Brinca Charcos

Cielo tintoso de otoño

2011-10-31T10:42:00.000-07:00

Golden Lace
Inked and colored in Photoshop

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Drew the original sketch at work more than a month ago, and it's been a sloooow process ever since. I'd tried coloring the lineart before, but it'd never looked right on another piece, so that's a success.

Tormenta eléctrica

2011-08-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

Swallow
Drawn in cheap ballpoint, colored in photoshop.

C'est ne pas un fille
Drawn in cheap ballpoint, colored in photoshop.

The original version of the picture above. I just started playing with shadowing and ended up liking the other one better.

Summer '86
Pencil sketch, colored in photoshop

Two year old sketch that I just figured out what to do with. Never thought I'd end up using the liquify tool to make cheeks in illustrations look less like squirrel's, that's for sure.

2011-08-21T11:17:00.001-07:00

Click to see the animation!

Super chiste interno XD

Cielo obscuro a punto de llover

2011-08-10T19:35:00.000-07:00

Irene
Sketch on bond paper, inked and colored in photoshop

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I actually have this saved in my computer with the very lame title of 'Victorian', but I've just started reading A Scandal in Bohemia and the name fits.

North Star
Blue ink on bond, colors in photoshop

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This one is... weird. But weird kinda cool?

Todavia nubladito el cielo

2011-07-30T14:41:00.001-07:00

Quantum Fish
India ink and photoshop

I drew the fish more than a year ago, and never knew what to do with it until some days ago. Now I sort of want to do another variant with a bird...

cielo nubladito, ya viene la lluvia

2011-07-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

India ink and photoshop.

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I got a blank notebook for work a while ago, and I wanted to do some pretty quote at the start, but everything sounded too cheesy and trite. Then I remebered History Said What and the lightbulb went on. And now my notebook is all pretty!

cielo navideño muy azul!

2010-12-25T18:26:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a really great Christmas day! And that it was spent with loved ones and great food and candy and gifts. Happy Holidays, everyone. :D

Cielo demasiado azul para noviembre

2010-11-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

La Catrina

Chinese ink on bond paper, colors in photoshop.

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A little something to celebrate Day of the Dead, one of my favorite holidays, as it is colorful, a bit crazy, a bit morbid, and very pretty. I keep forgetting to set up a Death Shrine, oh well. This day always makes me think of my great-grandmother, and if there was one of the dead that I wanted to see again for the day, it'd be her.

cielo despejadito en el que se extraña la lluvia

2010-08-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

Two-legged Rat
The Association of Rats for a Dignified Representation in the Entertainment Business is back for vengeance.

Chinese ink on bond paper, colors and editing in photoshop.

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Made for the challenge of 'Paquita la del Barrio lyrics' in CH-ART-LLENGE, a facebook community with weekly artsy challenges.

cielito despejado.

2010-05-17T21:25:00.000-07:00

Amsterdam redux

All photos taken by myself, effects in photoshop.

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I'm really trying to educate myself further in photoshop. Illustrator is easy and logic by comparison!

noche sofocante de disque primavera (verano más bien) tapatía.

2010-05-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

I am wholeheartedly loving Doctor Who's 5th season, it's so fresh and lovely and exciting, especially after the horrible, horrible specials we got last year - which meant that I wasn't actually very sad to see Ten go. But moving onwards, Eleven and Amy are a fantastic team, and I couldn't wait to draw something little with them.

team TARDIS v. 304802384.
Pencils on paper, colors in photoshop.

And another version sans blue box. Just because.

cielo ya de noche, todo obscurito

2010-04-26T20:55:00.000-07:00

Pencil on paper, colors in photoshop.

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I've been experimenting lately with getting that wallpaper effect. It's a bit weird but I like it. Photoshop's acting weird and it's not letting me copy/paste, though, which is incredibly annoying.

Cielo deslavado de calor

2010-04-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

Pencil on paper, colors in photoshop.

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I've missed doodling around. Should do it more often. I've been thinking of getting a tablet, to make inking easier (that, or I could invest in proper drawing ink. Mmm.) and more uniform. I quite want one, but at the same time I don't know if it'll be hard to get used to it. Ah well.

Cielo despejado azul azul azul

2010-01-27T15:36:00.000-08:00

The following are a series of illustrations I did for a Product Development class in Uni, in which we had to create a product and sell it, coming up with a business and marketing strategy for it, aside from the graphic and product design. My team sold t-shirts, notebooks and postcards. This was definitely a challenging process, but I'm quite proud of the end result, and my work for it.

Tea Time
Chinese ink and colors in photoshop

Globo
Chinese ink and colors in photoshop

Gardenias
Chinese ink and colors in photoshop

Mask
Chinese ink and colors in photoshop

Bad Luck Girl
Chinese ink and colors in photoshop

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Little sketch I drew a few years ago while trying to get used to drawing with brushes, I rescued it for the project.

