El baño del Papa

El Baño del Papa, is a Uruguayan film, that deals with two smugglers from Melo, Uruguay (Beto and his friend "Negro") who decide to build a bathroom in Beto's backyard, so he can charge Brazilian attendees of the Pope's visit to the town. He gets funds from smuggling and from his wife.

The movie shows Uruguay's strong connection to Catholicism. This history comes from the Spanish conquest of the region. The Guarani people were forced to obey the religious demands of the Spaniards. Consequently, it is the reason why Catholicism is the dominant religion.

The theme of poverty in the film, is something foreign to me. I have never had the misfortune of being impoverished. The theme of Catholicism in the film, is a familiar aspect that has been present in my life. My family adheres to Catholicism so I can relate.

Tsotsi

Tsotsi, is a 2005 film from South Africa. It follows a young delinquent and highlights some of the various robbing sprees he goes on. Additionally, it is clearly a critical analysis of South African crime culture. Tsotsi, the main character decides to keep the baby he found in the Mercedes Benz he stole, the baby whose mother Tsotsi shot.

South Africa is hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup, the world's largest and most significant sports event. Unfortunately Ireland, was eliminated by France. But, now back to South Africa, which is ridden with crime and violence, prompted by the extreme poverty they live in.

The similarities between, US and South African cultures is limited. The crime culture of each is somewhat similar, as they both involve similar structures, based upon the various cultures of each. Also, I don't relate much to the movie, because I do not belong to a gang. Furthermore, I live above the poverty line.

Cinema Paradiso

Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, is a 1988 Italian film directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, which is set in the golden age of Italian cinema. The movie follows the life Salvatore Di Vita or Toto, an Italian man, who moves to Rome, but has flashbacks of his early life in Gianicolo, Italy, upon his return to the town as his friend and mentor Alfreddo has died. Alfreddo is the man who first taught Toto to operate a projector and is his inspiration to pursue his love of film. He also assumes the role of father figure, as Signor Di Vita has died in world war ii.

The culture of Italy, is immensely present in the film. A critical example is the priest who previews all movies at the Cinema Paradiso theater, and orders Alfreddo to remove all the kissing and sensual scenes in the movies, as he finds them offensive the Catholic religion. Catholicism is the most popular religion of Italy and is undeniably present in their everyday life. Other elements of culture presented in the film include the closeness of families in Italy, and not nearly enough insight into Italian Cuisine, a key part of daily life in Italy.

The movie gives a clear picture of the more complex, relaxed lifestyle of the country life in Italy, as compared to the lifestyle enjoyed by Toto in Rome. This is done in a very indirect way, principally in the scene with Alfreddo, where he orders that Toto never return to Gianicolo, because there is nothing there for him there. The comparison between American and Italian cultures, is unpresent, but anyone who has an understanding of either culture can draw the comparison between the two. The American culture, is much more irreverent, and fast paced, while Italians treasure and value relaxation time. Consequently, I can not particularly relate much to the film, because it draws a sharp contrast to what I have experienced in my life in the US.

The Host

The Host( 괴물)is a 2006 Korean horror film, about a lizard, the virus it carries, the people it eats, the people who try to stop it. The protagonist is Park Hee Bong, a fat Korean, who works for his grandfather at their corner store like stand where the sell chips and dried octopus tentacles. The film starts in a lab with formaldyhyde being poured into a river, which mutates this lizard/salmander creature, into a virus carrying death machine

The culture of Korea is present in the form of the outrageous events in the movie. The film pokes fun at the insanity and over-the-top characterization of Korean and Asian culture. This is evident through the films larger than life cinematography, which makes it feel as a sort of botched drama. This culture is lightyears apart from my comfort zone making me neither understand nor relate to any extent with the film.

Les Triplettes de Belleville

The Triplets of Belleville, Is a caricature of French culture in cartoon form. The movie deals with a family who dreams of Champion, the son, winning the Tour de France. The main characters are Madame Souza, her dog, and Champion. Champion is kidnapped and forced to participate in a mock tour de france, and where bets are placed on him.

The conclusion ends with Madame souza and her dog saving Champion from the French Mob

La Stanza del Figlio

La Stanza del Figlio (Mi dispiacque molto e no mi ebbo gustato) aka The Son's Room, is a film about how family evolves after a traumatic loss. It is a quintessential human drama. The film's plot stretches no further than the complexities of human drama and emotion, however no true cultural interaction exists, as the film only demonstrates, the emotional incompetence of Italian males and their lack of hesitance towards crying on a consistent basis. The emotion is like what would be found in Gaetano Donzinetti's famous romanza Una Furtiva Lagrima.

