Lions for Lambs (2007)

Cast:  Robert Redford as Professor Stephen Malley, Meryl Streep as Janine Roth, Tom Cruise as Senator Jasper Irving, Michael Pena as Ernest Rodriguez, Derek Luke as Arian Finch

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Director: Robert Redford

Synopsis: the film takes aim at the U.S. government's prosecution of the wars in the Middle East, showing three different simultaneous stories: a senator (Tom Cruise) who launches a new military strategy and details it to a journalist (Meryl Streep) , two soldiers involved in that operation, and their college professor (Robert Redford) trying to re-engage a promising student by telling him their story. 

Review:

   Lions for Lambs follows three storylines playing out simultaneously. One segment focuses on Republican Senator Jasper Irving (Tom Cruise), a politician with a risky idea on how to stop the war. Senator Irving invites a journalist (Meryl Streep) who has been in the business for 40 years  into his office to give her an exclusive on his ambitious new plan of attack. While Senator Irving’s busy explaining his approach to winning in Iraq and Afghanistan, lifelong friends Ernest Rodriguez (Michael Pena) and Arian Finch (Derek Luke) are participating in the war mission based on Senator Irving’s proposal. In California, Professor Stephen Malley (Robert Redford) calls student Todd Hayes (Andrew Garfield) into his office to discuss his future. Once passionate about political science, Todd has become disconnected and cynical. Malley thinks there is a way to reach him, if only he can get Todd to become engaged in current affairs. Malley tells Hayes all about two of his favorite students – Ernest and Arian – who left college in order  to enlist in the military to see for themselves what is going on beyond the safe walls of their California college.

   All in all, I think that this movie is not an entertaining one; its main goal is to  inform anyone willing to listen about what is going on right now in the world. But, what is bad, is that practically all the dialogues and confrontations are predictable.It tells us everything most of us know already, including the fact that politicians lie, journalists fail and youth flounders. During the movie you are waiting for a finale which can bring some decision to the problem, but there is no one of the kind. In fact, it is a little bit fuzzy and ends with no-where.

   As for acting, I think that all of the actors tried to do their best, especially Michael Pena as Ernest Rodriguez and Derek Luke as Arian Finch. I was moved by Ernest's and Arian's moral courage and deeply saddened by their deaths because the world needs more people like them. What they did was tragic. But they did something and they did it with courage and conviction.

   To sum it up, I am not fan of such movies, it seems to me to be parochial and limiting (maybe because I am not  American). But, in spite of it, I think that this movie works as a strong personal political message, taking Americans to think of their lives rather than intruding on other countries' affairs and to solve, at first, problems with their own country and especially with the people who are ruling it.

My Pleasure Reading. Summary (pages 1-60)

    The beginning of the novel is marked by the narrator's (Nick Carraway) comment on himself : he said that he was very tolerant, and had a tendency to reserve judgment. Nick lived  in New York  in a part of Long Island known as West Egg. West Egg was home to the nouveau rich, while neighbouring East Egg was home to the representatives of the old aristocracy. Nick's house was next door to Gatsby's enormous,  Gothic mansion. One night, Nick attended a dinner party in East Egg; the party was given by Tom Buchanan and his wife, Daisy. Daisy was Nick's cousin, while Tom had been Nick's classmate at Yale. Tom came from an enormously wealthy family, and had been one of the best football players  at Yale. There was also Daisy's friend  Jordan Baker who made her living as a professional golfer. During the party Nick learned from Jordan that Tom had a mistress. After that visit, on his way home Nick saw a handsome young man, Jay Gatsby,for the first time,  standing on his wide lawn, with his arms stretched out to the sea. 

    Some time later, Tom took Nick to the city to show off his mistress, a married woman named Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle’s husband, George, was a passive, working class man who owned an auto garage and was oblivious to his wife’s extramarital activities. Nick was none too impressed by Tom.

