i echo the sentiments of ko -- a big welcome to jefe. regale us with tales and insights, my good man!

the passion haunts me and moves me to tears, one day after seeing it. stunning.

of all the reviews i've seen, this excerpt from kenneth turan's review in the l.a. times hits home -- and helps me in some way understand the polarizing reactions to the film.

"What is profoundly disheartening is that people of goodwill will see this film in completely different ways, will be as oblivious to what I see as its dangers and drawbacks as they will say I am to its strengths. Where I see almost sadistic violence, they see transcendence; where I see blame, they see truth. Normally these kinds of disagreements don't matter, but with a unique film like this, 'You just don't get it' confrontations have sad echoes of savage conflicts that have lasted for centuries."

blog on.