Venadito
Sketch in pencil, vectorized in Illustrator and retouched in photoshop

In Shadows
Chinese ink and colors in photoshop

Cielo a medio nublar

2009-09-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

Háblame de Lluvia

Pencil on paper, colors in photoshop, handlettering with markers.

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I've been on a quest to learn photoshop coloring as of lately, so I've been using mostly that. It takes forever, but I like how bright colors you can get (which is why I liked acrilics in the first place). Anyway, I liked the finished product, even if figuring out composition/background took ages.

And a variant, just because I can.

Off
Pencil on paper, colors in photoshop.

Part of a larger series I someday hope to finish, whenever I get the skills for it. I've always been sort of amazed by the little movements or gestures we make every day and take for granted, I've always wanted to be able to capture that.

Aguileña
Pencil on paper, colors in photoshop.

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Drawn during class. I really wanted to try out with outlines the same color as the filling, but I sort of feel it makes this look muted. Oh well.

Him & Her
Chinese ink on bond paper, colors in photoshop.

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Drew this a while ago and then forgot to post, the guy was sort of based on another drawing I did around february. Really, it was an excuse to draw antlers.

Cielo nublado con probabilidades de lluvia

2009-09-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome
Chinese ink on bond paper, colors in Photoshop.
25x18 cms

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Made for this week's theme over at Illustration Friday, which was Welcome. It's been a long, long time since I've done anything for IF, but I had the time and, apparently, the motivation today. Huh.

Cielo blanco

2009-05-27T05:18:00.000-07:00

Mmm, cake
Blue ink on bond paper
21x14cms

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I made a very similar drawing for a friend's birthday card (obviously saying happy birthday at the top, lol) but didn't have time to snap a picture, so I decided to try and draw it again before I forgot how it was. This one looks even better, honestly.

Cielo medio despejadito: Redux

2009-05-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

Don't Adjust Your TV Just Yet. (Dizque)
pencil, illustrator and photoshop
15x10cms

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The sketch I made for drawing class in pencil, and then due to a lack of scanner tok a picture and vectorized before adding effects in photoshop. Based on a photo I once took of a cousin of mine - it looks nothing like him, but I really liked the energy in the sketch, which was lost completely in the painting I actually submited for class.

cielo medio despejadillo

2009-05-03T15:16:00.000-07:00

Cielo
Pencil and acrylics
A3 size

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One of the paintings for my Drawing class, the theme of my individual project was 'contrast'. I braved the cold and went out for walks to draw buildings that caught my fancy, and then added the colors depending on that day's color of the sky.

Sugah
Cardboard collage, acrylics, ink and sugar
A3 size

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Another painting for class, basically I just wanted to do mixed media, and do something ornamental and over the top. The final touch was spreading white glue and then just throwing sugar at it and hoping it would stick. It did, and now the painting shines when the light hits it, and looks wonderfully texturized.

Cielo nubladillo, despues de una semana de cielo increiblemente azul, tan raro en inglaterra

2009-04-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

After ages of wanting one, I bought a moleskin sketchbook in Dublin last week, and while there are two sketches previous to this one, this is the first I truly liked. Drawn in a park with the sun shining down on me, and with pigeons walking around.

Birdy Pouf
Pencils and acrylics
10x7cms

Nublado nubladisimo, como buen cielo Inglés

2009-03-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

Long time no see! I'm studying abroad in England at the moment, and in between traveling and school I've been rather uninspired, but hopefully I'll get better soon. Still, I'm taking a drawing class, and this was one of my assignments:

Ceci n'est past un collage
Acrylics over Cartridge paper
A3 size

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Crappy photo is crappy 'cause I don't have easy access to a scanner right now. And yes, I just joined two A4 sheets, I'm too cheap to actually get an A3 sketchbook, lol.

Ni una nube, si por algo hace este frío de la chingada

2008-11-21T16:27:00.000-08:00

Portrait of a sulk
Chinese ink on opalina paper.
20x23cms

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I basically wanted to draw something really ornamental, and try a new way of inking - I despise inking with actual pens or markers, and in contrast I really enjoy working with brushes. I've been experimenting with a looser, freer stroke nowadays; it's much more fun, even if things end up sort of lopsided, haha.

Cielo azul a más no poder, sin una sola nube

2008-11-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

Chinese ink and watercolors on guarro paper.
15x23 cms.

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My entry for this week's Illustration Friday; the theme was Wise. I couldn't really think of anything, and then all I could think of was Merlin - not the young, creepily smirking BBC new version, but rather the weirdly adorable creepy hawaiian-print wearer old guy from Disney, haha. Ah, well, such is my mind.

Cielo todo negrito, una que otra estrellita

2008-11-05T20:55:00.000-08:00

Mosaicos
Acrylics on illustration board
21x21cms

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I started this little project around August, mostly because I wanted to frame something I'd painted and put it up in my new, blank wall. I worked on it really sporadically and slowly, but I learned a lot from it, and had a lot of fun as well. This sort of illustrates my love for bright colors, textures and patterns; a sort of hectic representation of myself, haha.

