A Look Back at History: Japan's Economic Miracle

A Brief History on Japan’s Economy

Following their defeat in World War II, Japan began a rebuilding process at incredible speed. This economic burst was downright miraculous. Much of this boom was accredited to American investments, however it’s Japan’s government that truly deserves most of the credit. They created a new revolutionary system of economic intervention and international trade that skyrocketed their overall GDP. They had cooperation from all sectors within the country and were able to spread their business overseas.

For nearly three decades, Japan prospered as a country of thriving commerce. By 1968 they had become the world’s 2nd largest economy, behind the United States. However by the 1980s their economy simply began to grow too large, and by 1991 their economic success had finally came to an abrupt end. The 90s were a period of economic decline. Reform was needed to get things moving again. This decade was referred to as the Lost Decade in Japan’s Economy. However by 2003, the country was once again able to raise their GDP thanks to new economic policies.

Japan’s Economy Today

Today, Japan is the third largest economy in the world, behind the United States and China. They have especially thrived in the auto and electronics industries. Here in the states, I can’t help but notice when driving, that nearly half the cars I see are Japanese cars; Toyota, Honda, or Nissan. They have also stamped their legacy on many successful electronic brands such as Canon, Panasonic, and Sony. Their products have streamlined into practically every major national commerce. They have thus become one of the front-runners in global business.

Current Film Review: Tron Legacy

Although I'd never seen the original Tron made in 1982, I remember studying the film in my Telecommunications classes at IU, for it's groundbreaking graphics and being one of the first films to use computer animation. So of course it would come as no surprise that it's sequel would go above and beyond this reputation. I watched the film last night in 3d, and was quite impressed with the production. It is definitely meant to be a visual pleaser, very high on special effects. Once Sam Flynn enters the "Grid", inside the video game world, the film really comes alive and puts you there in the action. It's a visual roller coast, from one incredible sequence to another. The story moves very quick, in order to emphasize these visuals, full of intense yet also realistic color. The soundtrack was also not half bad, mostly electronica, and of course Daft Punk themselves, who serve as slight characters in the film. My only complaint was the CGI enhanced version of Jeff Bridges, who served as the antagonist in the film, named Clu. This digital character looked a little too fake for my liking, and think they should have found a different way to portray the part. However Olivia Wilde, an actress I'd never even heard of, made up for this discrepancy, and truly came alive in the film. She brought an additional visual appeal, much thanks to her likable character, and of course her exotic eyes. The film is just Sci-Fi, at it's best; cool characters, vehicles, fight-sequences, the works... and what can I say, I'm a Sci-Fi nerd!

Looking Back at History: The Rwandan Genocide

So of course as always my interest in a topic is usually inspired from a good movie... This recent interest in the historical affairs of Rwanda comes from the 2005 film Hotel Rwanda starring Don Cheadle. Although I'd seen it before, I hadn't put much attention into it, until this recent second viewing. The movie tells of the true account of a hotel manager named Paul Rusesabagina, who saved over 1200 refugees during the Rwandan Genocide. During the powerful film I was amazed at the mere fact that this historical event happened only 15 years ago, whilst I was alive, and I hardly know anything about it. What are the Hutus and the Tutsis? What caused this great political tension? And why did the United States, the United Nations, and the world governments hardly do a thing about it....

The Origins of the Hutu and Tutsi

So my biggest question is what exactly determines a Hutu from a Tutsi? Is it a difference of religion, similar to the Sunni's and Shiites? Is it a political difference, similar to the Democrats and Republicans. Or is it an ethnic difference, similar to blacks and whites... However there's the obvious fact that both Hutu and Tutsi are the same color, and hardly have any significant ethnic or cultural difference whatsoever! Some claim that there are slight differences in height, nose, or skin color yet this seems very difficult to distinguish. Therefore the only real identifiable difference between the Hutu and Tutsi is social class. The Hutu are the majority race of Rwanda, while the Tutsi are considered as the foreign minority race. However it wasn't always this was, and history has a lot to say in the breakup of these two so called races...

German Influence

So when did the separation actually begin? When did one person become identified as either a Hutu or a Tutsi? Similar to most African nations, Rwanda was a colony of many various tribes, until the mid 1800s when Europeans began to explore the territory. It was the Germans who first influenced Rwanda, by taking favor with the Tutsi, who they believed were more honorable, eloquent, and willing to convert to Catholicism. As the years went on, the Tutsi organized and established an economy and a government of Rwanda, with the guidance of the Germans. Yet soon it became clear to all Rwandans that their economy was simply a means to make Germany stronger. Soon the Hutu began to understand their exploitation and began to shift their ideals from the Tutsi's European ideals.

The Belgians Take Over

Following Germany's defeat after WWI, the Belgian government took over the Rwandan colony. Similar to the Germans, the Belgians put their favor with the Tutsi people, and intended to make the colony much more prosperous. They improved Rwanda's education and agriculture system, however also established harsh labor policies such as whipping. Political tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi, grew due to the Belgian's influence. The Belgian government felt the Tutsi had white heritage and were thus superior to the Hutu. In 1931, the Belgians established this ethnic identity by having each Rwandan carry an identity card. Many Rwandans migrated to Uganda to escape the strict policies of the Belgian government.

At the end of WWII, Rwanda became identified as a UN territory, yet still under the control of Belgium. Yet by the 1950s and 1960s, a wave of Pan-Africianism began to spread throughout Africa, which inspired many Rwandan leaders to establish their own independent country. Yet as the Tutsi elite tried to unite the people, the Hutu began to organize into their own political party, opposing the Tutsi. It was Gregoire Kayibanda that led this Hutu emancipation movement, with his Hutu Manifesto, and a militarized political party. In November of 1959, the Tutsis tried to assassinate Hutu leader Kayibanda, and other prominent Hutu politicians. This led to a violent retaliation from the Hutu known as the "Wind of Destruction". Hutus killed an estimated 20,000-100,000 Tutsis... Belgian officials quickly arrived to control the situation. This event marked a major change in political life in Rwanda. The Hutu began to take control and power of the government.

Independent Rwanda

Hutu leader, Gregoire Kayibanda, became Rwanda's first elected president in 1961. As the Hutus began to increase their power and position within Rwanda, the Tutsi began to immigrate to other neighboring countries, such as Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi, yet there were still many Tutsi people that intended to win back the Rwandan government. Kayibanda put forth strict regulations on the ethnicity barriers. He made sure there were no mixed marriages, and executed any Tutsi involved in political opposition. The Tutsi became the new racial minority, referred to as "cockroaches" trying to infiltrate the Hutu government of Rwanda.

