Book Review: Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

The August Great Readers of M read the Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez. I chose this book as our monthly selection and it quickly moved into my Current Top 10 books. This book was absolutely amazing. It was a candid look into the lives of Afghan women. Debbie is hilarious, I often caught myself laughing out loud. She did something most American women would never dream of doing.

Kabul Beauty School begins with the story of a wedding. Families save for years and even take on huge debts to make engagement parties and weddings as festive (despite men and women being separated) as possible. The groom's parents are usually expected to provide a large cash dowry, expensive dresses, and gold to the bride. The bride's virginity and family honor are very, very big issues in Afghanistan, and in this particular wedding it turns out there is a serious "technical" problem. Fortunately, "Miss Debbie" solves it just in time.

Deborah came to Afghanistan as a set of extra hands for a medical team in an effort to escape her abusive husband. After the culture shock of her first few days and feeling useless, she discovers her beauty-shop experience is highly valued by both Afghans and Westerners in Kabul. Upon learning that the Taliban essentially destroyed the existing salon industry, she vows to establish a training program. So, its back to Michigan to obtain corporate donations and divorce her husband before returning.

The bulk of Kabul Beauty School consists of vignettes of what Deborah learns of terrible female abuse (mostly by their husbands) from her students. Fleeing an abusive husband or having been raped are even grounds for imprisonment. In addition, we learn that electric power in Kabul is on for less than 4 hours/day, significant caste-like differences exist between tribes, and the nation is also plagued by corruption and inept police. At the end, Deborah wonders if she has accomplished anything lasting - her school and salon have been shut down as a reaction to civilian deaths caused by a traffic accident involving the U.S. military, and the Taliban are re-surging.

This book is refreshing and passionate. I could not put it down. I am so lucky to be living in the USA. I recommend this book to everyone.

DVD Review: Into the Wild

Here is a movie that, for all intents and purposes, is a good film. It is a travelogue that shows some of the most picturesque landscape that America has to offer. However, despite all that it offers visually, it's compromised in the romanticized view of its central character by writer/director Sean Penn.

Into the Wild chronicles the journey taken by Christopher McCandless. He was a young man who, upon graduating from Emory College in 1990, rebelled against his family and what he felt was a capitalist, materialistic society. He chose to remove himself from society, lest he be caught up in it and have his life spoiled by it. To that end, he donates his life savings to charity, drives his car as far west as it will go, burns his money and identification, and heads off into the wilderness.

Along the way, with Alaska as his goal, there is a succession of individuals who float in and out of his life, each leaving an indelible mark on the young man. Among them are a couple of hippies living life out of an RV (Catherine Keener, Brian Dierker), a wheat farmer (Vince Vaughn), a couple of Danish vacationers, a teenage singer (Kristen Stewart), and a kindly old man (Hal Holbrook).

The most notable is Hal Holbrook's Ron Franz, who stands out the most. The elderly war vet sees something in the young man. During the short time they spend together he comes to look on McCandless as the son he never had. It is the most emotionally touching and involving sequence of the film. Holbrook truly left a mark on the journey.

To its credit, the film is very well made. It takes its time to get from point A to point B. It has a nice, meandering pace that allowed me to linger on some of the beauty that the country has to offer. It is different than your standard Hollywood fare, which is always about how fast we can get to the next plot point or set piece.

The performances are also quite good. Emile Hirsch does a good job of portraying the idealistic young man. I do not, exactly, buy him as the saintly, driven person portrayed here. I get the feeling that Penn has, at least slightly, idealized him and what he believes he stood for. However, that is to take nothing away from what Hirsch was able to do. As for the supporting roles, I already mentioned Hal Holbrook's impact, but he is not the only one to have a moment of clarity. Brian Dierker as the hippie Rainey has considerable presence as one of McCandless' benefactors. Even Vince Vaughn has a memorable turn as a happy-go-lucky man who takes a liking to the traveler.

Eddie Vedder's collaborations provide some good music, athough, it is not the same Vedder I remember from the early Pearl Jam days. The music is quite fitting to the tone and pace of the film.

For all the good that Into the Wild has to offer, I am sure you are wondering why I don't like it. Well, it has to do with Christopher McCandless himself. I mean no disrespect for the dead. I am sorry about what happened to him, but the thing of it is that it did not have to happen. I get the feeling that his desire to flee materialistic society and rebel against his family were just a smokescreen covering up some mental problems. There are other ways to rebel rather than heading off, unprepared (no matter how many books he had, he was not prepared for what was to come), into the wilds of the north.