Cielo despejadito, despejadito

2008-10-18T16:03:00.000-07:00

What's this, another update? This soon? GASP. My, my, I'm shocked at myself.

Because sometimes you just want to say no.

Acrylics on illustration board.
20x17cms

Atardecer pasando de rosa a lila a azul

2008-10-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

Why yes, I do remember this place.

WHY SO STYLISH?
Is it too obvious I'm about dying for a pair of green Ray-bans?

Watercolors on guarro paper.

Cielo demasiado azul, sin una nube a la vista

2008-01-01T18:34:00.000-08:00

Gone Baby Gone
Bases on the Dennos Lehane novel about two detectives in the Boston area investigating the kidnapping of a little girl, which becomes a professional and personal crisis.

I must say how surprised I was at seeing such a well done movie knowing Ben Affleck was the director. It is interesting, emotive without having to restore to melodrama, touching, and it makes one think for a long while after seeing it.

I really liked the way it was told, the way it seemingly jumps all over the place and yet it all makes sense in the end. It creates a lot of suspense, and it keeps you guessing what’s going to happen.

The acting was pretty good – nothing too remarkable, but take Ed Harris, for example, who was also in that lame-ass movie, Nacional Treasure 2 I saw the other day, and compare his terrific performance in Gone Baby Gone with NTs cheesy and boring one. Casey Affleck, too, was surprisingly good, considering it’s the first time I’ve seen him in a dramatic role, and he pulled it off really well.

The most interesting part of the movie, though, is the subthemes it handles – What’s right and what’s wrong? Does the end really does justify the means? Most of the characters have a pretty gray morality, and it’s that dichotomy between right and wrong that leaves you thinking, and that makes the characters intriguing, because one has to wonder to just which lengths they’re willing to go to do right in their eyes.

It’s hard to write a good critic without living the ending away, since that’s what just turns the movie around completely, and leaves you one last question: Has Patrick done the right thing? Believe me when I say it’s hard to answer it.

Technically, it has certain camera angles that are pretty good, but other than that, the lack of embezzlement fits really well with the theme. The movie doesn’t waste time with the faux-grittiness that is so popular nowadays, and it shows things and people with a stark realism (physical looks included) that is as weird and refreshing to see in Hollywood.

To sum it all up: I do hope Ben Affleck goes on directing, because honestly? He does it better than he acts.

Love in the Times of Cholera
Florentino Ariza, Fermina Daza and Doctor Juvenal Urbino form a romantic triangle that lasts generations, with the cholera plague in XIX century Colombia as background. Based on the novel by Gabriel García Márquez.

For starters, this doesn’t manage to even come close to the novel. The first part is too melodramatic and corny in excess, and it managed to bore me. Enter Javier Bardem, and he saves the movie. Really, without him, it’d be so so bad.

Giovanna Mezzogiorno, the actress playing Fermina Daza doesn’t show any emotion, and just while actino alongside to Bardem manages to shine a bit (I couldn’t remember where I’d seen her before, and it wasn’t until I realizad she’s Italian that I remembered she’s in L’Ultimo Bacio, one of my favorite Italian films. I don’t remember her being quite this bad in that one.) I’m still downright pissed at the way Benjamin Bratt tore to pieces the character of the Doctor Juvenal Urbino. I always liked him loads in the book, and Bratt made him conceited and unlikable, a complete villain instead of the protagonist he should be. In the same way, his and Fermina’s relationship becomes false and in no way convincing instead of the wonderful couple they were in the book.

Ah, but Bardem. He placed Florentino Ariza with a tad more insecurity than he shows in the book, but leaving that out, he was perfect. He gets that mixture of shyness, dreaminess and sheer magnetism Florentino always had, and while the movie was focused on him it became interesting, and even funny. As soon as it went back to other characters it became stifling and boring. So there are some good moments – even some pretty good moments, but they’re outshined by the bad ones. But yeah, the last part improves significantly, so much that you can even leave the theatre with a smile.

Technically, the cinematography was rather pretty – green and wet just like the Caribbean, even if it wasn’t anything that remarkable (it does help in lack of a proper plot, though). It was honestly weird to have Shakira songs thrown around left and right. It fits while the ending credits are rolling. While in the middle of the movie? Not so much.

I give it a very low 3 out of five. I hesitated from this grading because in all honestly I didn’t like half of the movie all that much, so that last point is here just for Javier Bardem and his marathonic attempts to save a disaster.

Cielo ligeramente nublado

2007-12-26T17:38:00.000-08:00

Atonement
Maybe I should start by saying the credits haven't stopped rolling and that I'm still crying. Or maybe I should start by saying this has been my favorite movie of 2007.

I've only read half the book, but I can say that that first part was adapted in a wonderful way - it is incredibly faithful to it, and yet it takes the best of the book and enhances it further, for it has none of the sober and too-slow tone of the novel. The pacing becomes fast, dynamic, and it makes the movie much nicer.

