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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Withered in a blooming season

China 2005

Details  cduniverse

Seen 11 December 2010

Siblings

Close relationships

One day

The ties have to be severed

Sounds harsh and cruel

But how does one grow

And discover

If still tied to another

Alas

One side does not agree

Persists, prefers the old arrangement

Tries, cajoles to maintain what is familiar

A one sided effort

However hard one tries

Will not result in what you desire

The hard cold facts

That has to be accepted

Haze

Japan 2005

Details  avistaz

Seen 7 December 2010

A dream, a nightmare

Which is reality

Which is imagination

Is this hell

Or all in the mind

The mind playing games

Toying with you

Pushing you towards a precipice

Pulling you towards the end

Or is it really the end

Or a beginning

Amphetamine

Hong Kong 2010

Details Amphetaminemovie

Seen 5 November 2010

Is love just a physical attraction

The starting point

It must be

Your partner has a past

You want to make it better

You accept all the flaws

As the future beckons

A glorious day

Is within your reach

But there will be mishaps

The Butch Factor

USA 2009

Details imdb

Seen 5 November 2010

The realisation that you are different

Makes you wonder

Can you make it in life

Finding­ that happiness

Coming to terms

With who you are

What you are

What the future holds

A decision has to be made

Now or in the future

You owe it to yourself

To live and love

Carmen

Spain 2003

Details imdb

Seen 9 October 2010

Fiery, but you can't let go

Danger, but you still savour

Broken promises, but you still come back

Treated badly, but you still want her

She is the one

The only one for you

Irrespective of danger, broken hearts, jealousy

That inexplainable attraction

Whether for just one minute or one second

You still want her

You must have her

Spring Fever

China 2009

Details imdb

Seen 8 October 2010

Do the seasons bring out

That lurking,deep feeling inside us

A feeling not quite familiar

But an essential part of us

A feeling that should be repressed

Hidden

Or let out

To smell the air

To feel the heat

To see the sun

How long will it last

That hidden desire

Once it is set free

If there are kindred spirits

It might blossom

Grow

Wild, strong

Or whither, die

Lonely

Certified copy

France 2010

Details imdb

Seen 7 October 2010

Two souls, encountered

Conversations exchanged

Experiences shared

A story unfolds

Four Lions

UK 2010

Details imdb

Seen 20 September 2010

A crow in the field

The sun high above

Gone in seconds

Houses in suburban areas

Incognito

Behind the curtains

Plots unfold

Men in blue rushing

Catching their target

A pop here

A pop there

How did the idea germinate

Frontline The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan

USA 2010

Details  pbs

Seen 23 August 2010







Snow capped mountains
Streams rushing refreshing
Flower buds aplenty
Taken

Jay

Philippines 2008


Details  kabayancentral.

Seen 17 August 2010




A dry environment
Needs water, moisture
But too much
Floods the land

From beginning to end

aka Do Comeco ao Fim

Brazil 2009

Details imdb

Seen 14 August 2010





Bright days in the beginning
Intermittently
Dark clouds passing make an appearance
Until the sun appears again

The milk of sorrow

aka La teta asustada

Peru 2009

Details  imdb

Seen 24 April 2010





My little
Lost dove
You ran away out of fear
And you lost your soul

Broken embraces

aka Los abrazos rotos

Spain 2009

Details  brokenembraces

Seen 2 April 2010



Despair
Not knowing where to seek help
In return
If the conditions are followed
Wealth and security

Until someone special, who cares
Understands, loves you for what you are
Comes into your life

Then the world spins

You do try
Making a semblance of effort
To align the past with present
And the future

But when one man is besotted, would not accept
That you no longer belong to him
Trouble starts, hatred and anger spews forth

Man, woman, love
The eternal triangle

Ajami

Israel 2009

Details  imdb

Seen 27 March 2010






The innocent caught in the line of fire
Always the victim never the victor

Trying to make a living
Trying to improve oneself
Trying and trying

Love for family
Spurs you to surmount obstacles and barriers
Assuming bigger and bigger roles
In the face of adversity
You strive to make a dent
Towards the ultimate goal
Helping the loved ones, close and dear

Through the hardships
The dreary, bleak and dismal landscape
Perseverance, sacrifices seems the order of the day

Even when there is a spark of love
Extinguished

Life continues

Soundless Wind Chime

Hong Kong 2009

Details imdb

Seen 26 March 2010




Silence. Cacophony
Open welcoming nature,
Sheltered claustrophobic urban metropolis

