Below are some movies Jeff discovered that we’ve watched lately, and that I find worth sharing. I’m not sure how he found out about them, probably reddit or something like that, but I know that I, personally, had never heard of them before!
Midnight in Paris
I guess the trailer doesn’t want to spoil what DOES happen after midnight, so it doesn’t convey the “magicalness” of this movie. It basically goes through difference romance periods in Paris, like the roaring twenties. Owen Wilson’s character finds himself having conversations with writers and artists that were long gone, and I absolutely loved the “lightness” of this movie.
Bruges
Just a liiiiiiiiiitle bit darker than Midnight in Paris, but Colin Farrell’s character in this movie is quite hilarious, not to mention entertaining.
The Fall
This movie is visually beautiful. I like how unique the plot is, and the little girl in this is just amazing. Jeff and I watched the special features after the movie, and it’s incredible what this little actress went through to make it look as real and heart-wrenching as it does.
Do you have any “off the beaten path” movie suggestions? (Mind you, these might only be off the beaten path to me, haha)
I’ve been catching up on some episodes of The Walking Dead that I missed, and there was an amazing scene with this song in it. Thought I’d share. My favorite parts starts after about 1:23 (it’s a long intro…)
I posted an article on Facebook a while back on the protests in Chile by university students, that are demanding free education. It’s an impressive system in that it’s been going on for months. You can check out this NPR article for some background info.
Today on NPR I heard a song that was born from this movement, and I think it’s powerful. And addicting. See below for translation.
Translation:
Venom: your monologues
Your colorless discourses
You don’t see that we aren’t alone
Millions from pole to pole!
To the beat of a single chorus
We will march with the tone
With the conviction STOP THE STEALING
Your state of control
Your corrupt throne of gold
Your politics and your wealth
And your treasure, no.
The time has come, the time has come.
We will allow no more, no more of your shock doctrine
The time has come, the time has come (shock doctrine)
The time has come, the time has come (shock doctrine)
The time has come, the time has come (shock doctrine)
The time has come, the time has come (shock doctrine)
No nations, only corporations
Who has more, more stocks
Fat cats, powerful decisions for very little.
Pinochetan constitution
Opus dei rights, fascist book
Guerilla disguised as a pardoned elitist
The drop falls, the stocks fall, the occupation takes the broken machine
The street doesn’t keep silent, the street scratches
The street doesn’t keep silent, as wide as it is
They take everything, sell everything
Make a profit from everything, life, death
It’s all business
I eat you all, seed, pascuala, methods and choruses
Venom: your monologues
Your colorless speeches
You don’t see that we aren’t alone
Millions from pole to pole!
To the beat of a single chorus
We will march with the tone
With the conviction STOP THE STEALING!
Your state of control
Your corrupt throne of gold
Your politics and your wealth
And your treasure, no.
The hour has truck, the hour has truck
We will allow no more, no more of your shock doctrine
The time has come, the time has come (shock doctrine)
The time has come, the time has come (shock doctrine)
The time has come, the time has come (shock doctrine)
The time has come, the time has come
[Students talking]
Hit for hit, kiss for kiss
With wishes and nourishment
With ashes, with the fire of the present, remembering
With certainty and ripping, with the clear objective
With memory and with the history of the future, it’s NOW
Everything: this trial tube,
Everything: this daily laboratory,
Everything: this failure,
Everything: this condemned economic model from dinosaur times
Everything is criminalized
Everything is justified in the news
They get rid of everything, walk all over everything
Open a file on everything and classify it
But…your politics and your tactics,
Your typical smile and ethics
Your manipulated communique
How many of them were silenced?
Copes, hoses, and lumas
Cops, hoses and tunas
Cops, hoses, don’t add up
How many were those who stole the fortunes?
Venom: your monologues
Your colorless speeches
You don’t see that we aren’t alone
Millions from pole to pole
To the sound of a single chorus
We will march with the tone
With the conviction that the stealing stops
Your state of control
Your corrupt throne of gold
Your politics and your wealth
And your treasure, no.
The time is now, the time is now.
We will allow no more, no more of your shock doctrine
The time has come, the time has come (shock doctrine)
The time has come, the time has come (shock doctrine)
The time has come, the time has come (shock doctrine)
Because this band is amazing. Jeff and I saw them live at a tiny venue next door to Downtown LA, called the Bootleg Theater. We went to go see Gaby Moreno, a guatemalan singer who also kicked ass that night. She was incredibly amazing, and incredibly sweet. Aaaaand, we totally got a picture with her!
She was followed by Jones Street Station, and they were joined on stage by a couple cast members from Community. It was pretty sweet.
