Friday, March 31, 2017

Blogger: #IstandwithCEU

Ha ezt a cikket most találod meg, az azt jelenti, hogy a kormány elfogadta azt a javaslatot, ami tönkre teszi a CEU működését Budapesten. Szólok előre, hogy megérzésem téves volt, de, amit írtam amellett kiállok továbbra is. Ha még van demokrácia Magyarországon akkor nem lesz baj abból, hogy van véleményem. Ha diktatúra van akkor még bajba is kerülhetek. Ki tudja? Bármi is történik szeretném elmondani, hogy kiállok életem végéig minden olyan oktatási intézmény mellett, ami otthont és jövőt ad több száz diáknak évente, és, akiknek célja, hogy segítse az országot, ahol tartózkodik. A CEU egy fantasztikus egyetem. Nem érdemelték meg ezt a bánás módot.

Úgy gondolom, hogy azért kéne több nőnek lenni a politikában, mert mi nem veszünk össze a mellünk méretén, míg a férfiak még mindig azzal vannak elfoglalva, hogy kinek nagyobb a pöcse...

If you have found my article now, I first apologize as it is in Hungarian, second, it was written before the new reforms to change higher education in Hungary were accepted. Nonetheless, in my article I talk about how I think that education is key. Not to mention that I will always stand up for an institution, let alone a university like the Central European University, if they are threatened by injustice. CEU elevates Hungary and it helps students from all around the world. If anything it should be rewarded and not attacked.

I believe we should have more women in government because we don't compare breast size, whilst men are still more preoccupied with who has a bigger dick...
_ _ _ _ _
Bejegyzés: 2017.03.31

1, ismerem ezt a fajta elterelő hadműveletet. Ez volt az internetadóval is. Bedobnak valamit, ami tudják, hogy rengeteg embert lázítani fog, majd az utolsó pillanatban jön a vezér és eljátssza a megváltó szerepét, aki a saját pártjában békére parancsolja az embereket és kijelenti majd, hogy „Én, ÉN megmentettem a CEUt! Én nem hagytam, hogy szeretett egyetemetek elvesszen!”. És közben reménykedik, hogy a többség megfeledkezik róla, hogy a saját pártja és saját emberei közölték egyáltalán azt a lehetetlen reformot, ami ezt az egész helyzetet előhozta. Ami engem jobban aggaszt azaz, hogy miről akarja vajon jó vezérünk éppen elterelni a figyelmet…

2, nagyon fájhatott, amikor nem hívtak meg minket az elnöki beavatásra, ugye? Fájdalmas volt, az, hogy végre egy hozzánk hasonló kaliberű zsebekben turkáló ember lett az elnök és a seggnyalás ellenére tökéletes tudatta mennyire nem vagyunk fontosak. Szar érzés lehet. És megtalálta az egyetlen módot, hogy felhívja magára a figyelmet, az egyetlen dolog, ami iránt Amerika érdeklődést mutatna ki, és a fenti pontban említett módszerrel akarja majd helyre tenni a kapcsolatot azzal a rothadó naranccsal, mert a seggnyalás nem volt elég hatásos.

3, és ez a legfontosabb: Az oktatás szent. Nekünk angol és amerikanisztika szakosoknak nem egyszer segített a CEU és fog és akar még segíteni a jövőben évekig. Magyar könyvtáraink sokszor nem olvasó barátok, és sok szak szenved már azért mert nincsenek megfelelő források, amik itthon elérhetőek lennének. Ahhoz képest, hogy Európa közepén vagyunk, sokan tudjuk, hogy nem vagyunk a világ közepe. Bármilyen olyan intézmény, ami segíti országunkat előre haladni az akadémiai életben az én véleményem szerint segítséget és tiszteletet érdemel - első körben a diákoktól. De hát mi mások voltak a politikusok egyszer, mint maguk is egyetemi diákok? Ami most történik az tökéletesen az ellenkezője a tiszteletnek.

Nem elég, hogy undorral tölt el, hogy ez a kormány mi tesz. Annál jobban undorodom politikai hovatartozásukat jelző HÖK-ösöktől, akik elfelejtik, hogy maguk is egy egyetem alkalmazásában vannak. Undorodom emberektől, akik azaz egyetem/főiskola ellen fordulnak, aminek köszönhetik a diplomájukat. Ez pont olyan, mint az, hogy a mostani politikusok ingyen élvezhették az oktatást most pedig tőlünk olyan összegeket várnak fel, amit nem elég, hogy alig lehet kifizetni, de még nem is jut belőle az egyetemnek, ahova fizetjük. Az oktatás itthon olyan, amilyen, és kevés a jó dolog benne, de ami jó azt meg kell védeni! Egyre ritkább az, ami reményt kelt. Az én tanszékem kiáll a CEU mellett és ez engem büszkeséggel tölt el.

Számomra az egyetemek közötti rivalizálódás sosem volt érthető. Bölcsészek fogjuk össze minden városban, minden országban, egyetemtől független. A CEU-nak szüksége van arra, hogy hangoztassuk fontosságát és pontosan ezt is fogom tenni! 

https://www.change.org/p/hungarian-national-assembly-save-the-central-european-university

PS: A javaslatra, miszerint kell, hogy legyen Amerikában is campusa az egyetemnek ahhoz csak annyit tennék, hogy “Central European University” a neve, és nem “New York University’s one branch over the sea”...