Unfortunate circumstances
Leading to
The beginning of
That first instance
Two disparate lives
Entwined, meeting, melting into one

There are times
The bonds break
But they are of one heart, soul
Together on a journey
Discovering, savouring
All the sweetness that love has to offer

The bitter moments
Are memories
Interspersed with those happy times
Each is a part
Each will remain
Etched in time forever

Imelda

USA 2003

Details  imdb

Seen 13 March 2010






Sacrifice to God and Beauty
That is what she says
All and everything that she did
Was for a cause
She was the sacrificial lamb
She represents the people
Enslaved to them

That is what she says

Hunger, poverty, discontent
Deaths even
In the pursuit of a goal
Personal glory
No, a definite no
It was all for the people

That is what she says

She truly believes
She can't see it any other way
She sacrifices so much
She is so misunderstood
And now the children will continue
Sacrificing themselves

That is what she says

The secret of their eyes

aka El secreto de sus ojos

Argentina 2009

Details  imdb

Seen 10 March 2010






A heinous crime
Deserves the same treatment likewise?

Can we ever forget
What happened to our love
What kind of brute would even think of such abomination
How do we react

Keep the memories alive
Lest we forget

Keep the passion aflame
The hatred or acceptance
Has to be maintained
Until that beast is found
To feel and endure
What you are going through

Killing is too easy
The guilty must be kept alive
To know, to live each day as you have lived
To feel that emptiness, loneliness
Dejection, the depths of despair
That knowledge, that fact

The one you love
Has gone forever

Merantau

Indonesia 2009

Details  merantau-movie

Seen 26 February 2010




Be prepared
For the big bad world
Even though
Well equipped
In terms of knowledge
Others have an advantage too

All well and good
Trying to uphold justice and fairness
What can one man do
Against the juggernaut onslaught

Struggles, that is certain

Winners, losers
The cycle continues

Blood spilled
Blood replenished
A life silenced
Another begins

A prophet

aka Un prophète

France 2009

Details  festival-cannes

Seen 19 February 2010



Thrown into a hostile environment
The first day itself, a baptism of fire

To survive
You endure
You adapt
You compromise

Step by step
You follow the rules
Gaining strength and confidence
Until you are sure
A strike can be made on your own

A success
Spurs further ambitions
Nevertheless
Not everything comes your way
There are hiccups
Stumbling blocks

Perseverance is needed
A steely resolve
In anticipation of further disappointments

A strong will power, never giving up
Stubbornness and diligence
The ingredients
That wins the day

The white ribbon

aka Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte

Germany 2009

Details  nytimes

Seen 17 February 2010






Grim faces
Hard lives

Does light shine through here

A hamlet it might be
Peopled by those like you and me

A microcosm of humanity
Although what transpires here
Seems gargantuan
In relation to its size

They solve problems
In their own way

They brook no dissenting voice
That would definitely incur the wrath
Of elders and those in power

So life will find its way
Eroding slowly
In a gentle pace
The established norms

Until unexpected turns of events
Jolts the community
Into realisation
They are not alone
Not just a tiny speck
Not just a dot in the map

My fair son

China 2007

Details  cduniverse

Seen 16 February 2010








Can you see yourself in your progeny
Is he different
Or similar

You try your best
To lead him to a better life
You give support and succor

But he has his own ideas
He is on his own
Independent

A variant of yourself
It might look so unfamiliar
But on closer scrutiny
He is still your son

Avatar

USA 2009

Details  imdb

Seen 14 February 2010





Greed
One of the seven cardinal sins

Permeates
The blood and veins
Of those who vouch no objections

In peril
A delicate entity
Interconnected, entwined as one

Do the visitors care
Not now
Not in the future

Assumptions
As if they are superior
But, are they

They do not understand
They do not want to understand or comprehend

The delicate balance
The order of things
That has been set in place

They forgot
To see the whole picture

A mistake
A very big mistake

Taking Woodstock

USA 2009

Details  filminfocus

Seen 6 January 2010




A momentous event
For the youths
For the town
For the family
For the man

Circumstances does play its part
Timing
Connections
Perseverance
Camaraderie

The music
Awesome
The people
Full of love

The man
Comes to terms
With what he is
In relation to his family
Friends, loves, community

Where he will be in future
He has to make that decision
Even though that means
Leaving familiarity behind

