Why having a Lj if you're going to hide from it? It's like having a radio just to broadcast static. I really have to find a new meaning for this place.
Lust, Caution Hated it. Completely. I think I've never been a great fan of Ang Lee's work, but I found this movie utterly pointless. That is unless you measure a film's quality for the amount ot torrid sex scenes between asians it has.
While watching it I realized that I still haven't seen any good movie about undercover agents or spies. Oddly enough movies never seem to delve enough in the undercover agent's psychology. Instead they prefer to approach him/her from an external point of view, and deal with his actions more that than with his motivations. Skipping the most interesting part of all.
Dexter Season 1 Pretty much the opposite. The best serial killer story I've had the pleasure of watching ever (well, perhaps the Red Dragon comes a close second). Deep, new, refreshing and bloody. I really liked the way the show portrays the mind of a psycho.
Californication: A brilliant Fox Mulder, I mean David Duchovny, in another unforgettable role. In the beginning it appears to be simply a story about sex, but instead it's a beautiful tale of love, growing up and loss.
I seem to be running out of shows. Fortunately the last season of the Wire has just started, and I still have a whole season of Dexter to watch. Life's good. Even if the grey rabbit-man says that the world will end in just 24 days :-D.
Time to face the past As some of you might know, yesterday was my birthday. I didn't do anything really interesting besides splashing my face with sea water in the beach (a sort of night baptism into a new year of my life).
The main reason I didn't do anything is that I spent most of the day in the entrepreneurship program I'm taking right now. The good thing about the program is that it's opening some really new and amazing horizons in my life right now (the sky is the limit as they say). The bad thing, is that it's making me realize how much time I've lost those last few years with the state competition examinations.
I also by pure chance met in the street one of my old studies companions, one who still hasn't taken his exams. We talked a little bit about what he was going through and that helped me to see clearly how I've really moved on from that stage of my life. I guess I should be happy about that.
And I am. Somehow a new day is finally beginning.
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I'll probably be doing something to celebrate my birthday this weekend at some point (dinner maybe). So if anyone is interested just let me know.
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On an unrelated note, I must say that I saw REC and Hot Fuzz, and that I loved them both. Watching REC made me fail several helplessness and self checks (I reckon that the cameraman was called Pablo didn't help), but that's just what all great zombies movies should do . An american remake is on the way, but I think one should be done for every european country. Highly recommended viewing for those who want to feel really scared, specially in you live in a catholic country.
Hot Fuzz was great fun too. I think I liked Shaun of the Dead a little bit better, but HF was hilarious nonetheless (specially its climax).
Now I just have to find time to see Beowulf before it's off the cinemas. And probably the Golden Compass too (although again I'm a bit unsure of this one, I think I'll wait for some reviews before).
That time of the year again: Tonight Donnie Darko was on tv. Again. I guess that it must be becoming sort of a tradition for them. A tradition I like, I might add.
It's odd, as the last time, the movie seems to precede a time of changes in my life. And also, again this time I watched it from beginning to end. It's interesting, I've seen it more than four times, I've got it in DVD but the movie still catches my attention like the first time.
I love the story, the acting (the Gyllenhall brothers are great, and so is Mary McDonnell), but what always hooks me it's the film's mood. That undefinable atmosphere of dread, melancholy and otherworldlyness that permeates everything, and that it's magnificiently created by the soundtrack.
The world definitely needs more movies like this one.
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Which reminds me that I've got to go to the cinema to see Jaume Balaguero's REC, and possibly Elizabeth: The Golden Age. The first one even being a zombie flick seems promising, the second one seems a little bit scary (well to be more accurate its depiction of Spain seems a bit scary), but I'm still interested anyway. I'll share my thoughts if I finally manage to see them :-).
My current "sLAng" assignment keeps growing and growing. I was meant to write a mini-series for the game of no more than 12 pages long I believe. I think it might be well over the 20 pages mark right now, and it keeps growing.
The good things are that I'm both enjoying it and getting finally to understand how Los Angeles is (The Shield has been quite helpful for that).
Oh, btw I really should mention I saw an absolutely amazing production of Othello by Teatre Lliure the other day. I had never seen the play in stage (just in film), and I can assure you that it was magic from the beginning to the end.
Tomorrow is the day... Yeah. That's it. Tomorrow I've got that exam I've studying for so long.
At 16:30 (GMT) I'll be performing the most intense soliloquy of my acting career. Although as you might guess, Law will be involved. In fact zillions of pages of my law subjects will be pouring out of my brain through my mouth.
Ah well, whatever. It's been a long road to get here, but I'm done. I'm ready to move over to the next stage of my life :-).
Thanks for everyone that has supported me, and carried this cross with me. Soon all of it will be over, and I can assure you, that I couldn't have done it without you.
Wish me luck ;-)!!! I promise I'll be back soon (You can cout on it ;-D).
Only the end of the world again... Last night I dreamed of the end of the world. In the dream I was in my house, in my room talking with the President. He told me about his lack of confidence in the future and oddly I tread to convince him he had done some good things that needed to be done during his term.
