Filme Friday - "Gold" (2013)

"Gold" is a 2013 piece of historical fiction set in 1898 during the Yukon gold rush. I gave it a shot because it's a newer film, I like a lot of historical fiction, and I enjoy movies set in that time period. The film has really mixed reviews, and that makes sense. The pace can be a little slow and the story's been done before with more to it. But for a one-time-watch, it was good.

Source: IMDb

The movie follows seven German and Austrian-Hungarian immigrants as they travel through the Yukon territory in Alaska in hopes of finding gold. They all have the same goal, but for different reasons. Some are seeking fortune, while others are looking for freedom, escape, and a new start. Wilhelm Laser leads the group, claiming he is experienced in finding gold and knows the way. He hires an older couple, Otto and Maria Dietz, to drive the wagon and cook, and Carl Boehmer, who has experience with horses, to be a packer. Three others join the group: Joseph Rossman is a family man trying to bring his family out of poverty and Gustav Muller is a journalist who hopes to make it big by publishing a first-hand account of the trek. Emily, who seems to be the main protagonist, is a single woman who the others are immediately suspicious and unsure of.  All seem to think it will be a rather straightforward and simple trip, and none are ready for the hardship that faces them.

source: IMDb

It sounds strange, but the film is reminiscent of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's "Cannibal! The Musical" (yes, the guys who write South Park). "Gold' doesn't have the same humor at all (or much humor at all...I think I chuckled at one part where Maria tells the others to get used to the food after someone complains its inedible) and there are no song and dance numbers that will stay stuck in your head for years. But, both follow groups hoping to find gold and both groups need to (and fail to) trust the relative strangers they're with. And both end with a much smaller number of adventurers than begin the journey.

I'm really not sure how realistic "Gold" is concerning what people who joined the Yukon gold rush faced, but it is believable. The story is a little dry, and it lacks some character development. Clearly, the audience is meant to be left in the dark about some of the members of the group until later in the film, but after some backgrounds and stories are introduced, not much is explained or used later.

If I didn't watch the movie with the intent to write about it, I might not have made it past the first half hour. The story drags on and there's no real action or conflict until almost halfway through. There are small hints at possible obstacles, but nothing really happens. Once the story starts moving, it's more engaging. I did enjoy Emily's character as an independent and closed-off woman who slowly opens up to one person in the group and eventually shows other sides she's kept hidden. I also liked Rossman, but wish his story had been delved into slightly more.

Source: IMDb

While I enjoyed "Gold", I wouldn't watch it again. It could be a great teaching tool for what it was like in the gold rush of the late 1890's and to look at human nature and interactions between strangers forced to depend on each other. There are some beautiful shots, and while the electric guitar being the only soundtrack is offputting at first, it does fit the mood of the film. I also liked the ending, which surprises me. In some way it offered closure, but was also somewhat ambiguous, and I'm normally not a fan on ambiguous endings.

If you're looking for a dramatic, realistic, serious, and somewhat dark movie about people trying to find fortune during one of the gold rushes, "Gold" fits the bill. If you want to follow it up with something in the same setting that's silly and will have you humming catchy tunes for days, might I suggest "Cannibal! The Musical"?

Source: IMDb

I guess my point is that you need to watch "Cannibal! The Musical."

Filme Friday - Goodnight Mommy (2014)

This movie is creepy in the best way!  It's perfect for the month of October and just days before Halloween.  I love horror movies, so I've been excited about watching this film since I first heard about it.  I kept seeing articles calling the trailer disturbing and terrifying, which added to the intrigue.

It's an Austrian film with the title originally "Ich Seh Ich Seh", which translates to "I see, I see" in English.  This is a reference to the game "I Spy", where instead of "I spy with my little eye", German-speaking children say "Ich seh, ich seh, was du nicht siehst" (I see, I see, what you don't see).

Without giving too much away, a mother and her two sons, Lukas and Elias, live in a beautiful house in the country.  The film begins with the 9 year-old twins waiting for their mother to come home and when she does, her face is completely bandaged from surgery.  The boys notice that their mother is acting strangely, particularly that she is being strict and cruel, especially toward Lukas.  It doesn't take long before they wonder if this person whose face is hidden by bandaging is actually their mother.  They take matters into their own hands to determine the true identity of the woman in their home, which has terrifying consequences.