On July 5, 1973 the Hutu defense minister General Juvenal Habyarimana overthrew president Gregoire Kayibanda, claiming that his policies were ineffective, and installed his own Hutu political party into government. Kayibanda established somewhat of a dictatorship; a one-party system with national interests, and heavy military rule,... He continued to further the Hutus position by forcing Tutsis to resign from prominent professions, such as medicine and education. He also had many Tutsis exiled or executed.

Yet while the Hutus began to prosper in Rwanda, the Tutsis began to challenge the government of Burundi, a small neighboring country. In 1965 the Tutsi armies led a coup against the Hutu government, and nearly all Hutu politicians were killed. A Tutsi military dictatorship was established which led to the Burundi Genocide, where nearly 200,000 Hutus were killed. With Burundi under the control of the Tutsis and Rwanda under the control of the Hutus, tension grew greater than ever as both sides prepared for war.

The Rwandan Civil War

In 1987, Tutsi refugees in Uganda began to form the Rwandan Patriotic Front. They were led by an experienced soldier of the Ugandan Bush War, Paul Kagame. On October 1st, 1990 the RPF invaded Rwanda, to bring the Tutsis back to power. This civil war lasted for three years, and was mostly a guerrilla war. On August of 1993, the National Hutu government of Rwanda signed a cease-fire with the Tutsi rebels, known as the Arusha Accords, to share the government. Yet ethnic tensions continued to increase, following an outbreak of civil war in Burundi, that spilled into Rwanda. The United Nations was sent in to try and neutralize the situation, however were unsuccessful and with so much years of tension, genocide was inevitable for the Rwandan people.

The Rwandan Genocide

With so much tension, all the Hutu needed were a reason to freely open-fire on Tutsi civilians. They finally got that reason when their president, Habyarimana, was killed in a plane-crash, of which they quickly blamed on the Tutsis. The genocide was thus quickly coordinated by Hutu militants known as the Interhamwe and the Impuzamugambi, through radio communications... On April 6th of 1994 these Hutu militia groups began rounding up and killing Tutsi citizens in masses. Even ordinary Hutu citizens were called on to execute their neighbor Tutsi. The mass murder of Tutsis quickly spread throughout the country and by the end of July nearly one million innocent Tutsi people were killed.

Upon hearing of this genocide, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, led by Paul Kagame, once again continued their offensive against the Rwandan Hutu government. The war was primarily waged against the Hutu militants conducting the massacres. By June of 1994, the Tutsi rebel army, had soon occupied the capital of Kigali, as well as parts in the north, east, and south. The Hutu National Army called for foreign support, yet were unaided. By August the Tutsi RPF, had defeated the Hutu Regime and brought an end to the genocide. Paul Kagame formed a government of national unity headed by a Hutu president, while he became the Vice President and Defense Minister. The served as the ultimate symbol of Hutu and Tutsi unity. However with the fall of their regime, nearly 2 million Hutus fled the country of Rwanda to neighboring countries in order to escape retribution. Paul Kagame assumed office in 2000, and is to this day the current president of Rwanda. He has done a great job in building Rwanda's infrastructure, free of corruption, yet most importantly free of ethnic persecution.

The International Role..?

So I've often heard this question come into play, why didn't the United States get involved? We had been quick to entangle ourselves in Korea's business, in Vietnam's business, and even in Iraq's business, so why not Rwanda? The Clinton-era was booming, the economy was booming, and we certainly didn't have any other major problems in that time. So why not entangle ourselves in Rwanda's affairs... My honest and frank opinion, is that our government felt that there was simply nothing to gain in the crisis... This viewpoint was shared by many other similar established nations, who obviously condemned the crisis, yet felt the situation was not their concern. The United Nations tried to send in "peacekeepers", yet they were not well-equipped, and simply way over their heads... The French took one of the most active roles in the crisis, through Operation Turquoise, to create a safe-zone for the refugees. However this operation has been the victim of extreme controversy. There have been accusations that the Operation, accomplished absolutely nothing, and simply hindered the RPF's mission.

The International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda

So after one of history's most bloodiest genocides, right behind the Holocaust, the international world felt it was time to place the blame on somebody. At the end of 1996, the government began it's genocide trials, with the involvement of the United Nations. In 2001, They established the International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda to handle the extreme case. However ever since it's establishment, the tribunal has only sentenced 20 people, and many of the wanted criminals are still at large. Unlike Adolf Hitler, Mussolini, or Stalin there is not an ultimate leader to blame for this tragedy. It was sadly the outcome of years and years of ethnic tension and extreme hatred.

Regarding Lucas Oil Stadium

This past weekend, I worked my first NFL game, since the 2007 season where I worked at the RCA Dome. I was once again working an Indianapolis Colts game yet this time it was in the much newer Lucas Oil Stadium. I've always been quite impressed with the stadium from the outside, yet had never seen it from the inside. This past Saturday I met up with Greg Litchy, to set up with Fox NFL, for the national 4:15 broadcast against the Dallas Cowboys. It was an extremely cold weekend, and I found myself outside walking quite a bit, trying to find parking... Once that was taken care of, the whole day consisted of trying to find our way through a giant warehouse of doors and tunnels. The inner structure to me is very similar to RCA dome, a long circular warehouse. Once we actually found the field, it was indeed quite an impressive sight. The stadium seats around 65,000 people and has a retractable sealing. Luckily it was closed for the weekend, and we never had to suffer the brutal cold weather. It was pretty cool working an NFL game, especially knowing that it was the much watched 4:15 broadcast. The game itself was quite exciting and the Colts lost in overtime to the Cowboys...

Book Review: War and Peace

Just last week, I finally finished Leo Tolstoy's epic novel "War and Peace". It's been a book I've always wanted to tackle, and after hearing so much hype about the film "Last Station" I finally decided to embark on the difficult read. I was joined by my cousin-in-law, Laura, to tackle this 1300 page monster. We started way back in February, right after Geoff's wedding. The book has taking me nearly 10 months to read...

I followed along quite well in the beginning with the story of Pierre, who had inherited his father's wealth, and eventually married the beautiful Helena. Then there was the happy Rostov family, the beautiful daughter, Natasha, and the two sons Nikolai (a soldier in the army) and the youngest son Petya. It seemed quite apparent to me from the beginning that Pierre and Natasha were destined for one another. Yet then things got far more complex when other characters and love-stories came into the picture...

The biggest appeal to me, was the historical account of Napoleon's invasion of Russia. In the early chapters of the book, Tolstoy begins with a detailed account of the Battle of Austerlitz. In doing this he puts both Napoleon and General Kutuzov into the novel, and gives detailed descriptions of their battle strategies. One of Tolstoy's main characters' Prince Andrei, fights in the battle, and is injured in a glorious charge. He later returns from the battle as a changed man, who later falls in love for Natasha.

