"Seven Minutes in Heaven" an Israeli film

Film by Omri Givon, from Israel

As I stated to my husband after watching this " when hearing the phrase 'suicide bomber/bombing', I shall forever have images of what it must be like" . 
This is a very "slow-moving" story, going from the present to the past - Galia is searching for memories of what happened on that fateful day.  With subtitles, however, the dialogue is sparse so one need not worry about trying to keep up.

This movie was "spell-binding" to the point that I could barely breath at times, not a Light and fuzzy enjoyable movie, but one that certainly makes a statement about the troubles in the Middle East.  I would suggest you might consider this one.

Quote of the Day-----Goodreads

Don't you just "love" words, some words roll around on your tongue and fly out of your mouth, some are nasty tasting, they shouldn't even be considered.....  I like the following Quote of the Day from Goodreads.....

I pop a beautiful sentence into my mouth and suck it like a fruit drop.
Bohumil Hrabal
March 28, 1914: Celebrated Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal was born 99 years ago today. His coffin is engraved with the name of the brewery where his mother and stepfather met: Pivovar Polná.

Have a good day, and enjoy a good word, and read a good book.

Quote of the Day------Goodreads

I just love this one

She looked at nice young men as if she could smell their stupidity.
Flannery O'Connor
March 25, 1925: Southern Gothic novelist, short story writer, and exotic bird breeder Flannery O'Connor was born 88 years ago today in Savannah, Georgia.

Are you reading a good book?

I just started  "Peaches for Father Francis"

"A Time for Drunken Horses" an Iranian film

"A Time for Drunken Horses" an Iranian film, award winner at Cannes, Chicago and Santa Fe.

Once again, a film featuring children, yet hardly a childrens' film.......  A riveting, disturbing, heart-touching film about the life of Kurdish children living along the Iran-Iraq border.  Watch this with a coat on - even when we think we are cold, we certainly are unable to imagine life without electric or propane heat - also, have a tissue or hankie at hand.
The harshness of the winter in this film is hard for most Americans to fathom, yet the filming of this story at this time of year is amazing with stark reality.
We often hear of forced child labor, yet when children lose their parents what option to they have to survive?
The "drunken horses" are really mules, and they truly are drunk when they cross this pass while smuggling "tires and other such things" by their owners - just after their loads are in place, and just before they leave on their journey, they are given various alcoholic beverages to drink, probably to confuse them during such awful weather conditions.
This is a movie filled with awful things, yet LOVE is what makes the children go on - LOVE of their siblings, the things they do to keep going.
As my husband stated - "this was NOT light and fuzzy", yet it was an incredible movie with such powerful statements of different cultures that Americans really do not understand. 

Usually I say "Enjoy" light-heartedly, this is one that "Enjoy" takes on a different meaning, I do hope that you will consider watching this.

"Foreign Letters" a film by Ela Thier

"Foreign Letters" a film by Ela Thier through the Film Movement organization.

Based on the filmmaker's childhood experiences, on the outer surface this appears to a childrens' film, however, digging deeper into the story one realizes that this is a film of all ages.
12 year old Ellie moves to America with her family from Israel as her father does not want to fight wars in the army of his country.  When Ellie and her family move to America, they know no English, Ellie attends school where she is lonely and treated rudely by some of the "established" girls.  Slowly, as she observes Thuy from "afar", she decides to become friends with Thuy, a Vietnamese refugee.  Struggles occur as shame of her family's residence, Thuy lies to Ellie many times about why Ellie cannot visit Thuy's "home".  Evidentually, Ellie and Thuy develop a unique friendship, thorny and uneven at times.
At the very end of the film, one sees the Real "Ellie and Thuy" - Ela plays the mother of Ellie in the film.
My husband and I were spellbound over this film.
Hope you will consider it.

"The Wind Journeys" a Colombian Film

"The Wind Journeys", a film from Colombia.

This is a very unusual film, beautiful photography, music that will have you tapping your feet, and wanting to get up and dance.  Very little dialogue. 
It is a long movie, so you might want to pause it and take a quick break.
The ending is very open ended - is he or is he not type of ending.
My husband and I really enjoyed this.
By the way, what you are looking at is an accordian, which is what the story revolves around.

Enjoy!

Two Cents' Worth

Seen in the Everett's Daily Herald  3-14-13

"Caring for veterans shouldn't be a partisan issue.  It should be an American one."       Jennifer Granholm, former governor of Michigan

Being a child of a veteran, from a long line of veterans in our American history, this quote really struck home, especially now with all those coming back from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

They deserve better, than what they are coming home to.

Quote of the Day-----Goodreads

But luxury has never appealed to me, I like simple things, books, being alone, or with somebody who understands.
Daphne du Maurier
March 13, 1907: British writer Daphne du Maurier was born 106 years ago today. Hitchcock's horror classic, The Birds, was based on her short story by the same name.


Well, I have read some of her books, Rebecca, for one.
She's worth reading.

Quote of the Day-----Goodreads

You're alive only once, as far as we know, and what could be worse than getting to the end of your life and realizing you hadn't lived it?
Edward Albee
March 12, 1928: For half a century, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee has brought a Theatre of the Absurd sensibility to the American stage. He turns 85 today.


So live life as if you truly love life.

Read a good book today.

"My Beloved World" by Sonia Sotomayor

I just want to share this book with everyone.

Once again NPR, and 60 Minutes, had interviews with Sonia, which created much interest for me. Immediately phoned my local bookstore to order a copy.

Listening to Sonia on NPR - her voice, her way of speaking, her openness - just made her a very important person to learn more about.

Sonia's writing did not disappoint - I could still hear her voice, while reading this.
There are so many interesting things to learn from her book, not just about her life, her family, but about the law and how everything "We as Americans" take for granted. Her Puerto Rican ties to a vast community in the New York city area, plus her family still in Puerto Rico, sheds light on the plight of this Island, whose people are citizens of the USA, and have representation in our national legislature, yet are neither able to vote nor have statehood, these issues Sonia brings very much to light with grace and love.

This is a very important book for all to read - she shares how she was able to gain admittance to Princeton, why she chose not to "clerk" instead wrote a "note" at Yale. Her voice is that not just of Puerto Ricans, her voice is that not just of women, her voice is for all to be able to share in equal justice provided to all who have been graced to live within our country.

When I turned the last page, I was filled with positive thoughts and emotions, and, yet, I wanted more of her words to come off the page.
Enjoy!

Quote of the Day-----Goodreads

You don't have anything
if you don't have the stories.
Leslie Marmon Silko
March 5, 1948: Native-American author Leslie Marmon Silko was born on the edge of the Laguna Pueblo reservation in Albequerque, New Mexico, 65 years ago today.

Quote of the Day-----Goodreads

Whenever my environment had failed to support or nourish me, I had clutched at books...
Richard Wright
March 1, 1940: African-American novelist (and haiku enthusiast!) Richard Wright published his unflinching bestseller, Native Son, 73 years ago today.

Are you reading a good book?
If you are please add a comment to my post, so I can consider reading it.  Thanks