May 7, 2013
by mara.ahmed
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went to see BeeEye at the imagine festival at rit on may 4th, 2013. it’s a wonderful video installation by my friend, artist and filmmaker cat ashworth. talking about the disappearance of honeybees, one of the beekeepers called it a … Continue reading
April 23, 2013
by mara.ahmed
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april 22, 2013: just saw “bidder 70″ a doc about environmental activist tim dechristopher’s bid to save 22,000 acres of land in utah from oil and gas extraction. he was imprisoned for disrupting an auction, even tho the auction was … Continue reading
April 23, 2013
by mara.ahmed
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yesterday, on april 21st 2013, i went to see “divine milieu: the last confession of teilhard de chardin” at the space theatre in rochester. pierre teilhard de chardin (1881 – 1955) was a french philosopher and jesuit priest, a paleontologist … Continue reading
February 14, 2013
by mara.ahmed
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2/9/2013: saw margaret atwood’s “the penelopiad,” a nightwood theatre production performed at buddies in bad times theatre, in toronto. it’s a feminist take on homer’s odyssey, in which penelope’s story becomes front and center, haunted by the shocking hanging of … Continue reading
January 10, 2013
by mara.ahmed
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today “uncle vanya” at vaudeville theatre, a reception at the w hotel near leicester square and then matilda, the musical. not sure about matilda, altho i’m told it’s thrilling.
January 10, 2013
by mara.ahmed
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twelfth night and richard III at the apollo theatre yesterday – a transfer from shakespeare’s globe, “original practices” and all male cast, mark rylance and stephen fry, complete fidelity to the original text. simply magnificent.
January 7, 2013
by mara.ahmed
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saw this wonderful ballet yesterday, along with two other plays. loved what matthew bourne did with sleeping beauty. he gave agency to aurora, who is an energetic and passionate young woman in love with a working class lad, leo the … Continue reading
January 5, 2013
by mara.ahmed
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had lunch at the british library yesterday. the cheese cake with berry compote was delicious but not so much the quikes cheddar, tomatoes and rocket sandwich. dinner was out of this world at this small lebanese joint. i had chicken … Continue reading
January 4, 2013
by mara.ahmed
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went to see “mughal india: art, culture and empire” at the british library today. it’s an excellent exhibit of art, some objects, and a lot of books – on astronomy, medicine, mathematics, literary classics like the poetry of hafiz and … Continue reading
January 2, 2013
by mara.ahmed
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saw strindberg’s “dance of death” today at trafalgar studios. small theater. i was sitting in the front row, almost inside the set, an unwitting part of the conjugal storm exploding on stage. modernized to accommodate a strong, equally devious woman, … Continue reading
December 28, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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watched michael haneke’s “amour”: unflinching, unsparing, intelligent, deeply moving. it’s about marriage and debilitating old age – the dissolution of love and life and its reduction to unadorned pitiful survival. there was complete silence in the theater after the film … Continue reading
October 21, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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melancholia: sadness, lugubriousness, moroseness, wistfulness. “an oppressive sorrow, which, to wit, so weighs upon man’s mind, that he wants to do nothing.” (thomas aquinas) “the height of joy, the moment when the world can improve no further, is both the … Continue reading
October 19, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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went to see “freud’s last session” yesterday. written by mark st germain, the play is based on an imaginary meeting between freud and c.s. lewis. lewis is a young professor at oxford. freud is in his 80s and dying of … Continue reading
September 19, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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City News September 19, 2012 It’s difficult to know where to even begin when discussing the conflict between Palestine and Israel, a decades-old schism with passionate stances on both sides, each believing theirs to be the just one. Yet as … Continue reading
September 14, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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watched “terra blight” today, at the greentopia film festival. it’s an extremely informative documentary about how e-waste (e.g. most of the 100 million computers discarded each year in the u.s. alone) is being shipped to developing countries like ghana where … Continue reading
September 13, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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watched “detropia” today at the greentopia film festival. a lesson in filmmaking. by constructing a gradual, deliberate visual tapestry of the city of detroit as it stands today, accompanied by a compelling musical score, the filmmakers capture the saga of … Continue reading
