"One absolutly happy village" by Fomenko

"One absolutly happy village" is the name of a play which was written about 50 years ago by one Russian author who is not well-known. However, Petr Fomenko liked his works and wanted to do a performance based on his play. He tried to do it in the 70th, but USSR censure blocked his intention. About 12 years ago, he finally directed it.
Now, people have to wait for 5 years in order to get tickets for this performance. Fortunatly, Fomenko's theatre gives to ths students an opportunity to visit their performances for free. I had to wake up early and to go their in order to sign up to the list of students who want to go. However, when I came to the theatre on 18-30, I've realized that the list I was signed up in disappeared (somebody stole it with the view of having more chances to see the performance. What a nonsense! Despite it, finally I could get into the building and see the performance.
It was great. Surely, one of the best performances I've ever seen. It tells us a regular story of a man who loved a woman, but had to leave her because of the war. During it, he died because of stupid orders of the headquarters. The woman had 2 twin brothers and couldn't earn enough money, so she married with a captive German soldier which lived in her village.
However, the plot in nothing in this performance. It tells us about our life and about the fact that "our" deads do not leave us and want us to be happy.
This performance is considered one of the best ones not only in Fomenko's theatre, but also in Moscow.

"As you like it", Krimov's performance

Yesterday I've gone to the theatre. I haven't watched anything before on this stage, but that didn't matter as the most important was the performance itself.
The plot was not really related to Shakspeare's play; it was mostly about contemporary public.
The performance is called "As you like it" and it's only 1.5 hours long.




The performance started in a very original way. Some people dressed as workpeople carried a big artificial tree with a living dog on it throw the hall, by the way jogging and striking spectators with it. That was a shock! But then... they carried a woking fountain! Most people sitting in the stalls became wet (the hall was quite little). However, they were given towels then. After it, half-naked actors appeared on the scene and started to dress themselves. We felt like being behind the curtain,  and it was really so in some way, as a couple of minutes after the actors put on all the wearing, "audience" appeared. They were chatting, talking on the phone, lauphing, and drinking. When the actors started to play for this "audience", they maintained the same behaviour. They commented different actions, their telephones were ringing all the time; every time they said something, the performance stopped. The play itself consisted in a love story of Piram and Fisba, which was represented in quite a funny way, with tricks and sleights of hands in order to entertain the "audience". It would be to difficult to explaint the final part of the performance, as it had too many details and metaphorical meanings. I believe you should watch it yourself, it is brilliant.

Our argumentative essay

During the previous week, we've started to write our argumentative essay. It seems to be the most difficult work in all our english-advanced-201 course. We have to use a lot of sources which should be in English; and we have to quotate, summarize and paraphraze them according to a system of rules that is called MLA and that is quite different from the one I'm used to. We also have to write Work Citeld list on the last page. Furthermore, this essay is the biggest - 2 pages at least.
In my opinion, my essay is not brilliant (and even not finished now: I'm still checking it). The worst part for me is that one of sources, as all I know about the economy of Russia is reflected in Russian books, which were not translated into English. I can't really say that one part of my essay is the best; maybe the ideas are not the worst - everything I can say about my work.
What about the ways to improve my essay, i have only one idea: to spend more time on it. Because of to hw of maths I was very short of free time this week, so I couldn't do my agrumentative essay as well as I wanted. I hope my last draft would be better^^.
P.S It is 2:30 now. I've recently finished re-doing my essay. I am ill and I feel very tired as I haven't sleeped for more then 7 hours for week and a half. Tomorrow I'll wake up at 7 o'clock, and it will be one more zombie-day. That is the negative part of education: even if the work you have to do damages more then benefits, it must be done.

Ken Kesey: one of the most important writers of XX century

Ken Kesey (1935-2001) is well-known all over the world, mainly because of his first novel, which is "One flew over the cuckoo's nest". This author is considered to be one of the best American writers.
However, Cuckoo's nest is not his only book. He wrote a couple of novels with other authors, many stories and essays and two original novels which are less famous by public, but well-appreciated by critics. They are Sailor Song and Sometimes a great notion.
Surprisely, all Kesey's original novels are based on his own experience, in spite of the fact that they touch upon different topics: One flew over the cuckoo's nest is about insane (the author has worked in the night shift of a madhouse for some years, and he talked with the patients), Sailor Song is about sailing and fishermen, Sometimes a great notion - about family interrelations. This last one, which is less known then Cuckoo's Nest, is considered Kesey's masterpiece. It tells us about a family which consists of dad, two brothers, and wife of one of them, and their relations. This book is the best psycological work I've ever read.
Sailor Song is Kesey's hardest to understand book, so on the grounds that I do not have enough life experience to be sure that I understood clearly the book, I won't write my ideas about it; however, it doesn't matter that I advice you not to read it.
All in all, Kesey's books merit your attention, but they require the reader to think, just as Dostoyevski's novels.

