Lungo il Mekong: Incontri e riscontri in Cambogia e Laos (2021) di Marco Carnovale

Un viaggio compiuto nel 2022, quando, a seguito di alcune disavventure professionali e sentimentali, decisi di cambiar vita. Un punto e a capo definitivo. Uno stacco sabbatico che diventa uno stile di vita.

Dallo splendore di Angkor alle tribù della giungla nel nord del Laos, un viaggio con veloci aliscafi, furgoni traballanti, esili piroghe e robusti scarponi. Un viaggio per assaporare, e non divorare, natura e cultura dei popoli di questo affascinante angolo del mondo, che risorge dopo aver subito innumerevoli conflitti.

L'autore ci conduce ai siti archeologici dell'UNESCO, si perde tra la gente del posto, mangia il loro cibo e dorme in improbabili villaggi che difficilmente vedono un volto straniero. Per diverse settimane scatta foto e prende appunti, sempre rispettoso delle usanze locali, tranne una volta, e paga il suo errore!

Il libro contiene oltre 25 fotografie, in bianco e nero nelle versioni cartacee e a colori nella versione kindle.

Acquistabile su tutti i siti Amazon.

Film review: Horses of God (2012) by Nabil Ayouch, *****

Synopsis

In Horses of God, Nabil Ayouch tells the story of two young soccer-loving friends, Yachine and Nabil, growing up under the fierce protection of Yachine's older brother, Hamid.

But in the sprawling slums of Sidi Moumen, not even Hamid can defend them against the harshness and injustice of the life that surrounds them. Fed up with that life, Hamid throws a rock at a police car and earns himself two years in prison. When he returns, an eerie calm masks his newfound zealotry, and his fundamentalist friends seem to exercise a powerful influence.

Inspired by the real-life 2003 terrorist attacks in Casablanca, Ayouch's film is a thoughtful and affecting inquiry into how ordinary people come to do desperate, unfathomable things. A major achievement by one of North Africa's most important filmmakers, the film was hugely successful both at Cannes and in its native Morocco and has won acclaim from public and critics alike.

Review

An instructive movie to try and begin to understand, at least in part, how extremism can take root when other values and points of reference are missing. In this case this is the story of Moroccan kids who become terrorists but it could have happened in many other countries, including Europe. One also gets an insight into other real problems in a Moroccan muslim shantytown, with poverty, male chauvinism and petty crime.

Film review: A Time to Kill (1996) by Joel Schumacher, ****

Synopsys

John Grisham's explosive novel is brought to the screen by Joel Schumacher. Carl Lee (Samuel L. Jackson) seeks violent revenge after his 10-year-old daughter is brutally assaulted. Lawyer Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) has to save him from Death Row, against mounting pressure from both the Ku Klux Klan and the Civil Rights Movement. Sandra Bullock stars as Brigance's student lawyer aide, while Kevin Spacey appears as the ruthless prosecutor, Rufus Buckley.

Review

A good movie to understand the deep roots of racism in the southern US. The obvious theme is racial prejudice at a jury trial where white jurors are expected to convict a black accused murderer, Carl Lee. 

The real surprise comes when Carl Lee chooses a white lawyer (Brigance) to defend him. And he chooses him not because Brigance is not racist, but because, despite all he says, Carl lee thinks in the end he really is: he defends blacks but does not make friends with them, their daughters don't play together. So, as a white man who does not mix with black, Brigance is more credible to a white jury!

Film review: Emperor (2012) by Peter Webber, *****

Synopsys

Brigadier-General Bonner Fellers (Matthew Fox) is sent to Japan as a part of the occupation force. He is tasked with arresting Japanese war criminals, including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo.

Before he departs, he privately orders his Japanese interpreter, Takahashi, to locate his Japanese girlfriend, Aya Shimada. 