Run Lola Run

Run Lola Run (Lola Rennt), is a 1998 German film that follows a German woman, Lola, and her attempt to save her boyfriend Manni, by gathering 100,ooo Deutsche Marks, which he had lost on a subway, on his way to deliver them to his boss. Manni is a whitecollar criminal for the most part and he represents the general characterization of German organized crime.

Lola is a great example of innovative German cinematography, and it demonstrates the true creativity of the modern German society. The film has three seperate chains of events that pertain to the same plot rather than one single span of events. This use of flashbacks and jumps into the futre, show not only the different sides and personalities of the characters, but also have the deeper meaning of showing the viewer that there is always more than one way to view the same events, and that no story is limited to the same beginning and end. This is symbolic of the German evolution of the nation throughout the 20th century, as the metaphor shows how Lola, evolves as a character as each new chain of events is manifested, in the same way Germany has evolved into a thriving and prosperous nation.

The connections I can make with the film are minimal, because I've never been involved in German organized crime, but have experienced some of the deja vu and multilayered events that characterize the film. The story overall reveals the complexity of life and enforces the idea that in truth there are no true answers and that nothing is definite.

Persepolis

Persepolis is 2007 animated film, from France, directed by Marjane Satarapi. The movie deals with the evolving history of Iran in th 1970's, 80's, and early 90's. The focus is the character Marjane, an Iranian girl, who watches her grandfather and uncle, punished and executed by Iranian revolutionaries.
Her uncle in particular influences her and instills a socialist ideology in her which she promotes, for the majority of her life. Her grandmother also empowers he as a woman, by passing down her feminist attitude to young Marjane, which is contrary to the beliefs of society and the laws created in Iran at the time.
The film maintains, a western, predominantly French view on the political evolution of Iranian law. The filmmaker Marjane Satrapi, presents, the pros and cons of how socialism and Shariya (Islamic law) have been implemented in Iran throughout history, in a manner that suggests that neither is the right method of government for Iran. The French liberal political ideology that has manifested itself throughout the 21st century, is a sharp contrast to the disorder and conservatism of Iranian politics.
I can't really relate very much to the film, because I know nearly nothing about French or Iranian politics. I also live in a country which has a relatively stable political system and I can only relate to the family's closeness in the film. I have the same cooperative relationship with my family.

Maria Full of Grace

Maria Full of Grace (María llena eres de gracia) is a 2004 Colombian Film. The protagonist Maria is a 17 year old woman, living in Colombia, a nation corrupted by the International drug trade. Maria is prompted to become a mule after she receives the offer and is able to escape her job at a flower plantation.

The story told by the film is the story of the Colombian nation as a whole, which to this day, even with a democratic government, is controlled by drug lords. This has been the case ever since the infamous Pablo Escobar, created the world's largest cocaine operation in the 70's, the Medellin Cartel, which is responsible for more than half of the cocaine that is imported annually in the US. Escobar may have been a criminal, but ironically he was also a philanthropist, giving money to not only, the poor Colombian peasants, but to various charities as well until his assassination in 1993. At one point Escobar was the 6th richest man on the planet according to Forbes. His influence, and his buisness, however live on, with the Medellin cartel still operating today as one of the world's major suppliers of illicit drugs. The traffickers often commit acts of terrorism to deter government intervention.

The influence of the trade continues to affect the peasantry of Colombia. Many like Maria, are commissioned by the cartels to carry drugs to the north, and are often willing to do so to provide for their families. This, however is a risky undertaking, as failure can mean, death or imprisonment for they and their families.

Shall We Dance

Shall We ダンス? (Shall We Dance), is a 1996 Japanese film about dancing. The movie is about a Japanese Salary Man who develops a passion for ballroom dancing. The movie gives insights into the serious attitude towards life, taken by the Japanese working man. It challenges the idea of conformism through Shohei Sugiyama's activities throughout the film.

Shohei Sugiyama becomes increasingly bored and frustrated with his life and he releases all this negative energy, through his newfound passion for dancing. He becomes consumed by the dance and he practices on a continuous basis, even at the subway station and while sitting at his desk. The culture of Japan is well illustrated in Sugiyama's cordial and humble mannerisms.

