Inscapism

I went to the movies last night with my German friend. It was an Israeli movie called: "The Bubble". I don't wanna tell you exactly what it is about, but in short it's about love between a Jewish Israeli man and a Palestinian man. It's about impossible love. Politically and Socially. It was a good film, not the best I ever watched, but a good one that makes you think. Well... It makes ppl that are not Israeli's think. Me? I just got depressed.
Usually ppl who go to the movies want their good nice piece of escapism. They want to run away for 2 hours. Get away from normal life. This movie for me, as an Israeli, especially one that lives abroad, was a lot more inscapism than escapism. It totally drew me back to the problems there. Took me there by force, like there was a vacuum there that just sucked me back in. I tried to resist but it just didn't work, the force was much stronger than me. It pulled me in like a black hole, and really, there was nothing I could do. It started taking me back to the sad reality. It was worse than reading the news. I can't stop thinking about it. I went to sleep thinking about it. The first thing that crossed my mind when I opened my eyes this morning- was the ending of the movie. Again- I don't wanna spoil it for you- but I'll just say that I got so depressed. The whole day in school today I couldn't think about anything else. And it's not like there's not nice and happy things going on in the movie. There are! But the sad things... And these sad things- they're not even that realistic (to my opinion) they are a bit exaggerated, but still, they made their point. And it did it's job- it made me sad.
The last thing someone says in the movie is something like:

"Maybe one day ppl will see that fighting in wars is so stupid, and loving is so much better.

Nahhh.... No one will."







And on this happy note-
I'll just wish a happy birthday to my cute brother Daniel: he's 7 years old today!!!

Film Review: "The Mistress of Spices" (2006)

Well it's official now- I'm definitely gonna put my (very) short reviews here. I can't help it... When I watch a movie- sometimes I'm so drawn to it - that I forget who I am or where I am... (The same always happens with books... I already missed my stop on the subway coz of that...)

"The Mistress of Spices" (2006) is based on Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's book of the same name. I wish I had read the book first- but I think I've never heard of it (even though now when I think about it - I'm pretty sure that my mom has it in Hebrew at home... hmmm...).
Not like other examples- in this case I don't mind watching the movie first- coz it was such a colorful, magical, romantic, mysterious and beautiful one. The story is almost a fairytale, the colors are so vivid and bright, the music is perfect for the cause. For about 100 minutes you completely forget reality - even though it stands right in front of your face- the movie takes place in real life San Francisco. If you feel like stepping out of ordinary life to a place full of passion and magic - you better watch this movie.

I think I'm going to find that book now- knowing the story and the ending doesn't seem to make me want to read it any less- because books hide so much more in them- so many more details than you can actually capture by watching a movie. In a book- you "drink" every little thing, nothing goes through you without leaving a mark.

A note about the star this movie didn't get (I'll give it 4 stars) - I never like it in movies when immigrants, whom their mother tongue is not English, speak it among themselves.

I know I know- this is no film blog but...

There's one thing you do in China if you have a lot of free time (well even if you don't...) you watch a lot of movies... DVDs are so cheap here- going to the store to buy some is a regular thing we do every weekend- to fill up the stash...
So today I watched 3 films - 2 of them were really not great, but then- at the end of the day - I watched a movie that I can definitely say is the best I've watched here since I arrived. This movie is called "TransAmerica" - and the story is about a transsexual man - who is on the verge of getting the surgery to become a woman- suddenly learning he has a son from his first and only girlfriend. I obviously wont "bore" you with the details to not ruin it for you... You'll just have to believe me- that this one is really good. I laughed, I shed a tear, I was surprised and scared (well more worried than scared really) and I really enjoyed it...
I've always loved the stories that are a bit strange but totally make you believe they are real (and no- I'm not talking about Sci-Fi). Of course the way the movie is made is really important- including the music first (on my scale it's the most important element) then directing, editing, and acting. The story can be good or bad- I've just proved today that a movie can have a nice story, a believable one, even interesting to a certain extent- but if all the others are bad- the movie will totally fail (so don't watch "Shop Girl" with Clare Danes).

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Tomorrow I'm gonna go to the railway station to try to get a train or a bus to a city called Hangzhou. There I'm gonna meet 2 Israeli's I know from my online life (China Forum) and we're gonna spend Sunday night at their friends' house for dinner. I guess I will get a train or a bus, but because there's a holiday I'm not sure I'll get a ticket. So I might find myself buying a ticket for Sunday and going back home. Who knows.

