Maybe it's time to relax and stop thinking for some minutes

I think everyone has a place which is especial for him and which reminds him people, feeling and events from the apst. For me forest is such place. There is no definite word to explane my feeling when I am in a wood. It could be nostalgia, but joyous and not bitter.
The woods are not just a lot of trees that grow in the same place. It also includes animals, mostly little, that leave in it, its sounds, trills, cawing, jugging, its smells - wet grass, libing plants, needles, its tactile image - the relief of tree's rind, earth... All of this creates a complete sense of being really alive; it makes us understand that all our career, family and personal problems are not so important as we usually think they are - only the fact that we are alive and we can breath, see and sense gives us the opportunity to be happy.
If you think your life is terrible, if you are depressed - maybe it's time to get that all of that we usually consider the most important in fact doesn't matter. You can lie down on the grass and just look at the sky, realize its infinite and eternal beauty, take pleasure in being lost in the endleness.
                                  

Erich Maria Remarque's Spark of Life

Surprisely, some authors are more popular in other countries than in their native land. For example, in Russia people revere Ernest Hemingway (which only 1 of 15 young Americans know) and Erich Maria Remarque.
This time I'd like to tell you about my favourite Remarque's book that is Spark of Life. It seems strange, but this book is rarely read hardly known even by people who are reputed to be literature-lovers. If you ask to somebody about Remarque, you will probably hear about Three Comrades, the Black Obelisk, Arch of Triumph, All Quiete on the Western Front and, possibly, Shadows in Paradise (that is the same book as the Promised Land, by in other edition). However, I think that the Spark of Life is one of the greatest books ever. Although it includes some commoin for all Remarque's books ideas, it is quite different and makes a great impression (I don't mean his other books do not - all of them are great, but some are greater than others - I liked less Gam, the Night in Lisbon and an other book that I think wasn't edited in English, it's name can be translated as Borrowed Life (Geborgtes Leben))
The plot of the book tells us about the life in German concentration camp in the last months of the 2nd World War. Main hero doesn't have name - only a number, 509. It can be understood as a sign of that any of us could be on his place or maybe that during this terrible time people lost their previous life, their beliefs, their identity and even their names.
 I don't want to tell the whole detailed story because I think that some of you would like to read this book and I can't ruin such a great impression that, for example, I had when I read this book for the first time.

American History X

Hi!

My blog has no general subject, so I'll touch different parts of life from culture to politics.

Now I'd like to talk about a very interesting topic for me, that is cinema.

Some people believe that there are no more genius films since the years 70-80 of the previous century, although this opinion is not extended much. I agree that there were some really brilliant films like "12 Angry Man", "Casablanca" or "Citizen Kane", but I believe that the contemporary filmmaking is not worse. I was impressed by such movies as Forrest Gump, Shindler's List, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, City of God, Memento, Fight Club, etc.

American History X, Tony Kaye's film, also occupates a high position in my top of watched films. This movie is quite cruel and it's related to a very burning social topic - contemporary fascism. In Russia it was even prohibited, as I was told, because it was considered pro-fascist. I do not agree with this opinion and I was very suprised when I first heard about it - I believe it's anti-fascist.

The main role is played by Edward Norton, who played also in Fight Club with Brad Pitt. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for this film, but lost to Roberto Benigni for Life is Beautifu, another great film of this time. However, critics and public appreciated American History  X, and now it occupates the 35th position in imdb top  with a rating of  8.6 (on 16.09.2012). 

The title of the film is related to the school composition which school director asks to do to Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong), the young brother of Derek Vinyard (Norton). In this work Danny has to write about his brother and about the events which made him and Danny become fascists. It happens the same day Derek is released from prison, and Danny realises that his brother changed his opinions and tries to understand them. They visit the neofascists' party although Derek has to escape to save his life after he hits the fascists' leader and his old mentor Cameron Alexander (Stacy Keach). While the brothers go home they talk about the past and about Derek's life while he was in prison. Danny gets to know that the life differs from wyhat he was told by fascists, and Derek convince him of the falcity of the racist ideology. When they come home, Danny remembers that their father was the one who first said to them that black people are worse than white and had an influence on their world-view. The next day, Derek sees his brother to the school and he seems to be nervous about his ex-friends revenge. When he goes back, he notices a car going behind him, but it turns out that there is nothing dangerous. In the same moment, a black teenager kills Danny because he outraged him in the beginning of the film.

I think my exposition is not ideal and I advise you to watch the film. I believe its main idea is that racism has no right to existence but it doesn't matter that the people with other color of skin can't be cruel and heartless. All in all, it's a very hard film to watch as it includes some brutal scenes and has dual morality, but I think that it is worthy of to be watched.