IHST FilmFEST Reviews #3

I only have one thoughtful review and 2 "just discard these movies from your life" suggestion.

1. Paraiso Travel (2007)

Plot: After coming to the United States from Colombia with his "love" Reina, Marlon finds himself without a home, family, job, and loses Reina in "sketch-ville" Queens (NY). Marlon works his way up from the very bottom, trying to make a life in a new country. During his journey he meets helpful folks and falls for an aspiring singer. We get to know Marlon's journey through a series of flashbacks.

The Good: This film gave a new perspective to "border crossing journey flicks." A lot of the time you see stories from Mexico or Central America, but we rarely see stories from those who travel from South America. Paraiso Travel really captivated the hardship of what it means to come to a new country with nothing, while still providing a story about the evolution of a person (Marlon). Marlon is strong and weak all at once--he isn't perfect. Like a normal person, you see him go through every emotion and just root for him to find some sort of peace of mind and stability.

The Bad: John Leguizamo. Uh ya. Not only is his character some random sex crazed guy with a super awkward stutter, but the whole film is in Spanish and his Spanish in comparison to these actors is...uhhhh....well less than stellar. Is it because I can't understand his Puerto Rican Spanish beneath his stutter? I don't know, maybe I'm just being a hater because I only want to see him in things like The Pest.

Grade: A-

DON'T WATCH!

I tried to watch two films and had to stop after ten minutes because they sucked so hard. Therefore these films get F's by default. I'm not even giving a plot overview, if you're really interested to see what these films are about...go venture off and research.

Bloom (2004)

Worst acting ever. They really tried to conquer a complex story with a lot of emotion, but I couldn't take any of it seriously because the actors were super transparent and they all recited their lines super choppy and awkward. Also, the film colors/angles/edits all looked super "indie." I say indie because I don't want to say bad....oops....

East Side Story (2006)

This film totally went from one stereotype to the other. Super generalizing the Latino family as crazy "gay haters" as well as generalizing that gay guys are super promiscuous. Oy, wasn't having this film. Same storyline, different approach and tone--would have been better? Maybe.

Marble$ eStewart Livin'

I did something so foreign yesterday...I cooked. No, hell hasn't frozen over and the devil is not sporting a Northface jacket just yet. Do not take this as a sign of domesticity...because it totally isn't. Au contraire, it is a sign of me taking control of my life and doing shit for myself. I have a brain and fully functioning hands. However, I am the clumsiest girl you will ever meet. I'm up there with Urkel. I'm surprised I still have eyelashes.

Below is a glazed salmon I made. $cruz helped a little with the sides, but I made the salmon. I even followed a recipe!

Delicious, right?

And on a side note--it's only domestic if  you cook in heels, an apron, and pearls. And wear only those items previously listed. That's the "key" to a man's heart...and that shit is mad lame.

Mexican Dress.

I tried this on because I contemplated getting it. Trenzas and poncho not included.

Cop it here!

Don Draper, Que Paso?!

After much anticipation, I finally watched the season premiere of Mad Men. I was thoroughly appalled! Don Draper no longer had that debonair quality that I enjoy so very much. If he and Betty were still together, he would be the submissive power bottom. I hope this is only temporary! He needs to remember that he is bomb.com!

When You Feel "Un-cool"...

you buy something...

I needed some cheering up, I had a wacko weekend and felt like a total loser...therefore I needed something to make me feel better. So I bought earrings that look like candy.
I have no money to really buy anything but why eat?

GP

Nails of the week!

I need a better camera to capture my nail art. But for now, all I have is a less than awesome blackberry camera. So here is something fun I did...

The SkinNY

Men in drag making a parody of the hills gives me the LOLs!

Hello Lunch!

This is a picture of the sandwich I made myself this morning. How awesome does it look? I had to take a bite before the picture was taken because I was famished. I couldn't wait any longer! 

In case  you are wondering, yes, that is Hello Kitty's face on my bread. Remember a couple of years ago when my dad bought me the Hello Kitty toaster? It still rules! 

I may have an office job, but I still know how to keep it really real.

Vanity Tables

I've been prowling around for a vintage vanity table. I've wanted one since I was a little girl so I could decorate it with vintage perfume bottles. Perhaps I've been genderized from an early age or I'm just super into retro stuff, but nothing screams glamorous like a pretty vanity table.

Hater Jueves: People Who Say "I don't like drama".

It's been a while since I have gotten my hate-on. I feel it is necessary in order for me to function like a normal human being. Who 'am I if I can't rip anyone or anything a new one? This is America damn it! It's in the Bill of Rights and I will exercise my freedom.

I've decided to hate on people who say, "I don't like drama" because they are usually the ones that love to instigate shit. Always! They spread gossip like a wildfire too! Never trust these people who say shit like that. If you have to go out of your way to be so "anti-drama", you're trying too hard to lie to the world and yourself. It's like those people who are so down with vegetarianism that they have to proclaim every five minutes, "I'm a vegatarian"--we get it, asshole. Saying it over and over won't make your lies any more real.

And beware, these people who claim they aren't into theatrics usually say so in order to get you to talk shit. In the end, it will be used against you. Do not fall prey to this.

