the last and terrible truth about Annie, with Butcher watching carefully from the sidelines. The Homelander calls a secret gathering of the clans- and marks the occasion with a particularly gruesome blood sacrifice. MATURE THEMES 32 pages FC • $3.99


BOYS #48 (MR)
(W) Garth Ennis (A) Russ Braun (C) Darick Robertson With Hughie absent, Butcher re-examines The Boys' first encounter with The Seven, trying to figure out what went wrong. But first there's some disquiet in the ranks to be dealt with, not to mention the return of an old and unexpected enemy - who finally, incredibly, has come into his own. Meanwhile, on The Seven's floating headquarters, a flying lesson goes badly awry... 'Proper Preparation and Planning', Part One. MATURE THEMES


BOYS #49 (MR)
(W) Garth Ennis (A) Russ Braun (C) Darick Robertson The Homelander goes head to head with the source of his greatest torment, while Vought's Jess Bradley gets a bump up- and starts considering drastic action. Butcher, meanwhile, takes us on a trip down memory lane to the Boys' first meeting with the Seven- and the nightmare that ensued for one member of the team...


BOYS #52 (MR)
Written by GARTH ENNIS • Art by JOHN McCREA Cover by DARICK ROBERTSON Beginning the four part 'Barbary Coast': Hughie travels out west to finally meet Lieutenant-Colonel Greg Mallory, the man who started The Boys. All kinds of secrets await our hero, beginning with the terrible story of the first supes to see action in World War Two. When the revelations cease, will Hughie return - or walk away from the team forever?


BOYS HIGHLAND LADDIE #2 (OF 6) (MR)
(W) Garth Ennis (A) John McCrea, Keith Burns (C) Darick Robertson Hughie delves into his past, but finds that the halcyon days of childhood are not all they're cracked up to be. The successes of his junior detective operation with Big Bobby and Det were few and far between- but is there a connection between their oldest case and the shadowy outfit now moving narcotics through the idyllic town of Auchterladle? A certain Russian connection brings up a name from the Boys' past, in part two of the six-part Highland Laddie. MATURE THEMES


BOYS HIGHLAND LADDIE #4 (OF 6) (MR)
(W) Garth Ennis (A) John McCrea, Keith Burns (C) Darick Robertson Hughie looks into the past of his erstwhile girlfriend Annie - a.k.a. Starlight of The Seven - but what he finds is not what he expected. Meanwhile, the true horror of Joe Tupper's smuggling operation is revealed... MATURE THEMES


BUTCHER BAKER RIGHTEOUS MAKER #1 (MR)
Maybe you've seen the PR - now read the comicbook! At one time, BUTCHER BAKER was the preeminent, All-American superhero. Now he's… getting laid. A lot. But one last mission could signal his return to glory, and now he's back on the blacktop! It's a balls-out, surreal super-epic from creators JOE CASEY (GØDLAND, Ben 10) and MIKE HUDDLESTON (The Coffin), and it starts right here!


CALIGULA #1 (OF 6) (MR)
(W) David Lapham (A) German Nobile (C) Jacen Burrows In an age of depravity, one man's appetites horrified the entire Roman Empire. The very Empire he ruled. Some stories are passed from one generation to the next only in secret. Told in hushed whispers as the very words are too horrific to speak aloud for fear they offend the Gods. A Roman Empire built on the blood of its people, a ruler who began as a generous man but who ended as the most debased of monarchs. One name still speaks volumes of how absolute power can corrupt - Caligula. David (Crossed) Lapham unveils a new tale of Caligula, he was not just a man drunk on power, he was possessed. A modern master of horror, Lapham digs deep into the world of Rome 37 AD and offers a unique epic of horror. Joined by new talent German Nobile who promises to serve up fully-painted pages dripping with blood, this all-new, full-color series will be six issues of evil that will make any Crossed fan smile with glee. For in the age of Caligula, all roads lead to Hell. Caligula #1 is available with a Regular cover by Jacen Burrows, a Wraparound cover by series artist German Nobile, and a special rare Golden retailer incentive. MATURE THEMES


DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER BORN MGC #1
Written by PETER DAVID & ROBIN FURTH Art and Cover by JAE LEE & RICHARD ISANOVE 'The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.' With those words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King's Roland-an implacable gunslinger in search of the enigmatic Dark Tower, powering his way through a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic. Now, in a comic book personally overseen by King himself, Roland's past is revealed! Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by long-time Stephen King expert Robin Furth (author of Stephen King's The Dark Tower: A Concordance) and scripted by New York Times Best-seller Peter David, this series delves deep into Roland's origins-the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world, while long-time fans will thrill to adventures merely hinted at in the novels. Be there for the very beginning of a modern classic of fantasy literature! 48 PGS./Parental Advisory ©2007 Stephen King. All rights reserved.