Battle Royale vs. The Hunger Games

As next week I'm starting #ApocalypticApril I wanted to start by comparing two dystopian worlds that have been a case for a debate a couple of years back. Here is my 2 cents!

Having heard people debate whether or not The Hunger Games stole its idea from Battle Royale has been driving me insane for years. After having read the trilogy I decided to read the manga since it was on my brother's shelf for years now. It was an interesting experiment and I'm glad I didn't read it before the book, nor did I start this when I was younger...


I'll have to admit right away that I have not seen the movie version because the manga was disturbing enough on its own (very, very, very, very graphic...). And to be honest I see why people keep comparing the two, however... there are significant differences and I think we should discuss them.

Battle Royale was a manga based on a book by the same title, written by Koushun Takamia. The manga was illustrated by Masayuki Taguchi released from 2003 to 2007, and although it follows the book, it gave the students detailed background and it was also more graphic sexually. The aim was of course for it to be more gory, so I kinda wish I had read the book instead... In the story a whole class from junior high is abducted and sent to an island to participate in the Program, where they are given weapons that are meant to be used by the army. This is basically a test facility beneath the dictatorship that rules Japan and those taking part dream of escaping from the terrible country they are in and to get to America. There can only be one winner, and even if some refuse to fight they are at the mercy of those who decided to take up arms. The story focuses on one boy, Shuya Nanahara, who keeps fighting to keep the peace among his classmates. He teams up with a girl, Noriko Nakagawa, who wishes to escape the island just as much Shuya does. Also, their team has a boy named Shogo Kawada, who was the winner of the previous Program, but ended up becoming a transfer student in the next class that was selected. Shogo decides to believe Shuya's uplifting spirit and help him and Noriko as well as himself to get off the island. The biggest problem is one boy, Kazuo Kiriyama, who lacks any and all human emotions and is kind of invincible. Which is not only creepy but completely insane... the story doesn't really specify how real this world is and that bothered me. These are teenagers... when it comes to The Hunger Games a bullet kills you the way bullets do. This kid was some kind of devil incarnation that simply made no sense to me... Spoiler, the two make it out and escape this hell, but everyone else is dead.

They do not fight in a revolution and do not stop the evil that the dictatorship causes in their country. Their's didn't become a love story or a sign of hope in times of a country that has for too long lived in terror. They are not broadcast for the world to see and the location of the program as well as the class selected are kept secret until there is one winner. Yes, kids, fighting kids, but that is pretty much where similarities end.


The Hunger Games, trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, came out in 2008, 2009 and 2010 consecutively. In it, you might know this already, but still, children of the 12 districts of the country of Panem are selected to participate in a reality show where they kill each other. The two main characters, Katniss and Peeta outsmart the system to be able to survive and are never, under any circumstance, okay with having taken the lives of others. They don't turn on others, don't have hidden monsters in them, and those who take place in the game willingly do it because they are taught that this is the honorable thing. The kids from district one and two are trained for this, they are proud to volunteer and take home the trophy. The Capital is too small and a revolution, a rebellion, is capable of taking it down. There is a way to escape, to wake up to a better future. Battle Royale ensures a better future for the two main characters, while The Hunger Games seeks to make sure that such a tragedy never occurs again. Yes, you'll see the similarities with children fighting, but what is the aim? The Takamia book/manga shows you a world, a terrible world, a dystopia that is like nothing else. People fight it continuously, but never get ahead because mikes and cameras stop them and remind them that a group of teenagers will never and could never stop them. And they don't... the aim of the story was never to incite a revolution. The Hunger Games, on the other hand, meant to describe what was the last drop before people can no longer stand it and are forced into a corner.

The argument that these two stories are the same to me is foolish. It is foolish because a story is different if the moral and lesson I take away from it is different. In Battle Royale I was barely relieved that the two got away because they might have slipped from the control of that sadistic dictatorship, but nothing changed. The next group of children will die the same way. Maybe that was the aim, maybe it was just one story that had to be told, about one pair of kids who managed to escape this terror. To me The Hunger Games is the ultimate story of hope. I did not fall for it for the love story (although it was a great example of how extreme cases can forge love), but because it taught me that I can get up and change my future. I think the reason I learned more from Katniss rather than any characters in the story was that the children were ultimately deranged... it might be the fact that they live in a world that is more grotesque, but even with the background of certain characters it was just not OK... I'm glad Shuya and Noriko escaped, but the story of a revolution that was not fought in vain gets my vote.

If you ever read both stories you will notice elements, small, singular things that are similar in both Katniss and Shuya, and yes, they fight to live another day. Other than the idea of children in an arena killing each other there is nothing to connect them and this debate is stupid.

Interesting stories though and I recommend them. Because remember, reading is fun! See my list of favorite ten books here if you are looking for something to read.

Until the next item on my list!

