Veer-Zaara (2004)

Get comfortable because this film from India’s ‘Bollywood,’ is serious about entertainment. At over three hours long, the movie takes viewers far away from their everyday lives and deep into the story. It’s a mixture of song and dance, native and foreign dialects, people, culture, palaces, and attitude. Winning several top awards and earning the number one film spot of the year for India in 2004, it definitely commands attention. The term Bollywood is a mesh of Hollywood and Bombay, India’s largest city that is now know as Mumbai. The majority of the regions films come from this location.

This film takes place throughout several areas around India beginning in the Punjabi countryside. The area is lush and mountainous and the main characters, Veer and Zaara, are shown singing love songs to each other and dancing in the meadows. Zaara is from Pakistan soon to be unwillingly wed in an arranged marriage Veer is an Air Force pilot from India. The love story that unfolds, deals with political issues, cultural differences, and religious beliefs. Throughout the story, there seems to be a common underlying theme of unity that is spelled out in songs and script to the audience.

When India and Pakistan won their independence from Britain in 1947 there were problems, mainly religious, that caused millions of Muslims living in India to move to Pakistan, and Hindus and Sikhs living in Pakistan to move to India. This was the reason for Zaara having to travel to her grand-mother’s homeland in India to bury her ashes. Once there Veer didn’t think there would be a chance that a Guru would help due to her non-Hindu religion. When the Guru learned of Zaara’s efforts he had no problem performing the last rights for her grandmother.

The song that Veer sang on the way to his home titled, “My Land,” described it as being the same as Zaara’s. The song is very similar to the American youth song, “This Land Is My Land.” Later, after winning his trial, Veer sings about how he looks just like everyone there (Pakistan) and that the country is much like his own. Earlier, when the couple arrived at Veers village, Zaara was dressed in the local Punjabi attire and attended a Lodi Festival where men pronounce their love for a woman. She is accepted very easily by the people in Veer’s village.

Women’s rights were also dealt with. Zaara brings up the topic of female education at Veer’s village, and they decide to build a school for the girls. In Pakistan at the prison, a female lawyer was a new concept for everyone as well as in the courtroom.

Although a lot of exaggeration may have been used to depict this area and the people that live there, the bottom line was accurate; there is a feeling of separation that is felt throughout India and Pakistan. People there are divided by religion, area, history, and education. By using a love story as a medium, writer Aditya Chopra, created a sense of unity in the region with several different things that an audience member could relate to.

This type of movie is one that generally goes down in the history books. Similar to ‘Casablanca’ in many ways, it transcends barriers to create a small bond between people that are more or less divided. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Muslim, Hindu, Christian, or Inuit; there is a good chance that you can relate to this film in some way.

GOODBYE LENIN!

The fall of the Berlin Wall was a cherished event and marked an end to an era of oppression. The words “tear down this wall!,” coming from President Ronald Reagan during a speech at the 750th Anniversary of Berlin were a direct challenge to Mikhail Gorbachev, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Reagan was on a quest for world unity and currently had his sights set on the Berlin Wall. He had been slowly gaining the trust of Gorbachev and many people felt this move was a complete betrayal. This same type of betrayal fuels writer/director, Wolfgang Becker’s, film Goodbye Lenin, into an exciting story about one family’s struggle during this era.

It’s an exciting time in East Berlin for Alex as he and his sister watch Sigmund Jahn get to be the first German to fly into outer space. Their mother is a single-mother who cherishes her children and works very hard at being a patriot for her country. After being left by her husband who fled to West Germany, and then battling severe depression leading to hospitalization, she comes home and finds refuge in her homeland (East Germany). She leads a young boy’s organization called the ‘Young Pioneers,” where the ultimate goal is to teach socialist ideology. She tries to instill these beliefs in her children as well to bring them closer. She also writes petitions for women’s rights in the workplace.

