Ads making the news this week

These past few weeks, people have been talking about a number of controversial ads, especially . Does this mean people are getting more touchy about certain topics? Or are ad creators getting a bit more daring? Let's check.

PS3 quips about the Nigerian Millionare


The first one is not a foreign ad per say but it did revolve around an internet phenomenon. Perhaps it would be best to call it a popular prejudice on the web. I am referring to PS3's recent ad about reduced prices where the presenter jokes casually about Nigerian moneymaking schemes.

Well, a lot of folks got upset about this one, especially the citizens of Nigeria. They didn't like the fact that folks would define them according to actions undertaken by a few bad apples. Unfortunately, the Nigerian pyramid scheme/ business idea hoax has been doing the round for ages. And has set itself firmly in people's minds. To be fair, the relevant authorities in Nigeria do try to warn folks about any new hoaxes.

Hitler is a Mass Murder

Actually he was, a particularly nasty one at that. He is currently the face of evil in our mind. So, when you use his image to warn folks against unprotected sex, you can see how folks would get iffy about it. The ad in question was a shock advert, meant to jolt viewers out of their apathetic attitude towards casual sex. It was put together by an Aids Awareness group in Germany and needless to say it met with worldwide hostility.

Firstly, many people are still upset about any image or joke trivializing the dictator. It might seem absurd to you generations but some wounds do take a long long time to heal. Thus, those were the main reasons for the objections put forwards by one segment of the German population.

Then there's the issue of the ad tag itself, the bit about 'Aids being a mass murder'. Yes, you can see how this can be a problem as well. You can't criminalize people suffering from HIV or Aids in this way. Well, to be fair, they were making a point about HIV positive folk who were having unprotected sex despite being aware of their status. It was a very blunt way of saying 'stop infections'. However, given the social stigma surrounding HIV and Aids, this is perhaps not the best route to take.

By the way, the ad's been taken down but you can still see it being discussed in sites like this one.

Lost Jews

Oh dear. How did this controversy prop up in the same week as the Hitler sex ad? The 'Lost Jews' ad(s) ruffled quite a few feathers with their take on multi-cultural relationships. The ads in question were in print and video form where they showed typical lost children flyers. The ad states that Jewish folk who married outside their religious circle was like a lost child. You can imagine how this rather blunt attempt to highlight cultural bond can end up offending a lot of people. I know it was aimed at Jewish folk outside Israel but you can see how this can relate to and rattle many multi-cultural, multi-racial couples. The ad was, in part, backed by the government and thankfully, they've realised that the message didn't come across the way they expected. Hence, it's been quietly taken down.

Psychoville

 

Up for some dark British humor? Well, keep an eye out for Psychoville then. This comedy-drama series made headlines in UK recently as the brains behind The League of Gentlemen - Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton - wowed the viewers with their unique take of the world.

As the name implies, the series is about psychos. Well, to be fair it also reels in complete weirdos and deviants of society. The writers have bound together the lives of absolute misfits and miscreants by introducing a common friend who blackmails each of these folks. In a truly creative manner, we then get to see the disturbed lives lead by each of these people. Thus, you end up with the rather colorful bunch: the bitter clown; the smothered son who sleeps in the same room as his domineering mother; the blind miser who collects toys; the health care worker with an imaginary baby; and a dwarf who has some sort of psychic abilities ... and nasty friends.

As the story progresses, you find that these guys have something in common. Through the hints provided by the blackmail letters, you know it's something along the lines of “I know what you did sometime or the other”. Except that it's big, bad and ugly and possibly much worse than accidentally running over a fishermen on a winding highway with minimal lighting.

The fact that a handful of actors doubled as most of the characters added to the appeal of the show. It certainly enhanced its creative appeal as well as pushing the boundaries of what we consider to be sitcom material – think pretty-faced leads with wooden acting. Check it out when it comes on BBC America or is released as a DVD.

Review: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

I’m a very new fan of Hayao Miyazaki—in fact, I’ve only seen two of his films to date (though I have two more borrowed at the moment waiting to be watched). My first experience was with My Neighbor Totoro, and while it was cute enough, I wasn’t very interested in seeing any others after that.

However, after viewing Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, I’m certain that I want to see more. The tale of environmentalism and a strong and fearless princess who will do anything to protect her people, it’s really a fantastic film that depicts what could happen if humans destroyed the earth. Unlike many of today’s post-apocalyptic films, however, it was made over twenty-five years ago.

The story takes place a thousand years after the “Seven Days of Fire,” a week of events that destroyed the world and left behind very little life. The few humans that did survive are separated by the Toxic Jungle, a place full of giant insects that hate the humans—mainly when provoked or attacked—and pose a huge threat. The spores from the Toxic Jungle make it poisonous for the humans, and they have to wear masks when near it.

The movie’s hero and title character, Nausicaä, is the princess of her people. Peaceful and humane, she has the ability to communicate with the giant insects, is brave enough to explore the jungle on her own, and even discovers the secret to rendering the jungle’s toxicity into harmlessness. In the end, she saves her people from war and destruction, and she helps them learn about taking care of the environment—including the jungle—respecting it, and allowing it to heal itself.

