Zen of Blogging

Moving to Tumblr

2009-12-10T23:55:00.007-05:00

So now that it seems everyone is moving to Tumblr nowadays, I will be joining them. Blogger is an awesome site and I'm going to miss it, but fact is that more people read Tumblr and I would like my articles to be read by a bigger, more accessible audience. So hope you keep on reading my blog, it will continue for now on Tumblr and no longer here in Blogger.

Here is the website address:
http://zenofblogging.tumblr.com/

In Love

2009-12-06T14:49:00.005-05:00

I made a new playlist for that amazing feeling, the euphoria, the happiness, and the rush of passion we all get when we are in love, Even though I have never been in love so far, I imagine this would be the playlist to express that very feeling when that moment comes.

"Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly." -Leo Tolstoy (War and Peace)

"Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place." -Ice T

A Single Man

2009-11-16T21:58:00.003-05:00

The official trailer for A Single Man has finally come out! This is a film directed by fashion designer Tom Ford, and for his debut, this film is looking to be quite a good one. I'm so excited to see this film, it's one of the best trailers I have seen in a while. The cinematography is simply beautiful; I love the intense close-ups, the vibrant colors, and the heavy contrast; everything which adds an intense dramatic vibe. And not to mention the music, which is intense and draws intrigue to the visuals. Overall this film looks like its going to be a great one, can't wait to see this once it comes out.

Urban Dreams #2

2009-11-14T15:23:00.002-05:00

Here is my another mix made by me, this one is the second Urban Dreams playlist (Urban Dreams #2). Been listening to a lot Hip-Hop recently, there is something about Hip-Hop and it's ability to capture the soul of a city, the soul of the urban landscape, which makes Hip-Hop, and it's unique lyrical quality, an interesting listening experience. These are the songs that help me relax and lay back especially among such a hectic city.

Bittersweet Sampling

2009-11-08T13:38:00.005-05:00

Recently I've been getting into old-school hip-hop and modern electronic music that is composed mainly of samples from other pieces of music, movies, and etc... So since my interest was ignited by this entire style of making music, I decide to read up on the history and origins of this whole culture of sampling. While reading, I found out that an entire slew of music I've heard in the past is actually sampled from other pieces music. For example the video I posted above, sound familiar? This song, The Last Time, by The Andrew Oldham Orchestra is a cover version of the Rolling Stone's The Last Time, but many from my generation wouldn't have probably associated it with that song. This song might sound extremely familiar because part of this song is actually sampled in The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony. Now the fact that The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony is not a completely original song does not lessen the value I held and still hold with this song. Bittersweet Symphony is still one the best songs I've heard. This brings to view this whole "culture of remix" we currently live in. Almost everything we listen to, watch, or read borrows from something else. We live in a time where nothing is really authentic, nothing is really 100% original. But does that mean that art nowadays has less artist value? Does that mean we should consider everything that borrows from some other work as a rip-off? On the contrary, since we live in an age with so many forms of art, so many different styles; remixing, borrowing, sampling, and rearranging, makes something we love and hold dear into something new and fresh.

Love by Angels and Airwaves

2009-11-01T16:46:00.002-05:00

The popular rock band Angel and Airwaves are making a feature film. Love (the film, not the actual thing) seems like it is a visual and audible experience rather than depending on dialogue and a tightly knit plot in order to get the message across. A two-hour music video containing breath-taking images and powerful music.

James Cameron Is Back!

2009-11-01T16:01:00.003-05:00

James Cameron's finally makes a new film after a long and arduous wait of almost 12 years since he made Titanic in 1997. Cameron's return to cinema is a gigantic one, Avatar is apparently one of the most expensive films ever made, and it's seems that it's a massive sci-fi epic, which has been absent from cinema for a while. Can't wait to see this film on IMAX 3D!

Uncertainty

2009-10-22T22:27:00.002-04:00

Here's the trailer for another film with Joseph-Gordon Levitt, who is one of my favorite actors currently, and also starring the beautiful actress Lynn Collins, who was in Wolverine. The film is about a couple (Levitt and Collins) who make an important (maybe life changing) decision by doing a coin toss. The film is explores the two possibilities and how different each might have been. Interesting plot device, in my opinion. There is a certain measure of uncertainty in all our lives and sometimes we are left wondering what could have happened if we made just one different decision. Life takes us through some radical and unexpected turns, and despite the countless amount of possibilities in the realm of the "what if"we all end up learning one very important lesson, that all the situations life presents us, all of it's outcomes are uncertain, we don't know what will happen until we go through with it. Can't wait to see this film, seems like a refreshing plot device. Hopefully it will be done as well as the Expectations vs. Reality scene in 500 Days of Summer or the car accident scene in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Urban Dreams

2009-10-11T23:24:00.002-04:00

Here is another playlist I made. This one is Urban Dreams, it's composed of smooth Hip-Hop music that is just relaxing especially amongst the chaotic nature of a city. Sometimes while walking around in New York City I see the overwhelming chaos that goes around in the city; the constant construction, the rush of people from all cultures, from all backgrounds, from all professions moving in masses all over the place, the crowding in public transportation, the bombardment of advertisement, the constant noise from all the hustle and bustle of this mega metropolis. But amongst all this chaos, a entire genre of music was invented, Hip-Hop, a modern type of music capturing the sense of the urban landscape, but not in the negative sense but more in the positive side of urban culture, the combination of cultures, of ideas, the constant flow of people, the diversity. With some of these Hip-Hop songs, they are able to relax me in this tense urban atmosphere, when I pop on this music I stay in the urban state of mind while putting me at ease and allowing me to enjoy the beauty of the city. Sometimes when you are in a place where the pace is extremely fast, one has to slow down, and take a slow and hard look of everything around you. There is beauty in chaos.

Bright Horizons

2009-10-08T22:12:00.002-04:00

I'm back with a new playlist! This one is titled Bright Horizons. It's composed of music that just relaxes me and gives me a sense of hopefulness for the bright things to come in the future. Sometimes we just need to maintain a positive outlook on the things to come, to think of the positive things that can happen in our lives, and when one starts to create that hopeful mindset, all our hopes and desires will become a reality. Sometimes music can helps us jump start that positive thought process, music has the uncanny ability to be able to change one's mood, to alter one's emotions, to change one's very thoughts. And when we put on music that has positive lyrics, positive rhythm, and is able to create strong associations with positive experiences, we start thinking happier thoughts, we are transported to a world where we see our lives the way we want to live it. So this is the music that does exactly what I just stated. Enjoy!

Pursuit of Happiness

2009-10-02T06:11:00.004-04:00

There are some songs that really strike a stride with me, something about the combination of the pristine lyrics and involving rhythms makes a song become an absolute obsession. Such songs that qualify are Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap, No Cars Go by Arcade Fire and now Kid Cudi's Pursuit of Happiness.

Pursuit of Happiness - Kid Cudi (Ft. MGMT And Ratatat)

Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit
Feelin’ lit feelin’ light, 2 am summer night.
I don't care, hand on the wheel, drivin drunk, I'm doin’ my thing
Rollin the Midwest side and out livin’ my life getting’ out dreams
People told me slow my road I'm screaming out fuck that
Imma do just what I want lookin’ ahead no turnin’ back
if I fall if I die know I lived it to the fullest
if I fall if I die know I lived and missed some bullets

I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold. I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good.

Tell me what you know about dreamin’ dreamin’
you don't really know about nothin’ nothin’
tell me what you know about them night terrors every night
5 am, cold sweats wakin’ up to the skies
tell me what you know about dreams, dreams
tell me what you know about night terrors, nothin’
you don't really care about the trials of tomorrow
rather lay awake in a bed full of sorrow

I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know everything that shines ain't always gonna be gold. I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good (x3)

I'm on the pursuit of happiness
And I know everything that shines ain't always gonna be gold, hey
I'll be fine once I get it, yeah
I'll be good

Pursuit of happiness, yeah
I don’t get it, I’ll be good

I love the lyrics of this song! I think the song is trying to describe his (whoever wrote the song) pursuit of happiness, how he hopes to reach happiness. "ain't always gonna be gold" He knows that in the pursuit of happiness not everything is going to be apparent, its not going to go exactly how we plan it. That is true to a certain extent, we all try to find happiness in our lives but we get disappointed when it doesn't happen exactly the way we wanted to. Frustrations and sorrow arise due to a fear of the unknown, due to a worry of not getting what you want and exactly how you want it. The pursuit of happiness, a pursuit we all take part, is much more than just looking for happiness in some far off place or in some goal. The pursuit of happiness is more about realizing the things that make you happy right now. As the song says "I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good.", we just need to realize that fact, that happiness should not be pursued but rather realized. The things right in front of us, the things that truly make us happy are the things we have right now at this very moment.

How to Increase Serenity

2009-09-28T13:53:00.003-04:00

This video is amazing and everything it says it’s so true. Serenity comes from within ourselves but there are things we can do in everyday life to help us reach that serenity. Here’s my input on the steps stated in the video:

Step 1: Laugh as often as you can.
Laughter is crucial in all our lives. Having a good sense of humor about everything around us allows you to appreciate life much more. Through laughter we notice the small nuances that make our lives much sweeter, we relieve tension, and we look at the world with different eyes when we are in a state of laughter. Laughter is always the best medicine; it can make any grim situation into a happy one.

Step 2: Find time for friends and family.
Talking or hanging out with friends or family is a great stress reliever. When we see the ones that we love in our lives, our mood tends to lighten up, we tend to relax and have a care-free good time. Maintaining healthy social relationships is crucial in living a happy life, some things in life are too difficult to go through on alone and sometimes we need people to gives us a boost in the positive direction.

Step 3: Take charge of your life.
Sometimes we let things to keep bothering us in life. Whether it’s a troubled relationship with a friend or family member, or you are unhappy due to your surroundings, or frustrated by work; we all need to take charge and commit to change any unhappy circumstances. And by taking charge I don’t mean fighting your current circumstances but rather gathering confidence to smoothly surpass them.

Step 4: Start a career doing something you love.
Sometimes we get stuck in committing a huge portion of our lives in doing something that truly doesn’t fulfill our passions. When we are in that position, we have to change those circumstances and do something that we love. We have to spend the majority of our time doing something we find truly passionate to do. When find that thing that we can give all our passion to do, we will be much more productive and happier.

Step 5: Be a couch potato without guilt.
This step is very straight-forward. We all need to time to relax by ourselves and TV, or watching a movie, or reading a book will provide that well-needed relaxation. So relaxing by doing something that requires little or no work is something we all need and should do.

Step 6: Get more sleep.
Sleep is the most important thing we need in our lives. It’s crucial for our health, crucial for our emotions, crucial for our overall well-being. Sleeping is the best way to relax and meditate. Getting healthy amounts of sleep will help us be more alert and enthusiastic throughout the day.

Step 7: Go Outside.
Going outside and reconnecting with nature is an amazing relaxant. The sun provides us with energy and the nature around us provides us with calm. Just sitting outside and simply appreciating nature would make anybody smile and feel happier.

Step 8: Go with the flow.
I can write pages amongst pages about this topic. Going with flow with everything we encounter in life is crucial to live a happier life. Going with the flow is having patience and calm and taking things step by step. Enjoying everything that happens to us and letting the things that make us unhappy just flow right by us will certainly guarantee serenity.

Step 9: Having a gratitude journal.
The video is right that writing all the things you are grateful for brings more happiness into our life. But I would like to take it a step further, not all of us express ourselves through writing, so I say express your gratitude in anything you do best. If you are very good at drawing, then draw what you are grateful for, if you are good at making music, then write music of the things you are grateful for, if you are good at sculpting, then sculpt the things you are grateful for, or anything else. As long as you express, almost a daily basis in some way or some format, the things you are grateful for, then more happiness will enter our lives.

“God grant me the serenity; to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” - Reinhold Niebuhr

Dynamics of Partying

2009-09-28T00:06:00.000-04:00

Recently I went to a house party and while I was somewhat sober and the majority of everyone around me was in a drunken state (of mind). I noticed the huge amounts and variety of social dynamics that happens in parties; the drama, heartbreak, the hook-ups, the frustrations with gaining someone’s attention, the new friends being made, connections on an intimate level, the flirtation, the excess of drinking, the feelings of happiness. All these things at parties, a time of celebration, happen specifically during parties. People change during parties, mostly in a good way and sometimes unfortunately in a bad way. A party, at least for the modern twenty-something year old, has become an outlet to become your true self, to lower your inhibitions and reveal a side of yourself free from worry of obeying the social norms or any other limitations the outside world gives us. Nonetheless the activities that happen in parties, one starts to notice a set pattern, a social code, in which most of us obey almost without realizing it. Yes, this pattern may vary slightly from person to person, but there is an overall trend. This brings me to the point of this posting; I came to realize this would be an amazing idea for a documentary. The documentary would be shot very stylishly and modern, like an MTV feel to it, but it would be in the format of an anthropological documentary or nature show similar to the ones they show on PBS. The documentary will have a typical deep-voiced, authoritative toned, narrator similar to films like 500 Days of Summer and Little Children style. It will talk about all the nuances that take place in parties, all the little things we barely notice.

Effortless Effort

2009-09-20T14:36:00.002-04:00

Effortless effort? Sounds like a contradiction, right? It isn’t really. As I was reading Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hyams there was chapter on this so-called “effortless effort”. What does that mean? It is very simple actually; the less you try to work hard the more things get done. Any believer in Taoism, Buddhism, Zen or any Eastern Philosophy will tell you one simple thing; “Do nothing and everything gets done”.

Let me put this in real-world terms, what many Eastern philosophers are trying to say, is that when we need to do work, it can be any type of work from the most mundane to the most extravagant, it’s better to do that work in calm and tranquility. Putting a strong effort, or working hard, as the Western tradition teaches us to do is a struggle, it puts our mind in a fighting state, in a state worry, anxiousness, and hurry. The Taoists teaches us a different method of encountering work, in which we encounter every day. They suggest being calm and putting less effort into the work. Wait, less effort? Yes, less effort, while putting lots of effort or working really hard on something the only thing that runs through our mind is finishing the job or rather a fear of not finishing the job. Taoists suggest focusing on the task at hand, living in the present. It’s better to concentrate on what you are doing presently, and take it easy, so that the work you are doing will be done swiftly and in a much better fashion. When we stop caring about the consequences, the fears, the sense of hurry, the worries of not doing a good job, when all of that is absent from your mind, then you will truly be able to finish your work easily and without any problems. Think of this, when studying for an important exam that you only have a few days to study for, you are reading your textbook in order to study, but while reading your textbook you are probably thinking about the consequences of failing the exams, you might be dreading the amount of material that is needed to be studied, you might be thinking about the little time you have to study. Most of us don’t even realize those thoughts cross our mind while studying, but they do, and how do you know you are thinking those thoughts, through having feelings of frustration, incompetence, or worry. And how do we overcome these obstacles that limit our ability to work? It’s simple, stop caring! Stop caring about the consequences of not finishing, stop caring about the little time you have, stop caring about the implications of failing, stop caring about how difficult the work is, stop caring about everything. Once you stop caring about everything that might or might not happen in future then you will be able to finish the task at hand. Erase all those negative thoughts from your mind and focus on the current job. Just maintain a positive outlook; just keep thinking, and start realizing, the abundance of time you have, the wealth of knowledge you already have, start realizing that whatever happens in the future is not as important as what you are doing right now at this very moment. Living in the here and now will allow you to focus on your work and only on your work. For example as I am writing this right now, I’m letting the words come out naturally, not worrying about mistakes, not worrying about contradictions, not worrying about the amount of time I’m spending, not worrying whether or not my point is getting across. The only thing running through my mind is writing, writing this article without really caring about anything else. Same thing as a painter, a painter keeps on painting, naturally allowing the images in his head go onto the canvas without really putting an effort. Same thing as the fiction writer, they write everything and anything that goes through their head, they write the story as it plays out in their mind, and there is no room for any other thoughts while writing a story. There is just room for the story. Same thing as an athlete, a runner is not really, nor has the time to, care about the speed or position of his opponent, or the thought of losing the race, the only thing that goes through the successful runner’s mind is just running. There are moments where we just need to stop caring and just go about things naturally and easily. Along with the main Taoist belief of going with the flow goes with this idea of effortless effort. It’s better to allow ideas, motivation, or inspiration naturally into your work. For example the writer who claims to have writers block only has writers block because they are only thinking about a lack of inspiration. For the writer, for the painter, for the runner, for the student, for anybody, just going with the flow and allowing a calmness and tranquility overcome you and your work will allow you to finish many more things much more quickly. This philosophy of effortless effort can be applied to every facet of life, from brushing your teeth, to watering the garden, to eating your dinner, to studying for an exam, to finish a big project, to maintaining a healthily relationship with a significant other, putting an effortless effort to everything in your life will allow you to get so many things done.