The story once again picked up, when Pierre got in a dual with Dolokhov, a man Pierre believed to be cheating with his wife, Helena. Tired of the drama and confusion, Pierre leaves his wife, Helena, in pursue of something new. He finds exactly what he was looking for in the Freemasons society. This part of the books dives deep into the ideologies of the inner-self, clearly a representation of Tolstoy's viewpoints. Pierre becomes extremely religious, with a deep passion to fix an imperfect world.

Meanwhile Natasha meets Prince Andrei at a ball, and falls madly in love with him. Prince Andrei once again finds meaning in life, after the loss Battle of Austerlitz, and asks her to be his wife. However his father does not believe in the marriage, and tells Andrei to go away for a year, and then reconsider his proposal. During this time, Natasha falls in love with another man, Helena's brother, Anatole. She nearly runs off with him, until Pierre intercedes. When Prince Andrei here's of the betrayal he refuses to renew his proposal to Natasha. At this time, Pierre realizes he too has fallen in love with Natasha.

With the Great Comet of 1811, Pierre has found new meaning to life, yet this is quickly loss in the growing fears of Napoleon's invasion. The plot then turns to Napoleon as a central character in the story, focusing on his thorough strategies of invading Moscow. With an army of over 200,000 French soldiers, Napoleon marches into the outskirts of Smolensk. Pierre leaves Moscow to go watch the Battle of Borodino, one of Napoleon's greatest victories. Both sides suffer extreme losses, however the Russians are forced to withdraw from the battle, allowing the French to march on Moscow.

General Kutuzov orders that Moscow be evacuated, knowing that Napoleon is on his way. At this point in the story grows extremely gloomy in Russia, especially for the Rostov family. The youngest son, Petya, leaves his family to enlist in the army, while Natasha's husband Prince Andrei has fallen in battle. Natasha tries to stay optimistic by helping transport the wounded. Meanwhile Pierre has grown extremely enraged with the French invasion, especially its leader Napoleon, and sets off on a mission to assassinate him. He suddenly crosses paths with Natasha, as they leave Moscow, and once again realizes his love for her. Yet in the midst of the chaos, Pierre is unable to leave his city. He is eventually taken prisoner by the French Army.

As Napoleon stands in the emptied city of Moscow, he realizes that the Russians are not going to surrender. Knowing that his army is short of supplies, he has no other choice but to call of his invasion and return back to France. Pierre must accompany the French army on this infamous retreat through the harsh Russian winter. Pierre watches as many soldiers succumb to the brutal cold weather. He is however freed by a Russian raiding party, and returns to help rebuild Moscow. It is at this time, that he is reunited with Natasha, and declares his love to her once and for all.

Talk about an epic! It's no wonder this story is considered one of the greatest novels ever written... Tolstoy creates a magnificent story in the backdrop of a dramatic time. Full of many complex characters and themes, this is definitely a book that should be read several times. I can't help but see significant similarites in other Russian stories such as Doctor Zhivago and even Reds... I thinks there's something quite amazing about creating a story within an actual story. The characters manage to illustrate the realism of the event.

So after 10 months of reading, I just had to watch to the movie. I promised myself not to watch it, until I had finished the book. There are actually two epic films, one is American and one is Russian. I could not find the 1965 Soviet film, directed by Sergei Bondarchuk that is said to be the most expensive film ever made. However I did find the 1956 American film, directed by King Vidor and starring the lovely Audrey Hepburn as Natasha. The movie was a 3 hour epic, and wasn't half bad, yet still had to cut out many things from the book, such as Pierre's experience with the Freemasons. The film had a powerful portrayal of the French army's retreat, yet overall it was Audrey Hepburn's presence that really stole the show. She is truly divine!

War and Peace was by far the most difficult book I have ever read. It is full of so much detail and drama; the ultimate soap-opera... Yet I am very proud of myself for finishing it. There were times when I couldn't put it down, and times where I simply did not want to pick it up, not even look at it! Now its time for new things, and the next read on my list is JR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings...

Foreign Affairs: The WikiLeaks

On Sunday November 28th, an organization known as WikiLeaks began to release top secret government documents concerning foreign diplomacy. With 251,287 documents in their possession, this is without question the biggest leak in the history of our government. Both President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned the organization, and warned that this release could severely damage US foreign relations. However this Sunday, WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, a firm believer in the freedom of press, went ahead with his first initial phase of releasing the Diplomatic Cables...

So far there have been 276 diplomatic cables released... Some are merely juicy gossip while others are serious foreign matters. Here is a brief summary of the most significant ones...

• Guantanamo Bay: President Barack Obama has bargained with other countries to move their prisoners out of the detention camp.

• Iran: Seems likes the US is not the only nation afraid of Iran's nuclear program. Many of its Middle-Eastern neighbors such as Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have secretly spoke against the country. In one cable, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia practically asks the US to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities. The US Embassy has also compared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Adolf Hitler himself.

• Afghanistan: Corruption in the government! One cable tells of an account where The Vice President of the country visited United Arab Emirates, and walked off with 52 million in cash. The US Embassy has also claimed that President Hamid Karzai is driven by paranoia.

• North Korea: Secret deals against North Korea. The US diplomats have persuaded South Korea to strengthen its alliance with China. In hopes of a North Korean economic collapse, the US hopes to establish a unified Korea without communist influence.

• Pakistan: The US has been working to remove uranium from a Pakastini nuclear reactor, which they fear could be used as a weapon. This top secret mission has been ongoing since 2007, and is not secret anymore.

• The United Nations: Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has asked several US diplomats to spy on foreign diplomats of the United Nations, most notably Secretary General Ban Ki-Moons...

• Germany: Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel is known as a Teflon by the US embassy; unaware of her criticism, afraid to take risks, and not very creative...

• Libya: Muammar al-Qadhafi, his extravagant lifestyle, and his voluptuous blond Ukrainian nurse who never leaves his side.

• Russia: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is the Batman and the alpha-dog, while President Medvedev is the Robin. Putin has an extremely close relationship with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi... and the Russian government is believed to have ties with organized crime.

• Italy: Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is defined by the US Embassy as "reckless, vain, and ineffective..." He parties too much and is never well rested.

• Zimbabwe: President Mugabe has been referred to as "The Devil" and is considered to be extremely clever and ruthless. His prime-minister, Tsvargirai, is described as flawed, indecisive, and weak.

As I said before, some of these documents are purely gossip, yet others are quite significant and strike some concern. Several questions come into play, concerning this release. The biggest one is Was it the Right Thing to Do?? I am a huge proponent of Freedom of Press, yet if its information that could lead to political turmoil, its only going to cause greater tension, and ultimately bring greater risk to lives. There is enough tension in this world as it is, and the last thing our world leaders need now is to be exposed talking behind people's backs, calling one another devils and weaklings... Who knows what this could lead to...