FF #1
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN Pencils by STEVE EPTING Cover by DANIEL ACUÑA Variant Cover by STEVE EPTING Blank Variant Cover Character Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC Classic Artist Variant Cover by TBA Fantastic Four 50th Anniversary Variant by MARKO DJURDJEVIC It's the FANTASTIC first issue of FF! A bold new direction for Marvel's First Family featuring new members, old friends, older enemies and uneasy alliances that will send shockwaves through the Marvel Universe. With stunning art work by Steve Epting and Paul Mounts, please join writer, Jonathan Hickman, on the second massive arc in the bold new direction for the 'World's Greatest Comic Magazine.' 40 PGS./Rated A


GARTH ENNIS JENNIFER BLOOD
Written by GARTH ENNIS • Art by ADRIANO BATISTA Covers by TIM BRADSTREET (main), JONATHAN LAU (1-in-10), ALÉ GARZA (1-in-15) & ERIC BASALDUA (1-in-20) 'Virgin Art' Retailer incentive cover by TIM BRADSTREET 'Negative Effect Art' Retailer incentive cover by TIM BRADSTREET 'Black & White' Retailer incentive cover by JONATHAN LAU Meet Jen. She's married with two kids, seemingly living a fine suburban life. But her life is far from normal now that she is a ruthless vigilante by night; calling herself Jennifer Blood! Issue #2 contains more mayhem as Jennifer Blood continues to make her presence known in the criminal underworld. Also, watch as Jen and her family meets her new neighbors! Written by Garth (The Boys, Punisher) Ennis with covers by Tim (Punisher) Bradstreet, enjoy the continuing adventures of Jennifer Blood!


GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #1 100 PENNY PRESS ED
Reprinting the classic Larry Hama run.


HACK SLASH ONGOING #2 ODONAGHUE CVR (MR)
Hack/Slash Inc. is under siege by zombie animals as undead vet Bobby Brunswick returns from the grave. Cassie and Vlad will have to team with an archenemy to keep their friends from becoming undead pet food! Meanwhile, Samhain's hunt for the Black Lamp will bring him to a very dark place!


KICK-ASS 2 # 2
Warning: This book contains greatness. By Mark Millar & John Romita Jr.


MORNING GLORIES #8
What is Morning Glory Academy, and what does it want with Casey, Zoe, Hunter, Ike, Jade, and Jun? What mysteries connect the six of them to the school, and what is their true potential? This spellbinding issue brings us one step closer to the answers to those pivotal questions!


SHERLOCK HOLMES YEAR ONE #2
As a series of brutal and inscrutable murders grips London in fear, Dr. John Watson realizes that the one man capable of stopping the slayings may just be the young sleuth Sherlock Holmes! But Watson's suspicions of the daring detective--perhaps as mysterious as the mysteries he solves--must wait for now as the unlikely partners race to catch the killer as 'The Twelve Caesars' begins a new and untold tale from Sherlock Holmes' casebook.


ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN MGC #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS Art by MARK BAGLEY & ART THIBERT Cover by JOE QUESADA Comics' greatest heroes leap into the 21st Century in a new line perfect for a new generation of readers! An outsider even amongst his own peers, highschool student Peter Parker is a young man at the crossroads of destiny. Orphaned as a youth and raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May, Peter finds himself the target of a constant tirade of pranks perpetrated by school jock 'Flash' Thompson and his burly bud, nicknamed 'Kong.' But when fate intercedes and Peter finds himself the recipient of strange and amazing powers, how long can our hero ignore the painful prodding? And when industrialist Norman Osborn takes a deadly 'interest' in this development, will Peter be able to avoid a violent case of 'corporate downsizing'? When backed into a corner, will our hero learn that with great power there must come great responsibility?


WALKING DEAD #82 (MR)
'NO WAY OUT' continues. When the walls come down... no one is safe.


XOMBI #1
Written by JOHN ROZUM Art and cover by FRAZER IRVING 1:10 Variant cover by BRENDAN MCCARTHY You can't keep a good XOMBI down! The immortal David Kim - kept 'alive' by nanotech enhancements - returns to the DC Universe in a new ongoing series! Creator John Rozum and hot BATMAN AND ROBIN artist Frazer Irving team up to deliver the finest in contemporary urban horror - with a Super Hero twist! As an undying, unchanging Xombi, David Kim must watch the world consume itself and burn while humanity grows more distant from each other due to the rise of technology. What would a Xombi do just to feel change again? And where will he ever be able to find a kindred soul? On sale MARCH 16 • 32 pg, FC

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Y por fin empecé a leer mis cómics del mes de marzo. Aquí están todos:


ALAN MOORE NEONOMICON #4 (OF 4) AUXILIARY ED (MR)
Comentario: La agente BREARS ha estado, literalmente, en el infierno. El infierno no es otra cosa que una red de túneles debajo de una tienta de libros esotéricos en Salem. Pero ahora que BREARS ha escapado, puede ver cosas que nadie más ve. Cosas que enloquecerían a cualquier mortal.


AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE YOUNG AVENGERS #1
Durante la cruzada de los Jóvenes Vengadores para encontrar a la Bruja Escarlata, PATRIOT se ha convertido en el Capitán América, HULKLING es CAPTAIN MARVEL y IRON LAD es KANG, el nuevo líder de los Vengadores. Su futuro está ligado con una historia jamás narrada que entremezcla pasado y futuro… los secretos de la Cruzada de los Niños son finalmente revelados.


BLUEBERRY GIRL (SC)
Neil Gaiman & Charles Vess.


BOYS #28 (MR)
Comentario: Mientras BUTCHER revela a HUGHIE un par de secretos, en la Mansión G, los Hombres G conocen a la figura central del Imperio G.


BOYS #34 (MR)
Comentario: Los súbditos del Tercer Reich hacen acto de aparición.


BOYS #36 (MR)
Comentario: ¿Cuál es la gran tragedia americana?