In western culture we are taught to try hard to get the things we want. If we fail in getting those things we have to try even harder. It’s as through sacrifice and struggle is the only way to achieve things that are crucial in our lives. But in our lives the most important, life-depending, things are done without an effort. Breathing, digesting, sleeping, cell replication, heart rate, and body temperature are all done without an effort, yet they are all things we depend on, that we need to live on. They are so effortless they don’t even require thought. Look at nature, everything in nature is done without effort. The sun sets and rises without effort. The rivers flow without effort. Plants and trees grow without strain. The planets, including earth, revolve without being forced to. Animals live and procreate without an effort. So all things in nature, all things our lives depend on, are done without a single effort, they are all done naturally. How is this relevant to our lives? Well if all these things in nature and our crucial bodily functions, the most important things in our lives, are done without effort, then is it necessary to put any effort in other (less important) things in life? Not really, just allow things to go naturally. And when you have some work to do, its solution will come naturally to you. Effortless effort does not mean doing nothing. In order for an artist to finish a masterpiece he must paint, write, sing, or sculpt. For an athlete to complete a feat he must run, jump, swim, or throw. For the blood in our body to circulate our hearts must contract. But all those things are done without effort, all are done naturally. Same thing as anything we encounter in our lives, we have to approach it effortlessly, and we have to go about it naturally. We have to let our natural abilities and our natural will take charge. Ultimately if we want to achieve something we will achieve, and we can achieve without working really hard to get it.

This brings into mind that the best things in life come without any effort and work. The best things in life come naturally. As with our ability to breath, eat, and sleep, things we all truly try to achieve in life comes easy to us. To find peace, we just let the right place and right time give us the tranquility we need. To find love, we just let the right person at the right time to come into our lives. To find our true talents, we automatically start doing something that comes extremely easy to us. To find our calling, we find something we are good at doing, we find something we are passionate about and we decide to do it for the majority of our lives. Through no struggle and minimal effort our lives manage to live out the way we want it to. Nothing in life really requires a struggle, when we struggle everything around us struggles back. As many people say, you cannot fight fire with fire. We just need to go with the flow, take things that might seem challenging in our lives and go through it with minimal effort. Not going about things head-on, but calmly and collectively thinking of all ways to finish something. Many people will say life is hard, life is a bitch, but that is simply not true. If you are breathing without an effort then that is the most irrevocable proof that life is easy. Life is easy, life is natural, and everything that happens in life is a natural process in which we must respond to it naturally. As the Taoists preach; just live life to the fullest by enjoying everything around you, by taking things with ease, and by maintaining a positive mindset. Just remember “Do nothing and everything gets done”.

"Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend." -Bruce Lee

The Mutual Exchange of Beauty

2009-09-19T23:12:00.004-04:00

When I started reading the world renowned book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho it started with a very interesting prologue. It’s about an Alchemist, who is later introduced in the novel, finding a complete version of the classic parable of Narcissus, the boy who knelt by a lake on a daily basis to contemplate on his own beauty then drown to his own narcissism, which has a completely different meaning. Here’s the Prologue for The Alchemist:

The Alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had brought. Leafing through the pages, he found a story about Narcissus. The Alchemist knew the legend of Narcissus, a youth who daily knelt beside a lake to contemplate his own beauty. He was so fascinated by himself that, one morning, he fell into the lake and drowned. At the spot where he fell, a flower was born, which was called the narcissus.

But this was not how the author of the book ended the story. He said that when Narcissus died, the Goddesses of the Forest appeared and found the lake, which had been fresh water, transformed into a lake of salty tears.

"Why do you weep?" the Goddesses asked.

"I weep for Narcissus," the lake replied.

"Ah, it is no surprise that you weep for Narcissus," they said, "for though we always pursued him in the forest, you alone could contemplate his beauty close at hand."

"But..... was Narcissus beautiful?" the lake asked.

"Who better than you to know that?" the Goddesses said in wonder, "After all, it was by your banks that he knelt each day to contemplate himself!"

The lake was silent for some time. Finally it said:

"I weep for Narcissus, but I never noticed that Narcissus was beautiful. I weep because, each time he knelt beside my banks, I could see, in the depths of his eyes, my own beauty reflected."

"What a lovely story," the Alchemist thought.

Originally the parable taught us the woes of narcissism, an extreme obsession of appreciating your own beauty. But this iteration of the classic parable has a much different lesson to teach, it teaches how beauty is contemplated through another’s beauty. Narcissus looked onto the lake in order to see his own beauty, but in return the lake looked onto Narcissus in order to see its own beauty too. Was Narcissus or the Lake narcissistic? In this version, no they weren’t. Narcissism is an extreme obsession of oneself, an intense self-worship, where the person completely disregards everyone else and only cares about themselves. A narcissistic person is blinded by their own self-obsession so much that they are unable to see another’s beauty. Narcissists do not really find themselves beautiful nor have high opinion of themselves, rather they are obsessed with trying to find their own beauty, they make that their only goal in their life, and in the process they ignore everyone else and everything else around them and thus they never discover their true beauty. But in this story neither Narcissus nor the Lake are true narcissists because they are able to see their own beauty. And how they see their own beauty? Through another’s beauty. This story says something important about ourselves, about how we see ourselves through the reflections of everything around us. The story is trying to teach us a very important lesson and that is the only way to see your own true beauty is to appreciate another’s. It’s the perfect reciprocation of love. Love others and you’ll love yourself and also vice-versa. When we see something that is beautiful, whether it’s a flower, a person, the sky, an animal, a symbol, a lyric, a painting or anything else, somehow through that appreciation of that beauty we find our own. Let me put this real-world terms, if you find a person so beautiful and you express your appreciation to that person, eventually that person will reciprocate and express an appreciation for your own beauty. Narcissus used the Lake’s beauty in order to see his own, and through that appreciating of that beauty Narcissus saw his own beauty and the lake continued showing his own reflection to him. So is appreciating or seeking your own beauty selfish? No on the contrary, we all need to appreciate our own beauty. We all need to love ourselves so we can love others and through an appreciation of our beauty we begin to realize and see all the beauty around us. The Lake in the story was starting to appreciate Narcissus’ beauty, but when he died the lake was overcome with sadness. Throughout our lives we are taught that beauty is a one-way thing, we find some people beautiful and some people might find us beautiful. We are taught since a very young age that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And though that statement is very true, it fails to acknowledge the mutual exchange of beauty. Beauty can also be seen through the eye of the beholder. Think of this, a photographer takes a photograph of something they find beautiful, it might be something not all of us might find beautiful, but the fact that the photograph takes that photo he then expresses his own beauty through that photograph. What is beautiful in a photograph, the object or person in the photo, or the photograph itself, or the person who took the photograph? The answer is all three, because all three were able to feed off each other’s beauty. The photographer showed his appreciation of something beautiful by taking a photo and thus the photo became something beautiful itself and even the photographer’s beauty became apparent as well. So beauty is a two-way thing, it’s something we gather from others and others gather from us. Such as a photo, beauty is a mutual exchange. You cannot have beauty without having something else to appreciate that beauty. It’s like love; you cannot love if there is nothing to love. Love is also two-way exchange, you love to be loved and you are loved in order to love. Same thing as beauty, we find something beautiful so that beauty can reflect our own beauty, and our own beauty shows others their beauty.

Mashing up with Ratatat

2009-09-19T12:41:00.007-04:00

I have even more mashups featuring instrumentals by Ratatat:

Go Falcon! - DJ Constant (Common's Go! vs. Ratatat's Falcon Jab)

Download (Right Click + Save As)

Tell me which one is the better of the following two:

Dare to Break Away - DJ Constant (Calle 13's Atrevete vs. Ratatat's Breaking Away)

Download (Right Click + Save As)

One Dare - DJ Constant (Calle 13's Atrevete vs. Ratatat's One)

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Words to Ponder On #2

2009-09-13T22:49:00.009-04:00

"If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." -Bruce Lee

"When you get to the top of the mountain, keep climbing." -Zen Proverb

These are two truly beautiful set of words that relate to each other in a seemingly simple way. Will elaborate on this idea in a upcoming post.

One Lady in the World (Mash-up)

2009-09-09T22:57:00.009-04:00

Another mash-up made by me (DJ Constant). This is a mash-up of Flight of Conchords's Ladies of the World and Ratatat's One. The song is appropriately titled One Lady in the World. Enjoy!

One Lady in the World (Flight of the Conchords vs. Ratatat) - DJ Constant

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First Mashup

2009-09-08T22:43:00.013-04:00

This is my first effort on making a mash-up. I used Ratatat's Breaking Away, which is one of their best beats in my opinion, and Calle 13's La Jirafa, another favorite of mine. Basically I just added Calle 13's lyrics to Ratatat's beat. Hope you enjoy. Constructive criticism is gladly appreciated.

My DJ name is DJ Constant. Why? Because I believe in a constant flow in music.

Breaking Away My Jirafa (Ratatat vs. Calle 13) - DJ Constant
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The Chipotle Diet: Why Eating Whatever You Want Isn’t Bad For You?

2009-09-05T20:20:00.003-04:00

For the past couple of days I’ve been on a binge of Chipotle burritos, the big, hearty, 1,000+ calorie Burritos that most health conscious people would advise against eating. While partaking in this binge of so-called “junk-food” a very unique observation came into my mind, I looked around the Chipotle’s, and mind you I went about 14 times in the past month, I noticed every time I walked into a Chipotle’s everyone was thin and fit. Compared to a McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and even Subway where I noticed that big chunks of the people are overweight or obese. Now, these burritos pack in more than a 1,000 calories in them, have tons of fat and carbohydrates and most people who eat there buy a soda with unlimited free refills. Now why is it that so many people who attend Chipotle’s are fit and not obese like in many other fast food establishments? I have a theory, nay a tested fact; it’s the love for the food! The burritos in Chipotle are simply wonderful edible pieces of joy. Everybody who eats one of those burritos thoroughly enjoy the experience of eating the burrito. Now you must be wondering what my point is. My point is that if you love your food and have a thoroughly happy experience while eating, then your food will love you back! Think about this, fact is most people who eat McDonalds on an often basis, feel guilty for every time they eat there. The calorie count (that is nowhere near Chipotle’s calorie count), the fact that they didn’t eat a salad instead, the feeling of dread because now they have to work-out to burn this fatty meal all starts running through the person’s mind. Eating foods at places like McDonalds and Burger King have become negative experiences, but with Chipotle it remains a positive experience. Now what I mean with your food will love you back is that if you truly enjoy what you are eating, only thinking about the positivity of the meal, how good it is, how tasty and fresh, the explosion of different flavors, just by simply enjoying the meal at its fullest will only affect you positively. It will not make you gain pounds by eating it, it will not make you feel physical ill, nor will it even negatively affect your health. I believe if you eat food and truly love what you are eating, that food will digest nicely, not affect you negatively in any way, and you will be going out with a feeling of fullness of ultimate satisfaction. Eating good food is always a good thing regardless of what you like. If you like eating a deep-fried salami sandwich with tons of cheese and 2 liters of Coke on the side and that makes you happy and does not make you have any negative feelings then you should definitely go for it and enjoy it to the fullest. Whatever food you like, you should eat it and feel happy about it. That’s why a well-cooked and fresh dish is more appetizing and more satisfying. That’s why, for example, a fresh and excellent tasting burrito at Chipotle is much more satisfying than an overly processed and cheaply made burger at McDonalds, even though the Chipotle burrito has nearly twice as many calories than a Big Mac, at the end of the meal you end up feeling much more satisfied and you feel like you had a healthy meal. That’s why dieting always fails! Diets make you feel guilty about the things you eat, it limits the eating the foods you truly love, and when you eat the food you truly love you end up beating yourself up. Dieting is self-punishing activity, a negative activity, an activity that limits your happiness and that’s why diets never work. Ask yourself, why is it we always see people who say they eat like crazy and never gain a pound? It’s because they have appreciation for food and never antagonize food. The people who say that always end up eating as much as an obese person does but they never gain a pound because they think of food as a positive thing in their lives. Their thoughts while eating, is enjoying the food and not worrying about any consequence that could happen. Same thing you can say vice-versa with people who say that with every little thing they eat they end up gaining pounds like crazy. Those people constantly look at food as a negative entity, as an antagonist to their weight problems. But in reality food is not the problem, but it’s ourselves, our negative thoughts, that cause excessive weight. So I purpose that the best diet is the one where you eat anything you want as long as it makes you happy. Whatever you want, if you eat it and it makes feel good inside then go eat it. And if you’re a person with weight problems then you’ll notice that once you start loving your food and growing a true appreciation for everything you love to eat you will start noticing a positive change in your body. You will become one of those people who say they eat like crazy and never gain a pound. I, myself, have lost about 50 pounds under this mode of thinking, or philosophy some might say. So love your food and it will love you back. Think of this, most people say “you are what you eat”, but if you eat something that is beautiful to you (something you love) then you will become beautiful.

Confucius

2009-09-05T15:13:00.006-04:00

They are finally making a film about Confucius!!! For all those who have been living under a rock for past couple centuries, Confucius is the Chinese philosopher who has inspired an entire religion based on his beliefs. The man playing the legend is Chow Yuan-Fat, an excellent choice since he is one of the best Chinese actors out there and not to mention he looks very similar to Confucius as he is depicted throughout history. I must say two things; first I love Chinese Epics, any film involving a epic tale involving sword fighting, martial arts, politics, and deep philosophical symbolism in Ancient China (Hero, Fearless) automatically qualifies as a film I definitely have to watch. Second I love Confucius, all that he stood for, all that he preached, his teachings of living life through moral virtue and not through a rigid system of laws, and the importance and emphasis he put on relatioships with other people, giving love and respect to the important bonds you share in life. Confucius teachings live on almost 2,500 years after his death. Why? Because his teaching, his philosophy relates to anybody, his ideas were universal, Confucius philosophy can be applied to any facet of life. It makes me happy that there is finally a film about another major religious persona, besides Jesus, it was already time to make a film about Confucius, and there is also so many other major religious figures to make biographical (or semi-biographical) films about. I absolutely can't wait for this film. In the meanwhile, I'll read more on Confucius, because there is so much I don't know about him.

Here's a couple of quotes of Confucius' great teachings to dwell upon:

"What one does not wish for oneself, one ought not to do to anyone else; what one recognizes as desirable for oneself, one ought to be willing to grant to others."

"Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. Then no friends would not be like yourself (all friends would be as loyal as yourself). If you make a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it."

Side Thought: I want to see a film be made about Lao-Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher, who teaching and philosophies later became into the religion we know today as Taoism. Even-though Lao-Tzu is believed to be myth, more a combination of several historical figures who existed in the time, I think his persona has been developed into a unique one. A film about Lao-Tzu will emphasize more on the myth of Lao-Tzu, the man who traveled all of China riding a water buffalo, and how that myth manifested into an entire way of life, a philosophy that has inspired millions upon millions of people.

Words to Ponder On #1

2009-09-03T00:03:00.005-04:00

“Softness triumphs over hardness, feebleness over strength. What is more malleable is always superior over that which is immovable. This is the principle of controlling things by going along with them, of mastery through adaptation” –Lao-Tzu

Agora

2009-08-28T19:07:00.002-04:00

Alejandro Amenábar, director and writer of The Others and The Sea Inside, has a new film in store. This one is a ancient Roman epic starring Rachel Weisz. I must say two things; I love films that take place in ancient Rome and I love Rachel Weisz, and I cannot help but be overwhelmed with memories of The Fountain when I see her in this film. But one question comes to mind; why do all characters in all films that take place in ancient Rome have British accents?!? (You won't hear the characters speaking in this trailer, but other websites have a longer trailer and you'll hear all the British accents)

Inception

2009-08-27T03:59:00.003-04:00

I saw this trailer before seeing Inglorious Basterds in the theaters and when it started it gave me chills. This is the new film written and directed by Christopher Nolan (Dark Knight, Memento) and starring two of my favorite actors right now, Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt! I would have never really imagined DiCaprio doing a film with Gordon-Levitt, but alas it's seems to be a match made in heaven, considering they are the two best actors in Hollywood right now. Not to mention Marion Cotillard is also in it, she did a superb job in La Vie En Rose. Plus even more awesome actors such as Michael Caine, who doesn't love that British accent, Lukas Haas, who did a very good job in Brick and looking forward to seeing more of him, and Cillian Murphy, who starred in my favorite Zombie movie of all-time, 28 Days Later. This film has an beyond awesome cast, and from the look of the trailer, it seems to be a sci-fi thriller a cross between Minority Report and The Matrix. I'm extremely excited for this film, can't wait to see it!