Seeing the movie, I was reminded by Lord of the Rings and Hobbiton when I saw the Valley of the Wind. A place of peace and friendship, its eventual destruction mirrors the destruction of the world itself that caused its current condition in the film. This shows just how close the world came to annihilation before the princess united the peoples of earth back together in peace.

Considered to be the beginning of Studio Ghibli, Nausicaä has won several awards, including the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize. Though, as I’ve done with many anime films, I was left muttering about better creatures and a call for a live action film, the story and its messages are just as relevant and moving as they were in the 1980s. It truly was a fantastic film to see, and I would recommend it to anyone—anime lover or not.

Nausicaä's English-dubbed cast includes the talents of Alison Lohman as the princess, Uma Thurman, Patrick Stewart and Shia LaBeouf.

Famous Bollywood Stars from the 1970s


A recent embarrassing gaffe at the airport revealed that a lot of folks are not quite familiar with Bollywood stars. To be fair, James Hetfield had the same problem at Heathrow which goes to show that you can be an unknown face in the most unexpected places. But this whole affair got me thinking ... there will of course be parts of the population who are unaware of the big names in the Bollywood movie industry. What if some of these folk wanted to learn more? Maybe watch a bit more Indian flicks and tally up their knowledge of this industry? For those who are interested, here is a quick and easy description of some of the top male stars in Bollywood. Do keep in mind that I will be focusing on legends as opposed to the chocolate-faced newbies of the industry.

Amitabh Bachchan

He's definitely one of the biggest stars in the industry. He is known for his distinct voice as well as for his prowess in playing dramatic roles. Amitabh first made a name for himself by depicting the underdog of society. That's right. If there ever was a movie in which an oppressed working class man needed to kick down a door and fight the local hooligans(case in point here), you know who would be picked. He was also well-loved as that ordinary guy who rose up against corrupt officials or nasty old landlords, possibly even the entire government. Think of it as a typical Van Damme movie ... without the close-ups of the butt and high-flying kicks.

As he grew older, so did his popularity. Except that it was no longer believable or perhaps even savvy for a 50 year old to saunter into a room angrily after breaking down a door with a mere kick. Given his talents, it was not hard to transit into more demanding dramatic roles. While he did a brilliant job in almost all of these roles, it was a rather weird turn of events. I mean the younger Amitabh won over the public with his 'man of the people' demeanor. Next thing you know, years later, the older Amitabh usually played 'the man', the establishment, the very guy his youthful self was fighting against.

Noteworthy movies:

Adalat (Government), Khoon Pasina (Sweat & Blood), Inquilaab (Revolution), Naseeb(Luck), Insaaf:The Justice and recently Bunty Aur Babli (as a door kicking police officer) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (finicky school owner).

Vinod Khanna

He was another heart-throb in his heyday. In fact, he was the main rival for Amitabh during

the  1970s and 1980s. After a bit of upheaval in his personal life, he made a successful comeback. And somehow, years later ended up in parliament, which seems to be a somewhat common occurrence in India. Vinod Khanna was initially famous as the good cop. Sometimes he would change pace a bit and play the misunderstood bad guy who was really a softy at heart. More often than not, the police uniform was a stable part of his movie career.

For this noteworthy actor, people never got tired of him playing the lovable good cop. Hence, he stuck around with law enforcement themes for a while. There would be the occasional role as the strong and moral older brother who will save everyone. Essentially, it was a cop wannabe in a domestic drama. This actor remained connected to the movie industry even as he slowly moved towards parliament in real-life. I am guessing that the years of being glued to the reel-life uniform helped with his image.

Noteworthy Movies:

Musadar Ka Sikandar, Amar Akhbar Anthony, Qurbani (Sacrifice), Insaan, Jurm (Crime) and CID.

Govinda

This is a tough one to judge. On the one hand, his movies were always immensely popular but on the other hand, some of the more snobby movie-goers berated the humor and style of his movies. Whatever the case, he is one of the most well-known, well-loved actors of his time. Think of him as the American Pie style actor for the Bollywood industry. Most of Govinda's movies were either set in a village backdrop or revolved around the concept of a naïve guy from the rural area making it big in a scary urban setting. The country mouse and city mouse adventures is actually a rather apt way to sum up these movies.

In this respect, he was often cast as the vengeance-seeking good guy. Somehow, somewhere along the way, his life wold be ruined by the scum of the earth and Govinda would defy all odds to save the day. I realise that the Van Damme analogy seems to fit his movie career rather well ... except that the Muscles from Brussels wouldn't do a sing and dance routine involving a weird thigh and hip co-ordination.

Govinda has also moved on and become a politician. What did I say about politics being a top favorite in this country?

Noteworthy Movies:
Most of his movies were blockbusters. Do check out joint collaborations like Hum as well as the I need revenge flicks like Paap ka Ant, Jung Baaz and Gair Kaanooni.

