Officer Review Current Cultural

A day of architectural enlightenment, great grub, and naked women. Yes, the LA Walking tour and MOCA trip was quite the little adventure. The day began with all 15 participants meeting in front of the school at 8:45 am on a pleasant Saturday morning. We met our tour guide inside the lobby of the Biltmore Hotel at 10:30 am.

The tour was titled "The Pershing Square Tour" so obviously that is where our tour began. The tour guide showed us photos of the old Pershing Square which resembled a tropical paradise, and compared it to the current Pershing Square which is, in my opinion…UGLY AS HELL !!!! The obnoxious colors (especially the yellow… EWW!) the abstract statues and geometric forms just didn't do it for me. The tour route also lead us to the historic Bradbury Building. Its wood and wrought iron staircases, transparent roof and dramatic skylight makes it a particularly beautiful building. The marble floors were also spectacular. It was my personal favorite.

The tour was surprisingly entertaining. Beeken even learned a thing or two. The tour ended around noon. From there we went to the Grand Central Market for lunch. For those of you that have not had the pleasure of visiting the Grand Central Market, you should really go. It has a wide variety of foods, Chinese, Mexican, and I believe even Middle Eastern. I satisfied my palette with a chicken teriyaki burger and a side of delicious queso fresco.

Once all of us heifers were done stuffing our faces, we took a trip on Angel's Flight. Then, we proceeded to the highlight and finale of the entire day, The Museum of Contemporary Art (a.k.a. MOCA). Not many people were looking forward to the museum. One person said that they would rather go
home, I on the other hand insisted on going, and since I was in charge of the
event, we went! OH WELL, BUDDY!! HA HA!! The main exhibit was a an art exhibit featuring a group of short films by director Bruce Connor. One movie in particular was a big hit with the men of the group, it was titled "Breakaway". Lets just say that it was so entertaining for some that it made blood rush from their heads. HEE HEE. "Breakaway" starred a naked woman. She was not naked throughout the entire film, but she was naked for about ¼ of the time. Oliver Balotro's reaction was, "Sara!!! The chick is naked, Oh my God.. She's naked !!!" I didn't find it that entertaining, but hey, at least some people got their jollies that day. My favorite exhibit of the Bruce Connor exhibit was the stippling. It was very impressive. Half of you probably don't even know what stippling is! Well, it is basically a bunch of dots put closer together or farther apart to give the illusion of depth and lines. Do you kinda understand now? The one thing that really made my day though was seeing an Andy Warhol original. I about died!! I LOVE ANDY WARHOL!

To me, the event was a total success. Everyone seemed to have a good time, me especially. If GEO goes on another walking tour next year, I highly recommend that you attend!!

On Saturday, March 1^st, 2003, GEO ventured out to explore the history and melodic composition of Los Angeles. We scheduled a docent led tour at three o’clock at the historic Grand Central Station. This was an excellent tour and it encompassed both the old Grand Central and the newly built additions. The docent explained the events that led to the creation of Grand Central, as well as showed a pictorial history of the area dating back to the 1930’s and 40’s. We explored the massive ticket areas that once boomed with patrons when multiple train companies were in operation at Grand Central. Today it stands empty and blocked off to the public; however, it still has all original components in tact. Then we ventured out and saw the newer additions to Grand Central, the ever-expanding subway system. The area that surrounds the subway area has amazing creative art that delves into the history of Los Angeles. There are artifacts from China Town and the Los Angeles River dating back to the origins of Los Angeles at the turn of the century. There are also many cultural collages of artwork that add to the feeling of diversity that Los Angeles embraces. We finished the tour by exploring the gardens that line Grand Central, which allude to the warm Southern California atmosphere year round that make it seem like one is entering paradise when they emerge from travel on the trains.

After the tour, we walked a short distance to the world famous Felipe’s old-fashioned French Dip deli to eat dinner. Felipe’s is famous for discovering French Dips. Today they are made fresh at low cost and they taste delicious. Felipe’s is the only place in Los Angeles where one can get a cup of coffee for a mere ten cents. Only brave GEO members like Daniel Zayas were able to tolerate their famous hot horseradish mustard sauce.

After Felipe’s, we had about an hour to waste and could not help but notice that we were a few blocks from China Town. Led by Joy, we took an impromptu walk through the historic China Town and some of us bought delicious desserts. Others gazed through shops, and a few of us purchased China Town souvenirs. We left China Town en route for the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is a beautiful place filled with many crystal chandeliers and glass mirrors, which help light it up. It is the temporary home to the Philharmonic, until the new Disney Hall opens down the street. Though we had nosebleed seats that could not stop our enjoyment of the beautiful sounds of the orchestra. For an hour and a half, the Philharmonic played beautiful melodies of many composers, including Bach. It was both relaxing and captivating at the same time.

Over all, it was a wonderful night, and it was low cost for the GEO members. We experienced a diverse amount of attractions that Los Angeles has to offer, from the origins of the train station that helped place Los Angeles on the map, to a world famous innovative eatery, to one of the world’s largest cultural meccas, to the sounds that attraction people from all across the globe today.

A beautiful building, surrounded by beautiful land, filled with beautiful art. Does such a place exist? Of course…The Getty’s Museum! We had many members join us and we all had a blast.

We arrived at the Getty’s Museum…but we were somehow missing one car. So we waited a little while longer for them but decided that we couldn’t wait any longer so we got on the tram and went up to the museum. On the way up we found out that Sarah Wong was going down to see if we were at the bottom…so that didn’t work out! So when we got there…we waited a little longer. When the group was finally together we decided to take the architectural tour.

The tour was really nice. The rocks were really cool…especially the ones with fossils in them. There was so much white and the light reflected it perfectly. There was this really cool…stream that led down to a waterfall…it was really cool. And the cactus garden was really nice. Oh, that maze field thing that was in the back…that was nice too. After the tour everyone went his or her separate ways. I’m not sure what everyone did, but from what I heard they all had fun. Some had fun eating lunch…in the cafeteria with the high prices, but the food was pretty good…right? Many of the pieces of artwork in the museum were really nice. Doesn’t matter if your favorite was in the sculptures section of the painting section…there was something nice everywhere. And if you went outside, it was very peaceful to just relax in the grass.

Hopefully many of you who didn’t go will be able to visit the museum one day…and those of you who went…I know you guys would love to return again.

Anyone that lives in Southern California should visit The Getty Center at least once a year. I mean, how could anyone live in So. Cal. without at least wanting to visit the Getty? Our trip this year was nothing less than great (of course!).

