Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Encouraging movie for women

You know how it's somehow carved into our unconscious that women in Western world have all the rights and how other parts of the world should learn from them and stuff... well, we tend to forget that not long ago they didn't have nearly as many rights as they do now. It's a shame that there's not enough emphasis on how women fought for their rights, even in the so-called Land of Freedom. Thanks to Roja who recommended Iron Jawed Angels, now I know a little more than before. You should watch it too, and I know I'm making it sound like a history lesson, but it's not. Believe me! It's a well made movie (for TV though, not for theater screening) with great acting and (there goes my usual comment) very good soundtrack! So you're not gonna be watching a boring documentary (although, even boring documentaries are made for a reason). Hillary Swank and Francis O'Connor have super strong performances.

The movie tells the story of a campaign led by Alice Paul that led to granting the right of vote to American women. It's unbelievable how the protesting women and leaders of the campaign were treated - either out on the streets or in jail (yes, that's right, JAIL!). Learning about Alice Paul made me proud as a woman, although her fight has not affected me personally. I'm certain that you'll enjoy watching it too.

If you're looking for more facts on the campaign, maybe it's good to take a look at "Jailed for Freedom", a book by Doris Stevens (who's also one of the characters in the movie).

Title: Will The Circle Be Unbroken, By: Joan Baez

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Monday, October 30, 2006

Just to make you feel nostalgic...

This most be my favorite song from the soundtrack of "Cinema Paradiso". Feels like it's got some quality to it that can't be put into words... for me, this has always been associated with the magic of the movies... Here it is, anyway.


Title: Tema D'Amore, By: Ennio Morricone

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Saturday, October 28, 2006

Internet fasting over!

Today I realized not having internet actually had some positive effects on my life. Like, I went to bed pretty early every night during last week. Nazi and I talked a lot more... we even tried to actually go to school early (to check our emails, of course!). Anyway, the point is we have internet now, and as you can see I'm online, blogging again which, as most of you will agree, does not make me any more productive.

Hmmm, yeah, have to go now put on my very creative costume, including a mini-witch hat, an ugly nose (which I probably won't wear after all!), and a magic stick; now, the stick should realistically(!) belong to a fairy, cause it's white and has a star on top, but well, I'm a good hearted witch, so instead of beating people up with my broom, I sprinkle golden powder on their heads. Honestly, when you end up shopping for Halloween costume three hours before the party, it usually doesn't get any better than this!

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Tuesday, October 24, 2006

و حتی پست فارسی

آقا دم دوستمون گرم که دو روز مملکت همیشه تعطیلمون رو اضافی تعطیل کرده.... خیلی بهش سخت میگذره آخه طفلی... این سیاست مداری هم بد دردیه ها!
نکته بی ربط: خواهرم امروز به من گوشزد کرد که هدف خانواده از فرستادن من به بلاد خارجه همانا اصلاح نسل بوده، و در نتیجه من بیخودی دارم وقتم رو برای جوونهای هموطن تلف می کنم!!

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movie + internet support staff suck!

yeah, I watched some more movies since my last post and to pick one favorite, I have no choice but to write about Annie Hall. I mean, I'm not going to even write about it, you have watch it, period. Feel like I'm a pathetic excuse for a movie fan for not having watched this before. Woody Allen is a genius, and Diane Keaton is brilliant, as always. I could not stop laughing throughout the movie, which doesn't mean it was a mindless comedy at all. If you like overanalyzing relationships, love New York, or enjoy Woody Allen's pessimistic/comic view towards life in general, this is the movie for you.

By the way, my internet connection died on me, so I'm sitting at a coffee shop writing these. The stupid IT guy gave me a 4 hour window for coming to fix the connection and then showed up in the first 10 minutes of that window - and sure enough, I missed him! Now I have to wait till Friday to get it fixed and that, my dear readers, is why this place won't be updated as often! (Which is a lucky thing for you, considering that I have nothing interesting to write at the moment!)

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Thursday, October 19, 2006

Daydreaming tutor needed!

So I was daydreaming the other night, and it was all going fine you know... I was having this wonderful time, great vacation, all my friends around me... and then somehow it ended up a mess and I was all sad and depressed (in my dream, of course)... that was when I realized it was a dream and had to remind myself that I had control over this and it could have a happy ending you know! So it turns out I'm not even good at the only thing I thought I was good at: daydreaming.

Someone please help me!

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I'm your TA, damn it!

Today I am helping these two guys (Read: kids) in the lab I'm TAing, and right in the middle of a heated discussion on different harvest prescriptions for a tree stand, one of them turns to me and says: "you smell nice by the way"!!??!! and the other says:"oh yeah, VERY nice, what perfume is that?" !!! I mean, what the hell? I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I was a guy. No girl in that class would've ever told me I smelled nice; but just because I'm a girl, any 18-year old kid has the right to treat me like I'm there for his entertainment!!! I'm just very pissed off at the moment... it's probably not a big deal after all.

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Wednesday, October 18, 2006

If you can't make your mind up...

...we'll never get started!