There have been accusations that Wikileaks should be considered a terrorist organization. This claim is somewhat exaggerated, yet also has a hint of truth to it, depending on the effects this release might bring... It seems thus far, that most leaders will simply disregard this leak, as unofficial and insignificant. However, the documents themselves are as real as it gets, and there's no question that each world leader will look over them, and remember what was said behind their backs... As terrible as the WikiLeaks may be, they have succeeded in sparking a mass interest in foreign affairs and foreign gossip! It will be interesting to see if any severe reactions come from this release... Whatever ends up happening, this whole story has already proven to be quite enormous, the stuff movies are made of, with many more documents still to come, and many more chapters still to be written...

http://cablegate.wikileaks.org/

Regarding The University of Wisconsin

This Thanksgiving weekend seemed to fly by due to my game in Madison Wisconsin. I left extremely early Friday morning, to make the 6 hour drive north. I volunteered to drop my aunt and grandma at O'Hare airport in Chicago, which was right along the way. I made it to Madison with a few hours to spare, so decided to take in some of the Black Friday madness. I bought a terabyte hard-drive and some new dvds. I met with Kealy around 12 in the afternoon to begin our setup. The weather was extremely cold, and the work moved by quite slowly. The game itself was a total blow-out and the Wisconsin Badgers went on to beat Northwestern and become the Big Ten Champions. Although this was my first time at Wisconsin, I hardly had any time to take in the campus. However I did see the impressive state capitol building that lies at the focal point of the city, and has an amazing architectural design... I left late after the game on Saturday, and got back to Indianapolis around 2am. After this recent visit to Wisconsin, I have now visited 9 of the 11 Big Ten Schools (Indiana, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan St, Illinois, Iowa, Northwestern, Ohio St, and Wisconsin)... All that remains to see is (Minnesota and Penn St)... Hopefully, all in due-time...

Foreign Affairs: Crisis in Korea

Today North Korea opened fire on South Korea, over the disputed border of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea. Before the town was evacuated it suffered heavy damage to its buildings as well as the loss of the two soldiers. North Korea claims that South Korea began the open-fire, yet it hardly seems likely given Kim Jong iI's history as an aggressive leader of the regime. Over the past year now, North Korea has began a mild blitz on the disputed island in the Yellow Sea. Today's event has marked one of the most aggressive acts from either side since the end of the Korean War in 1953, and surely brings up the question of what's next.

The Korean War 1950

Following the end of WWII, and the surrender of the Japanese Empire, the Korean Peninsula was divided into two parts. The north was occupied by the Communist Soviet Soldiers while the South was occupied by the American army. Tension over complete unification began to grow throughout the peninsula. This tension eventually grew to the point, where both United States and the Soviet had to intercede in what became known as the ultimate ignition of the Cold War. On June 25, 1950 the armies of North Korea invaded South Korea.

The United Nations, most notably the United States, came to the aid of South Korea claiming that the invasion was unjust. However this event marked a dividing line, between those who supported Capitalism in the Western Hemisphere and those who supported Communism in the eastern Hemisphere. While the United Nations sided with South Korea, the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China sided with North Korea. Thus the war became known not only as a civil war, yet more significantly as a proxy war of ideology.

The war lasted for nearly three years, as somewhat of a stalemate in the trenches. Many began to fear that nuclear war was the only way to bring an end to the conflict, however a cease-fire was finally agreed upon on July 27th, 1953. The North Korean invasion was thus repelled, and the external powers were forced to cease their invasions as well. The Korean Armistace was thus established in hopes to further peace talks between the two countries, along with the support of the United States and the Soviet Union. However for over 50 years now these peace talks have been quite unsuccessful and the tension between North and South Korea has remained.

Recent Activity

At the end of the Cold War, reconciliation between North and South Korea seemed very possible until the death of Kim il Sung, brought his son Kim Jong il to power in 1994. As ruler of North Korea, Kim Jong il, brought upon a fierce stance on relations with South Korea. By 1999 naval conflicts had re-emerged within the peninsula, and it soon became clear that the civil war may return. For the past ten years now North Korea has instigated a series of attacks and nuclear tests, which have caught not only the attention of South Korea yet of the world.

On March 26, 2010 North Korea sank a South Korean vessel in the Yellow Sea, killing 46 sailors. Many thought this was the final straw for South Korea, however President Lee Myung-bak merely condemned the attack and decided to cut off economic ties with their aggressors. Nearly 7 months after this attack in the Yellow Sea, the North Korean regime has once again made a loud statement that they are not quite finished. With his son Kim-Jong-un ready to take the helm of his ill father, the country seems extremely united and devoted to this cause of taking South Korea and uniting the peninsula. It will be interesting to see how the world most notably the United States government reacts to this aggression. North Korea has one of the fourth largest militaries in the world and surely is a force to be reckoned with.

Recently Seen Movies

The past few weeks I have seen several DVDs, none of which have truly impressed me. Here is a review of my recently seen movies.

• Robin Hood (C+)

I remember at first impression this film appeared to be an instant drama classic, perhaps the next Gladiator. I must sadly admit though that it did not deliver in typical Ridley Scott/Russell Crowe fashion. Perhaps my expectations were too high, thinking the two would once again create a classic as they did with Gladiator or American Gangster. Yet not even the shinning Cate Blanchett could save this dry film about the legend of Robin Hood. Unlike its many fictional predecessors, Ridley presents the story of Robin Hood in a more historical aspect . I give him high praise for doing this, as well as managing to blend in some good comedy into the story, however the story ultimately lacked any pull.... Furthermore the ending was extremely disappointing... The entire movie builds and builds and builds, and finally at the end it leaves you hanging without the real action... The movie is basically a prequel about the life of Robin Longshore before he becomes the Robin Hood we all know him as... I think that the only way to redeem this film, would be if the producers could come out with a sequel, with all the same actors, to continue the story...

• Broken Embraces (B-)

This Spanish film, also known as Los Brazos Rotos, helped me understand why Pedro Almodovar is one of the greatest Spanish directors of all time. The film is about a blind screenwriter, and his past love with one of his actresses, played by the stunning Penelope Cruz. The movie jumps back and forth, from the screenwriter telling the story to his son, to flashbacks of his love affair with Penelope Cruz. Along with this main plot, are also several sub-plots that all smoothly tie together in the end. Overall amazing, artistic, and passionate directing from Pedro Almodovar.

