Subliminal messages have always been a uncanny phenomenon and often subject to scientific and public debate. A subliminal message is a signal in the form of a picture or sound that is designed to pass the normal limits of perception. That means that people perceive it with their subconscious while not perceiving it consciously. This technique is sometimes used in movies and advertising to influence the subconscious of the viewer. The latest stir around this controversial technique has come up around the campaign of the Bush administration. Allegedly, a promotional video that was aired recently, would contain subliminal messages meant to convey a hidden message.

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Maybe I’m not in a super-critical mood right now. Or maybe I just read too many negative reviews that lowered my expectations. But unlike so many other reviewers, I really liked Sky Captain.
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This is the true story of David Helfgott (Geoffrey Rush), a talented pianist who suffers a mental breakdown after being endlessly pushed to “win!win!” by his overbearing father (Armin Mueller-Stahl). I have seen it four times in the past 6 years and it still makes me cry every time. This is usually thanks to the combination of the moving score and Geoffrey Rush’s excellent portrayal of the muttering and mentally ill, yet charming David.
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Its bawdy, its camp and it mocks the religious right. What more can you ask from a comedy? When I heard there was a new John Waters movie starring Tracy Ullman, it sounded like a match made in heaven. In fact, I can’t believe these two haven’t teamed up before since they both have such a strangely similar comedic sensibility. Her physical comedy fits perfectly with his zany, completely over the top characters and ridiculous-to-make-a-point storylines.
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The Motorcycle Diaries is based on the diaries of Ernesto ‘Ché’ Guevara and Alberto Granado and follows the road trip of these two friends across South America, from Buenos Aires to Caracas. Besides the jaw-dropping landscapes (ranging from the snowy mountains of the Andes to the majestic ruins of Machu Pichu), and smooth, ongoing pace, this film is all about friendship, political awareness and finding your true identity.
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It’s been two years since spanish director, Pedro Almodovar, raised his own, already high standards of film making with his beautiful and disturbing film, “Habla con Ella” (2002). His latest offering, La Mala Educación, stars mexican sex symbol/superstar and perhaps the hottest young actor on the planet right now, Gael García Bernal; who won world audiences with his roles in films like ” Y tu Mama Tambien” (2001), “Amores Perros” (2000) and as ‘Che’ Guevara in “Diarios de Motocicleta” (2004). For Fans of both Bernal and Almodovar it seemed like a dream come true, but sometimes dreams can also turn into nightmares and while La Mala Educación is a voluptuous film to watch it is also deeply unsetteling in the approach it takes on the subject of pedofilia.

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