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Blogger: Enough Frozen

I have written a few Disney reviews, and well, there was one that I never got around to, the main reason for it being that it was covered everywhere: Every channel, every reviewer, toy shop, radio, every f*cking place was covered in it and with it... And you'd think it is too late to write a review and you are right. So this is not a review. This is going to be an angry rant, because I just can't take it anymore... I waited patiently for it to just fade away and go back onto the Disney shelf and disappear, but it just won't... IT WON'T LET GO!!!


I DON'T WANT TO SEE FROZEN MERCHANDISE ANYMORE!

Now, these drive me insane for one simple reason: I am certain that people are buying it only because there is nothing left to buy. I dare you, put out merchandise from Zootopia, or put Moana's piglet Pua on mugs and shirts and baby shoes, and people will buy it! I know because I would buy it! I say this with certainty because I sleep with a Bolt plushie, and he is one of my favorite Disney characters! Trust me when I tell you that I do not need Elsa or Anna on my f*cking spoon!!!

I understand that Frozen was supposed to be this revolutionary Disney movie that stands out because of various reasons, but... just let us look at those reasons:

Yes, little girls should be taught that a woman can take her own destiny into her hands. So show them Mulan instead! A strong woman who takes charge of her own life despite the cultural norms that were assigned to her. That movie has great morals! Yes, in the end she chooses to be with the man she loves, but not because of customs. She does not run away from her responsibilities or because she is different. She faces the challenges head on even knowing that people might kill her for it.

And yes, sometimes the villain is simply evil. They can be driven by greed or by an inner motivation to simply cause harm. But then show children 101 Dalmations, which showcases how someone's obsession will drive to hurt innocent people. Unfortunately villains don't always have a good reason for the way they behave. And pointing out that they have a motivation is not always the best... yes, you should try to put yourself in other people's shoes to understand their issues, but there is evil out in the world that cannot be explained. I, for one, am stuck on always trying to understand 'why' even when there is no answer for it. It can become a curse...

If the movie's aim was to make a new big Disney musical then hey! YOU FAILED. Let me break this down for you: Musicals are an experience because you are there live. I adore Idina Menzel (you'll always be my Maureen!) and her voice is stunning, but you can't write music that will only reach the audience through hundreds of layers when it is meant to be heard live! I have seen the Oscar performance, and let me tell you, it was not the same! Also... a musical is not built around one song... Name one more song. Come on. I dare you. And no, you can't get away with "ice song in the beginning" or "the troll song about one of the male characters". Titles please! The only reason I like to ask people if they want to build a snowman is due to internet memes... There is just something not right about "Let it Go" compared to how much people hyped it... just to show you, I kept singing songs from Moana after seeing it, while I managed to forget every and all songs from Frozen after it ended! If you want your child to listen to good Disney musicals then... well, you can pick anything that came out in the 90s! One is better than the other!

If you want to teach children about acceptance and how people are afraid of the unknown then show them Zootopia! Even if Frozen had been debated by many to serve as an metaphor for the gay community, Disney never actually said anything about it (which was smart, in my opinion), but because of that the message is lost...

And here we are years after its release and I just have to ask... what was the moral of this story?

I am not joking. If it was sisterly love... sure, OK. I can take that. It is important to know that you should love your sibling, I know I love mine and I would certainly give my life for them. But the movie neglected to show any kind of healthy relationship other than the one that was driven by guilt on the part of Elsa. The movie also neglected to explain any of Elsa's powers (this is where the gay debate comes in usually, that it doesn't have to be explained. I am part of the LGBTQ and trust me, this was not done well even if they meant well!), we are simply supposed to take in that magic happens here whilst every and all Disney movies so far have given us an explanation. You do have a romance, a forced Hollywood "Ugh, I hate him/her!" that adds zero to nothing to the story and a forgettable vill--- wait. Who the f*ck was the villain? Was it the old man with the funny mustache or that Hans guy or, like, wasn't it Elsa? No, seriously, wasn't she like super rude to Anna for no reason other than having been forced in a room by their parents - that Anna had nothing to do with - and she blames her so now having an icy castle off you f*ck sister? I don't know, like honestly, I can't remember. That is how little impact this movie had on me, yet I still have to see it everywhere!

Admittedly, I liked Olaf. He was fun. His song was the best. Nonetheless, I don't want to see a snowman in the middle of Spring and Summer on any and all kitchen appliances available at my local supermarket. Stick with Christmas Mr. Snowman...

I just feel like people are forced to endure this because what the oh-so wise businessmen who never shop among the commoners see is that "Oh, they are still buying it!", and the reason for that is that we are forced as there is nothing else to buy... Baby shower? Done. Children birthday party? Done. As a joke? Done. (I'm in that category, my sister-in-law and I buy each other this shit to make the other one laugh. The more useless the better! I know, I know... I'm part of the problem...). 

But seriously... enough is enough.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

What's Next On My List? Moana

Having grown up on Disney movies I am very critical, since I don't think that them being Disney is enough... give me something new, or even if you just recycle a story, change the setting and add more to the characters and the landscape. Really, you can always elevate things and here is a great example of just that:


Moana is destined to become the new chief of her tribe, but she is drawn to the sea instead of the land. She discovers that her tribe is descended from travelers, but the sea was no longer their friend and the reason for that is Maui, a demigod who wanted to do good, stole the heart of the island Te Fiti. But since then everything around her is dying. The people of Moana will be forced to leave the island, but not being able to navigate the sea, they are afraid of what lies over the reef. But Moana decides to track down Maui and to put back the heart in order to restore the order of nature.