When Alex is a teenager he goes to a friendly protest that turns violent. His mother is there and see’s him being arrested when she has a heart attack. This heart attack causes an eight month long comma during which the Berlin Wall was destroyed. Against the Doctors judgment, Alex took his mother home when she woke up. He was instructed that any slight excitement could trigger another heart attack so he constructed the apartment in the exact way it was before she fell into her coma. During her recovery he went to great lengths to conceal the truth about the encroaching western world, so that so could remain clam. It was a good plan until her birthday party where she spotted a coca-cola sign being hung on a building as the group was singing happy-birthday. From there on she questioned this event and requested to watch TV to pass the time. Alex came up with a phony news show to tide her over. Filmed with a friend the fake program dispelled any questions and ultimately builds the GDR (East Germany) into one that they worked for in the past.

Throughout the movie there are little signs that show the diminishing GDR after the fall of the USSR and the Berlin Wall. The cosmonaut turned taxi driver may have been the most significant when Alex was on his way to reunite with his father. The Coca-Cola sign and Arianne’s job at Burger King, as well as the new apartment décor were strong signs of westernization. The the Spreewell pickle and Mocha-Fix coffee shortage were indicators of new avenues of commerce that could now be tapped on a more local level. The currency exchange was another and pseudo-enforced East-West borders where teens would take pictures with the guards as a joke, showed that a new structure was in place. The most dominant of signs, perhaps, was the Stalin statue as it seemingly waved goodbye to Christine (no doubt a play on the title) as in was being transported from the city.

In an era where world unity was the goal and freedom the motivation, it seemed that anything was possible. Men flying into space, Germany being united, and the Soviet Union falling were only a few of the milestones for this quest. Now, however, we face an even more trying time. Global warming, energy problems, terrorism, civil war, nuclear weapon struggles, genocide, AIDS, and countless other problems all combine to cause alarm and the need for change seems even greater. With the problems faced today, the Berlin Wall doesn’t seem too important. It’s nice however, that it isn’t a one of the problems still on the list.

RUN LOLA RUN!!!

Run Lola Run (1998)

The setting is Berlin, Germany, and the main character, Lola is faced with a life- changing situation. A chain of events takes place. That touches the lives of everyone. It’s a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet with three alternate endings. At the start, the writer teases the audience with questions about mankind, its origins, and its future. The body of the film is similar to a line of youth books called ‘Choose Your Own Adventure” in which the reader has decisions to make that alter the ending. This is true in real life only we cannot go back change our actions as Lola did when she refuses her first two choices.

Lola is a rebellious teen who lives with unfaithful parents. Mani is a delivery-boy for a local gangster with a bad reputation. During a diamond smuggling operation, he gets spooked by the police and leaves a duffle bag filled with 100,000 Deutschmarks on the U-bahn (subway). He has twenty minutes to return the money or he will face almost certain death. From there the plot unfolds into a sort of dreamscape where Lola tries to save Mani. She makes different decisions and runs through every possibility. After one outcome of her decision that leaves her dying, she denies it and is able to go back for a second chance where Mani ends up dying. In the third outcome, they both survive.

The city is depicted as desolate and dreary with little activity or zeal from anyone. The security guard, who is later in the ambulance having a heart attack, was the only one who showed any warm-hearted emotion. The casino scene shows an elite group of people with fancy clothes and very extravagant surroundings. The crowd was silent and watched Lola with full attention as she left after winning her two games. The customers at the grocery store that Mani was planning to rob were also sort of lethargic as well as the lady that Lola passed in the hall of the bank.

