More Movies!

Netflix supplied "Mr. and Mrs. Iyer" via DVD this week and we got a chance to watch it last night. An Indian film, assessing the post-911 world of conflict between Hindus and Muslims. Mrs. Iyer is riding a bus down from the highlands to go home to her husband. She has their infant son with her. By chance, she's riding with a wildlife photographer who is Muslim and who is casually asked to watch over her by Mrs. Iyer's father in law. All is normal until the bus is stopped due to an outbreak of violence between Muslims and Hindus. The story unfolds from there, raising some interesting moral dilemmas. Definitely worth a look.

Another great foreign flick is "Antonia's Line". This also won best foreign language film, and again with good reason. It's the story of a Dutch community with numerous eccentric characters, held together by a strong matron. A beautiful and moving film!

Moving to Asia, the Japanese film "Departures" is a surprising and ultimately profound movie about things we lose by ignoring tradition, and how we need to adjust to difficult circumstance. I seem to be on a "best foreign language film" kick, because this film also scored that award. When we first watched this, we wondered what we were in for, as the beginning is - shall we say - "unusual". But boy was it worth it. The protagonist takes a job preparing the dead (though he applies thinking it's working for a travel agent) for funerals. He's embarrassed to tell his partner what work he's found. We see him preparing a beautiful "woman" for her funeral - and then the surprises start. Stick with it, you won't regret it!