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Showing posts from December, 2024

Minari: Fulfilling the American dream

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  Minari What is the American Dream?  The idea that success and prosperity can be achieved through hard work regardless of your background has been a cornerstone of American culture. However, throughout the years 'the American dream' has been associated with immigrants in America from lower economic background trying to prosper in America. What is Minari about? Minari is an American drama film written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung. Minari is all about a beautiful tragedy unfolding itself in order to stop other tragedies from happening. Minari is not about the characters, it is about the family that works together in order to fulfill their American dream. "Home is where our heart belongs" it's not just your family that make up your home but rather the people that you consider dear, the people that you can share your problems and fights with are the people that make up your home. Perhaps Minari is all about home. The conflicts that arise due to the long-neglected...

A Silent Voice: Redeeming Oneself

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 A Silent Voice  "Please God, give me just one more once of strength, starting tomorrow I won't escape from the challenges in my life" 'A Silent Voice' is a Japanese animated slice of life film. It is an adaptation of the comic series 'Koe No Katachi' which means shape of voice in Japanese.  " what goes around comes around " is a common saying, our actions have consequences thus we should treat people how we want to be treated but what happens when you are the only one remorseful for your negative actions, what happens when you are the only one faced with the consequences, what happens when you are the only one carrying the burden of the weight of your past. 'A Silent Voice' is a movie about a bully that goes through the process of redeeming himself and trying to be a better person to the one that he bullied in the past. The first part of the movie takes place in an elementary school, the protagonist Shoya Ishida bullies a new transfer st...

Silenced: The Unheard Voices

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 Silenced  "And just like that evil prevails because once again we have failed to listen to the voices of the children"  Screams and cries were heard from the bathroom in the hallway, yet he wasn't able to do anything about it because he was stopped before he could even approach it.  Children in general find it difficult to tell adults what's bothering them so how would children that are deaf and mute express that they have been assaulted? It's easy to judge kids of their mistakes and refer them as the problematic ones without listening to their voices.  Silenced is a south Korean movie directed by  Hwang Dong-Hyuk.  The movie is based on a true story, and it changed the very face of the judicial system in Korea. The movie consists of heavy themes such as child abuse and rape which can be extremely difficult for people to watch however, this movie does not just tell the story of the abused children, but it also tells ...

Mucize: The Miracle

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 Mucize  "As long as his heart isn't handicapped" 'Mucize' is a Turkish feel-good movie directed by Mahsun Kirmizigul, the movie is based on a true story, and it is sure to bring you to tears.  The movie starts off with two young girls strolling around the market as they buy bread and ice cream, when they reach home, they see their parents arguing. The cause of their argument is because the wife does not want to go to the village however the husband argues that it is his civic duty as a teacher to teach the kids in the village as well, thus, the wife and the children bid their father goodbye as he leaves for the village to fulfill his purpose.  The teacher finds out that the village is situated at the top of the mountain, so he ends up travelling by foot as well, as he reaches the village, the villagers bring out their guns as they are afraid of the stranger. The man replies that he is a teacher and was sent by the government to teach there, upon hearing this the ...

I Saw The Devil: The Deranged Path of Revenge

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 I Saw the Devil "Revenge is a fools game"   but how would you act if your loved one is taken away by the devil himself. I saw the devil is a Korean film directed by Kim Jee Woon. It is a revenge film in which the protagonist goes on a rampage to search for the killer of his wife. Choi Min Sik who is the antagonist of the movie acts as a depraved and psychopathic serial killer having no remorse for any of the actions that he has committed.  The movie starts off with the protagonist wife, stuck in the middle of nowhere as her car gets broken down, the antagonist sees this as an opportunity to fulfill his sick desires. The protagonist's wife is raped and decapitated by the killer; her body parts is found near the river by a kid, which is then reported to the authorities. During the funeral the protagonist vows to find the killer of his wife, as he finds the killer he brutally beats him up to the point of killing him, however he decides not to kill him and instead places a t...

Whiplash: The Obsession for Greatness

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  Whiplash What happens when passion turns into obsession?  The obsession to become the greatest is not uncommon, often times we are consumed by the things that we want, overlooking the things that we need. Obsession kills passion slowly but surely; burnout strains the life out of you and leaves you disoriented.  Whiplash is a movie directed by Damien Chazelle. It is primarily about a young jazz drummer who spirals into the road of obsession by seeking the validation of his abusive mentor. The role of the abusive mentor drives the protagonist into madness. The descendent into madness creates a psychological strain on the mental health of the protagonist which is reflected at the end of the movie, during the protagonists' climax, his solo performance signified his ultimate sacrifice to his craft. His father who was a failed artist watches his son with a defeated look, witnessing the extent of his son's obsession.  Perfection is what the protagonist seeks in the movie ...

The Wailing: The Art of Uncertainty

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  The Wailing The wailing is a Korean horror movie directed by Na Hong Jin. The protagonist of the movie who is a policeman investigates a series of murders in his village, Goksung. The series of murders is usually caused within a family by a family member this indicates that there is a paranormal ailment affecting the village of Goksung causing people to become possessed resulting in the death of their families. The main suspect of the movie is an old Japanese man who is shown as an outcast and a loner. The Japanese man is outcasted by the villagers as they all think of him as the suspect for the mysterious murders that has taken place. Although it does not seem suspicious in the beginning, the presence of the old Japanese man radiates eeriness as he deliberately does things that makes the protagonist uncomfortable. The plot of the movie thickens when the daughter of the protagonist is possessed which is shown to be the doing of the Japanese man. However, as the movie progresses, ...

The Beauty of Kun Faya Kun: An Overview

  The Beauty of "Kun Faya Kun" As human beings we often face the complexities of life, the complexities of life are a testament to how much we are willing to not give up despite the challenges. What do we do when we are burdened by problems and difficulties of life, do we ask God to fix it, or do we lose all faith in God, regardless of what religion we follow, we have experienced this. Kun Faya Kun is a song sung and composed by A.R Rahman, Javed Ali, and Mohit Chauhan. It is not just a song but rather it is a feeling; it is an experience that elevates your soul. This song is like a path that reconnects us to our faith and with the divine being. This song is about changing your internal self, reflecting our actions without worrying about what has already happened because what was meant to happen will happen according to God's wishes. Kun Faya Kun is taken directly from the Quran. The lyrics "jab kahin pe kuch nahi bhi nahi tha, wahi tha wahi tha" means that, whe...