BOYS #46 (MR)
Comentario: Uno de los más terribles secretos será revelado inesperadamente.


BOYS #47 (MR)
Comentario: La hecatombe exige un sacrificio de sangre.


BOYS #48 (MR)
Comentario: ¿Qué sucedió en la primera reunión con Los Siete? Además, un viejo enemigo regresa, pero todo parece haber cambiado.


BOYS #49 (MR)
Comentario: ¿Qué secreto oculta la primera reunión con Los Siete?


BOYS #52 (MR)
Comentario: ¿Quién fue el primer súper-héroe en la Segunda Guerra Mundial?


BOYS HIGHLAND LADDIE #2 (OF 6) (MR)
Comentario: Los días de la infancia no fueron tan grandiosos. El otrora idílico pueblo está infestado por narcóticos. Pero ¿quién está detrás de todo esto?


BOYS HIGHLAND LADDIE #4 (OF 6) (MR)
Comentario: ¿Qué ha sucedido con la antigua integrante de Los Siete?


BUTCHER BAKER RIGHTEOUS MAKER #1 (MR)
Comentario: Alguna vez él fue el preeminente héroe americano. Ahora sólo le importa el sexo. En exceso. Pero una última misión podría marcar su regreso triunfal. ¿Tendrá suerte o esto sóle será es un asunto de relaciones públicas?


CALIGULA #1 (OF 6) (MR)
Comentario: En una era de depravación, los apetitos de un solo hombre aterrorizaron Roma, su imperio. El imperio romano fue construido sobre sangre, pero este gobernante que empezó como un hombre generoso terminó siendo uno de los más terribles déspotas. El poder corrompe... ¿siempre?


DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER BORN MGC #1
Comentario: Empieza la búsqueda de la enigmática Torre Oscura, en parajes llenos de tecnología antigua y magia mortal.


FF #1
Comentario: ¿Qué sucederá ahora con la primera familia?


GARTH ENNIS JENNIFER BLOOD 2
Comentario: Jennifer está casada, vive en los suburbios y tiene dos hijos. Pero su vida no es nada normal. En las noches, ella es una despiadada vigilante.


HACK SLASH ONGOING #2 ODONAGHUE CVR (MR)
Comentario: Los animales zombis atacan. ¿Cómo defenderse de ellos?


KICK-ASS 2 # 2
Mark Millar & John Romita Jr.


MORNING GLORIES #8
Comentario: ¿Qué es la Academia? ¿Y qué es lo que busca con los nuevos alumnos? ¿Qué misterios conectan a los seis chicos con la escuela?


SHERLOCK HOLMES YEAR ONE #2
Comentario: Una serie de brutales e inescrutables asesinatos aterroriza Londres. Entonces, el doctor Watson se da cuenta que hay un hombre capaz de encontrar a los criminales: el joven investigador SHERLOCK HOLMES.


ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN MGC #1
Comentario: Rechazado por sus propios compañeros, un alumno de secundaria llamado Peter Parker ganará extraños poderes. ¿Seguirá siendo objeto de burla en la secundaria? ¿Cómo cambiará su vida?


WALKING DEAD #82 (MR)
Comentario: Cuando los muros caen... nadie está a salvo.


XOMBI #1
Comentario: La nanotecnología lo mantiene vivo. ¿Pero podrá seguir solo?

Films / Películas (2009)

So I decided to make a list of everything I saw in 2009. As usual, I’ll make a few recommendations which depend entirely on my personal tastes. In no particular order, here are my favorites: Burn after reading (2008), a whimsical story about a retired CIA analyst (John Malkovich) that decides to write his memoirs defying his uptight wife; other characters played by George Clooney and Brad Pitt add depth to an already interesting script, filled with hilarious and intense moments.

Revolutionary Road (2008), a riveting tale that explores marriage, routine and professional life in 1950s America; director Sam Mendes once again manages to deconstruct the American dream while creating a powerful character-driven film. Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) counts not only with the magnificent performances of Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz and Scarlett Johansson, but also with an imaginative script that reinvents some of the established neurotic conflicts of Allen’s characters putting them under a new light.


Was I let down by Watchmen (2009)? Yes and no, as a huge fan of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons original work, I think only a handful of directors could have achieved the level of genius that a reader can find in the graphic novel; however, Snyder’s production is acceptable. Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (2009), on the other hand, is pure gold, not only is it original and violent but it also has extraordinary moments. Gus Van Sant’s Milk (2008) is a biopic that focuses on gay rights activist Harvey Milk; this is the kind of story that gets your attention since the very beginning (let’s not forget the roles of James Franco and Emile Hirsch).


Shortbus (2006) explores sexuality in all its facets, and connects the lives of several characters of different sexual orientations that are trying to find some sort of solution to their personal hindrances. The Lookout (2007), starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is another example of how this actor chooses his projects so carefully; in this case his character lacks short-term memory, and as a consequence many people consider him a handicapped individual, until a group of bank robbers find in him the ideal accomplice.


The Good Life (2007) is quite a touching story, which relies heavily on melancholy, but not in a cliché way but in a most innovative manner. The Breakfast Club (1985) is a very well-known movie about a group of teenage students that get grounded and have no choice but to interact with each other. Sleuth (2007) has it all: a very compelling argument, and the extraordinary performances of two of the best British actors. Hard Candy (2005) tackles on the delicate subject of pedophilia, and the relationship between a sexual predator and an underage girl, but what happens when the victimary becomes the victim?


