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).

Pop-Punk in the spanish capital

Pop-Punk is one of the most popular punk sub-genres in Spain. Madrid also has its share in the pop-punk scene of the Iberian Peninsula. Two madrilean groups, El Caso de la Habana and Viernes 13, and a basque one, Nasti de Plasti, played at Gruta 77 their interpretation of the genre popularized by The Queers and Screeching Weasel. The opening act was the power trio, Nasti de Plasti, from Bilbao who played a fast pop-punk similar to Lillingtons with catchy hooks and melodies, they also played "Do you wanna dance" (The Ramones version of the Bobby Freeman classic).


Then came the infamous pop-punkers from the outskirts of Madrid (Móstoles), El Caso de la Habana, formed in the early 90's, who were presenting their new ep, "Six Punk Rock Songs". They played a very tight and catchy 77' punk rock ala Ramones with fast punk songs here and there. They played "Nunca Volveré a Nueva York", "Di que me quieres", "Sal mi vida", among others. Their vocalist/bassist, Mariano, sounds a lot like Joey Ramone and they end their set with three Ramones' tunes: "Do you remember Rock n Roll Radio?" and versions in spanish of "California Sun" and "Do you wanna dance"; they said goodbye as the Ramones also did in their concerts when a friend came on stage with a monster mask and a sign with the words, "Gabba Gabba Hey", as they sang the same words from the final of the Ramones classic, "Pinhead".


The last group of the night was Viernes 13, a female fronted pop-punk outfit who also were presenting their new album, "Rockaway Hits". The crowd was a lot less when they played and that affected their performance. They played songs like "Mi novio es un hombre lobo", "Pizza y pelis de terror", "California", among others. As the other previous groups they played some covers too like Green Day's "Jesus of Suburbia" and Groovie Ghoulies' "Till death do us party". In general the show was fun but not the greatest.

Pictures by M.Cabrera.

Hablando en Plata Squad new album!

The andalusian hip hop legends, Hablando en Plata Squad, are back with new album called "Libertad/Hambre" in stores on March 3, 2009, according to their label Boa Records. The group's three mc's, belguim-born Capaz Fernandez, Sicario and mc/producer Rayka, and DJ/Producer Mr. Narko recorded the doble-album (32 tracks) at Malaga's classic producer, Big Hozone, Showtime Studios. The productions are from Big Hozone, Rayka and Mr. Narko and the featurings are from international R.A The Rugged Man, young reggae singer Shabu One Shant, the groups usual collaborator Elphomega and Lisandra.

The first single and videoclip will be "El castigo de los débiles" and the tracklist is as follows:


1.- Pago Por Visión (Flesh)
2.- Te Voy A Hundir
3.- Violencia En La Música feat R.A The Rugged Man
4.- Criminales
05. Forbidden
5.- Slasher
6.- Ya Estan Aquí
7.- Ojos De Dios
8.- Nada Que Perder
9.- Vida Rápida
10.- Plenilunio
11.- Antes Del Alba
12.- El Castigo De Los Débiles
13.- Nos Fotean
14.- Afunkalypse Now
15.- Mienten Por Dinero
16.- Ratas
17.- Colt 42
18.- Jugar Con Fuego
19.- Cómo Decir Que No feat Lisandra
20.- H.A.M.B.R.E.
21.- Educación
22.- Ven A Mi
23.- Whatcha Mouth feat Shabu One Shant
24.- Monstruos Del Fin Del Mundo
25.- Números
26.- Mmmm Oh
27.- La Muerte De La Mañana
28.- El Blues De Los Mas Buscados Hoy Feat Elphomega
29.- Lluvia Negra
30.- El Hablar De La Calle
31.- Inocencia
32.- (Track Oculto) Tengo Muchos Vicios

Dalí, Buñuel and García Lorca

Little Ashes is a new independent film about the early years of three of the most important spanish artists of the 20th century, aragonese film-maker Luis Buñuel, catalan painter Salvador Dalí and andalusian poet Federico García Lorca.

Punk no Brasil

Brazil, the land of feijoada, caipirinha, g-strings, best soccer players ever and 6x world champion bodyboarder Guilherme Tamega, is one of the first Latin American countries to have punk rock music back in the late 70's. It started with bands like Colera, Ratos de Porao, Lixomania, Lobotomia, just to name a few. Here's a documentary called "Botinada: A Origem do Punk no Brasil", that documents its origins, the early bands and the entire early history of the punk scene in this portugese-speaking country of the Americas.

As the 90's approached, The Blind Pigs (now called Porcos Cegos) emerged with their kick-ass blend of melodic hardcore/punk, first with the label, Grita!, and then on their own Sweet Fury Records. This band put Brazil in the punk rock map with their classic "Sao Paulo Chaos". Around the late 90's, we interview lead singer, Henrike, for our previous printed fanzine and he told us in one of the questions about a couple of local brazilian bands. I did not get into any, until now. One of them is a rad skate punk band called Gritando HC, they have only one album out with their original line-up called "Ande de skate e destrua". Their lead singer died in 2001 but they left this incredible piece of recordings. Enjoy!