• Greenberg (C)

Every now and then Ben Stiller tries to treat us with something new, yet can never quite break away from his typical compulsive character. In this comedy-drama directed by Noah Baumbach, Stiller plays the lead role of a man in his 40s, recovering from a nervous breakdown. He decides to put aside all his ambitions, do absolutely nothing for a living, and somehow manages to find love throughout his new lifestyle. Stiller suceeds in creating a serious character, however does not create an awe-inspiring original character. The film has a decent soundtrack and some memorable parts, yet all together is nothing to rave about...

• The Road (C)

I remember often seeing Viggo Mortensen's name in the list of Oscar Potentials for his role in this post-apocalyptic fiction directed by John Hillcoat. It's a story about a man and his son trying to live in a wasteland, after an unexplainable event wipes out all of humanity. Viggo gives a memorable performance, as an extremely intense and protective father. The film brings up interesting concepts of survival and social interaction, however is somewhat dry and lacks any real inspiration...

• The Wolfman (C-)

I've never gotten into the Gothic craze of Vampires and Werewolves, however when I first heard about this film, I thought it might be able to pull me in. I was unaware of the story, yet the film had a dark appeal to it, especially with Benecio del Toro as the lead. However early into the movie I quickly concluded that Benecio del Toro was simply wrong for the part, and perhaps the film's biggest downfall. Emily Blunt managed to bring some light to the dark mystique, yet still couldn't save the overall ridiculousness of the film. It's a typical gory Horror film, that tries to add some dramatic quality, yet fails miserably.

• The French Connection (B)

Now here's a classic film, I've been meaning to watch for some time now. It's been considered one of the greatest of crime-films, with high praise on Gene Hackman's performance. So I finally got the chance to sit through it, and try to understand what makes it such a classic. Gene Hackman plays the hard-noised narcotics detective Jimmy "Popeye" Boyle, out to make a name for himself. He and his partner, played by Roy Scheider, go on an undercover hunt around New York City to bust a group of French smugglers. Major props go out to director William Friedkin for creating an extremely suspenseful chase scene through downtown Brooklyn. The camera takes you for a speedy and destructive ride, inside Jimmy Boyle's car, as he pursues the NYC Transit. The film achieves high marks in unpredictably, acting, and general filming and is definitely worthy of being a classic...

Looking Back at History: The Russian Civil War

I remember I was already quite aware of the Russian Revolution when I first saw the film Doctor Zhivago, directed by David Lean and starring Omar Shariff. The three hour epic is based off of Boris Pasternak's novel, about a good-hearted doctor, caught in a love triangle in the midst of the Russian Revolution. However after a second viewing I have come to realize that this film captures more of the Civil War than the actual Revolution. Therefore I thought it would be fitting to tie David Lean's incredible film into this entry regarding the Russian Civil War...


The History

• The Start of the Civil War (October 1917): Once the Bolsheviks had control of the government, they withdrew the Russian army from World War I and signed an armistice with the Central Powers. The Civil War began in October with uprisings in Petrograd to regain power from the Bolsheviks. Realizing that their revolution was still at threat, Leon Trotsky created the Red Army to squash the counter-revolution.

• The Volunteer Army (December 1917): There were still many people who declared their loyalty to the Provisional Government, as well people who still supported the Tsar's old regime. Both groups were against the Bolsheviks and therefore created the Volunteer Army to bring down the Bolsheviks. With support from the western governments of Britain, France, and USA the Volunteer Army were able to capture several cities, such as Rostov. The Volunteer Army later grew to become the White Army.

• The Czechoslovak Legion (June 1918) Things got worse for the Bolsheviks, when an unexpected intervention of the Czechoslovak Legion grew to prominence in the Western Front and began disarming Bolsheviks... The Legion consisted of nearly 30,000 prisoners of WWI, who wanted to continue the fight against Germany. By June of 1918 they had controlled most of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Realizing that their new government was at risk, the Bolsheviks decided to execute Czar Nicholas II and his family, to prevent them from falling into the hands of the White Army...

• The Russian Provisional Government of Omsk (September 1918): The Conservative and anti-Soviet organizations managed to meet and organize a new Russian Provisional Government in the city of Omsk. However this government quickly proved to be ineffective due to inner-struggles for power as well as opposition to the Czechoslovak Legion...

• The Black Army (July 1919) The Red Army had managed to capture the city of Kiev, Ukraine in February 1919, however quickly withdrew their forces from the city... This angered many Red Army soldiers, and in July of 1919 nearly 40,000 of them broke away from the Red Army and joined Nestor Makhno's Black Army of anarchy.... The anarchists were then able to control much of Southern Ukraine... With a force of nearly 100,000 soldiers the Black anarchist Army faced off with the White Army, in what became an ideal deterrent for the Red Army...

• The White Army's Final Offensive (October 1919) A new threat arose from Estonia in October of 1919, when a force of over 20,000 White-Army soldiers, with British support, marched on the city of Petrograd. Leon Trotsky refused to allow the city of Petrograd to fall and personally organized it's defenses. All able bodies of Petrograd, both men and women, were armed to defend their streets against the White Army. After a few weeks of battle the White Army was forced to call off their seige and retreat. This marked the turning point of the White Army.

• The Red Army takes the Advantage (January 1920) In hopes that the Black Army and the White Army would destroy one another, the Red Army averted its attention to winning back cities in the West. Leon Trotsky sent a massive army against the Russian Provisional Government, and successfully re-captured the city of Omsk as well as the Trans-Siberian Railroad.

• The White Movement goes into Exile (1920-1921) Following their defeat in Petrograd, the White Army began to realize the entire civil war was a loss cause, and also realized it was in their best interests to escape the country while they had the chance. Therefore, with the help of British ships, many counter-revolutionaries began to evacuate from Russia.

• The defeat of the Black Army (1921-1923) With the White Army out of the picture, the Red-Army turned it's attention to Japan on the east, and the anarchist Black Army in Ukraine. After a series of invasions and mass executions, Leon Trotsky was able to drive Nestor Makhno's anarchist movement out of Russia and into exile... Shortly after Japanese forces on the Eastern front also began to withdraw... By the end of 1922 the Civil War was finally over, however guerrilla resistance continued until 1925. The Bolsheviks had successfully retained their newly established Communist government, and would soon usher in an entire new era of Stalinism...

Looking Back at History: The Russian Revolution

My first fascination with the Russian Revolution began after watching Warren Beatty's epic film Reds, which is now one of my favorite films. The film centers around John Reed, a passionate American journalist, who covered the Bolshevik Revolution in his book, Ten Days that Shook the World. I was inspired not only by the passionate character of John Reed, yet more-so the actual event of the Revolution. An event where the people were able to successfully unite, bring down the unfair autocracy, and establish a new government of the people. Today we live in such simple times, and I could hardly imagine what it was like for those Russians to experience such a radical and sudden change in government...