The day was chilly! The museum sits on top of a small mountain that is close to the beach so that means it was also windy (brrrr! wind chill....). Despite the chilly wind, the day was absolutely gorgeous for January. We could see the sun shining across the ocean from the Getty. And even though the weather was on the cold side, we took an architectural tour of the museum that took us all around the museum grounds. Our guide, Sharon, gave us the history of how the Getty Center was constructed and what all the buildings on the grounds were for. Plus, she also explained to us a little of the Getty’s history. What did we learn? Well, we can now tell the difference between Meier white and Getty white (Meier was the name of the man that designed the Getty Center).

After the tour we were free to split up and explore the museum to our hearts’ content. Some went off to explore by themselves while others took off in pairs and some stuck with the group experience. We all went out our own pace, which was a very good thing. I didn’t see some people for the rest of the day though (i.e. Elsy and Peter).

The museum is divided into North, South, East, and West Pavilions with paintings in chronological order. Janlee and I headed towards the North Pavilion that had Italian paintings from the 1400-1500s. We tired of that soon and we went in search of portraits of ladies in pretty dresses, which the Getty has plenty of.

The Getty has a great collection of furniture from France placed in fully restored 18^th century French rooms. These rooms are amazing! The walls are either paneled or covered with silk wallpaper. The furniture is all ornate complete gold trimmings. The vases had intricate designs. Everything in those rooms looked rich!

My favorite part of the Getty is definitely the garden. Not because its so beautiful or anything, but because of its view of the ocean. There’s nothing like sitting on the grass on a quasi-warm winter day and looking out to the ocean...now that is wonderful.

Romping the tropical gardens of the Huntington estate and exploring the fabulous Huntington Mansion is a very GEO thing to do. A few select GEO members were in for a treat at the Huntington Gardens this year since we went for tea at the Rose Garden Tea House.

So, the “elite” members who decided to have tea with us did something rare since that tea house is always jam-packed with reservations. There were about 10 out of the 20 that went and those 10 got the best tea and scones the world has to offer. Strangely enough, the party was consisted of all females, except for a certain male advisor, whom I still hesitate to call male, but that’s beside the point… Vanessa Munns and Tran Bui (Bunns and Booty, as they’re called) even tried on their English accents and gestures that turned out to be a drama scene turned wrong. That was okay because Cindy Benson and I were there to save the day! We stopped them in the nick of time before they actually started embarrassing other people. We sent them off to go get food, where they couldn’t cause very much more trouble…hopefully…

Tea could only go on for so long and soon we all went our own ways to explore the vast gardens of this rich capitalist man. The man has a Japanese Garden, a jungle garden, a desert garden, a camellia garden, and a rose garden! Plus, a couple fountains, a mansion, another building, a greenhouse, a mausoleum, and so many more other things that it would be impossible not to be jealous of this guy’s wealth! I walked all day, and I don’t think I actually got to see it all.

The property is so big, I didn’t see many people all day, but when I did run into them, they always had some story to tell. Abigael Inguito had fallen the water from a waterfall when she tried to take a picture. I actually thought this was one of those attractions where a change of clothes was not needed. I guess I was wrong! Now that I think about it, Tran and Vanessa were with her. I can’t help but wonder if ….no… Later, Alley Medel was heard running down a hill in the desert garden. When asked why, she replied that she just couldn’t stop; apparently, she didn’t know how to use the brakes on her feet.

With all the vegetation and lakes, the Huntington is just a place where you want to relax and spend the whole day lying in the grass. .Napping in the nice, warm, sun and just letting all your troubles go. On guy did exactly this and his name was Jan Sarenas. He fell asleep on some bench in front of the library building and didn’t wake up until it was too late. Poor Jan…poor, poor Jan…

GEO’s first dining adventure this year with a sad turn-out of about 10-12. Hey, people who didn’t go, you don’t know what you missed! Great food, terrific music, friendly waiters, and horchata!

Once inside, you felt like you were in a foreign country with different customs and a different language. Definitely a different ethnicity. However, you also felt strangely at home.

From Monterey chicken to enchiladas del mar, they had bueno Mexican cuisine. People like Cindy Benson got totally addicted to the salsa. I’m not talking about the dance, but the thing you dip tortilla chips in. She practically stole all the containers in her area, didn’t share with others and if she could, she would have probably drunk it all out of their little cups.

At about 8 pm the Mariachi de Guadalajara started their performance. Their music was astounding. From traditional Mexican “folk songs” to modern mariachi favorites, they played quality sounds. You can’t get that entertainment that good in the whole Baldwin Park, West Covina area!

It was Claudia Hernandez’s birthday (well, close enough!!) that night and the mariachi band recognized her and one of the younger, good looking members personally serenaded her. She was also honored with a free piece of cake with a candle on it (as most birthday cakes will have.).

The evening was good solid fun and well, except for the Oliver-bean problem, the night went great.

Just when you think you know people, when you think that nothing they will ever do will surprise you, they do something that totally BLOWS YOUR MIND!!! For example, GEO’s dinning adventure to Wahib’s. It seemed innocent enough, right? I thought we’d eat some bizarre food from Nusha’s neck of the woods, see a belly dancer, and have a good time. While all of that did happen, it is a bland and understated way of describing what really happened!

First, let me talk about the food. The menu offered everything from the tame (lamb chops) to the truly out of the ordinary (lamb brain). We all got, however, pita bread with humus, spicy herbs, a dinner of beef kabobs over a bed of wild rice, and baklava for dessert. It was interesting to say the least. But maybe just a little too “interesting” because some people hardly touched their meals (they must have forgotten their sense of adventure at home). Most liked what they were served and some even ate the dinners of those few GEO members that had “sensitive appetites.”

What first attracted the GEO officers to Wahib’s was the belly dancing; that was what we wanted to see. We could have cared less about the food. And we weren’t let down with the show we received. Here is where that whole spiel thing about people doing things that totally blow your mind comes in. I’ve see GEO members almost every single day. I see them at school, in the halls, in class, at GEO meetings, etc. I think I know some of you pretty well. But quite honestly, I did not think that some of these people had it in them to shake their moneymaker with a belly dancer (a very seductive belly dancer at that!). When one by one each of us got up to dance with Elexia, well, that just made me think of certain people in a whole new light. For example, the sweet GEO VP (Miss Janlee Saenam) was seen doing pelvic swivels alongside the professional. Ajay Huynh was seen cringing with fear that Ingrid Tumbos would catch wind of him dancing with a veil wrapped around his hips. Dimas Guardado, Sr. was photographed dancing with Elexia and let me say that she gave him a look you could have poured on a waffle. The photograph was later presented to Mrs. Guardado, consequently, Mr. Guardado is no longer allowed to attend dinning adventures without Mrs. Guardado. And I will never forget seeing the GEO advisor (Mr. David M. Beeken!) shimmying up there with the veil...definitely a Kodak moment.