Source: rockshockpop.com

I'm a horror junkie and this movie lived up to my standards for a quality film.  It had a great mix of psychological horror and gore.  There were a few scenes that had me cringing despite my normally strong stomach.  Those Madagascar hissing cockroaches...*shiver*

Source: jarviscity.com

I really don't want to say too much about the plot itself because I liked that the trailer didn't give much away at all.  The entire style is creepy and cute at the same time.  There's a bizarre innocence in the boys that only makes everything they do that much darker.  I also liked that actual twins were cast instead of using one actor for two characters.  Maybe I'm imagining it, but it really seemed to add something to the film.

Source: bloodygoodhorror.com

After the final scene, I went back and rewatched previous scenes.  Even though I anticipated the ending, I still missed things and I wasn't sure I quite understood what I saw.  There's actually a bit of debate over certain scenes in the movie, which is always fun.  Definitely a thought-provoking, eerie horror film.  It certainly doesn't do much to dispel the creepy reputation twins get from movies like The Shining.

German and Austria have plenty of well-known classic horror movies, but this film gives hope for the more modern ones as well.

Filme Friday - "Der Nanny" (2015)

Let me start by saying that this is one of the funniest movies I have seen in any language.  I came across it by accident.  On my second day of my new job (yay new job!) I was sent to a conference in Arizona with my team. This meant I had a decent length airplane trip and since I was lucky enough to have movie choices, I took advantage of it.  Seeing foreign language movies available absolutely made my day.

The first thing that caught my eye about "Der Nanny" (aka "The Manny") were the names Matthias Schweighöfer and Milan Peschel in the cast list.  A year and a half ago, I wrote about the film Schlussmacher, which starred these same actors.  I remembered liking that movie enough, so I gave this one a try.  Plus, Schweighöfer is nice to look at.

Schweighöfer plays Clemens, a single father with two ill-behaved children.  It's clear early on that his job as a real estate developer rules his life and he places it as a priority above all else.  He's handsome and wealthy with a great career, but a couple of intersecting problems.  First, his kids do their best to chase away any nanny he hires.  Second, he is facing pushback from residents of buildings he is looking to demolish for an urban development project.  This is where Peschel, who plays Rolf, comes in.

Source: archiv.mediennerd.de

Rolf is a resident of an apartment building Clemens plans to tear down.  He pays a visit to Clemens to  voice his protest, but Clemens mistakes him for the new nanny.  Thinking this is a great opportunity for sabotage, Rolf goes along with it and endures the torture inflicted on him by the children in hopes of saving his neighborhood.

Source: IMDb

It's a heartwarming comedy that really hits hard on the message of being there for family, whether you're related by blood or not.  All of the main characters have pretty in depth development and stories.  Even as I was consistently laughing, I was considering my normal workaholic lifestyle and how I can't do that and have a family.  It honestly made me more relieved to have found my current job, with a company that values work/life balance and a boss who values family.

Source: IMDb

I'm not sure how popular this movie was in Germany, but I'd never heard of it.  I'm not too surprised because it's rare for a German comedy to gain popularity in the United States in the same way that a drama or historical piece does.  It's a movie I found hilarious and would watch again.  These actors have great chemistry together and I'll keep a lookout for any other films they're in together.

Source: IMDb

I recommended this film to my mom to show for German Club's movie night since they shoot down my horror movie suggestions, so maybe a few more people will see it.

Twinnies CDs!

I saw something on my Facebook newsfeed the other day that my blog audience might enjoy.  Franziska Pauli's Facebook page posted a photo with the caption "Look, what I've found! People told me, that the TWINNIES album isn't availabe at amazon anymore... Few days ago I discovered, that I still have some of them at home. So, does anybody want one or more of them with a personal message for each 15,00$/15,00€ + shipping? Just send me a message! Maybe you still need a christmas gift..."

Considering that my original post about Die Twinnies (from 3 and a half years ago!) is still my most popular post, I thought there might be interest in this sale.  I'm tempted to buy one if any are left!

I couldn't resist commenting on the photo when I saw it:

And to my surprise, Franzi liked my comment!

Lucky me!  So, go buy that album!  And, for a "where are they now" post about Die Twinnies, check out my post from last September.  I'm sure they've been up to a lot since then.

Filme Friday: Das Millionenspiel (1970)

This weekend is the premier of the last Hunger Games movie. Unfortunately, once all us fans see it, there's nothing else to look forward to!...right?  There are two popular themes that the audience seems to love: dystopian future and twisted fight-to-the-death reality show.  I'm one of the many who love it.  It's not really a new idea, even if it's been done in a lot of different ways.  For example, it you like "The Hunger Games", you might enjoy the 1970 Austrian movie, "Das Millionenspiel."

