Pelada

This movie is a breath of fresh air. I only started playing soccer a year ago and the allure of simply playing is amazing. It was a pleasurable trip around the world with these two. Wendy (sic) you were fantastic, even when you decided to play in Iran and almost killing the project. The scene in the salt flats is so simple and outstanding. The movie implies it is a complex world we live in, but playing a simple game is a common bond we all have. Even watching the game is pure joy.

Yes, This movie is about soccer but it also about seeing the world. We in the US act as if we are the only culture the only norm but this movie shows the world at it's simplest.  It also is self reflective as we as a society seem to need cable, mass media and gadgets to be happy when in effect it is simple movement and play that make us happy.


From Wendy
My name is Gwendolyn--I'm the girl in Pelada, a film about pick-up soccer around the world. We're playing at the Hollywood Theatre at 7 and 9:15 through Thursday. While we've sold out screenings in most of our other cities, we've totally failed to get people out in Portland, which we feel bummed about since we've heard so much about Portland's soccer fever. The Timbers players are coming out to the show the next couple of days. I know I'm biased but I swear our film is good--and it helps with World Cup withdrawal, getting to see everyone around the world who loves the same game.


About the film: Pelada is a documentary following Luke (Notre Dame) and Gwendolyn (Duke), two former college soccer standouts who didn’t quite make it to the pros. Not ready for it to be over, they take off, chasing the game. From prisoners in Bolivia to moonshine brewers in Kenya, from freestylers in China to women who play in hijab in Iran, Pelada is the story of the people who play.

 

By the way Jen and I also saw Hurt Locker this week. I did not want to watch it and I was doing the crossword puzzle as it was on.
 
It is simply
Intense, Intense, Intense
 
And by all means it punctuates what i abhor about any war and that is the mass destruction tied to those who survive on the war front as well as back home but by all means it increased my absolute respect to those who have gone to where I am far to chicken shit and not patriotic enough  to go.