Fifty Dead Men Walking

2009-08-22T16:44:00.004-04:00

I noticed a common occurrence when you live in NYC is when you're looking through the list of films playing in the local movie theaters and you see one film you never heard of. This is the case with the film, Fifty Dead Men Walking, an Irish film starring Jim Sturgess and Ben Kingsley. Before I looked over what was playing in AMC Empire 25, the biggest movie theater in NYC, I never heard of the film, but then I was intrigued so I went to check it out on IMDB and noticed that Ben Kingsley was finally starring in a role that was not a crappy sci-fi or off-beat crime comedy like he has been doing for the past 10 years! Ben Kinsley was finally starring in a serious film and that captured my attention. Also Jim Sturgess stars, who did an impressive job in the film, 21. This film looks really good, I must catch in theaters soon.

Here's the premise of the film:

"Inspired by Martin McGartlands incredible autobiography, Fifty Dead Men Walking is the stunning new action thriller by Kari Skogland about a secret agent working undercover for British security services in Northern Ireland in the late eighties. Over the course of four years, until his betrayal and subsequent discovery, it was estimated that McGartland was responsible for saving the lives of up to fifty men."

And the trailer:

Any Fun

2009-08-21T17:40:00.002-04:00

Coconut Records released a new music video for their song Any Fun!

I like the very old 1950's home-video style to it. Plus it's entirely shot in New York!

Life changing experience

2009-08-18T16:59:00.003-04:00

This documentary and book, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, has changed my life in so many positive ways. Give this a watch:

Yes, this might at first sound a little over dramatic and preachy, but I assure you it's made to capture your attention. It's so true when they talk about the power of positive thinking. Our lives really are the culmination of our everyday thoughts. Most religions and philosophies of the world talk about mind over matter and this puts aside all the mystic and magical connotations about mind over matter and puts it into a way which is much more realistic and easier to relate to. Whatever we think about becomes reality, this has taught me that happiness can only come from the inside. So maintaining positive thoughts and thinking of only things you truly want and knowing that there is abundance in life for everything and anything you want, you then will truly be a happy person.

Now here's is two inspiration quotes to dwell upon:

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, either way you are right" -Henry Ford

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him" -Buddha

Tango Hip-Hop?

2009-08-17T02:29:00.010-04:00

Tango has always been a music of passion. A sensual rhythm that gets the heart pumping with fiery passion and just makes you want to dance. Yes the title is correct, I have found a band called Bajofondo that is straight from Argentina and Uruguay that makes an interesting mix of Tango and Hip-Hop. It's two genres I would have never imagined being combined and I have to say I'm presently surprised. I listened to Bajofondo's live album titled Supervielle. This album has a perfect combination of classic tango with modern hip-hop and some electronic. The music is so relaxing and soothing, it puts the mind in a beautiful trance. Maintaining a new and unique sound, Bajofondo manages to revitalize tango music. With the addition of a DJ (someone on turntables) on their band it adds new life to this dying genre. This band also does a interesting mix with vocals, using classic vocals from a couple of popular Tango singers, and they also incorporate rapping. Being a big fan of tango and groups like Gotan Project, I love this album. This music is so sensual, just like Tango which is one of the most sensual genres of music, this perfect fusion of classic Tango and modern hip-hop makes for a perfect blend of sensuality and modernity.

Wish You Were Here

2009-08-16T18:55:00.009-04:00

After having my mind being blown by Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, I was looking to listen to more of Pink Floyd’s albums. After having a chat with a friend talking about The Dark Side of the Moon he suggested to me to listen to Wish You Were Here. He said it was completely non-commercial just like Dark Side; one of Pink Floyd’s other avant-garde albums. Wish You Were Here was album made after Syd Barrett departure of the band. Syd Barrett was suffering through a rough LSD drug addiction and a decline in his mental state so Syd Barrett and the rest of Pink Floyd broke off. The other members of Pink Floyd were incredibly saddened by the loss of a great band member, one who mainly composed all the song in their first 2 albums. So this album was created as a tribute to Syd Barrett.

I have to say from the start this is another great album made by Pink Floyd, as with Dark Side of the Moon the entire album is one piece of work and not just a bunch of tracks put together. The lyrics are very sincere, reminiscing about the good times they had with Syd Barrett and sadness of the loss of incredible potential Barrett had. The most impressive song of the album was Shine On You Crazy Diamond, which is a 20 minute song divided into two parts. The song starts very spaced out similar to the sound of Dark Side then moves to very jazzy with the use of a saxophone and then has a rapid climax with funky melodies. Then there is my other favorite song in the album Wish You Were Here, which ironically sounds like many indie bands I listen to nowadays, very similar to artists like Bon Iver, Coldplay and many others. The guitar is amazing in this song; I really dig the acoustic sound. The lyrics in this song are simply beautiful. They express the sadness of losing a great friend, their frustrations for that loss, and their desire to have him back. This is a great album, filled with many memorable moments, if you like Pink Floyd or like slow and spaced-out music you should definitely give this album a listen.

Beautiful lyrics from the song Wish You Were Here:

“How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.”

(500) Days of Summer... again

2009-08-16T05:33:00.004-04:00

Warning this reflection of the film contains spoilers.

So I went to see (500) Days of Summer again because I recommended it to a friend who had a recent bad break-up, and he was dying to see it so I went with him to watch this amazing film again. I will tell you now, for a second viewing of the film I was amazed again! I still felt the magic of the film as I felt it the first time I watched it, and the film to a certain degree got even better. Watching it for a second time I was able to appreciate other things that I didn't noticed the first time around. In this second viewing I really felt sympathetic for Summer. In the first viewing I thought Summer was rather cold-hearted, but in the second time I realized Summer is human being too with feelings and emotions. Even though Summer was much more closed than Tom was, she was in a relationship too, and she also felt heartbreak. It wasn't easy for Summer to break it off with Tom, but, unlike Tom, she followed her intuition and was honest to herself about the way she felt about Tom. Summer at 300th or so day started to feel that she truly didn't love Tom, the feeling between her and Tom was dwindling. Tom's break-up was so hard because he was resting on a fantasy, but more so he was constantly thinking about lack. He thought about the lack of love Summer was showing, he thought about the lack of consistency in the relationship, he thought of the lack of women out there besides Summer that he could connect with. Tom constantly had negative thoughts running through his mind. As the narrator said, Tom's mode of thinking was similar to sad 80's British pop music, he lived in world where there was heartbreak, where love is a rare thing, and that one really has to fight for it to win it. This way of thinking really hurt Tom and really hurt his relationship with Summer. Summer during the relationship was having fun, taking it casual and slow, meanwhile Tom was panicking that he was going to lose Summer. Tom felt as though he had to be in an official relationship with her, in order to guarantee no heartbreak. At one point in the film Tom says "I just want consistency" and Summer replies "You know I can't give you that, only you can". Summer was completely correct, Tom was looking for the love of Summer in order to feel true happiness but that isn't the way. One has to be happy, and you have to love yourself in order to give love to others. Of course nonetheless, Summer and Tom weren't meant to be with each other, but they were meant to have a short-lived relationship. Both Tom and Summer learned so much from that relationship they had together. Summer found someone who she truly loved by first learning about Tom's philosophy on love. Tom ended up pursing architecture and also finding someone else all due to Summer.

It's not a love story, but it is a story about love. We all go through these moments in our lives that we rest all our happiness on one person, but that only leads to feeling empty and unsatisfied, no one can give you the happiness that you truly want, you have to be happy on your own in order to live happy. You have to love yourself in order to love others. Tom at the end start appreciating and loving himself because he pursued architecture and that's how he was able to meet Autumn. (500) Days of Summer is a therapeutic film teaching about love, the destructive power of negative thoughts, and a very important lesson that love is always out there and there is an abundance of love to be given and received, one just has to be patient and let it come to you naturally.

Photo Blog #1

2009-08-15T03:29:00.006-04:00

Introduction

Channeling Clark Kent.

[See Photo Blog Project]

Enigmatic Lyrics

2009-08-14T18:21:00.010-04:00

"Open up your
Open up your
Open up your throat
And let time
All of that time
All of that time
All of that time go

I know it sucks that Daddy's done
But try to think of what you want
You've got to open up
Open up your
Open up your throat

Matt!
Support your brother
Sport
Brother Sport

You got to weigh what you say
To help you shape the way you play
You gotta get rid of the mourning
Sort out the habits of your mind

You're halfway 'til you're fully grown
You've got a real good shot
Won't help to hold inside
Give a real, give a real
Shout out

Until you're fully grown
You've got a real good shot
Won't help to hold inside
Give a real, give a real
Shout out
Matt!"

Animal Collective's lyrics are always a bit abstract and hard to understand but after many listens to the song Bothersport I finally fully grasp it's meaning. The song is written for a brother called Matt who apparently had many problems. The lyricist is trying to tell his brother that the problems have come and gone and that its time to open up and talk about his problems. Anybody can easily relate to these lyrics, we all go through problems in our lives that we feel fearful or ashamed to talk about, but sometimes it's so much better to shout them out, to talk about them rather than holding them bottled up inside. "You got to weigh what you say, To help you shape the way you play" Talking to friends or family is a great reliever, someone is always willing to listen and give advice, and through that proper exchange in communication we can shape our lives harmoniously. As the song says "Won't help to hold inside".

The Dark Side of the Moon

2009-08-13T16:42:00.005-04:00

For many years I’ve heard this album been talked about, people praising it for being one of the most influential albums ever made. Then one day I put on the album Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys for me and my dad to hear it, and he said the album was amazing and that it sounded it just like Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd. I absolutely love Pet Sounds, and before I heard that comment comparing Pet Sounds to Pink Floyd, I always thought Pink Floyd was way too commercial and mainstream for me. I only knew of the songs such as Another Brick in the Wall, Comfortably Numb, and Money all which are very mainstream songs, so I disregard Pink Floyd as a mainstream band like Rolling Stones or The Who for many years. Then with the discovery of The Beatle’s Srgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club and The Beach Boy’s Pet Sounds, I’ve realized some of these massively popular bands that make up the mainstream as we know it today have also made these avant-garde albums that are nothing like their mainstream successes. Sometimes the media constantly shows only the commercial side of these bands that you never realize they have an amazing catalogue of powerful completely non-commercial and unique music. So I decided to give a listen to Pink Floyd avant-garde album. The Dark Side of the Moon I have to say from the start is mind-blowing. From the very beginning to very end it’s a trip into a vast musical landscape of mellow tones, powerful singing, spaced out melodies, and hypnotic rhythms. I was completely blown away from this album. It was so carefully constructed as if it was created for a story. The music flows from beginning to end as the album is more of an entire piece of work rather a track by track album. The song that impressed me the most was The Great Gig in the Sky which has a powerful female voice, a gospel singer, singing in the background. It was interesting the combination of rock with gospel vocals, something that is rarely done. The album also used various vocals and melodies various times throughout the entire album, maintaining a unique and similar sound to it throughout the entire album. This album is filled with unique instrumentation, a variety of amazing vocals, and amazing spacey feel to it. The Dark Side of the Moon is a work of art, an amazing piece of music that should live forever in our musical history. If you haven’t listened to The Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety, go now!

Angels with Guns!

2009-08-13T15:45:00.006-04:00

Legion

Yes you heard me right. This film has angels, as in heavenly biblical angles, kicking some demon ass with guns. Awesome premise right? Constantine, End of Days all are films with the premise of Heaven vs. Hell, but in those films they are mainly humans fighting with demons, but in the upcoming film Legion, starring Paul Bettany and Dennis Quaid, it's angels doing most of the fighting. I know this all sounds juvenile and maybe blasphemous to some, but I find something quite exciting about this film. There is a certain quality to action/adventure films that use biblical mythology, they are pretty fun and intriguing to watch.

Call me an Idealist

2009-08-12T15:39:00.000-04:00

Lately there has been a lot of drama amongst some of my friends. Falling in and out of relationships, problems with friendships, frustrations about life, everything people go through every day in their daily lives. Luckily I’m not involved in any of this nor have any stress because of this, but, like always, I kindly offer my advice to my friends. I say that there is no need to be frustrated or stress because life needs to be enjoyed, good things will come once you start feeling happier. For my friends who break-up with a significant other I always say the cliché “there is plenty of fish in the sea”, but I mean that with all my heart. Everybody has someone out there who would make them happy. We are not limited to a small selection of people to choose from, to care for. No, we have an abundance of people to love, to care for, to be friends with, the options are basically limitless. Now when I say this people look at me with skepticism. They believe life can’t be that easy, that in life we have to fight for what we truly want. But I always ask why fight? Why not just wait for what you want? Fighting is a struggle, its work, it makes one unhappy and frustrated, and that is not the way to achieve happiness. In our society we are programmed to believe that everything; love, friendship, wealth, work, happiness, all has to be fought for in order to get it. You see it with all types of music, movies, TV shows, advertisements, cultural customs and advice people give to others every day. I disagree with this widely spread belief. There is no need to fight, fighting just creates more resistance, it creates more anger, and more unhappiness. I don’t think we need to fight for what we truly want; we don’t need to fight for what truly makes us happy. I think for the things that you truly want in life, whether its wealth, love, friendship, or anything else, you should let it come naturally to you. The things that happen naturally with little or no resistance are things that will truly make you happy in life. Many people may think that this belief is naïve, unrealistic, and hopeless. But on the contrary, thinking about the best results will always result in getting the best. So, like I tell all my friends, just be patient because good things will come. That’s how I live my life, I only think of the things I really want, of the best that I can get, and nothing else and through that lifestyle I’m living a happy life. So you can call me an idealist, because I’m proud to be one.

I Love New York

2009-08-12T13:00:00.004-04:00

The new trailer for New York, I Love You finally has come out! This film follows the same concept as Paris, Je t'aime, as it's a series of short stories about romance in a large city interwoven to make one film. Now this one doesn't have quite as many big name directors as Paris, Je t'aime. The only directors I recognize is Mira Nair, who directed The Namesake, and Brett Ratner, who directed the Rush Hour series. The rest of the directors and writers are indie and foreign filmmakers, which has me quite excited. It nice to see indie and foreign filmmakers incorporating their unique and new film style for a Hollywood produced film.

I think they picked a perfect place to make this type of film. New York is a lovely place filled with wonder, life, love, and excitement. New York is truly a wonderful and unique city. No other city comes in comparison with the diversity, the style, the grandeur that New York offers. A gigantic mesh of culture that creates an interesting flavor for this grand city. Everywhere you look you see something interesting, you see new and interesting faces, you see the fusion of culture in people's wardrobe, speech, and customs. New York is a truly spell-binding city, I absolutely can't wait to see this film because I, too, love New York. <3

(500) Days of Summer

2009-08-10T15:45:00.014-04:00

Warning this review might contain some spoilers.

I finally went to see (500) Days of Summer, the film I have been anticipating and hyping since February. It’s a long time to wait for a film and within that time the hype grew and grew. Then on a Saturday night I entered the theater finally after 6 months of anticipation with my expectations running so high. The film started with soft classical music slowly gaining momentum, reminiscent of fantasy films, then a narrator with a very deep and authoritative voice starts talking. His first line “This is a story of boy meets girl.” An introduction is given about the two main characters Tom, the boy who falls in love, and Summer, the girl who doesn’t. At that instance, two minutes into the film, I knew this wasn’t your ordinary cliché-ridden romantic comedy, I realized this film is going to unique and unlike any other. In a time where romantic comedies seem to be empty, superficial, and lacking any real heart comes (500) Days of Summer which comes like a refreshing breeze in the sea of dry romance films. This flim blew my mind, it was witty, funny, new, and engaging.

First let me start with the two stars of the film, Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, two actors I have complete love for. Zooey Deschanel a beautiful woman who always plays the strong female lead extremely well. She has a talent for playing the corky, weird, and slightly off-beat female. Then there is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is one of my favorite actors right now. Star of one my other favorite romantic comedies, 10 Things I Hate About You, and star of many other wonderful films such as Brick and The Lookout. Gordon-Levitt has the talent and is an amazing actor of the top most quality and I see him going great places in his art. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt blended very well in this film. In most romantic comedies you need to feel the chemistry between the two leads but in this film it was different. The film is about the full course of a relationship, the beginning, the middle, and the end. And throughout the film you see the development of the chemistry between the two leads but then you also see the slow deterioration of the chemistry between them. The film expertly explores the development of innocent and naïve love. Many people might find the fact that this romantic comedy is not quite the love story as all the others, many people might find it depressing because of that fact. But on the contrary this film shows the ups and downs of relationships and being in love while the other person is not is a hard thing to go through. This is where the film is at its strongest. Even though it shows a relationship that doesn’t quite work out, it’s still a beautiful thing. So many memorable experiences and joyful experiences are created that will pristinely forever live in happiness. We tend to look at relationships and only think about the outcome, when really it isn’t only about the outcome, what is most important is what one goes through that relationship. Even though a relationship doesn’t work out in the end, there are so many things that happened during the relationship that made you happy, those moments should be cherished. Marc Webb, the director the film, did an excellent job at capturing these small moments that live pristinely in happiness and joy for the rest of our lives. The lingering shots of Summer’s face, of Tom and Summer holding hands, of the smile on their faces, all are shots that make this film truly wonderful. In real life the small moments of seeing the one you love smile, laughing, and glancing at you are the images that keep playing over and over in our heads. Marc Webb of course knows this and he expertly incorporate those lingering images into his film.