Shashi Kapoor

He's another familiar face from the 1970s and 1980s. In fact, it was quite common to see him in a lot of Amitabh movies. Typically, Shashi Kapoor always played the conscientious
brother/husband as opposed to the daring and out-there Amitabh. Come to think of it, his most famous hit flicks depicted him as the love-struck guy. If you have a taste for arty stuff, it is worth noting that this actor did dabble in a number of arty flicks. While this wooed the critics, I don't think it won over most of the mainstream audiences. In this respect, he is one of the most underrated stars of his genre.

Unlike the other snazzy stars, Shashi Kapoor seems to be keeping a low profile. Hence, there's no seat in parliament with his name on it. And he's not mixing-and-mingling at big business functions. Perhaps the best place to find him would be at a theatre show t as he was apparently particularly fond of such events.

Noteworthy movies:

Silsila, Kabhi Kabhi, Deewar as well as the critically acclaimed Satyam Shivam Sundaram.

Controversial flicks: Grotesque, Thirst and Firaaq

I've mentioned must-see foreign films as well as funny commercials from abroad. What about banned or controversial movies? What flicks have been ruffling feathers all over the world? I listed three movies that have been in the spotlight for a while.

 

Grotesque

My idea for this topic started with this Japanese horror flick. To be fair, it is not quite right to

lump this with the last two classy numbers. Anyway, since the internet is abuzz with this story, you've probably heard the news. UK banned a Japanese horror flick called Grotesque. Given that the country has been facing a lot of flak about being somewhat controlling, people might be tempted to brush this off. After all, it can't be as bad as all that ... right?

Turns out this might be one instance where the authorities were not overreacting. Apparently, the folks in charge of rating movies in UK gagged and bulked after watching the eye-gouging, limb-severing bonanza. From what I gather, someone just weaved together a flimsy little story around every type of torture imaginable. This is when you ask that nagging question – would anyone really want to watch this in the first place?

 

Thirst

Alright, so this one might be an 'agree to disagree' moment. I should

also point out that the movie was not banned per say. Rather, someone somewhere in Korea was offended by one of the more suggestive posters which were subsequently changed. I am guessing that, since the bone of contention was about the priest character, the overall theme of this movie must make these same folks uncomfortable as well.

Here goes. 'Thirst' is a horror flick of sorts by Park Chan-wook, a rather popular Korean director. It has received rave reviews from a number of sources. Apparently, the director has taken the whole vampire genre and added dark arty elements to it. Think of it as redemption after the recent spate of misrepresentation of vampires. So, how's this for strange and unusual? The main protagonist becomes a vampire due to a strange illness and he is after his best friend's wife. So far it sounds like the backdrop to Melrose Place. Here's where the slow, arty elements come in. The lead is a priest and the whole movie is apparent about his inner conflicts as he goes through these insane experiences.

 

Firaaq

Yet again, another movie that was banned for a weird reason. The movie, Firaaq, was actually banned in Gujarat, India and this ban took an unofficial form. I don't think anyone anywhere put official stamps and waved an angry finger. Oh no, it seemed to be a rather quiet affair. On the other hand, it was well-received elsewhere and also won a number of accolades from abroad as well. Funnily enough, the theater folks in the Firaaq-shy province stated a financial disagreement as the underlying cause as opposed to something more ... ominous.

The movie is an arty-style drama directed by Nandita Das that uses a real-life event as its main backdrop. It showed how ordinary lives were disrupted by riots in India and thus, the overall plot is strewn together by following a variety of smaller stories. Here's the real kicker. The real-life events depicted in the movie? It was about the effects of the 2002 riots in Gujarat which marked a major upheaval between two large religious groups in India. Sadly, the unofficial ban appears to have lost the point of this movie.

 

Can you think of any other foreign films to add to this list?

Temecula International Film + Music Festival

This is the first time I have ever volunteered to be a writer for a film festival and having just moved to southern California- I am writing about movies for the Temecula International Film and Music Festival just a few weeks away, Septemer 9-13th. Let me tell you, there are a lot of fabulous independent movies being shown- American, Australian, Spanish, Italian, French. And to top it off, local wineries Kenya and La Cereza, as well as Latis Import's Palm Brewery, Belgium's largest independent brewery, will also be present with lots of fabulous wine and beer. Enjoy the opening night parade of uniformed Marines in their dress blues and antique cars of rrrrare beauty! And there will be over 50 bands, from all over the world, playing in between the movies.

Last night, I wrote out the program notes for the Spanish and Italian movie selections. If you are in to foreign independent film and you are in the Los Angeles/San Diego area this September 9-13th and you like wine and parades and lots of sunlight, you should stop by! Corey Haim and Crispin Glover will be roaming around, among many others.... whose names escape me at the moment, just remember those two. Check the website or a program for more details! www.tviff.com

 

INDEPENDENT SPANISH MOVIES:

2009 Winners Temecula International Film + Music Festival

September 9-13th, TVIFF.COM

UNA VIDA MEJOR
Spain, 2008, 15 min
Writer/Director: Luis Fernàndo Reneo
Cast: Sierra Paris, Vicky Villavozo y Javier Mendoz

Based on a true story, A better Life is the faithful account of 3 Mexican children who got lost in the Sonoran desert while trying to cross the U.S. Border. A history that repeats itself every week in the border towns of Mexico, feeding one of the most profitable illegal businesses, immigrant smuggling.