(Source: stream-search.de)

The film follows the finale episode of a tv show called "Das Millionenspiel" where the contestant must avoid being killed by the Köhler gang for a month.  Bernhard Lotz is the 15th contestant and he only needs to survive one more day to win the 1,000,000 DeutscheMark prize.  The movie follows his last day as some try to help him win and others try to bring him to the killers.  Just like other films in this genre, human nature is examined and whether murder is still immoral when it's legal.

The style of the movie reminds me a lot of "Series 7: The Contenders", which I highly recommend (I watch it every couple of years and like it more each time).  It's meant to make the viewer feel like they're watching the actual fictional reality show.  The movie viewer sees what the tv show viewer would see.  "Das Millionenspiel" even includes filler segments of interviews and performances by singers and a colorful dance group.  Think of how shows like "Dancing with the Stars" and "America's Got Talent" have special star acts between the meat of the show.  "Das Millionenspiel" also includes fake commercials that fit with the kind of society that would condone such entertainment.  They're a good way of adding commentary without going outside the overall style.

(Source: vimeo.com)

Maybe it says something about my age, but I feel like I have a short attention span for a lot of movies made before the 1980s.  I'm not sure why, but I get easily distracted when the movie feels "old" (I'm sure the generations younger than I am feel that way about movies I grew up with).  I don't know what it is honestly.  This movie managed to hold my attention for the most part, partially because I was watching to review it.  It also moved quickly enough that I didn't get bored with any one scene.  

It seems like the film was intended to be more of an alternate reality than futuristic.  This reminded me again of "Series 7: The Contenders" and also of "Battle Royale".  Side note: If you like "The Hunger Games", but you've never seen "Battle Royale", stop reading right now and go watch it.  Or read it. (Well, finish reading this first).  The book and movie are both Japanese, but the English subtitled version is one of my favorite movies.  I will admit that I have yet to get through the entire sequel though...some movies are better standing alone.  All three could be visions of the future just as easily as they could be alternate realities.  Yes, "Battle Royale" is set in the future, but, these films aren't as futuristic sci-fi as others like "The Hunger Games" and "Running Man".  I like them all, but prefer something somewhat easier to relate to.  Maybe it's similar to how I tend to prefer horror movies where the monster could be real.

Bad news:  No more Hunger Games Movies.
Good news: I just gave three great recommendations in three different languages to fill that void.

Steuben Parade 2015

Today is the 2015 Steuben Parade in NYC! It goes up Fifth Ave from 64th to 86th street. It's a ton of fun and you can see a lot of groups from America and overseas. This year, there are 3 grand Marshall's, including:

Klaus Wowereit, a German politician, member of the SPD (Social Democratic Party), who was the Governing Mayor of Berlin for 13 years from October 2001 to December 2014. 

Contessa Brewer, a nationally recognized Emmy award-winning television news anchor and the host of MSNBC’s primetime series “Caught on Camera.” 

John Ratzenberger, a multi-Emmy nominated actor and accomplished screenwriter, director, producer and author who may be best known for playing mail carrier Cliff Clavin on the long-running NBC sitcom “Cheers.” 

(Source: http://germanparadenyc.org/2015-grand-marshals-announced/)

I'm excited about John Ratzinger. I loved watching Cheers growing up (on Nick at Nite) and he's a talented voice actor as well. He's had a role in every Disney-Pixar movie (http://blogs.disney.com/oh-my-disney/2014/04/07/ranking-john-ratzenbergers-pixar-roles/). Plus, he's from Connecticut, my home state!

Can't make it to the city? No worries.  You can watch the parade streaming live on the germanparadenyc.org website. It starts at noon today:

http://totalwebcasting.com/view/?func=VOFF&id=twclient&date=2015-09-19&seq=1

Musik Monday - MfG by Die Fantastischen Vier

Musik Monday is back!  And this week is one of my favorite songs.  I have about 10 songs on my phone, and this is one of them.  It's so clever and fun to listen to and sing along with/mess up many of the lyrics. 

Die Fantastischen Vier (Fanta 4) have been around for a while - officially since 1989 to be exact.  They are a German hip-hop group that was the first to really reach the top of the music charts in 1992.  Their music employs a lot of comedy, but later in the group's career, some of their songs became more serious.  Fun fact: they voice the Penguins in the German-dubbed Madagascar films.  

(source: www.rotoscopers.com)

The group is still making music, but this song is from 1999.  The song is MfG, which is an acronym for "Mit freundlichen Gruessen," which translates literally to "with friendly greetings"; it's a way to end a letter before signing your name, like "sincerely yours". *Warning: Some adult themes*

If you know the German alphabet, it might sound a little like random letters being rapped then a chorus of actual words thrown in.  It's not random at all though.  First, the title itself is "text speak" and a way that people shortened words to make things quicker and easier.  The other letters in the song all go in groups of 3 as well, and each group of 3 stands for something.