I just adored every single second of this movie. And I tell you why... yes, it is true that we don't need princesses who have to be rescued because girls can do it alone! But I never actually believed that those princesses couldn't do it on their own if they wanted to... they simply fell in love and sharing their life with someone - something we all dream of - became the priority. I liked that Moana had no love interest, because there was no need for it. Still, the dynamic between a female and a male character will always sell more tickets. That is why here too you have a relationship that jokes with that and it worked perfectly without it being about love. To me Disney cartoons were always more about the dynamic between two characters, rather then the fairy tale happy ending. I am not referring to the classics - like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty -, but think of Rapunzel and Jasmine! They didn't need a man, but their relationship with one was intriguing and that's what the story was about essentially!
That having been said, Maui was a super fun character and Moana, who was essentially a child still, grew immensely over the movie. The story never forgot to be funny; the movie never forgot that it is also scary. And there was a twist at the end which simply left me with my mouth open. Finally, I loved the villain. For once it wasn't someone whose intentions had to be explained for the viewer to care, and the moral lesson was embedded in the story. It wasn't something they pushed down your throat.
As a last point I wanted to point out the music. Not only did I love the songs, but I missed actual Disney musicals. I don't give a shit what people say about "Let It Go"*, that song has nothing on the soundtrack of this movie! Somebody complained to me that there were too many... come on! It's a musical, there are supposed to be more songs. This is something that Disney has actually done: it starts to write a story and remembers "f*ck the songs!", so they quickly write about 3 or four, just enough to get that Oscar nomination under the belt, and there you go, finished movie. Not only do I love Zootopia (click my here for my review) because it didn't force this on us, but I loved Moana because the story and the songs complemented each other.

[*No offense to Idina Menzel, a favorite musical singer of mine, but there is just something not right about that song compared to how much people hyped it... just to show you, I kept singing songs from Moana after seeing it, while I managed to forget every and all songs from Frozen after it ended! The only reason I like to ask people if the want to build a snowman is due to internet memes...]

Watch it? Abso-f*cking-lutely! This has quickly become one of my top 5 favorite Disney movies. The characters are lovable, the songs are wonderful, not to mention that culturally the Polynesian heritage had to be showcased. I have been studying it in my free time because I am somehow drawn to them, thinking of Hawaii for example, the history, they myths, the language... really I want to learn more and more. This movie just made me want to continue my little research.

Until the next item on my list!
_ _ _ _ _ _ 

Gramma Tala - Rachel House
Chief Tui - Temuera Morrison
Heihei - Alan Tudyk

Saturday, March 18, 2017

What's Next On My List? Ruby Sparks

Finally got around to seeing this movie and I wanted to make sure I wrote about it a couple of sentences, because it was a wonderful experience.


After a long period of suffering from writer's block, Calvin dreams of a girl and decides to write about her. Next morning, however, she appears in his kitchen and he is not the only one who can see her. She is as real as she can be, and she is everything he wanted. But she is not a puppet, and as time passes the relationship tumbles into obstacles, but the fear of losing Ruby drives Calvin to write about her more, but she is never the same again. Calvin learns to let her go, because he loves her.

This movie I think is another great example of how and why independent movies should be ruling Hollywood instead of big corporations. Some people just see 'money money money', in reboots, and sequels and prequels and spin-offs of movies and TV shows, and bla, and bla, and bla... It gets boring. It gets boring because somebody already did it. There is zero to no creativity in Hollywood nowadays. Vampires were kind of a new thing, but they are also overdone. The idea of a writer's perfect girl coming to life thanks to the typewriter is brilliant. Not to mention that the characters are, despite the magical element, very real and with two feet on the ground.
Calvin manages to commit the same mistakes he did in his previous relationships. He puts himself above the other one and ignores that he is the one driving them away. In his head he is not at fault. He learns that if he loves her he has to let her go. After he did he sits down and writes about it. I am just like that. I need to write it down, write it out of my system and try to make sense of it. Not just that, but also learn from it. The more painful the experience the more I want to learn to avoid it in the future. Writing to me is sacred, and I could relate to Calvin in every scene, every emotion and feel the strength and pain of his love. I am not a good writer, no bestsellers in my future, this movie on the other hand was just a home run, both in writing and in directing.

Do I recommend this movie? One hundred percent. It is creative, funny, full of soul and heart. It has emotions that one can easily relate to, but packaged in a story that is new and creative. I enjoy Zoe Kazan's writing immensely. I hope to see more movies from young artists like her because I believe they are the future.

Until the next item on my list!
_ _ _ _ _

Calvin Weir-Fields - Paul Dano
Ruby Sparks - Zoe Kazan
Harry - Chris Messina
Gertrude - Annette Bening
Langdon Tharp - Steve Coogan
Dr. Rosenthal - Elliott Gould

Friday, March 17, 2017

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Wishing everyone a pint of their favorite 
beer and a pot of gold! 
Happy St. Paddy's!