Everyone was really into it. People were shouting for their friends to get up. Elexia was trying to lure some of the more reluctant people to dance with her via the “come hither” hip sway. A lot of laughing going on, flashes going off from cameras, and hoots and hollers from us sitting down for those up trying to imitate the rhythmic undulations (it is not as easy as it looks). And when you see that some of these people really can shake their moneymaker, well, we’ll never forget that little moment in time. People still talk about that long ago night at Wahib’s, when we all forgot to be embarrassed about looking like geeks and just went for it!

On Friday, November 15, 2002, GEO went to its favorite Japanese restaurant, Bishamon. Bishamon is nestled in the middle of Old Town Covina, which gives it a more intimate and Japanese feeling. The best part is sitting upstairs on traditional tatmi mats and trying to eat with chopsticks.

Our adventure to Bishamon always attracts a large crowd of GEO members. This year 35 people attended. All members are encouraged to try new foods like edimame, miso soup, and tempura. Member Eric Tse won $10 for eating the most of his huge dinner boat he shared with friends. Abby Inguito thought that Bishamon was cool because we get to take our shoes off, and Kevin Cheung really enjoyed the green tea ice cream he tried for the first time.

The food served at Bishamon is exceptional. It is unlike most local Japanese restaurants because it is very authentic. The sushi and tempura tastes just like it does in Japan. The setting is just like traditional Japanese setting also. The prices are just right too. There is no other place quite like Bishamon in the valley so it will continue to be a GEO favorite for our dinning adventures.

It’s been cold and chilly at night but the lucky 40 that were with GEO on November 16 (instead of seeing Harry Potter on premiere night) were nice and warm in a cozy little Japanese restaurant we know as Bishamon. Located in Old Town Covina, this restaurant was GEO’s biggest hit this year. There were just so many people, we took up the whole upstairs room and I’m pretty sure we also flustered the waitresses.

The night just kinda happened. People showed up, they ate, they talked, they shared, they paid, then they left. The usual “clowns” did their stuff; Cindy Mata spilled Murf’s lemonade all over one of the tables and somehow, and Gina Fischer’s group managed to get their hands on a Rolling Stones Magazine and the rest of this has been censored. Well, if you really want to know, it had to do with a Britney Spears picture and a camel toe…On a brighter note, we met some GEO newbies that night. Arthur Shen paid his GEO dues right then and there. For many, it was their first GEO event.

The food was great, as always. One big disappointment though, was that they were once again out of green tea ice cream. Very sad. So, we had mochi ice cream (or rather the mochi balls) instead. California rolls seemed to be popular among the members, we don’t know why, but everyone liked them.

Everyone ate with the chopsticks, mainly because we forced them to. I mean, come on, we wanted to give them the whole Japanese experience!! One thing we found out though, being Japanese doesn’t necessarily mean they can use chopsticks. We found this out when Traci Kawaguchi was caught with a fork!

What do you get when you mix authentic Japanese food, tatami mats, waitresses that don’t speak English, an intimate atmosphere, and thirty-seven rambunctious GEO members?  It can only mean one thing: GEO’s dinning adventure to Bishamon!!!  This year, thirty-seven hungry Japanese food-craving GEO members, parents, and guests invaded the quite little restaurant in Old Town Covina.
           Needless to say, the night was full of firsts.  The GEO President and Vice-President (that would be me and Janlee) had their first (and last) taste of sashimi!!!  It might just be me but, it takes guts to put a piece of raw flesh into your mouth, chew, and then swallow!!!  I think, however, that Janlee was braver than I was, she ate the entire piece whereas I only nibbled.  Not all the food was raw, dinners like Andrew Tim and Oliver Balotro made a dinning statement by ordering the biggest dish they could—the specialty boat (and it’s really a boat!).  There was enough food heaped on that thing to feed a small Asian family.  Other people sampled Bishamon’s udon, some tried sushi, some ordered gyoza, and some ordered favorites like chicken teriyaki.  There’s one thing for sure, the palettes were having a field day that night what with all the food on the table.
           GEO members went the extra mile for the Japanese experience by adopting Japanese names.  Everyone wore nametags made by the GEO officers that read “Bishamon 2000” on the left side and their Japanese name for the night on the right side.  I think it really added to the experience and made people feel special.
             For those of you who don’t all ready know, Bishamon is a relatively small Japanese restaurant in Old Town Covina, right on Citrus.  The lower level of the place is only a cover for the treasure they keep upstairs.  On the second floor is a room where you can make believe you really are in Nippon—a raised area covered in tatami with low tables complete with cushions for you to sit on (remove your shoes, please).  This section overlooks the street.  The lights lighting up the night sky from all the little shops make for a pretty view for dinner.  GEO took up the entire tatami area which is impressive.
             The night was not without tragedy.  They ran out of GREEN TEA ICE CREAM!!!  I know, I know, I know, this was a shock to me as well.  Given, I was very upset when the waiter informed me during dessert that there was no more green tea ice cream to be had.  I really had to sit there for two minutes and absorb the news.  For those of you who know the hidden pleasure of green tea ice cream, you can imagine my loss.  You just cannot, CANNOT, go to Bishamon and not eat any green tea ice cream, you just can’t, its wrong...  Next time, I am calling ahead to tell them to get the ice cream ready because GEO is coming for dinner.  Many were deprived that night.
             Other than the green tea ice cream calamity, the night was great!  Hey, thirty-seven people can’t be wrong.  The attraction of Bishamon is that it is small enough to feel intimate but big enough to fit all of us inside.  Added to that, it is right smack dab in the middle of Old Town Covina.  After dinner you have the option of exploring this quaint little part of town and maybe even check out the set of the TV show Roswell.

Any night can be turned into a great night after attending Pasadena’s La Luna Negra, an authentic Spanish restaurant, promising our GEO members not only a lively atmosphere and the tastiest dishes but also a jaw opening flamenco performance. If your looking forward to a dining adventure besides Bishamon your GEO year, then this is the one. Everyone arrived at around 7pm and we got seated right away. We had a great group of GEO members, parents, and teachers join us that night. Special thanks to the Dominguez family, Richardson family, Team Beeken, and Ms. Costales for supporting us that night. Woo!