Going even further into the song, each line of 3 acronyms is its own grouping.  The sets of 3 all have something in common.  I took a Deutsches Popmusik class when I studied in Heidelberg and we had a worksheet where we had to try to fill in each group of 3 letters while listening to the song.  Then, after we reviewed those, we tried to figure out what each acronym stands for.  Some were easy, because they're used in English as well as in German.  Others we knew because of learning German.  But the remaining ones were total guesses if we put anything down.  We started seeing patterns though, which is extremely interesting.  I'd urge anyone to try to figure out what the acronyms are before looking at the chart in this link.  I'm a bit of a nerd, but it's kind of like a puzzle and really fun:

http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/german/DeutscheWoche/DieFanta4-MFG.pdf

While some groupings immediately make sense (i.e., EDV, IBM, and WWW are all computer related), some require a little research or additional knowledge to understand.  For example: KMH, ICE, Eschede refers to the Inter-City Express trains (ICE) known for their speed (KMH), one of which crashed in a town in Lower Saxony (Eschede) in 1998.

This is a great tool for teaching adults who are beginning to learn German.  It could also be useful for high school students, but there are some PG-13 themes in the song that a teacher might not want to explain to younger students (or their parents).  Most of all, it's a fun, clever song.

My Ritter Sport Ranking

A list from Gawker has been going around the internet this past week titled, "Ritter Sport Varieties, Ranked".  I love Ritter Sport chocolate. Every time someone is visiting from Germany, I always request a bar or two.  When I came home from studying abroad, at least 3 pounds of my luggage was Ritter Sport.  I didn't go to the main headquarters in Waldenbuch, Germany, but I've been to the mini-museum in Berlin.  The former is on my list of places to visit.  So, I decided to do my own list*:

26.  Rum Trauben Nuss – Milk chocolate with rum-soaked raisins and hazelnut pieces (Crimson Red Wrapper)

25.  Trauben-Nuss – Milk chocolate with raisins and hazelnut pieces (Carmine Red Wrapper)

24. Schoko-Duo – Plain milk chocolate and white chocolate (Royal Blue Wrapper with chocolate bar on outside)

23.  Ganze Mandel – Milk chocolate with whole almonds (Dark Green Wrapper)

22.  Haselnuss – Milk chocolate with hazelnuts (Green wrapper)

21.  Karamell – Milk chocolate with caramel filling. (Orange wrapper)

20.  Voll-Nuss – Milk chocolate with whole hazelnuts (Brown Wrapper with Hazelnut-Pattern)

19.  Knusperkeks – Milk chocolate with a butter biscuit (Brown Wrapper)

18.  Noisette – Hazelnut-flavored milk chocolate. (light green wrapper)

17.  Edelbitter – Plain dark chocolate, 71% cacao (Pink Wrapper)

16.  Dunkle Vollmilch – Plain medium dark chocolate, 40% cacao (Azure Blue Wrapper)

15.  Nugat – Milk chocolate with hazelnut-nougat center (Midnight Blue Wrapper)

14.  Neapolitan – Milk Chocolate with neapolitan wafers, made with a hazelnut cream filled wafers and praline. (medium dark orange wrapper)

13.  Karamel Nuss - Milk Chocolate with butter caramel cream dropped hazelnuts and crispy rice (Golden yellow wrapper)

12.  Knusperflakes – Milk chocolate with corn flakes (Golden Yellow Wrapper)

11.  Alpenmilch – Special milk chocolate with high alpine milk proportion (Sky Blue Wrapper)

10.  Vollmilch – Plain milk chocolate (Royal Blue Wrapper)

9.  Olympia – Milk Chocolate with yoghurt, honey, and glucose. (Gold Wrapper)

8. Halbbitter – Plain dark chocolate, 50% cacao (Burgundy Wrapper)

7. Marzipan – Dark chocolate with marzipan center (Red Wrapper)

6. Erdbeer Joghurt – Milk chocolate strawberry and yogurt filling (Light Pink Wrapper)

5. Dunkle Voll-Nuss – Dark chocolate with whole hazelnuts (Dark Brown Wrapper with Hazelnut-Pattern)

4.  Cappuccino – Milk chocolate and cappuccino cream (Amber Wrapper)

3. Feinherb à la Mousse au Chocolat – dark chocolate filled with chocolate mousse (Bistre Wrapper)

2.  Joghurt – Yogurt (White Wrapper)

1. Pfefferminz – Chocolate with peppermint filling (Caribbean Green Wrapper)

Flavors I have yet to try:

• Weiße Voll-Nuss – White chocolate with whole hazelnuts (White/Cream Wrapper with Hazelnut-Pattern)
• Williams Birne Trüffel – dark chocolate filled with Poire Williams pear brandy mousse
• Cocos – Milk chocolate with flakes of coconut in the center (Silver Wrapper)
• Kakao-Keks – Dark chocolate with cookie center. (Brown Wrapper with cookie background)
• Kakao-Mousse – Whipped Cream Cocoa in Alpine Milk Chocolate. (Brown Wrapper)
• Voll Erdnuss – Milk chocolate with whole peanuts (Orange Wrapper)

I really, really want to try the coconut one.  Guess I have a bit of taste testing to do!

Bottom line, Ritter Sport chocolate is amazing and if you're in Germany, you should eat as many flavors as possible...and bring some back for me!

*Note: I know not all the flavors are here, specifically seasonal ones.  I used the list of varieties on Wikipedia, like the original post.  Also, not all the flavors are available as the typical 100g bars; some only exist in mini or cube form.

St. Patrick's Day Crochet Shamrocks

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Even though I'm The Crafty German, I've got some Irish blood in me, so I have to celebrate and remember to wear green. But, it can be easy to forget, especially on a work day, so here's a quick crochet project to get in the spirit and ensure you'll have something green on you.

Last year, I had only been working with my company for a little over a month on St. Patrick's Day. It was a small company though so I was already getting along with my coworkers. Apparently a coworker hired a month before I was had the same idea as me, because she brought in pins for all of us and I brought in these crochet shamrocks. 

I modified a pattern I found to make flowers for a hat to make some 3-leaf clovers.  I used 1 piece of yarn instead of two pieces and repeated step 2 for three petals instead of five or six.  Then, I finished with a chain of 6, turned, and single crocheted in each chain stitch.  Lastly, I did a slip stitch into the ring to finish.

They came out really cute and hardly take any time to make!  You can even sew safety pins to the back to make them wearable.

My Nerdy Valentine

I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's day, except for the chocolate and the excuses to get crafty.  I also like getting stuff for the Tall Guy (who is the one getting me the chocolate) and coming up with some creative ideas.

Chocolates and Nightmare Before Christmas.  He knows the way to my heart.

I try to buy or make something he'll like, which often tends to be nerdy.  Last year, I made a card based on something I found on Pinterest.

Mario is Red, Sonic is Blue

Will you be my player 2?

It definitely took a while, but totally worth it.  Who wouldn't want a Nintendo valentine with Mario and Sonic?  I took out some fine-tip colored markers, printer paper, graph paper, and pictures of Mario and Sonic.  I'm nerdy enough to know that Mario is 8-bit and Sonic is 16-bit (originally), so each pixel for Mario would be four for Sonic.  Unfortunately, the squares were too big on the graph paper I had to do four squares for each Mario pixel, so I colored Sonic a quarter of a square at a time.  Each Mario pixel was one square and each Sonic pixel was 1/4 square.

Easy level

Hard Level

I sat at my computer staring at pictures to try to get it just right.  Of course, printing would be easier, but I was out of colored ink and too cheap to buy any.  Plus, as tough as it was, it was really fun.  The controllers were also pretty easy, but I had some difficulty drawing the wires in a heart shape.  Also, I used crayons, which worked, but pencils, pens, or fine-tip markers would have been easier.

Crayons: something every 20-something year old needs

He liked it, but he was definitely more excited about his cookie dough oreos.  Can't really blame him!

Filme Friday - Schlussmacher

Since Valentine's Day is next weekend, what better time for a romantic comedy Filme Friday?  This month's movie is "Schlussmacher", which roughly translates to "The Break-up Man."  I wasn't sure what to expect and was hesitant to watch because the poster on IMDb looked to have more romance and drama than comedy.  It turned out to be a lot like American romantic comedies, with a little bit of a "The Hangover" feel to it.  Another lesson in not judging a book by its cover!

The bottom poster works a lot better
(Source: [top] IMDb, [bottom] ontab.tv)

The main character, Paul (the handsome blonde on the posters) works for a company that specializes in ending relationships.  Paul's job is to break the new to people that their significant other is dumping them.  He remains professional and does what he can to give them their "happy end."  He's great at what he does, though it's clearly affecting his personal life.  He can't fully commit to a relationship, which causes the woman he's seeing to doubt whether they should be together.  His own romantic relationship is put on the backburner for most of the movie though as he deals with his latest client.