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Kedvenc Magyar Filmjeim

A moziba vonzó 'blockbuster' magyar filmek az elmúlt kb. 15 évben arra koncentráltak, hogy majmolják az Amerikai filmeket, teljesen kihagyva azt az egy fontos részletet, hogy kultúránk totálisan másmilyen. Nem lehet cheerleader-rekről készíteni egy filmet, mintha az természetes lenne a magyar gimnáziumokban, és nem írhatsz egy filmet, amibe mozi premiereket raksz, mintha Hollywood közepén lennél. Ezen kívül vannak rengeteg magyar művész filmek, amik messze vannak ettől a stílustól és sikeresek minden irányból és nyerik - jogosan - sorra a díjakat. Azokat a filmeket nem akarom ide sorolni. Természetesen klisék vannak, mindig is lesznek, semmi baj ha azokat újra feldolgozzuk de a kontextus, a helyszín, az emberek, muszáj valami olyat látni, amivel tudunk azonosulni különben nem lesz élvezetes. Lehet rossz a a dialógus és lehetnek buktatók, de ha egy karakter sem szimpatikus akkor nem lesz sikeres a film. Tisztelet, a kivételnek, és azokból, amiket én láttam eddig életem során, mert a kritikák alapján megérte megnézni, azokból ezek a kedvenceim:
Hi there! You might not know much about Hungarian movies, the reason for that is that they are generally... really bad. Not on purpose, they are all just trying to copy the "American movie formula", not realizing that some things simply don't exist in our culture! However, some do get it right and they stick to their own originality instead of copying something. Now, I will write this little list in Hungarian, but at the end of each of paragraph I'll give you a plot summary in English and urge you to look them up, as there are great subtitles available online!

Valami komollyal akartam kezdeni, ugyanis rengetegszer írok könyv adaptációkról a blogomon és mindig fáj ha valami rossz lesz vagy nem hű az eredetihez (legalább hangulatában). Viszont a nagy magyar regényekből sokszor készültek adaptációk és van egy pár, ami nem elég, hogy jól visszaadja a könyv hangulatát de még magában is megáll mint remek film. Ilyen például az Édes Anna, ami Kosztolányi Dezső regénye alapján készült és Törőcsik Mari benne a főszereplő. Ez a színésznő nem véletlen annyira zseniális, már fiatalkorában is leesett tőle az állam, nem hogy most! Persze a történet nem a legszebb, kimondottan szomorú, hiszen megszeretjük a főszereplőt és utána végig kell néznünk, ahogyan tönkre megy az életében és az sosem élvezetes. És lehet, hogy csak én vagyok egy ilyen állat, de valahogyan úgy érzem, hogy mindenki azt a sorsot kapta, amit érdemelt a történetben és annak ellenére, hogy szomorú, mégis kielégítő. Mindenképpen ajánlom ha valakinek nem volt a kötelező listáján vagy ha csak a regényre volt ideje, félve, hogy a mai rossz adaptációk mellett egész biztosan a régiek is rosszak voltak! This is an adaptation of a famous Hungarian novel, in which the maid, Anna, is somewhat forced to let go of her personality and her own instincts. She succumbs to every wish of the family she is working for, but this slowly drives her insane and she takes her revenge by taking their life. It is a serious but compelling story and a wonderful adaptation of the original novel.

Valami Amerika
Azt hiszem ez lesz mindig is a kedvenc filmem, mert megunhatatlan. Tele van szereplőkkel, fordulatokkal, gondolatokkal, amikkel lehet azonosulni. A csalódás, meglepő érzések, szerelmek, együtt élni magaddal, amikor nem az vagy, aki akartál lenni, a családon belül az elvárás, munka... és a film címe tökéletes bemutatja azt, ami, miatt félre mennek a magyar filmek manapság: valami olyat utánoznak, ami nem elég arra, hogy megfogjuk a nézőket. Ez a film viszont a kivétel, zeneileg, a szereposztás, a hangulata... van valami egy filmben, amitől tudsz egy-helyben ülni és sírni és végig gondolni a döntéseket a saját életedben, a következő pillanatban meg fennhangon röhögni és leesni a székről! És a második része sem rossz! Szinte lehetetlen volt folytatni, ez tény, és persze nem ugyanolyan, de az eredeti poénok miatt igenis megéri nagyon is. Sokkal inkább a humorra ment rá, mint a komolyságra, és hát aki azt hiányolja annak sosem lesz ugyanolyan szintű. Ennek ellenére érződik, hogy nem csak összehánytak egy filmet úgy, hogy oda dobtak pár gondolatot és visszaszerezték a régi szereplőket. Melegen ajánlom mindenkinek, aki esetleg nem látta volna, szerintem egy igazi klasszikus. The movie, translated, is called "Some Kind of America" and it deals with three brothers, out of whom two are trying to help the third one get money for the movie he wants to direct. An American producer shows up to help him with his dream, but at great costs. The movie discusses topics like regret, surprising feelings, commitment, living with yourself, others, and demands within your family and job... it really covers every aspect of life and even if you cry at some scenes, you'll find yourself laughing out at others. It is a slice of life. I recommend it highly!