Title: Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps, By: Cake

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006

I hate your phone's answering system

everytime I hear it instead of your voice, I can't help but picturing you with someone else... and let me tell you, my imaginations are pretty vivid! So come out of your cave and pick up the phone!

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A treat after a long day...

...making eye contact with a cute stranger on the bus!

Hmmm, I don't know if it's me being pathetic, or is it the side-effect of watching someone else's daydreams in Science of sleep?!

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Monday, October 16, 2006

Hakuna Matata

I'm having a Stat exam in 5 minutes! :)

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Sunday, October 15, 2006

To the faithful departed... Or was it unfaithful?

So...let's do this! I went to see the Departed tonight... and yeah, hats off to Martin Scorsese! You just have to watch this movie, I was sitting in the second row in the theater (yes! that's counting from the screen) and still enjoyed it. My neck aches and still I'm happy I went! So trust me, you wanna watch this one.

The movie is based on another movie, "Infernal Affairs" (2002) from Hong Kong. The story is about two young men: one is a cop that squeezes himself in the Irish Mafia, and the other is Mafia's man in the Police department. You can guess how interesting and twisted the story gets... and there's of course lots of violence for all you blood lovers out there! I haven't watched the original movie, so I can't compare the two, but for what it's worth, I think Scorsese did an awesome job, especially with the casting. Jack Nicholson is great as always, and I was surprised to see DiCaprio act so well. Think I have to start giving the "king of the world" some credit! Matt Damon was also very strong, although I think he's becoming a cliche, you know... the smartass who goes a long way in society, but has a dark side... It could be just me though! My favorite scene was when DiCaprio and Damon were silent on the two ends of the line, waiting for the other's reaction. For some reason, it just seemed like a perfect scene to me!

And last but not least, is the great soundtrack... Scorsese shows once again he knows good music and he knows where and when to use it. I loved every single song in the movie, especially his version of "Comfortably numb" with Van Morrison, Roger Waters AND the Band! Unfortunately, I only have the original version, so here you go:

Title: Comfortably Numb, By: Pink Floyd

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Friday, October 13, 2006

School of mice ! (our very own "Madreseye Mooshha")

Does anyone remember that episode of from "School of Mice" where the kids are supposed to write an essay on how they spent their weekend?... That's probably one of my most favorite episodes. "Kopol" starts reading out his essay to the class and keeps mentioning the different meals he had, with extreme details. When finally he gets to afternoon snack (!), the teacher gets mad and asks him not to mention eating anymore. He continues reading the thing and then suddenly finishes up with some very incomprehensible words. The teacher asks him to repeat his last sentence, but still no one can understand what the hell he's talking about... until "Goosh Deraaz" solves the riddle! The last sentence of the essay is:"and then we ate dinner and went to bed"!

Now why did I mention this? because I really really want to talk about the movies I've watched in the festival (and out of it, mind you!) and feel scared of boring you to death with it! So dear readers, please hold your desire to curse and throw stuff at the monitor while reading the next few sentences (or just stop reading right now!).

I watched four Iranian movies in this year's festival: Men at work, 13.5 (can't seem to find a good link), from afar, and offside. I liked men at work and offside the best; especially the first one, which I thought was hilarious and deep at the same time! I hear it's gonna be shown in Tehran, so don't miss out on it if you're there! Offside was also very good... a new way of looking at women's problems, without turning the whole movie to 90 minutes of complaining and victimizing women, unlike 13.5. From afar, was just an interesting story that could have been made to a movie in a better way! ... there, I said it, quick and painless, now I can go sleep!

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Thursday, October 12, 2006

Masochism

Would somebody out there please take it upon himself to break my heart sometime soon? I've run out of inspirations to write!

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Sunday, October 08, 2006

Some folk music for you!

... Now the things that i remember seem so distant and so small
Though it hasn't really been that long a time
What i was seeing wasn't really happening at all
Although for a while, our path did seem to climb
But when you see through love's illusions, there lies the danger
And your perfect lover just looks like a perfect fool
So you go running off in search of a perfect stranger...


Title: Fountain Of Sorrow, By: Joan Baez

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Sunday, October 01, 2006

Bear with me and movie reviews

You'll probably think I'm totally lame, but I just couldn't resist the temptation to write about "Away from her". I watched it yesterday in Vancouver International Film Festival and I have to say it was astonishing. I can't believe it was Sarah Polley's first feature film as a director. Having strong actors definitely helped, and the movie was based on a short story by Alice Munro, but still, you couldn't be a bad director and get away with making such a movie easily.

As much as I like watching movies about young lovers who get to (or in some cases not get to) be with each other, I couldn't help but admire the love that was shown between Fiona (Julie Christie) and Grant (Gordon Pinsent)after all the years they had lived together. I don't know which one's stronger? a love that burns when you're 26, or a love that comforts when you're 66. I loved everything about this movie. Go, Canada! and I am very interested to see what Sarah Polley's gonna come up with next! (by the way, for those of you who used to watch "GHESSEHAY E JAZEEREH" in Iran, she's the girl who played Sarah in that series! she's definitely grown up!)

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