Saturday, March 31, 2012

The kids are all right


USA 2010

Details imdb

Seen 28 October 2011















Two mothers, a daughter and son
Is enough to make a family
But when the father comes into the picture
Late in their lives
He who was not even supposed to be there
Lives orderly and mundane before
Changes

The children are growing up
The mothers are getting into a routine
The father is the new element
The fresh air
That opens the doors to new outlooks, insights

Emotions held within
Kept under pressure
Are finding an outlet, a valve
To let go, to find a way, an outlet, a path, an avenue

Is it just a momentary lapse
Or is this a new beginning
Of a different set up
A foreign element, unknown quantity
A catalyst, that will come to rest
Making itself at home

It is a test
Of how the love nurtured, built up
Along the way
The years that saw the relationship
Through its ebbs and flows
Survives


Friday, March 30, 2012

Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World


USA 2003

Details  imdb

Seen 26 October 2011















Dangerous seems an understatement
The norm to be what society dictates
A character not your own
A personality so foreign
An abomination

Asia, Africa, Latin America, the developing continents
An accepted facet of the society
Now no longer

The perception, acceptance changed
Those tolerated, held high
Are now the lowliest of low
To be chased like common criminals
For a crime of heart

It is a desire
Inborn, naturally
The person would know who he or she is
No one else
Has the power to change, impose
Their own designs, intentions

Through the brutality, torture and unspeakable acts
In the name of religion and everything for all
These minority are hounded
Lives spied on, feeling unsafe in your own abode
Bringing fear and sadness, pain and suffering
Not only to yourself
But to those near and dear to you

When will it stop
Will it ever stop
The struggle is still an uphill battle
Each victory however small or insignificant
To be savoured
As drops of dew are precious in the arid desert
Precious indeed  

Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Servant


South Korea 2010

Details  hancinema

Seen 25 October 2011














The first look, sets a heart afire
From that moment on
Smitten, never giving up
To possess, to own, to say she is yours
Your own

Passion definitely between two bodies, a burning desire
Learning, stumbling, getting to know each other better

Reality has to be faced
There are so many obstacles
Circumstances that do not allow
Sacrifices that has to be made
Even when sometimes it is so painful
Hurt

The love is strong
They endure
There will be many other hardships
But for now, this moment
All seems at peace

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Reflections in a golden eye


USA 1967

Details  imdb
Seen 23 October 2011

















An instinct, intrinsic
Feelings that one kindred spirit is near
Physically near but could never be yours

Admiration from afar
Obsession, despite the odds
Urges, from within triggers an action
Continuously
Seeking fulfilment

Doubtful success will ever materialise
As an outsider to the bigger picture
What can be done
Observe, admire, protect
As much as possible

Finally, it does come to a stop
Tragedies, upheavals
Victims they are
Winners they are not


Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Mavro LIvadi aka Black Field


Greece 2009

Details projectcinemaas

Seen 9 October 2011









Black, bleak, foreboding
Windswept vistas, harsh reality
Surviving in such a landscape
With the help of others

Unfortunately
It was a deed that brings consequences
Unknown, bewildered, to the self

In an environment alien and strange to others
There the self find comfort and solace
It is a temporary respite
As the outside world beckons
Where reality comes headlong
Screaming, struggling

Showing the real self
Hidden all these years

Now at peace
Understanding the differences
Acknowledging what has happened
Anticipating what the future brings

A journey still


Monday, March 26, 2012

Assume nothing


New Zealand 2009

Details docnz

Seen 25 September 2011














Yes, of course we should not assume
But human nature seems otherwise
Preconceptions heavy in the air
Permeates the pores, heavy with images
From days past, carried over to the present

These are women, men, and those in between
A whole spectrum, a rainbow of colours
Myriad, encompassing so many
A variety, a conundrum
Against the norm, prejudices

Pioneers in a way
Blazing open a path
For others to follow
So many do it their way
Despite the odds
To stay true to themselves

Despite what happened
Despite what the future may bring
They are among us
They have made a choice
Rejoice

It is a celebration
The multi-faceted man


Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Infidel


UK 2010

Details  imdb

Seen 17 September 2011
















A mix-up
A long time ago
Only now realised

Does it matter
What happened then
Does if affect
What happens now

Yes, yes, yes

Affirmative
The past does cast its shadow on the present

The action taken
Coming to terms
Making sense of the past
Taking steps now
Moving forward to the future

Along the way
Discoveries
The past is not as rosy as it seems
The present has its trials and tribulations
The future is an unknown entity

But a step has been taken
A stand has been acknowledged

Tomorrow is another day

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Goddesses We Believe We Were Born Perfect


