myxcents

Cultural tidbits and such

1.15.2006

Movie Updates

I have seen at least four movies since my last post. I'll do my best to remember them and at least give some idea how I felt about them. I also went to Nicaragua and if you want to see some of the highlights visit my LiveJournal link.

OK, films:

WHALE RIDER - I think this may be a 2003 movie and I've been meaning to see it for quite a while. Well, in Nicaragua I finally got the chance and despite the hype it was not disappointing. It was a beautifully told and acted story about a topic that really interested me. The topic of a film can really make or break it. And despite many years of all women's education, I can't help being curious about gender roles and how they play out in traditional situations. 4.5/5

WALKABOUT - If any of you have seen this movie (apparently from 1971) about two English children stranded in the Australian outback, please explain it to me! I also watched this in Nicaragua with the woman I stayed with and she now has serious concerns about my movie choices;-) There didn't seem to be a plot, the older sister was a horrible actress and what plot they tried to have was perplexing. I guess it's based on a book. Hopefully the book is better! 2/5

BORN INTO BROTHELS - So many people recently have told me how wonderful this documentary is. I enjoyed it, some photos and interviewees in particular, but as a whole I was not impressed. The woman who went to live in India to document the 'Red Light District' in Calcutta didn't seem to even speak the language. How did she blend in with a translator attached to her? In any case, the focus of this documentary is on the children whose mother's are prostitutes. The English woman gives them each a camera and teaches them how to take photos and select the best ones. It is interesting to hear the cildren talk about how they feel when they are taking pictures and also their thoughts on other things. My favorite is one girl who says she often wonders what she could be if she had the opportunity to get an education. As I said some of the photgraphs were nice, but I don't remember any of the children expressing interesting thoughts about why they took certain pictures and what they meant, which is what I was expecting. 3.5/5

IN AMERICA - I just watched this one a couple hours ago and was truly engaged in the story and fairly emotionally involved, which hasn't happened with many movies recently. It was well-acted, an interesting and believable story told through the eyes of the older daughter. I believe she is only 10, but she carries around a camcorder to record things and has surprising insights for her age. We learn about her family's immigration from Ireland, their struggle to make ends meet, and the danger of their apartment building inhabited by 'drug addicts and transvestites.' 4/5

Yay! I think I'm all caught up now!

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