PARKINS
Spain, 2009, 11 min
Writer/Director: Jorge Molina
Producer: Zoe Berriatùa
Cast: Pablo Turégano

An executive goes to get his car... when he discovers that someone else has beaten him to it.



DI ME QUE YO
Spain, 2008, 15 min
Writer/Director/Producer: Mateo Gil
Producer: Lola Herraiz
Cast: Fele Martinez, Judith Diakhate

HE and SHE meet exactly at the same time they break up with their own couples. Is it possible for two strangers to begin a conversation full of recriminations, arguing until they get hoarse, and passionately reconcile as is they were a  couple in the mud?



TU(A)MOR
Spain, 2009, 13 min
Writer/Director: Fernando Franco
Producer: Pantalla Partida, Lolita Films,  Mario Mandueno, Samuel Martinez, Damián  Paris.
Cast: Andrés Gertrudix, Sarah-Laure Estragnat

The sentimental relationship between Andrés and Sara is a living organism.



THE END
Spain, 2008, 28 min
Writer/Director: Eduardo Chapero-Jackson
Producer: Pepe Jordana
Casst: Samuel Roukin, Natalie Press, Ewan Beatie, Charlie Creed Miles, Eileen Walsh, Evie Duncan, Miguel Ángel Silvestre

A middle class American family must fight for survival in a nation being torn apart by the lack of water.



METROPOLIS FERRY
Spain, 2008, 16 min
Writer/Director: Juan Gautier
Writer: Pablo Cabellero
Producer José Ángel Jim?nez
Cast: Sergio Peris-Mechenta, Olaya Martin, Pepe Lorente, Ahmen Younoussi, Xaier Martinez Murua, Pedro Martinez Beitia, Javier Mejia

David returns from a trip to Morocco with his brothers. In the frontier with Spain an incident occurs and he decides he wants to take part.



LA TAMA
Spain, 2008, 19 min
Director: Marin Costa
Cast: Rocio Monteagudo, Arantxa Zambrano, Ana Maria Soriano, Alicia Cilfredo, Maria Arjona

Tama is a troubled teenager. Tired of constantly fighting with her mother, takes on on a journey with no return.



DOPPELGÄNGER
Spain, 2009, 20 min
Writer/Director: Óscar de Julián
Producer: Rogelio Abraldes, Carlos Valcárcel
Cast: Óscar de Julián

Óscar de Julián discovered that there is ANOTHER Óscar de Julián. From that moment on, their lives will be intertwined. Both stories blend together in the end, you will not be able to understand one story without the other.

 

 

INDEPENDENT ITALIAN MOVIES:

2009 Winners Temecula International Film + Music Festival

September 9-13th, TVIFF.COM

 

MISS JULIE
Italy, 2009, 90 min
Director: Michael Margotta
Cast: Olimpia Marmoross, Marco Boini, Beatrice Orlandini, Roberto Zibetti, Simone Spinazze', Martina Codesca, Roberta Stellato, Sara De Mezzo.

The choice to make a film out of one of the most performed plays of all times comes directly from Stringberg, 'Miss Julie's' realistic dialogue develops into a heightened exaggerated style. In this production we are seeking to bring together these two elements of production: the theatrical plan of meanings and a cinematic approach of their actions.


NARCISCO
Italy, 2008, 95 min
Director: Marcello Baldi, Dario Baldi
Cast: Roberto Herlizka, Amina Syed, Alessandro Di Natale, Catherine Feller, Gennaro Ciccirillo

Cisco is the nickname of Narcisco Dal Cason, an eighty-four year old man, alpine, ex partisan, and was born and grew up in a little village of Trentino, where he has worked all of his life. After 20 years of silence, Tommaso Cisco's son, returns to the father's home with a Muslim woman and her son. The young woman while getting in contact with the mountain culture will be a detonator for a series of contrasts inside the village but will also present on occasion for acceptance and mutual respect.


SLEEPING AROUND
Italy 2008, 100 min
Director: Marco Carniti
Cast: Anna Galiena, Dario Grandinetti, Danilo Nogrelli, Marco Foschi, Francesca Faiella, Jun Ichikawa, Carmen Giardina, Lorenzo De Angelis, Jamil Hammudi, Carolina Salvati

A Contemporary fresco of the decadence of sexuality. A merry go round of meetings, sex, disease, drugs, loneliness, and pain. Ten characters living in a metropolis in search of the meaning for  their own  existence. A bitter comedy that combines the comical and paradoxical elements of a cruel everyday life in a world that has lost its soul and its ability to love. Fragments of life, however funny and peculiar, it is also pitiless and merciful.

 

L'ULTIMA VOLTA
Italy, 2008, 9 min
Director: Andrea Constantini
Cast: Paolo Seganti, Rolando Ravello, Valentina Correani, Fabrizio Bucci

Armando has kept his identity secret from his fiance'. Armando is the number one champion clandestine street fighter, and he desperately wants to change his life for her, but he has one last fight to honor....



