ismael chang ghalimi

Water

Tonight, May and I watched Water [IMDB], a movie directed by Deepa Metha. The movie is set in 1938 Colonial India, and tells the story of an eight-year-old widow who is sent by her family to a home where Hindu widows must live in poverty. Knowing the following sacred texts help understand this extremely moving story.

A widow should be long suffering until death, self-restrained and chaste.
A virtuous wife who remains chaste when her husband has died goes to heaven.
A woman who is unfaithful to her husband is reborn in the womb of a jackal.

The Laws of Manu
Chapter 5 verse 156-161
 Dharamshastras

The Boys of Baraka

Tonight, May and I watched The Boys of Baraka [IMDB], a documentary directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. The movie follows a group of Baltimore inner-city, at-risk, African-American boys selected to be sent to a private school in Kenya for two years. If you need to be reminded of the deep inequalities that exist in the United States, and want to learn about ways to address them, I strongly recommend that you watch this piece. Enlightening.

Saving Face

Tonight, May and I watched Saving Face [IMDB], a romantic comedy directed by Alice Wu and starring Joan Chen and Lynn Chen. The movie is about traditions and clash against cultural expectations within a Chinese-American community. Highly entertaining.

On a Clear Day

Tonight, May and I watched On a Clear Day [IMDB], a British movie about a 55-year-old working-class man who gets laid off and decides to swim the English Channel. It’s a gentle comedy, slightly reminiscent of The Full Monty [IMDB]. Nothing exceptional, but definitely entertaining.

Stranger Than Fiction

Tonight, May and I watched Stranger Than Fiction [IMDB], a movie directed by Marc Forster, and starring Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Dustin Hoffman. The story is deliciously absurd, the setting exquisitely post-modern, and Will Ferrell’s acting one of his best. I just wish the end had been a little bit stronger.

The Science of Sleep

Tonight, May and I watched The Science of Sleep [IMDB], a movie directed by Michel Gondry and starring Gael García Bernal and Charlotte Gainsbourg. The surrealist world of Michel Gondry is perfectly rendered by the use of stop motion capture, and the wacky acting of García Bernal. Absolutely hilarious!

The Devil and Daniel Johnston

Tonight, May and I watched The Devil and Daniel Johnston [IMDB], an engaging documentary on the life of manic-depressive polymath artist Daniel Johnston, directed by Jeff Feuerzeig. The music and lyrics of Daniel Johnston are very much akin to an acquired taste, and I will not blame if you do not feel like developing an appetite for it. The guy is totally out there, and his art a faithful reflection of his personality. Nevertheless, it is often difficult to separate genius from madness, and here is a case where both seem to mix without any form of restraint whatsoever. Kurt Cobain was a fan, and I was a fan of Kurt Cobain. Should being a fan be a transitive relationship?

Marie Antoinette

Tonight, May and I watched Marie Antoinette [IMDB], a movie directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Kirsten Dunst in the title role. The script is a little bit weak, but the photography is superb, and the use of a contemporary soundtrack makes for a very interesting composition. Definitely worth the watch.

The U.S. vs. John Lennon

Tonight, May and I watched The U.S. vs. John Lennon [IMDB], a documentary directed by David Leaf and John Scheinfeld. It tells the story of John Lennon, with a special emphasis on the time he spent in the U.S. during the 70’s, and his transformation from musician into peace activist. I already had a lot of respect for the man and his work, but this documentary gave me a whole new perspective on his ideas, and tremendous admiration for his engagement.

All we are saying is give peace a chance…

Flags of our Fathers

Tonight, May and I watched Flags of Our Fathers (IMDB), a war movie directed by Clint Eastwood. Personally, I preferred its companion movie watched earlier this week, Letters from Iwo Jima (IMDB). It was a lot more intimate, very moving. Nevertheless, both movies together make for a fascinating combination.

La Moustache

Yesterday, May and I watched La Moustache (IMDB), a French movie directed by Emmanuel Carrère, and starring Vincent Lindon and Emmanuelle Devos. The story is fairly tortuous, and quite reminiscent of the interleaved twin dreams shot a la M.C. Escher by David Lynch in Mulholland Drive (IMDB). At first, I was disappointed by the movie’s ending, but the more I am thinking about it, the more I believe that the movie actually works. Might be worth a second watching later on.

