Schindler's List

Okay before any of you say anything I knew what this movie was rated when I saw it but I felt that it needed to be seen. It opens your eyes to so many things.

This man, Oskar Schindler who I now consider a saint, is a German munitions industrialist and he uses Jews in his factory. Yet at this time he is completely indifferent to what happens to these people. In the film it is not until he sees the liquidation of the Jews in the ghetto where he comes to a realization of what is really happening. The movie is completely in black and white until him and his wife were riding and stop to watch the liquidation on top of a hill. Up there, he watches a little girl in a bright red coat run around the ghetto and she becomes a sort of symbol for his workers.

It is there at Krakow where he becomes close "friends" with Amon Goeth, the Reich officer in command of the camp. After the massacre at Karkow, more than 10000 Jews are burned and buried. It is here where Schindler again sees the little girl in red, this time on a cart being moved to the burning pile of corpses.

He then is able to over the six years save 1100 Jews, even the women who instead of being sent to his factory were moved to Auschwitz. Then at the end of the war he addresses the entire factory including the Nazis stationed there. He tells them that he will stay until 5 minutes after midnight but then must flee since they'll be looking for him.

Next they are outside, Stern (his accountant) hands Schindler a finished gold ring made out of gold teeth, with an inscription of a Talmudic adage:
It's Hebrew from the Talmud. It says, 'Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.'
He drops the ring, then slips it on his finger, thanks Stern and shakes hands with him as an equal for the first time in the film. Then, with self-loathing in a melodramatic, histrionic parting speech, Schindler berates himself for not having saved more lives as tears flow down his cheeks: He looks at the eyes of the workers, seeking their apology for not doing more:

"Schindler: I could've got more...I could've got more, if I'd just...I could've got more...

Stern: Oskar, there are eleven hundred people who are alive because of you. Look at them.

Schindler: If I'd made more money...I threw away so much money, you have no idea. If I'd just...

Stern: There will be generations because of what you did.

Schindler: I didn't do enough.

Stern: You did so much.

Schindler: This car. Goeth would've bought this car. Why did I keep the car? Ten people, right there. Ten people, ten more people...(He rips the swastika pin from his lapel) This pin, two people. This is gold. Two more people. He would've given me two for it. At least one. He would've given me one. One more. One more person. A person, Stern. For this. I could've gotten one more person and I didn't.
He breaks down in Stern's arms, convulsing in remorse and guilt - some of the workers step forward and comfort him in their arms. Mrs. Dresner picks up one of the striped uniforms from the ground. Emilie, Schindler, and their driver wear the easily-identifiable uniforms of prisoners as they are driven out of the compound - Schindler's tortured, yet heroic face is reflected on the car window as they slowly pull out, superimposed over the faces of the workers passing by.

The film then ends with over 100 of the surviving Jews coming up to Schindler's grave who died in 1974. It is tradition in the Jewish custom to lay a stone down on the grave out of respect. So all of the Schindler survivors and their acting counterparts go up to his grave and lay stones down on them. Finally at the end it pulls out and the viewer sees the profile of Liam Neeson, the actor who played Oskar Schindler.

I feel that this man is a saint and that we have much to learn from him even today. We need to treat all people with respect, including those immigrants now that are being oppressed (not as hard as the Jews) by their governments. We need to figure out a way where we can assist those immigrants to a better life.

Japanese Fashion

So basically I was bored and I found all these weird Japanese couture. I for some reason think some of it is cool, like I'd wear it for Halloween! But the eyelashes freak me out.

Alain Delon

So basically I was reminiscing about my film class today and one of the films we watched had this hot 60s French actor (who is still acting today), named Alain Delon. The movie is "Purple Noon," and here's the plot synopsis from imdb.com.

"Tom Ripley is sent to Europe by Mr. Greenleaf to fetch his spoiled, playboy son, Philip, and bring him back home to the States. In return, Tom will recieve $5,000. Philip toys with Tom, pretending he will go back home, but has no intentions of leaving his bride to be, Marge, and honoring his father's wishes. After some time passes, Mr. Greenleaf considers the mission a failure and cuts Tom off. Tom, in desperation, kills Philip, assumes his identity, and lives the life of a rich playboy. However, people begin to miss Philip, and start searching for him, but the trail keeps leading to Tom. Soon, a family friend catches on, and Tom finds himself commiting another murder to cover his tracks, and slowly but surely, the police are closing in..."

So basically Alain plays the part of the psychopath that kills his friend. But despite his creepiness he still manages to look oh so good!

We also watched another movie of his called "Le Samurai." He plays the part of an assasin that has the moves of a samurai. But for one job he is seen and the police are now on his tail not to mention the people that hired him now want him dead. Again he looks dang good lookin' in a tailored suit.

But sorry for no having anything else more interesting. I'll add some pictures of him though.

The Home Front

So I got to talk to my brother Jeff today on facebook IM. It was pretty fun since I haven't heard from him in a while. But basically we decided that next summer we're going to take an adventure together to France. Jeff is going to stay in a hostel while I do study abroad. And then on our free time we're going to hit all of the hot spots in Paris and all the other countries.
1. The first thing we're going to do is just like in the song "Aux Champs Elysees." We are going to go to the underground in Paris (the catacombs) and go to a bunch of concerts and discoteques.
2. Jeff is going to get a hot French model for a girl friend and I will date an incredible looking French guy, maybe even an artist or someone in a band.
3. After we both have a boyfriend and a girlfriend then we are going to go hand in hand down the Champs Elysees singing the song we all love.
4. Jeff and I will then do some major shopping. I'll have him pick out cool things for me to wear and he of course knows how to dress himself, but we will look so French before the day is through.
5. Next on our trip is being culturally active. We'll hit all the French favorites like Versailles, Normandie, the Alps, the Louvre, and who can forget the Eiffel Tower! But we will also travel to the small towns and interact with the locals. We plan on staying in hostels and eating in the petit cafes where Jeff will discuss French philosophy and I will talk about French avant-garde films.
6. Other places in Europe we will see is Hamburg for the music and drinks:), London for more music and crazy haircuts, Belgium for their chocolat, and Italy for the crazy good food and shoes!

But until then we will be planning and saving like crazy!