amazing race

My friend Tony and I had planned for today a movie marathon in preparation to the Oscars ceremony tomorrow. When he suggested it, I thought of how I tend to procrastinate and/or be so busy with work that I can't find the time to fit in so many movies in my schedule right before the night of the Oscars, and I thought of how this movie marathon would be a real race, hopping from one place to the other and so forth.

And it's funny how synchronicity is always playing tricks, but just right after planning this outing my friend Terry told me that she and her fiancé Matt were thinking of trying out for the TV show Amazing Race, the very same day, but in San Diego.

I don't know how it went for them, but my day was great. We had a late breakfast at this cool place on Sunset, and got to meet this really cool guy, Mike. Tony and I watched two movies only, but we did go from one theater to another and both times making it into the movies just in time, so it was kinda like a race (I know, I'm pushing it). We watched Mar Adentro, this Spanish movie nominated for best foreign film, and also Born Into Brothels, for best documentary. Both features were powerful, especially when it comes to personal matters and a certain aspect of the movie touches a nerve, like the first one did to me. It is about this quadriplegic man in Galicia who openly asked the government to legalize assisted suicide in Spain. To die with dignity, nothing easy in this society.

The doc was about these kids who are children of Calcuttan prostitutes, and about this female photographer who's lived among them while working on a photojournal, and who decided to try to offer these kids a dignified option to leave the brothels, this by using the magic of photography. All of them were very talented, especially a chubby guy whose name I can't remember.

It was also funny to realize that although no theme in our choice, both movies (and a third one that we couldn't make it to, Vera Drake) were about human dignity. Interesting coincidence.

It was also interesting to be back in Pas to watch those movies. I still know my way around that area, but it's great to see I know my way out too.

The Oscars are on tomorrow... what a treat!