September 13, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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watched “chasing ice” at the greentopia film festival yesterday. gorgeous, surreal cinematography. disturbing message about global warming, presented with undeniable visual evidence. must see for all citizens of the globe, esp those who contribute most to climate change. we’re close … Continue reading
August 21, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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watched abbas kiarostami’s “certified copy” and loved it. it’s an intellectual and visual treat (set in tuscany, it’s about art and authenticity, love and marriage, illusion and reality) and yes, juliette binoche is one of the most stunning women on … Continue reading
July 25, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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for years i have followed arundhati roy’s political writings – her moral courage and eloquence are a constant inspiration. i finally finished reading her only book of fiction “the god of small things” and once again i am inspired. the … Continue reading
July 12, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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watched “to rome with love” – except for some sharp repartee between woody allen himself and the topnotch judy davis, the film sags and eventually fizzles out with too many great actors who don’t have nearly enough to do. the … Continue reading
May 9, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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watched “hiroshima, mon amour” last night and loved it. it’s about war and peace, about love and loss, about forgetfulness and remembrance, all intertwined in a poetic combination of script and cinematic imagery, musical patterns and physical synchronicity. alain resnais … Continue reading
April 4, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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the most stunning thing about werner herzog’s “cave of forgotten dreams” is the exquisite art. by using uneven cave surfaces, dripping water and the transient light and shadows created by fire, artists endowed their work with life-like texture, movement and … Continue reading
March 25, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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finally saw bergman’s “the seventh seal” – visually stunning and profound. no wonder it’s considered one of the best films ever made. the film is ground-breaking. it’s one of bergman’s earliest films i believe and it shows us many things … Continue reading
January 14, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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loved the film. its perfectly framed shots, impeccably choreographed scenes, spare dialogue and quiet moments of brilliance r like a visual poem. by creating physical, mental and emotional space around his narrative, elia suleiman imbues his palestinian characters with elegance … Continue reading
January 14, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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based on a true story and shot with the realism of a documentary, the film is a psychological but also v physical depiction of what it’s like to have one’s home occupied by soldiers. the metaphor obviously extends to the … Continue reading
January 7, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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watched françois truffaut’s l’enfant sauvage (the wild child) again last night. what an exquisite film. the black and white cinematography is gorgeous, antonio vivaldi’s sublime music forms the film’s entire musical score, truffaut’s performance as the real-life dr itard is … Continue reading
January 6, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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finally saw miral. the film’s content is fine, except perhaps the oslo accords which r presented as a viable solution to the occupation. a map of what was proposed would be useful as it would be a visual recap of … Continue reading
January 6, 2012
by mara.ahmed
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occupied minds: a candidate for the palestinian film festival we’re organizing in rochester. the film touches on many important issues, it’s personal and therefore easier to watch and access. it tries to be balanced (which can be a problematic word … Continue reading
December 22, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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The case of Budrus has been celebrated, especially in the West, because of the villagers’ employment of non-violent protests and other actions. Expressing this view on non-violence, Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen writes: “Those of us who have watched Israel … Continue reading
December 2, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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watched this absolutely fascinating pbs documentary last night. “In 1993, Jessie Little Doe Baird had dreams in a language that her Wampanoag people stopped using more than 100 years ago. The new PBS film We Still Live Here shows how … Continue reading
October 7, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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liked truffaut’s “l’homme qui aimait les femmes” (the man who loved women). didn’t find it offensive or that funny for that matter. found it immensely interesting.