The History

• Bloody Sunday (1905): At the start of the 20th century workers began to organize Socialist and Marxist parties to oppose the Russian Empire lead by Czar Nicholas II. On January 22 1905, a group of demonstrators marched to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to deliver a petition to the czar. The troops guarding the palace opened fired on the demonstrators, killing over 100 people. This tragic massacre became known as Bloody Sunday, and the beginning of the Russian Revolution.

• October Manifesto (1905): Following Bloody Sunday, strikes and riots began to spread throughout Russia and in order to avoid total chaos Czar Nicholas passed the October Manifesto. It granted basic civil rights, formed new political parties, and established the Duma as the central legislative body. This was still not enough for the radical socialists, and an uprising began on November 1905, led by Pytor Shdmit. The uprising lasted for nearly a month until the imperial troops were able to squash the resistance.

• The Rise of the Bolsheviks (1907-1912): On June 16, 1907 Czar Nicholas II did away with the State Duma and once again made himself absolute leader. The revolution had come to an end, yet political terrorism was on the rise led by the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks. In late 1912 the Bolsheviks broke away from the Mensheviks and elected Vladimir Lenin as their new leader.

• World War I (1914): Russia became a key part of the Triple Entente against Germany and the Central Powers. Yet after three years of war, the Russians began to suffer from scarce commodities and serious famine. They once again pointed their fingers at Czar Nicholas II and blamed him for his incompetence.

• February Revolution (1917): At the beginning of February 1917 workers began to strike and protest in the streets. It wasn't long until the military joined their cause and turned away from the war. Unable to control the chaos in the streets, Czar Nicholas II abdicated his throne on March 2, 1917, and gave control to a new provisional government.

• October Revolution (1917): In April of 1917, Vladimir Lenin returned from exile to undermine the newly established Provisional Government. He came to prominence withing the country after he published his April Thesis, crying out against the war, and explaining his communist ideology. During this period the Bolshevik party grew vast in numbers and were soon joined by other leftist parties and leaders, such as Leon Trotsky. On October 23, 1917 the Bolsheviks began with an uprising in the city of Tallinn and two days later in the city of St. Petersburg. With hardly any opposition the Bolsheviks were able to take control of the Winter Palace on October 25, 1917.

• Decree on Peace and Land (1917): Following the fall of the Winter Palace, the congress ratified the old constitution and gave full power to the Bolsheviks. Vladimir Lenin was chosen as the leader of the new Russia and passed the Decree on Peace and the Decree on Land to favor the peasants and workers... The new government had all the Russians banks nationalized, The Soviets took control of the factories, Private bank accounts were confiscated, The Church's property was seized, Wages were fixed higher, work days were made shorter, and all foreign debt was repudiated...

• And so came the end of the Revolution and the beginning of the Civil War...

Study of Russian Culture

Over the past few years I have developed a keen interest in Russian Culture. It is a heritage renown for it's
harsh winters, comradeship, vodka, caviar, great literature, classical music, realistic art, and most of all an incredible history. From the reign of Ivan the Terrible to the collapse of the Soviet Union, it's a culture full of intrigue and mystery with the people always at its core.

Russian History

It was Ivan the Terrible (1574-1584) who began to expand and establish Russia as an empire. He was known for his ruthlessness and madness, and managed to establish himself as the first czar of Russia. Following Ivan's reign began a terrible time for Russia known as the Time of Troubles. They soon became occupied by the Polish-Lithuanian and Swedish armies, broke out into civil war, and dealt with a harsh famine... By 1613 Michael Romanov ascended to the throne, and brought an end to the Time of Troubles, by making peace with Poland and Sweden, and thus began the Romanov dynasty...

It was Peter the Great (1672-1725) who brought serious reform to the Tsardom of Russia, and established the Russian Empire in 1721. He was inspired by his travels to Europe, and wanted to create a similar autocratic system for Russia. In doing so he modernized and expanded the country, and created his own city of St. Petersburg to be it's capital. Following his death in 1725, Russia was left in limbo for nearly 40 years until it was carried on by an equally ambitious ruler.

Catherine the Great was of German descent and became Empress of Russia in 1762 after having her incompetent husband, Peter III murdered. She continued to reform the empire, by giving back more power to the nobles and successfully waging war on the Ottoman Empire. By the time of her death in 1796, Russia had expanded into a vast and powerful nation.

During the reign of Alexander, Napoleon lead a massive invasion in 1812. In an extremely bold act, Alexander had the city of Moscow evacuated and burnt to the ground, so as not to give it to the French. Napoleon therefore had no choice but to retreat back to Paris, through the harsh winter. This proved to be a catastrophic journey for the French Army, who became victims to the freezing cold as well as the pursue of Russian militants. All throughout Europe people celebrated the defeat of Napoleon, and glorified Alexander and the Russian Empire. Russia would thus become the leading power of Europe for the next century.


Following the Napoleonic Wars, and the boom of the Industrial Revolution, Russia had become one of the great powers of Europe. Meanwhile it had completely loss track of its infrastructure and had isolated it's people. Throughout the 1840s, new ideologies of socialism and anarchism began to emerge in Russia, led by radical writers such as Karl Marx, Frederich Engels, Michael Bakunin, Alexander Herzen, and Peter Kropotkin. By 1861 it had become clear that the desire for reform was widespread, and in order to avoid a full-scale revolution, Alexander II abolished the serfdom.

When Nicholas II took reign in 1894, the Industrial Revolution had produced heavy opposition to the czar amongst the workers. They soon began to organize in political parties such as the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks, embracing the ideology of Marxism. It was not long until the first revolution took place in 1905... Years later in 1817 came the February Revolution followed by the October Revolution. In 1917 Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks seized power of Russia and dismantled the empire. A new government of the people was established.

Following the Revolution of 1917, Civil War broke out throughout the country between the Bolsheviks grip of power, known as the "Reds" and its right-wing opponents known as the "Whites". The war lasted from 1917-1923, and due to the immense leadership of Leon Trotsky, the Red Army was able to squash the counter-revolution, secure the country, and establish the Soviet Union.

Following Lenin's death in 1924, Josef Stalin took command of the newly established Soviet Union and didn't waste time in establishing a totalitarian rule. He had his competition, most notably Leon Trotsky exiled from the country, and took the government into a new direction of Communism. By the mid 1930s he had successfully developed an extremely successful and powerful industrial economy. In 1936 he began a campaign known as the Great Purge, to remove all those who disagreed with his politics. From the period of 1937-1938 more than 2 million people were arrested or sent to labor camps, and over half-a-million people were executed.