LA PREDA
Italy, 2009, 18 min
Director: Francesco Apice
Cast: Paolo Sassanelli, Valerio Tramentozzi, Tommaso Miro' Sturno, Celcelia Dazzi

As Giulio and Lorenzo, 11 and 9 years old leave for school for the day their father decides to pick them up. Unknown to the mother, the father arrives in his new flaming sports car and drives the children to their old house in the mountain for the weekend. It's Giulio's birthday and the father gives him a shotgun as a present. The next day, together with the little brother, they all make their way into the woods to go hunting....



MI CHIAMO SEBY
Italy, 2008, 30 min
Director: Gabriele Galanti
Cast: Jurio Ambrogio, Nico Grasso, Gianluca FranzÒ, Sebastiano Funcia Di Maria

'Mi chiammo Seby' is the story of a young boy growing up in a mafia environment, arrested for racketeering. In jail, each prisoner tries to get space through violence but, Seby shows how, beyond his gangster mindset, there is a deeper poetic side to him.



NERO APPARENTE
Italy, 2008, 56 min
Director: Giuseppe Pizzo
Cast Giovanni Capalbo, Enrico Roccaforte, Kassim Yassin, Rosa C. Scaglione, Georgia Sinicorni

A girl steps outside a small restaurant to smoke a cigarette and a thief steals her hand bag. The waiter of the restaurant and a group of young men passing by start to chase the thief. The chase is furious, but the thief manages to mingle his way out of sight amongst the passing crowd until the waiter and the young men sight him once again.

SOFIA
Italy, 2008, 20 min
Director: Carlo Sironi
Cast: Blu Yoshimi, Elena Bizzaglia, Gualtiero Burzi, Alessandra Roca

Through the eyes of Clara, a thirteen year old girl, we find the world of her little sister, Sofia. Sofia doesn't talk and uses things as extensions of her body, using their sound to create a language. Clara is that shadow line where childhood is finished and adolescence is still to come. Two different worlds put in comparison. So close that they could never touch.


TRENI STRETTANMENTE RISERVATI
Italy, 2008, 12 min
Director: Emanuele Scaringi
Cast: Flavio Nuccitelli, Tatiana Di Raimo, Antonella Britti, Arianna Moriones, Paolo Perinelli

Everyday the same people get on the same busy and dirty train to reach Rome. Someone is ashamed, someone can't stand the situation. Some 'brave people' prefer to venture to the only free compartment on the train: “The Gipsy's apartment”. People do not like the Gipsies but in this case they are forced to share the same space. Everyday in the train compartment you can see the silly mentality of the person who does not understand the integration in in any case the easiest solution.

TV
Italy, 2009, 13 min
Director: Andrea Zacciarello
Cast: Salvatore Cantalupe, Michela Cescon, Antonella Longo, Michela Scrocca

A man buried in 200,000 euro of debts. A lonely and washed out woman working for a debt collecting agency and they have an enounter. Filled with touch luck, this is a story detailing the chance of obtaining a reprieve, a postponement. This is a film about a show about TV and its viewers. Installents, debts, love and death... it's all here.


UN'INFERMIERA DI NOME LAURA
Italy, 2008, 25 min
Director: Stefano Viali
Cast: Stefano Viali, Maria Genatiempo, Roberto Mantovani, Ottavia Bianchi

Pietro wakes up in a strange hospital lacking the use of his legs and has no recollection ofo who he is an dhow he came to be there. Laura, a creepily evasive nurse, and Leo, an old mentally-derranged patient, seem to be the only people in this absurd place.




STRETTI AL VENTO
Italy, 2008, 96 min
Director: Daniele Guarnera, Grancesco Del Grosso
Cast: Simone Bianchetti, Pasquale De Gregorio, Silvio Dell'Accio, Ettore Dottori, Andrea Gancia, Vittorio Malingri, Franco Manzoli, Inbar Meytsar, Matteo Micheli, Andrea Pendibene, Piero Pieroni, Giovanni Soldini

Little and great human odysseys told by the most important Italian lone sailors, all with different age, ideas and navigational goals following the lead of the national and international sea scene.


ALBA(down)
Italy, 2008, 9 min
Director: Giorgia Farina
Cast: Tommaso Facchi, Sara D'Amario, Vincenzo Bocciarelli

Alba is a beautiful fairytale set in the real world. Even in the darkest corners there can be a better future if only we believe and are willing to fight for it. This sort cleverly combines film and animation to portray the life and dreams of a boy stricken with illness. Following his experiences we see how the sterile and sombre life in the world of a hospital explodes in the bright colors of a brilliant world of adventure.


ANANKE
Italy, 2008, 18 min
Director: Alfredo Mazzara
Cast: Antonella Ponziani, Federico Rosati, Giovanni La Gorga

Next Future. A man is accused for homicide and fights against a new and frightening system of punishment that's considered perfect by the society.


BAB AL SAMAH
Italy, 2008, 13 min
Director: Francesco Sperandeo
Cast: Mohammed Sayari, Mohammed Kouka, Fabrizio Bucci, Montassar Magli, Serena Napoli

Mehdi's desire for redemption from a humiliating past is symbolized by a heavy and old door which leads him on a cathartic journey resulting in the destruction of the door by a purifying fire.