I have to believe that there was a better way for him to deal with his society issues, with his father problems, and whatever else he felt, or thinks he felt, about society. Instead, he chose a rather selfish route that eventually led to his death and irreparable pain for his family. I liken him to Timothy Treadwell, another man who was not prepared for what he was getting himself into, likely suffered from mental problems, and eventually paid for his actions with his life.

Bottom line. It is a nicely crafted film, however it seeks to make a statement about society that rings hollow and canonizes a young man who went about his revolution the wrong way. Do I have the answer? No. He would probably see me as part of the "problem." Be that as it may, he went off into the wild, ill prepared to handle what was there and eventually paid the ultimate price.

DVD Review: the Illusionist

It’s the early 1900s in Vienna, Austria, following the adventures of one Eisenheim, the illusionist, as he dazzles the everyday folk and the royals with his trickery on stage. That is, until he decides to challenge the Prince with his puzzles, and ends up be smitten by his lover. What follows are more tricks, deceptions and plenty of slight of hand, as the illusionist is backed into a corner and I'm left wondering what is real and what is not.

A gorgeous-looking movie featuring a fascinating lead character who likes to pull the wool over people’s eyes by amazing them with feats of magic, disappearance, guesswork and yes, you guessed it…illusions. I guess you could call this guy the David Copperfield or David Blaine of his day, only unlike Blane, he actually performs magic and doesn’t just cage himself in ice for a few days and call it magic.

The actor portraying the man of which I speak is Edward Norton, back in top form on the big screen, after seemingly disappearing from the face of the planet himself over the past few years. But he’s back with a vengeance here, and a monster goatee to boot. Paul Giamatti also plays his conflicted character to a tee, finally discarding his knack for playing lovable schlubs and showing the world why he’s been certified as one of our best character actors. In third spot comes Jessica Biel, who despite my own personal reservations, actually held her own against the two more established thespians, and did so without any gratuitous boob or ass shots (although she definitely allowed her lips to do the acting in a couple of sequences).

But the film wasn’t entertaining all the way through simply because of its characters alone, it also featured a highly authentic and moody look and feel, which along with some darkened corners on the film reel itself, provided the movie with just the right amount of mystery required. I love movies like this because they keep me guessing, and nowadays in Hollywood, the only thing left to answer is how many sequels a successful generic film will require in order for the studio to stop their uninspired movie-making trend (there’s no correct answer to this query as of yet).

Thankfully, writer/director Neil Burger has other plans as he has created here, a wonderful cinematic experience filled with lush visuals, eye-catching costumes, authentic locales, a believable and romantic love-story, as well as plenty of magic and suspense for anyone who appreciates that sort of thing. I didn't guess what the film’s final “illusion” was, but the movie still held me within its grasp, if only because I was consistently wondering from where the next twist would come.

Oh yeah, and I almost forgot about the always-entertaining Rufus Sewell, who sneered his way through yet another palpable nasty-man role. The film did surprise me with a couple of small turns in the end, and I most certainly appreciated its final “reveal”, if only because it helped clear it all up in my mind, and left me with a happy feeling in my heart.

I dug it all, and even though I liked its first hour a little more than its second half, the film on the whole was a wonderful achievement in many respects and should be viewed by anyone searching for an old school whodunit sprinkled with love, magic and the massive Norton goatee!

Eureka: I Do over

"Ohh, dude." -- Jack Carter, on learning he would have to memorize a formula for the next time loop shift.

Boy, I do loves me a Groundhog Day episode! No, I don't mean an episode of a show where they pull a helpless groundhog out of its hole in the cold of winter just to "predict" what's coming up in the next six weeks. I'm talking an episode that features some sort of time loop where a character or characters relive a particular day over and over again. As they go along they learn from the mistakes they made in previous loops. Eventually, through some way that usually isn't understandable, the time loop is closed and things move forward. It's been done on past shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation and The X-Files.

