My report: first of all, I have to say that even though it was a good movie, the best part was discovering Maya Zapata. She’s a beautiful woman like the ones I like. There was a nude scene of her and she had me wanting more. As far as the movie goes, it is interesting and full of drama. The main guy is stupid for sleeping with his wife’s half sister… in the same house where all three are living, worst yet, he gets the sister-in-law pregnant. I understand Maya looks good, but at least do it once and when she’s moving out…

Rating:

About it: Esteban Ramirez’s melodrama Caribe stars Jorge Perugorria as Vincente a man who has gotten himself into difficult positions in both his personal life and his financial life. He engages in an affair with his sister-in-law, while also fielding offers from large oil companies to buy his land. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

My report: I didn’t pick this picture and naturally I fell asleep while attempting to watch it. Basically the film was about a woman dying for one and a half hours. I’m not making fun of cancer patients, just the movie. The humor was not good. This film has a very specific market. Maybe people in their thirties, with kids, that have gone through the same, and even they may not find it funny either.

Rating:

About it: Director Steve Stockman takes the helm for this semi-autobiographical comedy drama about an estranged family that comes together for one last goodbye, and finds their assumedly brief farewell inexorably dragged out for two excruciating weeks. Aging matriarch Anita (Sally Field) is dying, but before she goes, she has requested that her four grown children travel back home to visit their ailing mother on her deathbed. Eager to gain a better understanding of the dying process, daughter Emily purchases a variety of self-help books on the subject. Though brother Keith (Ben Chaplin) soon arrives determined to float through the process in typical L.A. Zen mode, Emily contends that the only way to be prepared for the future is to consider every detail that can go awry. When PR executive Barry arrives intent on getting some work done before death comes knocking, it appears as if he is more concerned with getting broadband Internet in the house than actually tending to his mother. Meanwhile, youngest brother Matthew sets at the sidelines biding his time as his unlikable wife, Katrina, callously speculates on which of the dying woman’s luxurious jewels she will be inheriting. Now, as Anita begins to look back at her life while reflecting on the time spent with her family, the question of who will hold this family together once she is gone casts a melancholy shadow over her fond memories. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

I’ve always thought that we can all learn a lot from just looking at animals and how they behave. It makes me wonder about things like marriage. So far, I haven’t heard of one single animal, besides humans, that spend more than half their lives with the same companion. On one hand we end up frustrating ourselves, at times we want to “kill” that other person because they get on our nerves and it is expensive. On the other hand, if things to workout then life can get a little easier, having kids is a lot easier and better for the children and hopefully when we get old we’ll still have someone to share memories and good times with. OK that’s the whole concept of marriage and monogamy which is not very popular in the animal kingdom, but right now I was thinking more about courtship.

Look at the way lions court females. Usually the male has to try more than once to get the female. The same concept applies to humans, but when is enough trying enough? When are males supposed to say: “OK, this one doesn’t want me and I better move on”? Right now my thinking is that the decision is completely up to the male. It’s something that I’m still thinking about so I may change my opinion

My report: It was a different story. It wasn’t about the concentration camps, but the story of a rich Jewish girl who ends up becoming a spy. It was an interesting story. I don’t really know what else to say about it. It wasn’t predictable, but it also didn’t catch my total attention. Maybe because it was in another language…

Rating:

About it: Filmmaker Paul Verhoeven returned to the Netherlands after more than twenty years of success in Hollywood to direct this epic-scale war drama based on a true story. Rachel Steinn (Carice van Houten) is a beautiful Jewish woman living in German-occupied Holland during late 1944. Her family members - who have been falsely promised safe passage to Belgium (their names recorded in the ‘black book’ of the title) are instead robbed and slaughtered by the Germans on a premeditated basis; Rachel herself manages to escape by diving into the water and swimming away. She narrowly avoids capture, then joins the local resistance movement. With her hair dyed blonde, Rachel can easily pass for Aryan, and when the leader of the Dutch resistance movement learns his son has been captured by Axis forces, Rachel is asked to use her feminine charms to persuade a German commander to arrange for the boy’s release. Rachel soon finds herself caught up in a dangerous double life as she becomes a sexual plaything for the Nazis while attempting to bring down their evil empire as a spy. Zwartboek was written by Verhoeven and Gerard Soeteman, who collaborated on the 1977 international success Soldier of Orange. Zwartboek received its world premier at the 2006 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