COL SANGUE AGLI OCCHI
Italy, 2008. 25 min
Directed by Lorenzo Sportiello
Cast: Erica Banchi, Nausicaa Benedettini, Didier Nahm Delfi, David Pietrosi

Three friends that are a little over eighteen years old share an exclusive and pathological friendship. They share a love music and their desire to leave the “motionless city” in which they live. By accident then find a gun and decide to do a few small robberies, just to makes some money in order to go away towards London. But, their friendship will end in blood and their dreams will be shattered on the wall of reality that surmounts them.


FRANÇOIS
Italy, 2008, 44 min
Director: Dario Gorini, Lacopo Zannon
Cast: Luca Linonello, Diane Fleri, Tommaso Ramenghi, Maria Sole Mansutti, Rosa Sironi, Sergio Albelli

In an intimate and fine bar, three women and three men always choose the same table to look for their soul mate. The play goes on until the arrival of a mysterious entity who speaks French inexplicably.


LO PARLO
Italy, 2008, 20 min
Director: Marco Gianfreda
Cast: Orlando Rudnicki, Alessio Vassallo, Valentina D'Agonistina

Bruno is 12 years old and desires to befriend Luca (25), the boyfriend of his sister Claudia. Unfortunately, Bruno is invisible in the eyes of Luca. After Bruno catches Luca flirting with another girl, he sees the opportunity to attain his goal. 

 

L'AMORE É UN GIOGO
Italy, 2008, 13 min
Director: Andrea Rovetta
Cast: Neri Marcoré, Cecilia Dazzi, Mattia Sbragia, Stefano Fresi, Vanni Bramati, Nando Irene, Alessandra Rossi

During a poker game, a man bets and loses everything he owns. Maybe he's not a good player, or maybe he doesn't care about losing since he no longer has the only thing that truly matters to him: love. Maybe.

 

Quirky ads from abroad


Well, what do you have here? I found another bunch of funny foreign adverts. Some of them are quite popular and probably have been seen worldwide. At the very least, one or more must have won a few awards in its time. From quirky looks at the transport system to cosplay for home improvement, here is the list.

This British advert was harmless enough. Sure, it was quite suggestive and some of the more conservative folks are probably changing channels ... or shooing the kids out of the room. Speaking of which, apparently the most recent sausage ad by Mathesons has been getting a lot of heat from annoyed/embarrassed viewers. It can't be worse than this one; in fact, this one is quite mellow once you get to the punchline.

Flying has never been this fun. This particular ad is from South Africa and is promoting a type of credit card for Kulula, one of the most popular budget airlines in the country. This airline is well-known for its creative ads and even their airline safety announcements on-board the plane is said to be hilarious. Kind of like listening to stand-up comedy right before take-off. By the way, that guy doing the 'trying on jeans' move? He really did steal the show; his street-cred definitely went up amongst his peers in the boardroom.

First of all, here's a heads-up. There are no subtitles for this ad from Hong Kong so you will have to guess what's going on. Thankfully, one of the commentators on Youtube has translated the ad (check it out). As you probably guessed, the couple has changed their entire house to look like a hotel. And yes, this is an ad for Ikea. What I loved about the ad was the expression on the attendant's face. She must be thinking, 'Of all the weird people to work for, why did I get the cosplay/role-playing coupe'. I don't even want to know what goes on when they are alone. Speaking of disturbing concepts ... is anyone else uncomfortable with the idea of a helper/maid/attendant? It just seems so old school and colonial.

Here's another funny one from South Africa. This time the main focus is the Indian culture and it shows parents setting up an arranged marriage. It was quite strange to see them bring it up casually and then pounce on you with the idea of choosing what you want. I am not sure if they were making a subtle comment there. I know it's probably just used cleverly to highlight the benefits of cable TV but can't help thinking that there was an indirect social commentary going on.  

Alright, so is this what happened to The Island? You know, from Lost? Perhaps this is why there are so many weird and crazy things going on there. This particular ad is from Japan and shows the power of Fanta. You have to love the way this ad is portrayed – check out the way the laughter dies down between the couple and how the guy puts on a 'Did anyone catch me doing that' look.

Brass Eye

I recently had the opportunity to watch Paedogeddon, the extra-long, one-off comeback special of an unbelievably funny British series called Brass Eye. The special focuses on the panicky approach of news media to the issue of paedophilia. It wasn't until I had finished watching that I found out it ran back in 2001, with the original series airing in 1997. From its style and the intensity of its satire, I would have pegged Paedogeddon as being made, at the very oldest, in 2007.

Aside from the rapid-fire jokes and deadpan delivery, what makes Paedogeddon so amazing is how effectively it parrots the increasingly needless flash of cable news networks. Overblown graphics bombard the screen in front of a faux high-tech set full of people being directed to look busy.

Watching Brass Eye, I couldn't help but compare it to the standard of American political/news satire, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. These American programs take a different approach to satirical humor, both because they have to produce four days' worth of content every week and because they simply take a different stylistic approach. On The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart relies on comedic pauses, self-conscious puns and righteous indignation to carry the humor of his show. While this may not afford The Daily Show the sheer density of laughs on any given Brass Eye special, it does allow for some breathing room and a chance at ironic journalistic integrity.