Nem tudom hányszor láttam ezt a filmet. Az egészet tudom fejből és megmondhatom, hogy ez az egyik legbüszkébb tulajdonságom! Rengeteg barátot találtam azért, mert egymásnak idéztük ezt a filmet. Egy egyszerű családi klasszikus. A film 1962 nyarán játszódik, amikor egy tehetségkutató keretében fiataloknak esélye lesz kijutni az országból és a kommunista rendszerből, lehetőleg Nyugat felé szeretnének menni, ami egy visszatérő poén a filmben. A film technikai szempontból is egyedi, ugyanis a rendező visszafele vette fel a jelenetekben a mozgást, és még utána gyorsítottak is rajta. Sajnos tudok olyat, aki nem szereti, ugyanis, aki át is élte azokat az éveket nem feltétlen tudott nagyot nevetni a film poénjain. De nekem mindig is a kedvencem lesz, és már nem fog úgy eltelni nap, hogy ne idéznék belőle, az biztos! The movie takes place in the summer of 1962, when Communism was still ruling Hungary and most people wished to escape the Iron Curtain. Four friends decide to take part in a talent show, where the first price is a trip to Helsinki, and this being the only interesting thing happening in town, everyone gets involved. It is a unique film with great puns that me and my family have been reciting for years now.

A miniszter úr meglóg egy estére, hogy a titkárnőjével tölthesse az éjszakát, amikor egy halott testet találnak a hotel szobájukban. A miniszter asszisztensét hívja segítségül, de a halott test életre kell. Nem csak a hotelben történik minden, amire senki nem fizetett be aznap éjszaka, de közben a Parlamentben is jelen kell lennie a miniszter úrnak az éjszakai ülés alatt. A történet egy brit színdarab alapján készült, és percenként több szereplők jelennek meg, és a végén mindenkit el kap a nekik kijárt büntetés. The movie is based on a British play, in it a minister wishes to have an affair with his secretary, only to find a deceased body in their hotel room, who, over the second act, comes back to life with amnesia. A very funny story with great plot twists and wonderful actors.

Ez a film talán sosem lesz díjnyertes, de az oka annak, hogy én nagyon szerettem megint az volt, amit a Valami Amerikánál is tapasztaltam: eredeti ötlet egy hihető közegben. A főszereplők egy színház dolgozói, és itthon a színház kultúra még mindig erősebb, mint a filmeké. Igen, most változik a mi világunk is, az évadra bontott sorozatok a szappan opera helyett elkezdtek elterjedni és sok nagyon okos és jól is van megírva (példa lenne a Csak Színház és Más Semmi, ami biztos vagyok, hogy ebből a filmből nyerte ötletét és a castingot!). A főszereplőnk egy író, aki családot szeretne, de nem feltétlen pasival együtt, mert azok csak bajt hoznak rá, de persze ez alatt ismeri meg azt, aki őszintén szereti őt és életet is akar vele, minden problémájuk ellenére. Nem tudom elmondani mi miatt szerettem annyira, de nagyon jókat röhögtem a poénokon, kedveltem a karakteretek és szerintem eredetibb, mint sok másik magyar film, amik a Valami Amerika után próbáltak sikert elérni. The movie is about a screenplay writer who wishes to have a family, but doesn't tell the men in her life about her plans. She ends up falling in love with the one person she didn't think would be able to get her heart, a pompous actor who was cast in her play, and the two stay together. The movie is far better than anything that came out after Valami Amerika, wishing to grasp its success, and it puts the story in the theatre world of Hungary, which has a far bigger culture than movies even today.

Ezt a filmet választottam, mert ez a kedvencem, de őszintén szólva bármelyik Ötvös Csöpi filmet felírhatnám ide mert egyik jobb, mint a másik. Egyrészt imádom, hogy a Balatonnál játszódnak. Második, jók a sztorik, izgi detektív történetek pici poénokkal és vicces karakterekkel. Kern András Kardos Doktorja egyszerűen megunhatatlan! Éhes, szomjas, nem akar gyógyszertárba menni, de dolgozik. A kedvencem benne, hogy vakon bízik Ötvös Csöpiben, és ez a fajta együtt dolgozás tiszteletre méltó. Manapság egyre gyakrabban vannak férfi barátságok filmek és sorozatok központjában, de még mindig eléggé kevés. Itt egy olyan fajta tisztelet van a két szereplő között, ami azonnal megfogja a nézőt és mindig szívesen látja újra. Őszintén nem tudom mi történt a magyar forgatókönyvírással, hogy Amerika majmolása fontosabb lett mindennél, de hihetetlenül jó forgatókönyvek voltak régen és ezek a filmek tökéletes példái annak. Szerethető főszereplő, izgalmas kalandok, mind egy okos bűnügyi sztoriba beleépítve. Ki ne akarná ezeket állandóan nézni? In Hungary we had a series of movies starring Ötvös Csöpi, a major who solves crime around the lake Balaton and the actor was also famous for voicing Bud Spencer, thus these movies have some of those same fighting scenes, and they are equally entertaining! I chose this one (trans: "Do Not Panic, Major Kardos"), because it is my favorite; these are all wonderful examples of first class script writing.