The officers this year organized the event with a preset menu, which made the night an affordable one and allowed everyone to try at least fifteen dishes. What a deal!! The dishes are really called tapas, its Spanish for appetizers. These had to be the tastiest most random dishes ever, we had from Spanish chorizo to <insert cool Spanish name> chops. Our table was right in the middle of the restaurant, which was great because we were near the stage and just at the right place. Our vice president, Daniel Richardson, isn’t the biggest fan of seafood. Guess what? We got a lot of that too. It boiled down to the calamari and he told us his philosophy on seafood: “You can cut a little piece out of a cow and it’d still live, but with seafood your eating the whole thing!” He ate one after some peer pressure, check out the GEO wall for his expression. The night was even more special because members like Donna Tran and Alex Nishino had never been to a Spanish restaurant! Just when everyone thought it was good, it got better.

The flamenco team prepared itself and boom it started. The best part of the whole thing is that it was live, right in front of us and the whole restaurant got into it. A flamenco show has dancing, singing, clapping, and tapping of its own. Its soooo Spanish. The two women dressed up with these vibrant, stylish, and reddish dresses -- just like out of an Antonio Banderas movie or something. There were three guys (a guitarist, a cajon player, and a singer/tap dancer). The main woman sung through most of the songs and it was amazing. Well, what was REALLY amazing is that Nancy Ly and Stephanie Roman were called up to DANCE!! Yep, not just to dance but to flamenco dance. They had to clap, stomp, and dance on stage. Definitely, check out the GEO wall for pictures of the two. Dang, what a fun night. The whole restaurant clapped and the whole night was just mind blowing. I don’t think words can truly make you feel how that performance that night was, too much good stuff. If you get the chance to go, don’t miss out.

Anyone that’s ever wondered what Spanish (lemme clarify, not Mexican) food is and tastes like should try La Luna Negra. I wasn’t too sure myself just what Spanish food was other than that paella was the national dish of Spain. I decided not to have too many expectations and to brace my palate for some very “interesting” food. That was the attitude most of us had on entering La Luna Negra since none of us had ever tried Spanish food before...and were we surprised, some pleasantly and some not so pleasantly...

I suppose we all looked a bit weird because our table was right in the middle of the restaurant and ran from one end of the place to the other. A really big birthday party maybe? No, just GEO doing another one of its dining adventures! We got many stares from people but in a good, inquisitive way.

Spanish food was new to everybody so when we were given the menus quite a few of us weren’t sure what to order. How to order and what to order was explained to me by the waiter and I in turn tried to explain it as best as I could to everybody else. Everyone was free to order anything they wanted and everyone made sure to have a taste of paella. Because the dishes had such interesting and exotic sounding names, that’s how most of us picked out what we’d be eating. I know for a fact that I ordered my food because it flat out sounded COOL! I don’t remember what it was right now, but it had a neato name. Here’s an example, on the menu was “pollo al diabolo,” who’s not going to want “devil chicken”??? It sounds COOL! There are those, however, that insist on being freaks and order weird stuff. The GEO Secretary (Sara Guzman) just had to have her deep fried squid and insisted on passing it around to the table. Those of you that know me know that I am NOT a fan of squid. Everyone did their best to order something out of the ordinary keeping with the GEO spirit of adventure.

What everyone wanted to know was when the flamenco dancers were coming out; it was what everyone was looking forward to actually. The two flamencos made their entrance clapping and the entire room took up the beat with their hands or by hitting the tables with their spoons. The dancers didn’t disappoint. They twirled, clapped, and gave a show that everyone got into. GEO member Dimas Guardado (no stranger to the stage) tried flamenco for himself when one of the dancers invited him up to dance. I’m only sorry that the performance wasn’t longer, but I can’t complain too much because my arms were getting tired from clapping the time for them.

Another highlight of the night was Roslyn Dang’s “birthday.” I don’t know why Janlee and I decided to tell the waiter that it was Rose’s birthday but before I knew it we were whispering to the waiter that it was the girl in yellow’s birthday. When Rose was presented with a small cake topped with lit candles we all burst into “Happy Birthday” on cue. Rose took it very well. It was just her day to be the birthday girl I guess. Who knows who it will be next time? Maybe you? Maybe...

There was a problem when the check came and we were severely short on cash. People eventually coughed up enough money, but it was a mighty long time before we finally got that money scrapped together. This was probably the only thing I didn’t like about the night. There will be changes in the future...

“Thai food means peanuts and sauce,” said our VP and GEO got to test the grounds for this theory with a Dining Adventure at Thai Barbeque, located on Azusa and Amar. Our VP definitely didn’t know what he was talking about. Thai food is all about the seafood, honey duck and the Thai Tea!

Despite the morbid remarks make by Beeken about this place, we ventured to give it another chance, and boy, how right we were. We had a little room to ourselves and had very yummy seafood, that we all shared. It would take me forever to list all the dishes that we ordered so, let’s just say we ordered about half of what was on the menu at least. Tasty Shrimp and the Honey Duck I keep mentioning were very good and I recommend them the most from the menu as well as lemon grass soup. Thai tea is definitely a must if you’re ding there. It adds to the flavor.

As the evening progressed…actually all I remember about this night besides the food was the bickering going on between several people, especially between certain “origins-of-all-my-problems” people and me. Besides that, everything was fine.

This was the particular event that Cuc Ho brought along the guy she was “seeing” at the time. Some guy from Basset High. They didn’t eat, they spent most of their night outside. Meanwhile, inside, tensions were high as Jan Sarenas, Oliver Balotro, and Murf Irigoyen spied some of Anh Chau and Jason Zong’s leftovers. As soon as Anh and Jason left, those leftovers were gone as well.

On Friday February 21^st, the GEO Club went on its second dining adventure of the year to Penang, a Malaysian restaurant located near the high school in the new Hong Kong Plaza. No one has heard of this unique restaurant that has entered our city, so I suggested it as our dining adventure. This GEO event was quite a success since over 20 members attended.

We met at the restaurant at six o’clock, but a few arrived late (myself and the badminton people). But everything was good since we didn’t need any reservations for the restaurant. Once we got into the restaurant we all sat together but separated ourselves into different groups. Some of us ordered one entrée for ourselves but my group ordered several so that we could all share, which I recommend since everyone can have a little taste of everything. The waiters and waitresses were really nice and patient with our indecisiveness with our orders since none of us had ever tasted Malaysian food. Kim Han and Abigail Inguito had the worse times ordering. But when our food arrived we could not help but immediately devour the food. Donna Ibale and several of her friends ordered coconut drinks with little paper umbrellas, which caught the attention of Beeken’s Camera.