Brass Eye is also considerably more biting with its satire, often veering into the real world to coax public officials and celebrities into embracing the absurdity of alarmist news-making policies. If Sasha Baron Cohen were to lampoon Fox News, the product would look like Brass Eye.

Brass Eye is just one of many programs created by comic visionary Chris Morris. After a stint as a mainstream radio DJ, Morris went on to perform with some of the greatest comedians in Britain. Most notably Morris collaborated with Steve Coogan in the radio program On The Hour, eventually creating a televised version called The Day Today which was one of Coogan's breakthrough platforms. At least one of Morris's collaborators has seen mainstream success Stateside; Simon Pegg of Shaun of the Dead fame was a regular on Brass Eye just two years shy of his own smash hit, Spaced.

Brass Eye was a short series with an initial run of only six episodes and the Paedogeddon special in 2001. Each episode covered one topic in the fashion of scare-mongering news reports, the first of which was "Animals". The most popular episode was the second, "Drugs", a risky and extremely controversial hour of television that made fools of many public officials both during the program and afterward when they attempted to condemn the show's jokes as irresponsible and offensive.

To date, the Paedogeddon special has one of the highest counts of formal complaints in Channel 4 history. I honestly can't think of an American TV network that would even try to carry such a show, so us Yanks are going to have to settle for the import.

Hiindi movies about Colonial Rule

If someone asked you to name one of the most prominent movies about Indian independence, wouldn't Gandhi be the first name on your lips? Well, I should hope so, otherwise I will feel horribly old. Has there been anything else that personifies their struggle better than the epic biography about that famous leader? Now what if you wished to dive in a little bit more into this topic? What if you wanted to see a few more movies about colonial life in India or, at least, flicks about the good fight for independence and justice? It could very well be your thing; I like zombie movies, who am I to judge? So I made a helpful little list of Hindi movies that paint a harrowing picture of life in the pre-1947 period, movies which I may add have a feel good ending as the oppressed folks grab the steering wheel and take command for themselves. In a good way.

Rang De Basanti

This was a rather artistic movie and had an interesting method of narrating the story. For one thing, the story-line kept jumping from the past to the present whereby the director used the same characters. It certainly made it fun viewing and added to its appeal. Dating back to 2006, this movie was directed by R. Omprakash Mehra and stars famous actors like Amir Khan.

The actual plot is set in modern times. You have a group of young folk who sign up for a movie about Indian Freedom Fighters. For sake of clarity, let me point out that the latter refers to men and women who resisted British colonial rule. The younger generation respects the past but can't identify with it. And you can see it as they act out the roles of all the resistance fighters. But then, they are soon forced to explore their own lives and say, “Hang on! We can't let the current authorities/leaders/people in charge treat everyone like that”.

I think the whole point of the movie is to contrast the ideals of forefathers with what the youth have become. Or at least to point out that the good fight still needs to be fought. In this case, the young folks find out that, in order to maintain continued freedom and independence, they can't be apathetic about governance and all that. It's pretty heavy-handed when you think about it. However, do note that the scriptwriter and director has a good sense of humor and this comes through in some of the lighter moments in the movie.

Desh Premeee

Alright, to be fair this one touches upon independence only at the beginning of the movie. However, the whole “we need to be free” theme influences most of the overall story-line. I think it touches upon the issue of maintaining your own identity as well as having the courage to pinpoint a finger at local tyrants. I suppose whoever came up with the theory believed that there was a bully in every neighborhood/suburb/province who wanted to rule the roost. This movie was all the way back in the early 1980s and was directed by Manmohan Desai. By the way, if you happen to be an Amitabh fan I would advise catching this flick. Imagine that, a young strapping Amitabh, breaking down doors with just a kick and playing the dual role of dad and son.

This one features the patriotic father who gave up sweat, blood and possibly food for the good fight. Now he's a local hero; he can get in the way of warring factions and stop their bickering. If you don't believe me, check out that bizarre scene where he stops a nasty fight between angry folks from various cultures. Much as you will have a good laugh at that, you also feel bad for the guy; after all, this character is espousing peace and harmony. As luck would have it, his son grows up wanting it all. He wants money, riches and a cushy life and doesn't quite care for his dad's ideals. You can see how this will result in a big stand-off between Dad and son later on.

Is it me or is there a similar theme between this and Rang De Basanti? You know, the whole concept of younger generations appreciating and honoring the work of their parents? To this effect, I must warn you that it can get a bit preachy. Which in itself will probably be offset by the funky fight scenes and yes, there are plenty good ones in this movie.

Lagaan

This is another extremely popular movie. It was even nominated for an Academy Award, fancy that. Released in 2001, it was directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and stars (surprise, surprise) Amir Khan as well as a number of other noteworthy actors.

