Che Part Two: Guerilla

Guerilla is the second part of Steven Soderbergh's film about argentinean revolutionary , Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Benicio del Toro plays the role of Che's final months (1967) in the bolivian andes where he formed a small guerilla to overthrown the bolivian military government. In this second part, as well as in the first part, we have Demián Bichir (Weeds) as Fidel Castro, Rodrigo Santoro (300 and Lost) as Raul Castro and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace) as Aleida March de Guevara. Also we have actors like Gaston Pauls (Nine Queens) as argentinean painter/guerillero Ciro Bustos, Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba) as Secretary General of Bolivia's Communist Party Mario Monje, Franka Potente (Run Lola Run) as only-female guerillera Tania, Óscar Jaenada (Noviembre) as bolivian guerillero Darío and Matt Damon as parish priest Father Leo Schwartz.

In general this part of the film has more action but does not have any good character development other than Che's character. Also, the editing sometimes made it difficult to differentiate between who was from the guerilla or who was from the bolivian army. Del Toro's performance was great as he transformed literally to become the charismatic leader. The other actors were ok, some did not pull out the correct accents (i.e. puerto rican actors speaking like puerto ricans instead of cubans) but Franka Potente stand out in a perfect argentinean accent (she is german) and puertorican actor Norman Santiago (Maldeamores) spoke a good cuban accent. The story was a bit sloppy in occasions but overall was not boring. At least, we got to see the final months of Che's struggle to bring communism to latin america. Not Soderbergh's greatest piece of work but one of the best performances by the puertorican actor, Benicio del Toro.

Benicio del Toro recently won the spaniard award Goya for best actor for the first part of the film, The Argentine. As well as the best actor award in Cannes 2008 for both parts of the movie.

Lexicon Devil: A Germs Documentary

Lexicon Devil: A Germs Documentary is the new documentary about the infamous late 70's punk/hardcore band from Los Angeles, California, The Germs, and it's singer/leader, Darby Crash. The film is scheduled to be released in 2009 and in the trailer we see never-before-seen footage of the Germs live performances. The documentary has all the usual suspects like Keith Morris, Mike Watt, Alice Bag, etc. Also has appearances by Fat Mike and Flea. After, the germs biopic (which was not so good) this seems like a good piece of work. Can't Wait.

The Wrestler by Darren Aronofsky

The Wrestler is the new film by acclaimed indie director, Darren Aronofsky (PI and Requiem for a dream). Starring are Mickey Rourke as old-school wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson, Marisa Tomei as aged-stripper Cassidy and Evan Rachel Wood as Randy's daughter.

Randy, a legendary wrestler from the 80s, is wrestling 20 years later because is the only thing he knows and is his life support. He struggles to pay the rent and to stay in shape, so he also works in a supermarket deli and fixes himself with some roids, respectively. He frequents a stripper bar for cheering his life up and flirts with his favorite stripper, Cassidy. He has no relationship with his daughter, Stephanie. After a hardcore match, Randy has a heart attack, resulting in not being able to wrestled again. He looks for his daughter to tell her, but she does not want to relate to him. Randy's life goes downhill when he cannot even get company nor love from his favorite stripper and only "friend". So he returns to wrestling, the only good thing he does, no matter what are the consequences.

Aronofsky's look at the decadent life of an old school wrestler who is trying to revive his old illustrious career. Visually is the simplest of his films (no cool shots and no fast editing), but is a closer look to a simple story of having to live with your circumstances, having to endure the rough life of being alone and not being able to at least do what you love. A good element of the direction is that at first, you don't get to see Randy's face (a lot of back shots of Rourke's big body and long blond hair) for the sake of good storytelling. The emotions of decadence and pain are well presented with the camera shots of dirty places, the quiet trailer home, the dressing rooms and the strip clubs (as in Requiem for a dream when you feel that emotion of sickness, pain and decadence all in once).