Overall, the food was pretty good and different since there are not many Malaysian restaurants available to us. When we finished eating, several of us went home but myself and the party crew (Harold, Abby, Kim, and Lillian) stayed to explore the many other cultural opportunities available to us at the plaza. We had some exotic drinks from the Vietnamese restaurant, an awesome way to top off our evening.

KONNECHIWA! On Friday March 18th, 2005 more than 50 awesome GEO members, along with a number of parents and past alumni, gathered to share an unforgettable dining adventure at Sakura of Tokyo on Glendora Ave. in honor of our Japanese guests from Kofu, Japan. Their banquet room was the best place to be to enjoy great times and tons of authentic food from the far land of Nippon. Even though the service went a bit slow to the point the GEO Treasurer had to help them out, we all made the best of it.

By around 6:45 pm everyone was there and got seated in the banquet room; which consisted of three long rows of tables with a select area that has tatami mats (no shoes please), at times it made you feel like you were in Tokyo, specially with the Japanese. Who were very sociable and fun. We all enjoyed ourselves as we laughed, talked, and played some games. The game of the night was soccer --- but with sugar packets, each goal meant you ate one. A minute later, countless packets laid across the tables and even the Japanese enjoyed playing it! I found myself having one, but with soy sauce, to make it more Japanese-like (soon others followed). Yep! Talk about a cultural experience, we even had a champion for the night, Ricky Chea.

As I welcomed everybody to Sakura of Tokyo and thanked those that joined us, it was time to honor the kacuii (a.k.a. coolest) Japanese exchange students. Each one of them came up to the tatami area and in their sweet Japanese way thanked everyone for such a great time and hospitality, most of them even said that they loved us! It was amazing, since most of them weren’t really fluent in English but managed to say it all. Soon it was time for Sano sensei, the Japanese Advisor, who sincerely complimented the 2005 Exchange as the best one in the history of GEO for such hospitality, great events, and affection for Japanese students. Now, that was incredibly awesome. It made me happier than ever and want to hug the whole GEO e-board. Next thing, he complimented and mentioned he would be willing take me to Japan as his assistant! That was awesome too, I am very excited that we made them feel so welcome.

It soon got even better as people began to order and get their food eventually. Everyone munched down these huge plates as the atmosphere of the evening was very fun and full of energy. People like Humi Ozawa had these massive soup-like things of sea food while others like Daniel Richardson enjoyed yummy Japanese ice cream. Unfortunately they didn’t have Yakimorimoto, but the favorites included teriyaki chicken, tempura, or California sushi rolls. It truly was a memorable night in the hearts of many and the perfect dinner for such a great group of people. Now it’s time to say "'till next time" and Sayonara!!!

To kick off the Easter Break, I mean, Spring Break, GEO got together for a classic film potluck on March 24, 2005. To help set the tone for the weekend, Fred Astaire and Judy Garland danced and sung their hearts out in Irving Berlin’s comedic musical, Easter Parade.

Easter Parade tells the story of lovesick Don Hewes (Astaire) and his attempts to win the attention and affection of his former partner, Nadine Hale (Miller). Hewes meets Hannah Brown (Garland), a dancer at a New York club and promises her that he will make her a star. Walking “on the avenue, Fifth Avenue” on Easter day, Brown sees Hale and is impressed and in awe—Hewes promises her that he will make her a star and everyone will want to take her picture next Easter.

This romantic comedy plays out interestingly when Brown and Hewes fall for each other through the course of their dance career. The plot thickens when Hewes’ friend, Johnny Harrow, (Peter Lawford) falls for Brown, but settles for Hale when he finds that Brown is already in love.

Through the entire movie, it is almost frustrating to see Hewes and Brown dance around their flourishing love for each other. But their last walk down Fifth Avenue melts my heart and puts a smile on my face. Yay, lovebirds!

This musical is no Singing in the Rain, but Astaire puts on a great performance in his first number of the movie, Drum Crazy. And I loved Ann Miller’s Shakin’ Those Blues Away; it comes up number two on the list of impressive dance numbers in this musical.

Officer Review: Foreign Film -- "Triplets of Bellville " (2003)

by GEO Treasurer 2005

The Triplets of Bellville is a classic French comedy about a straightforward lost and found story. Nominated for an academy award for best animation, this movie caused audiences to cry and laugh at the same time. The hilarious satire in this movie was intelligently clever and deserved recognition for its magnificent sound…yada yada yada. These excerpts are one would usually hear from some common critic watching this movie in some common theatre. However, the GEO experience is a lot more.

The Triplets of Bellville was GEO’s first film potluck of the 2004-2005 school year. Members were excited to watch a foreign film even though they didn’t know what they were watching before hand. Dozens came, with foods ready and high expectations, into M-1 in the month of February. Chairs were lined in rows to face the south wall screen and almost every one of them was filled with glimmering eyes.

Then the lights dimmed as Beeken approaches the stage with his chest high and breath stead. As he spoke the room froze to listen to his introduction to the movie. The end of his speech signals the beginning of the film. Members sit to enjoy with their friends the film as the screen brightens.

Triplets of Bellville, like I said earlier, is a classic French comedy using little to none dialogue in order to express its comedic exaggeration and satire visually. It’s about a stump lady and her young son who live on a hill in a small town called Bellville. They live in a shank house and time passes by them by as industrialization effects everything around them except themselves. During one of their weekly routine the son is taken while in a bike marathon and shipped to America for mafia gambling games. The now older lady sets across the ocean with her plump dog in search of her son which leads down a spiraling path of interesting and odd highlights in American society.

This was a great film as people laughed together at the right times and people awed when necessary. “This is a perfect film for couples and families to watch”. This film is a little confusing but still entertaining to watch.

Starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven, this original version of The Preacher’s Wife is a great holiday movie. Cary Grant is cast as the angel and Loretta Young is the wife (Julia) he falls in love with, leaving David Niven with the disillusioned bishop’s role. It’s a tale of love, kindness, and believing in something.

Things are getting cold between Henry and Julia since Henry is having so much trouble building a new cathedral. An angel is sent don to fix things, but he finds himself falling in love with the fair Julia. However, after things are made right, he realizes that a mortal and an immortal cannot be together, especially since he was sent to save the marriage! Miracles happen here and there in addition to the angel touching many lives and inspiring others to pursue their dreams.

It’s a very heartwarming movie and it’s no wonder that it was up for Oscar nomination.