I talked to a Muslim girl today at the library and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Not just because she was Muslim, but because she’s also a very beautiful woman. I’ve seen her many times before. She’s always at the library studying and I’ve wanted to talk to her many times before, but she feels…. I guess untouchable is the right word. With that veil that covers her hair, which I know now is called a hijab, always dressed to cover and nothing shows except for her face and hands, but today I just said “fuck it, I’ll talk to her just like I would do with anyone else and if she doesn’t want to she’ll let me know.” So I did, and as I approached her I could see details about her beauty I could never see before because I always looked at her from a distance. I liked her eyes and her face looked smooth; she also has a beautiful smile. I broke the ice by asking her what her major was, she looked at me and I disarmed her with a smile, she smiled back and told me she studies Political Science. I detected an accent, and I liked it. I could tell she was busy so I didn’t want to take much of her time. My job was to brake the ice and get her to notice me, the mission was accomplished so after talking to her a bit longer I said goodbye. I also learned that she’s not a student at SDSU, and she’s only comes to study. I didn’t ask her why. It can make for conversation some other time, but I don’t really care about for the answer that much.

I like knowing about the unknown. I want to know more about her and even though it was just a few seconds of conversation, it was enough for me to decide if she would be interesting. I can look at a girl and just based on the way she carries herself, the way she’s dressed and her friends, I can tell what she’s probably like and most of the time I’m right. I’m not the only one that does this, we all do. I know so little about Muslims that it makes this girl that much interesting, even though I’m already attracted just by looking at her.

Hopefully I’ll get to know her better. We’ll see…

My report: I wish I could easily find more movies in Spanish like this one. Great story, I think it’s about things many of us have gone through even if it is to a lesser degree. I’ve seen this movie before, but for some reason I remember it having more nudity in it. That was something that I liked about the movie the first time I saw it. It goes to show how much my taste has changed. I’ve become very particular about what I like in a woman. I honestly feel like I can have any woman in the world and so I have upgraded my taste and become much more selective. People can make whatever they want about what I just wrote, but I demand a lot of myself. Shouldn’t I be allowed to ask my other half to try just as hard?

Rating:

About it: The romantic foibles of two young couples in Mexico — whose professional success has not led to personal satisfaction — forms the basis of this comedy with serious undertones. Carlos (Victor Hugo Martin) is a student of new age spirituality, while his wife Ana (Susana Zabaleta) is a good bit more interested in the pleasures of the flesh, leading to no small amount of conflict. Tensions increase when Tomas (Demián Bichir), an old friend of the couple and Ana’s former lover, comes to pay an extended visit. Elsewhere in the neighborhood, Andrea (Cecilia Suarez) is angry with her husband Miguel (Jorge Salinas), who doesn’t appear to put much stock in monogamy, and she’s even more annoyed when he announces that his former girlfriend Maria (Monica Dionne), who has just left her husband, will be their house guest for a while. After a great deal of arguing and soul searching, a temporary agreement is reached between the two couples and their friends — the men will stay in one apartment while the women will stay in another until cooler heads prevail. Sexo, Pudor Y Lagrimas/Sex, Shame and Tears was written and directed by Antonio Serrano, who adapted his own successful stage play. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

My report: I don’t know about this one. It may be because I’m a man, but I do understand that the main character was beaten by her husband consistently before she ever took it upon her to do something. However, is it justifiable that she killed another person because of it? She suffered, he died. Neither one is correct and both should be punishable. If anything, there should be a lesser punishment when there is evidence that demonstrates the accused had no other alternative, but a woman that decides to burn her husband could have also decided to tell the authorities. The only thing is the law needs to be strict about evidence brought against abusive spouses. The people being abused need to feel confident about their protection by the law. Otherwise this whole thing doesn’t work. The story was too much on one side, even if it is true.

Rating:

About it: “Provoked” is the true story of a battered wife who fought back, first against her husband and then against the system. Full of optimism and affection, newlywed Kiranjit Ahluwalia (Aishwarya Rai) arrives at the doorstep of her new home and life with husband Deepak (Naveen Andrews). She would continue her law studies as her family had promised and the couple would start a family. The future offered only pain.The drunken Deepak beats her for the first time and shows remorse. He beats her again. It gets easier. After 10 years of violence, a dazed Kiranjit can take no more. She resorts to a desperate act that kills Deepak. She is convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Incarceration tests the outwardly meek Kiranjit’s toughness at every turn, but the mother of two has suffered worse at home. She develops an ally in the mischievous Ronnie (Miranda Richardson), who also doled out the ultimate retribution to her abusive spouse. While Kiranjit acclimates to life behind bars, Radha (Nandita Das), an activist with the Southall Black Sisters, glimpses a tabloid headline about her case and springs into action. A barrister (Rebecca Pidgeon) with limited resources cannot make any headway, igniting greater determination in Radha, who rallies public opinion. Ronnie is denied parole but she has a secret weapon on the outside to help Kiranjit: Ronnie’s estranged brother-in-law Lord Foster (Robbie Coltrane), an influential legal eagle. Kiranjit’s appeal gains momentum when Radha persuades a cop to change his knowingly false testimony that Kiranjit was in her right mind the night of the killing.Arguing passionately before the high court, Lord Foster moves the judge to change the fate of many battered women forever. The court rules that a prolonged period of beatings could cause the victim’s loss of reason in a delayed act of self-defense. The concept of “provocation” is redefined and is now a primary defense for the severely abused if a claim of self-defense is not valid. The judge reduces Kiranjit’s crime to manslaughter and orders her released for the 3 years and 4 months she already served. Claiming she felt liberated in prison, Kiranjit is free again. This time, without walls.

