Siberia Again

My second movie this weekend set in Siberia at a gulag during WWII. This one is based a true story of a group of prisoners who walk out of the gulag into the Siberian wilderness to Mongolia, then China, Tibet and finally India. Only 3 of the original 8[?] make it. Peter Weir assembled an international cast including Ed Harris, Colin Farrell, Saorise Ronan and Jim Sturgess. Survival meant avoiding civilization, as there was a standing bounty on the heads of escapees. They must cross hostile territory, deserts and finally the Himalayas. The camera backs off to display vast expanses of forests, sand dunes, rocky deserts and mountains then zoom in on the tiny figures moving through the landscape. We learn a bit about each as they come to rely on and trust one another. It’s an amazing tale of heroics and determination by a true master.

Palm Springs at Night

I remembered my pass this morning and wore my new BassEarth shoes. Light as a feather, good support and very comfy… highly recommended. I started my day with “Hello, How Are You?” a delightful comedy from Romania. Gabriel and Gabriela are a nice middle class couple with a teenage son. Gabi [the guy] was once a promising pianist but broke his hand and now travels with the symphony turning pages for the pianist. He is well liked and even a bit too much by some of the women in the group. Gabi [the gal] was studying tom be a psychologist but instead became a wife and mother. She now runs a dry cleaning store. Serendipitously they are both simultaneously introduced to Internet chat rooms where they explore new relationships unbeknownst to them with each other. I classic screw-ball comedy style signals get crossed, rumors are spread, suspicions grow and their comfortable and dull lives begin to unravel. Wonderful performances all around bring humor and warmth to a contemporary treatment of love’s pitfalls.
With minutes between I took in “The Edge,” a Russian feature about a low security gulag at the outer edge of Siberia. Ignat is a damaged soviet soldier “retired” to work the lumber train at the gulag. His demons make his life difficult there and he goes to find a locomotive said to be on an island at the other end of a fallen down bridge. With the reluctant aid of a young German woman who has been living there he restores the engine, gerry-rigs the bridge and brings the train back to the mainland. Jealousy, bigotry, pride and long hidden secrets soon surface and the gulag is turned on its head. This film will probably be submitted for the Foreign Language Oscar nomination but it has some stiff competition. After a happy hour light dinner at The Tropicale Restaurant and Coral Seas Lounge [****] with my friends Theo and Liza I headed for my last film of the day. “Loose Cannons” was directed by Ferzan Ozpetek [his “Hamam” is one of my faves] and tells the story of a contemporary Italian family in the pasta business. The family starts to dissemble as secrets are revealed. The old ways are on trial in this warm and very funny romp. The gorgeous cast is comprised of wonderful veterans and popular newcomers. Put it on your Netflix queue now; in fact put all three on it.