Things I'm into Right now.

Here is a collection of visual images that I find appealing at the moment. I feel very inspired and am filing away all sorts of images/ideas in my brain.

Outer Space!

Janet Jackson during Control and Rhythm Nation days! 

Maria Felix as a  fierce betch in Doña Barbara.

  Masquerade Balls!

Hummingbirds!

Hairstyles with Flowers!

Shoes!

I decided to splurge....

I was having a crummy day and I bought shoes to make me feel better. Guess what? I do. Instant gratification rules.

www.modcloth.com

Katt Williams: White Friends

I've been watching everything Katt Williams...

I had to share this bit about white friends...

Boy Band Nostalgia

As you know, I love me some 90s jams. I have gone on a wild R&B kick, now I'm going head first into the pop.

As a trimet-er and walker, I need to have upbeat jams to keep me awake and with it. I went back and got a some gems, including the following...

"Step by Step"-New Kids on the Block

Ya ya, so perhaps ironic folks "love" a good NKOTB jam, but seriously...this song rules so hard. Not only does the song encompass a stellar sound, but the video is amazing!!!! How is Jordan Knight not more famous right now? He dominates this video even while wearing overalls. I have to admit that sometimes I wonder if the person next to me can hear this song when it comes on my ipod...

"I Want You Back"-Nsync

This song is so timeless, I can't get over it. Nsync is the era of when I was a super tween, I was so into it. I denied it in high school, but now that I'm 24 I can shout from the rooftops when a song is bomb. I don't care who or what you are, but this song is so infectious you'll at least tap your foot to the beat. The video isn't as amazing as New Kids but they had memorable outfits, and you could pick up Lance's gayness...I mean it's a boyband right?

Choreographed dancing rules!

*This post has been approved by Jordan Knight's dancing and hair...

Urban Decay: Naked Palette

I want! I want! I want!

Urban Decay's new palette for fall, the Naked Palette, needs to be in my life. It has a combination of neutral colors, matte and shimmery. It has some of my favorite colors (including half baked) and a few NEW ones! It has everything you need and it's in a nice 'on the go' package. Check it out HERE!

Buy it for me...

Eve's Sassy Gay Friend...

More from the Sassy Gay Friend...

IHST FilmFEST Reviews #2

I've watched 2 more films to review for our Latino Film Festival.

So here we go...

1. ESL: English as a Second Language (2005)

Plot: Bolivar is a recent immigrant from Mexico looking for job opportunities in order to help his new family back home. Lola is the daughter of immigrants and total party girl. Lola totally effs up and crashes her car into a car full of raza dudes (Bolivar being one of them). She totally gets in trouble and has to do community service, she works as a "helper" for a community ESL class which coincidentally Bolivar is in. The 2 share some moments and learn things from one another but their journey is anything less than complicated. Bolivar totally finds quick money and loses his self-worth in the process. Lola totally does coke and aborts a baby but learns teaching is her passion. They part ways with their new tools and outlook on the importance of life.

The Good: Kuno Becker! I remember him from my novela days, he's so dreamy. But there were times that he looked like a 12 year old in the movie, he has the tendency to make some really comical facial expressions. Charming? Ok sure.

Also, visually the movie looked really cool. I enjoyed the editing and little montages.

The Bad: So Bolivar finds quick cash by working as a "dancer" for

a club owned by a creeper who he met by doing yard work for him. He totally becomes a man whore and later buys a gold chain. So is this the American Dream? Looks a little different than a lot of our stories, right? Or maybe I'm wrong...

Grade: C. The concept was a bit weird, and the girl who played Lola was annoying. But the movie kept me entertained for the duration, therefore a solid mediocre grade. You still pass ESL!

2. Sin Nombre (2009)

(On Instant Watch on Netflix @ the moment...I'm just sayin')

Plot: Casper, an MS-13 gang member, deserts his street gang after he endures loss and frustration within the gang. He hops a train with others heading north toward the U.S. During his journey he watches his back from retaliation from his former gang. He also develops a close relationship with Sayra, a Honduran girl on her way to the United States. Sayra becomes very attached to Casper, and the 2 find a bit of solace in one another.

The Good: Amazing. This film is gripping from beginning to end. It encompasses an array of emotions: sadness, frustration, anger, hope... The film really does an amazing job of captivating such tough subject matters, that of crossing border(s) and gang culture in Latin America. I totally cried during this film...oy I won't ruin the ending.

The Bad: Overall very good film. I recommend it 100%!

Grade: A, solid A.

18 with a Bullet

I watched an amazing 3 part documentary the other day. "18 with a Bullet" takes an inside look at the 18th Street gang in El Salvador. The 3 part documentary explores the culture of the gang, personal profiles of members, and also looks deep into the prison system of El Salvador. Here is a synopsis:

In San Salvador, El Salvador, two thousand miles from Los Angeles's 18th Street, a gang known as "18" governs its territory like an armed militia. In the mid 1990s, thousands of Salvadoran nationals living illegally in the U.S. were deported to their homeland. Some brought L.A. gang culture back with them to a country beset by poverty and awash in arms. Organizing support for gang members in need, meting out justice to those who would defy the gang's code and waging an endless vendetta against its enemies, 18 is helping to make El Salvador one of the most violent and crime-ridden countries in the world. "18 with a Bullet" presents a chilling portrait of six months in the life of this notorious Central American gang.