Rourke's role is very well-done as he was himself a wrestler for a couple of time and the looks are there. Tomei's performance as the stripper who feels old for the job (the same as Randy) but still is doing it because is her only income, is greatly performed as well. But the important thing about everything is the story itself and the emotions it provokes as you watch it (the pain in the hardcore match, the sadness in Randy's attempts to get back his daughter and the pity for that wrestler who in the outside world can't make it). Great film overall, unconventional but very good.

Mickey Rourke won the Golden Globe and Bafta for Best Actor and Aronofsky won the Golden Lion in the Venice Film Festival. Rourke and Tomei are nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.

Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire is the latest film by versatile english director, Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Sunshine, etc). The screenplay, adapted by Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty), was based on the novel "Q&A" by Vikas Swarup. The story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an orphan from the slums of Bombay, who is playing the indian version of the game show "Who wants to be a millionaire". He earns 10 million rupees by answering all the correct answers but when the final question comes, only the destiny will tell if he is going to win.

Boyle created one of the best films of the new century. A visually striking and deeply moving story of the destiny of a young orphan who is in search of the love of his life, a girl named Latika (Freida Pinto). It evolves around the development throughout the years of the city of Bombay in India, when a pair of brothers, Jamal and Salim, grew up alone and having to survive the tough life in the streets. The game show serves as focal point to tell the story of Jamal as a homeless kid who learn from life itself, the things to survive. These things learned are luckily the answers for the game show, for him the destiny was written.

The storytelling is original, told from the point of view of Jamal, in the game show and in the police station, explaining how he knew all the answers and how was his life prior to appearing in the show. It is constructed as a journey through the colorful streets of India. From the Taj Mahal to the dirtiest slum from the poorest house to the wealthiness of today's indian economic growth. It has a City of God-esque feel to it with the violence of the streets but with comedy elements and the feel-good scenes of a good "Bollywood" film. The music goes great with the images and the story is well-connected in every sense. It is a celebration of living without fear, never giving-up and hope, that any human being can relate to. Boyle proves being a great film-maker who can adapt to any kind of story or environment.

The movie won 4 Golden Globes (Best Movie, Best Screenplay, Best Music and Best Director) and is nominated for 10 Academy Awards.

Inglorious Basterds Trailer

Tarantino's new film, Inglorious Basterds, starring Brad Pitt, BJ Novak (The Office), Eli Roth (Hostel's Director) and Mike Myers.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the new film by acclaimed director, David Fincher (director of Fight Club and Seven). It is an adaptation of the short-story written by F.Scott Fitzgerald, author of the classic 1920's novel The Great Gasby, who is part of the "Lost Generation" of american writers of The Jazz Age or Roaring 20's. The script was written by Eric Roth of "Forrest Gump" fame, starring are Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett with supporting roles by Tilda Swinton and Elias Koteas.

Fincher is one of the greatest american directors of our time and with this film he proves it once more. The storytelling is very original and creative. The story of Benjamin Button (a man who ages backwards) is told from a diary written by Button, who is readed by his daughter, who is in the hospital because her mother is dying. The main character at the beginning is an old and fragile man (marvelously played by Pitt) who does not fit anywhere, he lives in a home full of old people but he is merely a kid with an old man's look. He experiences things in life (first kiss, first drink, first love, etc) as an old man. He grows but gets younger every year and so on, until he dies as a recent-born like child. Anyhow his life is a normal one but very sad because he cannot experience things others do at the same time and he cannot relate to almost anyone. He loves Daisy (Cate Blanchett) but they can't stay forever together because as Daisy grows like an old woman, Benjamin keeps getting younger.

The story is based in New Orleans, Louisiana and it covers from the time World War I ended throughout the recent times when hurricaine Katrina was attacking the city. It is the time as seen by a man who grows differently from the norm but still experiences the same human feelings. Benjamin lives through the Pearl Harbor attack, The Jazz Age, The Great Depression, The Beatles prime, Racial discrimination times, among others. It is similar to Forrest Gump being "different" and having accomplished so many things in his life. The essence of life without barriers is told by this incredible story. It is a very moving and deep story that anyone can relate no matter how old or young they are.

The movie was nominated for 5 Golden Globes (no wins) and has been recently nominated for 13 Oscars (including best film, director, lead actor and adapted screenplay).