paracommunications

It’s quite a fun movie, but then again, they had rather good material to build upon.

Mais la raison n’est pas ce qui règle l’amour.

Alceste in ‘Le Misanthrope’ (Act I, Sc I), Molière (1666).

‘Waitress’ (2007) is a romantic comedy that builds on interesting characters performed by competent actors. While I think that an 8.1 rating in the IMDb is too much (‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ has an 8.0), it’s funny enough and it actually has rhythm until the end.

Writer, director and supporting actress Adrienne Shelly was murdered while shooting the film, and I don’t know whether this is the reason for a feeling of incompleteness, of “we have gone this far, and now we don’t know how to give this film a good ending”. It must be the most disappointing happy ending I’ve ever seen.

‘Mononoke-hime’ (‘Princess Mononoke’) is a beautiful anime epic that tells a story of conflict between different social groups that need to share limited resources, and how this inherently leads to violence that can destroy everything.

This is as well an unusual film in the sense that it doesn’t present conflict as a matter of good versus evil. Disturbingly, ‘Mononoke-hime’ doesn’t present a bad guy that can be killed in a loud way to solve the problem, as most action films do.

Or you can see it as an engaging film with lots of fights, magic creatures and wonderful scenery in post-medieval Japan.

Lady Eboshi: What exactly are you here for?
Prince Ashitaka: To see with eyes unclouded by hate.

“Family Law” (“Derecho de familia”) is a fun and feel-good film. While I admit having a soft spot for Argentinian Spanish, it’s not only the accent that made me enjoy it.

Nothing seems to happen in 1 h 40 min, yet there is so much going on, family, love, death, father-son relationships… Even practitioners of Law are portrayed in a favourable light!

The Toronto Jewish Film Festival showed “Dear Mr Waldman” (“Michtavim Le America”). I think I have never felt so bad seeing a film before. This film is not only about the consequences of the Holocaust, it’s about an absolute lack of hope, of not being able to live on, of showing contempt to your own life and family. Moishe tells his son that had his first born not been killed in Auschwitz, he wouldn’t have been born. He tells his wife that he will never love her as he loves his first wife.

On the day of my 29-th birthday I watched “The Last Kiss”, a fun comedy with a bit of that “Four Weddings and a Funeral” feeling that derives into mild drama. The irony, oh the irony.

Michael: I’m in love with your daughter Stephen, Maybe that doesn’t mean anything you but I’m standing here. You are her father, I am looking you in the eyes and I’m telling you I will do anything in the world to get your daughter back.

Stephen: Really?

Michael: Really.

Stephen: Anything?

Michael: I’ll do anything.

Stephen: People say that, they don’t mean it.

Michael: But I mean it!

Stephen: Well it’s very simple… do whatever it takes.

Michael: It’s that simple?

Stephen: Yes… you can’t fail if you don’t give up.

“Someone to run with” (“Mishehu Larutz Ito”) is a very good Israeli film that runs on the idea that inconditional love can save the fallen and leads to more love, or not. The Spanish filmgoer will also be shocked by the premises that drugs are bad, living in the street playing guitar is not cool, and that the police are harsh but competent.

After 2 hours of interlacing stories, shoddy views of Jerusalem, drug dealers, beautiful songs, colourful characters, drama and danger, there was only one point of agreement in our group: He is too tall for her.

I went to see ‘Sunshine’. Don’t.

‘The history boys’ (kindly provided by Kate), although tagged as British Comedy/Drama, belongs in the category of Sci-Fi. A group of high achievers from a British Grammar School prepare for the Oxbridge admission exams.

You cannot watch this film as if the action took place on planet Earth, let alone Sheffield. Starting with the depiction they make of Oxford and Cambridge, and the kind of students who come here. There is such a perfect ethnic cross-section to represent all of Britain (Jew, black, Christian, fat, gay, Indian, jock…) that it seems fabricated. Dialogue is stagy to put it mildly (the film has been adapted from a play by A. Bennett), and just unthinkable for people of that age. If those students really existed, they would have been bullied to death by chavs. And of course the teachers are like aliens.

The film is disproportionate in every dimension, as was dinner:

• Starters: Guacamole and achovy canapes. Nachos with marinated artichoke, parmesan and mayo dip
• First dish: Fabada (bean soup with onion, chorizo, bacon and black pudding)
• Main dish: Large breaded schnitzel
• Dessert: Chocolate pudding

I saw Little Miss Sunshine with Kate and house mates last Saturday. Really fun comedy. And great sole!

Dwayne: You know what? Fuck beauty contests. Life is one fucking beauty contest after another. School, then college, then work… Fuck that. And fuck the Air Force Academy. If I want to fly, I’ll find a way to fly. You do what you love, and fuck the rest.