Megint Balaton, nem tagadom, a legjobb része az országunknak! Egy család nyári hotelt nyit, de mindenen spórolni akarnak és ezzel egy időben jó fizetésre is gyúrnak, nem belátva, hogy a kettő egyszerre nem működik. Egy rokon gyerek a mesélőnk, aki kívülről látja, hogy a család mennyire őrült, de a jó indulatot is látja bennük ezért próbál segíteni ott, ahol csak tud. Amikor egy tolvaj keresése több embert is a hotelbe hoz a család ráébred, hogy talán túl nagy falatba haraptak. Az apuka teljes idegösszeomlást kap, mert egy nagyobb összegre tehettek volna szert, helyette rendőrök és mentők jöttek és ők semmit sem kaptak. Apuka hiányában a család helyre rakja a hotelt és sikeres businesst indítanak. Egyszerűen fantasztikusan van megvágva, nem tudom elmondani mennyire vicces, hogy egy abszurd helyzetben milyen jól mozog a család, és közben Balaton és nyár! Őszintén nem kell sok ahhoz, hogy engem boldoggá tegyenek és ez a klasszikus minden ponton talált! A family tries to get rich from opening a small hotel at Lake Balaton, but in the meanwhile tried their best to be as cheap as they can: selling almost green sausages, soup that was barely cooked, never replaces sheets that had holes in them and so on... Their hotel is swarmed when a pair of thieves resides there with a big amount of stolen cash, as they are followed by two others who want the money they stole, as well as the police. It is a funny family comedy and a big classic among my friends as well.

Ez a film jött ki utoljára azok közül, amikről írtam eddig. Nagyon ritka, hogy valami nézhető jött volna ki az elmúlt 10 évben, sajnos, de ez a film a kivétel. Kezdeném a szereposztással, Ónodi Eszter, Csákányi Eszter, Kulka János és Tőröcsik Mari… fantasztikus volt, egyikük jobb volt, mint a másik, és olyan szerepben voltak, amilyenben előtte még sosem láttuk őket. A három főszereplő egy énekes trióvá alakul és a Balaton mentén lépnek fel esküvőkön és programokon. A három nőt az hozza össze, hogy semmi veszíteni valójuk nincsen az életben és nem tudnak még egy napot eltölteni úgy, hogy nem lépnek valamit. Persze nem felhőtlen a kapcsolatuk, van, akinek meg kell tanulni, hogy mik a fontos dolgok az életben és van, akinek meg kell tanulnia a hangját használni, ha már van nekik! Ez a film egy remek példája annak, hogy egy eredeti történetet egy olyan kulturális közegbe tettek, amivel tud is azonosulni az ember és el tudja hinni, hogy megtörténhet. Attól lesz szép! The movie is a about a trio of singers who work venues around Lake Balaton for the summer. They are brought together by an old singer and a are trained by a skilled transvestite. In the end they all overcome their biggest fears, as life together forces them in unlikely situations. It is another example of a great script with fun cultural references. 

Ennek a filmnek a zenéje fogott meg első körben. Második körben pedig a történelmi poénok. Poénok, amin sajnos a magyar közönség nem tud nevetni… mi  magyarok valamiért genetikailag képtelenek vagyunk magunkon nevetni, mintha az valami nagyobb büntetéssel vagy tiszteletlenséggel járna együtt.  Holott rengeteg dolog van a mi történelmünkben, amin már csak azért is kell röhögni, hogy tanulhassunk belőle. Senki sem tökéletes. Soha senki nem is volt. A film vezéreink kalandjait követik, ahogyan keresik a magyarokat, de útjuk alatt előre haladnak az időben is. A film végén már a mai Budapestre érkeznek, büszkén, hogy csapataik, akiket bevezettek a Kárpát medencében és azok leszármazottjai milyen szép fővárost építettek. Számomra megható volt a film vége és őszintén nem tudom megérteni és nem is fogom soha, hogy emberek miért nem tudták értékelni a történetet és annak rengeteg rétegét! This was a comedic movie about the chiefs who lead the Hungarian troops into what is today Hungary's territory, but they wake up without their men and journey to find them. The journey is, however, through time and they arrive to contemporary Budapest, proud, of the city that was born from the men they guided through the country. Unfortunately the movie was not received well, because Hungarians are incapable of laughing at themselves... this will always be our downfall, in my opinion. Nonetheless, the movie is very entertaining and has a wonderful soundtrack.

És végül... 