It's hard to think of a film in which all the performances are as solid and awe-worthy of this: I've been admiring James McAvoy's acting style for a while (who doubtlessly steals the movie), that way of getting inside a character's skin. But I can't ignore the fantastic performances of Saoirse Ronan and Romola Garai, both acting as Briony, and even Keira Knightley gave a very good performance even if it could be considered as the weakest of the bunch. But really, all performances are good - rather for what they don't say but for what they do; that way of expressing in silence.

The plot on itself is pretty good represented; it is emotive without being melodramatic, and it is very touching - it manages to hurt, say. Just like the ending hurts, but that you expect since the beginning.

I must say that the technical side gets to overshine the actual plot at times, it was that good. This has been one of the best camera works I've ever seen - it tends to centered, quiet shots, and there's even a two minutes and a half long shot. How long it took to plan that, I can't even imagine, but it could easily be the climax of the movie. The cinematography, also, was absolutely stunning - it plays with the contrast of light-colored and illuminated shots with the darkness of the war in green and black dark tones. Simply marvelous. The music I've liked for some time, but its taken to a whole new level when together with the film.

So in short I loved it, and I guess I'll have to see it again to fully digest it. And as to the question everybody asks themselves: Do I forgive Briony? I'm not sure. She was but a child.

Cielo azul sin una sola nube

2007-12-15T19:41:00.000-08:00

La Môme / La Vie En Rose
D: Olivier Dahan
Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory, Emmanuelle Seigner, Gérard Depardieu.

Based on the childhood, adolescence and stardom of French singer Edith Piaf.

I must start by saying that I'm not at all familiarized with Edith Piaf, and that I've never been a great fan of that specific kind of music. And even with that, I was pretty satisfied with the movie. The thing is: the movie on itself (script, illumiation, photography, etcetera) are good on theirselves, but not doubt at all, what makes this movie extraordinary insteaf of just plain good is the performance of Marion Cotillard.

This was, no place for doubt, one of the best performances I've seen in my life - Cotillard gets inside the character, makes it real, and if it wasn't for her, the movie wouldn't be half as good as it is. As I've said, the script is good, and I've always liked non-linear narrative; but it's Cotillard's performace what makes it emotional, deep and touching. I must admit I spent the last twenty minutes of the movie crying - once I started I just couldn't stop. And yet, there's something that never quite clicked for me, I don't know what. I'm not sure I'll be able to see it again, for example.

There's this scene in particular, I'm not going to spoil anyone but it has Edith walking through long hallways time and time again, and it could very well be the climax of the movie, since in just one moment the viewers realize something horrible has happened, and the tension and emotion that that scene causes surprised me. The cinematography is forever changing according to the age and Edith's shifting moods (dark and opressive for the Paris of her childhood, elegant and smooth for the New York of the 30s, colorful and vibrant for California, and so on), but it never goes beyond the rule.

I give it a five out of a five, but I must add: this grading is for Marion Cotillard's superb acting. The movie is good, but not as good.

Cielo despejado con cielo demasiado azul

2007-12-02T09:20:00.000-08:00

Across the Universe:

A dock worker Jude travels to America in the 1960s to find his estranged father. There he falls in love with sheltered American teenager Lucy. When her brother Max is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, they become involved in peace activism. The film title and main characters are named after various songs by The Beatles.

I have to say that I’ve never been the greatest Beatles fan, and even yet I enjoyed this movie immensely – what’s more, it made me realize what I was missing and as soon as I came back from the theatre I started downloading assorted songs obsessively. But yes, a large part of the movie’s charm falls on the songs and their connection with the storyline – the emotional impact, let’s call it.

The movie opens with a wide shot of an English beach, a silent moment before the photographic and surrealist frenzy of the rest of the film. This might be one of the things that doesn’t leave me completely satisfied, seeing that while the surrealist feeling fits with the decade and it wonderfully made, it becomes a tad too much at times.

In contrast, the strength of the film falls on the parts that deal with the Vietnam war, which are emotive, well done and leave the audience thinking. The romance and the friendship themes are left a bit under the shadow of the war motifs, but they’re still attractive and are helped significantly by the music. The best performances were, to me, those of Jim Sturgess, Martin Luther McCoy and Joe Anderson, but I do have to say, all of the cast’s voices were impressing.

So yes, it worked for me. I do recommend it, and that’s even when you could never really call me a fan of musicals.

I also saw Yamakasi - Les samouraïs des temps modernes, and while it was fun, for a Luc Besson film, it was really weak, story-wise. The element that comes to life in this one is the use of Parkour and Free Running - which include roof to roof jumps, and fantastic acrobatics. It's about freedom, in a way. I saw it on the computer, but I've seen the dvd in my favorite video rental store for a couple of years now and I'd always wanted to see it. Why, you say? Because of the posters. My dream has always always been to be able to fly. Which is ironic, considering I'm mildly afraid of heights. So these posters? Seemed like my fantasy fulfilled.