During World War II, the Soviet Union played a very important role in the outcome. Although Adolf Hitler despised Communism, he went forth and made a non-aggressive pact with Stalin so that he could carry forth his plan of invading Poland. After the invasion of Poland, the Nazis and Soviets split the country in half. Yet even from the beginning it was expected that this non-aggressive pact would not last long. It was Hitler who acted first, with his invasion of the Soviet Union, in June of 1941. However just as the Russians had driven Napoleon back, the Soviets were able to repeal the Nazi's blitzkrieg and eventually drive them all the way back to Berlin. The Battle of Berlin marked the end of Hitler, the end of the war, and the emergence of Soviet Union as a super-power.

Following WWII, USA and the Soviet Union had become the two ultimate super-powers in the world, and thus heavy tension arose between the two countries that become known as the Cold War. Throughout this tension was a race to rebuild economies, to rebuild arms, and to reach space. After Stalin's death in 1953, Nikita Khrushchev took command, and began to denounce Stalin's ideology and move the country in a new direction, in a process he called de-Stalinization.
However tension continued to remain between the USA and the USSR which nearly led to nuclear war in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan began an intense campaign to bring down the Soviet Union economy. He did this by covertly aiding support to it's neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan... In 1985 newly elected leader Gorbachev began serious reform on the Soviet Union. He brought new changes to foreign policy, ended the war with Afghanistan, and brought down the Berlin Wall in 1989, thus ending the Iron Curtain of Communism.

Russian Art

The culture of Russia is best captured in it's vividly colorful yet extremely realistic art. The cathedral of St. Basil serves not only as an architectural masterpiece, yet as the defining emblem of Russian art... Here are some of the Russian artists, that I have come to admire, all of which are from the Realist movement known as the Peredvizhniki...

• Ilya Repin (1844-1930) One of my favorite Russian painters, he blended extreme realism with captivating colors in masterful works such as; Religious Procession, Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossaks, Demonstration 17 October, and on the left Party 1881)

• Rafail Levitsky (1844-1927) The Bridge in the Woods is a masterpiece with incredible depth!

• Isaac Levitan (1860-1900) Was able to capture and create moods in his magnificent landscape paintings...

• Vasily Surikov (1848-1916) Incredible detail captured in his grand painting of Morning of Stretly's Execution

Russian Architecture


The greatest architectural landmark of Russia is without question the Saint Basil Cathedral in Moscow, Russia (sometimes referred to as the Kremlin). It was designed by the brothers Barma and Postnik Yakovlev, commissioned by Ivan the Terrible from 1555 to 1561.

It's unique colorful design demonstrates pillars of fire rising into the sky. This historic landmark served as an earthly symbol of the Byzantine and Russian Eastern Orthodox faith. There is no building in the world quite like this flamboyant masterpiece, however here are some other worthy mentions of Russian architecture;

• The Kremlin Square, Moscow
• Kizhi Pogost, Kizhi Island
• Winter Palace, St. Petersburg
• St. Isaac's Cathedral, St, Petersburg
• Peterhof Palace, St. Petesburg

Movies about Russia

Although some of these movies were produced in America, they still capture the essence of Russian history and culture...

• The Cranes are Flying (1957) This Soviet film depicts the cruelty suffered from World War II and won the Palme d'Or...

• Doctor Zhivago (1965) Directed by David Lean, and starring Omar Shariff... An epic love story in the backdrop of the Russian Civil War

• War and Peace (1965) The Soviet adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's novel, took over ten years to make and is considered to be the most expensive movie ever made...

• Reds (1980) Warren Beatty's masterpiece about John Jack Reed, an American journalist who covered the Russian Revolution... This film was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won 3...

Russian Literature

When one says Russian literature only one man comes to mind and that's Leo Tolstoy. I began reading his epic War & Peace back in March, and only have 3 more chapters to go!! The book has proved to be extremely challenging yet also extremely rewarding and inspiring to experience such detailed writing. I'll have a full review on this novel to come, yet Tolstoy is without question the epitome of Russian literature.

• Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) War & Peace, Anna Karenina, The Kingdom of God is Within You

• Boris Pasternak (1890-1960) Russian Poet best known for his masterpiece, Doctor Zhivago... I have recently begun reading his biography as well as his other work...

• Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881) Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, Notes from Underground

• Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters, The Cherry Orchard

Russian Cuisine: 


When I think of Russian Cuisine the first thing that comes to mind is their vodka and caviar delicacy.
Although I've tried plenty of Vodka, as it was my drink of choice in college, I've yet to try caviar. As a matter of fact I've yet to have any form of proper Russian meal. Since it's such a large country there are many regional traditions and cuisines within the country. If there's one thing I've gathered from this study it's that Russians enjoy their food to be sour. Some of the most popular entrees within the country are;

• Cold soups such as the Okroshka salad. It's like a creamy form of cole-sole, mixing vegetables, meat and sour milk.
• Hot soups such as the Shchi. It is a mixture of cabbage, meat, carrots, spicy herbs, and sour ingredients. 
• Dumplings such as the Plemeni. Pork, Lamb, Beef wrapped in thin slices of dough. 
• Pancakes known as Pirozhki. They are not only for breakfast with syrup and butter as we do yet as a main entry side mixed with meat, onions, rice, potatoes, cabbage, etc.

Russian Music

The masterful innovators of Classical Music, Opera, and Ballet...

• Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Is considered one of the greatest Russian composers of all time, most popular for his symphonies, operas, and ballets... Some of famous works include; Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, the 1812 Overture, and his First Piano Concerto....

• Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) Also played a significant and influential role in Russian's modern classical era, with his famous works such as the Firebird, Petrushka, and the Rite of Spring. I remember the first time I heard the Rite of Spring, was as a child watching the mythological world of Fantasia... Ever since the piece continues to be one of my awe-inspiring favorites!

• Dmitri Shostakovitch (1906-1975) A Soviet composer whose Music was used as propaganda to inspire the masses of Russia. As political as it may have the been the music is also extremely powerful and inspiring, most notably in his Waltz No 2...

I have come to believe that there is no history as compelling and intriguing as that of Russia's... Perhaps this is merely because it is such a vast and populated region... Maybe if I were to study China's history, I may find a similar comparison... (All in due-time!) Yet I must confess as amazing as the Russian culture may be, I have no intentions of visiting the ice tundra anytime soon...