I also have to praise the cleaver use of an omniscient narrator, who had no relation to any of the characters in the story. The narrator had a deep voice and was very well articulated, reminiscent of nature documentaries or other films like Little Children. To me the film sounded more like an anthropological study on the workings of love, a dive into the inner-workings of human nature. The narrator added an authoritative and serious tone to this romantic comedy. It made the film feel important to me, hearing the narrator made me feel like I had to listen to this film, take the opportunity to learn something new from this two-hour exposition of falling in love.

As for the soundtrack, it was completely amazing! An enchanting and such an engaging soundtrack filled with many memorable songs ranging from indie artist such as Regina Spektor, Feist, She & Him, Doves, Wolfmother, and the Temper Trap, and it also had a couple of classics from the 80’s such as The Smiths, Hall & Oates and Simon & Garfunkel. A big influence of this film I think comes from songs of The Smiths, anyone who holds The Smiths close to their hearts knows that their lyrics are about the pursuit and search for love. Tom is desperate for love and as they say in The Smiths song, There Is A Light The Never Goes Out, “And if a double-decker bus crashes into us, To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die” Tom is desperate to find love and he feels that he would only feel happy once he does, no matter how dire the circumstances. No wonder Tom falls head over heels with Summer, once he finds out she likes the Smiths. Also with the other songs such as Sweet Disposition by the Temper Traps and Us by Regina Spektor are perfect love songs, expressing the small moments of love we all experience in our lives.

(500) Days of Summer follows a non-liner story sequence, a definitely interesting choice for this type of film. But I think the fact that it was structured this way allows the audience to feel more empathetic for Tom. As the audience we are put into Tom’s shoes. We experience his overwhelming sense of love then his despair of that love not being reciprocated back to him. Tom represents the every-day person. Every person goes through an up and down through their relationships. We sometimes love someone who doesn’t love us back. Tom’s experience is a growing experience, a story of growth and learning about love. The way he learns might seem harsh, but in reality it’s a beautiful thing, because he learns about love and he learns that love is always out there. There is someone out there for everyone. The fact that Summer ended up finding someone else but in the most seemingly random circumstances in the same exact way Tom has always expressed he wanted to find true love, shows that Tom’s view of love is correct even though his relationship with Summer didn’t work, as the narrator stated “This is not a love story. It’s a story of love.” Tom learned about love and was able to later find love. At the end when Tom seemingly coincidently met with someone else that seem to have created a love spark, shows that his view of love was always correct he just had to find the right one. The film shows another very important thing, it’s always good to give someone a chance. True love might be found in the most unexpected of places or even in the most obvious of places. We simply don’t know where true love lies, we have to go out there and find it. We have to love someone in order to find someone to love us. Tom’s relationship with Summer wasn’t a lost cause. It was a wonderful chance to learn something new and spend some precious time with an amazing person. Sure it didn’t work out, but Tom loved and could always love again. There is no limit to how much we can love, so we all have to take advantage of those moments of sweet disposition we experience when we fall in love. (500) Days of Summer was a wonderful film that I have fell in love in with. There are rare times in movies where I have a glowing smile from beginning to end. The actors were amazing, the cinematography was simply memorable, the story was enchanting, and the ending was awe-inspiring. I love (500) Days of Summer.

“a moment, a love
a dream, a laugh
a kiss, a cry
our rights, our wrongs (won't stop til it's over)”
These lyrics are simply BEAUTIFUL.

We all have a wild thing in us

2009-08-10T15:29:00.003-04:00

I'm absolutely in love with this trailer. Where The Wild Things Are is shaping to look like a wonderful film. The effects look great, the costumes look amazing, the creatures look so accurate to the illustrations in the book. The art direction is simply wonderful, everything has the look of Maurice Sendak's original book. I'm so glad they kept Arcade Fire's Wake Up in the trailer because that song is simply awesome and conveys the film's true themes. Spike Jonez, writer and director, seems to be creating a truly powerful and thematically heavy film. Even though the original book was very short, it had many heavy themes about childhood dreams, pursing your ambitions, the clash of escapism versus realism, and our need to unleash our primal desires. Spike Jonez seems like he is really going to elaborate on these heavy themes that were lightly touched upon in the original book. After all we all have a wild thing in us...

Indie Music in Movie Trailers

2009-08-10T14:40:00.003-04:00

Recently I viewed the trailer of a film called Only and it had one of my most favorite indie songs, Wet and Rusting by Menomena, and I realized that Indie songs really make any movie trailer a whole lot better. There's a enchanting quality in hearing an Indie song that is up-beat, happy, smooth, but yet full of life in a movie trailer. There is such wealth of music out there in the world that we can find any song that is already written to convey a feeling, an emotion, a thought. Especially in Indie/Alternative music where the songs have such a wealth of meaningful lyrics. Lyrics that tell epic stories, convey a specific feeling, and lyrics that tell us about the world around us. For a filmmaker, Indie songs make a perfect match to convey the subject and the theme of the film. To tell the audience what film they are going to watch. As in the 500 Days of Summer trailer with the song Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap. And with Where the Wild Things Are trailer with the song Wake Up by Arcade Fire. Each song is meant to be attached with these great films. Many of us might not realize it, but we develop strong relationships with songs. We create powerful associations of important life experiences and strong emotions with every single song we listen to. The more we listen to a song the stronger that association gets. Same thing with the marketing of a film. If you take a song that brings positive thoughts or strong feelings and put in a movie trailer, you make a personal connection with the film that is being advertised.

Now is one my all-time favorite indie songs that was in Only trailer.
Wet and Rusting by Menomena.

Fantastic Mr. Anderson

2009-07-30T23:19:00.003-04:00

Wes Anderson is back and this time he is doing animation? Yes sounds odd but Mr. Anderson is an odd man. Even though this is animation, Wes Anderson's new film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, maintains that Wes Anderson flair and style. Slick, colorful and off-beat this film look likes its going to be a fun ride.

A Serious Awesome Trailer

2009-07-30T14:35:00.003-04:00

I love this trailer! I'm not the biggest fan of Coen Brothers' films, but this trailer is so amazingly unique using sounds from various scenes and making a rhythmic mash-up. I give props to the editor of this trailer for creating such a unique fresh style of trailer editing. It makes me very intrigued for this film, it looks hilarious and refreshing. Can't wait to hear more from this film.

"The Rabbi is busy."
"He doesn't look busy!"
"He's thinking..."
LMAO.

Photo Blog Project

2009-07-25T22:54:00.003-04:00

Ever since I got a new camera (Sony Cybershot W290), I wanted to take the opportunity to use it to take some artistic photographs. So I got this list from Marielle's blog (which she got it from her friend, Kristin's blog) of 100 things to take photos of. Each photo must somehow show or convey the thing/concept that is stated. This list has quite a couple of abstract ones so it is going to be challenge, but I'm determined to get all of them and within a year. This is going to be fun! Wish me luck! =)

Here's the list:

1. Introduction
2. Love
3. Light
4. Dark
5. Seeking Solace
6. Break Away
7. Heaven
8. Innocence
9. Drive
10. Breathe Again
11. Memory
12. Insanity
13. Misfortune
14. Smile
15. Silence
16. Questioning
17. Blood
18. Rainbow
19. Gray
20. Fortitude
21. Vacation
22. Mother Nature
23. Cat
24. No Time
25. Trouble Lurking
26. Tears
27. Foreign
28. Sorrow
29. Happiness
30. Under the Rain
31. Flowers
32. Night
33. Expectations
34. Stars
35. Hold My Hand
36. Precious Treasure
37. Eyes
38. Abandoned
39. Dreams
40. Rated
41. Teamwork
42. Standing Still
43. Dying
44. Two Roads
45. Illusion
46. Family
47. Creation
48. Childhood
49. Stripes
50. Breaking the Rules
51. Sport
52. Deep in Thought
53. Keeping a Secret
54. Tower
55. Waiting
56. Danger Ahead
57. Sacrifice
58. Kick in the Head
59. No Way Out
60. Rejection
61. Fairy Tale
62. Magic
63. Do Not Disturb
64. Multitasking
65. Horror
66. Traps
67. Playing the Melody
68. Hero
69. Annoyance
70. 67%
71. Obsession
72. Mischief Managed
73. I Can't
74. Are You Challenging Me?
75. Mirror
76. Broken Pieces
77. Test
78. Drink
79. Starvation
80. Words
81. Pen and Paper
82. Can You Hear Me?
83. Heal
84. Out Cold
85. Spiral
86. Seeing Red
87. Food
88. Pain
89. Through the Fire
90. Triangle
91. Drowning
92. All That I Have
93. Give Up
94. Last Hope
95. Advertisement
96. In the Storm
97. Safety First
98. Puzzle
99. Solitude
100. Relaxation

Films I Love Seeing Over and Over Again.

2009-07-25T00:22:00.002-04:00

Here is a list of films that I have seen a minimum of 5 times, that I seem never to get bored or tired of. These are the few films that manage to keep me entertained even after many repeated viewings and even get better every time I see it. These films are thought provoking, emotional, and simply awe-inspiring. Every time I watch them I gather some new meaning, theme, reference or connotation. These are the films I aspire to make when I become a film director:

(List is in no particular order)

Requiem for a Dream
Number of viewings: 8
I never get tired of this film, it’s one of Darren Aronofsky’s masterpieces filled with style and a powerful message. It also has a memorable soundtrack.

American Beauty
Number of viewings: 6
This film is simply amazing! An extremely powerful movie filled with so many layers of meaning and symbolism. Kevin Spacey at his finest!

Matrix
Number of viewings: 10+ (I honestly lost count)
The best science-fiction film I’ve ever seen. This is another film with an extremely complex and intricate set of layers of symbolism, connotations, and references. This film is not simply understood in one viewing. I only started to understand the plot in around the 3rd viewing! Every time I see this film I figure out something new.

The Mummy (1999 version)
Number of viewings: 10+ (Honestly lost count with this one too)
Alright, this not quite a “thought provoking” film, but this film is simply an awesomely fun ride! It brings a smile to my face every time I see it.

Pulp Fiction
Number of viewings: 7 times
Violence, style, and Samuel L. Jackson yelling scripture, what more can you ask for? One of the best films ever made in my opinion.

The Fountain
Number of viewings: 5
Beauty captured on film. From the sound, to the story, to the cinematography to the actor’s performances this film is simply beautiful. Darren Aronofsky’s other masterpiece. A simply enigmatic film trespassing the standards of Hollywood storytelling. Deep, metaphorical, and heart-felt, every single scene is a beautiful work of art. This film is magical and epic with a very complex structure and many ways of interpreting it’s story. Many viewings are definitely needed for this one.

The Aviator
Number of viewings: 6
Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese at their finest. What an amazing film! One of the best biopics I have seen. DiCaprio’s performance is amazing and one of the best I’ve ever seen. Can’t believe this movie didn’t win any Oscars!

Vampire Punk Riot

2009-07-21T12:38:00.005-04:00

What happens when you get members from Vampire Weekend and from Ra Ra Riot and add some synths, Daft Punk style? You end up getting Discovery, a recent collaboration between Rostam Batmanglij, keyboardist and producer of Vampire Weekend, and Wes Miles, singer of Ra Ra Riot. This is a match made in heaven, it’s my two favorite indie bands, collaborating together creating an electro-pop Daft-Punk-esque sound meanwhile maintaining that Vampire Weekend flair. Loving this album and hope to hear more from them soon.

I Love You, Carpe Diem

2009-07-20T00:11:00.006-04:00

Recently I was watching a film that made a couple of references to another film, Dead Poets Society, which I unfortunately have forgotten about because I haven't seen the film in ages. Well anyways the film, Dead Poets Society, is one of the most influential movies I have seen and a personal favorite. It has one of my favorites quotes ever spoken on film. Said by the character, John Keating played by Robin Williams, it was one of the first times I heard the amazing phrase Carpe Diem which is latin for "Seize the Day". It's a life changing film, a life changing performance, a life changing line. Without further a due, here are the beautiful words spoken by Robin Williams:

"They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you. Their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? Carpe — hear it? — Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary." -Dead Poets Society

7 Steps to Living a Happier Life

2009-07-17T00:08:00.006-04:00

I sat down one day and wondered to myself, what makes me feel happy? What things do I do that brighten my day? After pondering this I decided to write this list to express the things that make me feel happy. I follow these simple 7 steps on a daily basis and they brighten my day every time. Hopefully this will do the same for you. Enjoy!

1. Smile more often

People don’t realize the power of a simple smile. A smile can lighten any mood or any situation no matter how bad. When you walk down the street, you should smile. When you see your friend, you should smile. When life seems gloomy try giving someone you know a smile, I assure you they will smile back and the fact that they smile back will make you feel warm and happy inside. A smile is a beautiful thing, regardless of the face or the situation. Smiling is contagious and once you smile someone is bound to smile around you. Even smiling when you’re by yourself can make you happier. So go out there and smile! =)

2. Think Positive

People vastly underestimate the power of positive thinking. When you start thinking of things you DO WANT rather than things you DON’T WANT, you will start attracting those positive experiences into your life. Think of that brand new car you want rather than the debt you have or buying it will entail. Think of the person you want to be with rather than constantly think of the loneliness you feel. Constantly think positive, be an optimist because in life it’s not worth it thinking negatively. Start seeing the positive things of life, preoccupy your mind with only things you want to happen, and once you do good things will start happening.

3. Take things slowly

If you live life too fast you will miss out on the good things in life. Instead of living in a rush; a rush to finish school, a rush to finish the work day, a rush to get to work, a rush to eat your food, a rush to fall in love, a rush to grow, a rush to make money, SLOW DOWN! Simply taking things slow will help you to appreciate all the fine things in life. Start eating slowly and enjoy the awesome amount of unique flavors by taking one deliberate bite at a time. Walk slowly, start enjoying all the beautiful scenery that’s around you, appreciate all the friendly faces you see walking by. Talk slowly, calmly gather your thoughts and then speak freely, rationally and coherently. When talking to another person, let the person speak, don’t be in a rush to interrupt, simply listen to everything someone has to say, then when that person is done you should speak your mind. Love slowly; don’t rush into a relationship too hastily. Get to know a potential partner, learn who they are, listen to them, talk to them. A healthy relationship has to have a strong hearty foundation and it’s best to build that slowly and deliberately with lots of care and love. When reading a book, read it slowly. Reflect upon the words you are reading. Take in all the detail that is given to you; slowly paint an image of the story into you head, that way the book will be more thoroughly enjoyed. When working, do your job slowly. Pay attention to the smallest detail, no matter how painstaking, by the end of the ordeal you will end up doing a much better job and feeling good that you just did so. Learn slowly. No one becomes a master at something overnight. Take your time to learn something, whether it’s learning a new mathematical function, learning history, learning how to use a new device, learning how to play an instrument, learning how play a sport or learning how to dance. Whatever you are learning, take your time, learn it calmly, slowly and deliberately, at the end you will become amazing at it. Taking things slow, living life slow will help you appreciate all the small things in life that we miss when we are in a rush. Take life step by step and life will become a much happier place.

4. Listen to music that bring happy memories and evoke positive feelings

Fact is nowadays the majority of people listen to music on a daily basis. When listening to some music try to put music that evokes positive feelings and that might bring back happy memories from the past. We all have those songs that just pick us up, lighten our moods, and make us forget about our problems. Usually these songs are the ones with positive lyrics and upbeat rhythms. So next time you listen to music put one of those up-beat songs, close your eyes and let those happy thoughts overcome you. A beautiful piece of music has the uncanny ability to block everything bad that has happened to you and just simply make you feel happy.

5. Surround yourself with happy people

A lot of us have that one friend that is always depressed, that is always complaining about life, and always talking about their problems. Instead of surrounding yourself with those kinds of people it’s better to be with people that are positive and happy. The company you keep really determines what kind of person you are and determines your current mindset. It’s better to surround yourself with people who enjoy spending their time with you by talking about uplifting topics, who take part in activities that make you feel happy and alive, people who simply make you smile by their very sight. Of course sometimes you have a friend that is feeling sad or angry and by no means I insinuate you should avoid them completely. Best thing to do is to smile (See Step 1), lighten the mood and try to help out that person by lifting up their spirits. Don’t reinforce negative behaviors by agreeing or sympathizing with someone’s complaints or grievances, instead challenge those complaints and grievances and try to make them happier, suggest to them something they can do to lift their spirits. It’s not only necessary to surround yourself with people that are happy but it is also necessary to make sure that the people you surround yourself with stay happy.