Then, suddenly I realized that it was raining, pouring outside. I opened the window and saw Las Palmas drowned, sunk by the waters. Two big, white, and hairy dogs which resembled wolves were also running around my house, chasing each other and playing like wild puppies. Then I set my eyes upon the sky and knew I was watching the end of the world. It was blurry and colored in impossible ways. It was a black sky with strains of orange fire, and terrifying violet hazes.
The otherworldly skies, and the rain are recurring elements in my dreams about the end of the world (yes, they also are recurring dreams). The white dogs/wolves are new. I wonder what they mean. Perhaps, nature's joy of being free again?
Still walking through the Penumbra: Whew! I've been quite for way too long. In case you wonder why it's been mainly because of the studies. The first (and hopefully not last) of my exams to get a permanent job in the State's Justice Apparatus is this Saturday, so as you can guess, things have been a little bit hectic on that front (and by that I mean that all I do is pretty much study all day).
Although the studies have hardly left me time for anything else, I've done quite a few interesting things in the last weeks :-):
* I finished my last assignment for Nosolorol: Editing an "Ars Magica"-style game set in the Ancient Rome called "Arcana" and written by the talented Adrian Rodríguez Afonso. If you want my opinion is the best wizards game since the aforementioned "Ars Magica" and it's very original and unique in lots of ways, but by far its best virtue is the setting. The games takes place during the time of the so called reign of the "Three Imperators", and its full of plot ideas which make the most of the fascinating historical characters (Septimius Severus and Julia Domna are right now my favourite historical couple :-)).
* I've also been listening lately to "Guano Apes" like crazy, and I definitely can say that I love the band. It's been a late discovery for me, but Sandra Nasic has an amazing voice, and I also find her gorgeous in a "POE-esque" sort of way. The lyrics of their songs aren't that wonderful (I'm afraid, that's because they being german, suffer from the classical: "English isn't my home language syndrome"), but they work the trick.
* Somehow last month I found time to perform in an amateur theatrical production, called "El Sueño de la Vida", based in Garcia Lorca's posthumous work of the same name. I had a very short role, and I'm not that happy about my performance, but I'd love to get hold of any of the video recordings of the play to share it here.
* And finally, I can say, that because of mytholder's fault I'm starting (or trying to start) a Nobilis game. He graciously shared with me two of his Nobilis CON scenarios "In at the Deep End" & "The Primrose Monarch" which I both loved, specially "The Primrose Monarch", which as the author brilliantly says in the scenario introduction can be described as "Jane Austen meets Nobilis". What else can a man ask for ;-D?
Oh, I should also say that today one of my epiphanies, and realized that I'd love to learn medicine and be a Doctor, but I still have to give it more thought, I think...
Current Mood: amused Current Music: Guano Apes - Living in a Lie Tags:gaming, life
Peanuts of the Caribbean: Some years ago, my friend Juanjo told me about his vision. He dreamed of a movie. A movie made with actors who never complained, never arrived late to the filming sessions, and always did their best during the shootings.
A movie made with peanuts.
This friday his dream will come to life. For those of you who think that a horror movie made with salty snacks isn't a bad idea here's the link to the official webpage:
www.goingnutsthemovie.com
And for the rest, here you have a teaser:
¡¡Manises del Caribe!! (It's in Spanish, but it's fun to see anyway).
Death is the road to awe: On Saturday I went to see Darren Aronofski's "The Fountain" ("La Fuente de la vida" here in Spain).
I went in thrilled after a long time waiting to see it, and I came out emotionally exhausted and broken. "Exhausted" as in "making love for two hours leaves you exhausted" and "broken" as in "receiving a beating leaves you broken".
Dear Roberta Sparrow... Tonight has been a strange night of wonder & revelation. Lack of sleep sometimes brings me to what you could call a a state of altered consciousness. One in which you perceive things differently.
Well, I was actually thinking it was all in my head until I turned the TV on before going to sleep just to discover they were putting on Donnie Darko in the 2nd channel.
Ah, yes. That's what I usually call a sign.
Current Mood: thoughtful Current Music: Donnie Darko's haunting OST
Some brief thoughts on Rome & Alatriste... Deathmask could hardly be more appropiate name for the episode that seems to signal the show's end. Why do I say this? Well, mainly because nothing, that happens in the episode is historical at all (well, actually the division of the territories between the triunvirate is, but just that).
It's really a shame (Specially considering that the episode had such strong moments. I'm not discussing any to avoid spoilers). Rome had been so far the best historical tv show, well... Ever... It's hard to see it turn its back on its principles in such a way.
Anyway, maybe I shouldn't be so fatalistic, perhaps they can still manage to build a good ending with the infighting between the triumvirate. No? They can't mess Mark Antony and Octavius fight for power, can they?
Well at least, Lucius Vorenus seems to be back to his usual self. More or less...
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As for Alatriste, both, Luis and I, figured a way of seriously improving the film, without spending a single € in filming, special effects or anything. Just include a voice over that says before the first scene,: "Previously in Alatriste...", and then show the rest of the film as if it was a summary of a 24, one hour episodes, series.
It greatly improves the quality of the film, don't you agree? :-D.