Set in a rural environment, The Mudge Boy (2003) presents a young boy coming to terms with his own sexuality; actor Emile Hirsch creates an enticing and complex character that viewers will always remember. The Remains of the Day (1993) lurks into the heart of British aristocracy and household dynamics in 1940s England; here Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson are the living embodiment of impossible love. C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005) is a coming of age story, masterfully crafted, and firmly inserted in such defining decades as 60s and 70s; psychedelic drugs, sexual ambiguity and self-discovery are some of the themes here.

Mala Noche (1986) and My Own Private Idaho (1991) are perhaps two of the most interesting Gus Van Sant’s films; both of them have a gay character as the protagonist, but while the first one is a metaphor on marginalization the second one is a reinterpretation of a Shakespeare’s play; both are brilliant productions that deserve our attention. Kubrick’s Lolita (1962) adapts Nabokov’s novel, creating the proper atmosphere for this tale of desire. Chaplin’s The Great Dictator (1940) is another classic that gives us a parody of Germany’s Fuhrer, through humor and intelligence Chaplin reconcile us with the human condition.


Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon (1975) is a major tour de force through England’s past, the nature of war and the ever-elusive essence of man, highly recommendable. Like Minds (2006), analyzes the relationship between two boys that meet in a prestigious private school; what begins as friendship soon turns into perversity; young actor Eddie Redmayne was also the protagonist of Savage Grace, another film in which sexual dissoluteness seemed to be the norm. Rocket Science (2007) is an independent production that puts debate contests under a new light, and more importantly, the love frustrations of a high school boy.


Haneke’s La Pianiste (2001) is a cruel and brutal story about a masochistic woman that lives with her mother; unable to achieve success as a pianist, his professional and sexual frustrations take on a whole new level when she meets an enthusiastic and talented young musician. André Techine’s Les Temoines (2007) starts where most movies would finish, in the first minutes the director summarizes the relationship between an old man and a young boy, and after that each year brings along more and more complications, as France witnesses the ever increasing presence of AIDS in the gay community. Colegas (1982) presents a crude reality: urban marginalization and poverty; in this setting, two boys get in trouble and their need for money forces them to prostitute themselves and to carry drugs to another country. Das Leben der Anderen (2006) trusts in subtlety and character development, as a German playwright is constantly spied by those who deem his work too risky for the government’s ideological goals.


Other films of interest were Stephen Daldry’s The Reader (2008) and Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler (2008); Eastwood’s Changeling and Gran Torino, 28 Weeks Later (the sequel of Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later), December boys, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Across the Universe, Slumdog Millionaire, Twelve Monkeys, The Darjeeling Limited, Margot at the Wedding, Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mystery; The Savages, The Believer, Smart People, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Kite Runner, Atonement, Fifty Pills, Turning Green, Animal Factory, The I Inside, Happy-go-lucky, Juno, Luchino Visconti’s Senso and Hitchcock’s The Birds.

Of course, no listing would be complete without the work of talented and polemic directors such as Gregg Araki’s The Doom Generation (I’ll write a full review on it as soon as I see it again); Gael Morel’s Le Clan focuses on the marginal lives of heterosexual and homosexual youngsters; Clapham Junction digs into Britain’s discrimination towards homosexuality, displaying a wide array of characters, including an older man who is seduced by a young boy; other films of GLBT interest were Shelter, Zerophilia (perhaps one of the funniest productions on transsexual individuals), The Fluffer, Fogi est un salaud and History Boys.


I’ve also seen more popular movies such as Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Stardust, I am Legend, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Star Trek, Terminator Salvation, Transformers, Transformers: the revenge of the fallen, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Public Enemies. I’ve even seen such productions as Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Spiderwick Chronicles; Bridge to Terabithia, Journey to the Center of the Earth (both starred by Josh Hutcherson).


As usual I’ve also seen plenty of horror movies: The Hills Have Eyes 2, An American Haunting, Insanitarium, The Shadow of the Vampire, The Lair of the White Worm (British production with lots of humor and Hugh Grant in a most peculiar role), One Missed Call, Hannibal Rising, Clive Barker’s The Plague, Wrong Turn, The Mothman Prophecy, Dead Silence, The Lord of Illusions, Prom Night, Rest Stop: Don’t look back (the sequel to Rest Stop, a horror masterpiece), Saw 4, Friday the 13th part 2, Friday the 13th part 3, Tod Browning’s Freaks (1932), a classic horror film, Night of the Living Dead (1990) a remake of the great Romero’s film from the late 60s (the living dead will always be my favorite horror subgenre), House of 1000 corps; Riding the Bullet and Christine (both bases on Stephen King’s books), The Body Snatcher (1945), Resident Evil 3: Extinction, Bloodsucking, Whisper, Breach, The Messengers; and more in the vein of humor, movies like Ghostbusters and Poltergeist. I should also include here documentaries like Unforgettably Evil and Comic Books Unbound.