My connection to the film is minimal, it is a counter example of how I live my life. I tend to not take things too seriously. I have a positive attitude towards life in order to create more positive results. Also if there is something that I enjoy I do not worry about what others think, I simply choose to live openly, rather than hide a secret hobby like Shonei Sugiyama

Please Vote For Me

Please Vote For Me is a 2007 documentary film by Wejiu Chen. It takes place in a Chinese elementary school. The plot centers around elections for class monitor. The irony is that free elections are not familiar to these 3rd graders and they become consumed by the elections. It also shows how politics can turn two friends into bitter enemies such as Cheng Cheng and Luo Lei as they do in reality, however there are few elections in China so this is usually no concern.

One major insight into Chinese culture that I noticed, was brilliantly represented at the beginning of the film where the teacher tells the children that they will be "voting" for class monitors and the children have absolutely no idea what "voting" is. This demonstrates the immense incorporation of Maoism into the Chinese school system, much akin to the socialism taught in Cuban school system. The school system continues to stress the importance of Communism in every day Chinese life.


The style of life is completely different in China than it is in Minnesota and the US, we are not taught to believe in the the triumphs of capitalism or socialism. Elections are an essential part of how we operate. The emphasis on the superiority of one's nation is more pronounced in China, and while I can relate to national pride, I am not forced to exercise it like the chinese

BETRAYAL

The Betrayal (Nerakhoon) is a 2008 documentary about a Laotian family who emigrates and moves to Brooklyn. The protagonist is Thavisouk, also known as Thavi. The plot follows 20 years of Thavi's life and the life of his family. Their trials and tribulations are clearly illustrated in the film.

Thavi and his family struggle to fit in to American culture and his family struggle to get comfortable with their new surroundings. They can't seem to decide whether it would have been better to have stayed in Laos, which is in near ruins because of the reckless dropping of American bombs. The story thickens when Thavi's father comes to visit them in Brooklyn, and at first it looks like they will have a father figure, but they soon find out he is leaving them for a new family. This causes Thavisouk to selflessly assume the patriarchal position in the family.

The film reveals how important the father is in Laotian culture, because in the case of Thavisouk's mother, who should be angry at her ex husband for moving on to a new family, she instead eats her words. She wants to protect the children by allowing them to know who their father is. This is contrary to the probable outcome of a similar situation, with American perpetrators. In that situation the mother would most likely shield her children from such treachery and would limit their contact with the father. My personal connection is that this is a counterexample of how my family operates, I have two happy and successful parents that compliment each other and so this helps me appreciate that a little more than I have in the past.

Gran Torino

Gran Torino is a 2009 film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. The story takes place in a Detroit neighborhood. It focuses on Walt Kowalski a hardened veteran from The Korean War. He is consequently a notable racist and his temper is sometimes uncontrollable.

He becomes distraught when a Hmong family move next door. He is further distressed when Thao, the neighbor makes an attempt to steal his prized Ford Gran Torino, because of a would be initiation ritual, in which Thao wold be baptized into a Hmong gang, headed by his cousin. Walt puts a halt to the charade when he threatens to shoot his cousin and the other gang members if they don't leave his property.
Thao's sister Su and mother, offer Walt two weeks of labor from Thao, as a traditional form of penance in Hmong culture, and Walt hesitantly agrees to the proposition. Walt eventually befriends Thao and becomes a kind of mentor to him. He gives his life to save Thao and his family in the epic finale.
Some cultural elements featured in the movie include , Hmong food, Hmong religion, and Hmong language. I can't relate in any other way than sharing the Hmong pride for their origins. I have the same respect for my Irish roots and am proud to be Irish, just as Su, Thao and their family are proud to be Hmong. They express their roots in everyday life, unlike me, as I don't speak Irish language at all, while they communicate in traditional language, but it still reminds me of how prideful my family is about being Irish.

Like stars on earth

Like Stars on Earth is a 2007 Indian film about Ishaan Awahsti, a child who is persecuted for being academically challenged, and is accused by educators and his own family of being lazy.
However, he is in fact not lazy, but simply challenged and dyslexic. His apparent ADHD and dyslexia account for the majority of his problems. His parents fear he will not be able to conform to the cultural, "rat race" that characterizes the Indian world of adulthood. Consequently, his parents fear the worst and make the decision to send him to boarding school, which his mother is heartbroken over.
He loses his spirit at this school and he is unable to learn until an art teacher Ram Nikumbh notices his dyslexia and takes Ishaan under his wing. He develops an interest in teaching the boy as Ram Nikumbh is also dyslexic and has a mutual passion for painting.


