Review 4

Saw Dirty Pretty Things (2002). It is a film from the UK, and a good one at that. It's a must see, in my opinion. It is very well written -- I am loving the plot! Features immigrants/illegal immigrant in the UK. They have to fight to survive, and their situation reminded me of a life all too familiar -- then I realized that it is the life that I am still living. Of course there is more to the plot than just illegal immigrants trying to make it in London, but the setting and the characters -- if you want to see and feel what it is like to be an immigrant, an illegal immigrant, you should see this film. You might get just a tiny glimpse of what my life consists of, as well. Although I am much better off than the characters in the film, my life isn't too far from their situations. I give it two thumbs up. It's not the best film in the world, but it is the first one that I have seen that depicts life of an illegal immigrant in a developed country, and it's not half bad.

In other news -- I have been busy. In addition to school, work, and applying to colleges, I have the burden of disputing erroneous charges on my bank account, among other petty things. I need new clothes. I need another vacation.

Last night I had a night class. And I could barely keep my head up because I was so exhausted and my neck muscles were so tense and worn out. This morning I woke up to a major neckache and did not quite make it to my first morning class. I got up about an hour later and tried to go to my second class, and I really could've and should've, but didn't. I went to Borders instead. Borders here is much nicer than BN. I mean, BN is nice too, but the Borders is so much bigger with so much more things! And it was in the AM on a weekday, so it was pretty quiet and empty -- I had a good time browsing. Then I broke down and absolutely had to buy something. I bought a copy of The Other Boleyn Girl. I had promised myself to finish The Moor's Last Sigh before I buy another book. I went halfway through it, and then something happened midway, and I stopped. Now school had started and I have so much textbooks to read, and had to read The Taming of the Shrew in two weeks and now Much Ado About Nothing (both of which I will try to write a brief summary (at least) if not a review) and the newspaper comes everyday and I have to get my money's worth and read at least a few articles, and I get the TIME magazine weekly, and I have monthly magazines to read also on top of all that, and poor Mr. Rushdie got sent to the back burner and ignored. But not forgotten.

Just a week earlier I bought a copy of Anna Karenina (I had a copy back when I was in high school, and I read it halfway through it, until someone said, "isn't it so sad how she died in the end? Oh, did I ruin it for you?" And the book mysteriously vanished) so The Other Boleyn Girl is in the back of a very long line. I'm always ashamed that I read so little (for pleasure, I mean). All great people read a lot. I must put in more of an effort to read. I want to finish The Moor and do something about all the books that I read half of. I tend to read halves of books, leaving a lot of open ends. I'm going to have to tie up a lot of loose ends and get some closure. (I am shuddering by my memory of forcing myself to finish The Grapes of Wrath -- "Steinbeck is your favorite author dammit! You loved East of Eden, by golly, you will finish The Grapes of Wrath and you will like it!" -- as you can see I am just so masochistic like that. I did finish the book -- but I can't recall why grapes would be angry.) I probably will never finish One Hundred Years of Solitude -- I am content in seeing the movie if it is made. But other than that, I gotta close the book, literally, on things.

I should be doing some reading for school, but looks like I'm going to have to get to bed. Eek. I really need an extra hour or two in a day at least to get everything done.

P.S. I am working on a new blog template. I'm hoping that it would be my best work yet -- and it is an excellent excuse to put off from doing legitimate work (i.e. homework!).