And now I’ll quickly list the rest of movies I saw in 2009: Disturbia, Blowback, 3:10 to Yuma, American Pie 5: the naked mile, Knowing, Speed Racer (easily one of the worst movies I’ve seen in my life, pure condescending rubbish), The Butterfly Effect 2, Blade Runner, Next, White Squall, 21, Orphan, Silk, The Game, Dazed and Confused, Hancock, Persepolis, The Air I Breathe, Cloverfield, The Invisible (a remake of Den Osynlige), Down in the Valley, Accepted, West, Whiteout, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Nicholas Nickleby, Surrogates, Fragile, Elizabeth the Golden Age, Che, La Sconosciuta, Beaute Volee, No se lo digas a nadie (based on Jaime Bayly’s novel), Ladrones, Matador, Lars Von Trier’s Idioterne, El niño pez, Tenebre, Ex Drummer, Cu4tro, Máncora.

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He decidido hacer una lista de todas las películas que vi (o volví a ver) en el 2009. Como siempre, haré algunas recomendaciones que dependen enteramente de mis gustos personales. Así es que, sin ningún orden en particular, aquí van: Burn after reading (2008), una ingeniosa historia sobre un analista de la CIA jubilado (John Malkovich), que decide escribir sus memorias desafiando a su estricta esposa; otros personajes interpretados por George Clooney y Brad Pitt añaden profundidad a un guión ya de por sí interesante, repleto de momentos intensos e hilarantes.


Revolutionary Road (2008) una cautivante historia que explora el matrimonio, la rutina y la vida profesional en la Norteamérica de los años 50; el director Sam Mendes se las arregla una vez más para deconstruir el sueño americano y crear una película en la que son los personajes los que marcan la pauta. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) de Woody Allen cuenta no sólo con las magníficas actuaciones de Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz y Scarlett Johansson sino también con un imaginativo libreto que reinventa algunos de los conflictos neuróticos establecidos por Allen.


¿Me decepcionó Watchmen (2009)? Sí y no; soy un gran fan del trabajo original de Alan Moore y Dave Gibbons y pienso que sólo un puñado de directores podría haberle hecho justicia a la genial novela gráfica; no obstante, la cinta de Snyder es aceptable. Por otro lado, Inglourious Basterds (2009) de Tarantino es oro puro; original, violenta y con extraordinarias escenas. Milk (2008) de Gus Van Sant narra la biografía de Harvey Milk, un activista que luchó por los derechos de los homosexuales (vale destacar los papeles de James Franco y Emile Hirsch).


Shortbus (2006) explora la sexualidad en todas sus facetas, y conecta la vida de varios personajes de distintas orientaciones sexuales que intentan encontrar una solución a sus dificultades personales. The Lookout (2007), protagonizada por Joseph Gordon-Levitt, es otro ejemplo de los buenos proyectos elegidos por este actor; en esta ocasión, el protagonista de la película no tiene memoria de corto plazo, y como resultado muchos lo consideran un simple discapacitado, hasta que un grupo de asaltantes de banco encuentran en él al cómplice ideal.

The Good Life (2007) es una historia conmovedora, que descansa poéticamente en una clase de melancolía que jamás cae en los clichés. The Breakfast Club (1985) es una popular película sobre un grupo de adolescentes que son castigados y obligados a pasar todo un sábado juntos. Sleuth (2007) lo tiene todo: un argumento sumamente atractivo, y las maravillosas actuaciones de dos de los mejores actores británicos. Hard Candy (2005) toca el delicado tema de la pedofilia, y la relación que establece un pedófilo con una niña, ¿pero qué sucedería si el victimario se convierte en la víctima?


The Mudge Boy (2003) transcurre en un entorno rural, allí un chico debe aceptar su sexualidad a pesar de las burlas y desprecio de quienes lo rodean; el actor Emile Hirsch crea un sugerente y complejo personaje que resulta inolvidable. The Remains of the Day (1993) indaga en el corazón de la aristocracia inglesa y, más concretamente, en las relaciones entre un mayordomo y el resto del personal en una inmensa mansión, Anthony Hopkins y Emma Thompson encarnan a un hombre y una mujer que encuentran en el amor un reto imposible. C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005) es una historia centrada en las turbulentas décadas del 60 y 70, no solamente es un repaso por la vida del protagonista, sino una aproximación honesta a la psicodelia, la ambigüedad sexual y el auto descubrimiento.


Mala Noche (1986) y My Own Private Idaho (1991) son dos de las más interesantes películas de Gus Van Sant; en ambas el protagonista es un joven homosexual, pero mientras que la primera es una metáfora sobre la marginalidad, la segunda es una reinterpretación de una obra de Shakespeare; ambas son producciones brillantes que merecen nuestra atención. Lolita (1962) de Kubrick es una adaptación de la novela de Nabokov, el cineasta crea una atmósfera única para este relato sobre el deseo. The Great Dictator (1940) de Chaplin es otro clásico que nos ofrece una reflexión sobre las dictaduras; mediante el humor y la inteligencia Chaplin nos reconcilia con la condición humana.


Barry Lyndon (1975) de Kubrick resume el pasado de Inglaterra, la naturaleza de la guerra y la siempre elusiva esencia del ser humano, sumamente recomendable. Like Minds (2006) analiza la relación entre dos alumnos de una prestigiosa escuela privada; lo que empieza como una simple amistad se convertirá en algo perverso; el joven actor Eddie Redmayne protagonizaría después Savage Grace, en donde la aberración sexual es un tema recurrente. Rocket Science (2007) es una producción independiente que explora los debates escolares bajo una nueva luz y, sobre todo, las frustraciones amorosas de un alumno de secundaria.