September 23, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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“It has always been a struggle for me to explain myself, who I truly am, and how I should or shouldn’t act in culturally diverse situations. Occasionally I feel confused, proud, and even awkward about how to deal with the … Continue reading
September 7, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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watched a few episodes of “the tudors.” it’s a sexed up, soap opera-ish account of henry VIII’s travails, with awful digitally-generated sets. what struck me most (apart from the obscene disconnect b/w ruler and subject and the sad results of … Continue reading
August 20, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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read an excerpt from sadegh hedayat’s “the blind owl” – it’s considered to be one of the classics of iranian (nay human) literature. it’s dark, poetic, layered, circular, intense, nightmarish – full of symbolism and human psychology. hedayat was one … Continue reading
August 1, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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saw “the fighter” last night. full of energy, sometimes to the level of camp. christian bale is totally out there, channeling the crack-addicted dicky eklund. mark wahlberg provides a nice counterpoint to his frenetic restlessness. melissa leo is their mother … Continue reading
August 1, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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[voice over] The nuns taught us there were two ways through life – the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you’ll follow. Grace doesn’t try to please itself. Accepts being slighted, forgotten, … Continue reading
June 29, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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ah javier bardem… i love him. he’s one of the great actors of the world. his face is indelible, a monument, a colossal stamp on the human species. yet as an actor he’s hardly a towering icon – he’s emotionally … Continue reading
June 19, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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enjoyed “hideous kinky” – ah, for that kind of adventure and abandon…
June 17, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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woody allen’s latest. a love letter to paris. beautiful cinematography. lots of paris magic. fantastic cast. owen wilson as woody allen clone is annoying after a while. but all in all, a fun film.
June 17, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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a heartfelt documentary by parvez sharma about muslims struggling to come to terms with their homosexuality, within the context of their faith. the film is shot in india, pakistan, iran, turkey, egypt, south africa and france. it is sensitive, full … Continue reading
May 23, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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Anatol Lieven’s clear-sighted study asks if Pakistan has lost control of its international narrative Pakistan, Anatol Lieven writes in his new book, is “divided, disorganised, economically backward, corrupt, violent, unjust, often savagely oppressive towards the poor and women, and home … Continue reading
May 15, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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saw this film from singapore. interesting but didn’t quick click for me. i would have preferred more focus on the main character, a real-life woman who went deaf and then completely blind but managed to become a teacher. i like … Continue reading
May 2, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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just saw iranian film “white meadows”. directed by mohammad rasoulof and edited by jafar panahi, the introduction itself was sensational as both men have been arrested by the iranian govt. the film is described as an allegorical poem rooted in … Continue reading
May 2, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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saw a terrific korean film called “poetry.” it’s about women being much put-upon, it’s about how the finest, tenderest of human feelings cannot find expression in a world that doesn’t care, it’s about lives that become irreversibly intertwined, it’s about … Continue reading
April 24, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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saw bergman’s “scenes from a marriage” last night. it’s like an immensely charged chamber play with two brilliant actors (liv ullmann and erland josephson). it navigates the ups and downs of love and marriage with a directness, a brutality not … Continue reading
March 6, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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finished reading edith wharton’s “the house of mirth” in florida. as i had just read “the age of innocence,” i can’t help but compare the two books. i found “age” to be more polished in a sense – a perfectly … Continue reading
January 31, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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jan 24, 2011: just attended a reading of joan holden’s play “nickel and dimed” at geva theater. the play is based on barbara ehrenreich’s book in which she says provocatively: “when someone works for less pay than she can live … Continue reading
January 16, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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watched “the king’s speech” last night – most excellent. loved the script – v subtle and witty. colin firth is masterful of course and the interplay b/w him and geoffrey rush is delightful. both brilliant actors. great musical score too. … Continue reading
January 11, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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kiarostami’s “close-up” is ingenious. the story unfolds as seen thru the eyes of diff characters and the audience is allowed to piece together their own understanding of what happened based on info gleaned from diff perspectives/locations/times. that’s not how films … Continue reading
January 4, 2011
by mara.ahmed
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edith wharton’s “the age of innocence” was a joy to read – the language is sumptuous, her focus relentless. she fleshes out her characters so that they stand out in sharp relief yet she never weighs down her writing with … Continue reading