Films I have seen recently

Hi there,

as my telly has been on the fritz for a couple of days now and I haven't had the time to go to cinema, I just can reflect on films I have seen recently in our classes...

Spellbound

“Spellbound” is a very entertaining documentary about children who compete with peers in the finals of the US spelling competition, which is held in Washington DC every year.
I am not entirely sure what the film was actually about. Maybe they wanted to show how essential it is to fight for something important to you even though others might think it ridiculous, or maybe they just wanted to emphasise the importance of grammar and correct spelling?
Or did they just try to take the mickey out of the whole event and its competitors?
As far as I can remember the first sequence was composed of jump-cuts showing the almost spastic grimaces of a young boy trying to remember the spelling of a word in close-ups. Watching the poor guy stuttering and struggling makes the spectator either burst out laughing or feeling absolutely embarrassed I guess.
I admit I experienced the former reaction and I hoped for more entertaining scenes. I can say my expectations were fully met.


When the levees broke – A requiem in four acts

This film is about the hurricane Katrina and its aftermath in New Orleans, Louisiana.
I still remember the news about the hurricane and that it was one of the worst ever. I also still remember that it took a long time for the government to manage the situation. But as you are living almost on the other side of the globe it doesn’t affect you that much. And when it is no longer in the news it doesn’t take long until you forget about the whole thing...like the scandal about beef and BSE. Nobody wastes a thought about this anymore unless it is in the media again.
While I was watching the documentary I was really astonished to see the indecision of the government to handle the problem, and the fact that you could see the people so helpless and waiting for the government to get into action during the aftermath.
I was always convinced that Americans are more autarkic, feel responsible for themselves and self determined to manage their own situations.
But maybe I am just blinded by the American film Industry. Actually, it is astonishing what America pretends to be – considering all the patriotic films like Independence Day or The Day after Tomorrow – and what it really is like. Maybe that gap between reality and fiction was something completely new to the majority of Americans as well…