Oh my God

It's really been a while since a film left me so shocked. I've just finished watching "The King" (2005) with Gael Garcia Bernal (Written by James Marsh & Millo Addica, Directed by James Marsh). Bernal is definitely one of my favorite actors. I've watched a lot of films he stared in. I chose this film at the store- just because of him - To see what he's capable of in the American industry. The story left me shaking. I've never been so surprised by the development of a plot in my life. There are no words to describe it- maybe these words- a disturbed tragedy.
The story is about a young man who got of the Navy and decided to go find his Father whom he had never met. He finds out his dad is a pastor of a small Christian community in Texas. I don't want to ruin the film for you- but if you decide to watch it - be prepared to watch a very disturbed sick weird shocking film. It was so shocking that I didn't even notice the good acting (and it was) the fine soundtrack (oh yes it really was) and the exceptional directing and editing. I'm pretty sure that if I ever watch this film again - I'd like it better - coz then I wouldn't be rushing my palms to my mouth every 10 minutes from surprise and shock. I will probably not shed tears again in one of these moments that you just can not believe what you had just seen.

The title of this post is not accidentally chosen - this whole film talks about this pastor and the strong believe in God he and his family has. If you'll watch the film - you'll see where that got them.

Happy Hanukah

Tomorrow's Hanukah. Used to be my favorite holiday when I was a kid. It's supposed to remind us that the Hebrew ppl in Israel won over the Greek thousands of years ago. OK not a lot of thousands but a few... The story tells that after the victory the big temple was ruined and the Menorah - a big lamp with 7 candle spots (one for each day of the week) was the only thing left. As well they found a small jug with oil to lit the Menorah up. There was so little oil left that they were sure it's not gonna last for long- but then it lasted for 8 days. We call it the miracle of Hanukah, and the holiday is also called in Hebrew the holiday of light. We celebrate it by lighting candles every evening in the Hanukia, or Menorah (that's how Jews outside of Israel call it) every night we lit one more candle- for 8 days, to remind us of the miracle. The special food is everything that is fried in a lot of oil- like big puffed donuts with jam inside.
I used to like it so much especially coz of the candles lighting up in the evening - standing proud next to the window until they're gone. It's usually in December and the darkness outside, the winter- which I always disliked to a certain extent- would go away and make room for light, fire, warmth and the colors of the candles. Kids in this holiday get 8 presents - one for each day- usually some chocolate, or a Dradle (a spinning toy with the Hebrew letters saying- "A big miracle happened here" - or "there" if you're not in Israel) to play with. When we got older we usually got a bit of money from our parents and close family.
The last time I was in China- 2 years ago - I met my later to be best friends here on a Hanukah celebration with the Jewish community. I remember I only arrived here 2-3 weeks earlier and decided to go to the celebration - to meet new ppl. I realized that here if you don't make the effort- you'll never make friends. Even things that at home seem absurd and too straight forward- like calling someone you don't know and saying: "hey I got your number from this and that and I'd like to meet" this kinda thing here would totally make sense. That time I didn't celebrate Hanukah in any way at home- but this time - I decided that I want to. It's weird- coz then I was living alone and basically lived life the way I wanted to- and now I'm living with Rob- who's not even Jewish and I decide to do it... LOL
But I thought it would be nice - I do it with no religious feelings, more than that- I think one of the reasons I love this holiday so much is because in the whole story "God" is not mentioned even once- which makes it easier for me to relate to.

I didn't have a Hanukia here so I decided to make one of my own the same way we used to in kindergarten. I bought paint and painted some old candle holders (like the ones you get with burner candles). I bought candles at the Jewish community and I'm ready to go. I'm waiting for a reply from Charles - one of those good friends I made last time I was here - and I hope he'll come with his girlfriend and join us for a Hanukah dinner.

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I've noticed how much I enjoy cooking lately. I've always liked it, and I've tried cooking all sorts of stuff in the last 2 years of living alone, and obviously have cooked stuff at my moms. Every now and then I would have had a project and cooked something interesting for all of us. But now- I really have someone to cook for- and if I wont cook something that is more than simple paste, then... hmmm... no one will or at least- untill we cook together it'll be so late in the evening we will starve (I feel obliged to say here that Rob likes cooking- and I really like it when he does). I don't have an oven here - so I'm chalenging myself with stove cooking only. I think after these 6 months I'll be a master...

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I watched a movie last week - I got it from Liya. It's called Garden State. It took me a bit of time to get into it but when I did- I was captured forever... It gave me a sense of reality, especially because it has such a real life - weird story... Yes yes- there is such a thing as real but weird. I'm putting a link here to the movie's website- you can check it out- I especially loved the soundtrack (it plays on the website a bit for your enjoyment) and I haven't stopped listening to it over and over in the last few days...

Garden State (2004)

And here's a bit of trivia about it - but you shouldn't read it if you haven't watched yet- to my opinion it'll mean nothing to you...

Garden State Trivia