On Wednesday, January 22, 2003 GEO hosted our second foreign film potluck in S-2. We watched an Oscar nominated Iranian film, “Children of Heaven,” which was suggested by member Sarah Wong. Around 30 members attended the potluck, which was in the middle of finals week. The Khilfeh’s brought food for everyone, Daniel Zayas and Rocky Rupple brought soda and sups, and the officers brought fried chicken and potato wedges.

The movie illustrated the closeness of families and showed how great family values are. There was almost an ambiguous ending, which left us thinking, but as a whole, all the members got into the story line and enjoyed the film. Thanks to all those who went and who brought food, you made the potluck happen. Check our calendar of events to see when the next potluck is

Cyrano de Bergerac is a French romantic comedy based in the 17^th century. The story is about a flamboyant poet and swordsman that falls in love with his cousin Roxanne, (it was common for cousins to hook up back then). Cyrano makes no attempts to court her for fear of rejection, and ridicule of his large nose. A young soldier named Christian enters the picture as he and Roxanne take a shine to each other. Cyrano hesitantly uses Christian (and vise versa) to gain the heart of Roxanne; Cyrano see’s his chance to tell Roxanne his feelings in the most poetic way possible using Christian. Upon reading the letters from “Christian”, Roxanne instantly falls in love with the words that are written and in haste marries Christian before the aristocrat DeGuiche returns to marry Roxanne. Infuriated by the marriage, DeGuiche summons Cyrano and his Cadets (including Christian) to the war with the Spanish.

Throughout the war Cyrano secretly writes to Roxanne as Christian. Roxanne comes to the French camp and brings food and wine for the soldiers. Roxanne has admitted to loving Christian even if he was ugly, grotesque, and deformed. Christian finds out that Cyrano loves Roxanne and angrily tells Cyrano to tell her the truth. In a rage Christian charges through the Spanish lines and is fatally wounded. Cyrano doesn’t tell Roxanne the truth. As Christian lay there on the brink of death Cyrano tells him that Roxanne loves him and Christian dies. Roxanne finds an unsigned letter that Cyrano wrote in Christian’s shirt and is taken away from the raging battle scene.

Years later Roxanne is a widow in morning in a French nunnery. A gray-haired Cyrano makes a weekly visit to Roxanne. On the way over Cyrano is fatally hurt by a large wooden beam dropped from a rooftop on his head. As he dies Roxanne discovers Cyrano loves her and Cyrano wrote all the letters.

This is acclaimed as the best version of Cyrano de Bergerac filmed. The play by Edmond Rostand was played on stage in the mid 1800’s. In 1950 Director Jose Ferrer won an Academy Award for his low-budget version of the story and much later Steve Martin played Cyrano in “Roxanne.” The French version of the story by far is the best. This film was directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau and stared famed French actor Gerard Depardieu.

My mom first showed me this film when I was about ten years old, because it was her favorite novel in high school. I didn’t understand the French and couldn’t read the subtitles that fast, but the sword fights and war scenes amazed me. To be quite honest I never watched it in it’s entirety because I’d get bored of all the talking after the war, especially when he takes forever to die, but I enjoyed this film greatly.

Leave it to the French to make a film that has A LOT of kissing!!! Despite this, the whole film is a study in child psychology. All the main actors are children, 5-7 years old, and it reveals a world through the eyes of children.

Ponette is girl who had just lost her mother in a car accident. She doesn’t want to acknowledge her mother’s death and insists that she’s coming back to get her and they’re going to go to a faraway place away from everyone else. The people around her think she’s gone nuts and try to convince her that her mother is gone forever. Even the children, her friends, make fun of her and don’t take her seriously.

I found out how cruel children can be through this film. It was about letting go, acceptance, and friendships. Eventually, the others sort of understood, the adults also sort of understood and Ponette let go and things were back to normal again. The children were very natural in the film and the director seemed to know exactly what went on inside a child’s head. It was interesting, but it also got slow in some parts. I wouldn’t recommend this unless you really like children.

Of course, I have to speak about the food people brought since we had a feast. Andrew Mitsuhashi brought pie, Linda Khilfeh brought Pakistani rice, and Cindy Benson brought chicken Creole!! It was all very yummy. Surprisingly, everyone was very well behaved this time around (well maybe half of them were asleep…).

Everyone’s favorite red-head runs to save her boyfriend who just lost a lot of money that he had to deliver to some mafia-type people. Sound like a crazy movie? Well, it certainly was, with all the camera angles, imagination, and animation, it was an awesome movie!

One morning, Lola is awakened by a phone call from her boyfriend who tells her that he just lost this large amount of money and that he’s in trouble if he doesn’t get it back quick. Lola tells him to wait where he is and starts running to the location. Everything she does and every choice she makes affects the people around her.

Essentially, if Lola doesn’t like the way things turned out in the end, she seemed to get another shot at it and starts over again. She learns from her mistakes, as if she knows that she’s doing it again for the second or third time. Because of this twist, the audience can see the significant changes that occur throughout the movie. The ending? Well, it all ended well, of course.

Many people showed up to this event and many people brought food!! It was highly appreciated and most people ate everything available. The one thing we learned that day was, GEO members are hungry people and they will eat everything…

            I personally thought that the Foreign Film Potluck was a great success. At the potluck, we watched the Japanese film “Shall We Dance”. It is a great movie receiving many awards and other recognition from big awards ceremonies. The movie was about a business man who secretly went to dance classes as a way to express his emotions. His wife had thought that he started cheating on her and so she hired a spy to watch him in the hours after office. The wife finally finds out what her husband has been up to since he’s been getting home late and coming home with a girly smell and a big smile on his face.
            The movie is very funny! We had about a room full plus about 30 more people stayed for the meeting, but about 25 people ended up staying for the rest of the movie. Maybe they got bored, but honestly, I thought it was worth skipping band over. I had band practice that night, and anything to get me out of practice, count me in.
            I also want to thank all of you that stayed and helped clean up the room after the movie was over. You can pat yourselves on the back because without y’alls, we would have probably stayed double the time we did.
Anyway, more about the movie: do you guys remember that guy that walked weird? In the very beginning he showed up and started walking all crazy in the office. But then later on in the movie, we find out that he’s been taking dance classes. Was I the only one that went, “OHHH!!” Maybe because I’m pretty slow about those things. But yeah, do you guys also remember that he had that wig? Hehe, that was cool in the end when he was dancing all crazy in the competition and then his wig was all distorted. And who can forget about the mean fat girl.
            The food was awesome, by the way. Thanks to Linda and Lulu’s mom for bringing the yummy potato salad. I know a lot of people didn’t get a chance to get any because it was so good and all those people in the front of the line hogged all of it. Thanks to everybody else that brought food also! They were great. All those cookies sure hit the spot. Specially the Oreo’s—Well thanks to whoever brought the Oreo’s. Amber, the cheese was great! Who liked the Kettle Corn? I sure did! I probably took like 20 trips to the table for more pop corn. Well, that’s about it, if you guys have any responses, go to the message board and provide your input in there. Till the next GEO event, see ya!!