Cielo lluvioso

2007-11-18T17:55:00.000-08:00

Today I went to see 3:10 to Yuma and liked it very, very much. It was quite the bloodbath, though, huh? I have to start by saying I've never liked westerns, but this one had a certain punch to it that made it unique. For starters, it had wonderful performance by both Crowe and Bale - Bale is haunted, needy and the ultimate man of honor, while Crowe is charismatic and just a brilliant villian - both ruthless and charming at the same time. It's certainly not a perfect movie, and aside from falling into over-the-top action scenes at times, it can be too moralizying, but it was really interesting and entertaining and I just really liked the way Ben Wade and Dan Evans ended up circling each other, understanding each other far too much for their liking.

I spent most of the movie wondering just where the hell had I seen the dude playing Charlie Prince before, and seeing that I couldn't remember I started calling him beardy McHottie-pants in my head, AKA the guy with the awesome awesomely sexy white leather jacket I want to own. *cough* Turns out, he was Angel in X3. I guess it's not surprising I couldn't remember, seeing that I usually try and ignore that movie was ever made. Ugh. Seriously, though, what a dream of a role, that trigger-happy psycopath, and he pulled it off it really, really well.

Cielo despejado con luna nueva

2007-11-11T20:30:00.000-08:00

I saw Sommersturm yesterday.

Synopsis: Tobi and Achim, the pride of the local crew club, have been the best of friends for years and are convinced that nothing will ever stand in the way of their friendship. They look forward to the upcoming summer camp and the crew competition. Achim's girlfriend Sandra is on the girl's team and he enjoys spending more time with her. Tobi becomes increasingly skeptical of their relationship. Anke, the pretty girl who has fallen for Tobi, doesn't make things any easier. Then the gay team from Berlin arrives and Tobi is totally confused. The evening before the races begin, the storm that breaks out is more than meteorlogical... A sensitive story about the complexities of growing up.

It was pretty nice, but nothing brilliant. Then again, it had some rather gorgeous moments, aesthetically, and there were some pretty interesting camera work going on there. As for the story, it was a pretty simple coming of age story, about Tobi, the boy in love with his best friend and trying really hard not to acknowledge it until it's painfully obvious he's seething with jealousy of Achim's girlfriend. The movie's set in a rowing camp (or whatever it's called in English) and based around Tobi's turmoil or accepting himself and having his friends accepting him in return. It was quite bitersweet, and a good portrayal of a slice of real life. So it was good, if not outstanding. And let's face it, it was pretty hot as well - I'm all for boys kissing each other. *cough*

Cielo despejado

2007-10-30T21:34:00.000-07:00

I did watch The Last King of Scotland yesterday, and was blown away by it. It was optimistic and colorful at times, and raw and painful and powerful at others, particularly at the last half. As everyone, I was floored by the acting, which were superb. Forrest Whitaker deserved his oscar, no doubt (what a stunning performance he gave! He became Idi Amin), but I am somewhat shocked at how little recognizment James McAvoy got out of the film, considering what a solid interpretetion he gave. Nicholas as a character, actually, was surprisingly well-developed for a fictional character in a movie based in real events, and it was rather an interesting point of view.

As I said, this movie's just really, really powerful - it strikes a chord, of sorts, and I ended up suitably traumatized and shaken but pleased. Another surprising detail: The photography was quite beautiful. And let us be shallow for a moment: Mr. McAvoy looked all sorts of good. *cough*

2007-10-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

I--I hadn't seen a movie in nearly a month. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME. Is it really me, anyway? Have I been swaped with aliens? How, how is it possible.

I saw Becoming Jane yesterday, and I have to say it was completely charming. The camera work was real good, and there were some really lovely shots. The music was lovely as well - I might have to get part of it. The cinematography was good, but with all the, uh, potential, the sets had, it could've been used better (I am thinking of Pride and Prejudice, which had an astounding photography). Oh, and the acting was wonderful! I was... quite dubious, of Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen, but her accent was actually somewhat decent and she gave a good performance. James McAvoy, on the other hand, was just a joy to watch. Oh, he was so good and cute and I like how he gets inside character's skins - he truly was Tom Lefroy. (Who, by the way, was such a well rounded character - I didn't expect that).

So yes, I liked it lots - it was hopeful and then not and while it still felt a bit on the fantastic side, it still felt quite real. So yes, it draws rather a bit too much from Pride and Prejudice* and it is in no wan an biographical film but it was still pretty good and I smiled throughout it.

Cielo lluvioso

2007-09-28T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is me, today. Feeling horrible about myself and worse, deserving it completely.

My entry for this week's Illustration Friday, the theme is The Blues. Pretty fucking fitting, I'd say.

Cheap watercolors on cheap paper because the only paper I had with me at school was bond and I was feeling too shitty and too lazy to redo it in watercolor paper.