Egy film az 56-os forradalomról. Nekem kritizálhatja bárki a szerelmi szálat, akkor is egy jó film. Magyarország nem volt egy szép hely az ötvenes években, és a film világában, színeiben, hangulatában bemutatja ezt, én szerény véleményemben fantasztikusan. A legszívszorítóbb jelenet a film végén van, amikor a himnuszt énekli a válogatott és az oroszok közben beveszik a fővárost. A fájdalom a sportolók szemében és a félelem a forradalmárok arcán egyszerűen leírhatatlan. A himnusz számomra mindig is ezt a fájdalmat idézte fel és a film ezt a hangulatot úgy fogta meg, mint kevés történet előtte és utána. Igen, megint rá akart erőltetni a nézőkre egy plusz szerelmi vonalat, legyen olyan főszereplő, akivel lehet azonosulni, akinek érdekel a sorsa. Ez egy ismert módszer, nincsen benne semmi új, és lehet vele kötözködni, elvégre, ha nem szimpatikus, akivel azonosulni kéne akkor nehéz értékelni a filmet. Nekem ilyen problémám nem volt, szeretem a színészeket és a karaktereket is, akiket játszottak. Én átéreztem a fájdalmát annak az évnek. Meghajtom a fejem azok előtt, akik azt átélték, akik abban a világban éltek és láttak szeretteiket elveszni egy forradalomban, ami még több vért hozott magával. A movie about the 1956 failed revolution in Hungary, against the dictatorship that was run by the Soviet Union. The story focuses on an Olympian athlete and a university student who wish to live in a free country. Their efforts, as we know from history, are in vain, but their actions are never forgotten.

A magyar filmipar tele van mindennel, amiből érdemes tanulni. Rengeteg film, és most egyre több sorozat, amik bemutatják, hogy tudunk mi többet, mint csak koppintani Amerikától... de addig is a klasszikusokat újra nézhetjük bármikor! There is a lot to learn from Hungarian movies, not to mention that the new season based TV shows that we have, which are finally not soap operas, have remarkable writing. But there is a period in between classics and new movies that should be just burned and buried... But until we have more movies that will become classics, at least we have the old ones!

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

What's Next On My List? The First Wives Club

Thinking of March 8 today and all the wonderful women out there from whom I have learned the importance of equality, fair rights, standing up for those who are less fortunate and simply learning to love ourselves, I decided to write about a movie that is always the first to come to my mind whenever I think of powerful women. Unfortunately I think that still not enough movies or TV shows focus on this. Now, you can debate me, but then I'd like to remind you that we are yet to see the first female superhero on the big screen! Although I would recommend Supergirl to girls of all ages, as it teaches you all the right lessons, yet, there is more to be done on the matter.

Let us celebrate women today, March 8, 2017, because women make the world go round!


Three friends, Elise, Brenda and Annie are brought together years after college after the death of their fourth best friend, Cynthia. All four have lost touch, but the feeling of not having been there for a friend who needed them makes them realize that life is short. They all confess to having marital problems, and face that their lives cannot go on the way it has for a long time now. They get back what is theirs, either emotionally or in the form of a paycheck and through the process found their way back to their friendship.

"Ladies, you have to be strong and independent, and remember, 
don't get mad, get everything."

I can't remember whether or not I was seven or eight when I first saw this movie, but what I do remember is that I loved it right away. Thinking back it is a curious thing why someone at such a young age would simply love the idea of three strong women taking matters into their own hands, but I was in awe. What I loved about the movie was the fact that these women got the worst cards dealt to them, which they didn't deserve it, and did something about it. Not just that, but when they decided to push back, they didn't go crazy with revenge and never hurt anyone in their plans who didn't hurt them in the first place. All three husbands got what they deserved and nothing more or nothing less. This is perfectly showcased with Brenda's husband, Morty, who was all in all a good person going through a mid-life crisis but realized that his family was more important than anything else. Sometimes people just need a kick in the butt to realize what is in front of them and to learn to appreciate it!
As far as revenge is concerned, all the money they got back from their cheating husbands was spent on helping others. This wasn't a tale about women wishing for more money than they can imagine in order to live luxurious lives. Nor was it about getting the money that their husbands denied them, even if that was their first intent, they then turned it around to pay for a center that could help all women who have abusive husbands, cheaters, liars con-man and those who need help after a divorce. They realize that they could have helped Cynthia this way and this drives them to do better next time. And that is what I learned from the movie: somebody always has it worst than you do, and helping them might not only help you, but it will definitely help them. There is always something you can do!
The only thing that makes me cry every single time is the fact that Cynthia was played by one of my favorite actresses of all time: Stockard Channing. And I wish she would have had a bigger part in the movie. But because of my love for her I am always reminded to take care of my friends and to make sure that they always know they have someone to turn to no matter what happens in their life. This movie taught me more than any others out there. It celebrates women on a whole other level. They are all independent, strong, smart and they use their brains, not their looks (although if you ask me women can only get more beautiful with age! Hollywood got it wrong!), and a fierce woman might just be the sexiest thing I can think of, to be honest!

Watch it? Definitely. It is a cult classic. There is going to be a re-booth in the form of a TV series soon and I can't wait to see it! This story has so many layers and it teaches you all the right lessons. I'm letting you know in advance that my children will be forced to watch this over and over again until they learn to love themselves, care for their friends and if life pushes you to push back justly! Now please celebrate women! They gave us life and we should make the best of that life!


Until the next item on my list!
_ _ _ _ _ _ 

Annie - Diane Keaton
Elise - Goldie Hawn
Brenda - Bette Midler
Morty - Dan Hedaya
with
Gunilla Garson Goldberg - Maggie Smith