Elegy/ I've Loved you for so Long

This weekend I decided to see two movies about adults and second chances. I am in a stage in my life where those themes appeal to me. The first one I saw was "I've Loved you for so Long" a French film about a woman leaving jail after being convicted of murdering her son. Little by little she starts to get used to being a free woman, facing everyday situations. The movie make us wonder why she killed her son. And after, two hours, the revelation comes. And to be honest, it is quite a cliche one, after two hours, it turns into a Lifetime movie. Still, the acting is great and there's something about the everyday life of the French that I find so calming and appealing.

"Elegy" is about a college professor who falls in love with one his students. That the student happens to be Penelope Cruz is another topic altogether. The love story is interesting. Can an old man really fall in love with a younger woman or is he simply living an illusion, a desire to be young again. It is interesting that the professor wonders about that. And tries to sabotage the whole thing. But, maybe he is love. And maybe she is in love with him. And maybe, we all have a right to be happy. I found this movie really interesting, one of those movies that can create night long discussions.

It works

The other day when I went into Borders, they had the classic self help book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" on display. I had heard about that book. Hell, the phrase has become a cliche in the English language. And since the price was right and I was kind of curious about it, I purchased it.

And I must admit I am pretty much amazed at the book. Especially its central premise that says that the main thing a human being wants is to feel important. If you make another person feel important, you have them eating out of your hand. So instead of talking to someone about yourself, you should talk about the other person and the things that interest him or her. The important thing is not to do it out of hipocrisy, but out of genuine interest.

I tried it the other day when I ran into someone I had not seen for a while, and, damn, it works. Somehow I wish I had read that book 20 years ago. Maybe I would have been more successful socially and business wise. But I guess it's never too late.

I just realized, Dale carnegie wrote another book about worry, one of my main character flaws. So I bought it. Maybe it will work.

trips

In a few days I will be taking a short trip. I just started at a new job so I can't do the long vacation thing. I had planned on going to Europe again this year, maybe concentrating in Germany, Prague and Northern Europe. But it's ok. I will take my short trips and visit friends. Sometimes a few days is all it takes.

two movies

Once again I have been off this blog. But I'm back with a commitment to it. And for this post I have decided to write about two movies I saw on DVD this weekend. Two movies that did not win any Oscars but that may be better than all of the movies that were nominated.

The first is a vampire movie called "Let the Right One In". It's a Swedish vampire movie so you know that it won't be your run of the mill flick. And it isn't. It's an eerie, strange, somehow romantic movie about about a 12 year old boy who runs into a 12 year old girl who is really a vampire. But this is no pre-teen predictable story. It is a story about loneliness, love and the idea that romance can be above everything, even the small detail of vampirism. The movie drags you in and doesn't let you go. There is an American remake on the works and it is sure to be inferior.

I also saw "Happy go Lucky", a British movie about an impossibly optimistic 30 year old woman. It is a feel good movie that doesn't throw the "feel good" down your throat.

Two wonderful, unknown movies in one weekend.