Thoughts: Tragically beautiful is how I would describe this Israeli film, which won the Camera d'Or at Cannes Film Festival. Or (Dana Ivgy) is a 16 year old girl trying to take care of her sick aging prostitute mother Ruthie (Ronit Elkabetz). Or hopes if she works hard enough, by collecting empty plastic bottles and cans and working at a restaurant, her mother would never have to walk the streets again. Over time she begins to realize her mother will never stop because being a prostitute is the only life she knows. It was an interesting look into the usage of sex - for rent money, for pleasure, for revenge, for escape, for resentment. An interesting point to notice is the movie was made in and from Israel, the Holy Land. I highly recommend this movie, especially for women.
(M) Band of Outsiders (Bande à part). (Jean-Luc Godard, 1964)Grade: B
Thoughts: My first Godard film and probably not my last. Based upon dime novels and pulp fiction, this heist movie was enjoyable and I can see all the hipster kids loving the look and feel of it. Franz (Sami Frey) and Arthur (Claude Brasseur) meet good-looking and hopelessly romantic Odile (Anna Karina) in their English class. The guys find out Odile's aunt has money in her house and decide to get their hands on it. Overall the film was fun and light with a twist thrown in at the end. I found Anna Karina to be very attractive and classic looking; she had Audrey Hepburn written all over her.
(M) Murderball. (Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro, 2005)Grade: B-
Thoughts: This film about quadriplegics who play rugby in specially made wheelchairs was a different take on sports. My initial reaction to the movie was it was great but after some thought I realized these guys were all sport jerks and the only reason why you felt anything for them was because they were in wheelchairs. Still it was a well made documentary and a look into something different.
(M) Not One Less. (Yimou Zhang, 1999) Grade: B
Thoughts: A young girl is taken from her village to teach twenty some children ranging from 5 to 10 for a month while their real teacher leaves to take care of his ill mother. Initially, the girl is solely motivated by money, especially by the promise she would get ten more yuen if none of the children leave. Realistically though, children do leave due to harsh circumstances surrounding their lives - one boy must work to pay off his families' debt. On the girl's journey to look for that missing student, she learns to really care for and teach the children. The main objective of the film was to make people aware of school systems in rural areas where learning is not as accessible as it is for others.
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