Letters from Iwo Jima

Yesterday, May and I went to see Letters from Iwo Jima (IMDB), the companion movie to Flags of Our Fathers (IMDB), both directed by Clint Eastwood. The movie tells the story of the battle for Iwo Jima that took place during World War II, narrated from the Japanese side. It is a vibrant reminder that war should be avoided whenever possible. We are planning on watching Flags of Our Fathers later this week.

Oldboy

If you like movies with seriously disturbing stories and jaw-dropping endings, Oldboy (IMDB) from Korean director Chan-wook Park might be for you. May and I watched it tonight and got… seriously disturbed. I do not want to spoil the plot for you, so I won’t tell you anything about the story, but be prepared for some graphical ultra-violence and mind-wrenching twists if you decide to watch it. Consider yourself warned.

This Film is Not Yet Rated

Tonight, May and I watched This Film is Not Yet Rated (IMDB), a documentary directed by Kirby Dick. With the help of private investigators, Dick exposes the workings of the highly secretive Rating Board managed by the controversial Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The documentary puts special emphasis on the NC-17 rating (no one 17 and under admitted), and makes a convincing demonstration that according to the MPAA, violence in movies is a lot more acceptable than sex, while the reverse is true in Europe. The shortcomings of the MPAA rating process are a good illustration of democracy at work, or the lack of it when no rules for transparency are put in place. Enlightening.

Who Killed the Electric Car

Tonight, May and I watched Who Killed the Electric Car (IMDB), a documentary that investigates the birth and death of the electric car, with a special focus on the EV1 originally developed by GM. I was actually surprised to learn that at the beginning of the twentieth century, a majority of the cars produced in the United States were actually electric cars, and the internal combustion engine really took over only in the 20’s. The movie is a good reminder that great ideas can be killed by collective stupidity. Hopefully, the idea for a pure electric car (not a hybrid) will come back again, and eventually succeed in the marketplace. In the meantime, I wish I could test drive the Tesla Roadster…

Sketches of Frank Gehry

Today, May and I watched Sketches of Frank Gehry (IMDB), a documentary on architect Frank Gehry shot by movie director Sydney Pollack. To a large extent, my understanding of architecture had stopped at the precepts defined by the Bauhaus, and Gehry’s work was definitely out of reach. This documentary opened up a whole new perspective for me, and I must say that I am quite intrigued and excited by it.

The Exodus Decoded

Tonight, May and I watched The Exodus Decoded, following the advice of our friend Jacques-Alexandre. This documentary aired on the History Channel, received the participation of director James Cameron, and provides an accessible analysis of recent archaeological findings and scientific papers in order offer plausible explanations to the mysterious events described in the Biblical Exodus. The narration is not as fluid as it could have been, but the exercise is a truly fascinating one nonetheless. Definitely recommended. Many thanks to Jacques-Alexandre for this recommendation!

49 Up

Seven years ago, I watched 42 Up (IMDB), a groundbreaking documentary directed by Michael Apted, who followed the lives of fourteen British children since 1964, and shot a new documentary every seven years. Fifteen years ago, my brother Nassim showed me a similar documentary shot every year since 1984 by French director Michel Fresnel, called Que deviendront-ils ? The concept is fascinating, and I hope both Apted and Fresnel will carry on their work for as long as possible. Tonight, May and I watched 49 Up (IMDB). Life carries on…

All the King’s Men

Yesterday night, May and I watched All the King’s Men (IMDB), a solid movie on politics and corruption directed by Steven Zaillian. Even though not as strong as the original movie it is a remake of, Sean Penn’s impressive performance makes it worth watching. You might want to turn subtitles on though, for the plot is supposed to take place in the great state of Louisiana, and the actors’ accents definitely match the location. Today, we met Dave and Ellen for tapas at Esperpento. The Pollo Adobo and Tortilla de Patata were excellent.

A Scanner Darkly

Tonight, May and I watched a Scanner Darkly [IMDB], a movie based on a novel by Phillip K. Dick and starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, and Winona Ryder. Director Richard Linklater used a relatively new technique called digital rotoscoping, which helps create a sense of enhanced realism that one might experience when under the influence of drugs. Dialogues are excellent, and Robert Downey Jr.’s performance reminiscent of Jeremy Davies’ in Solaris [IMDB]. Highly recommended.