The idea behind writer/director Tom Twyker’s film was that nothing is certain. He wrote and directed what is said to be Germany’s first Hollywood-like film. Mankind has always been fascinated with origin, higher power, and a spiritual world or afterlife. Creationism (Religion) vs. the Theory of Evolution divides much of our society and has been controversial lately as to which should be taught in the school systems. He plays on the uncertainty, with the idea that any answer would only bring about another question. . Many of the principles that Greek Philosopher, Heraclitus addressed are the same as what Twyker brings to his audience. Perhaps the most famous saying from Heraclitus that, “Change is the Only Constant,” is the most suited for comparison with the movie. It basically means that ‘change’ is the only certainty. Although this is contradicting the movie, it is true, but it does bring about more questions. In America the answer to what is and what isn’t certain, is a common phrase, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” In this film, Twyker uses soccer to portray his solution, by saying, “The ball is round, a game lasts 90 minutes, everything else is pure theory. Off we go.”

It is as though soccer is religion. Football, in America, has slowly taken the place of Baseball as the number sport with devout fans that follow the season with ‘fantasy football’ teams, replica jerseys, and extravagant parties. It’s one of the biggest industries in the country but soccer fans are much more passionate. Nowadays, players demand top pay and some are individually worth more than small countries. There has always been some form of competition throughout mankind. It is survival for the animals, entertainment for man, and for Lola it’s to keep love alive.

This is a wild ride and a bit off the beaten path. The idea of uncertainty transcends culture, time and location. Philosophy and religion have struggled with this subject for centuries and religious beliefs are directly related. Heraclitus said, “This universe, which is the same for all, has not been made by any god or man, but it always has been, is, and will be an ever-living fire, kindling itself by regular measures and going out by regular measures.” His quote pretty much sums up mans knowledge in a theoretical manner. Some would argue that we have a higher power, that destiny is preordained, and that there is an afterlife. The simple fact is that none really knows! It’s amazing that as a society we can send men to the moon, clone each other, and communicate with anyone at anytime, but if we want certain answers dealing with creation and death that we better not get our hopes up for a good answer.

My Sassy Girl

In Seoul, Korea, transportation to rural areas is achieved by trains. Once you’re in the city it’s a network of buses and subways to take you anywhere you want to go. Seoul is the fourth largest city in the world and a world leader in technology. Korea is one the oldest civilizations in the world. Seoul grew around the Han River which leads to the Yellow Sea and ultimately, China. This was the trade route that gave birth to Seoul. The area is mountainous and has monsoons in the summer. The cityscape, largely due to the effects of the Korean War, was built fast afterwards and is very dense with continual and rapid growth. The population wasted no time and enlisted engineering help from other countries to improve their city to be as competitive and efficient city as possible. This type of mentality worked and still exists there today. There still exists a blend of old and new thought the city though. The boy’s house in the movie was more traditional style while the girl's was obviously modern.

The girl’s actions towards the old man in the bus and the prostitutes at the restaurant were traditional in contrast with her house. The culture is one where you are taught to respect your elders and exercise good manners in public as well as at home. The boy is still afraid of his mom hitting him for coming home late with whatever household device she is using at the time. The best part was when she has something similar to a dough roller! The hotels have both western style rooms and traditional Korean rooms in addition to the sleeping chambers that are available. These chambers look like large clothes washers but are long enough to lie down in and can be rented by the hour. As with many other eastern cultures, shoes, are taken off outside and politeness is key. The custom about the shoes being taken off came about in, primarily fishing communities as a sanitary precaution. Tae-Kwan-Do originated here also. It was created as a self defense form to defend against invading countries.

Seoul is a place where old meets new and economic progress ensues. An economic leader full of forward thinkers, this city sets a pace and trends for the rest of the world to follow. The people survived the Japanese invasions and later the Korean War. This is a culture that has paid its dues is on the ball, and is looked to for new information.

Train Man

This Japanese love story reminded me of a short lived reality TV show called "The Pick Up Artist" where lonely introverts were coached to improve their social skills, style, and ultimately more self-confidence. This character was just like the contestants on the show and his internet posse gave very similar advice compared with the US reality show. Both stories show mainstream trends applied to achieve more popularity and each culture very similar. In each case the character becomes more noticeable by peers, being asked to a party for instance in the movie and not being overlooked by the girls on the street passing out male hygiene products.