Paul and his "girlfriend", not as perfect as they seem (source: www.listal.com)

Paul is faced with his most important job yet.  If he is successful, he will get a huge promotion and become a partner in the company.  After he thinks this job is finished, things start falling apart.  His girlfriend says she's not happy with the way things are, and he realizes that Toto, the man who was his latest break-up victim, is a little crazy.  Trying to smooth things over, Paul gives Toto a ride, and loses his drivers license in the process.  Not wanting to tell his boss, and not having anyone else to turn to, Paul uses Toto as a way of getting around.  He's faced with trying to protect, control, and console Toto, and ends up lying to him a lot.  The two men have many misadventures, many of which are hilarious.  Of course, as is the case with movies like this, they learn some sort of lesson along the way.

Not being able to sleep alone: one of Toto's many quirks (source: meetup.com)

The movie is more of a lighthearted comedy than anything else.  It's fun to watch and not a chick-flick, despite being a romantic comedy.  There is violence, profanity, and sex in the movie, so it's at least a PG-13 rating, if not higher.  Parental discretion advised.  I watched without subtitles, but there are definitely versions with subtitles out there.  You don't need to be fluent in German to follow the story, but you might miss a few jokes without a translation.  It's a great date movie or one to watch alone for a few laughs.

(source: www.thimfilm.at)

Chase the Chill

I'm a crocheter, as evidenced by earlier posts.  So, I love seeing articles about crocheters and knitters, especially when they're using their skills to do good for others.  That's why I was excited to see this article about a group called "Chase the Chill."

Scarves on every tree (source: abcnews.go.com)

I'd read about the group about a year ago, and had it in the back of my mind since then.  Apparently the group (which has a facebook page) started this "yarnbombing" event in 2010 in Eaton, Pennsylvania.  The group collects handmade scarves and then hangs them up around the community on places like trees and statues.  This isn't just to display artwork though; each scarf includes a tag that says it's free to anyone who wants it.  While the group's goal is a nontraditional form of charity, where those struggling to stay warm in the winter can find a free scarf, anyone who needs or wants a scarf can take one.

Even includes washing instructions (source: abcnews.go.com)

I've donated scarves before and wanted to make prayer shawls, but doing something like this is tempting.  Maybe I'll look into starting a Connecticut chapter!  The article explains that people started a group in Georgia and included hats as well.  I just need to find some interested knitters and crocheters in Connecticut!

H&R Block "Nein nein nein" Commercial

I love commercials (and anything else) that use foreign languages for comedy.  The other day, I saw one of many new H&R Block commercials advertising filing state tax returns for $9.99.  The message didn't click (I missed the end of the commercial because I was laughing) until I saw a different commercial, but it's hilarious example of false friends.  Hope it's as funny for some of you as it is for me!

Filme Friday: Dinner for One (1963)

This Filme Friday has a short (less than 20 minutes long) British film that's available for free online! Thank you youtube!

The movie is "Dinner for One" and it's a German New Year's Eve tradition. I wrote about my New Year's Eve Rummelpott experience on Föhr a couple of years ago, but while I was out singing for drinks, my mom was watching this short movie with family (and also toasting the new year with drinks poured by strangers parading down the street while some neighbors set off fireworks on the beach). While I can't enjoy a Föhrer celebration every year, I've made this movie part of my tradition to end the last two years. Then after the ball drops, I watch the pilot episode of Futurama. End one year with German culture, start the next with geek culture. 

(source: filmaffinity.com)

It's not really clear why watching "Dinner for One" became a tradition, but half of Germans watch it each year. Even stranger, it never caught on in English-speaking countries. In fact, most people in English-speaking countries have never heard of it. 

The sketch was originally written by British author Lauri Wylie in the 1920's. It was performed decades later on stage and discovered in 1962 by Peter Frankenfeld and Heinz Dunkhase, who decided to broadcast it and film it. The sketch aired occasionally then found its New Year's Eve spot in 1972. Somehow, it became a cult classic and tradition in Germany and other countries. 

I watched it blindly, not knowing anything about the plot. If you want to be surprised, stop reading here until you watch it. But if you want to know what you're getting into, read on.

Watch it!

The short comedy only has two actors: 90 year old Miss Sophie and her butler, James. She is celebrating her birthday and wants "the same procedure as every year", which includes serving her 4 friends, who she has outlived. To compensate, James pretends to be each guest in turn. Part of this act involves drinking their (alcoholic) beverages while making a toast for each course. These 16 drinks in the 20 minutes of the sketch leave James more than a little inebriated and result in some slapstick comedy. It's hard to spoil, even telling that much because the acting is the real reason to watch. 