6. Love yourself

You, yes I mean YOU, are the greatest thing ever created in the universe. We are all wonderful creatures capable of achieving the greatest things in life. Sometimes you have to look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself “I love me”. Sounds vain or narcissistic? On the contrary, you must first love yourself before you begin to love others. Start loving your body; everything in your body should be loved. Love the way you look, no matter how fat or skinny you are you should love the way you look because you are a beautiful person inside and out. The happiest people are not always the best looking, the best in shape, or the most intelligent people; they are the people who have a high respect for themselves. Being at war with yourself by feeling down by the way you look and the way you act will never allow you to be happy. To be happy you must love everything about you, have such a high respect for yourself that you won’t allow any ridiculous self-conscious feelings affect you in a negative way. Love yourself then you can start loving others.

7. Love life

Love is the greatest power in the universe. Love conquers all. When you start loving everything you do, from the smallest task to the biggest endeavor. You must love everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, you do in life. You have to love your body, love your house, love your family, love your friends, love your significant other, love the food on your table, love the bed you sleep in, love the good health you have, love the city you live in, love the music you listen to, love your job, love the things you learn everyday, love a person’s smile, just simply and irrevocably love life! There nothing else to it, just start loving everything that’s around you, change the focus from the things you hate and change to the things you love. Constantly list the things you are most grateful for. Look around with appreciation for everything that surrounds you. Life is a beautiful thing and one should realize that very fact. There are simply so many things to love in life that by the time one starts putting their focus on the things they love and fill their heart with love they will forget everything they hate. Love is an amazing thing that all our hearts should be filled with. So go out there and LOVE life! <3

Slow and Steady

2009-07-13T12:11:00.011-04:00

Yet another mix made by me. Filled with smooth rhythms, soft-spoken lyrics, and slow tempo beats, this mix titled Slow and Steady is the playlist I listen to every time I need to relax and calm my nerves. Life sometimes moves too fast and when it does we just need to relax and take things slowly and deliberately. We all have the undying desire to have things right now, but life just does not work that way, we go step by step getting a little by little as we go along. We all eventually get what we want out of life, but if we go too fast we might miss out on the small, but beautiful, things in life.

"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why." -Eddie Cantor

"The trees that are slow to grow, bear the best fruit." -Moliere

Vintage Dreams

2009-07-02T17:11:00.009-04:00

Made a new mix titled Vintage Dreams, composed of songs that have an old and vintage feel to it. I love music with a vintage sound because it takes me back to a time where things were much simpler. Where life is simply lived by following your heart, gratifying your desires, and freely speaking your mind. But of course, in reality, life is extremely complicated filled with challenges and difficulties on every corner. Sometimes I feel that in order to cope with the complexities of life, instead of trying to control all these various complexities it's better to just live life simply.

"And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round" Do You Realize? - The Flaming Lips

Summer Bliss

2009-06-27T20:50:00.004-04:00

Have a new mix, this one is called Summer Bliss. These songs celebrate my love for summer and how great a season it is. It's the season where you take a break from school/work and spend it enjoying it with great friends and doing fun things and basically having a carefree time without a worry in the world. It's the time of year where life is meant to be enjoyed at it's fullest.

"There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart." -Celia Thaxter

Kiwis and Music

2009-06-21T13:06:00.003-04:00

New Zealand has something else besides Flight of the Concords and Peter Jackson. Ruby Suns is indie pop/rock band straight from kiwi-land itself. Their music is surreal and enigmatic, using acoustic rhythms to achieve a very tribal and lo-fi kind of feel. In their second full-length album release titled Sea Lions, the Ruby Suns achieve a very eclectic and unique sound. The songs Oh Mojave and Tane Mahuta transport you to a tropical paradise with it's Beach Boy's inspired vocals, African hi-energy guitar, and it features a chorus of Maori singers. Ruby Suns has an amazing unique sound that I really haven't heard before, and their album Sea Lion, transports to an exotic soundscape.

Here's two of their music videos. they are very surreal and probably one of the weirdest music videos I've ever seen.

Parisian Dreams

2009-06-13T16:42:00.004-04:00

Made a new mix, this one is called Parisian Dreams. It's music that puts me in the Parisian mindset of love, enjoying life, and taking in the beauty of art. Music is a powerful and beautiful thing, it's able to create strong associations with other things that are important in our lives, such as strong emotions of nostalgia, or remind you of a good friend, or bring back memories of a place you once loved, or it can take your imagination to places you want to go and things you want to do. Music is audible beauty, my friends.

Here's the mix, tell me what you think:

Be Water, My Friend

2009-06-12T03:56:00.003-04:00

A couple of years back I read the book Zen in the Martial Arts by Joel Hyams. In the book he describes into detail the philosophies of Bruce Lee. Now we all know Bruce Lee as the immortalized action hero of Kung-Fu Hong Kong cinema, but Bruce Lee was much more that action superstar, he was a philosopher. Bruce Lee’s philosophy resonated a lot with the Taoist philosophy of “go with the flow”. Lee expressed that water is the perfect substance. Water is formless, has no shape, and has no set size. Water never stops; it keeps on flowing no matter what happens. If a rock gets in the way of water, it either goes around it or sneaks through every little crack possible. Water is an unstoppable force that can adjust and adapt to every situation. Bruce Lee applied the physics and the properties of water to his fighting style, his philosophy, and, most importantly, his life. Lee believed the best way to live is to be like water. To adapt to any situation that life brings you. If any problem occurs in life it’s better to just keep on going with the flow. Its better not linger around in frustration or struggle your way out of a bad situation. What is more powerful; a gigantic boulder crashing in another boulder or water crashing into a boulder? Which one would ultimately cause more damage? The boulder would have to crashing violently into the other boulder in order to get through, but water get’s through without a struggle. Sometimes most problems in life are brought on because we struggle. We struggle to keep the status quo, we struggle to control the situation, and we struggle because of regret and the frustrations that brings with it. If we stop struggling and just continue forward, and adapt to the situation instead of fighting against it, we will be able to achieve true happiness. Going with the flow is about relinquishing the desire to control; we all have the desire to control our lives, to control our environment, and most commonly the desire to control other people. Most of us don’t even realize our undying desire to control every situation; we go through life having an infinite series of frustrations and disappointments because we try to control everything in our lives. Let me put this in metaphorical terms; imagine yourself swimming in a river, the river represents your life. Now this river is infinite in length and has a steady constant flow. Now remember that this river is a whole lot more immense than you. When we try to control a situation we are trying to swim against the current on this river. Swimming against the current is an immense struggle, not only would you exhaust more energy you will also not be advancing. Trying to control your life is like trying to control that river, it simply can’t be done. Now when we relinquish control and we act more like water by just going with the flow, we pass the bad situations and eventually just keep moving forward with life. Sometimes we just need to let go from the doldrums of control and just let life sweep us off our feet and takes us into unknown territories. Another famous analogy I heard was that imagine life is a long stretch of highway at pitch dark night, you are in a car with only the headlights on. While driving forward you only see the next couple feet ahead of you, but you are still unable to see the full stretch of the road. Even though we don’t see our destination we know it’s there, we just see a consecutive number of short stretches in front of us and nothing more. Life is similar sometimes when we don’t quite know what’s coming we can anticipate what is going to happen but ultimately we can’t control the destination. This brings me to another important Taoist philosophy, the journey is more important than the goal. We all have to live in the present, the here and now. What happens in the present is the most important thing, what happened in the past is not important because it’s the past and we can’t change that, what happens in future is not important because we have no possible idea what happens in the future. Living in the present, paying attention to the journey is more important because that is reality; we are in the present and nowhere else. Lao Tzu once said "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” We have to take life one step at a time, pace ourselves and enjoy everything around us. It’s better to live in the moment, to clear your mind of regrets and worries and just take in the magnificent beauty of what is the present reality. There is something to be learned out of every mistake and misfortune so take advantage of everything that happens and don’t let life pass you by because you were stuck in a state of melancholy and regret. Like Bruce Lee said “Be water, my friend” it’s better to be like water, to just keep moving forward and not to stop, because stopping would be a struggle. By just going with flow a sense of calm and peace will overcome you, you will start to appreciate things a whole lot more and take in all the intricacies of life. Life is a beautiful thing and it should not be rushed or spent fighting against misfortunes, life should be spent in the moment because it’s too precious to go to waste. To be like water is the best way to encounter life, to encounter mistakes, to encounter misfortunes, and to encounter happiness. Happiness is truly achieved when we start to care less about controlling everything and learning that leaving things out of our control is a blessing, which allows us to be peace with ourselves and with the world around us. Be water, my friend.

Who Is This America?

2009-06-11T16:02:00.006-04:00

I fell in love with Afrobeat ever since I discovered the legendary musician Fela Kuti. Afrobeat is unique fusion of indigenous African rhythms and instrumentation mixed with Jazz and Funk. What comes out of this mix is an explosion of up-lifting beats that put you in a trance. Afrobeat, unlike with other genres that mix a variety of ethnic music such as Salsa, is both the type of music perfect for lounging around and also getting up and dancing. Afrobeat was originally the quintessential protest music for war-torn Africa. It's up-lifting and festive beats provided a positive aura promoting peace and love, while it's lyrics promoted anger and mockery at a corrupt political regime and ultimately called for a positive change in society. Fela Kuti, who can be dubbed the original pioneer of Afrobeat, once said "Music is the weapon of the future.". He, like John Lennon and Bob Marley, used music to get a message out. A message promoting peace and love in our society that is currently filled with violence and power struggles. Music is indeed in the weapon of the future, and here comes in the group named Anitbalas, which means "Bulletproof" in Spanish. This Brooklyn-based band mixes Afrobeat, funk, dub, Latin beats, and traditional drumming from Cuba. In their latest album Who Is This America? they stay true to Fela Kuti's spirit in the music and the traditions set forth by him while expanding the music and the message to apply to a new audience who hasn't experienced Afrobeat from the 70's. The message they convey is a strong one, they express their anger with the past and current U.S. administration, with all the corruptions and lies they fed us on a daily basis. The song Indictment conveys this message perfectly, in the middle of the song they yell out all the names that they believe are responsible for the disaster in both the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and they also yell out all the names of the people who were shut out of the public eye because of their urge to expose the truth. This entire album is filled with great rhythms and hypnotic beats accompanied with lyrics that call for the truth to finally come out. Staying true to Fela Kuti's belief that music should not only be something good to hear and dance to, but music should also convey a deeper message, whether it's through it's lyrics or it's rhythms, music can be incorporated as a weapon. Maybe the strongest weapon ever, you can kill so many people with guns and bombs, but music is eternal. Music can not be dismantled or under-powered. Music is the strongest weapon of them all, it conveys an idea, which cannot be killed or destroyed. Music truly lives on. Give Who Is This America? by Antibalas a listen soon, it's an amazing album that has amazing music and conveys an awesome message.

Hipster Rave Mix!

2009-06-11T02:35:00.004-04:00

I made the perfect playlist to really get that blood pumping and those party juices flowing. This mix mostly consists of remixes of popular indie songs. I suggest you hear it in order first, starting with the song Electricity by The Avalanches, because it was designed to have maximum high octane blood pumpage in this specific order. Now give it a listen and tell me what you think.

Here is the tracklist in the order I intended:

Electricity - The Avalanches
The Bears Are Coming (Partyshank Remix) - Late Of The Pier
The Reeling (Calvin Harris Remix) - Passion Pit
Ares (Villanins Remix) - Bloc Party
Gifted (Steve Aoki Remix) - N.A.S.A.
Out At The Pictures - Hot Chip
Shake A Fist - Hot Chip
Taken Away (Disco Trash Music Remix) - Digitalism
Technologic (Kids At The Bar Remix) - Daft Punk
Time To Pretend (Bass Weazal Anthem Mix) -MGMT
Live At Dominoes - The Avalanches

Escaping Reality.

2009-06-08T16:52:00.006-04:00

I really want to watch this documentary. Even though I am not a hardcore gamer, well barely a gamer at all nowadays, I can still relate to these people. We all find ways to escape reality, whether it's listening to a 3 minute song, or two hours watching a film, or over the course of a couple of days reading a book, or 50+ hours playing a video game. Sometimes we all need an escape, an escape to a completely different world where real life is completely irrelevant. The thing that fascinates me is that video games nowadays offer an almost total immersion to a completely different world. It's a whole lot more immersing than a movie or book could ever achieve, where instead of reading about the the character, in a video game you are the character. A more personal and involving relationship is created between you and the virtual world. The friends you make in these online video games start becoming your real friends and one starts developing real relationships, but all in a totally unreal world. It's fascinating how these virtual world can be so important to a person's life. The world becomes such gigantic escape from the real world, that one starts feeling part more from a virtual world than the real world. I guess that's happening in much of our society nowadays. The line between reality and virtual is blurring. At least here in the United States most of us take part in a virtual community, whether it's Facebook, Twitter, World of Warcraft, Fantasy Football, or the countless Message Boards offered online. Even though most of these virtual communities, like Facebook, are virtual mirror images of our real-life communities. We still use them as escapes from the real-world.

Where would you want to wake up tomorrow?

2009-05-16T19:17:00.008-04:00

This is a beautiful short film. It feels so sincere and heartwarming and it puts a nice smile to face.

Now where would I want to be when I wake up tomorrow? It would in my bed right at home. Life at this very moment is perfect and blissful. Even though life has it challenges and frustrations, there are so many other beautiful things that sometimes we just have to take a pause from our hectic lives and take a deep breath and truly enjoy everything that's around us. The fresh air I breathe, the family that supports me, the friends who sincerely care about me, the laughs, the thrills, learning about new things, this wonderful city I live in. Life is truly beautiful.

Now where would you want to wake up tomorrow?

Since I Left You

2009-05-09T14:49:00.007-04:00

While looking at remixes made by this guy called Pogo(a.k.a Fagottron) on YouTube, who samples movie sounds and music to make unique musical compositions, I read a comment on one the videos suggesting to listen to this band called The Avalanches. So of course due to my undying curiosity of listening to new music I acquired The Avalanches first and only record, Since I Left You. This album is completely composed of samples from movies and music. From Snoop Dog to The Osmonds to the Beastie Boys to Madonna to Old Westerns films, the variety of samples is simply awesome achieving a perfect mix of uplifting beats to relaxing rhythms. This is one of the few albums I must say that truly deserves an entire listen through. Unlike most music albums where you buy them only to listen to a couple of tracks and the majority of the other tracks are just filler that one never listens to again, this album is completely the contrary to that. Every song is just as excellent as the next and the entire album flows seamlessly to the subsequent track. So far I’ve listened to this album 6 times without skipping a track, the beats are just amazing and I got so into it I didn’t want to stop it halfway. It’s like watching an epic movie and deciding to stop halfway and finish the rest later, the movie experience then wouldn’t be the same. First time I listened to this album I played it on my iPod during my subway commute and the beats were so enticing that without really realizing, until people started looking me in an odd way, I was my bobbing my head and tapping my feet to the uplifting rhythms. Same thing happened when I was in my college library studying later that day, and let me tell you I got tons of work done; my brain was running on full steam while I was listening to this album. This album has the uncanny ability to make you want to get up and dance but at the same time sit down and relax. Perfect for commuting, studying, working out, or partying, this album fits every mood and situation. I urge everyone to give a listen to this album!

The Usual Lyrics

2009-04-27T20:31:00.005-04:00

Goosebumps by Aphrodite is yet another song that has collected some proverbial dust in my music collection. This a very interesting song it's Drum n' Bass mix with one of the best quotes from one the best films I have seen. That film is The Usual Suspects directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men) and starring Kevin Spacey, who went one to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The famous quote from the movie spoken by Kevin Spacey himself and looped in this song is:

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist. And like that... he is gone."

Hipster Dreams

2009-04-27T20:11:00.003-04:00

I made a new mix on 8 tracks! This playlist is titled "Hipster Dreams", I made this mix to cheer myself up every time I'm feeling worried or frustrated at life's problems. Sometimes it's good to put on a tune that is able to transport you to another world, a world where no problems exists, there is nothing to be frustrated over and everything is worry-free. Of course no world like that truly exists but every once and a while it's good to escape and dream of such a world. Up-beat music accompanied by positive thoughts seem to be a perfect relaxant. So here is the playlist "Hipster Dreams", enjoy:

Sigur Rós + Rap

2009-04-26T03:29:00.004-04:00

I randomly stumbled upon this remix of Sigur Rós' Starálfur mixed with Twista's Overnight Celebrity while searching for some indie hip-hop. This is a smooth spaced out minimalistic indie tune mix with rap, which might sound like an unlikely combination but it ends up sounding quite awesome! I think Sigur Rós' is perfect for sampling, rappers and DJs should use their material more often.