South Africa 2010

Details  swissfilms

Seen 16 September 2011






Women, part of Men
Apart from Men

Roles, perceptions changes
Archaic customs to some
Valid to others

Unique, exotic, treated as objects
Of desire, of abuse
Not of equals
But a curio
Crude, base, worthless

They are are perfect
They were born perfect
Nothing wrong with their inclinations
It is within them, naturally

Accept the diversity
Cast aside the prejudices
They are flowers
Beautiful, more so in the stark
Emptiness of the desert

The rules of single life


Finland 2011

Details imdb

Seen 15 September 2011
















Love, marriage, that is the usual sequence
Children, and live happily ever after
The ideal script

Reality is not that simple
Twists and turns
Along the way
Some do not even stop along the byways
Just cruising through

Stopping for some respite
For a moment or two
With hope that the stop will be a start
To a journey together

Looking, searching
It never ends
Looking, searching
For someone to make you complete
Not too difficult a task for some
But an uphill battle for others

So the journey continues
It might bump into something
Worth the attention and effort
Or it might just be a repeat
Of disappointments and heartaches

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Made in Britain


UK 1982

Details  imdb

Seen 10 September 2011














Anger
Frustration

The outsider who does not fit in
The thinker, who always ponder
Honesty, truth
Are those what they are purported to be

When normal situations
Seem so alien
What has been thought, expected of you
Irrelevant

You are made for something bigger
You are a patriot, proud of yourself
The others do not have a place here
They are usurpers
To the pristine landscape

An abomination
To be erased, out of view
By whatever means
Bit by bit, slowly maybe
But it will be done

That is your plan
The anger taking over

The consequences be damned

Daybreak


Philippines 2008

Details imdb

Seen 4 September 2011















A relationship
Built on mutual desires
In circumstances when
Both knew the social mores of the day
Will not accept them as an entity
Faces an uphill task

The particular meet
Supposedly to cement the ties
To finalise an arrangement
That could last and withstand the onslaught
Of society and family

Did not materialise

Both knew
Despite the love within
It is still not strong
To withstand the pressures
From without

Then night turns into day
And reality takes over

Monday, March 19, 2012

Strapped


USA 2010

Details  imdb

Seen 3 September 2011















Tied, bound
To a certain belief and conviction
That has always been there

A wondering, care free spirit
Sans attachments

How long will that last
Going from one to another
Without any feelings
Purposely holding back
The emotions

One by one
Services rendered just for the rewards
Keeping a tight rein on true feelings
Indecisive, frightened, a dilemma
Non-committal

Until
A spark ignited

Then the change took over
The touch, the kiss
Triggered unknown forces
For better or worse

A risk

No guarantees




Sunday, March 18, 2012

The housemaid


South Korea 2010

Details  hancinema

Seen 1 September 2011













Money, power, lust, convenience

Only the child
Sees the reality
When kindness is just a veneer

The adults live accordingly
Following their hearts and ambitions
Maintaining a life
An acquired life or life accustomed

Enter the outsider
Into this world of material wealth
Caught in the web

Isn't it acknowledged
That it takes two to tango
Why dismiss a party
Just because they are not of your own

Kindness in the beginning
Turns ugly when push comes to shove

Money and power
Might solve so many problems
But when matters of the heart is involves

The entanglement
Tightens the noose


Saturday, March 17, 2012

The Taqwacores


USA 2010

Details  imdb

Seen 1 September 2011














Punk, Muslim, American
Incongruous?
That does not even register
For those who believe
In the faith, music and country

They are definitely at the fringe
Of everything, of every group

Do they fit in?
Or do they make sense
Or is it just lots of noise, protestations

When those in the same group
Differ in outlook, opinion
Do you accept them?

It is a quest, a journey
For each individual
Even an adventure for some

Readings, debates, fights, quarrels
An explosive mix, sometimes
As a guide, pointers, lights
On the path to inner peace

At peace with oneself
And the other





Thursday, March 15, 2012

Astig


Philippines 2009

Details clickthecity

Seen 31 August 2011






Lives
Living or just surviving
Day to day
Moment by moment

Everyone tries
To better themselves
How and why they do it
Which road they choose to take
The effort to uplift yourself in life

Sometimes
The choice is not theirs

Fate, luck, destiny
All have a hand
Yes, we try to escape
The rut, the squalor
Often times
The pull is too strong
The tide is against us
Escaping is just not possible

Back to square one
Thankful
That we can see another day


Boogie Woogie


UK 2009

Details imdb

Seen 31 August 2011














Lives topsy-turvy
Head over heels
In the name of art

Love?
Did it matter
Is it even a component
Apart, a part of
Or then again
Not even in the equation