Now, Eureka joins their ranks with another Groundhog Day episode. At first, I was looking forward to the episode. And, as it progressed, I really enjoyed how the story expanded and how Carter put the pieces together. Then, came the solution and....Oh, no no no no no! (SPOILERS AHEAD)

Look, I wasn't the biggest fan of Stark. He was a bit too smart for his own good, he was always at odds with Carter and, as Jack said in this episode, his ego was too big to fit in the building. But, deep down inside he was a caring, loving individual who cherished Allison and her son. Plus, he was starting to warm up to Jack this season. Though, that wasn't very apparent for most of this episode. I chalk that up to wedding jitters.

Now, Nathan's gone. Oh sure, he can come back at any time -- this being a science fiction show and all. It was just the suddenness of Stark's "demise" that was so shocking. I thought that all of the good-byes he was saying to Jack were just precautionary. I guess he knew more about what was going to take place than either Jack or Fargo knew. When Nathan was shown suspended in time I knew something was going to go wrong.

I have to applaud the writers and producers of Eureka for throwing us this curve ball. The episode was set up to make the ending seem like the wedding would go on with Allison and Nathan becoming happily wedded while Carter watched on in, if not approval, at least acceptance. It was practically telegraphed with Carter's statements to her after the last time jump. Plus, when the promo said that the town would 'lose one of their own', it added up to the loss of Leo, who handled Time Maintenance for Global Dynamics and died trying to stop the time loops from happening.

Things will definitely be changing on Eureka. At least for the time being. It will be interesting to see how Jack reacts to this. Being that he doesn't have an opportunistic bone in his body, I can't see Jack jumping in to fill the gap that Nathan left when he disappeared into the time stream. He will be there for Allison, no doubt about that, but he will probably stay a safe distance away. Especially since he watched Nathan sacrifice himself for Allison. Whether Allison will remain distant to Jack is another story entirely.

Let's talk about Jack's adventures through time for a moment. After watching these type of episodes on a number of different shows, it seems that you can't really screw it up too much. That's because the story can stretch and grow as each instance is shown. The biggest pitfall is missing something someone mentioned in a previous loop. Carter's little journey over the same day was one of the better versions of this format I have seen. It was enjoyable not only because Jack was able to learn from his mistakes in order to determine what was going on, but because the added value of other stuff bleeding through each loop added a bit of interest to the plot. Not only was it enjoyable, but it was also frustrating to watch.

Until the very end only Jack knew that something was wrong. It was hard to watch him struggle to let everyone else in the town know what the hell was going on. And, when he did tell them, they didn't believe him. I mean, what did he know about the mechanics of time! Sadly, it was too late for a number of people when everyone realized what was going on.

Oh-kay! There was another storyline in this week's episode of Eureka: Jack's sister, Lexxie. Oh yeah, two totally different people. Where Jack has stability, Lexxie has that free-wheeling sense of adventure -- probably one reason why she will fit in well in Eureka. She does bring some baggage into town -- she's pregnant, which will be an interesting plot point as she gets more and more pregnant and Jack begins to react. I can also see some conflict brewing as Lexxie begins to exert some of her influence on Zoe. Something that will probably give Carter many headaches.

Before I conclude, a few odds and ends:

Degree deodorant had at least three scenes as it was given a deliberate close-up in Carter's bathroom. Well, at least they weren't talking about the advantages of the product right in the show.

"He's your Doctor WHO." "That's my favorite show!". -- Vincent getting the reference to the World Health Organization a bit incorrect.

I learned a bit more about what Eva Thorne is looking for in the town of Eureka. It seems she is searching for something under the ground. What that could be is anyone's guess.

In Plain Sight: A Fine Meth (season finale)

It feels to me that a big chunk of the first season of In Plain Sight was Brandi's great adventure, and this show was the big finish. In a twist that was both surprising and satisfying, the loose ends were tied up and the air was cleared for the show to return for more chapters in the Shannon family saga. And all that other stuff that Mary's been doing with the Witness Protection Program, too.

After nearly eleven hours (give or take) of Mary's frustration with her mother and sister, it all came to a head. This was an episode heavy on the drama, and he did a great job balancing the FBI investigation, Marshall and Stan's efforts to save Mary's career, and the family dynamics. From the first scene between the Shannons, there was no question that this was not going to be a warm and fuzzy examination of their feelings. Mary dropped the hammer when she told Jinx and Brandi how much trouble they were in.