I watched a couple other U.S. American documentaries on MS-13 and the 18th Street gang, and they only touch upon the surface and tell the story from an outsider's perspective. The BBC documentary series gives more of an in depth viewpoint, it's the gang members themselves who provide their perspective and their voice creates the documentary.

The documentary is on youtube:

18th Street Gang
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Life of a Killer
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

El Salvador Prison Story
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Current Tunes...

I listen to tons of music throughout the day, therefore I gotta keep changing it up with the playlists! I seem to go in a healthy rotation of: reggae-tron beats, 90's music galore, and hipster-ish music that I can't ever seem to shake.
Here are my current jams!

1. "If you love me"-Brownstone
The #1 thing I miss about having a car is singing alone at the top of my lungs. This song is perfect to belt out on those single road trips. I looooove this song!!! I forgot how badass the video was.

2. "Orange Shirt"-Discovery

I downloaded the entire Discovery LP and I really really love it. Discovery is the love child of members from Vampire Weekend and Ra Ra Riot. The LP is great to listen to all the way through, but this jam is my fav.

3. "Reflections Are Protections"-La Roux
This always comes up on my Pandora, it always seems to come on when I want to hear it. It's like the Pandora gods know or something.

4. "Mi Cama Huele a Ti"-Tito 'El Bambino'
What can I say, I love me some Tito 'El Bambino'. This song is soooo great. It includes Zion and Lennox, so it's a good time.

All the Single Ladies Loathe Laundry

You know you're a single-girl when it's time to do laundry and you decide to buy more clothes instead. Here's a  hypothetical scenario:

Two single-girls named, "Isabel" and "Tiffanie" run out of clothes to wear due to not doing laundry. Their solution? Go to Forever 21 because they have the cutest and cheapest underwear. Problem solved.

Messed up, right? Our parents used to do laundry on stones and here we are blowing money like it's burning our hands.

Lets talk about gangs...

I've mentioned by current "likes" right now: documentaries and reading. The other day I watched a documentary called Crips & Bloods: Made in America. This documentary was amazing... From Netflix:

Through archival footage and first-person accounts from members of both factions, filmmaker Stacy Peralta's riveting documentary examines the culture of the infamous Los Angeles street gangs known as the Crips and the Bloods. Probing the deadly rivalry's genesis, Peralta explores the late 1960s conditions that have given rise to decades of bloodshed and heartache for generations of black Angelenos.

This film stayed with me. Gang culture is different from region to region, but the root of it all is very similar. "America" excludes so much of our population that these kids find alternative sources of power and access.

I took a Powell's trip the next day to get up on some literature. I got 2 books:

Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member
by Sanyika Shakur aka Monster Kody Scott

I haven't started this one yet...

8 Ball Chicks
by Gini Sikes

I was really interested in women/girls in gang culture. The author of this book spent about 2 years in Los Angles, San Antonio, & Milwaukee following three girl gangs and exploring their lives. This book has been a really good read. I'm reading it at all times, it rules. Perhaps I'll give a full review of these books once I'm done with them.

Nails of the week!

I've been super uninspired with my nails. They have been pretty short and not covered in crazy colors. But last week the sun came out and it was time to add a splash of color. Here is what I did...

$cruz: Current Obsessions...

I have a really big issue with committing to things for a long period of time. If I'm into something, I'll be obsessed for a month and then I'm totally over it. This is with anything from snacks/drinks, makeup, movies/shows, people...I have commitment issues for sure. That's why it's my duty to keep the blog updated with my "likes of the moment."

1. Rimmel's Max Volume Flash
+
Covergirl's Lashblast Fusion

If these 2 had a baby, it would be the best mascara hybrid ever!!! Start w/ Rimmel finish with Covergirl...Super pretty lashes.


2. Water w/ Lemon
It's my daily mission to drink a lot of water. I try and drink a bunch but sometimes water alone is booooring. So splash a little lemon juice in there and it's a small treat. I'm all about this right now...

3. Reading!!!
My mind wanders sooo much, more so than usual because I ride the bus twice a day for about 40 minutes each commute. Post-college, I'm still finding it very unsettling to not be crazy busy. I'm in such a transition period that it's nuts, I have too much time! Ya I said that...It's what I wished for for 5 years, but now I need to occupy my mind. Therefore...reading for fun! I'm meshing my current documentary obsession with my reading.

Book recommendation: Barefoot Heart: Stories of a Migrant Child
I finished this book a few weeks ago. My dad gave me this book ages ago and I finally read it! Thanks Papi!

H&M in Portland

I was wandering downtown at Pioneer Place downtown, a mini-shopping break from work, and I noticed a big fat surprise! They are constructing a fatty H&M in the mall! OMG, how awesome is this!? It opens this fall. The closest one was in Seattle... I'm pretty pumped about this addition...

Here is a creepy pic I took of the soon to be store...