La Pianiste (2001) de Haneke es una historia cruel y brutal sobre una mujer masoquista que vive con su madre; incapaz de alcanzar el éxito como pianista, sus frustraciones profesionales y sexuales alcanzan un nuevo nivel cuando conoce a un entusiasta y talentoso pianista mucho más joven que ella. Les Temoines (2007) de André Techine empieza donde la mayoría de las películas acaba; en los primero minutos el director sintetiza la relación sentimental entre un joven y un viejo, y luego investiga lo que sucede año tras año en Francia, en la década en la que el SIDA empieza a causar estragos en la comunidad gay. Colegas (1982), presenta una cruda realidad en donde imperan la marginalidad urbana y la pobreza; en este escenario, dos adolescentes deberán prostituirse y meterse en el mundo del tráfico de drogas para conseguir dinero. Das Leben der Anderen (2006) confía en la sutileza y en el desarrollo de sus personajes; un dramaturgo alemán es espiado constantemente por aquellos que consideran que su obra puede atentar contra la ideología del régimen.


Otras películas de interés fueron The Reader (2008) de Stephen Daldry y The Wrestler (2008) de Darren Aronofsky; Changeling y Gran Torino de Eastwood, 28 Weeks Later (la secuela de 28 Days Later de Danny Boyle), December boys, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Across the Universe, Slumdog Millionaire, Twelve Monkeys, The Darjeeling Limited, Margot at the Wedding, Manhattan Murder Mystery de Woody Allen; The Savages, The Believer, Smart People, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Kite Runner, Atonement, Fifty Pills, Turning Green, Animal Factory, The I Inside, Happy-go-lucky, Juno, Senso de Luchino Visconti y The Birds de Hitchcock.


Por supuesto, ningún listado estaría completo sin el trabajo de directores talentosos y polémicos como Gregg Araki y su película The Doom Generation (pienso escribir una reseña a penas la vea de nuevo); Le Clan de Gael Morel se centra en las vidas marginales de jóvenes heterosexuales y homosexuales; Clapham Junction hurga en las vidas de varios personajes homosexuales que enfrentan la discriminación en Inglaterra, incluyendo un hombre mayor que es seducido por un menor de edad; otras películas de interés GLBT serían Shelter, Zerophilia (tal vez una de las más divertidas propuestas sobre transexualidad), The Fluffer, Fogi est un salaud y History Boys.


También he visto películas más populares como Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Stardust, I am Legend, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Star Trek, Terminator Salvation, Transformers, Transformers: the revenge of the fallen, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Public Enemies. Incluso he visto producciones como Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Spiderwick Chronicles; Bridge to Terabithia, Journey to the Center of the Earth (ambas protagonizadas por Josh Hutcherson).


Como siempre dediqué una gran parte de mi tiempo a las películas de terror (y temas afines): The Hills Have Eyes 2, An American Haunting, Insanitarium, The Shadow of the Vampire, The Lair of the White Worm (producción británica llena de humor, en la que Hugh Grant tiene un rol más que peculiar), One Missed Call, Hannibal Rising, Clive Barker’s The Plague, Wrong Turn, The Mothman Prophecy, Dead Silence, The Lord of Illusions, Prom Night, Rest Stop: Don’t look back (la secuela de Rest Stop, una obra maestra del terror), Saw 4, Friday the 13th part 2, Friday the 13th part 3, Freaks (1932) de Tod Browning, un clásico del terror, Night of the Living Dead (1990) un remake del genial film de Romero de fines de los 60s (los muertos vivientes siempre serán para mí el mejor subgénero de terror), House of 1000 corps; Riding the Bullet and Christine (ambas basadas en libros de Stephen King), The Body Snatcher (1945), Resident Evil 3: Extinction, Bloodsucking, Whisper, Breach, The Messengers; y más en la vena del humor películas como Ghostbusters y Poltergeist. También debería incluir aquí documentales como Unforgettably Evil y Comic Books Unbound.


Y ya para terminar, las otras películas que vi el 2009 fueron Disturbia, Blowback, 3:10 to Yuma, American Pie 5: the naked mile, Knowing, Speed Racer (sencillamente una de las peores películas que he visto en mi vida, un montón de basura condescendiente), The Butterfly Effect 2, Blade Runner, Next, White Squall, 21, Orphan, Silk, The Game, Dazed and Confused, Hancock, Persepolis, The Air I Breathe, Cloverfield, The Invisible (un remake de Den Osynlige), Down in the Valley, Accepted, West, Whiteout, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Nicholas Nickleby, Surrogates, Fragile, Elizabeth the Golden Age, Che, La Sconosciuta, Beaute Volee, No se lo digas a nadie (basada en la novela de Jaime Bayly), Ladrones, Matador, Idioterne de Lars Von Trier, El niño pez, Tenebre, Ex Drummer, Cu4tro y Máncora.

“Deck” de Alex Castañeda (Corriente Alterna)

Believe it or not, I’ve been around. From December 2006 through the first month of 2007 I shared an apartment with four foreign students in Coconut Grove (Florida), one of them was from Korea and the others were from Turkey. It was a pleasant surprise to realize that despite our cultural differences we were able to get along just fine. I have to admit that I had never talked to people from neither of those countries, and it was very interesting to be in a group of individuals from such different backgrounds.



It was very important to be fluent in English, because the only way to communicate with them was through a common language. Although one of them could speak Spanish at a beginner’s level.


