Sunday, October 4, 2009

Bizarre Love Triangle

Cidade Baixa/Lower City (2005) - Machado
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A typical fatalist ménage à trois set in the slums of Rio, therefore, far more refreshing and vibrant. Deco(Lazaro Ramos) and Naldinho(Wagner Moura) are couple of childhood friends/young low lives squeezing by in the urban jungle called El Salvador. They give a ride on their boat a sexy girl, Karinna(Alice Braga of City of God, Blindness), who willingly negotiates the price with her body. Karinna takes a job at a sleazy exotic dance club and sells her body to fat ugly gringos while having steamy relationship with both Deco and Naldinho. Soon jealousy takes over them and rifts their friendship. Deco dabbles in boxing and is trying to go straight while Naldinho is still dreaming of small time crook success. Karinna is attracted to both of them and aware of her possibly destructive power she has over them. She's expecting a baby. What is she going to decide?

All three principal actors are very good: Lazaro Ramos, Wagner Moura and Alice Braga are all top notch portraying dreamers in the slum looking for better and quieter life. The energy and immediacy and color are just amazing. I just wished Machado focused more on naturally beautiful surroundings as much as he did on Braga's barely concealed breasts most of the running time.

Designer Korean Underwear

Something funny to share with you. God bless my mom. She's been sending me packages from time to time from Korea; books, magazines, pre-packaged food(instant noodle, dried seaweed, etc.) and clothes. My sister and brother said no to mom long ago. They have no use for them and would hate to see them go to waste, but I didn't have the nerve to say no. So things keep piling up in the corners of our already cramped apartment. Story of my life.

This time, she sent me a box full of underwear. If the idea of me still receiving underwear from mom from overseas isn't funny enough, the contents of the package made me and my wife laugh out loud.

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They came in this ominous black box. It reads: Lie Sang Bong, the designer's name. Apparently, he is a big shot in the world of fashion. He looks like this:

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Hmmm. I think I will go for Jackson Pollock look today.

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These are not too bad. I can wear these. Except I'm not Lie Sang Bong.

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These can be worn outside my jogging pants at night to deter the traffic.

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Peace, dude. Pass the doobies.

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At a glance, look like a harmless black pair. You can't really see in this picture, but have a see through front!

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These are THE PAIR I'd happen to wear when brought and exposed in the ER in case of accident. They'd say, "this man knew how to live life!"

Thank you mom!