After arresting Tojo, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur asks Fellers, whom he recognizes as a Japan expert, for advice about whether Emperor Hirohito can't be tried as a war criminal. Doing so could lead to a revolt, but the American people want the Emperor to stand trial for Japan's actions. MacArthur gives Fellers ten days to investigate the Emperor. When Takahashi informs Fellers that Aya's Tokyo apartment was bombed, he orders him to investigate her hometown, Shizuoka. 

MacArthur and Hirohito

Review

A well constructed historical drama, very close to actual events, interwoven with a love story that probably is not so realistic but serves the purpose of this film. The film does not answer the million-dollar question, was the Emperor responsible for the war? But it does help to understand he deserves some credit for Japan's decision to surrender and therefore end the war.

Film review: Hairspray (2007) by Alan Shankman, *****

Synopsys

Musical comedy starring John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer. Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) is an overweight teenager with all the right moves who is obsessed with the Corny Collins Show. 

Every day after school, she and her best friend Penny (Amanda Bynes) run home to watch the show and drool over the hot Link Larkin (Zac Efron), much to Tracy's mother Edna's (Travolta) dismay.

 After one of the stars of the show leaves, Corny Collins holds auditions to see who will be the next person on the Corny Collins show. With the help of her friend Seaweed (Elijah Kelly), Tracy makes it on the show, angering the evil dance queen Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow) and her mother Velma (Pfeiffer). Tracy then decides that it's not fair that the black kids can only dance on the Corny Collins Show once a month, and with the help of Seaweed, Link, Penny, Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah), her father (Christopher Walken) and Edna, she decides to take action.

Review

A fun and instructive move about racism in America just as the Civil Rights movement was taking off and how it permeated daily life and culture, including music. In the end it is a feel-good movie about positive change. Funny to see John Travolta playing a woman!

Film review: A Thousand Pieces of Gold, (1991) by Nancy kelly ****

Synopsys

Lalu (Rosalind Chao) is a young Chinese woman who is sold by her impoverished family and transported against her will to the American West in 1880. Upon her arrival in California, she meets Jim (Dennis Dun), a Chinese "wife trader" who sells her to Hong King (Michael Paul Chan), a successful Chinese merchant who lives in an Idaho mining town. The two set off on the long journey to Idaho and eventually strike up a friendship along the way.

When they finally arrive in the rough, isolated town, she is distraught to discover that she is not going to be Hong King's wife. Instead, she is to work in his saloon as his newest prostitute under a new name, "China Polly". She is further dismayed when Jim abruptly disappears, leaving her to fend for herself.

The following night, when Hong King tries to sell her virtue to the highest bidder, Lalu violently refuses to submit to her would-be suitors and successfully avoids becoming a prostitute, thanks in part to the intervention of a kind stranger, Charlie Bemis (Chris Cooper), who turns out to be Hong King's Caucasian partner. She placates a furious Hong King and convinces him to allow her to be his servant and saloon maid in order to repay the cost of her purchase. Hong King agrees to let her buy her freedom for the impossible sum of a thousand pieces of gold.

Polly, as Lalu comes to be known, endures great hardship. At one point, she is sexually assaulted by Hong King. However, she refuses to give up. She works hard and makes friends with the local townspeople. She also grows closer to Charlie, who begins to fall deeply in love with her. Meanwhile, Hong King is beset with financial problems and decides to sell Polly to the highest bidder. In a rare stroke of luck, Charlie wins her in a game of poker. She moves in with him but insists they remain platonic and keep separate quarters.

Jim comes back and wants her to be with him but he then leaves her again when he finds out that she is living with Charlie. The "white demons" begin to run out the Chinese people from their town so it will be a purely white town and the Chinese will stop getting all of the gold.

Polly works in many jobs and saves money to go back to China and her family, but ultimately ends up falling in love with Charlie. She marries him and lives the rest of her life with him in a different area so she will not be harassed by the white demons anymore. (Wikipedia)


Review

A brilliant film set up as a love story but in fact a telling history of racism in America. Right after the end of the Civil War, when blacks became free, it was the Chinese who were discriminated against in California, where many had come in search of fortune.

