Mistress America and the Freedom of Being

Tracy just started a writing program at Barnard in NYC, however, her life is not what she had dreamed about. The literary club rejected her work, her only friend found himself a jealous girlfriend and being an introvert she dares not join the college party scene on her own. Suddenly, the idea of calling her soon-to-be stepsister Brooke she has never met doesn’t seem such a bad idea.
Brooke, a 30 year-old Times Square resident, turns out to be everything Tracy would dream of being: crazily fun, confident and enchantingly unpredictable. Together they start a fresh and honest friendship while Brooke becomes Tracy’s muse for her new writing piece, Mistress America.

As Michael Mohan perfectly describes in The Talkhouse, “The drama is rarely manufactured from plot, but usually stems from the characters going through some kind of real transition. And somehow he always manages to do this hilariously without ever betraying the characters or dramatic situations.“

It’s true that Baumbach’s movies have a great deal of comedy and you usually find yourself smiling during most of the movie. But Mistress America is seriously hilarious, the whole scene at Dylan and Mamie-Claire’s house (Brooke’s ex-fiancé and ex-best friend respectively) with fast-paced dialogues, perfectly timed puns and twisted plots is simply perfect with absolutely no time for boredom. I remember wishing Woody Allen‘s last movie, Irrational Man, had been anywhere close to this. It’s, as some critics have described, a modern screwball comedy up to the best Capra.

Narco Cultura- Barcelona In-Edit Festival

I’ve lost count of how many festivals are based in Barcelona, almost every week there’s a chance of discovering a new artist or movement you hadn’t heard about.

Beefeater In – Edit is one of my favourites. Celebrating 11 years showing a selection of muisc documentaries, from the most internationally acclaimed to some portraying the local scene, this year it’s brought an especially sensitive film “Narco Cultura“.

From Israeli photo-reporter Schaul Schwarz and Spanish sound technician Juan Bertrán, who spent three years filming in Mexico and United States, Narco Cultura shows two opposite realities surrounding narco-trafficking in Mexico.

On one side we follow Richi Soto, working for the CSI of Juárez, dealing with violent murders every single day in one of the most dangerous cities of the world. The film spares no images when showing the victims and circumstances of the murders, so sensitive viewers should be alert. It is heart breaking to see desperate mothers crying for their lost children in what seems a never-ending absurd massacre. Richi confesses how he’s been tempted to quit, especially after some of his colleagues are murdered, but that he feels he’s gotta do his job.

On the other side of the border we follow Édgar Quintero lead singer of the BuKnas de Culiacán performing narcorridos, songs glorifying the deeds of Mexican drug lords. Getting more and more popular in Mexico and United States, Édgar sees no harm in singing about violence and murder. It’s his job and it’s better than what he was doing in his younger years when he ended in prison. Narco Cultura, portrays how multitudes chant together Quintero’s songs and teenagers confess they wouldn’t mind dating a narco as they’re successful and rich.

In cities where there are no jobs, being a drug lord seems to promise a better life a new form of American dream.

Make sure you don’t miss Narco Cultura, although harsh it’s an unmissable documentary to understand the reality of Mexico, will it ever change?

“Cinema a la Fresca” in Barcelona

One of the main attractions in Barcelona consists in visiting the Montjuïc mountain. Home of the Olympic stadium and swimming pool as well as the Miro Foundation, Montjuïc is a must see for any Barcelona visitor.

Every year an outdoor cinema season (Cinema a la Fresca ) is organised at Montjuïc Castle at the top of the mountain. Showing a selection of all time classics and recently acclaimed films, there’s always a chance one of the movies might be in your to do’s list.

Or maybe you have already seen the movie and you just want to enjoy the experience of a picnic in a great surroundings, with some live music and a short film screening before the actual movie starts.

Reaching its 11th edition this year, I am quite ashamed to confess that this passed Monday was my first time at Cinema a la Fresca. There were several reasons that made me finally go. First, I found a meet up group that organized a meeting and it seemed the perfect place to meet foreigners and locals and share the experience. The second reason was that they were showing “Drive” which I really wanted to see.

So there I went with the group and we all enjoyed sharing food and life experiences ( What’s your name?-where are you from? -how long are you staying in Barcelona? – oh! you’re a local? -and so on…), and at 10 p.m. the show started.

The introduction of the movie with its magnetic soundtrack was promising and I almost understood all the Ryan Gosling frenzy among my girlfriends. Who’s that man with such self -control? Does he lead a double life?

However, as the movie went on, I realized my questions would remain unanswered as the main point of the film was not to portray the secrets and complicated personality of a taciturn character. I didn’t find the plot specially clever or original either but, I must admit the music and shooting blend perfectly together.

In spite of my slight disappointment in the film, I really enjoyed the experience and highly recommend this summer outdoor recreation to anyone! Make sure to check the agenda!

 

 

In the mood for love, a 2046 review

Everyone who goes to 2046 has the same intention, they want to recapture lost memories. Because in 2046 nothing ever changes.

Some weeks ago I finally achieved to see 2046, the continuation of Wong Kar-wai’s In the mood for love which I had absolutely loved at the time. And it didn’t disappoint me in any way. Maybe in this second movie, the characters aren’t as innocent. They may act more cynically as if unaware of the pain they produce. However I couldn’t feel more related to their stories and the way they behave.

But what are your real feelings for me? Are they like a rainbow after the rain? Or did that rainbow fade away long ago?…

2046 represents a magic place where nothing ever changes, and who hasn’t dreamed of a place like this before? Like Joel in the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind struggling to preserve at least some memory of his lover hiding her somewhere in his mind. 2046 would be a place where this love wouldn’t change, an oasis away from the passage of time, the distance, avoiding drifting apart, changing our minds.

Why can’t it be like before? Please don’t go. Stay with me tonight. Let me borrow you…

2046 is a story of impossible relationships, of characters unable to let go of their past, surprised by the birth of new feelingsat the wrong time, fighting to recover something that no longer exists… Because it’s all a matter of timing as Cho Wo Man says:

 Love is all a matter of timing. 
 It’s no good meeting the right person too soon or too late. 
If I’d lived in another time or place… 
 …my story might have had a very different ending.

We can’t change our life’s circumstance and of those whom we run into, maybe it’s too soon or late for them, maybe if we lived in a different country things would have been easier, who knows? But if there is something positive about this movie, it’s that the only character who is sincere to her  feelings and doesn’t give up to fear or obstacles is the one who finally reaches the love of her life.

When you don’t take “no” for an answer, there is still a chance you’ll get what you want.

The NYC invasion of 8-bit video games characters

Just a quick post to share with you a short film I really enjoyed. What would NYC look after an 8-bit video game giant characters invasion?

An amazing animation by Patrick Jean, check his website for more short films an art!

PIXELS by Patrick Jean from ONE MORE PRODUCTION on Vimeo.