Cielo lluvioso

2007-09-20T19:15:00.000-07:00

And this, kids, is why teenagers should be forbidden from marrying.

My entry for this week's Illustration Friday. The them was Weddings. Just a lazy doodle, but oh well, I've really been busy.

Cielo lluvioso

2007-09-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got to see Stardust and my, but it was wonderful. Let's get the only bad thing out first, shall I? IT WAS IN SPANISH. NO ONE TOLD ME IT'D BE IN SPANISH. I HATE HATE HATE DUBBED MOVIES. So yeah. It was so good that I stopped focusing in my hatred for dubbing pretty soon, though, and I guess I now have an excuse to go see it again XD

Anyway, I loved it. I caught on to this fact when I caught myself grinning ideotically through every. single. scene. in the movie, lol. The Tristan/Yvaine relationship was really well treated, and they had so much chemistry and spark; Lamia was wicked and Captain Shakespeare made me laugh insanely. Also, the photography was real pretty, even if the music was a bit repetitive. I'm also really okay with the changes they made from the book - the only thing that rings untrue is that 'one week' deadline, but everything else? Really well made, and anyway, the book's ending was always somewhat plain, and it just made sense for the producers to spice it up for the silver screen. I didn't think it'd be that funny, though! That was a nice surprise, 'cause I honestly laughed and laughed at both the Captain's (hilarious) and princes' storylines. :) In short, I loved it to bits and so did everyone else in the theatre, it seemed.

And today I went to see The Bourne Ultimatum and, of course, it rocked my socks off. BUT. Y'ALL FAIL. WHY DID NO ONE TOLD ME DANIEL BRÜHL WAS IN IT? (ALL THREE MINUTES OF IT, WHATEVS.) In any case, it was much better than the second one and pretty on par with the first one, I'd say. I liked the development on Julia Stiles character, if I gotta be honest, and as always, Jason Bourne is souch an easy character to empathyze with, which is difficult considering who he is. Anyway, me ♥ spy stories, so of course I dig these movies. I still missed Franka Potente's character, though, she was cool. ;__; I'm considering reading the books.

Lluvia ligera

2007-09-02T18:38:00.001-07:00

I went to the movies with my dad and we saw Paris, je t'aime and oh wow, it was so lovely. It truly is the mark of a good director/writer when they get the audience to empathize and understand the characters when they only have about five minutes onscreen. I only wish there'd be some marking as to who was directing which part, but my wikipedia-fu is nothing but fierce so now I can say which were my favorite segments:

The best one, in my eyes, was the one directed by Tom Tykwer (director of Run Lola Run, and it all fits now), the one with Natalie Portman - it was absolutely stunning and beautiful. The second best was the one directed by Isabel Coixet, about a man torn between staying with his sick wife or running away with his mistress. It was just lovely and so well shot - it reminded me of Amelie somehow, probably because of the narrator. I laughed the hardest with the one directed by Alexander Payne, the one about a tourist from the US talking about her love for Paris. My dad must have burst something laughing, he says he sounded just the same when he was backpacking through Paris, haha. (but he was with friends and was twenty something and sent passionate and wacky love letters to my mom, so he wasn't that pathetic, I guess)

The one with Elijah Wood made me laugh in all its B-series-ness and I went OMG IS THAT GASPARD ULLIEL, IS IT? IT IS OMG, AND HE'S TELLING ANOTHER DUDE THAT HE MUST BE HIS SOUL MATE OMG OMG. lol. I liked the one-shot format in Alfonso Cuarón's segment, and the mime one was so funny. In all, I really loved this movie, to capture such a different range of emotions with such different characters was definitely a task, and now I really, really want to go to Paris again.

Cielo nublado con posiblilidades de lluvia

2007-08-21T19:46:00.001-07:00

I saw The Dreamers yesterday night, and oh wow. Oh man, I'm in love. One of those movies, you know? The premise: Matthew is an exchange student in Paris, and he meets and falls in love with a pair of fraternal twins, Isabelle and Theo, and the three of them seclude themselves from the world, lost in a fantasy world made up almost entirely of reminicenses of old movies while the student rebellion of 1968 comes to a peak outside their window. So yes, there is incest, somewhat explicit sex and a lot of nudity, and yet, I loved it to pieces. Just - the way they interact with each other, the games they play, it was all incredibly moving, even if they're all somewhat disturbing characters. Then the love of cinema of all of them was just incredible, and the lovely Parisian atmoshere coating everything and the subplot of the revolts was really well made. I'm only sad that it didn't have subtitles for the French parts, few as they were, and I feel like I lost something of the sibling's interactions. In all, I just loved it, so, so much.

It's weird, though, remember what I said a few days ago about gratuitous sex? It didn't feel like that at all in here, because, just like in Y Tu Mamá También, sex is one of the main ways in which the character interact, and it tells a lot about their characters. Plus, they were really well made, and not at all pornographic or anything of the like.