The movie demonstrates how the Indian school system functions. It gives Indian perspective on learning disabilities and education in general. In many ways it is inflexible, as we see with the example of how Ishaan suffers through persecution and criticism for something he can't control. In the American school system learning disabilities such as ADHD and dyslexia, which Ishaan suffers from are generally accepted as legitimate impairment, while in India they can be interpreted as pure laziness.
My personal connection to the film is the condition I shared with
Ishaan, which was ADHD. I had the same kind of distractability, he has and I was not able to learn as easily as other students. While I can't relate to his dyslexia, I sympathize completely with his ADHD and his difficult childhood due to the condition.

CHAK DE! INDIA

Chak De!India is an Indian film about redemption, glory and triumph. The story follows Kabir Khan an ex-Indian national field hockey team captain, who i forced into 7 years of exile, because he is accused of botching a tiebreaking penalty stroke in an act of sympathy towards the opponent Pakistan, who share the common denominator as being fellow Muslims.

In act to redeem 7 years later he decides, to coach the women's national field hockey team. He is not respected by them at first, because he is seen as a traitor. Also he has the daunting task of trying to unite a divided team. He is confronted by a number of incredibly difficult rivalries between team members including his two principal forwards, Preeti and Komal, who refuse to pass to one another. His most difficult player Bindia Naik, refuses to accept his authority.

The sport of hockey in India is not very different from football in the US, which is taken as a matter of life and death for hardcore fans like myself (SKOL VIKINGS!!) and if you lose a championship you will suffer a life of infamy until you die or win a championship like Kabir Khan.

Mongolian Ping Pong 綠草地;

Mongolian Ping Pong (Lü cao di, or 綠草地, ),)a movie from Mongolia, the homeland of Genghis Khan. The movie centers around Bilike and his friends Ergoutou and Dawa. The movie takes place in modern Mongolia and was shot in 2005.
The kids find a mysterious white ball and they come to worship it briefly. They get into to lots of trouble as a result and mischeivious Ergoutou is caught drinking some of his father's beer on a unrelated note, but the main source of Ergoutou's troubles is his unhealthy obsession with the ping pong ball.
The boys hear over the television that the ball is "the national ball" and they travel to reach what they think will be Bejing to return "the national ball" to China.

Flirting

Flirting a 1991 Australian film starring Thandie Newton and Noah Taylor as the main protagonists in a story about overcoming racial and social inequality at an Australian boarding school. Danny Ambling (Taylor) is a slack jawed Australian teenager who becomes enamored with Thandiwe (Newton), a Ugandan student at the all girl counterpart to the all boys boarding school which Ambling attends, who shares the mutual sentiment for him. The two soon discover many obstacles that seek to inhibit their insatiable romance. The conclusion is a real shocker and the couple eventually are able to be together in the end to the dismay of the white Austalian culture which seeks to make their union impossible.

RabbitProofFence

Rabbit Proof Fence is a reminder of the suffering that characterized the early 20th century for the aboriginal people. The Movie follows and Aboriginal girl Molly and her sisters Daisy and Gracie as they escape the icy grips of an Australian reformatory school. Their attempts to australianize them fail and everyone but Gracie finds their way back home to their aboriginal abode. The film is a lesson to those who were unaware of the conflict that has existed in Australia between Anglo and Aboriginal peoples.

Weeping Camel

The movie Weeping Camel takes place in modern Mongolia. It not only tells the story of a camel and its mother, it also tells the story of a nomadic mongolian family and their culture, focusing on their connection to the camel. It describes the trials of life in the Gobi desert and the process that the family goes through to convince a mother camel to accept her white camel. The film also gives snapshots of Mongolian culture and music and they sing to the camel in the end which somehow coerces the mother to accept her suckling.
This movie gives insight into how other people live and how people still live traditional lives in Mongolia and have not fully modernized, whether for better or worse.

Rabbit proof fence

Rabbit proof fence is a film about overcoming adversity. The movie is set in 1930's Australia, and deals with an aboriginal family that is sent to a boarding school. It centers around relateable themes of racism and discrimination that still plague our globe to this day.