A Cub Scout Never Lies

This short film is most likely independent since it doesn't belong to any major production company, and it's specifically done as an expression of art. It's by the young filmmaker Ian Samarao who narrates the agony of a young man as he agonizes for three days due to a domestic accident that leaves him paralyze and unable to ask for help. But,the stories "moral" is that the young man ponders about his life and all his wrong doings which leads to the title, "A Cub Scout Never Lies".(English Subtitles)

Somewhere Inside

Laura Ling, renowned journalist recorded her ordeal in the book “Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home” published by William Morrow. In the autobiography she narrates her 5 month imprisonment in North Korea after being sentence to 12 years of hard labor in North Korea’s labor camps for crossing the North Korean border illegally. Laura’s sister, Lisa stood by her side in every step of the way and managed to get her home with the help of former president of the U.S, Bill Clinton who negotiated her release with Kim Jong II. This is just a reference back to The Hunting Party movie based on real life events which demonstrates how hard it’s to cover news stories abroad and bring the news to audiences at home which ultimately make the news network a success or a failure.

The Hunting Party

The Hunting Party is a movie directed by Richard Shepard which narrates a story which is almost too incredible to be base on real life events. The movie off course involves some fiction to make it exciting, but the fictitious elements are clarified at the end of the movie which by the way are very few. The movie is basically about the life of a team of foreign correspondents who are sent to report in Bosnia in the war that involved Bosnia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or Serbia, and Croatia during 1992-1995. The correspondents start getting infuriated by the injustice that goes on even after war since the main authorities make unsubstantial efforts to catch war criminals some of who in reality are still on the run like Ratko Mladic, and some who have been caught like Radovan Karadzic. Therefore, they decide to go into a little investigation from which they emerge triumphant, but if you want to know the whole story is best that you watch it since it is particularly critical of events that often occur in real life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratko_Mladi%C4%87

From Brazil to Japan

From Brazil to Japan is a documentary directed by Aaron Litvin and Anna Paula Litvin which was presented in Brazil On Screen at Mass Art last year, but since it reflected an important factor of immigration it’s worth being mentioned. The documentary deals with how Japanese descendants go back to their ancestor’s land in the pursuit of a better future, but despite their bloodline and resemblance to the Japanese they find themselves at odds in a foreign country. Throughout the documentary the six Brazilian families discuss openly in front of the cameras the culture shock they go through and from which a lot never recover since they identify themselves more as Brazilians than as Japanese. Some of the subjects remain in Japan and others head back to their loving land which makes them make comparisons between the two lands depending on their experiences as one being more open, or more restrictive. Unfortunately, the documentary’s trailer is not available online, but I’ve posted a documentary that deals with the same subject. Nevertheless, if this has increase your interest for Brazilian film Brazil On Screen, film festival will be holding its third annual June 11, 2010 at 6:00pm in the CO-OP High School New Haven, CT for the moderate price of $2 for admission. Check the website for more details http://www.brazilonscreen.com

MTV movie awards 2010

I assumed you watched the MTV 2010 movie awards yesterday Sunday 6, unless you were really busy with your homework and all in which case I’m here to fill you in. The awards started with the traditional red carpet from which the New Jersey Shore benefitted since before it being broadcast their show was on. Surprisingly the Jersey Shore personalities were also in the awards which was bizarre. In fact, I am just surprise on how someone can become famous in a few days by acting the fool, even though I most confess the show is one of my guilty pleasures. But anyways Twilight was nominated for Best Kiss and Best Movie and it came as no surprise when it won both. The Best Movie should have gone to Avatar because it was incredibly well produced without mentioning its environmentally friendly plot, but that is just personal opinion. Finally, as I am sure you have all seen in the news Sandra Bullock was awarded the MTV Generation Award, and made her first appearance after her relationship rupture. But none of these moments mean as much to me as the personification Aziz Ansari did of Precious now that was a real masterpiece, even though the language used is not necessarily proper at all. Then, Ill like to hear you opinion on which of the MTV movie award moments was the best in your eyes.By the way Justin Bieber was everywhere but I am not into him or his music :(

Ptown Int Film Festival

Provincetown will be holding its International Film Festival which was founded in 1999. It’s a five-day festival from June 16-20 that will include American as well as international film, documentaries which are my favorite, and short-film. There will be Portuguese film sidebars, which I personally don’t know what consist of. But, the Filmmaker on the Edge Award will be awarded, as it has been every year to recognize the talent of independent filmmakers. So far this festival sounds like a great platform for emerging independent filmmakers. If any of you are interested I urge you to check out the website http://www.ptownfilmfest.org, or call for tickets which are on sale at 508-487-FILM.

Sight and Sound

As I was browsing through the shelves of the Borders at Copley center I discovered Sight and Sound which is the main authority when international film is concerned. This magazine's history is relatively recent which means that it was first published in 1999 and ever since then it has written synopsis about international film. Its most recent issues focuses on Italian cinema which includes details about new movies like The Great Seducer which focuses on the life of Mussolini, while also remembering some classics like La Dolce Vita. It's just amazing how detailed this magazine really is. It can be considered an open gateway into the world of foreign film. However, this recent issue doesn't leave behind other prominent films like The Milk of Sorrow, which tries to look at the effects, the civil war, left behind in Peru through out the 1980's.