On major cultural style difference was the purse that he carried on the first date. It reminded me on the Seinfeld episode with the man-purse where Jerry is trying ought a new style called the ‘hand-bag.’ He goes through the whole episode telling everyone, “It’s not a purse, it’s a hand bag!” Then finally at the end he has on a strange fur coat by some Kramer related coincidence and someone steals the bag. When the officer is taking the report, he requests a description of the stolen item. Jerry worked very hard to describe it and the officer responded, “Like a Purse?” Jerry then breaks down and says, “Yes, Yes, it’s a purse!” The movie, “The Forty Year Old Virgin,” has a lot of similarities to Train Man also. Age aside, each character is living in they’re own world. They’re living quarters are similar, littered with toys and gadgets in an extremely organized way. As each meets someone special, he uses the advice of co-workers (40-Y.O.V.), and internet group (Trainman). In the end each character forgoes the advice and reverts back to what he is comfortable with.

Transportation is very different with the Train being the center of it all. Public transportation consists of trains, buses, and bicycles. The trend of communication through internet was well portrayed. The internet allows much more frequent and less expensive communication. Technology is a crutch in a way, too. This is represented several times in the movie, where he's using his PDA and an internet cafe. When one of the internet-friends said "you can't buy a ticket to her house on any damn web site!" signified this. The movie shared similarities with the 40 Year Old Virgin also. One interesting thing was the intimate look at the characters. There was more time spent on defining emotions leading me to believe that Japanese are more patient and caring in general comparison to the US.

Le Grande Seduction, Canada, 2003

This movie in a small village in Nova Scotia, depicted the human nature to consume every natural resource until it’s gone. The fish population had been decimated, and now restricted for commercial use. The community is now faced with the choice to take government compensation or move to the city for work. A small factory was the goal of several hard-core individuals that did not want to leave. This was the only option to continue to live their way of life, but they had to convince a doctor to live their as a resident to be in accordance with the factories standards.

This story is very entertaining to say the least. After several doctors dismiss the invitation, in laughter, one is on his way home from work and gets pulled over by non-other than the Village’s x-mayor. He fumbles for his I.D. and a bag of cocaine goes flying to the ground. He then rambles about a cricket game and how it caused him to run late. The Mayor’s eyes are wide with excitement as he jots down the word cricket on his notepad. Next thing you know the Dr. is on a boat heading for the village. The town is cricket-themed with not a hockey item in sight. As the Dr. arrives there is a game in progress that gets him extremely excited. The villagers cater to the Doctor and pull out all the stops to win him over. He was furious after finding out what was going on but a relationship problem back home clamed him down, and he realized how much he enjoyed the place and people. It also seems that the Doctor had more empathy and respect for the people after he learned the truth about the ‘replacement.’ It showed how devoted they were to stay in their town as well.

The seduction is sort of like what the TV show Cheers portrays. The show with the song about going somewhere “where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.” The villagers were always friendly with one another and nearly always easy-go-lucky. Most people want to belong to something and it should be even more rewarding in a position such as a Doctor where you can contribute that much good. I just wonder if he got a second date with the post office attendant and whether or not the townspeople are playing Cricket or Hockey.

The Little Girl Who Sold the Sun

This movie was set in Dakar and depicted a run down area that seemed to have a very poor economic situation. The main character symbolized the inner strength that people can have when all the chips are down. Not only being handicapped, the young-lady was not getting any breaks as a female trying to derive an income in the predominately male only work environment.

Her attitude was the key for her success. It reminded me of the women’s rights movement as far as her never quit mentality. She shows sprit that anyone faced with a mountain of turmoil must. She pushes on to make positive steps towards bettering her life. My favorite example was when the newspaper boys knocked her down and she wasn’t at all discouraged by the act, in fact, it just made her more determined to succeed.

Throughout the whole story she stood up for herself, for others, and helped those who needed it. It can be said that it is a story of the true human spirit that dwells in all of us weather tapped or not.