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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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