To be fair, this was not an independence movie per say; it was more about a small village chasing off their British governers using ... cricket. You play a match and if they lost, they left you alone. If only we could win all wars like that. I am not doing justice to this movie; it was a fun flick even if it had hours of cricket practice thrown in for good measure. The basic story is that the little village kept paying tribute to their local British rulers and the locals were getting antsy about it. Soon it comes to a kind of standoff between the two parties and some wiseguy brings up the idea of playing a cricket match. Hence, the winner decides the fate of tribute/governance. So the movie commences and the local folks strive to learn cricket, albeti with the help of a sympathetic British lady. As you probably guessed, the matches were the climax of the movie.

This one is feels less like a lecture than the other ones. Perhaps it is because the issue involved day to day governance as opposed to the usual 'We the local' vs. “They the other' sort of chanting. Furthermore, the introduction of sports certainly adds to the plot; it adds the humor, the essential feel-good moments and of course, you are less likely to find bloody deaths on either side with this genre. Perhaps the most tiring aspect of the movie was that it was 3+ hours of viewing time. I'd be lying if I said I did not sleep through some of the cricket practice bits. And I've seen this movie more than once. Keeping that in mind, do check it out. It certainly is one of the best Hindi movies about colonial rule.

 

I know I missed a few from this list. Any suggestions? Which ones are your favorties?

Vampires who don't sparkle

Like all other cultural portrayals of mythical creatures, vampires also face misrepresentation. Or at least they are at risk of becoming caricatures or hollow objects thrown in just for effect. I suppose the real underdog here are zombies; people hardly ever dedicate a movie from their point of view. Well, I wanted to list my three favorite vampires from an anime series. These guys give me hope that the blood-sucking undead can evolve and grow to be interesting contributions to any given show. Other than, you know, being a useless prop whose sole purpose is to jump up and bite an artery.

1. Abel Nightroad

He is Mr. Lovable to his friends and evil personified to his enemies, it's Abel Nightroad! He is one of the vampires from the anime Trinity Blood. For those who are unfamiliar with the story, here's the gist of it – humans and vampires are fighting an ugly battle for survival. The Vatican uses certain types of vampiric folk to shield humans from vampire attacks. Abel is one such character, a form of fighter known as Crusnik.

Alright, so he's not your everyday vampire. After all, he works for the Vatican and only drinks the blood of other vampires. Having said that, I must admit that Abel is one of the best depictions of an anime vampire I have come across. He has that brooding “troubled with the world” atmosphere, he always tries to do the right thing and let's not forget, he can really hold his own in a fight. The creepy slashing moves, the levitation act, the whole caboodle! Put him in a cage fight against three evil vampire lords and still the chances of winning are in favor of Abel. Then again, if you are the sort to bet on him whilst he is thrown into a cage, I would advise running really far before he notices your shenanigans. After all, he is not the type to forgive and forget, at least not that easily and not without a decent sob story to back it up.

 

2. Kaname Kuran

It turns out, the next on the list is also of the brooding, thoughtful variety. We need more Spike-types in the anime genre. Well, for those who are thinking “Kaname who?”, he is the pure-blooded lord of the blood-sucking type from the series Vampire Knight. This anime revolves around a love triangle involving two humans, Zero and Yuki, with Kaname Kuran thrown in as the handsome and yet aloof third party. The story is set in a boarding school where vampires and humans have a kind of truce between them. Thus, you see the fanged ones attending night classes and the source of their hunger pangs attending the day classes.

Kaname Kuran plays the typical high school idol that all the human girls are fawning over. I must admit that the overall love angle with Yuki tends to decrease his street-cred just a little bit. This means that you might spend a bit of time watching the emotionally wrought conversations between him and Yuki. But there's a reason for Kaname making this list. Being a pureblood means having immense power and abilities which roughly translates into fantastic fighting capabilities. Well, a lot of people are envious of Kaname's powers whilst others fear it. And you are not disappointed when he finally rolls up his sleeves to do his part for peace, harmony and all that.

 

3. Jiro Mochizuki

So who is this Jiro? He's the stylish and somewhat flamboyant vampire from Black Blood Brothers. Similar to Vash (from Trigun), he dons a fancy red coat with matching pants. By the way, he is known for his swashbuckling moves with his katana so expect to see a few of them when you watch the series. What is the series itself about? It's slightly cliché; the city in question has a safe haven for vampires which lets them co-exist alongside humans. Unfortunately, there are a group of evil vampires of the “we take over everything and everyone” kind who are plotting to enter/destroy this area. Jiro is one of the legendary folks who fought in the first battle, not just against that group (a.k.a Kowloon Children) but their big bad boss. Well, it looks like he might have to whip out his katana again for another major event.

More about Jiro. He is one of the more recent vampiric depictions in anime and yet, there is something decidedly old school about him. You know, the puns, the way he flirts with Mimiko, the human compromiser, and of course, the need to protect his kin in a patriarchal manner. I am assuming that his personality is influenced by his 19th Century morals and mannerisms. It doesn't matter since all these aspects add to the appeal of Jiro.

 

These are just some noteworthy vampires that I have thrown into the mix. There are others, some that I have yet to discover, and others that didn't quite make to my faovrite list. So, which ones are your favorite fanged fellows from an anime series?


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