But he does have the blessings
Of his loved ones
Despite some early hesitations

He will strive forward
Just like the group who gathered
During that momentous event

Not sure where and how
But forward it will be

We were one man

aka Nous étions un seul homme

France 1979

Details  imdb

Seen 3 January 2010










Two
Become one

From opposite sides
During a war
When events turn haywire

Kindred spirits
Long lost friends

Time to know each other
Emptiness, loneliness
Brings them closer

Searching, yearning
Another man
Fills the void

But
There is a third party
Sympathetic, understanding

The two
Despite the ups and downs
Fights and quarrels

Are two peas in a pod

Meant for each other

Burn the bridges

aka Quemar las naves

Mexico 2007

Details  imdb

Seen 29 December 2009






Bonds

Past, present and future
Intermingled

Potent brew

Can we cut off
That umbilical cord

Can we go free
Dare we

A step
A jaunt
A jump
A leap

Beyond
What is familiar

It is dangerous
Exciting, exhilarating

Takes your breath away

Head spinning, dizzy
Gulping for air

It is life after all

Experiences add up

Ultimately

Survival

Papadom

Malaysia 2009

Details  cinema

Seen 25 November 2009








A father's love
To compensate
For the missing moments
Does not turn out too well

Even with the best intentions
There are times
When letting go
Is the better option

Is it really for the love
Definitely
But there is also
The guilt

Making amends

That seems to be common
Material gains
Supposedly
To make life better

Ye, it does
But it is not a guarantee
That the heart
Will be contented

Both are needed
In fair measure
A delicate balance
Ever changing

Wild Animals

South Korea 1997

Details  nytimes

Seen 22 November 2009










Finding your fortune
In a foreign country
Is never easy

You use all ways and means
To forge ahead

You might begin
With a noble goal
But the bread and butter
Bodily sustenance
Becomes the main priority

A man eat man world
Friendships betrayed

For love

That eternal emotion
Love
Almost always comes into the picture

To what ends
Do we sacrifice
Compromise
To meet, to have
Forever
The one we love

Set aside loyalty
Kinship, brotherhood
Morality

We must get what we want

Do we get it?

Grand Ecole

France 2004

Details  imdb

Seen 21 November 2009








A successful admission
To a top business school
Should be the pinnacle
An achievement
A victory

For the students
For the parents
The nation
The economy

But life always
Throws the odd ball in

Games people play
Mind games
High stakes
Emotions involved
Danger looms

A reward, a prize
At the end

Or do all
Fall victim

To the pull of
Physical attraction

Where does the pure heart go
Simpering
In a corner

Lamenting its fate

Or triumphant
Knowing tomorrow is
Another day

Bayaw

aka Brothers in Law

Philippines 2009

Details  Philippine Entertainment Portal

Seen 20 November 2009






How apt
Brothers in law
In more ways than one

As always
There is more to it
That what we see

The daily hassle
Arguments
Put downs

Come to a boiling point
One day, one moment
Something snapped

Thus began
The journey
To escape

Freedom?
Elusive

Changes?
Doubtful

Sacrifices?
Definitely

And the heart?
Remains a question

8 1/2 Women

UK 1999

Details  imdb

Seen 24 October 2009




When death comes
Things change
Or we want, desire
That change

This happens
When we have lost
A lifetime companion
Someone
Who has been with us
From the beginning

A part of us
Which we could never imagine
Being without

So we start anew
Discovering
Exploring

New vistas open up
New experiences
A new life
Renewed

Yes, it does take all sorts
All kinds of relationships

Fantasies are now realities
Immense pleasure
Satisfaction

But of course
There are trade offs

But for one
He went away
Happily

Vincere

Italy 2009

Details  festival-cannes

Seen 17 October 2009





Is this fate

To fall in love one moment
To be forgotten the other

How can a love
Be abandoned

Just thrown away

The fight to reclaim your rights
Despite the hurdles
Struggles
Seem in vain

No one knew
What happened
Evidence destroyed
Lives abandoned

Love's follies
Unanticipated

No one knew

It could end this way

The Fish Child

Aka El nino pez

Argentina 2009

Details imdb

Seen 12 October 2009








Past memories
Can never erased

It might be
Ages ago

But they are a part of us

Coming to terms
With what happened

Our survival instinct
Blocks the dark spots
Adapts to new places
Embrace the future

Until

The past comes back
Haunts you
Follows you

Unless

We make a decision
Take the the bull by its horns

We have to
We must

To carry on