Two things I am known to do badly (my family can narrate 1001 stories): picking food from a menu at a restuarant:- I always go for something I haven’t tried before, and 99.5% of the time, I pick the worst thing on the menu. But hey, you gotta be adventurous right! Besides, I’m the one eating it so what pokes everyone else’s bum, who knows.
And the second thing is picking movies to watch. See, I don’t care if it’s been heard of, or not; if it has won 8 Oscars or not, if it has famous cast or not. If it sounds interesting, I will rent it. And again 95% …ok…98% of the time I am wrong – the movie sucks and people watching with me want to smother me with a sofa cushion.
BUT, today I rented a movie, and it was pretty damn good! Well I enjoyed it anyway. Went to see if they had Volver, but they didn’t – and in fear of getting another depressing movie, I stayed away from other Al Modovar’s and picked one called ‘Habana Blues’.
Set in Havana, revolving around a group of young (guapo!) Cubano musicians who are trying to make it big and escape from the island, the movie didn’t specially tell a new story, but told it originally.
Very real, with a touch of drama to save it from being a documentary; music to bring to life the essence of Cuba, and stunning shots in Havana city made the movie enjoyable.
Having been to Cuba, was very nostalgic watching it (minus the guapo men, who we didn’t seem to find during our 4 weeks there!). In short, it was just the sort of movie I was in the mood for, made me smile and I am downloading the soundtrack as I write.
BUT, I must point out: I found it harder to understand the Cuban accent when they speak Spanish! They eat words, always speak in 3rd person singular, and do not pronounce ‘s’. There are 2 Spaniards in the movie, who I was so glad to be able to understand! I had the perception that Latin American Spanish would but much simpler to comprehend, but I think it totally depends on the Spanish you have been accustomed to, obviously I guess.
All in all, dare I say, I felt better watching this more than all the other 3 I saw over the weekend put together.