Movies

Mr. and Mrs. Smith - Never mind the naysayers. I thought it was entertaining. The leads looked splendid (how could they not?); I liked the music; and I appreciated the real issues in marriage which the less-than-real characters were struggling with.

Mad, Hot Ballroom - I'm not sure if folks outside the U.S. have heard about this documentary, but it's a terrific one. You can watch the trailer here and the first six minutes of the film here. Inspiring, hilarious, and engaging. Everyone was clapping, laughing, and cheering throughout the film. In New York, public schools provide free ballroom dance lessons for 10 year-olds. It's noted that rich children get to have dance classes, music classes whenever they want. The program lets average and less fortunate kids enjoy dance, learn about the history of rhumba, tango, foxtrot etc. They gain confidence, poise, style. Dancing is a useful skill to have. One day these young boys will grow up and attend proms, and they'll be able to feel comfortable dancing with a girl.

After watching it, I felt very strongly that Singapore should have a similar program for primary school kids. Not the independent schools but the government ones, where both boys and girls attend. It's better than P.E. It gives the children focus; they learn to dance and befriend children they wouldn't normally talk to. Dance is a very natural way to engage each other. And they also learn a bit of culture from other countries. And of course, dancing is fun.

Ladies in Lavender - Elizabeth recommended this one. She saw Natasha McElhone in the film and thought she could play one of the characters in her novel.

I've always loved Cornwall, and I've always loved melancholic music. This film has both. It also has Judi Dench and Maggie Smith in it. And a handsome young German actor, Daniel Bruhl, who appeared in Good Bye Lenin. The two British thespians play sisters living in a cottage by the sea in Cornwall. One morning they find a shipwrecked violinist who speaks no English. Much ensues. The music is wonderful, performed by Joshua Bell. The story is about loving and letting go. And I thought of all the mothers who are aware that their children could excel at their gifts if they went away, but stubbornly keep them close because they fear to lose them. The more you hem them in, the more you drive them away. What good is possessive love?

"You gave me life; now I am making use of that life."

Bonus - the trailer for March of the Penguins. Just watch, and smile.

Posted by Monoceros at June 16, 2005 11:45 PM