    Back on West Egg, one day Gatsby  invited Nick to one of his amazing parties, where everyone  could come and spend great time and try to figure out how Gatsby got so rich. Nick met and became friends with Jay Gatsby at one of his huge Saturday night affairs. He also began to spend time with Jordan who seemed to fall in love with him. 

Newspaper rendering

  The article discusses Russia's entry in the World Trade Organisation on July 21, 2012 after 18 years of negotiations. Speaking of this accession it is necessary to note that in spite of the fact that The Economic Development Ministry said WTO membership will lower prices for both imported and domestically-produced goods, critics have claimed Russia’s WTO accession is detrimental to the country’s national sovereignty and security and could ruin entire sectors of the domestic economy such as agriculture and the motor industry. There is also a lot of comment on the measures which had been initiated by Russia to open up its economy. Besides, there are much speculation as to whether or not the Jackson-Vanik amendment will be repealed because otherwise WTO rules will not apply to Russia's trade relations with the USA. The reporter makes it clear that though the restrictions imposed by Jackson-Vanik are often waived, they still remain in place and are a thorn in the side of Russia-U.S. trade relations. In the conclusion the reporter doesn't express his own attitude to the matter, just giving a naked outline of facts. As for me, I should say that though it is hard to predict the future but there is some evidence that with the  accession of Russia  in the WTO, the  trade relationships between the USA and the Russian Federation  will improve and our economy could benefit, attracting more foreign investment to the country.

http://en.rian.ru/business/20120822/175361666.html

Pleasure Reading

Year I Term I - Dick Francis "Under Orders"

Year I Term II - Agatha Christie "Death on the Nile"

Year II Term III - J. R. R. Tolkien "The Hobbit"

Year II Term IV - F. Scott Fitzgerald "This Side of Paradise"

Year III Term V - F. Scott Fitzgerald "The Great Gatsby"(210 p)

A 80-100 word piece about the impression the story for my Home Reading Class has made

    At first I wasn't excited reading this story, because I couldn't understand the main idea and the purpose for which it had been written. But after I made some investigation on the author, the time of the publication, everything became quite clear then. The Unexpected isn't a mere love story, the main idea is deeper and lies on the surface, though to grasp it you may need to find out more about the background (as I did finally). The story touches upon such problems as freedom, choice, relationship between men and women, true love and passion. All of them are very important, need to be discussed and comprehended. So, I think that Kate Chopin's story nourishes mind and makes our brains working.

Top News 2012

 

Olympic Games 2012 in London

   The 2012 London Olympic Games took place from July 27, 2012 to August 12, 2012. Many parts of London had been redeveloped for the Games and special focus had been laid on environment and sustainability. Roughly 10,500 athletes from different parts of the world tried to did their best during the Games.

Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II

   It is a multinational celebration throughout 2012 making the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries upon the death of her father King Gejrge. Following the tradition of  jubilees past, a diamond Jubilee medal is being awarded in various countries and holidays, and events will be held throughout the Commonwealth.

Scandal with John Galliano

   John Galliano, the fallen fashion designer, was found guilty of hurling anti Semitic abuse at fellow drinkers in a bar in Paris. After that he was fired from Dior and later he also was stripped of his Legion of Honour award by French President, Francois Hollande.

A premiere of The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey

   Written by the same author J. R. R. Tolkien, and being the prequel of the famous high fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit is highly expected.  Having three predecessors, audiences expect the Hobbit can learn the lessons and do better. Let’s hope the Hobbit film can be faithful to the book without cutting any indispensable plots. 

December 21, 2012

   December 21 2012 is not defined by its date in time, but by the events expected to take place on that very day. From an astrological standpoint, we know for a fact that out celestial bodies will align in such a way that has not happened in upwards of 26,000 years. We also know that our planet earth will complete what is known as the “precession of the equinoxes“ or earth’s wobble which also has not happened for nearly 26,000 years.