Wheeling, dealings
Back stabbing, deceit
All in the name of game

Some are jaded
Some are just stepping stones
There will be winners
And losers

Casualties
Some remembered
Some forgotten
Dismissed, inconsequential


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The King's Speech

UK 2010

Details imdb

Seen 30 August 2011















An impediment
Not of consequence in normal circumstances
A big issue when the life one leads, demands perfection

A life not of your own making
A gilded cage, a golden spoon
Born and entrusted with
Responsibilities, obligations
Regardless of how one feels

Fortunately, there is help
Dedicated, inspired, cajoled, pushed
Improving oneself
Even though sometimes
The effort seems so slow

That inner strength is there
Surfaces taking its rightful place
Triggered
To face the reality when the time comes

Triumphant



Sunflower


Italy 1970

Details imdb

Seen 13 August 2011










Crushed
Betrayed

Those loving moments once upon a time
Are they just moments?

Even though actions can be explained
It still hurts
Feelings that supposedly will be forever
Why did it disappear
Never to appear again

But those feelings are still there
That encounter triggered the memories
The spark
To those days before the separation

Can it be regained
Those same feelings

Both have changed
Others are involved
Others will be hurt
Disappointed

Don't let that happen again
Despair and lost

In this new life
Those memories will always be cherished
Unfortunately
Those memories are best kept in the past

The new life
Needs a new approach
Even though the hurt remains


Howl


USA 2010

Details imdb

Seen 7 August 2011








A wailing cry to heavens
Please hear
The plaintive longings
That comes from the gut
Justifies, maybe?
The coarse language
Some say from the gutters

Is it obscene
To some, definitely so
But others find it
Illuminating
Liberating

Signs of the times, maybe?
It is new, defiant
The start of a new era
The dawn of awakening
Of senses, trembling
Trying to feel
The inner recesses of those dark moments

Dark and light
Gaiety and laughter
Tears and screams of joy
Intermingled

Life


Caracremada


Spain 2010

Details imdb

Seen 6 August 2011







The war has ended
Doesn't he know

Why must he go on
What propels him
To be on his own
Defying his friends
The orders from superiors

Alone
Against the world

Something, somewhere
Pushes, cajoles
That the objective
Has not been met

Against all odds
He has to continue
Even though alone



Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Finesterrae


Spain 2010

Details miff

Seen 23 June 2011




Two on a journey
Wondrous

Experiences
Never encountered
Learning, adapting, accepting
Landscapes and vistas
Dreams and reality
One begins, the other ends
Or is it the other way

Throughout the journey
There will be ups and downs
Temptations and redemption

Trust, fortitude
Wavering bond, strengthening
Stronger than before
After all that has happened
Being together for such a time

When the journey does end
Does the bond end too




Jean Gentil


Dominican Republic 2010

Details  sffs

Seen 23 June 2011






Out of work
Out of life
Out, out, out

The screams, pleadings
To the Almighty
Unheard? Unanswered?

So the journey begins
The search continues
The answers are still vague
Somewhere, someday
There should be a conclusion
A closure

In the meantime
While that moment
Seems unreachable
Life continues

It is a long journey
Lonely, even with others
To break the circle
Needs another

But what other
Fleeting moments
Do they count

Wondering, ruminating
How long does it have to be
Before an answer is present
Or is it all within
Locked up, chained
Waiting for the sign, any sign
That you are wanted
Not alone

Pink Saris


India 2010

Details  wmm

Seen 22 June 2011




A one woman crusade
Against injustice
Against tradition
Against centuries old beliefs

She has gone through the experience
She has made a decision
That life is not for her
Life is meant to be better
On her own
Or with a loved one

Others may have given up
But she soldiers on
With gusto, spit in the wind

It is not a bed of roses
Each day another uphill battle
Sometimes the battle is not won on that day
But there will be other days

Time will come
When the trodden rise up on their own
She is just a conduit, the front line
Others have to take up the mantle

One day
It will be the women themselves
Unbidden
Asserting themselves
Taking their place as equals


Sunday, March 11, 2012

Clapham Junction

United Kingdom 2007

Details  imdb

Seen 5 June 2011









What happens at an area
A common, public area
And its surroundings
So many encounters, mishaps, and tragedies

Can those predisposed
Help themselves
It is not premeditated, prearranged
It just comes naturally

The inner longings
Might be from the loins at first
But some longings
Do come from the heart

Those touched by a look
A brush of hands
A whiff
Heart floundering, missing a beat

The next step taken gingerly
Into the unknown
Hoping it will be worth the effort, the trepidation
Will it be what we expected
Or will it be a total wreck