Internship

Internship is a part of education of many students, for example it is required to work in a hospital for a month in summer if you study at a medical university. Undoubtly, it is a very useful experience. However, this job is usually not-paid, and some students feel disappointed as they have to waste their time on it.
Despite it, as I know, in some European countries (and in the USA) students work for free not only when they have to do it, but they also search such jobs on their one. For Russians, it may seem quite strange, as you can do just the same thing and earn money. But, either the job is paid or not-paid, it is surely a helpful pastime for future career on the grounds that for any good job you are required to have "working experience", and there are very few modes of getting it. This one is the easiest.
What about Anya Kamenetz's and Jennifer Halperin's texts, I'd like to say that Halperin's opinion seems to be more close to reality, although some points mentioned in the first text must also be taken in consider. All in all, these articles are interesting and useful for us, students.

50 films that you should watch. Part 2

I've understtod that I won't have time anymore to do a list with pictures and descriptions, so I prefer to do at least something instead of nothing. Only titles here. The order is still random. Looke for first part here.

26).  1+1 (or The Untouchables), 2011 - the storyline is a little bit similar to Scent of a Woman.

27). Revolver, 2005 - care, very few points are in common with other Ritchie's films. This one is quite intelectual and original.

28). Spirited Away, 2001

29). Green Mile, 1999

30). La Dolce Vita, 1960

31). V for Vendetta, 2005

32). Seven Samurai, 1954

33). Saving Private Rayan, 1998

34). Lock, Stock and Two Smocking Barrels, 1998 - very easy, but funny black-comedy film.

35). Usual Suspects, 1995

36). Silence of the Lambs, 1991

37). The Departed, 2006

38). GoodFellas, 1990

39). Taxi Driver, 1976

40). Citizen Kane, 1941

41). Reservoir Dogs, 1992

42). Howl's Moving Castle, 2004

43). Rashemon, 1950

44). As Good as it Gets, 1997 - in my opinion, best comedy film.

45). The Bucket List, 2007

46). The Matrix, 1999

47). Princess Mononoke, 1997

48). The Truman Show, 1998 

49). Inception, 2010

50). Orchestra Rehearsal, 1978

Stereotypes about Russia and the USA

Stereotypes are common views of a nation which usually have little connection to the reality. Stereotypes about Spain were a topic of my final presentation when I tried to get the diploma of Spanish high education. Now I'd like to talk about some stereotypes about Russia and about the USA.

  -Russia

      1) Bears. Some of these animals really live in the territory of our conuntry, but they surely do not visit our cities. In moscow, you can see a bear only in a zoo. For example, even taking in consider that I passed some years in the countryside, I haven't ever seen a bear.

      2) Vodka. I do not think that we have a special attitude towards vodka - most Russian people that drink alcohol do not have such preferences, although vodka is quite popular because of its low price - you can't buy a bottle of Jack Daniels for 4 dollars.

      3) Balalaika. We do not play this instrument! I haven't ever seen it, only on TV. Balalaika is a part of our history, but not of our actual culture.

      4) Russians are mostly coarse and uneducated. This stereotype formed because of Russian turists in Egypt, Turkey, etc. Unfortunatly, this stereotype has reasons.

      5) Economic stereotype - Russia depends on oil. True, just true.

      6) Stereotype, related with image - Russians have usually aquiline nose, black hair and black eyes. In this case, Russians and Gipsies are mixed up. Indeed, Russians have usually blond-brown hair and, all in all, are very different as a lot of nationalities live on the territory of Russia.

      7) Russians are agressive. In comparison to Europeans and Americans they are. In Fight Club it was said that actually, everyone triws to evoid conflict. First, i was quite surprised as I had seen a lot of people who were searching for conflict with the others. Then, I understood that for many countries such behaviour will be inexplicable. However, it also menas that Russians are usually more generous and compassionate. For example, a couple of years ago I was really surprised when I heard that in Norway people do not visit their old parents if they are ill - they are just not used to it. For me, it seems to be an absurd and heartlessness.

      8) Russian girls are the most beautiful. True.

-USA

       1) Americans are fatter because of fast-food. According to the statistics, USA is a country which has most problems with obesity, but it does not mean that all people weight 140 kg, of course. Simply the fact that USA is more developed in economics means that people can go to fast-food every day and it leads to putting on weight.

        2) Americans are very hard-working. Mostly true.

        3) People in the USA consider themselves to be better then the others. I didn't communicate with a lot of Americans, and the ones I've talked to didn't seem to be pompous blockheads at all.

         4) In the USA,  feminism led to some strange consecuences. True - for example, you can't hold a door if u go before a woman as it will be rated as solicitation. For me, it sounds very strange.

         5) All Americans are polite and always are (or at least seem to be) friendly. True, especially in comparison with Russia.

          6) USA does not have discrimination. I'm not sure if I am right or not, but i consider that is in not true that there is no racism at all.
I do not know more things about the USA (or I do not remember them). If you think that I missed something, you can write in comments.

      

50 films that you should watch. Part 1

The order is random.




1) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Milos Forman) [drama, 1975]- one of the best films of all the history of cinema; one of 3 which won all the five major Oscars - Director, Screenplay, Best Actor in Lead Role, Best Acrtess in Lead Role, Best Picture. The film is based on Ken Kizi's brilliant book which has the same name. The main role is played by Jack Nicholson, and I believe that it's one of his 2 best roles.

"Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe

 the best of things, and no good thing ever dies"

2) The Shawshank Resemption (Frank Darabont) [drama, 1994] - this film is the 1st in imdb top 250. I love it beacause of fantastic actors (Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, who turns any film to a masterpiece) and excellent storyline. Suprisely, it is based on Stephen King's novella which I didn't like at all. This fil has one of the best finals.

"Life is like a box of chocolates, you 

never know what you are going to get"

3) Forrest Gump (Robest Zemeckis) [comedy-drama romance film, 1994] - one of the most heartwarming and inspiring movies. The storyline is based on Winston Groom's novel; it tells us about 30 years of life of slow-witted, naive but very honest man which participated in all the important events which happenned in USA in 1950-1980.
Film is starred by Tom Hanks, and I think it's his best role.
6 Academy Awards.

4) Twelve Angry Men (Sidney Lumet) [drama, 1957] - little place, few actions, only 12 actors apart from some secundary roles, and one of the best films ever. After watching it, I realized that old films can be interesting just the same. I loved the selection of actors, especially Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb and Joseph Sweeney.
The film tells us a story of one sitting of the court. 12 men must seal the fate of a boy which is accused of killing his father.
This movie touchs some really important social and psycological problems; it is very interesting to guess thoughts and emotions of the characters.





5) Casablanca (Michael Curtiz) [romantic drama, 1942] - another wonderful old film. It became a symbol of anti-fascism during the II World War. However, it became most known not immediatly - first, very few people decided to watch it. Despite it, know it is considered one of the best Hollywood films.
Main actors: Humphrey Bogard, Ingrid Berman and Paul Henreid.gfdgd





6) 8½ (Federico Fellini) [art-house, 1963] - probably Fellini's best film, altough it is quite difficult to watch it and to understand it. Two Academy Awards.

If you did not watch Fellini's films before, you'd better start with Orchestra Rehearsal or even the famous La Dolce Vita, which are much easier to understand.

8½ tells us about a film director (film title reflects the quantity of films which Fellini had shot before this one), who has a creative crisis.

Starred by Marcello Mastroianni and Anouk Aimee.

"This list... is an absolute good. The list is life.

 All around its margins lies the gulf"

7) Shindler's List (Steven Spielberg) [drama, 1993] - film based on a book about Oscar Shindler, a real person who saved more then 1000 of Jews during the II World War. Most part of this movie is black-and-white exept some little details. Shindler's List is one of the most powerful films; it tells us about a man who could stay merciful when the world aroung him was plunging into darkness.
However, the story is not so realistic: Oscar Shindler wasn't an angel, and some details are omitted in the film, although it doesnt make this movie worse. During some years, I have considered this film the best.
7 Academy Awards.Starred by Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes (Oscar for secondary role) and Ben Kingsley.


8) City of God (Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund) [crime drama, 2002] - very original Braziliam movie. Just the same as Shindler's List, I've considered this film to be the best for some time, and, what is more, I watched it after Spielberg's movie. City of God doesn't have any famous actors, and I also never heard about its directors, but the film is brilliant.
It is filmed li8ke a realistic movie, and, suprisely, it is realistic, even if all the cruelty which is shown seems strange to us. Fernando Meirelles even said that if he had the possibility to go back in time for some years, he surely wouldn't have filmed City of God as it was very dangerous to work in that place (district City of God really exists).

 9) Godfather and Godfather Part II (F.F. Coppola) [crime film, 1972 and 1974] - I've decided to unify them as all that refers to one is correct for the other. Nice storyline (based on Mario Puzo's bestseller), really perfect actors (Al Pacino and Diane Kiaton in both, Marlon Brando in the 1st and DeNiro in 2nd), fantastic music. They take 2nd and 3rd place in imdb top250. If you still didnt watch this film, do not waste time and do it immediatly - they are both top-class for world cinema.




10) Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino) [crime, dark comedy, 1994] - best Tarantino's film. A list of world-famous actors: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, and Quentin Tarantino himself. Academy award for screen.
The film tells us three very different stories that have only some moments which can  show the link between them. The first story is about a gangster who has to care about his boss' daughter, the second - about a boxer who betrayed mafia's boss and tried to escape, and a story about 2 gangsters, one of which wants to give up. Different parts are shuffled. There are also some very little details that can help you understand the storyline.


11) American History X (Tony Kaye) [drama, 1998] - one of the most discussable films of last twenty years. It contains a lost of cruelty, and it is necessary to meditate on it to understand its main idea. Edward Norton plays a role of Derek, a former neo-nazi, who has recently released from prison. When Derek meets his younger brother, he finds out that he became a nazi. During the film, Derek tries to convince to Danny (his brother) of the fact that nazism has no sens and all the others have the same rights.
You can read more about this film in my other post.

"Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working 

jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need"

12) Fight Club (David Fincher) [drama, 1996] - another discussable movie with Edward Northon. I believe that it is a great filming of Palahniuk's book, and it also formed the style and the philosophy of the time.
Fight Club consists a very strong critic of contemporary society, of things-mania. The film affirms that self-destruction is an only way for us, and self-perfection has no sens. This movie, just the same as the book on which it is based, includes several very interesting ideas, although I can't agree with all of them.
Starring: Brad Pitt and Edward Norton.



13) Leon: the Professional (Luc Besson) [thriller, drama, 1994] - a very original strory about a killer and 12-years-old Mathilda whose parents and familiars were killed by mafia. The girl wants to revenge and persuades to a professional killer to teach her. The movie tells us about their interrelations - they are not only of different age, but also very distinct in other fields: culture, general knowledge, phylosophy, etc.
Fine actors are involved in this film: Jean Reno as Leon, young Natalie Portman as 12-years-old girl, and Gary Oldman as corrupt DEA agent.

14) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry) [romantic science fiction film, 2004] - one of two serious films with Jim Carrey which I liked. Very original spot and interesting characters make it the best romantic film I've ever watched, although ome people can not agree with me.

the story is about the relationship between a shy ~30-years-old shy man and a woman with odd color of hair (I really can't give a normal characteristic of her psycological type). They try to forget about their terms by deleting all the recollections they have about the other. It is possible thanks to a strange company of deletion of memory. But while the reminiscences are being removed from Jim Carrey's hero brain, he realizes that he doesn't want to forget his love.

Starred by Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst and Mark Ruffalo.

"The day we stop lookin', Charlie, is the day we die"

15) Scent of a Woman (Martin Brest) [drama, 1992] - in my opinion, best film with Al Pacino (Academy Award for best lead role).
This movie's storyline is about a blind man who hires a young shy student and goes to New York. He wants to live like a normal man. Al Pacino's hero argues with Charlie Simms (student) about some very important points: how to live, what is the most important in our life, etc.
To my mind, the final scene of this film is a bit worse then the rest of the film, but nevertheless it is one of my favourite films.

"Happiness only real when shared"

16) Into the Wild (Sean Penn) [drama, biography, 1996] - based on non-fiction book of Jon Krakauer, this move tells us the lifestory of a young American graduating student Christofer McCandless, or Alexander Supertramp, as he calls himself. This man does not seek to become seek and successfull. After graduating, Christofer destroys all his credit cards, leaves his family, and starts a long trip in search of happiness and unity with nature. He meets different people, and surprisely, his easy and light attitude to life makes them all happier. At last, Chris arrives to Alaska, the destination of his trip, and tries to live there on his own, by hunting and gathering. Simultaneously, we get to know about his relationships with his family. All in all, it is one of the most beautiful films I've ever watched.


17) Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (Jim Jarmusch) [action, philosophical film, 1999] - one of the most original American films. It's storyline is about a black man who follows the way of Japanese samurais. In reality, he's just a killer, and he serves to an Italian gangster who saved his life years ago. However, this film is a metaphor about life, death, freedom and human spirit. This move also includes some quotates from Book of Bushido, an invented philosofical volume.
This film isn't well-known, although main role is played by Forest Whitaker who is a very famous actor. The soundtrack for this film - Flying birds - is created by RZA. This group also written soundtracks for 1st and 2nd Tarantino's Kill Bill.



18) Gran Torino (Clint Eastwood) [drama, 2008] - one of the best films of last 10 years.
The film begins with Walt Kawalski's (Clint Eastwood) wife's burial. Walt sees all his family whose only ideal is money, and a very young Father Janovich, who deserves no credit, according to main hero's thoughts. His neighbors are Hmongs, and Walt was at war with people like them some years ago, and he can't trust them. However, once he saves their young son from bandits, which then will pursue all the Hmong family and even Walt. This move is mainly about the relationships between a young boy and an old soldier which does not believe in anything; and about how one's attitude to life can change thanks to other people.

19) The Separation of Nader from Simin (Asghar Farhadi) [drama, 2011] - shot in the genre of realism, this film achieved Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. No outstanding heros, but a perfect realistic drama.

We watch a usual story of relationships between mother (Simin), father (Nader) and their young daughter (Termeh). The story begins when Nader and Simin come to family court as they want to divorce as Simin would like to leave country and Nader prefers to stay with his father who has Alzheimer's desease. Then, after Nader hires a woman to care about his father, he pushes her and after some days gets to know that this woman had miscarriage, and she wants to bring an action against him.

20) Grave of the Fireflies (Isao Takahata) [animated anti-war tragedy, 1988] - as I watched nearly all animated films directed by H. Miyazaki, I always liked Ghibi Studio's movies. However, I was very suprised after watching Grave as it is surely the best Ghibli's film, and it is directed by an other person - Isao takahata. This tragedy is very impressing and "grievous". Hachicko is a comedy film in comparison with Grave of the Fireflies.
The plot is based Akiyuki Nosaka's novel. We watch a story about young brother and sister's life during the II World War. The film includes several metaphors - for example, the fireflies. However, it's up to you to decide what does it matter.


21) Life is Beautiful (Roberto Benigni) [tragicomedy, drama, 1997] - beautiful film about love and strength of man's mind and soul. Sincerely, I can't call this move a tragicomedy, as it is devided in two parts: the first is a comedy, which tells us a story of a young, funny, and intelligent jude Guido(Benigni) who arrives in one Italin city and falls in love. the second part, which is a tragedy, is about other time, when fascists were in power in Italy. Main hero, his wife, and their young son were arrested and sent to a concentration camp. When they come there, they get to know that all the children are going to be killed, so they try to hid their son and survive. Academy Awards for Best Actor (Benigni), Best Foreign Language Film, and Best Original Dramatical Score.

"You’ve never been to the ocean? Then, you’d better run. You’re running 

out of time. In heaven that’s all they talk about. The ocean and the sunset.

 How fuckin’ wonderful it is, to watch that big ball of fire melt into 

the ocean – and the only light that is left like a candle it’s only inside…" 

22) Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Thomas Jahn) [drama, 1997] - Wikipedia calls this film "criminal comedy" - bullsh*t! It means only that the complier of this article didn't understand the idea of the film.
The storyline tells us about 2 men which find out that they have cancer and only ецщ or three days of life left. While speaking, it turns out that one of them has never seen the oceфn. Because of it, they decide to escape from hospital and start a trip to the ocean.


23) In Bruges (Martin McDonagh) [black comedy-drama, 2008] - the only film that has some stylistic similarities with Ghost Dog (№17). However, they do not have many things in common - they both are unusual at a similar way.
The story is about 2 killers which try to lie low in a small town Bruges. Then, it turns out that one of them has to kill the other.
This movie contains a lot of magnificent music and high-level architecture, so if you like these types of culture,  then you will like this film, although sometimes it is a bit absurd.
Starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.


24) Memento (Christopher Nolan) [psycological thriller, 2000] - best Nolan's film; the most original film from the point of view of directing, and most unexpectable - from the point of view of its plot. It is presented as two different sequences of scenes - one goes in chronological order, and the other - in reverse order. What si more, main hero has a serious anr rare illness - he remembers only last 10 minutes of his life. Because of it, he has to tatoo on his body the essential information of his life - his name, his aims, his friends, his enemies, etc.
I think that it is the only film which final scene was a total surprise for me.
Starring Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano, and Carrie-Anne Moss.




25) Sixth Sense (M. Night Shyamalan) [psycological horror, drama, 1999] - from my point of view, the only perfect film with Bruce Willis, which has nothing in common with all the other films with this actor.
This movie tells a story about a young boy who has a supernatural ability - he can see dead people. However, for him it is not a real ability, but a curse - he is afraid of dead people. Once, he meets a child psycologist who tries to help him.
The denouement was a total surprise for me when I watched it first, but now I understand that it was quite predictable - however, it doesn't make this film worse!
Starring Haley Joel Osment and Bruce Willis.

Review of my English lessons

For me, it is quite difficult to evaluate my own progress. However, it seems to me that I speak English better now. On Saturday, when I spoke to my school Spanish teacher (Lucas, Spanish-speaking man), I answered "yes" insted of "si", and had some other difficulties, although my Spanish is much, much better then English.    I learned a lot not only about language, but also about different other things - culture, science, etc.
I enjoyed different taksks, for example oral speaking and blogg assignments (^_^). The most difficult for me were writing assignments, especially the second one.
My main goal for the second half of the semester is to improve my total mark. The thing is that I realized only in October that we had been getting grades during all the month, and I also got 0 of 2 two times because of being at a clinic and forgetting my HW piece of paper, which I remembered perfectly, but didn't try to class. As a result, I have 82,5% as a total mark, and I do not see the way to get 95%+, which I consider a "normal" grade.

What's going on here?

For me, Russia always seemed to be a political paradox. I had never understood how such, mhm-mhm, strange people can remain in power here. I'll skip our previous "sovereigns", and I'll talk only about our XXI-century politics.
Our actual president came to power in spring, 2000. Even the elections were odd - he was selected mainly because of the fact that Yeltsin said he is the best candidate; it was a nonstandart case of continuity of policy. Nobody knew who is this bald-headed, short, but surely imposing man. In the beginning of his first term, V.V.(strange contradiction with famous Wachowsky's film's main hero*) seemed to be a normal politician, but then some weird facts started to be out of tune. Short review without chronoligical order:
-"bump off in toilets", about bombardment of people in Grozny
-"come to me, banderlogs" - the only thing V.V., according to his works, could say to oppositions. In other words, he considers himself as python Kaa and members of opposition as stupid, cowardly, and clamorous monkeys. [All in all, demsotrations are useless here. Famous Russian XX-th century writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote that the main part of success of any manifestation is publicity, in other words, support of public opinion. It turned out that this main part is not utterly inadequate.]
-Mikhail Khodarkovsky's case
-Putin-Medevedev exchange of power
-"Pussy Riot" case
-the Russian Orthodox Church case
-V.V. prolonged the time of presidency from 4 to 6 years, which is already anti-democratic, and then changed the maximum quantity of presidency for one politician from 2 to 3 [no comments here]
-the famous 146% case and all the other ballot riggings
etc. etc. etc.
No conclusions, think it all yourself.





*P.S There are some interesting parallels in our real life with this film. Europeans and Americans watch it as a fiction movie, but we consider this flim more futuristic than fantastic. 

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.

My strange medical experience in Turkey

This summer, i went on holiday to Turkey with my friends. I hoped it would be the best rest after a long year of preparing for exams, which I passed succesfully. However, when we were playing basketball on the 3rd day of our holiday, I caught on the net with my 4th finger and broke it. That's why I had to go to the clinic where I was told that the operation is needed and I can either do it immediatly in Turkey or come back to Moscow - of course, I didn't want to miss 11 days, so I decided to accept doctor's offer and do the operation. A nurse put me to sleep and I woke up only after one hour and a half. When I looked at my hand, I noticed that my finger is plastered. However, I had a strong feeling of nervousness as if something was going wrong. Suddenly, I realised what was disturbing me and first couln't believe it is the truth. The thing was that a healthy finger was plastered and the broken one was not! I still do not know what has happenned. I had to suffer another operation after which I got both fingers plastered. Even now I can't tell you what was the matter of such a strange action. It is really my most stupid and inexplicably experience.