The film in itself is not the best structured one you will ever see, but it is a most interesting historical novel about a part of American history many forgot.

Read my other reviews of books about China here in this blog.

Film review: The Butler (2013) by Lee Daniels, *****

Synopsys

Historical drama directed by Lee Daniels and starring Forest Whitaker. The film tells the story of Cecil Gaines (his real name was Eugene Allen)'s 34-year career working as head butler at the White House. 

Beginning his tenure under President Eisenhower (Robin Williams), Cecil would see another seven presidents come and go throughout his career and was present at the highest level of the state during some of the most tumultuous periods in the 20th century including the American Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. The ensemble cast includes John Cusack, James Marsden, Liev Schreiber, Alan Rickman and Oprah Winfrey.

Review

An incredible story, though not completely a real one, about racism in America during the XX century. One African American boy, born a near slave in Virginia, rises to win the respect of successive presidents. He even lives long enough to see a black person become president for the first time. Much progress has been made, but it is not yet enough.

Film review: The Help (2011) by Tate Taylor, *****

Synopsis

The #1 New York Times bestseller by Kathryn Stockett comes to vivid life through the powerful performances of a phenomenal ensemble cast. Led by Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Bryce Dallas Howard, The Help is an inspirational, courageous and empowering story about very different, extraordinary women in the 1960s South who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project — one that breaks society’s rules and puts them all at risk.

Filled with poignancy, humor and hope — and complete with compelling, never-before-seen bonus features — The Help is a timeless, universal and triumphant story about the ability to create change.

Review

We are taken by our hand into the southern USA in the 1960s, when the civil rights movement was reaching its peak. Black helpers at home are treated little better than their slaves grandparents, but in their small way these ladies begin to change things.

Unfortunately the problem just won't go away, and there is still much racism in the southern US fifty years after Martin Luther King, even after a black American has been elected president. 

You an also buy the book.

Film review: Wadjda (2012) by Reem Abdullah, *****

Synopsys

A rebellious Saudi Arabian girl hatches a plan to get her hands on the bicycle she craves in this coming-of-age story from first time director Haifaa Al-Mansour. 

Living within a conservative suburb of Riyadh, fun-loving eleven-year-old Wadjda (Waad Mohammed) has her heart set on a green bicycle so that she can beat the boys in their neighbourhood races. 

But when her mother (Reem Abdullah) forbids it, anticipating a reaction from a society that disapproves of women riding bicycles, an enterprising Wadjda decides to raise the money herself by entering a local Qur'an-reading competition that offers a cash prize.

Review

A most interesting if limited peek into Saudi society and especially the position of women. It is pretty incredible the Saudi female director managed to complete filming on location, not everyone was happy with it... Not surprising as movie theaters were not allowed in Saudi Arabia, either, between 1983 and 2018. 

I knew women were not allowed to drive (they now are) but was shocked to learn they were not supposed to ride bicycles. Or touch the Koran when they have their period! 

In the end this movie is about how a little girl wants to have a happy life, she knows nothing about politics and only understand religion inasmuch as they have her memorize verses. A hopeful note of optimism for Saudi Arabia. 

明日歌 The Song of Tomorrow, Chinese idiom - La canzone del domani, proverbio cinese

明日歌

Míng rì gē

The Song of Tomorrow

La Canzone del Domani

明日复明日，

Míng rì，fù míng rì

Tomorrow, again tomorrow

Domani, ancora domani

----------

明日何其多 

míng rì hé qí duō

there are so many tomorrows

ci sono tanti domani

----------

我生待明日

wǒ shēng dài míng ri

my life is waiting for tomorrow

la mia vita aspetta il domani

----------

万事成蹉跎。

wàn shì chéng cuō tuó。

everything is in vain.

e tutto è invano.