Regarding University of Illinois

Did this game a few weekends ago in Urbana-Champaign and have been meaning to make a post about it. The drive from Indianapolis was very convenient, straight on highway 74, it took a little more than an hour to get there. However this was the 2nd game I've done at the University of Illinois and my impression was no different than it was before. I am sorry to say that the city of Champaign is nothing more than an industrial wasteland. It's a barren and dry atmosphere with factories and smoke torching the gray sky. The mere idea of attending this school is beyond me, and wonder why someone would chose this ugly campus over Northwestern or any of the other much more appealing Big Ten Colleges. I also noticed in a peculiar matter, the town has more Chinese restaurants then I have ever seen before... I stopped in at one of them, and was not very satisfied with the food. Yet somehow the Fighting Illini still manage to have a successful basketball and football program. The game I did that weekend with Kealy went extremely smooth, and to give U of I some credit, Memorial Stadium is one of the easiest setups I've done all year. Yet once the game was over, I was quite happy to be on my way...

Upcoming Movies: Academy Front-Runners

The end of the year is always my favorite time for movies, because it's the season of potential Academy Award Front-runners... These movies are the top-notch dramas of the year, backed by incredible screenplays, acting, scores, directing, etc... They are released at the end of the year, so as to remain most fresh in peoples mind come time for the voting... So here's a list of the upcoming films that have been on my radar and are sure to garner several Oscar noms...

• 127 Hours (Nov 5)

Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
Actors: James Franco
Premise: Based on a true story, a mountain climber is trapped in a canyon and must survive for six days before he is able to free himself.
The Score: AR. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)

The Appeal: Leave it to the pairing of Danny Boyle and James Franco, to make such a simple story into an exhilarating drama-thriller. To add to this, is the fact that the entire thing is based on a true story, which always goes over well with crowds. Expect this film to receive high praise for it's dramatic presentation and powerful acting from James Franco, which will surely establish him as one of the leading-actors in Hollywood.

Oscar Predictions: Best Actor (James Franco), Best Director (Danny Boyle)

• The King's Speech (November 26)

Director: Tom Hopper (John Adams, The Damned United)
Actors: Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush
Premise: King George VI, played by Colin Firth, must take the throne of England in 1936 after his brother abdicates. He has an immense fear of public speaking and must hire a professional therapist, played by Geoffrey Rush, to help him overcome his fear.
Score: Alexandre Desplat (Girl with the Pearl Earring, The Queen, The Painted Veil, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

The Appeal: A historic story with great acting!! Each of the three stars in the films have a very strong resume, and will surely establish memorable characters in this historic piece.

Oscar Predictions: Best Picture, Best Actor (Colin Firth), Best Supporting Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Best Supporting Actress (Helena Bonham Carter)

• Black Swan (Dec. 3)

Director: Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler)
Actors: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel
Premise: The New York City ballet company is producing Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, and Natalie Portman plays the prima ballerina. She is suddenly challenged by another up-and-coming star ballerina played by Mila Kunis.
The Score: Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler) There also better be lots of Tchaikovsky music
The Appeal: A psychological thriller, revolving around the masterful works of Tchaikovsky... Then of course there is Natalie Portman, who is one of today's best and most underrated actresses in the business. Also expect great performances from the up-and-comers, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel. I expect this one to be both visually and musically stimulating!
Oscar Predictions: Best Actress (Natalie Portman), Best Supporting Actress (Mila Kunis)

• The Fighter (Dec 10)

Director: David O Russell (Three Kings)
Actors: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo

Premise: Centers on the true life of professional boxer, Irish Micky Ward, played by Mark Whalberg and his older brother Dickie Eklund, played by Christian Bale.

Score: Michael Brook (Into the Wild)

The Appeal: Seems like a Raging Bull yet with a Boston-Irish twist. To add to this are the incredible acting skills of Whalberg, Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo. Expect high praise from Christian Bale's performance as the washed-up, drug-addicted brother of Micky Ward.

Oscar Predictions: Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale)

• True Grit (Dec 22)

Director: Ethan and Joel Coen (Fargo, O Brother Where Art Tho, No Country for Old Men, A Serious Man)
Actors: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin

Premise: A young 14-year old girl, persuades a marshal played by Jeff Bridges, to track down and hunt the man who murdered her father.

Score: Carter Burwell (In Bruges, Where the Wild Things Are)

The Appeal: Looks like another Coen brothers Western masterpiece... Even though Westerns aren't my favorite genre, I can always count on the directing of the Coen brothers as well as the acting of Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin to keep my interest. I also have a feeling that Matt Damon may steal the show in this one as the Texan Ranger La Boeuf...
Oscar Predictions: Best Supporting Actor (Matt Damon)

• Somewhere (Dec 22)

Director: Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette)
Actors: Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning

Premise: An actor in his mid 30s, living the Hollywood-dream-life is suddenly visited by his 11 year old daughter, of which he must now take care of.

Score: Produced by Phoenix, as well as a catchy track by The Strokes

The Appeal: The artistic and original vision of Sofia Coppola, accompanied by her great taste in music. Although these two actors are somewhat unknown, I expect this film to be very intriguing with a strong story and some great directing from Sofia...

Oscar Predictions: Best Director (Sofia Coppola)

• The Way Back (Dec 29)

Director: Peter Weir (Witness, Dead Poets Society, The Truman Show, Master and Commander: Far Side of the World)
Actors: Jim Sturgess, Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Saoirse Ronan, Mark Strong
Premise: Set during World War II, about a group of prisoners who escaped from a Soviet labor camp in Siberia, and their long passage into India.
Score: Burkhard Dallwitz
The Appeal: The sub-genre of WWII labor camps is one that never grows old to me, especially due to the fact that they are always based on true accounts. This film is a bit different in that it establishes the Soviets as the antagonists instead of the typical Nazis. With the respected directing of Peter Weir and an incredible ensemble cast, this film is without question one of the must-see dramas of the year.
Oscar Predictions: Best Supporting Actor (Ed Harris)

• Biutiful (Dec 29)

Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel)
Actor: Javier Bardem
Premise: An underworld figure and devoted dad, played by Javier Bardem, attempts to reconcile with his past.
Score: Gustavo Santaolalla (The Motorcycle Diaries, Brokeback Mountain, Babel)
The Appeal: In a collaboration that I am calling, "El Gran Tres", this film has brought together three of the biggest names in the Spanish/Latin film industry. Therefore I have no doubts that this film will guarantee masterful directing from Alejandro Inarritu, masterful acting from Javier Bardem, and a masterful score from Gustavo Santaolalla. After watching the preview I am quite convinced that it will be the best drama of the year.
Oscar Predictions: Best Picture, Best Directing (Alejandro Inarritu), Best Actor (Javier Bardem), Best Score (Gustavo Santaolalla)





Other Upcoming Films

• Made in Dagenham (Nov 19)
• White Material (Nov 19)
• I Love You Philip Morris (Dec 3)
• Night Catches Us (Dec 3)
• Another Year (Dec 29)
• Blue Valentine (Dec 31)

* Full Oscar Predictions to come in January