Markova Comfort Gay


Philippines 2001

Details  cbcpworld

Seen 30 May 2011









Who would have guessed
That comfort women would encompass
The other woman too

A disposition
An attraction
To one and the same
Might be fun and worthwhile
In times of peace

But in war

The memories are still intact
The survivor still makes his rounds
Visiting, comforting
Comrades in arms

Whether others believe in the tale
He has lived through an episode
A tragic phase in his life

Survive, that he does
With humour and candour
Those are his tools
To carry on to another day

Dry Summer (Susuz yaz)


Turkey 1964

Details  nfsa

Seen 21 May 2011



Yes, it is dry
A very dry summer

What would be the panacea
Water of course
Precious water
Drops of water would be heaven sent
A deluge would be better

Everyone needs water
Especially in the dry summer

Those who control the flow
Assume power
But is it theirs in the first place?
Even among those who hold the key
There are disagreements

Power over others
How sweet and intoxicating
Blinding one to rights and wrongs
The power held is such

There will be a day
That power is no longer
There will be a day
Regrets are too late


Thursday, March 08, 2012

Sandcastle


Singapore 2010

Details sg.movies.yahoo

Seen 4 April 2011





Their very nature
Sandcastles are
Impermanent
Always by the edge, dangerously keeping a hold

Ephemeral
Maybe years in human terms
But it might just be in a blink of the eye
Where sand, sea and sun conjoined
When it disappears

Memories of the past
Realities of the present
Meeting head on
Clash, boom, bang

It is the quiet moments
That lingers
Quiet moments are
The cornerstones, the foundation

Which brings us forward
To the next chapter

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Männer, Helden, schwule Nazis (Heroes and Gay Nazis)


Germany 2005

Details imdb

Seen 6 February 2011

A juxtaposition
An anomaly

It was not supposed to be

Political leanings, beliefs
That clashes with
Sexual desires

A compromise
Seems the easiest solution
A life of lies
Hiding and deceit

Those who know, knows
Those who don't, shocked

An attraction to the outer trappings
The physical attributes
That was the beginning
A desire, fetish, obsession
Being part of the bigger scheme

In the end
It is still incongruous


Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Black Swan

USA 2010

Details  imdb

Seen 5 February 2011















Are sacrifices sufficient, justified
To realise the ambitions, dreams
Not just your own
But those who have supported
Those who have nurtured
Those who have watched your progress

Until you reach the pinnacle
The ultimate
The dream that will materialise
Into something near perfection

Those dreams that drive, that push and pull
Inhabit the night time
Inhibit the day time
Puts a stop to spontaneity
A momentary halt

Until it blooms
Fires, explodes from the depths of your soul

Where did it come from
Where will it go
Where do you stand
Where do you stay

Where is your place
In that glorious circle of stars

Walang Kawala (No Way out)


Philippine2008

Details  amazon

Seen 3 February 2011









Lovers separated
Lovers reunited
Lovers against all odds
Lovers triumph in the end

Or have they?

Alangkah lucunya (negeri ini) - How funny (this country is)


Indonesia 2010

Details  wikipedia

Seen 29 January 2011








Ethics, morality
Religious faith and teachings

Crossing the line
For the better good
Who is to say
It is not accepted

It is definitely wrong
Goes against the grain
Acts that defy what has been taught
Acts that normally would not see the lights of day

These are exceptional times
Needs exceptional measures

Those in need, crave guidance
A supporting hand
A life line
To surface above the murky waters
To breath again

Or else, lives will be drowned forever
In the whirlpool of deceit
Avarice


Kubrador (The Bet Collector)


Philippines 2007

Details rottentomatoes

Seen 29 January 2011








Mundane it might be
That work, bringing in small change
Collected from all and sundry
But that effort
Puts food on the table

It might not be within the law
It might not be safe
It might be dangerous and risky
The work continues
Going through the routines

When the body is weak
Tired, frustrated, dejected
Longings for a better day
A loving touch, a soothing hand
Seems so welcomed

Can it be real
Or just a figment of the imagination
Something desirable
But unreachable

Sunday, March 04, 2012

Lola and Billidikid


Germany1999

Details  rottentomatoes

Seen 27 December 2010







Family secrets
A black mark, carried forever
Never forgotten
However hard the effort
To hide and wipe
That past, a long bleeding, sad past

The past does not know
The present will meet it
The future will embrace it

Memories past
Turn into present action
Future consequences

The scenes might be different
The emotions are the same
Not acknowledging
Not accepting

And as to be expected
There are blows
Flare-ups

Victims, victors
Survivors