Kudos to Mary McCormack. She looked like hell for most of the show, which was completely appropriate after what she'd been through. Her performance was excellent. It was hard to feel sorry for Brandi. She was crying and moaning like she was the victim when she created the entire disaster. Mary had every right to be furious with her sister. Brandi's reckless actions endangered all of them.

Jinx's revelation -- that Mary was not her father's favorite -- was cruel beyond belief. I loved it when Mary was able to trump her with the letters. Also, considering the fact that Mary's such a savvy character, it would have been incredulous if she'd thought she was her father's favorite based only on her wacky mother's stories. It made sense that Mary had proof of his feelings. Of course, next season is going to have to get in to where Mr. Shannon is. I wouldn't be stunned to find out that he's in WITSEC and Mary's his handler.

The back story about Biscuit, the teddy bear, was sweet. I could really relate, too, because those flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz gave me nightmares when I was a kid, too. It was also nice and appropo that Raph was the person to remind Mary that Brandi's family and she needs Mary's help.

Were you worried that Mary was going to be found with the suitcase of meth? I was. Then I thought she must have had a plan or something because just as she told Brandi when she wanted to make a run for it, the FBI would stop her before the car was down the street. Instead, Mary, Jinx and Brandi were all shocked to see towels in the suitcase instead of drugs. The final shot of Raph taking batting practice in a baseball stadium, with the grounds crew putting white chalk down the foul lines, was the perfect button on the season. The smile on his face was not in reaction to his swing (which was awful), it was because he knew what was really lining the field. Raph turned out to be smarter than all three Shannons put together. He's also a really good guy.

In Plain Sight is now officially over for 2008. I'm anxious to see where they take the show in 2009. I'm even curious about Mary's annoying family, which is something I thought I would never feel when the series began.

Other points of interest:

Great line. "I'm the hall monitor in this family and nobody likes the hall monitor."

I've wanted to like Lesley Ann Warren, but I just don't. She's all wrong for this role. She's too hysterical...all the time.

Dad's letter to Mary was perfect. I mean, considering the fact that he was abandoning her, the sentiments were great.

Spanky wouldn't drink a Diet Coke but he'd eat powdered sugar donuts? I guess he got that Michael Phelps body from proper eating habits.

Mary's description of the taste of blood was graphic and pretty gross. "A sickening, sweet smell. I don't think it's ever going to go away." All the booze in the world wasn't going to erase that taste.

The authorities have the right to rip up someone's home with a search warrant. They have the right, but it's really disgusting that they can do so much damage and just walk away. And, yes, they do it all the time.

As I said last time, Stan finally has proved himself. Marshall also was the real brains, figuring out that Rebecca's kid was Spanky's because of the RH factor. Love that Marshall.

Mad Men: Three Sundays

After the last episode of Mad Men, I have been thinking about that scene in the restaurant between Don and Bobbie (you know, That Scene) and what it means for Don's character. My feeling was that this was the beginning of Don becoming dangerously unhinged, and after this episode I'm even more convinced. I would not be shocked if he became increasingly violent as this season progresses.

But Don's not the only one whose world is unraveling; it seems that many people in the Sterling Cooper universe are reaching their own breaking points. With the slow and deliberate pace of Mad Men, I find myself becoming more and more on edge with each episode, as though watching a storm slowly gather, and waiting for lightning to strike.

Don Draper: I think Don's unraveling is two-fold. Firstly, men like Don and Roger Sterling are a dying breed, and as this dramatic decade rolls on, I think they will feel more and more obsolete. This is tough for men who pride themselves and have entire careers riding on the fact that they are in touch with what Americans want and need. Earlier episodes this season that hinted at Don's age and things like his not being charmed by Jacqueline Kennedy, support this point. Secondly, Don is having an increasingly difficult time reconciling his troubled, secret past and his present life. In this episode, he struggles mightily to not repeat the sins of his father, only to explode and shove Betty. More and more I'm seeing the scary side of Don.

Betty Draper: Poor Betty is clearly feeling trapped, and conflicted about this life that she thinks is supposed to make her happy. The scenes between Don and Betty are unsettling. Earlier episodes this season hinted at her sexual dissatisfaction with Don, testing the waters elsewhere to feel attractive and sexy. She has a lot of anger pent up, and her outbursts signal that she's becoming discontent and overwhelmed by raising their children, feeling like she's stuck at home all day and "outnumbered" by the kids.

