Thursday, August 20, 2009

LOVEBUG Trailer is HERE!


Here's the trailer to my short film LOVEBUG, which will be finished and off to festivals next month. Here's the synopsis:



A man and woman rely on a neuro software to decide their emotions for each other. When a glitch in the system alters this technological reality, the line between love and choice becomes distorted.



Produced by Geovanni Salas

Cinematography by Saro Varjabedian

Music by Izzi Ramkissoon




Trailer for AVATAR


The new James Cameron film that we've been waiting like FOREVER for! I'll def be checking this one out...


Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Dope Ass Movie Poster!

Sandra Bullok movie from 2007. I may be mad late but this poster is sick!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Bike of the future!


Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman introduced this new bicycle design that is possible to make but won't be financially feasible for the next 20 years. Some of the fun features in this bike includes a built-in computer system with fingerprint recognition that allows only the owner of the bike to use it. It is also has a calorie counter per pedal and has a solar-powered motor so the bike can keep moving even though you get tired. Here's what the article from dailymail.co.uk says

Spoke-less wheels make the bike more aerodynamic while the tyres will be puncture-proof with self-inflating tyres. 

'The tyre (and rim) rotate around the doughnut shape which is fixed, a bit like having a bangle on your wrist - it can spin on your wrist without your wrist turning,' Mr Boardman explained.

Owners of the bike, which is still being designed, won't even always have to pedal  -  a battery-assisted motor run by solar panels takes over if they get tired.

Plus the frame is made of carbon fibre, making the bike strong and lightweight.


Read more:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1205714/Bike-future-stolen-puncture-proof-tyres-play-music-ride.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0OXxqOFVS


Monday, August 17, 2009

Movie Review: "District 9"


"District 9" delivers what "Cloverfield" tried to last year minus the nausea. This alien sci-fi is like a kick-ass YouTube clip that deserves many hits.

The story takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa where an Alien spaceship rests hovered over the city for the passed two decades. Why they are there? Doesn't matter. Alien invasion movies have been made since the 1950's so we get the concept of extraterrestrials coming down to pay us a visit. 

In this mothership, they discover an entire society of aliens that are in bad shape physically, so they designate a certain portion of the city where these cricket-like aliens may be housed and nurtured. This area is called district 9.

We are then introduced to our "hero" of sorts, Wikus Van De Merwe, played by South African television producer Sharlto Copley in his first acting role. Wikus is hired to lead the charge in transporting the 1.8 million aliens in district 9 to the new district 10. Then things go terribly wrong for him when he stumbles upon an alien-engineered specimen that does damage to him biologically.

I thought this film had a lot of genuine textures that really brought out a new, realistic angle to the alien invasion film. The first twenty minutes of the film is shot documantary style with "experts" as well as village people talking about the alien craft that has shaded their town for so long. They managed to pull some nice performances from the village people (haha, the village people) that really gave the film it's texture. The hand-held style wasn't jarring or unnecessary. It worked! And the aliens walking around didn't look cheesy. I couldn't tell if any of them were puppets or if they all were digital. I'm gonna have to look that up. And the transition between the documentary-style introduction to the "actual movie" portion of the film was seamless, which I liked.

I found the direction of the lead character, Wikus to be interesting. Copley's comic, almost douchebaggy portrayal of this character reminded me of the lead character in 2004's "Kung Fu Hustle" where he is sort of like the cowardly idiot who you would never expect to actually care for by the end of the film. That could either be a weakness or a strength as it does offer a new take of what a "hero" is. He or she doesn't always have to be the good-looking, smooth-talking person who we all wish we were. We all have faults and there's always room for redemption.

The only other negative thing I would say about this film is that I found it difficult to fully sympathize with the alien characters. I mean, I did like the little boy alien in the film. He was cute, I guess.

But all in all, "District 9" did it right. I think that director Neill Blomkamp has introduced a new style of filmmaking that is worth looking out for in the future.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Sotomayor confirmed as the 11th Justice on the Supreme Court...

I love her cause she can totally pass as one of my tias. Congratulations.


read more about it here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/us/politics/07confirm.html?hp

Typewriter art from artist Jeremy Mayer

www.jeremymayer.com




New Poster for James Cameron's AVATAR

SICK!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

First Double Front Flip in BMX History

WORD! This is sick!


EMBED-First Double Front Flip in BMX History - Watch more free videos

Latino Film Festival 2009

The New York International Latino Film Festival went strong last week with their tenth annual film-screening and partying event. Co-founder, and friend of mine, Juan Caceres was blowing it up all over facebook the weeks leading up to it and all that promotion served well cause the fiesta was a success.

Good friend of mine George Ruiz acted in a short film playing there called "Dead In The Water" which was pretty good. Directed by Marco Aguilar and DP'd by Saro Varjabedian.


At the awards ceremony this past sunday, held at El Morocco in NYC, the winners were announced. So with no further ado, here they are:


Best Domestic Feature
INSIDE A CHANGE
Domestic Feature
Dir: Rik Cordero
Writers: Rik Cordero and Aaron F. Schnore
Key Cast: Ephraim Benton, Donte Bonnor, Karen Chilton, Consequence, Darrell Vanterpool, Seth Stewart

Chris Price is about to serve six months in prison for a first-time offense. When his mother invites him back home for her birthday, he finds his younger brother following in his footsteps and his older brother disowning him. Now, on his last night of freedom, he is forced to re-examine his life and find a way to bring his family together before it is too late.

Best International Feature:
CineLatino Audience Choice Award: Best Picture
EL REGALO DE PACHAMMA
Internatonal Feature
Dir: Toshifumi Matsushita
Writer: Toshifumi Matsushita
Key Cast: Christian Huaygua

In the Salar de Uyuni, there is a 13 year-old boy, Kunturi, who lives a life much like any other boy in his village. But when his grandmother dies and his best friend moves away, he decides to embark on a trip with the llama caravan. For three months, he travels throughout the "Ruta de la Sal," exchanging salt for other Andes products, reluctantly bearing witness to an animal sacrifice in the snow-covered peaks and interacting with the indigenous cultures seemingly untouched by modernity.

But when the caravan arrives at its destination, the town of Macha where the “Tinku” Festival is taking place, Kunturi’s life will be changed forever. There he finds the most beautiful girl he could have ever imagined, Ulala. Kunturi and Ulala share the same dream: “to run together across the immense white sea that is the Salar de Uyuni, until they reach the end of the horizon

and my favorite category...

Best Short:

Best Short:
LALO
Dir: Daniel Maldonado

Lalo, a NYC Mexican delivery worker on the brink of losing his job, is given one last run to prove himself. Naturally, a series of mishaps ensue. When his bike is totaled, he steals a little pink one belonging to a 10 year-old girl, who enters in hot pursuit to get it back. The next thing he knows, Lalo finds himself in a race to the death against a Chinese delivery-man and a pimped-out punk rock bike messenger.


word! Sorry for the late posting. All work and no play is definitely making me a FUCKING loser! I'll check you guys later!