Cielo parcialmente nublado

2007-08-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

I saw Sakuran last, uh, Thursday, I think, and I kept on forgetting to write about it for some reason. It's a pretty straightforward film, girl fights adversity only to find true love at the end, but it was pretty well executed, and the cinematography was just about brilliant, made entirely of bright, vibrant colors and contrasting colors. The music was pretty good, too, really jazzy with hints of bossa nova, rock, electronic pop and tango, which aren't at all what one expects to find in a movie set in the samurai-ruled Japan. Even though logically I know that an Oiran is nothing like a Geisha, comparations with Memoirs of a Geisha are instinctically made, because it has somewhat the same plot (young girl is sold! Girl fights through adversity only to become the best at what she does! Girl finds love! AND all while wearing Kimono!), and really, Kiyoha has ten times the guts and will to live meek Sayuri ever had. She's quite an amazing character, too, because she's childish and selfish and capricious and has quite a modern-day approach of life for a woman living as a whore in the Tokugawa era Japan. So yes, a very pretty, very nice movie, even if not a master piece.

And then, after yesterday's cinema fiasco (which was really a hard blow for me, because Amores Perros is one of my favorite movies ever and seeing Guillermo Arriaga going so low as that [en el hoyo y siguiendo cavando, como decimos por aquí] was downright depressing for the state of today's Mexican cinema) I just had to go see something decent. I chose the movie well.

I saw The Painted Veil, and my, but what a lovely, enchanting movie. First off, I loved the characters, the movie did a great job of developing them into kind, loving people that can be completely horrid at times - they're mean, and petty, and childish at times, and I loved it. A right battle of wills. And then the setting was gorgeous and while my dad is right and there was much more to be done with the photography because the landscapes were just stunning, it was still gorgeous, and the time frame helped it somehow. And then the plot was awfully interesting and well done and the ending had me tearing up a bit. I honestly tip my hat off to both Edward Norton and Naomi Watts, they gave wonderful perfomances - completely believable, and their accents were top-notch (or at least they were to my uneducated ears). Ah, it was just nice to see something good enough to restore my faith in the film industry.

Cielo despejado

2007-08-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

I saw El Búfalo de la Noche (The Buffalo of the Night) today, a movie I'd been looking forward for months, and I'm sorry to say it disappointed me. It hardly feels like Guillermo Arriaga's writing (the man who wrote Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel) - it felt clumsy, amateur-ish. The worst of it, though? The gratuitous sex scenes. Seriously, it's like someone's taking their clothes off every five seconds, with no motivation whatsoever (all Camila Sodi does is get naked for five minutes, talk for two of them and THAT'S IT. That's ALL she does in the entire movie, ugh), and while it was nice to see Diego Luna's bits, yes, I'm shallow like that, it just gets boring when it's not helping to the story at all.

So yes. It had lots of potential, because the characters are pretty interesting (especially Gregorio) and there's some subplots that are honestly intriguing but they fall flat and they're never developed. The premise is: Gregorio's girlfriend, Tania, cheats on him with his best friend, Manuel, while Gregorio's locked away at a psychiatric hospital, and when he finds out, he kills himself. Days later, Manuel gets a letter written in Gregorio's handwriting. It could've been such a good mystery, and all of the characters are deliciously insane (literally), but it just didn't live up to my (or anyone's) expectations. It's not a bad movie per se - it's still better than most of the crap in the cinemas right now - but it's not that good either.

For all that Guillermo Arriaga keeps on bitching on and on about not needing Alejandro Gonzáles Inárritu's directing to shine, he's done a piss poor job of convincing me.

...lluvias pobladas? No me acuerdo.

2007-08-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

An old entry I forgot to actually post. Originally dated July 14th and posted now for the sake of thoroughness.

I'm watching Howl's Moving Castle right now, and really, now that I think about it, the Potter movies really do fare well as book adaptations go, I mean -- as enchanting as Miyazaki's film is (because it's Miyazaki, and he can do no wrong in my eyes), it's nowhere near the sheer awesomeness that the book is (then again, HMC is one of my favorite books, so...). Howl isn't nearly enough of an asshole, Sophie isn't nearly enough of a nosy bully and the With of the Waste isn't nearly enough of an evil bitch. That's not ever saying anything about Michael suddenly being turned into a six year old in desperate need of Ritalin and the scarecrow being all happy-happy, and the way they pulled a World War II-esque plot out of their asses and DID I MENTION THERE'S NO DRUNKEN, RUGBY PLAYING HOWL WHICH IS SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT?

Er, now it sounds like I hate the movie, don't I? No, I do like it, it's got fantastic music and a lovely feeling to it that makes me smile and smile and well, Miyazaki did wanted to turn it into a more him movie, instead of a Diana Wynn Jones one.