Peggy Olson: Peggy's family hosts a young priest from their congregation and he quickly takes a shine to Peggy. Her sister can't help but be a little disgusted by all the praise heaped on Peggy — despite her recent transgressions. The constraints on women at the time aside (and I know we don't know the entire story yet), I am still weirded out by Peggy's odd state of denial. So, even though ratting Peggy out in confession to the priest was not very nice, I can sympathize with her sister's frustration.

Some more thoughts:

Scariest line of the night goes to Don: "You want me to bring home what I got at the office today? I'll put you through that window." Yikes.

Also someone should just sign Sally Draper up for AA meetings right now. After fixing her dad stiff drinks and getting wasted at the office, I think it's safe to say the girl's going to have issues. And by "issues" I mean hopping on that free love revolution train and heading to San Francisco, to Don's horror.

Pete's short shorts are amazing. I am still intrigued by him, and would like more Pete next episode.

Does anyone else find the kid playing Bobby Draper a little creepy? I know he's just a kid, but onscreen he just seems utterly lifeless.

I really enjoyed the scene between Roger Sterling and his daughter. Let the generation clashes begin as the daughter has her own ideas about what a wedding means to her. Then it swiftly turns sad as Roger's wife romantically reminisces about their wedding, followed a few scenes later by Roger's interactions with Vicky.

High-priced hookers are popping up quite a bit on Mad Men (remember Betty's old roommate, the "party girl"?). Do you think this was more common/classier than it is today? Perhaps more overt? At any rate, as much as I enjoy the life Roger injects into the series, he also strikes me as pathetic when it comes to the ladies. And I can't help thinking about his poor wife.

Movie Review: Mamma Mia! Hard to Imagine a Better Party

If there were a family get-together with all the slick, recent Broadway-to-film productions, like Hairspray and Dreamgirls, Mamma Mia! would be the drunk older aunt whose clothing doesn't really match and who says all the wrong things but you love her and her kooky, off-kilter self anyway. The movie is, like that aunt, all over the place: Only a third of the cast can actually sing, the plot is thin, and the characters are — with the exception of a few moments — as one-dimensional as it gets. Oh, and there are hardly three minutes between one ABBA cover and the next.

In place of the large-scale choreographed dance productions of other musicals, Mamma Mia! chooses to go heavy on stuff like arms waving in the air, frolicking through streets, and bed bouncing. It has all the girlish exuberance of a slumber party, the sweaty debauchery of a bachelorette party, and the spectacle of a big fat Greek wedding. The movie — and all the actors in it — so unabashedly embrace a spirit of innocence and joy that it's hard to imagine a more perfect form of escapism.

Despite filming in a stunning sun-drenched location, the cast is the real reason this summer movie shimmers.

Mamma Mia! is a party from start to finish. It takes place within a short period of time on a small Greek island where 20-year-old Sophie (played by one of the cast members who can really sing, Amanda Seyfried) is about to get married, though her hippie mother, Donna (Meryl Streep), is concerned she might be too young. The only thing Sophie's missing to complete her perfect day is that she wants her father to give her away — but she's not sure who her father is.

After busting into Donna's diary, Sophie discovers that there are three men who could be her dad, and without telling anyone she invites all three to the wedding. And they all show up. . . for some reason. Meanwhile, Donna's randy old girlfriends have also descended onto the island for the wedding and are there by her side when the three men from her past suddenly appear.

Now, I understand that for some of you, this silly plot plus nonstop ABBA sounds about as fun as pouring gasoline in your eyes and if that's the case, this movie isn't for you. I don't think the filmmakers are trying to convert anyone here. No, this movie was made for the initiated. For those folks (like me) who wish real life were peppered with spontaneous bursts of song and dance, and whose idea of a good time might include getting sauced with Christine Baranski and Meryl Streep.

And basically that might be what's at the heart of this movie: wanting to hang out and have a goofy good time with these beloved actors. So when Collin Firth is suddenly in a ridiculous, gaudy outfit, singing a cheeseball ABBA song it made me buckle over in laughter, the same way it would if I saw my own dad or uncle doing it. They know it's kind of a joke, but they seem happy to be the punchline, and it's so endearing to see all these great performances come out of actors who have tossed out their vanity in the name of fun.