Things started getting more and more interesting by the minute back in the room. After drinking the cheap bottle of wine, which tasted horrible but what did I know back then, it was the first time I tasted wine, Louise called it a night and me and Tracy stayed up on the terrace talking. Getting to know each other better.

I remember the conversation was real smooth even up to the point we first kissed. I’m trying to remember how it went exactly, but I can’t. Maybe it will come to me one of these days. I do remember staying up all night ’till the sun came out, just making out to the point my lips were numb. Good lord, I don’t think I have the patience or excitement to do something like that again. That was high school stuff and even though I was already in college to me it was what I should have done in high school, but never did. I was nineteen and that kiss was what I consider my first real kiss. No “I dares” or other type of external pressure. Just a nineteen-year-old guy and a twenty-five-year-old girl getting together because they wanted to.

We didn’t talk about that night again. But the next day we were holding hands on the bus back to Panama City. Again, like high school kids, I guess now we were together… ha!

It was the beginning of the love I’ve discovered for the female body. It’s like they say: once you’ve had it you can’t go without it. Something about the curves, the smoothness, the delicacy and the smell of a woman… I really don’t understand how women just don’t touch themselves all day.

A woman’s body is the most valuable piece of art in God’s gallery. You can admire it for it’s beauty and you can also use it to create more art.

My dad called. He calls pretty often these days. He wanted to see how everything was going and let me know that he’s sending money for me and my brother. I could hear music in the background and he was repeating everything I was saying so I could tell there was someone else in the room. It was my mom. After years of not talking, they recently started talking again and they both seem happier. I’m happy for them and whatever they decided as far as wanting them getting together… to me is like whatever. They will always be my parents and that’s what’s important. Like I said, whatever makes them happy.

When I was growing up there were times I wanted my parents to get a divorce. It would have made things a lot easier for me. I would have only had to deal with one instead of two every time I did something wrong. Sometimes I would get separate punishments from them. How is that fair?

I talked to my mom and she sounds good. I don’t talk to her as often as I do with my dad. If they don’t call, I don’t talk. I don’t know why, but I feel responsible for every woman in my life. Like I got to take care of them. As time keeps moving, I’m also starting to feel more responsible for my dad; and my brother now that he’s here living with me. I try to advise him without sounding bossy and I give him all the freedom he deserves. I just don’t want him to have to go through some of the bullshit I’ve had to go through the almost six years that I’ve been here in the U.S.

My report: It’s not the typical movie. I think most people will find it strange and boring. It takes place in the 1940’s and it moves slowly. At points, the characters even sing. I watched it all, but I wasn’t really into it. I kept waiting for the woman acting as the whore to get naked, but it never happened. I didn’t appreciate the art…

Rating:

About it: Legendary Mexican director Arturo Ripstein explores the mundane and sexual obsession in 1940s Mexico in his 2002 film The Virgin of Lust. Introverted Ignacio “Nacho” Jurado (Luis Felipe Tovar) spends his days waiting tables at the Cafe Ofelia and his nights amongst his voluminous porno collection. His world is turned upside-down when a prostitute named Lola (Ariadne Gil) begins hanging out at the cafe. Nacho is immediately smitten with the whore, but Lola’s mind is focused on a very brutish wrestler who’ll have nothing to do with her. Lola, a natural sadist, recognizes Nacho’s penchant for being dominated and she begins to fully exploit this chance to unleash her cruelty on a willing recipient. As the relationship settles into its regular perverseness, Nacho is presented with what he sees as an opportunity to capture Lola’s heart completely — to become a macho revolutionary hero by assassinating Francisco Franco. The Virgin of Lust was chosen for inclusion into the Upstream program at the 2002 Montreal World Film Festival, winning a Special Mention prize from that program’s jury. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide

Buddhism is a way of life that attempts to identify the causes of human suffering. In its teachings, the goal is to achieve enlightenment in order to help others attain the same state, as opposed to mere personal liberation. In the film “Little Buddha”, a group of Buddhist monks lead by their Lama (spiritual teacher), Norbu, travel the world in search of their physically deceased teacher, Lama Dorje, whom they believe has reincarnated in the body of a young American boy. Reincarnation is the belief that once a living creature dies, its soul is reborn in a new body. While the belief of reincarnation is widely spread in Asia, it is not a shared belief among many in Western countries.