I learned to keep an open mind about people that I would have normally considered as “different”. When I first found out that I was going to live with Turkish and Korean undergraduates I have to admit that I was somehow preoccupied. However, after spending some time with them I understood that we weren’t so different after all. I think that should be the key to establish good relationships. After a few days we found out that we had things in common. For example, the Korean student was a comic book collector just like I am. And a couple of the Turkish students were very interested in computer games. There were differences between us, but I decided that none of those differences should cause troubles between us. What I did was try to find what we had in common, to find something that could bring us together instead of focusing on the details that could have driven us apart. My Turkish friends used to have a cup of tea every afternoon, very much like I suppose the British do; occasionally I joined them in this activity that seemed almost like a ritual. They used to go to bed early, so I avoided making noise.


At the time, I remember tasting some of the entrees of the Ritz Carlton-Key Biscayne (a five star, five diamond hotel, and coincidentally one of Paul McCartney’s favorite US establishments), and although they were really good I didn't need to make much of an effort to remember myself eating something better in Peru; however, the difference in prices between the Ritz Carlton and a normal Peruvian restaurant can be quite astronomic, so in the end is not about expensive tastes, it is just about taste. Every time I think of Paul McCartney I think of that specific Ritz Carlton (the cheapest room in 2007 was 600 hundred bucks, but you could easily find rooms above the 10000 mark)… and just today my good friend Bruno Conte Pujalt sent me an email telling me that he had some discounted tickets for the first, and perhaps only, concert that the ex-Beatle will be performing here in Peru.

                                                                       Rodin Esquejo


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Este lunes se inauguró la muestra de Alex Castañeda, “Deck”, en Corriente Alterna. Se trata de un artista joven pero sumamente talentoso. Desafiando el canon del arte contemporáneo, Castañeda no tiene problemas en buscar inspiración en artistas universales como Rubens o Rembrandt. Su obra se compone de mujeres. El cuerpo femenino adopta aquí diversas posiciones que sirven para desbaratar un status quo ya caduco. Como bien señala Lamas en el texto introductorio de la obra, la mujer ha sido siempre el objeto de deseo (no en términos lacanianos, claro) apropiado por los sujetos que se encontraban en el poder en un momento dado y que encargaban cuadros a los artistas. En este caso, desde el formato mismo –tablas de skate- hasta la reinterpretación lúdica del eros femenino, tamizado mediante máscaras u otras imágenes alegóricas, el concepto del hombre en el poder queda desvirtuado. Castañeda ha sabido aprovechar, incluso, las curvaturas del skate para acomodar tobillos y caras, creando una sensación distinta a la que tendríamos en un lienzo totalmente plano. Estamos, entonces, frente a la obra de un artista prometedor que sin duda nos seguirá sorprendiendo en el futuro.


Durante la noche tuve la oportunidad de brindar con whisky con mi amigo y artista David Rejas (pueden ver una de sus obras en el post del 6 de abril), con quien me quedé conversando algunos minutos. Algo que en las últimas muestras no había sido posible o bien porque yo no tenía tiempo o porque el andaba más ocupado que yo. También estuve conversando con Eduardo Deza, un artista que presentó varios cuadros en la Galería Shock en enero (y un extraordinario autorretrato en el Centro Cultural Ccori Wasi hace casi dos semanas). Ambos comentamos el dominio de la técnica y el óptimo resultado de los cuadros de Castañeda.
 
A continuación adjunto cuatro viñetas de una nueva historia. Dos de ellas resultarán familiares para los lectores habituales del blog.
 

Jardín exterior de Dédalo

Galería Lucía de la Puente

Regalo de María Fe (desde Londres)

USURPATION: Le Folklore Pier Stockholm / un Tour Lucia Koch. Galería Lucía de la Puente

Peter David's X-Factor is a great title. Perhaps the most independent title of the x-world, it can be read without buying anything else (which is a huge merit in itself). This new series started after House of M, which I still haven’t read. But that didn’t prevent me from picking it up. After the Decimation saga a lot of mutants were depowered by the Scarlet Witch. This new X-Factor doesn’t really have much to do with previous incarnations of the team (I would only recommend reading the Madrox miniseries also written by Peter David), not only because of the noir approach but also because it focuses more on Madrox's detective agency and the relationship X-Factor has with the mutant community.



Seems like House of M and Decimation was a long time ago, but right now Allan Heinberg’s Avengers the Children’s Crusade deals with Scarlet Witch’s final destiny (my favorite Marvel miniseries at the moment). I’d love to see some sort of crossover between these two titles. If I could only see Hulkling and Wiccan having a chat with Shatterstar and Rictor... I mean who wouldn’t love to see that?


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Ayer pasé la mitad de la noche en Dédalo y la otra mitad en la galería Lucía de la Puente. Como ha sucedido en otras ocasiones, este jueves coincidieron diversas inauguraciones: Galería Cecilia González, Sala Luis Miró Quesada Garland, ICPNA, etc. Frente a tantas opciones decidí asistir solamente a Mamamia en Dédalo, una exposición colectiva de carteras, con trabajos de Meche Correa, Maricruz Arribas, Vacide Erda, Titi Guiulfo, Susan Wagner, Puro Corazón, MBU, Tipki, Cápsula, Karen Arbulú, Kartuchos, Kuscaya, Baranda, Kareen Nishimura, Ana María, Herrera, Nani Córdova. Además de saludar a María Elena Fernández, y a Eduardo Lores, también le comenté a Nani Córdova lo mucho que me había gustado el diseño de su cartera. Mientras aceptaba los Häagen-Dazs que regalaba una simpática anfitriona, Sofía Lores me comentó que le había gustado mi cómic. Otra sorpresa fue encontrarme con Sebastián Kouri, amigo del colegio.