The beginning of the movie takes place in china around the 1920’s. The opening scene was a teahouse where the main character is shown gambling unaware that he was gambling away his family fortune. The man then realizes that he has made grave mistake when his wife takes their child and leaves him and the bill collector comes to his home where his father and mother (along with a few servants), are witness to the undoing of their ancestral home. The debt is paid and the family is out of house and home. The man’s father then dies when he becomes enraged and attacks his idiot son with his cane.

The movie took the audience through the turbulent years of the Chinese communist revolution. Pretty much everyone that can die, will die in this movie. The unexpected twists and turns of this movie keeps the audience on its feet. It certainly caught me off guard the first time I saw it. In fact, it still caught me off guard the second time I saw it. The actors in “To Live” did a wonderful job. I don’t know what the main actor’s name was but I do know the main actress’s name. Gong Li. Gong Li is a very famous actress in China. They both did a wonderful job portraying their characters. This is my favorite movie. It’s the only movie that ever made me cry, and to a person that thought the death scene on “Titanic” was corny, and didn’t flinch when Mufasa died in “Lion King”, that’s saying a lot. I HIGHLY recommend anyone to see this movie. I know you can find it at Tower records but I’m sure you can find it at other movie rental place. See it!

Our very first classic film potluck!!! Just right for the Halloween season, this film was the perfect scare for GEO. Basically, there’s two ghosts, a mysterious house that houses these ghosts, a woman strangely attracted to the house, her grandfather, and the two siblings who buy the house. The brother falls in love with the woman and he lets her explore but, every time that she’s there, she is mysteriously led to the cliff and almost kills herself.

After a bit of investigation, the people find out that the girl’s mother was killed in the house and her ghost as well as the murderer’s ghost still haunt it. The siblings hire a psychic and try to drive the bad ghost out, but it is the daughter who prevails and she gets the angry ghost out. Later, the girl is invited to live with the siblings and all ends well.

There are many plot twists and unexpected aspects to this film and I highly recommend it for Halloween. The acting is one of the best and it’s one of those films you want to see again.

The El Capitan movie trip in December is a GEO tradition usually coinciding with the release of a new Disney movie. Before we head to the El Cap, we usually go to Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles for a little soul food. And then from there we go to the El Capitan for the movie. That was the plan. But that’s not what happened!

First of all, we had called Roscoe’s the day before to see if they would be able to fit about twenty-five of us and they had told us “yes.” Well, when we got there the place was packed and there was no hope of being seated. In fact, the manager practically told us to leave. So, it was decided that we should go to Hollywood Blvd. and eat wherever we wanted and then meet up later in line for the movie. So while some people had yummy In-n-Out hamburgers, I had half-cooked fake hamburgers at a restaurant called The Hamlet. Maybe the B grade they received should have warned me of what I would be in for. Janlee’s car had stayed at Roscoe’s to wait for the Benson car that was supposed to meet us there. Her car got to eat Roscoe’s! I’m still bitter about that...

102 Dalmatians was a very cute movie. I had my doubts about it since it was live action and not a cartoon. But Disney is magic and they always pull off something great, 102 Dalmatians was no exception. Oddball was adorable! And no matter what anybody says, they enjoyed the movie.

The real fun was next door at the “Dog House.” It featured the “biggest, baddest, bounce house” I have ever seen. Anyone can go in there so Lisa, AL, Janlee, and I were jumping around along with all the little kids. We might have hurt a few of the little people, but that’s okay! The bounce house was truly insane. There was also the Faux Fur Fashion show! The GEO Treasurer, Jorge, along with John H. Gelert, Jr., Andrew Tim, and Oliver Balotro donned faux fur fashions and strut their stuff on the catwalk. They were enjoying themselves immensely and I think I even spied Oliver and Andrew vogueing. Hehehe...I have pictures!!!

No matter how much we think the movie will suck or that it won’t be fun, we’re always wrong! We had a lot of fun! Plus, pictures are worth a thousand words... =P

“Oh, we’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz!!”…That was what went on over the P.A. prior to this event for about a week, but we only got 25 people to go. I was very sad. I don’t understand why no one wants to see this American classic on the big screen. I mean, I can’t resist Judy Garland, can you?

Nevertheless, we were off to see the Wizard at the historic Alex Theater in Glendale. Built in the 1920s, it still lives in its splendid glamour and The Wizard of Oz was part of its family show series. The ride there was insane with Tran Bui and Vanessa Munns in the car. It was endless chatter about *censored stuff* (because if their parents ever read this, they’d be in trouble…). And it didn’t end, even when we got to the theater. While we were waiting outside, Dorothy Gale came out to say hi!! It was cool. Alley got a picture with the famous Kansas girl. I only wish Toto were with her.

The movie began with a cartoon starring the ugly duckling. I just love the pre-show stuff they do! It reminds me of what I watched when I was 7 or 8. It was a classic Disney cartoon, and so touching too. I actually felt for that poor gosling. I didn’t understand why no one wanted him.

Anyway, the movie started after a short intermission. The familiar music started playing and my eyes were glued to the screen. The Kansas scenes are in sepia and when Dorothy gets blown away to Oz, everything is in glorious Technicolor. The change was awesome because the quality of the film they used was really good! Whoever didn’t go on this event totally lost out!

So, the film went on with countless memorable songs like If I Only Had a Brain and Over the Rainbow. Unfortunately, Cuc Ho fell asleep during Ray Bolger’s bit…I certainly cannot understand why since to me, it’s one of the best parts!

After the movie, we went to Billy’s Deli across the street and had very good food, as with all GEO eating events. Potato pancakes, pastrami, and pickles!! Sounds a little unorthodox, but it was all good. Everyone that stayed also explored the Jewish deli food and had all sorts of strange entrees. One thing we couldn’t forget was the bakery! They have the best bagels, cakes, and other desserts!! You just can’t not have sweets here…it’s a high crime committed against me!!!