And then….The Bright Light Social Hour went on stage. Holy shit. It’s like 70’s funk, rock and roll, and the blues had a threesome and popped out an amazing baby. I highly recommend seeing them LIVE if you get a chance. Their album is good, but the recording is almost too...clean. Might sounds weird, but if you compare their album to live stuff, you’ll know what I mean. My favorites: Detroit (warning, it’s SUPER addicting), and Bare Hands, Bare Feet.
So, do yourself a favor and check them out. And buy me the mustache shirt. And grow a crazy mustache like the lead singer.
I am
I am what they left
I’m the leftovers of what was stolen.
A village hidden on the peak,
My skin is made of leather that’s why it stands any weather.
I’m a factory of smoke,
A peasant work of art for your consumption
In the middle of summer, frente de frio en el medio del verano
Love in the Time of Cholera, my brother.
I am the one that is born and the day he dies
with the best sun sets
I am development in flesh and blood
a political discourse without saliva.
The most beautiful faces I’ve met,
I’m the photograph of a missing person.
I’m the blood inside your veins,
I’m a piece of land that is worth it.
I’m a basket with beans,
I’m Maradona against England scoring 2 goals.
I’m what that holds my flag,
the backbone of my planet, is my mountain range
I’m what that my father taught me,
Who doesn’t love his country doesn’t love his mother.
I’m Latin America, a people without legs but that walk
Listen
You can’t buy the wind.
You can’t buy the sun.
You can’t buy the rain.
You can’t buy the heat.
You can’t buy the clouds.
You can’t buy the colors.
You can’t buy my happiness.
You can’t buy my pains.
(repeated)
I have the lakes, I have the rivers.
I have my teeth for when I smile.
The snow that beautifies my mountains.
I have the sun that dries me and the rain that washes me
A desert intoxicated with peyote
A drink of pulque
To sing with the coyotes
All that I need.
I have my lungs breathing clear blue,
The height that suffocates
I’m the molars of my mouth chewing coca.
Autumn with its fainted leaves
The verses written under the starry night
A vineyard filled with grapes.
A sugar cane plantation under the Cuban sun. sun in cuba
I’m the Caribbean Sea that watches over the little houses,
Making rituals of holy water.
The wind that combs my hair
I’m all the saints that hang from my neck.
The juice of my struggle is not artificial,
Because the fertilizer of my land is natural.
You can’t buy the wind.
You can’t buy the sun.
You can’t buy the rain.
You can’t buy the heat.
You can’t buy the clouds.
You can’t buy the colors.
You can’t buy my happiness.
You can’t buy my pains.
(in purtuguese)
You can’t buy the wind.
You can’t buy the sun.
You can’t buy the rain.
You can’t buy the heat.
You can’t buy the clouds.
You can’t buy the colors.
You can’t buy my happiness.
You can’t buy my sadness.
You can’t buy the sun.
You can’t buy the rain.
we are walking
we are walking
we are drawing the way
we are walking
You can’t buy my life.
MY LAND IS NOT FOR SALE.
I work hard but with pride,
Here we share, what’s mine is yours.
This town doesn’t drown with big waves.
And if it collapses I will rebuild it.
I don’t blink either when I see you
So that you remember my surname.
Operation Condor invading my nest.
I forgive but I’ll never forget, listen
(we are walking)
Here we breath struggle
(we are walking)
A few movies that I never or barely heard of before I watched them, and think they’re worth watching.
Apparently it had better than expected results at the box office, but I still don’t think Hanna got enough viewers. Sure…not a great movie for the kids considering the violence and all, but it’s such a great FILM. I’m not a film expert or anything, but I thought it was an artistically shot movie, not to mention the soundtrack by the Chemical Brothers: awesome. In the day and age when people laugh at other people for actually buying movies, Jeff and I plan on buying this one when it comes out on DVD.
If there were bumperstickers that said “I <3 Hanna,” I would totally buy one. #badass
Then there’s City Island. My likes for this movie, starring Andy Garcia (which Jeff wasn’t too excited about but ended up liking quite a bit), are that it’s just the story of a family, with all the realities and complexities that families have to deal with: lies, deceit, frustration, love, forgiveness, etc. The son’s feeding thing was a bit weird, but comedic relief nonetheless. I wouldn’t buy it, but it’s on Netflix instant watch!
Finally, this weekend Jeff came across Four Lions. I’m still processing this movie. It’s a satire on the quest of four British jihadists. Definitely a funny movie, but most of the funny parts are given away in the trailer and I think I missed out on a lot with the heavy British accents and lack of subtitles. I think it’s worth a watch if you’re not easily offended by this kind of stuff, and have a good sense of humor. I did find it culturally interesting–whether accurate or not, I honestly don’t know–seeing how the wife and child were so okay with the idea of their father planning on blowing himself up. There was no sense of sadness or loss (except for one small scene between the husband and the wife towards the end), which I found really surprising and revealing. It’s an interesting perspective on such a sensitive and inflammatory subject. Again, Netflix instant watch it.
Finca Cielo Azul 