James is an already-clumsy but devoted butler and the actor does a wonderful job feigning increased drunkenness. His act alone is hilarious. But, it would be incomplete without Miss Sophie. She encapsulates the upper-class British stereotype perfectly and it's amazing that she manages to keep a straight face through the antics.

One of many drinks! (source: expert-technomarkt.de)

The entire skit is predictable (perhaps not the very end), but that's part of its charm. I could also see drinking games and parties centered around the film adding to its appeal. But the greatest thing about it is that it is a strange bit of culture that manages to bring a country together. It's something everyone can enjoy and only requires 20 minutes of attention.

Whether you've seen it or not, I recommend adding it to your New Year's traditions. 

Filme Friday: Die Mauer - Berlin '61 (2006)

I had a long list of movies to use for this month, but for this last one, I ended up choosing "Die Mauer - Berlin '61", one I had never seen or heard of before this week.  This was a little off the beaten path.  It's a made-for-TV movie from 2006.  Considering that I've watched my fair share of Lifetime movies (guilty pleasure), I gave it a shot.  I did not regret it.

(source: wom.de)

The movie take a slightly different approach than the others I've reviewed and shows a different kind of love story: the love of parents for their child.  Also, unlike the others, its main focus is the early years of the Berlin Wall.  This new perspective worked well.  At first, I found it hard to follow the story and understand how it related to the division of Germany, so I went on the film's Wikipedia page within the first few minutes and accidentally spoiled the first quarter for myself.  Regardless, I still enjoyed the film and found it gripping.

The movie starts on a train before the Berlin Wall was built, which initially threw me off.  After the initial scene, the film cuts to the main characters, a family of three, getting ready for the evening.  The parents are going to a friend's birthday party in what will soon become West Berlin and their teenage son is staying at a friend's house for the night.  It is evident already that the people the son is staying with and the people hosting the birthday party have a different outlook on life.

The parents are on their way home, when suddenly, everyone around them is panicking.  Just like reality, the city was divided without warning.  The parents don't want to return to the East and be trapped, but they also want to be reunited with their son.  Little do they know how much his life is changing as his friend's mom works to mold him into the perfect East German soldier.  Soon, the beginning of the movie becomes clear and helps explain why the family remains separated.

The son being molded into an East German citizen (source: cinefacts.de)

I've mentioned before that I was only alive for a year while the wall was still up, so my knowledge is limited to other people's stories.  But, while many account years of separation from family members, a lot of the other movies about the subject don't focus on that aspect.  Despite the few extra layers, the movie was about parents trying to make a better life for their family after the city was divided, which included attempting to rescue and even just contact their son.  I found myself even more invested in their journey than that of the star-crossed lovers in Das Versprechen.

Even though the beginning was initially confusing to me, the movie was full of suspense from the first minute.  The viewer is kept wondering what will come from each action and effort.  The characters struggle and fail in realistic ways, but small successes bring hope.  The final few scenes had my full attention.

The father eventually started losing hope (source: cinefacts.de)

The setting was also interesting.  It's almost the opposite of Goodbye Lenin in that the movie shows only the first few months after the wall went up.  There's a summary at the end of the movie telling what happened in the following years, but the acting ends while the wall is still in its early stages.  Just as the characters in Goodbye Lenin were shocked by how quickly the wall came down, it's shocking here how quickly the citizens of Berlin were shut off from each other.

However, from this film, it seems like something like the wall wasn't totally unexpected.  Not only did the family experience some oppression, but some citizens, like the friend's mother had already bought into the East German ideology.  Soldiers were immediately ready to guard the border and citizens were trapped on one side or the other.  Some of the most heartbreaking scenes show loved ones seeing each other beyond the border but not being able to do anything about it.

Looking for their son beyond the wall (source: kino.de)

This was a much better movie than I expected.  Granted, I expected to be disappointed, but it was a great film.  Unfortunately, it's a little hard to find.  It is on Amazon.de, but it's Region 2, which won't play on US DVD players or computers.  There are ways around it and most computers can switch regions a limited number of times, but if you find a copy of it, take the opportunity to watch it.

Filme Friday - Goodbye Lenin! (2003)

I remember seeing the poster for this movie, hearing some amazing reviews, and thinking it was a comedy (maybe because IMDb labels it as one).  For some reason, that idea stuck with me years after I first saw it and I convinced my non-German-speaking guy to watch it with me.  Oops.