Officer Review: Palm Springs International Film Festival 2002-- "A House with a View of the Sea"

“There are no oxen…there are no oxen.” These are chilling words spoken at the end of the movie. A House with a View of the Sea captures so many elements of the human condition that it makes it a beautiful and indeed moving film. Santiago and his father, Tomas, are poor tenants on a rich man’s land. Santiago is a boy of 14 or 15 and is grieving over his mother’s death. His father is an optimistic man who loves to play the violin and wears an odd-looking tulip hat as his trademark. Santiago’s mother has just died at the beginning of the film and his father tells him that the most important thing in life is to “be strong.” These words play a key role in evaluating the conduct of the other people that interact with the boy and his father.

Tomas also tells Santiago stories of the ocean and it’s wonders as he shows him a picture of his mother with the ocean behind her. Although he himself had never seen it before, the father has enough imagination in him to describe the sights vividly into Santiago’s mind, leaving an impression that will last forever. Water is a symbol used repetitively in the film as a healing and protecting element. When Santiago is in trouble, he runs to the river. When Santiago’s feet are blistered and scraped, he soaks them in water. When Santiago is feeling blue, he lies in the wheat fields, in the rain and rejuvenates himself. Santiago soon shares his father’s fascination for the sea.

The father, on the other hand, thrives off of his music and the joy of his son. The music from the violin represents his every mood and always makes the viewer feel warm inside and feel as if one got a glimpse into the man’s heart. Tomas’s hat also is a part of him and he wears it every time he goes out to face the cruel world, like a helmet.

Problems exist in this poverty-stricken family after the death of the mother. The house becomes a scary place as people leave. At one point, when Santiago is alone, the house seemed like it had been abandoned for quite some time. The proprietor of the property is also not a very nice man. He uses every dirty trick and means possible to get what he wants. Santiago and his father might have kept on living their quiet life had it not been for this man.

A photographer is also in town. He is clearly from a different part of the country. He has a smoking problem and a drinking problem. Driving his little red tuck, he arrives into this town, hoping to make some business. He soon meets Santiago and his father and eventually wants to help them out, resulting in a very important picture that he takes of the two. He symbolizes an external force that meddles, very much like the way the US meddles in foreign affairs.

The proprietor goes after Santiago after a brawl results between his son and Santiago. Santiago is chased down by the proprietor’s sons and is stripped of his new boots that his father had earned from the proprietor himself. This angers Tomas and he goes out to get the proprietor. Just before stabbing him, the father asks the proprietor if he himself had taken the boots, thus justifying his attempted murder with the reason that the proprietor was not a “strong person,” since he didn’t do the job himself and unleashed his sons on Santiago as a cowardly act.

The father is jailed and put to an unfair trial, since the proprietor didn’t die was a very influential man because he was rich. The father is sentenced and is ordered to be moved to another jail farther away. This is where the photographer sees his chance to help the man. He volunteers to take the father to the prison, guarded by a guard, of course, with his truck, since he is heading that way too. In the meantime, the proprietor plans to have the father killed on the way to the prison. The photographer saves the father and it seemed as though the father was set free…

During all this time, Santiago has been “strong” and has cultivated the wheat fields by himself. Santiago brings the cultivated wheat to his father’s prison cell to show Tomas that he is all right even by himself. He has grown up quite a bit emotionally and has proven that he can take care of himself. He has even built a boat in the middle of the wheat field and has not forgotten his dream.

The ending is a very ambiguous one with paradoxes and other little things that make the viewer wonder. The father could have gotten away, or he could have been killed. That part of the story is not told, except for a little dark gravestone next to the mother’s and the last words, “There are no oxen… there are no oxen” said by the father, against an ocean background. The director has left it for his audience to decide the outcome and to interpret the film for themselves.

The film is full of symbolism from the beginning to the end and has many themes. It’s a coming of age story with Santiago, a story of broken dreams, a story of imagination, a story of power, and a story of being strong. And to every person that watches it, it can have a different meaning. There is very little script and one has to just watch the film and listen to the sounds to see it’s true beauty. Everything is connected to everything else in so many ways that it is just amazing to see what one can do with film. A House with a View of the Sea is truly a magnificent film that can capture an audience’s heart because everyone can find something they can relate to in it.

Officer Review: Palm Springs International Film Festival 2001-- "La Communidad"

After an exhausting day of hiking on mountainsides, GEO made a trip to the Nortel Networks Palm Springs International Film Festival. The movie was from Spain and it was the movie's Gala opening.

La Communidad (Commonwealth) was directed by acclaimed Spanish Director, Alex de la Iglesias and it starred Goya Award winning (like an Oscar in Spain) actress Carmen Maura.

We arrived at Palm Springs High School, which made Mt. SAC look like a Junior High, (not really) and we entered this huge auditorium with a large cinema screen. Here’s the setting to kind of give you a picture of what it’s like. It’s like a movie theater (of course an auditorium) and all along the walls are flags of many different nations. Then there was dem rich classy folk, cuz we was in Palm Springs. After the hike we all changed in these port-o-potties to go to the movie in style. I don’t know about everyone else, but my clothes looked and smelled nice but I did not.

Before the movie started there was a brief explanation and introduction of the movie, director, and star actress. The movie began. It started out with an Alfred Hitchcock Psycho opening and displaying the characters in a "Clue" (like the game) line-up.

The story line was basically about a real estate agent who stays in an apartment that she is trying to sell. Later she discovers that there is a tenant that has died and his body is rotting away in his apartment and calls the fire department. All the other tenants are acting kind of funny when they discover that she had showed up all of a sudden. The agent later stumbles across a stash of money, about 300 million pesetas (Spain’s currency). It turns out that the money belongs to the guy that died and he got it from a lottery that he had won. The man was too scared to leave his house and never trusted the money in the banks safekeeping. The other tenants were waiting until the man died so they can split the money and a furious when the “newcomer”, the agent, just goes in and takes the money. The tenants wont let her leave with out getting their hands on what they “rightfully deserve” and the agent won't succumb to the same fate as the dead man who first had the money. Towards the end the agent escapes with a tenant, who is kind of off his rocker, and thinks he’s Darth Vader. Crazy story, huh? I summed it up and left out a lot cuz it’s a really complicated, but very cool movie.

This movie was a dark comedy with references to Alfred Hitchcock and Roman Polanski. It was an allegory on Spain’s history and the new form of Euro-currency changing its economy.

At the end of the movie there was a question and answer session with the director Alex de la Iglesias and actress Carmen Maura. The Chairman of the festival asked a question that seemed very preposterous to me, linking the new European currency to the plot of the movie and as the director joked off the question it seemed more absurd to me. Then later, as Mr. Beeken explained the whole movie, it seemed like the director was hiding his true motive and that absurd idea became more feasible. This was an excellent mind-stimulating movie. If it ever comes out on video I urge you to watch it.