Overnight Star (Twista vs Sigur Ros) - Flosstradamus

Random #1

2009-04-25T15:50:00.008-04:00

It's immensely beautiful outside so I decided to make a playlist that is indie-rock oriented for sunny day like this. Here it is, enjoy:

My friend found this and I found it hilarious! It's so sad but true, with all these budget cuts and fare hikes that the MTA is incorporating. The situation is truly comical if you really look at, a company like MTA is not making a profits so they decided to raise prices, ok the raising prices part is understandable but they also to drastically cut service! Ummm something is wrong here, it's like if Subway, the fast food chain, gets their $5 footlong deals that they been having for the past year and decide to raise the prices to $10 and decrease the deal from a footlong to only a 6-inch sub!! Well at least now I can FINISH my podcasts during my commute...

And lastly here is rare cover song that has collected some proverbial dust on my iPod music library. The is Surfin' USA, originally by the Beach Boys, done by the band The Jesus and Mary Chain, which was an Alternative Rock band from the 1980's that really never made it "big" but their albums were critically acclaimed and now along with bands like The Smiths and The Kinks they have reemerged in the hipster music scene.

Surfin’ USA (Summer Mix) - The Jesus and Mary Chain

Lyrics running across my mind #1

2009-04-20T06:01:00.009-04:00

“I don’t mean to seem like I care about material things like a social status, I just want four walls and adobe slabs for my girls"

My Girls - Animal Collective

Explosions, fantasy, and more explosions...

2009-04-11T14:48:00.002-04:00

May is fast approaching and what does that mean in the film world? The summer blockbuster season! Where gigantic big budget action films filled with big stars, big name directors, and most of all Hollywood’s obsession of sequels! Last year we had an amazing line-up with Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and The Dark Knight all of which were in my opinion awesome movies. Now for this blockbuster season surprisingly we don’t have as many comic-book films as last season, which is a shocker to me! But we have the return of a classic TV/movie series to the big screen, Star Trek, a sequel to the massively popular Transformers, a prequel to the cinema classic Terminator Salvation, yet another Harry Potter film, and a quirky Pixar film. This season is going to be tons of fun; I should start saving some money if I wish to see all these in theaters…

Here’s the list of the summer blockbusters I’m anticipating, this in release order:
(Click Title of movie for Trailer)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine: After the abysmal X-men 3, I’m really hoping this will be better. The fact that they added Gambit is already good news.

Star Trek: A reboot, ala Batman Begins and The Incredible Hulk, after the horrible big budget flop, Star Trek Nemesis, Star Trek needs a proper re-imagining. Being a huge fan of the original Star Trek movies I’m super hyped for this film!

Angels and Demons: After I was blown away by The Da Vinci Code, Tom Cast returns as Robert Langdon, Ron Howard returns as director, and David Koepp returns as writer. Yes, this movie is going to be good.

Terminator Salvation: The fact that the director of Charlie’s Angels is directing this has me nervous, but Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight) has written a worthy script according to star of the film Christian Bale.

Up!: Pixar’s next big film, every Pixar film is worth watching (except Cars)!

Land of the Lost: Brings back memories of the adventure shows I used to watch when I was a little kid. Saw Journey to the Center of the Earth last summer and I had tons of fun, hopefully this movie will create the same effect.

Year One: Jack Black, Michael Cera, and 2/3 of the Superbad cast return in this parody of historical proportions. Can’t wait to laugh my ass off this June 19th, which is my birthday yay!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Loved Transformers, which was amazing popcorn flick.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: What kind of summer would it be if there wasn’t a Harry Potter flick?! It’s going to be a sad day after I watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and I realize there aren’t going to be anymore movies!!! =(

G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra: Directed by one of my most favorite blockbuster Hollywood directors Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, Mummy Returns, Van Helsing) really can’t wait for this! Only question is will it be better than Transformers?

Mike Judge’s Return to Cinema!

2009-04-10T19:57:00.009-04:00

After a 10 year hiatus after writing and directing the memorable comedy classic, Office Space, Mike Judge makes a return to film! In his new movie Extract he enlists an all-star cast including Arrested Development’s Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis (That 70’s Show), Ben Affleck, and J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man, Juno). The trailer makes the film look very promising, will it become more popular that Office Space? Who knows…? But I assure you hilarity will ensue.

(Click Here For Trailer)

The Dragonball Paradox

2009-04-09T15:31:00.004-04:00

When I initially heard that a big Hollywood studio was finally making an adaptation of the beloved and arguably the most popular anime in the world, DragonBall, I jumped like an excited little fat kid who just received an entire chocolate cake! (No offense to all little fat kids or chocolate cakes out there) But then more info about the movie leaked out and then I found out the true horror they were making! It’s Goku in High School played by a 28 year-old white guy?! Piccolo is basically Spike from the TV series Angel! Yes, same actor and make-up! Chow Yawn-Fat (misspelled on purpose) plays Master Roshi, he looks completely opposite from the anime! In the anime Master Roshi is extremely skinny, 80-years-old, and has long white hair. How is that Chow Yawn-Fat in any twisted abstract way?! Well anyway besides the horrible casting, they completely skewed the plot of the original manga/anime and put the characters in high school, a real typical Hollywood 90210-esque high school! Hollywood seems they just wanted to cash in on the massively popular DragonBall name and make a product solely to make a quick buck. But here is my quandary, despite the movie looking like a terrible adaptation of one of my most favorite childhood cartoons I still want to ironically see it! I think it might one of those “It’s so bad it’s good” movies, and just campy good ole fun. The fact that this movie was made in the spirit of DragonBall where Goku and rest of the gang were young kids, not like DragonBall Z where the tone was more serious and action-oriented. The light tone where the movie doesn’t take itself too serious just seems like a good campy action movie that Hollywood took a dump on but manages to retain its playful spirit. Now this no Speed Racer by any means, which in my opinion was an amazing adaptation of another classic anime series. Speed Racer was actually a well-though out movie with amazing art direction and visual effects. But just like Speed Racer was a nostalgic experience of one’s childhood, DragonBall: Evolution seems to provide the same effect. So I’m very tempted to catch this movie in the theaters despite the horrible reviews and bad word-of-mouth. I’m also keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that a big Hollywood Studio decides to invest plenty of money to make an epic series of 4 big budget films based on DragonBall Z (similar to Lord of Rings).

Here’s my outline of how it would play out as a 4-part DragonBall Z film(s):

Saiyan Saga: Ending in a cliffhanger announcing the upcoming arrival of an insurmountable threat, Frieza!
Frieza Saga: Possibly the epic climax of the entire film series ala Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Captain Ginyu Saga would be cut.
Android Saga: Perfect cliffhanger sequence: You’ll see Cell finally being unleashed, but right before he breaks out, screen fades to black, credits roll!
Cell Saga: Yes, I decided to cut the entire Majin Bu saga, since I find it too difficult to adapt it to the big screen. Majin Bu Saga unfortunately is too grand in scale and at-times way too campy. A gigantic 10-foot pink ball for a villain will not be intimidating at all on the big screen. So the Cell saga will be a more than sufficient epic ending to a DragonBall Z film.

If I were to write the script I would also emphasize on the heavy themes regarding the eastern philosophies of Taoism, Zen, and Shintoism expressed in the anime. I would make into The Dark Knight of anime films!

A Different Kind of Music Film

2009-04-06T06:27:00.001-04:00

Here are two music films that are not your typical music concert film (ala Rolling Stones’ The Forty Licks, The Police Live in Argentina). Arcade Fire’s Miroir Noir and Sigur Rós’ Heima transcend the typical concert film and instead show a cleaver mix of cinematography and a behind the scenes look with of course the necessary concert footage, but not necessarily the big Madison Square Garden concerts, more smaller but intimate concerts. Sigur Rós’ film especially looks beautiful with its exposition of the vast majestic landscapes of Iceland. Arcade Fire’s Miroir Noir seems like a more intimate behind the scenes look at the making of their groundbreaking music that has been made popular throughout the world over. Both are already out on DVD and I definitely plan on watching them soon, but for the meanwhile here is a trailer of Heima and a clip of Miroir Noir. Enjoy!

Sigur Rós’ Heima

Arcade Fire’s Miroir Noir

Wild Things

2009-03-28T23:27:00.005-04:00

A classic children's story finally comes to realization in Spike Jonze new adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. This film has been long in the making rifled with controversy and conflicts. Production started in 2005 and filming ended around early 2008. But when filming ended, rumors were flying around that the film studio wanted to re-shoot the entire movie because it apparently wasn’t a “kid’s movie”. Spike Jonze vision was not to make Where the Wild Things Are into a simple big Hollywood children’s movie but instead to exhibit the adult themes explored in the original story written by Maurice Sendak. But luckily the film studios decided to support Spike Jonze’s original vision for the film and the trailer definitely shows that. Judging by the trailer it seems they definitely are not trying to market the movie towards kids. This is an amazing move on Hollywood’s part, taking a timeless and classic children's story and adapting it for mature audiences. This film is made for all the people who read the book and it has become a cherished memory of their childhood. First time I’ve encountered this book was back in kindergarten when my teacher read it to the class, ever since that moment I was enchanted by the possibility of traveling into some unknown and exotic world but meanwhile realizing that sometimes we travel to the most outlandish of places trying to find oneself and some true companionship only to realize it already exists at home. This seems to be an interesting trend happening in Hollywood, taking favorite childhood classics and adapting them for more mature audiences. The two most recent examples the come to mind is The Dark Knight and Speed Racer. While Dark Knight was immensely popular, Speed Racer was a box office flop, but I ended up loving the film! Speed Racer is good example of excellent film-making but horrible marketing. They tried marketing Speed Racer for little kids, when it clearly wasn’t a movie meant for kids!?! Speed Racer is a movie that played into the nostalgia factor that we share for these classic childhood heroes. All from the tongue and cheek banter, the exaggerated visuals, the vibrant colors, the completely unexpected story twist, and the quintessential happy ending. Speed Racer played to all those familiar plot devices and made it fun to watch them again, even though I’m 20 years old and the last time I’ve watched the original Speed Racer cartoon was when I was 6 years old! But, thankfully the marketing department for Wild Things seems to be learning from Speed Racer’s woes. One clear indication is the song selection in the trailer; “Wake Up” by Arcade Fire which is an amazing song and a completely perfect pairing for this movie. The choice for Arcade Fire’s song is a move to resonate with mature audiences, and to demonstrate that this is not a typical Hollywood adaptation but sticking with more an independent feel. Being a fan of Spike Jonze previous work, especially Being John Malkovich, I’m super hyped for this movie and have a good feeling that it’s going to be real good.

Here are a couple of other childhood stories/TV shows I wish to be adapted for mature audiences in the big screen:
1. Smurfs
2. Winnie-the-Pooh
3. The Magic School Bus
4. Jetsons

Afro-Indie Rock

2009-03-22T00:50:00.002-04:00

For the past week I have been closely following the SXSW Music Festival, which takes place after the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. This music festival mainly concentrates on lesser known independent musical artist. If you want to make your mark on the Indie music scene SXSW is one the places to go. Most of my most favorite Indie Rock bands have been to SXSW such as; Vampire Weekend, MGMT, Ra Ra Riot, Beirut, Animal Collective, and Arcade Fire. While looking through this wide variety of bands and sounds I’ve never heard before presented in SXSW one band stuck out the, Blk Jks, an indie rock band from South Africa. The Blk Jks is Vampire Weekend meets Mars Volta, managing to mix a fascinating collection of African beats, smooth indie melodies (ala Arcade Fire) and progressive rock. Blk Jks is certainly a band to keep an eye (and ear) on, can’t wait to hear more music from them.

Here are some music videos of the Blk Jks for your enjoyment:

Yearning to be in the Southwest

2009-03-15T22:03:00.003-04:00

Here in NYC wishing I could be in Austin, Texas right now so I’ll be able to attend South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW). In compensation for my absence I decided to check out the trailers for their lineup of films. They have a huge lineup of more than 30 full-length films, but out of all those films the documentaries stuck out. They don’t have the regular boring and depressing political awareness documentaries that the film market is saturated with nowadays. These documentaries explore the new wave of art and culture that have graced our generation, an inter meshing of both popular art and corporate art that has been exploding in the internet. In an era where we have YouTube, Blogs, Google, Facebook, Flickr and thousands upon thousands of other networks where people are interconnecting creating new bonds and artistically feeding of each other. We are living in a world where people are finding out the true meaning of “sharing is caring”. I’m glad that SXSW decided to expose these documentaries that are truly uplifting and reveal the positive change that is occurring in our culture. Now with out further a due here are the trailers:

RiP: A Remix Manifesto

Calling ET

Favela on Blast

Roadsworth: Crossing the Line

Objectified

For the Love of Movies

And even though I missed SXSW and Sundance, I always have Tribeca Film Festival, can’t wait! =)

The Limits of Control

2009-03-12T00:04:00.007-04:00

An interesting film by the acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch of Broken Flowers, which won the 2005 Grand Prix award at the Cannes film festival. The Limits of Control is his newest film about a mysterious man played by Isaach De Bankole, who is in the process of finishing a criminal job in Spain. This film looks mysterious and very intriguing with somewhat a Film Noir vibe. Plus it has an amazing cast comprising of Isaach De Bankole, Bill Murray, Gael Garcia Bernal John Hurt, and Tilda Swinton.

Public Enemies

2009-03-10T20:10:00.008-04:00

Two of the best actors in Hollywood, Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, go head to head in a 1930's caper tale. In the tradition of traditional caper/heist films, Public Enemies is about the FBI chasing down a gang of bank robbers, the leader being played by Johnny Depp, during the emerging crime wave of the 1930s. This a film that takes place in the 1930s but has somewhat a modern sensebility, clean cut filmmaking, fast edits, and quick pace. Everything I love from a fun action movie! It's been too long since a true American gangster film has been made!

Persepolis Review

2009-03-08T20:01:00.005-04:00

War, peace, hate, love, repression, freedom, alienation, intimacy; all concepts that affect our lives in some way, whether how far or near they might appear, our lives our shaped by our environments. In the critically acclaimed (winner of the 2007 Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival) hand-drawn animated film, Persepolis, tells the story of young girl named Marjane growing up in war-torn Iran and then going to Europe to escape the ravages of the Islamic revolution in Iran. The beginning of the film takes place when the Iranian people were revolting against the oppressive regime back in the 1970s-1980s, Iraq then attacks causing the revolution to fail and Iran subsequently becomes a tyrannical and fanatical religious regime. We see through the eyes of this young girl all this chaos, the frustrations associated with living in a repressive society, and the alienation one feels. The compelling story-telling moved me and I felt empathy for Marjane. Stamped with both humor and drama, the film allows you to see the harsh realities of the world meanwhile escaping into a complex and well thought out narrative. Despite seeing horrible conditions, the film still manages to add an optimistic and happy atmosphere. Ultimately we all have to surpass the problems that are around us, we have to be grateful for what we have around us. Persepolis shows us that we can find peace and happiness in the oddest of places. Our family and friends are always there for us and we must never forget where we come from. Our environment shapes up but it does not determine our fate. Being a rare film hybrid, an autobiographical animated film, the expressions and feeling of the characters are more fleshed out. The witty animation allows us to get involved with the characters unlike any live-action film can replicate. Each single frame is a beautifully drawn to perfection. Very smooth and natural feel to it allowing for the characters expressions to be both slightly humorous and resonant to our emotions. Persepolis is absolutely spellbinding! A triumph in animation, showing the industry of animation that it’s not only a medium for little children, but instead animation is maturing to become an alternative medium for exhibiting complex stories about the human condition without the limitation of sets, locations, and special effects.

"Listen. I don't like to preach, but here's some advice. You'll meet a lot of jerks in life. If they hurt you, remember it's because they're stupid. Don't react to their cruelty. There's nothing worse than bitterness and revenge. Keep your dignity and be true to yourself. " -Marjane's Grandmother (Persepolis)

Sam Raimi Returns to Horror!

2009-03-08T04:43:00.005-04:00

While browsing along IMDB, I stumbled upon that Sam Raimi is making a return to Horror! For those who don’t know who Sam Raimi is, he is most famous for being the director of the Spider-Man movies, but before he ever helmed the teenager in red and blue tights he did three films that redefined the Horror genre; Evil Dead 1 and 2, and The Army of Darkness. These films are filled with gore, humor, fantastic action and still manage to give a chill down your spine. Those films are still among my favorite horror movies, and I’m so delighted that Mr. Raimi is making a comeback to the genre he so greatly had an impact on.