(source: IMDb)

While it's not a movie with constant laughs, it definitely has some amusing moments and is somewhat of a dark comedy.  It is definitely more of a drama than anything else though. The movie is amazing, but I know from experience that people expecting a comedy may be turned off pretty quickly.  It's also two hours long, which is my limit for most dramas.  Regardless, it's worth watching at least once.

The movie begins with the main character and narrator, Alex recalling his childhood growing up in East Berlin.  The scenes shows family home movies, the Sandmännchen TV program, and Sigmund Jähn becoming the first German to go into space.  Alex recalls his father leaving the family for West Germany and this causing his mother to put all her passion towards pushing East Germany's communist agenda.  This introduction leading to the movie's setting shows a rather neutral picture of the East while the wall was up.  It is less politicized and more a story that could happen to anyone.

It is quickly apparent, however, that Alex is aware of what he is missing in the West and disillusioned with the government and his lack of freedom.  Part of this is due to his childhood dream of being the second German astronaut never becoming a reality.  He is instead a TV repairman, living with his mother, and his unwed sister and her daughter.  While he does not hold strong opinions, he still attends a protest with people chanting for freedom of the press and no more wall.  Like many others, he is arrested and sent to jail.

East and West TV repairmen teaming up (source: IMDb)

While with the group of protesters in jail, Alex learns that his mother had a heart attack and fell into a coma.  Alex remains devoted to his mother, constantly visiting while she is still unconscious.  However, the world continues to move around them, and within a couple of months, the wall is down and the citizens of East Berlin have newfound freedoms.  Outside of his hospital visits, Alex also moves on.  He visits the West, indulges in the new culture, and starts dating a hospital nurse he had met at the protest.  Then, in another sudden turn of events, Alex's mother wakes up.

Alex's first trip to West Berlin

The doctor warns Alex that any shock may cause his mother to fall ill again or even die, and Alex is faced with the challenge of hiding this new world to protect his mother. While everyone is initially on board with this plan, his relationships with his girlfriend, sister, and friends become strained because of these efforts. It leaves the viewer wondering if he can pull it off and whether he should.

A fake newscast created to fool Alex's mother (source: IMDb)

The interesting thing about this movie is that it focuses on a generation wanting freedom and change, not knowing their wish was about to come true. The time when the country was divided only lasts for a short part of the film, but the division influences everything. 

The film also did not seem to take one side and sympathized with all citizens. While there were freedom fighters like Alex's girlfriend, there were plenty struggling the adapt to a unified Germany. This contrast is shown mostly by age. Those in their 20's and younger are eager to embrace everything new, while older generations either aren't sure how to proceed or want things back to normal. There is an ambiguity to who is right, if anyone. I finished watching with a sense that every system is broken.

Alex's sister at her new Western Burger King job (source: IMDb)

There is an idealism that is reborn in Alex because of his charade. He recreates history for his mother to explain certain things he can't hide. His imagined history paints a picture of how East Germany could have been successful. Alex seems to accept that the West has it's faults, even though he prefers it. But, his stories intertwine East and West ideals, showing an impossible idealism. He accepts that no system is perfect, but wants his mother to experience the best version he created. 

Perhaps being slightly older than Alex's character made it easy to relate to this movie on my second viewing. I understand thinking there must be a system and a way to fix everything and feeling lost at the realization that nothing like that can exist. We all hold different ideas of what is best and have our own views of how to accomplish similar goals. I've come to love a German saying recently: "Gerade, weil wir alle in einem Boot sitzen, sollten wir heilfroh darüber sein, dass nicht alle auf unserer Seite stehen." Roughly translated, "since we're all in the same boat, we should be glad that not everyone is standing on our side." We need the diversity of thoughts and opinions to function. This was part of the problem with East Germany: people were heavily censored and could not express their differences. And if they tried, they were punished. By the same token, the ideals that helped shape East Germany should be considered and not ignored. Not everyone can be satisfied, but we all should be free to believe what we want and generally live how we want. Obviously, I'm not a fan of East Germany or what it did to the country as a whole, but especially after decades of separation, both sides need to be considered. 

Alex and his girlfriend struggle too maintain the charade and embrace the new freedom (source: IMDb)

This movie is very thought-provoking and it should be. The subject matter is heavy, even just in the characters' personal lives. It's a great story that leaves a lot of "what if?" and "what really happened?" questions to ponder. The part when the family revisits their old vacation home really made me think during this viewing. It's interesting how some people changed themselves to cope with a horrible and unfair situation. 

A very telling moment near the end (source: IMDb)

Definitely not a movie to watch casually, but it deserves a viewing. It gives a great look into what Berlin and its citizens faced after the wall came down.