The film makes a clear contrast between the cultural patterns of Tibetan Buddhists and the American culture. Illustrating the differences in norms, beliefs and social practices. The Buddhists monks lived with a sense of collectivism, encouraging conformity and interdependence. All monks dressed alike, regardless of seniority or country of residence. Their dress code consisted of a robe known as a zen and occasionally a hat.

The way of greeting included no physical contact or verbal communication. Placing both hands together and a gentle bow was the usual greet. This greeting is known as the wai and it is considered to be a sign of respect. There are three different types of wai. These were all shown in the film and depended mainly on ranks and genders.

1. A wai to Buddha is considered the highest level of respect. Males bow low while raising both hands with palms pressed together up to the face and forefingers touching the forehead while females move a foot backward and bend the knees, raising both pressing palms to the same position as men do.

2. The second level of wai happened when a woman approached Lama Norbu, a high ranked monk. She bent her knees and bowed almost to the floor. This was a sign of deep respect towards the Lama. Norbu didn’t return the greet. Usually such act might be thought as offensive, but Buddhists monks are considered the highest class in their society and as such are not required to show equal respect to others. Even kings should wai monks.

3. The third level of wai is between people of equal age and social status. Bending the head a little bit and raising both hands until the forefingers touch the tip of the nose is customary. This was the typical form of greet shown in the film and it was seen between the monks and also the American family once introduced to the cultural patterns of the Buddhist monks.
Throughout the movie, Lama Norbu presented a book, a watch and a bowl as gifts. In all three occasions the gifts were presented using both hands and the gifts were also received with both hands. This is also considered a sign of respect. Similarly the monks took off their shoes when they entered the home of the American boy, even when the homeowners didn’t.

In one of the scenes, Lama Norbu explained to the father of the American boy the purpose of Tibetan sand painting. The art consists in making beautiful images out of millions of grains of sand, laid into place on a flat platform over a period of days or weeks. As Lama Norbu explained, the paintings are made with sand to “show the impermanence of all within the universe, and when completed it will be destroyed with one gesture.”

The main difference in interpersonal communication between the Tibetan monks and the Americans was in their sense of group. While the monks always talked in terms of “we”, the Americans didn’t. Religion, of course, and death had a different level of importance between both groups. Cultural patterns affected interpersonal culture because it was hard for the American father to understand the concept of reincarnation.

REFERENCES

Little Buddha (1993). The life of Siddartha is paralleled with the story of Tibetan monks seeking his reincarnation in modern day Seattle. DVD.
The World in a Grain of Sand. www.chinaculture.org
Tibetan Buddhism. Wikipedia. www.wikipedia.com

I got this from the T.V. series House. I think it’s a great speech.

I got one thing… same as you.

I know the empty ring finger and that obsessive nature of yours, that’s a big secret. You don’t risk jail and your career to save somebody who doesn’t want to be saved unless you got something, anything… one thing

The reason normal people got wives and kids and hobbies, whatever… that’s because they ain’t got that one thing that hits them that hard and that true…

I got music, you got this… the thing you think about all the time. The thing that keeps you south and normal. Yeah, it makes us great. It makes us the best.

All we miss out on is everything else. No woman waiting at home after work with the drink and a kiss. That ain’t gonna happen for us…

And when it’s over… it’s over.

I’m still reading “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.” I haven’t been writing because I wanted to finish reading and then get to writing, but in my readings today I came across a statement Malcolm made that got me thinking about the true nature of men and women. This is what it says:

…being that the true nature of man is to be strong, and a woman’s true nature is to be weak, and while a man must at all times respect his woman, at the same time he needs to understand that he must control her if he expects to get her respect.

I disagree with the first part of that statement. I don’t think being weak or strong has much to do with the sexes. I think it has to do with the personality of the individual. To say that this is the true nature is generalizing a bit too much. I do think that a stronger woman might prefer to have a stronger man and that has to do with a feeling of protection. Not because a woman can’t protect herself, but because she’d rather have a man that can protect her better than she can.

As for the second part, well… every person must respect and control others who try to disrespect. When a person is disrespected and fails to control the offender, things start slipping eternally out of control. It doesn’t matter if it’s a man or a woman. Of course I will put my girlfriend in place if she disrespects, and I expect her to do the same to me. I don’t want someone I can control, I want someone I consider my equal and I can respect as such.

Comparing one’s self/kind to others and feeling superior is not hard. Being strong enough to compare and praise others for their good qualities while still being able to maintain a good self esteem is what I consider dignifying.