Here’s the premise of the movie (courtesy of IMDB):

“A loan officer (Lohman) ordered to evict an old woman from her home finds herself the recipient of a supernatural curse, who turns her life into a living hell. Desperate, she turns to a seer to try and save her soul, while evil forces work to push her to a breaking point.”

Can’t wait to catch this when it comes out in theaters on May 29th!

500 Days

2009-03-04T22:43:00.003-05:00

The new trailer of my most hyped Sundance film, (500) Days of Summer, has come out! I love the teaser trailer, but this one shows a different kind of view of the film, which is pretty awesome, doesn't seem like a one-trick pony romantic comedy that Hollywood seems to popped out every other week in theaters, which all them seem to star Matthew McConaughey!

Who's Watching?

2009-03-03T21:03:00.004-05:00

The hype for Watchmen is killing me! I've been watching so many interviews, clips, and featurettes that I've even had dreams that are Watchmen related. A couple of days ago after an entire night of watching Alan Moore, the genius behind Watchmen, interviews I subsequently had a dream where I was the main character in Alan Moore's new epic novel called Jerusalem, and Alan Moore was my sidekick through my epic adventure! It was the coolest dream I've had in a long time. Well anyways can't wait to see Watchmen this Friday in IMAX, it's going to be a true movie spectacle!

Here's some more Watchmen viral marketing:

Here is a cool featurette, explaining what is Watchmen and how it is going to translate to film:

And here is Alan Moore discussing his new epic novel in the making, Jerusalem:

Che!

2009-03-02T15:23:00.005-05:00

I can’t believe this film has been out in NYC for more than a month and I still haven’t seen it! Think what you may of Che Guevara, but he is undeniably one the most recognized, iconic, and infamous man of the 20th century. Benicio Del Toro looks exactly like the Che we see in the iconic photos and T-Shirts. I really loved The Motorcycle Dairies, which was about a young 20-something Che Guevara traveling throughout South America discovering the reality of the world’s problems, and so happy they made a film about his future exploits, the Cuban Revolution and Bolivian coup. Can’t believe this movie didn’t get more exposure, then again his status as an international icon is controversial, revolting against imperialist nations but murdering many people for that cause, he is definitely no Gandhi…

"Es mejor morir de pie, que vivir de rodillas" –Che Guevara
In English: “It’s better to die standing up, than to live on your knees”

Man on Wire: Review

2009-02-28T18:12:00.005-05:00

An exquisite film about a man following his dreams and following his undying passion for his art, this is the story Philippe Petit's dangerous, daring and illegal stunt of walking on a tightrope across the New York City Twin Towers! A stunt that is considered by many the "greatest artistic crime of the 20th century". This was an amazing documentary showing how a small group of men dedicated to show the world the greatest feat a person can accomplish. An engaging story on the massive undertaking these people went through. This stunt was completely done illegally thus they had to do everything under the radar. The documentary goes through a step-by-step retelling of the entire stunt, it was exciting, suspenseful, and awe inspiring. This film truly deserved its Oscar for Best Documentary. It was inspiring how one man with a passion for his art of wire walking can achieve his ultimate dream, walking between two skyscrapers 1350 feet above ground! Man on Wire is an enigmatic documentary that keeps you glued to the screen and may inspire you to follow your own dreams!
Final Grade: A

"To me, it's really so simple, that life should be lived on the edge. You have to exercise rebellion. To refuse to tape yourself to the rules, to refuse your own success, to refuse to repeat yourself, to see every day, every year, every idea as a true challenge. Then you will live your life on the tightrope." -Philippe Petit

Place To Go Before I Turn 30

2009-02-28T14:29:00.016-05:00

Here are some places that I really want to go before I turn 30 years old. These are not the only places I want to go and they are not listed in any particular order but these are the ones that popped in my head first.

1. India

Exotic, majestic, and grand. Always depicted beautifully in film (Slumdog Millionaire, The Darjeeling Limited) filled with vibrant colors, vast landscapes, and impressive ancient structures. The birth place of Buddhism, Yoga, and Bollywood, India has one of the most fascinating cultures in the world filled with a long history. Did I mention that India food is amazing too?

2. Paris, France

The City of Lights, the City of Love, the City of Art, all names attributed to one of the greatest cities in the world. Paris is a beautiful city; having one of the most important museums in the world, the Louvre, the most recognizable monument, the Eiffel Tower, one the most luxurious palaces, Château de Versailles (not exactly in Paris but close), and one the most grand cathedrals ever built, Notre Dame de Paris. Je dois aller à Paris!

3. Spain

España is a place with dynamic culture, exquisite food, and amazing music. The birthplace of the Spanish language, Pablo Picasso, La Pella, Salvador Dalí, the Gipsy Kings, and Flamenco! Need I say more?

4. Perú

A cultural fusion of two great historical empires, The Incan and The Spanish, Perú is one the countries I desire most to visit in South America. The place I want to visit the most in Perú is Machu Picchu, the large Incan city built on top of the mountains, it’s certainly one the most mysterious places to visit. How did an ancient civilization manage to build an entire city 8,000 feet above in a rough mountain range and then be completely and mysteriously abandoned?

5. Tokyo

Vibrant color everywhere, a mass of pedestrians flooding the streets, a strange (from a Western point of view) sense of fashion, the distant view of the majestic Mount Fuji, the sight of seafood everywhere, towering skyscrapers filled with blinding lights, Tokyo is a city with a unique personality, a hyper techno city with a traditional flavor.

Trailers: Skills Like This

2009-02-22T19:46:00.005-05:00

Again watching more trailers... found this film called Skills Like This, which was an official selection at the SXSW Film Festival in 2007 (South by Southwest). This film looks stylish and fun plus I always love trailers that use Indie Rock music!

Must-See Foreign Cinema

2009-02-22T19:33:00.008-05:00

12
A loose remake of 12 Angry Men, this Russian film was nominated for an Academy Award in 2008. This movie is apparently so intense that it made Russian president, Vladimir Putin, cry at a private screening!

Entre les murs (The Class)
Even though this movie lost in the Oscars last night this is nonetheless the winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival (arguably the highest honor in the film industry) and is the highest rated film of 2008. I have come to the conclusion that the Academy Awards hates the Cannes Film Festival because every film that wins the Palme d'Or either loses or doesn't even end up getting nominated! Anyways, this film strikes me as the French version of Stand and Deliver. An intense and personal look on the social complexity of this racially diversified Parisian high school. Living in New York my entire life, this film really resonates with the social world I have lived in, the intricate complexities and how in this melting pot of culture we develop a world-view. Have to see this one soon!

All Eyes on Watchmen: A Review of the Graphic Novel

2009-02-22T17:57:00.006-05:00

On the simple but elegant front cover depicting blood splatter on what seems to be a smiley face, the name sticks out, Watchmen, mysterious and subtle. Upon opening the novel the first lines read “Dog Carcass in ally this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face” I immediately knew I wasn’t reading a typical superhero comic book. This was of a different quality, a grim look at the superhero mythos. A look at what if superheroes really existed in the real world. We’re not looking at the big brawn hero with a long flowing cape, a captivating good-guy personality, a concrete sense of justice, and always abiding by the law. If heroes truly existed, they would be violent, scary, costumes would be made fun of, they would be crazed masked vigilantes who act above the law and may used it as an excuse to unleash their sadistic tendencies. This is gleam and grim universe created by legendary writer Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons written in 1985, showing a vastly altered history if masked vigilantes emerged in the 1930’s.

First let me delve into the artwork, illustrated by Dave Gibbons, Watchmen takes a different tone. The color scheme consists of off-colors such as purple, yellow, light green, and pink, unlike most comic books which have the strong blue, green, and red. Each and every panel is extremely intricately done. There are tiny details that act as ways to further the plot and as easter eggs. For example, you always see a newspaper or magazine in the background with a headline that just immerses the reader into the universe. As far as the characters, they are done very well, each of them have their own unique personality. The character Rorschach sticks out, who is named after Hermann Rorschach who invented the inkblot psychological tests. Rorschach costume first pays off homage to classic crime-fighting heroes of the 1940s and his mask has inkblots that resemble a Hermann Rorschach inkblot test. The pattern in his mask changes various times through the story, and if you look closely you can interpret them in relation to what is happening in the story. Dave Gibbons intricately creates a world, with immense attention to detail and excellent artistry.

The story of Watchmen is a unique one, a journey into the psyche of the hero, a psychological, political, and sexual interpretation. Alan Moore deconstructed the superhero mythos in order to put into reality. Watchmen throws away all previous standardized conventions of the superhero genre and creates it’s new conventions, instead of looking at the world as good vs. evil, black and white, this is shades of grey. There is no clearly defined line between right vs. wrong, that moral decision is left up to the reader. The novel puts into question of what is the motive of these masked heroes. Do they have some high ideals of justice? Are they driven by vengeance and anger? Do they use their superhero antics to fulfill some type of fantasy? Are they just violent, crazed individuals that take advantage of the moral high ground to justify their sadistic needs? All these questions and more are answered in Watchmen. Alan Moore also approaches the theme of how having an immense amount of power over others cannot achieve peace. Dr. Manhattan is the only hero in the Watchmen universe who has superpowers; he is unquestionably the most powerful being in the universe, able to rearrange atoms and defy the laws of physics. Dr. Manhattan plays a crucial part in severely altering history, the U.S ends up winning the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon wins various reelections, the U.S. is riddled with poverty and crime. With all the power that the U.S. acquired the world is still in turmoil and in eminent danger of a nuclear holocaust. One article in the book that stuck out called “Dr. Manhattan: Super-powers and the Superpowers”, a fake article in the novel talking about Dr. Manhattan’s role in international affairs. It touches on the irony that even though with all the power in the universe peace still can’t be achieved. As written “The second world war was The War to End Wars. The development of the atomic bomb is The Weapon to End Wars… And yet wars continue.” Is it power and force that is really necessary to maintain peace and justice?

Beside Dr. Manhattan, the most interesting character of the novel was Rorschach, a masked vigilante who is dark and psychologically complex. Rorschach is an updated version of Batman, a scary masked vigilante who stalks criminals in the night and has a deep dark past. Rorschach has a rigid sense of good vs. evil. He is paranoid, brash, smelled horrible, and very violent, nothing like your ordinary comic book hero. Rorschach is an individual who isn’t quite normal, he isn’t hygienic, is extremely threatening, and wildly aggressive. A person with an enormous death wish who unleashes his anger for the terrible world he lives in on the vile criminals of New York City.

Watchmen, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, is the pinnacle of artistry, an involving and immersing piece of fiction that is sure to capture anyone's attention. The deep psychological realism put into a genre where realism used to be out of the question has certainly had an impact on today’s popular fiction by adding intelligence and sophistication to the genre. Even though Watchmen took place in an alternate universe, it still resonates with what’s happening in our world today, the ongoing conflicts, and our desire to save the world. This novel is riveting from cover to cover; it truly deserves its status as one of the best graphic novels ever written.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

2009-02-19T19:13:00.005-05:00

Ripped from the pages of The New Frontiersman....

Still Watching…

2009-02-16T20:16:00.005-05:00

In the midst of the release of the Watchmen film, which I’m completely hyped for, especially to see it on IMAX! I decided to browse through their viral marketing. First I stumbled upon thenewfrontiersman.net which a recreation of the fictional newspaper in Watchmen. Then I found out they have a flickr page with some interesting recreations of photos and documents from the Watchmen universe. And the best part of the viral marketing was the two YouTube videos. One is fake public service announcement about the Keene Act, outlawing vigilantes. The second video is a television broadcast about the commendable service Dr. Manhattan has provided to America. If I didn’t know about Watchmen, I would have thought these videos were real! Take a look:

I’m counting down the minutes for the release of Watchmen! This low-key marketing got me even more hyped and hopeful for the quality of the film. They successfully managed to recreate the Watchmen universe. Also I’m almost done with the Watchmen novel, which is awe-inspiring at the moment, will write a review soon.

“Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.”

Watching...

2009-02-15T09:55:00.005-05:00

"A live body and a dead body contain the same number of particles. Structurally, there's no discernible difference. Life and death are unquantifiable abstracts. Why should I be concerned?"

"There is no future. There is no past. Do you see? Time is simultaneous, an intricately structured jewel that humans insist on viewing one edge at a time, when the whole design is visible in every facet."

"The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout 'Save us!' And I'll look down, and whisper 'no.'"

Muay Thai, Bollywood, and Yoga!

2009-02-14T23:00:00.003-05:00

Enlighten Up!
This is a documentary about a skeptical man exploring the wonders of Yoga. I haven’t practiced yoga yet, but I’ve heard so many wonderful things about it, that it is not only excellent for exercise but also a spiritual and meditative experience. This trailer has me psyched to do some Yoga!

Chandni Chowk To China
Its Bollywood meets Hong Kong Cinema! What an interesting mix, the singing and dancing of a typical Bollywood film and the martial arts fighting of a typical Hong Kong film. This film reminds me of Kung Fu Hustle, can’t wait to see this!

Chocolate
Some good ole’ kick ass martial arts fun! A recent entry to the Thai Kickboxing (Muay Thai) movies that are taking over the martial arts film genre, like Ong Bak and The Protector this film has no stunt doubles, no visual effects, no strings, and they keep editing of fight scenes to a minimum (no Bourne Ultimatum shaky camera fighting here). This is a martial arts film that I have been waiting for, getting tired of the CGI heavy Jackie Chan films.

Song with my name!

2009-02-12T16:31:00.002-05:00

After tirelessly searching all over the internet for a song with my name in it, going through all the Little Mermaid search results and ironically a couple of weird underground metal songs, I finally found a song with my name in it and pronounced in Spanish! The song is entitled "Ariel" is by Billo's Caracas Boys, an old Salsa band from the 1960’s. The song is catchy and good ’ole Latin fun.

The lyrics being repeated in the song in Spanish is translated to: “I want to be like Ariel” XD

Voltaire's Genius/Bach is Back

2009-02-12T12:19:00.007-05:00

"Il en est des livres comme du feu de nos foyers; on va prendre ce feu chez son voisin, on l’allume chez soi, on le communique à d’autres, et il appartient à tous."

"What we find in books is like the fire in our hearths. We fetch it from our neighbors, we kindle it at home, we communicate it to others, and it becomes the property of all."

"Nous cherchons tous le bonheur, mais sans savoir où, comme les ivrognes qui cherchent leur maison, sachant confusément qu'ils en ont une."

"We all look for happiness, but without knowing where to find it: like drunkards who look for their house, knowing dimly that they have one."

And in other news I'm currently fervently listening to Bach, great music to listen to while doing Homework, Physics and Math comes easy thanks to Bach.

Cello Suite No1 In G by Bach

Music + Spiritual + Artsy = Awesome

2009-02-11T22:13:00.005-05:00

Here is one of the best music videos I have seen recently, the song is Gobbeldigook by Sigur Ros:

This is how music videos should be made! More emphasis on art and the rhythm of the song captured on film, rather than making a video that has tons of product placement and/or gratuitous sexuality. Yes people in this music video are indeed naked, but it's not for the sake of "sex sells" like every Britney Spears music video. Heck, this music video won't probably be ever shown on MTV/VH1... or TV in general for that matter. This music video shows the desire to be free. Free of worries, vanity, and inhibitions. Our primal desires to let go from the world, let loose and have fun!

Movies to Watch Out For: Tokyo

2009-02-10T20:06:00.005-05:00

While viewing various film trailers online one stuck out, Tokyo. A weird off-beat film that follows in the tradition of films like Paris, Je T'aime, which showcases a city from the point of view of various directors. This film is weird, abstract, and surreal; qualities rarely seen in films nowadays. Best part is that one of the segments is directed by Michael Gondry! Director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind, Michael Gondry has a flair for the surreal, a modern-day Salvador Dalí. Plus the song is awesome; it’s Be Good by Tokyo Police Club. Can’t wait to catch this in theaters!

Cinéma Paradiso

2009-02-08T14:52:00.014-05:00

Looking back, there are some movies that touch us, that resonates with us and greatly influence our lives. Film is great mechanism to get a deeper message through and still maintain our attention. A truly great influential film is one where you can feel empathy for the characters, feel what they feel, experience what they experience. Here’s a sample of some of the movies that have influenced my life:

Requiem for a Dream
This masterpiece directed by Darren Aronofsky and written by Hubert Selby Jr. is an amazing film about the harms of drug addiction. Don’t get me wrong this isn’t an educational film preaching for a “Drug-Free America”, this is a movie with style, drama, and powerful performances. The two drugs tackled in this film is Heroin and Speed, and we see how the characters use the drugs as an escape from life’s hardships but the irony is that the drug use is causing the hardships. The horrible experiences these characters go through show me the TRUE dangers of drugs. A gritty and real image of the drug junkie not seen in any “Drug-Free America” commercial or seen in our school textbooks. At the end of the film the true consequences are seen, I won’t tell you what they are, but I assure you will be terrified and will most likely never use hardcore drugs. This movie should be shown in every high school!

