Wow... Fortunately there are good movies in the world too, after the disaster I witnessed yesterday (Kingdom of heaven). This was considerate, thoughtful, beautiful, tender, real, careful, intricate, sweet, impressive, and makes your mind work and wander...
'Mar Adentro', by Alejandro Amenabar.
It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Movie of 2004, and I think a movie has rarely earned it more. If only that Hollywood dream factory would realise that more often... Based on a true story, played out in the fantastically green area of Galicia (I just HAVE to visit that corner of the Iberian peninsula too, having seen most of it), it speaks of life and death, the right to live, the will to die, the unspeakable and yet tight bond between ordinary yet so special people, the grey area of moral obligation and real-world legal inhibitions.
Go and see it, listen to the words, see the images, and hear the music, and be reminded once again how lovely fragile and beautifully cruel life is.
Not the easiest movie to see, as we do not always want to be reminded and confronted of such matters. And, perhaps too obvious to say, but go with someone that you can find comfort, support and strength with, as you will need to be able to talk, to express your wonderment, your thoughts on such hard choices that have to made in life. It reminded me of loss that everyone has suffered at some point in life, reminded me of another who had such a strong tie with the sea, someone who also passed away too early, with dignity as well, but who left a great void in many lives. And yet, not being selfish, I am probably not the only one there in the movie theatre who had to think of someone who was taken away by the simple and complex cruelty that is our mortality.
Think, learn, live and cherish... what more can we do?
'Mar Adentro', by Alejandro Amenabar.
It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Movie of 2004, and I think a movie has rarely earned it more. If only that Hollywood dream factory would realise that more often... Based on a true story, played out in the fantastically green area of Galicia (I just HAVE to visit that corner of the Iberian peninsula too, having seen most of it), it speaks of life and death, the right to live, the will to die, the unspeakable and yet tight bond between ordinary yet so special people, the grey area of moral obligation and real-world legal inhibitions.
Go and see it, listen to the words, see the images, and hear the music, and be reminded once again how lovely fragile and beautifully cruel life is.
Not the easiest movie to see, as we do not always want to be reminded and confronted of such matters. And, perhaps too obvious to say, but go with someone that you can find comfort, support and strength with, as you will need to be able to talk, to express your wonderment, your thoughts on such hard choices that have to made in life. It reminded me of loss that everyone has suffered at some point in life, reminded me of another who had such a strong tie with the sea, someone who also passed away too early, with dignity as well, but who left a great void in many lives. And yet, not being selfish, I am probably not the only one there in the movie theatre who had to think of someone who was taken away by the simple and complex cruelty that is our mortality.
Think, learn, live and cherish... what more can we do?