You know that Cold City is a totally awesome game: When you realize you've role played your first scene completely in English in your whole life (Thanks to the good 'ol Nast who's finally back from Edinburgh).
Seriously, the more I play this game the more I like it. I like it's conflict resolution mechanic even better that I liked it's trust mechanic (and I did like the trust mechanic a lot). I too like a lot it's european feel and the fact that I can enjoy multi-lingual scenes while running it (just after Nast had a brief conversation with Mr. Wright in english, dzalreck who plays a french ex-maquis had another conversation with another british officer. He speaking in french and the englishman replying in english. It was wonderful).
Definitely the best fun we've had in years :-D!!!
With such brilliant games coming out more, and more often (I've also fallen in love with the Spirit of the Century system, and John's Wick Houses of the Blooded, looks better each day), I wonder how long will D&D stand being the most popular rpg of the world...
You know what they say: Nothing lasts forever. Except true love ;-).
Early/Late 2007 Resolutions & some brief thoughts about time: 1. Be the change I want to see in the world. Which involves thinking a lot about which specific changes I want to see in the world, but also means:
2. Only write meaningful, thought-spanning stuff that pushes changes in the world. Stuff that raises questions, and breeds an insatiable hunger of answers and justice. And the same goes for the acting. And the radio programs, and everything else. I wish could spend my time in anything I wished, but right now I don't have that much time, so I prefer to devote it to the really useful & important things.
3. As part of the previously stated: Write that trilogy of mini-games about the world I keep telling me about. The one about destroying the world ("Fight Club" meets "Heroes"), the one about surviving the end of the world (Go Aguasnegras! GO!), and the one about giving birth to a new world. Create a simple, yet mature set of rules for them. Rules that don't include dice or any of the gamey-geeky stuff that usually turns older people away from roleplaying. Develop the setting so it serves as basis for other future works of fiction of my own (and other if they wish, and yes, this goes for people like you, Lightartisan).
4. Finishing my "Vendetta" trilogy for "sLAng" with the best roleplaying scenario ever written in Spain (Which should be included in the next scenarios anthology "Seis balas más"). Something that has to do with walking through the fire without getting burned. Something that deals with the aftermath of a revenge. Something written with Tarantino's Pulp-Fictionesque style...
Ah, so much wonderful writing to do. I really can't wait to get started :-D.
Lately I've been feeling that I can't fight against time. That it slowly corrodes everything, and once you feel real happiness, things only can get worse from that point on. Now I realize/think, that that is only half true. Moment's get lost in time, people, cool people that is doesn't. So thanks to all those I love. Thanks to those who ever were part of "La Garra del Dragón IV", specially, Lightartisan, Mayweda, Dzalreck, Banuor, Govinda & Zoso. Thank you for not letting time take you away. Thank you for being there, even if it's just in the distance. I love you all so much guys. There's so much left to do in this life and this world, I really hope that we all can accomplish it, side by side. Some day. Some close day in a near future.
The Ephiphany that came to me while watching "Heroes": This is mostly a note for myself, but anyway here it goes:
Lately I've been thinking a lot on how the human brain works, and the possibility that consciousness is a phenomena that exists on a very different level than the one we know today of neurons and brain nerves.
Or to say it with another words, I'm really fascinated by the possibility that consciousness doesn't exist only in our brain. Maybe it's something that isn't related to our brain at all. It's obvious, that the brain acts as the governor of the body. It's true that it receives information from the senses, processes it and with it, it rules through nervous impulses the functioning of our organs.
But beyond that I'm afraid that modern science doesn't know very much about the process of consciousness at all. It has to be related to our brain, because we make conscious decisions about our body (for example: I've decided to type this now), and those decisions get transferred to the appropriate organs through nervous impulses from the brain, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the brain is our consciousness. Maybe it's just an extension of our nervous system. Maybe it's the link between our consciousness and the rest of the body. If so? Where it exists? In which level? How does it originate?
Those who know me, know that although "spiritual", I'm not a religious person. I'm what you could call an agnosticist, but I can help to believe that, we may have a soul after all. And that makes me wonder about it's real possibilities. About our real possibilities.
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In other news, "Heroes" is definitely the best TV show since "LOST". Not only has answers, it also raises questions, can it get any better? :-).
Current Location:Las Palmas (Home) Current Mood: thoughtful Current Music: Heroes Main Theme (In my head) Tags:soul
El Camino de los ingleses Antonio Banderas new film "El Camino de los ingleses" (aka "Summer Rain" outside Spain)is a lot like "Verano Azul" directed by Sam Mendes (The Director of "American Beauty"). And it's actually the best spanish film I've seen since "El Laberinto del Fauno" (aka "Pan's Labyrinth").
I heartily recommend it. Specially if you like poetry. It's worth watching even if it's just for the final sequence where the rain washes away the summer with a melancholic jazz song as backdrop (Antonio Meliveo's excellent soundtrack really does help the movie a lot). Definitely not the sort of thing one usually expects to find in the cinemas in christmas, and in my humble opinion clearly underrated by the critics. Go to see if you have the chance.
Current Mood: impressed Current Music: El Camino de los ingleses score Tags:films
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