En la galería Lucía de la Puente hubo dos muestras. Las salas I y II (y de hecho también la puerta principal de la galería) habían sido invadidas por instalaciones de Lucia Koch, juegos de volúmenes especialmente llamativos y uso de figuras cilíndricas reconfiguraron totalmente el espacio de las salas. En el segundo piso tuvo lugar USURPATION: Le Folklore de Pier Stockholm; en los cuadros de Stockholm la imagen está al servicio de una geometría idealizada, cada cuadrícula y cada línea parece encerrar teoremas y demostraciones prácticas; las ciudades flotantes o nubes bien proporcionadas nos recuerdan una y otra vez por qué sabios como Euclides sentían tal fascinación por las formas perfectas. Disfruté con calma la media docena de vasos de Johnnie Walker Black Label que tomé, mientras conversaba con diversos amigos y conocidos, incluyendo artistas como Jorge Cabieses.


A inicios de la semana aproveché mi tiempo libre y visité la muestra “Los caminos del deseo” de Marco Pando, en la recientemente reinaugurada Galería 80m2. La primera imagen corresponde a una ilustración de Pando que, junto con las demás, dan ciertas pistas sobre la gestación de la filmación que también se puede apreciar en una de las salas de la galería.


Paralelamente continúa la muestra colectiva de 80m2 en el malecón Pazos, en Barranco. Participan artistas como José Luis Carranza, con ese estilo particular en donde la carne pareciera estar fermentando algún tipo de sustancia impensable, en esta ocasión, no obstante, su personaje tiene los ojos cerrados. Hay una enorme cantidad de trabajos destacables pero no he tenido tiempo ni para fotografiarlos todos ni para reseñarlos uno por uno. Aunque en estas fotos he alternado también imágenes de la casona en sí, para que se hagan una idea de lo que significan los “techos altos” que mencionaba en un post anterior.
 

LA PINTURA, el diálogo y la guerra sobre el lienzo -Centro Cultural Ccori Wasi

I would like to believe that sometimes people make the right choice. Everything I see, however, seems to contravene that very notion. For a long time now I don’t believe in reasons. Why we do what we do?, how we choose what we choose? One can peel lairs after lairs of excuses and apparent explanations but the true reasons of one’s acts are forever left unanswered, why did we take certain decisions? Why did I study literature instead of something useful? What am I doing in this place? What forces me to do what I do? Why do I commit myself with something that bears no interest for others? What silences me when I intend to speak and who speaks on my behalf? The answers are a mystery, the ever impossible search of that interior place in which decisions are taken. Who rules in men? Reason? Emotions? Men are influenced by sometimes incomprehensible factors. These incomprehension is full of reasons, and many believe in those reasons with conviction, and they proclaim them so much that they end up believing in them. Yesterday’s presidential elections have proven to be, once again, a contest of emotions. Without reasoning, without thinking, how could we possibly achieve a democratic process?



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El jueves, visité la muestra “LA PINTURA, el diálogo y la guerra sobre el lienzo” en el Centro Cultural Ccori Wasi. Esta iniciativa reúne el trabajo de artistas peruanos jóvenes como Luis Castellanos, Akira Chinen, Fernando Otero, Franco Domenak, Alejandro Jaime, Jairo Robinson, Alejandro Saavedra, Mako Moya, Edison Lisarazo, Jack Caballero, Iván Fernández-Dávila, José Luis Carranza, José Ignacio Iturburu, Rember Yahuarcani, Eduardo Deza, Giancarlo León Waller y Juan Luis San Miguel. Efectivamente, la pintura está hoy más viva que nunca, y la amplia gama de estilos y escuelas sintetizados y reinventados en estas obras da buena cuenta de ello.


En esta ocasión me encontré con mi amigo, el artista Asad López del Castillo, y nuevamente con Roberto Cores. A Asad le debo una segunda visita a su taller en Barranco para llevarles a él y a Renzo Núñez un ejemplar de The Gathering Vol. 2. Le estuve explicando que me había resultado imposible ir a visitarlos porque la campaña de Tenemos Ganas me ha tenido ocupado, pero probablemente la próxima semana volveremos a tomarnos un vino en ese espacio extraordinario que es más que un taller.


El viernes, desafiando la ley seca, invité a almorzar a mi amiga María Fe que Acababa de llegar de Londres; cociné para ella tartare de atún de entrada, y de plato de fondo capelletis en salsa de almendras con lomo de cerdo al romero. Por supuesto, nos tomamos un cabernet sauvignon, un Norton del 2006. Y en la noche, desafiando nuevamente las restricciones, le llevé un vino Etchart a mi amiga Paola, que tuvo la delicadeza de invitarme a su cumpleaños. Fue una noche muy agradable y conocí a una de sus amigas que resultó ser una fan de mis cómics. No es que sea vanidoso, pero me sentí como un autor famosísimo.


A continuación, algunas fotos del almuerzo y un dibujo mío.