Tuesday, February 13, 2007

a gay cuban revolutionary vs. the never-ending afghan

Today's soundtrack:
Picaresque by the Decemberists

I sat down with my knitting tonight just as the news came on. I managed to avoid dropping stitches while Colbert gave a wag of his finger to the Aussie PM (although I did let out a very unEdwardian guffaw), but had to abandon the ongoing afghan project as soon as Fresa y Chocolate came on the CBC. Yes, this movie was amazing enough to make me drop my knitting. And it wasn't just because I needed to read the subtitles from time to time (the nerve of these Cubans not to speak with the th-ths of Spain) - the movie is just that good. Fresa y Chocolate has communism, politics, music, really beautiful men, homosexuality, oppression, and even that eternal debate art vs. propaganda (I believe the score is Plato 0, Aristotle 1). Although there wasn't nearly enough sex to live up to my stereotype of Spanish-language films (honestly, can you really blame me?), which may have been due to the fact that it was editted for the CBC, the relationship between the two male leads was convincing. I was shocked to find out that the powers that be in the Cuban government allowed this film to be made in Havana, but it all made sense was I learned that the director, Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, is something of a national cinematic icon. It was something along the lines of a Cuban The Boys in the Band mixed with more politically-focused Prick Up Your Ears. If you liked those two, you'll like Fresa y Chocolate. And if you haven't seen any of them, rent them all, watch them with your most homophobic friends, then have a round-table discussion on gay rights. You know, a typical Friday night.

Also, I came across this book of Harry Potter knitting patterns and thought of Nacho, although he has already made the scarf...

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