V For Vendetta
The most intelligent comic-book film to have graced the big screen! V for Vendetta is one of those films you leave the theater and say “Wow!” The biggest strength of this movie is its deep political message which is relevant to today’s problems. In a world where we have suffered great terrorist attacks and international turmoil and the government has passed laws such as the “Patriot Act” which is meant to maintaining surveillance on potential “terrorist” but in reality what can be defined as a “terrorist”? Remember ones man’s terrorist can be another man’s freedom fighter. To what degree do we give government more power to secure us? Should we give up freedom for security? Benjamin Franklin once said “Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” V for Vendetta shows a world where the people have given up their liberties in order for security, in turn life in that society has become fearful, strict, and limited. Government does not fix problems, it is the problem. Our liberties and freedom is something we should maintain, cherish, and not take it for granted.

"Vi veri veniversum vivus vici" ("By the power of truth, I, a living man, have conquered the universe")

The Fountain
Another masterpiece by director Darren Aronofsky, a story about a Spanish conquistador and a queen that finds the fountain of youth and embarks on a thousand year journey. A powerful metaphorical movie entrenched in heavy themes about love, life death and the everlasting quest for immortality. This movie is grossly underrated; it failed both commercially and critically and I have absolutely no idea why!! It's a shame people ignore great cinema like this! Due to its complicated story structure and sequencing and subtle themes this film merits multiple viewings. This movie shows how love is constant beyond death. We cannot last forever, there comes an end to our physical lives but love manages to surpass the limitations of age and decay. Love is the true fountain of youth, revitalizing our lives and allowing us to cherish life before it passes us by. This film also touches on the theme of the necessity of death. The fact that we have death eminent in our lives allows us to have an even greater appreciation for life. As the Grand Inquisitor in the film said “Our bodies are prisons for our souls. Our skin and blood, the iron bars of confinement. But, fear not. All flesh decays. Death turns all to ash. And thus, death frees every soul.” Maybe this is true, maybe death frees us all from the confinements of the physical world. Maybe death is the factor that connects us all; as Carl Sagan said “We are all made of star stuff” Ultimately death is a cycle for rebirth, uniting us all through the vastness of space. As we continue our quest for immortality, we will learn how to conquer the fear of death. Thus peace can be truly achieved once we let go of our fears and our desire to control them. This film taught me that we must accept death as a natural process of life and of nature. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't continue to find the cure for cancer or extending our lifespans. We should seek to continue our lifespans and live healthy long lives but all things in the universe ultimately come to an end. Should our goal be to seek immortality? Or instead to have more time to experience life for all it's worth? Sooner or later we must accept death, but as the film tried to show us, we have to live in the present and enjoy ourselves with our loved ones. Ultimately it's really Love and Death that connects us all…

"All these years, all these memories, there was you. You pulled me through time." - Tommy Creo (The Fountain)

Now for one of the best songs from a film score:
Death is the Road to Awe (The Fountain) - Clint Mansell

"A film is a ribbon of dreams. The camera is much more than a recording apparatus; it is a medium via which messages reach us from another world that is not ours and that brings us to the heart of a great secret. Here magic begins." -Orson Wells

Soundscapes

2009-02-07T20:50:00.028-05:00

For over the past couple of weeks I have acquired a large variety of music. The world of music is so expansive and diverse, especially in this digital age, that limiting oneself to the Top 40 or whatever they put on radio these days is simply not enough. There is so much music out there that is waiting to be listened to. Radio nowadays is becoming dull, filled with music that is way too commercial and lacking any soul. Thus I have dedicated myself to listen to wide variety of music, from all countries and embracing all genres. Here’s a sample of some of the CDs I have heard:

March of Zapotec/Realpeople Holland by Beirut
Out of all the Indie bands I have heard, Beirut must be one of the most unique. Using completely unique instrumentation comprising of horns, ukulele, trumpets, cello, mandolins, and violins, they achieve a sound never heard of in the Indie/Alternative genre. March of Zapotec/Realpeople Holland is two separate EPs released in one CD, each EP have a completely different sound to the other. March of Zapotec is heavily inspired by Mexican Folk music and Realpeople Holland mainly has an Electronic/Techno flavor to it. Beirut does an amazing job at achieve two completely different sounds, if I didn’t know any better I would have thought they were made by completely different artists! March of Zapotec has a joy to hear! It had that big-band sound and I absolutely loved the combination of Mexican Folk Music with Indie Rock. My favorite song from Zapotec was La Llorona, a truly epic song with emotion and lots of vigor. As for Realpeople Holland it was a nice change from the strong and powerful music of Zapotec. Instead Realpeople’s smooth techno beats are relaxing and soothing.

“All it takes to fall
What a quiet world after all
Of the things that you guessed will come
What a moment it was after all” -Beirut

El Camino by Salsa Celtica
El Camino by Salsa Celtica came up when after hearing an entire days worth of Salsa and Merengue, I wondered to myself if someone, who is not from Latin America, has made Salsa. In my search of international Salsa, Salsa Celtica popped up! Salsa Celtica is band from Scotland fusing two interesting genres, Salsa and Celtic/Irish music. Being a lover of both Salsa and Celtic music, I had to listen to Salsa Celtica. El Camino is Salsa Celtica’s most recent album. The album is mainly Salsa except they use a lot of Celtic instrumentation such as the bagpipe and violins. They maintain a quick pace, and the music is very progressive. This CD just wants to make you get up and dance! A riveting mix of the best of both cultures that one would have never imagined would have been combined. It borrows from the best of both worlds; the excellent and upbeat sound of salsa, the beautiful lyrics in Spanish (have nothing against lyrics in English, actually would like to hear it, but for now the best language combination with Salsa is Spanish) and the diverse and a combination of the both Celtic and Latin instruments. Salsa Celtica so far is one of the best Salsa I’ve ever heard! It has memorable lyrics, awesome instrumentation, and music is just irresistible to dance to. El Camino is a must buy for Latin music lovers or for anybody who just wants to have a good time.

“Me amorraste con tu mirar
Iluminaste mi ansiedad
Tú me encendiste sentimientos dormidos sin calmar
Tu mi curaste el Corazón partido” –Salsa Celtica

Cafe Colando (Part One) -Salsa Celtica

Solo Piano by Philip Glass
Philip Glass has to be one of my most favorite contemporary classical musicians, his minimalist style is engaging yet tranquil. After listening to many of Philip Glass’ movie scores and hearing his song “Pruit Igoe” in the Watchmen movie trailer, I decided I had to listen to his Solo Piano album, where it’s just Philip Glass playing solo. While being a master composer he is also an amazing pianist. The longest track was Metamorphosis, a five piece composition. Metamorphosis is an excellent example of Glass’ genius, a deeply heartfelt and memorable composition, expanding your imagination and taking you to a journey through a vast musical landscape.

Fight with Tools by Flobots
Flobots is one of these rare bands that are able to mix rap, rock, violins all while having deep political message. Fight with Tools is an album that is explosive and powerful. The album contains very strong political themes in its lyrics, its hard hitting and makes a lot of sense of a world where we suffer through many problems; corruption of the political elite, wars killing thousands of people, and people dying of hunger worldwide. Our world has many flaws and has committed many mistakes but through love, knowledge, and cooperation we can surpass that. Flobots conveys this message through its music. Fight with Tools is not all political it also contains one of the most unique Hip-Hop I’ve heard. They just don’t stick to Hip-Hop but instead incorporate rock, funk, and classical. Anytime I hear Hip-Hop with violins, which is rare, it immediately captures my attention. Flobots in Fight with Tools manages to create a unique sound while adding a strong political message.

“There is a war going on for your mind, if you're thinking then you are winning” –Flobots

Mayday!!! - Flobots

Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon by Devendra Banhart

After hearing the song Lover by Devendra Banhart randomly on the internet, I fell in love with this soft-spoken peaceful folk music reminiscent of the folk rock of the 60’s. Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon provides a beautiful mystic and sincere sound. It’s a voyage to the vast soundscapes of American folk music that might mystify unsuspecting listeners, like myself. The first song of the album, Cristobal, was amazing! I hesitated weather to continue to listen to the album or just put Cristobal on repeat, but I decided to resist the temptation and follow my ritual of listening to an entire album in one sitting. Next up was Samba Vexillographica which was an amazing mix of Samba and Folk. Then there was Lover which was a throwback to the funky psychedelic music of the 60’s. You can pop this song in any movie of the 60s or 70s and it will fit right in place. And lastly there is Carmensita, which has one the weirdest and funkiest music videos you’ll ever see. Joyful, funky, mystic, beautiful, calm, and creative are all words to describe Devendra Banhart’s Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon.

“Hay un mundo más allá
Otro mundo más allá” –Devendra Benhart

“Music is the weapon of the future.” –Fela Kuti

Sundancing

2009-02-02T22:26:00.006-05:00

So I was looking over the entries of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and I would like to share the trailers that have captured my interest:

Adventureland

It's going to be the Superbad of 2009! It has that quirky and awkward humor with a retro 70's look that has become very popular recently, especially with Superbad and Juno. Simply can't wait to run out of breath laughing my ass off!

Johnny Mad Dog

A grim drama about child soldier fighting in war-torn Africa. This film seems like it's going to be an eye-opener with regards to the harsh conditions in Africa. Unlike most movies that take place in Africa in which they have a heroic leading man saving the day from ravages of Africa. Instead this movie is approached from the point of view of a child soldier, and how a child is subjugated to the violence and barbarity of war. It's about time we have a documentary-esque film about the unfortunate conditions and war in Africa.

Rudo y Cursi

Two sibling go through a rivalry in the world of professional soccer. Produced by the two of my most favorite Latin-American directors, Alfonso Cuarón and Guillermo del Toro, this movie is sure to be an exciting and fun ride!

500 Days of Summer

Last but most definitely not least, 500 Days of Summer! By far the most addicting trailer out of the bunch, have seen way too many times and yet it never gets old! The trailer has a cool old school vibe to it with the voice over, that sounds weirdly similar to Morgan Freeman. The song used in the trailer, Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap is simply amazing and a perfect match for this movie. And one most not forget the two starring actors; Zooey Deschanel, who always manages to play the quirky and humorous love interest perfectly, and Joseph Gordon Levitt, who starred in my opinion in one of the best romantic comedies, 10 Things I Hate About You. This movie just doesn't look like a typical Hollywood Romantic Comedy/Drama but instead a whimsical journey through love.

Okay for now you must excuse me, I'm going to watch the 500 Days of Summer trailer 10 more times...

Slumdogs in a Gran Torino

2009-02-01T14:04:00.017-05:00

In the past week I went to see two movies that despite their two relatively low budgets they have been massively popular for the past month.

Gran Torino Review

The first one is Gran Torino directed and starring Clint Eastwood. Unlike Clint Eastwood's previous entries this one actually has a sense of humor! Most of the film is filled with Clint Eastwood spouting racial slurs but instead of insulting or offending the audience it ends up being very funny. Not due to the actual remarks themselves, but instead due to the ridiculousness of those remarks. Walt Kowalski, Clint Eastwood's character, builds so much hate and racism it ends up making him a miserable old man but through interaction with the Asian neighbors he begins to relate to them and inadvertently protecting them. Despite the film being quite funny it is filled with heavy themes about racism in today's society and how people, regardless of color or ethnicity, go through the same problems we do. One also cannot forget the main star Clint Eastwood. Despite being 78 years old, Clint is still kicking ass! He is an imposing force in this movie, and manages to maintain that tough guy persona that he started as Dirty Harry. The final product is a movie that can makes you laugh and cry at the same time.
Gran Torino's Final Grade: B+

Slumdog Millionaire Review
Now for the next movie, a movie that took Hollywood by storm and no warning was given. It came from a relatively small budget, had virtually unknown actors, was almost released Direct-to-Video and the entire movie was filmed in the slums of India! Of course I am talking about the Golden Globe Best Drama Motion Picture of 2009 and SAG's Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture of 2009; Slumdog Millionaire directed by Danny Boyle. First I must say I'm a huge fan of Danny Boyle's previous work especially 28 Days Later and Sunshine. Boyle has a flair for heavy gritty drama and stylish film making. I was extremely hyped to see this movie back in December, when virtually nobody has heard of it, then my hype increased 10-fold when it won Best Picture in Golden Globes and rose to the top 5 in the U.S. Box Office! I was determined to see this movie, tried a total of three times! First two times they were unfortunately sold out! Then fortunately, like people say third time is a charm, I finally got to see it. First I must start with the premise of the movie, it's about Jamal Malik, a teenager from the most poorest areas of India who participates in the new crazed TV game show Who Want's to be a Millionaire? and throughout the movie each question he encounters in the game show corresponds to a life experience. A unique premise ain't it? This is not a typical Hollywood/Bollywood movie that sanitizes everything, instead it shows the most gritty and poor areas of Mumbai, India. Danny Boyle and cinematographer, Anthony Mantle, make the gritty reality of the slums look beautiful on film. Making use of vibrant colors, fast editing, and great camerawork, the film ends up being great eye candy. The film concentrated on the harsh conditions of the slums while showing that there are some aspects in life that remain beautiful even the most of harsh conditions. Despite the movie being centered around winning a large amount of money, it shows that money really doesn't matter after all. Love is the way to surpass your bad life experiences and harsh environments and even through the worst of times one can learn valuable life lessons that will come in useful in the future. Another strong part of this film was the amazing cast. Despite consisting of mostly unknown actors and very young actors, the movie had amazing acting. At not one point I thought to myself "O they could have done this better". Props goes to Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto, who respectively played Jamal Malik and his love interest, Latika. The movie's music also stuck out. It was a mix of Hip-Hop, Techno, Indian Pop Music, and beautiful Indian Vocals. Boyle decided to get rid of the common orchestral score and put some modern and energetic music to capture the frenetic pace of the movie. Overall this movie is a tour de force, a exquisitely and wonderfully constructed piece of art, being able to touch you while making the audience aware of the horrible conditions these people live through everyday but at the end it makes you feel happy that love surpasses all. This movie will sure win the Oscar for Best Picture and greatly suggest you watch this movie and support this "little movie that could" become a mark in cinema history!
Slumdog Millionaire's Final Grade: A+

The No-Bullshit Party

2009-01-12T22:34:00.003-05:00

Well my friend and I have recently decided to start a political party. We were discussing politics and how we need as a nation to raise the American standard of living. Many people will argue that we live well enough here compare to other nations. But nonetheless we have many problems here in the U.S. and there is always room for improvement! Yes many countries are in poverty, war and famine. But being the most influential and wealthiest nation in the world, we have to set a better example for other nations in the world. With the many problems we've been facing here in the U.S. recently such as the imperialist actions taken against Iraq and Afghanistan, the failing economy, the subsidization of failing corporations, the on-going War on Drugs, the overfilling of prisons, and the violations on many basic liberties (mainly the Patriot Act). With all those problems, we have been having countless politicians promising to remedy these problems while they have been doing the exact opposite in the government! Bailout of the major banking firms, anyone? Yes, with the bailout of those big finance firms, the majority of the American people were against it! Then the congressmen turned their back, and ignore the public outcry!

I say it's time to end with the bullshit! It's time to end all these false promises, half truths, fear tactics and shameless propaganda! For the past 100 years, America has only had two major political parties, both of which don't do anything to better America. We only have one more political party than Totalitarian North Korea! Many people voted Democrat this past presidential election, ensuring a landslide victory for Barack Obama, in hopes he and the Democratic Party will end the war and help the failing economy. But many people don't realize that the Democrats have had the majority of seats in Congress for the past two years!!! No war was ended and the economy still failed! Thus comes the creation of the No-Bullshit Party! I say we cut the bullshit and start talking straight and bluntly. The people need the truth and not lies, deceit, and over complicated political lingo!

Well as for the No-Bullshit Party, It's an experiment. We're starting as Facebook group to see if we can discuss politics in a civilized manner without bringing hostile political allegiances into the table. We have hopes to create awareness of the country's current problems and talk with people discussing and informing them how exactly our government works.

So cut the BULLSHIT! and join the No-Bullshit Party!
Facebook Group Link

Grand Entrance to the Blogging World

2009-01-11T02:43:00.001-05:00

Welcome to The Zen of Blogging! It's my latest venture into the wonderful world of blogging. A place where I can ramble, rant, vent, philosophize, theorize, and capture the attention of the anonymous on-lookers we call the online community! "What is the point of reading my blog?" you might ask yourself. Well there really isn't any point. This blog is purely done for self-satisfaction, where I can flex my writing muscles and make a presence in the online world by writing about the most random things I can think of and attempt to make them interesting! If you wish to continue reading, I gladly encourage you too! But before I write any further blog posting I must shamelessly plug one my YouTube videos for the world to see: