The Film Sufi

With all my heart, thank you. Those comments saved...

2012-04-10T20:22:30.660+12:00

With all my heart, thank you. Those comments saved my life.

You're making too much out of it. TREE OF LIFE...

2012-03-30T04:15:05.306+13:00

You're making too much out of it. TREE OF LIFE actually follows a standard hero's journey arc - see the video at http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html

A wonderful movie centering on the moral dilemma ...

2012-03-21T21:18:09.660+13:00

A wonderful movie centering on the moral dilemma about an abortion for both Dorota and the doctor.
What is beautiful is that the movie's ambiguities make space for each viewer to judge the morality involved according to their own value-priorites -- whether based on religion or not.
The doctor's priority appears to be saving life and perhaps that is why he lies to Dorota (if he is lieing) that Andjrez will die in order to save the life of the potential baby.
What is left unresolved is whether Andrjrez knows that Dorota's preganancy is not by him and will she tell him?
If she does not - and one takes it from the last scene that he thinks the child is his - then Dorota will be carriying the burden of that deceit.
To me that deceit is more damaging to their love and life together than the unnecesary religion-inspired guilt about having an abortion.

The second commandment is the following: "You...

2012-03-17T01:22:54.361+13:00

The second commandment is the following: "You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I The Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My Commandments."

Dorota treats the doctor as god, thus idolizing him.

You make an interesting point, Jugo. Since the Rev...

2012-03-12T16:47:01.361+13:00

You make an interesting point, Jugo. Since the Revolution, Iranian authorities and moralizers have endeavoured to establish a social norm opposed to men wearing a necktie, which is deemed to be too “Western” and not in alignment with the principles of the Revolution. You do occasionally see some people, particularly in places like Tehran, wearing ties, but they are usually older people whose practices date back to the “old days”, when it was more common among the progressive middle classes. Nader’s allowing his father to wear a necktie would presumably reflect his filial loyalty. And it would also probably subtly underscore the class distinction between his family and that of Razieh. on "A Separation" - Asghar Farhadi (2011)

I really liked your reviews, Mostly I could not no...

2012-03-04T00:50:13.344+13:00

I really liked your reviews, Mostly I could not notice the things in your way. I think it is an art to review the films :)

Thank you!

Could you throw any light on why Nader makes his f...

2012-02-28T01:10:57.818+13:00

Could you throw any light on why Nader makes his father/allows his father to wear a tie in public, when he takes him out in the car to his wife's house. Thanks.

thank you for the enligtening commentary

2012-02-26T05:21:02.106+13:00

thank you for the enligtening commentary

thanks for a wonderful review. I am going to see t...

2012-02-21T08:15:53.378+13:00

thanks for a wonderful review. I am going to see this film tonight!

hi, i seldom comment on blogs its an exception in ...

2012-02-16T02:09:05.465+13:00

hi, i seldom comment on blogs its an exception in this blog. i appreciate your taste for fine movies and reviews on though-provoking or existential movies... thankyou . pls carry on your efforts.

A bitter truth ! These simple yet pathetic reality...

2012-01-14T08:13:33.602+13:00

A bitter truth ! These simple yet pathetic reality is prevalent in our common surroundings even . But do we realize it ? We are so much busy with our materialistic lives that we dont live anymore. Best movie ever I have seen . At least it shakes our soul for a moment .

Excellent research, fine analysis. I hadn't ...

2012-01-03T12:08:28.498+13:00

Excellent research, fine analysis.

I hadn't thought of the film in terms of Hero's Journey, even tho I'm a fan of Robert Bly, Joe Campbell and the like. (which also makes me wonder what makes your review and this site "Sufi", but that's a separate question...)

Linked here from my Jan. 2012 blog post on changes to Facebook over time. Thanks!~ Mark Nielsen, Chicago, USA

Really great DVD with a lot of good information. ...

2011-12-07T18:38:51.524+13:00

Really great DVD with a lot of good information. Also very persuasive (in a positive way)... at least most of it, until the animal rights agenda backing became obvious and the emphasis on the "global warming" hoax, which is has been effectively exposed by scores of reputable scientists (not to mention common sense). The argument that I can cool the planet by not eating steak was just too funny. ;)

Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of eating right and my wife and I have been persuaded that vegetarian (even mostly vegan) is an excellent lifestyle choice with numerous benefits. Some of our best friends are vegan and we have been moving more and more that direction ourselves. We also love animals and have pets, but find it annoying that eating meat is indirectly linked with animal cruelty.

I can appreciate the intent of the point made that, since the American diet is responsible for many of the diseases we have, this is (in effect) like legalized suicide (since we willfully put this cancer causing junk in our mouths), but come on... Lots of people are ignorant, some don't believe and others just do the best they can and trust God with the rest. No one eats a burger because they are literally trying to kill themselves. Doesn't personal responsibility have anything to do with this whole thing? YES, I believe it does, but so many of these kinds of productions leave that detail out of equation and instead just blame everything of big business, big medical, big government, etc.

I can appreciate the argument that says, if you want to see a change then change your lifestyle, but please don't shove it down my throat. This video comes pretty close to the latter.

After my father died of Prostate Cancer in 2001 I have become much more aware of health issues. I actually love it when these kinds of videos come out to educate people... so long as they remain respectful and honest. Bravo to the filmmakers for being bold enough to say there ARE cures for diseases and you don't always have to take a drug or listen to conventional logic. I absolutely applaud the authors for taking this stance! :)

I truly have no "beef" with others who want to see less cruelty to animals and to see people eating healthier and living happier lives (I really do too), but the conspiracy theorist/hyper-fear-motivated approach and over-exaggerated twisting of facts is a MAJOR turn off.

While, in general, I agree with many of the claims made in this video about the problems with eating meat, the video makes some wide exaggerations in places and is not fair in presenting the truth that there are actually some health benefits from organic, grass fed, free range meat (in moderation). Our ancestors did eat meat too. The video makes it sound like only the rich did throughout history but this is absolute nonsense. Any kid who has visited a library knows this... but I'm sure the producers of this video will claim that all the libraries have been paid off by the American Medical Association to "cook those books" to say what they want. Ugh... I also laughed at the part that said beef today should be $90 a pound. This is just stupid and completely illogical. Going by that logic, vegetables should be close to that much because of how little we consume by comparison and how much power and hatred the AMA and FDA has. That's the part about productions like this that are silly and a turn off to many interested viewers. I hate manipulation and wild exaggeration. Honest encouragement from a position of conviction with sincere beliefs is one thing, but this is pushy and manipulative (with too much personal opinion presented as fact).

Still, it has many redeemable moments and the point came through (yes, a good point too and one I was actually able to take to heart). I hope the 4th edition will clean up the problems. It will be more effective and maybe I'll actually want to share it with someone else.

Loving all your posts on Dekalog, truly an incredi...

2011-12-03T17:09:01.561+13:00

Loving all your posts on Dekalog, truly an incredible series. :)

Wow... you've brought my appreciation of this ...

2011-11-14T09:57:46.729+13:00

Wow... you've brought my appreciation of this film to a whole other level. This is great stuff.

There are more than just four paths for cows. Calv...

2011-10-22T21:11:53.326+13:00

There are more than just four paths for cows. Calves can grow up to be dairy cows, impregnated at around three, occasionally four years of age, treated well, fed grass, silage, hay and an assortment of other hormone-free foods, milked twice daily, given medicine when sick - not the bullet - and continue to produce clean milk until they wear out, generally around 14 or 15 years of age for most cows. Where did you get the age of 20 - 25 years for a cows lifespan? Even domestic cows rarely live to 20 years. Also, calf dehorning is a saftey requirement, not only for humans but for the cows themselves. Other male calves can be sold to stud farms, where they are able to live happy free lives, their only work being used for their semen (which is completely harmless to the bull, no needles or anything required). It sounds like this film is centered around countries like America, India, even Asian countries, who have a far lower regard for animal rights than other countries. Like my country, New Zealand. Biggest dairy producing country in the world, and one of the few countries where animals are treated right. Although I don't pretend to say our countries farming business is perfect, of course there are a few farms who probably lack proper farming etiquette, but just typing 'New Zealand' into google images gives you an idea of our farming community, the country these animals are brought up in. I'm a dairy farmer, and proud of it.

Thank you for posting this. I really needed some l...

2011-10-09T08:34:36.031+13:00

Thank you for posting this. I really needed some light to be shedded onto this amazing film, if you forgive me my "playing with words". Great!

All hero's journey - go see Kal's excellen...

2011-08-02T05:35:54.036+12:00

All hero's journey - go see Kal's excellent work at http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html ; he's done a good analysis of it there

I watched this in curious circumstances, followed ...

2011-06-04T03:58:37.205+12:00

I watched this in curious circumstances, followed by the feature film The Whole Wide World", and felt later it was dangerously disassociative in the "Monarch Programming" sense.
If that means nothing, just do a Google search on "Monarch Programming". Not saying the film is deliberately tricky, but the jump cut techniques can befuddle the mind and the onerous nature of competing or "losing it" in the WWW film, can make one
recoil from the real world as captured by Malle.

Thank you for giving such a detailed and justifiab...

2011-05-18T02:30:28.052+12:00

Thank you for giving such a detailed and justifiably positive review of this magnificent film, about which I just found my own notes, quite abbreviated in comparison with yours.

A very good blog. really a essential work. thanks ...

2011-03-20T02:22:43.133+13:00

A very good blog. really a essential work. thanks & good wishes.

I thought this was a fine and thoughtful film too ...

2011-03-13T22:19:42.921+13:00

I thought this was a fine and thoughtful film too and failed to see the "over-the-top comedy" which the reviewer mentions.

The performances were subtle and effective (including - and many feel especially - Tabu's). I feel that this film will have even more resonance for Indians. I found it very satisfying.

This episode is pure poetry, really touching. The ...

2011-03-08T12:25:02.200+13:00

This episode is pure poetry, really touching. The stubborn will and the rebellion of the proud creature seems to remain in the end, for the father seeks for God, but prefers to demolish the altar than to kneel down, while the Virgin Mary mourns together with her beloved son.

Interesting comment, Srijan. I also think the phys...

2011-03-08T12:14:29.937+13:00

Interesting comment, Srijan. I also think the physician knew Andrezj was getting better, and yet perjured. Why? To save the baby, maybe... The point is he took an oath without respecting the sacredness of the oath, and the consequence was that from that moment on he would carry the burden of a lie forever: he knew the child wasn't Andrezj's son.

Well, I'm just sad now because I quite agree w...

2011-03-08T11:44:01.583+13:00

Well, I'm just sad now because I quite agree with your analysis: this chapter "isn't quite up to the standards of most of the other episodes". The first one was so beautiful, so moving, and the second one was also capable of provoking thought. This chapter doesn't seem to make a point. What were the consequences of their behavior? Wonderful website. Thanks!