Cielo despejado

2007-08-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

Oh, I saw this wonderful movie yesterday! Tadpole, the story of a 15-year-old boy in love with his 40-year-old step-mother, was much more than I thought it'd be, and once again, I was reminded why I like Aaron Stanford so much as an actor. I seriously laughed so much, and was pleasently surprised at how good the writing was. The characters were pretty engaging, too - the weight of the movie fall on Oscar's shoulders, and he doesn't disappoint as an interesting, complex character that has the perfect mix of adolescent yearning to impress and a mature mindset. Visually, no, the quality isn't that good, but the script and the acting really make up for it, and I was seriously impressed with it. The music and the Voltaire quotes really add to it, and honestly, it closes with David Bowie's Changes - how can that go wrong?

Cielo parcialmente nublado con lluvia por la tarde

2007-08-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

Just a little something I did for a friend - her mom needed some illustrations about different stages of childhood. Drawn in markers.

Cielo ligeramente nublado con luna llena

2007-07-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

Today I saw Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others). And really, what a lovely, real-feeling movie it is. As it is, I have a soft spot for German movies, and this one didn't disappoint. The sparse feeling of the cinematography suits the theme very much, and along with gorgeous music, the plot was interesting and well written. A lot of the weight of the movie falls on the character's shoulders, which are just wonderfully-written - it's as if you get to know each of them personally, and at the end, you can't help but feel for them. The last line almost made me cry. Anyway, I still think Pan's Labyrinth deserved the Oscar, but damn if this one wasn't tough competition.

Lluvia ligera después de una tormenta con delirious de diluvio

2007-07-07T20:23:00.000-07:00

I watched Ocean's 13 on Thursday, and then watched it again today with my family this time around, lol. In short, it was pretty fantastic - not as charming as the 1st one, but loooots better than the 2nd one. It felt a bit... bare, music-wise, but the 60's styled photograhy made up for it, the same as the characters (oh, but Danny and Rusty are just incredible together, always have been). The twist at the end wasn't as impressive as the one in O11, but sooo much better than the crazy stunt they pulled in O12. Er, not everything is like that here in Mexico, though, promise. (ah, but why do they really have to show the worst of every country in movies?)

And on Friday I watched Ratatouille, and oh my, but what an enchanting movie! It made me smile so much. Brad Bird, man, Disney better keep him. Anyway, lovely animation, and Remy was OMG SO CUTE. Really, imagine that with the candor of a prepubescent twelve-year-old voice and draw hearts and rainbows and unicorns around it and you'll get the way that gorgeous rat makes one feel. Granted, I'm a clean-freak, so there was still that edge, of 'OMG HE'S TOUCHING THE FOOD WITH ALL HIS GERMS, OMG' but mostly, I lauged and giggled and cooed at Remy and made incoherent noises. It's that good. Not a masterpiece, certainly, but quite a success. BUT! I'd only have a meager slice of bread and nutella for breakfast that day, and I swear (and my mom can bear witness), my stomach was doing an awful lot of noise. I came out of there so, so hungry. But so happy.

Cielo despejado sin nubes a la vista

2007-07-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

Markers on Bond paper, 20x40 cmts (8x16 inches).
Crappy photo because it didn't fit in my scanner. Inspired by the endless (hee, pun intended) hours I've spent reading Sandman and loving Delirium.

Oh, my baby blue marker, how I weep for it. It actually bailed on me last night, that's why the left side looks all weird. It's my own fault, though, because I know I shouldn't use markers for such big zones if I'm not going to be using solvent, and I can't use solvents on Bond paper, it's far too cotton-y.

Cielo parcialmente despejado

2007-06-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

I saw Water today, and fell in love with it. I really can't praise it enough - it manages to be hopeful yet painful, beautiful and serene and shocking. The ending, while it sad (it honestly made me cry a bit), was just perfect. It's about the long-lasting tradition in India that widows may choose one from three destinies: either being burnt alive next to their husband's bodies, marrying their husband's younger brother or spending the rest of their lives mourning for them in poverty. Chuyia is a seven-year-old girl that is married to sick man only for him to die the next day. The young girl soon stirs the melancholy-saddled widow house. Really, folks, do see it, this movie was just gorgeous, and along the wonderful story, the vibrant and colorful cinematography and the music are worth the ticket alone.

Tormentas dispersas con granizo

2007-06-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

Watched Little Children today, which was lovely. I loved how fleshed out the main characters were - you could feel every bit of their frustration and anguish, and the narrator managed to be not annoying at all, which is strange for me - I'm usually not fond of it. Great movie about human nature and the way we interact with each other. The chemistry between Kate Winslet and the male protagonist (I honestly can't place him) helped the movie so much, and the photography, while simple, was really pretty. In all, the ending was good - very real, very bittersweet. Nice.

Cielo nublado con probablidades de lluvia

2007-06-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

My entry for this week's Illustration Friday - Rejection. Colored with markers

Cielo despejado con pocas probabilidades de lluvia

2007-06-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Brinca Charcos, an art and movie blog for me, Ale. I'm a Graphic Design student, and I'll be posting in here some of my work for school along with original art. I'm also a big movies fan, and I'll be using this blog to post reviews for the random films I watch.