Alone with Crossing Over...

Again, i found myself alone in the house on a Sunday afternoon. I felt too lazy to go somewhere else so i decided to scrounge some DVDs from Wesa's stock.

I found this movie, Crossing Over, starring Harrison Ford as an immigration agent running after Mexican illegal immigrants.

The film deals with the border, document fraud, the asylum and green card process, work-site enforcement, naturalization, the office of counter terrorism and the clash of cultures.
from: Wikipedia

The movie highlights the lives of different nationalities struggling to get the much-coveted US green card.

There's the Mexican woman named Meriya (Alice Braga), who entered the US illegally with his young son.

Two Australian sweethearts with diverse interest of wanting to stay in the US. The guy (Jim Sturgess) was attempting to pass himself off as young rabbi. His Jewish friends taught him Hebrew prayers that he may use during the interview. He also involved his Mom in Australia to get "some papers" showing he got a Bar Mitzvah and went to Hebrew synagogue.

The girl (Alice Eve) was an aspiring actress and tried a shortcut by getting in bed with an immigration application adjudicator (Ray Liotta), whose wife (Ashley Judd) happens to be an immigration lawyer (pro-bono).

A Bangladeshi girl born in the US but her family is yet to get green cards who got enamored with Islamic extremism and caught the attention of Homeland security after she defended the 9/11 attackers in a class presentation.

A Korean boy and his family on the verged of getting naturalized but got involved with robbery turned bloody after his cohorts killed the Korean owner,

An Iranian-born immigration agent (Cliff Curtis, Ford's partner) belonging to an ultra- conservative family. His rebellious and liberal sister (Melody Khazae) was a considered a dishonor to their family and was killed by another brother (Merik Tadros) in a "family honor" killing. In the movie version, this "honor killing" was omitted. But in the DVD i saw, it was restored.

The climax of the movie was when the Iranian girl was killed by the younger brother , but it was Curtis that Ford suspected as the one who did it.

Distraught, Curtis went to a Korean store, and while inside, a group of hooded Korean youths stormed the store for a robbery. Along the way, the owner was shot and killed. Curtis engaged the youth in a gunbattle and killed all of them, except one young Korean (Justin Chon) who was about to be naturalized the next day. Curtis spared him his life and told him to go.

Ford receive a call from an immigration patrol who found the body of Meriya abandoned in the border. He went to Mexico to personally break the news of Meriya's death.

The Bangladeshi girl (Jaysha Patel) was deemed a future threat and was deported by Homeland security.

The Australian girl was arrested by immigration agents for having gotten his green card a bit too fast.

The Australian guy got a help from an old rabbi during the immigration interview, and eventually got his green card -- and a Jewish girlfriend.

Here's a review from John Hartl of Seattletimes.com:

The writer-director, Wayne Kramer, earned some fans for his 2003 sleeper, "The Cooler," which earned an Oscar nomination for Alec Baldwin. He's certainly good with actors, but he tends to push the big tear-jerker moments.

Kramer is also fond of swooping aerial shots that emphasize the boxy buildings and detention centers that litter the California landscape and trap his characters. He seems to be saying that they can't win in this environment, whether they're as world-weary as Brogan or as cynical as the actress who all but volunteers to prostitute herself.

But (spoiler alert) the movie does hold out some hope for people who luck out and/or won't let the system drag them down. As a result, the doom-laden visual scheme begins to seem inappropriate and a tad pretentious.

Next: DVD - The Red Cliff

This Google search error

I am an avid Google search fan. I never want to use any other search engine but Google.

But lately, i was getting this wierd message from Google everytime i type in my search.. It is not that my search words or phrase is about adult words or issues, or my laptop might be infected with spyware or viruses (i am using a commercial-licensed Kaspersky 6), but i wonder why i always get this Google error message:

Google Error

We're sorry...... but your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus or spyware application. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now.

We'll restore your access as quickly as possible, so try again soon. In the meantime, if you suspect that your computer or network has been infected, you might want to run a virus checker or spyware remover to make sure that your systems are free of viruses and other spurious software.

If you're continually receiving this error, you may be able to resolve the problem by deleting your Google cookie and revisiting Google. For browser-specific instructions, please consult your browser's online support center.

If your entire network is affected, more information is available in the Google Web Search Help Center.

We apologize for the inconvenience, and hope we'll see you again on Google. To continue searching, please type the characters you see below:

I was beginning to think it is because my ip address is in Nigeria that Google thinks i'm a darned 419 scammer.

So i had to use Yahoo to check if i am the only one experiencing this problem.

In an article from BBC way back Jan 31, 2009, Google said the problem is only temporary and it is because they are implementing a new anti-spamming technology in their search engine.

To quote:

Google's search service has been hit by technical problems, with users unable to access search results.

For a period on Saturday, all search results were flagged as potentially harmful, with users warned that the site "may harm your computer".

Users who clicked on their preferred search result were advised to pick another one.

Google attributed the fault to human error and said most users were affected for about 40 minutes.

"What happened? Very simply, human error," wrote Marissa Mayer, vice president, search products and user experience, on the Official Google Blog.

The internet search engine works with stopbadware.org to ascertain which sites install malicious software on people's computers and merit a warning.

Stopbadware.org investigates consumer complaints to decide which sites are dangerous. The list of malevolent sites is regularly updated and handed to Google.

When Google updated the list on Saturday, it mistakenly flagged all sites as potentially dangerous.

"We will carefully investigate this incident and put more robust file checks in place to prevent it from happening again," Ms Mayer wrote.

Yes, Ms. Mayer, please carefully investigate. Because until now, i always get this error. I have to key in captcha phrases twice before my query is displayed. And every time i close my browser or reboot my laptop and PC, the challenge comes up.

So i think stopbadware.org is blocking searches based not only on certain words and phrases, but also based on ip. And because i happen to be in Nigeria, they think all of us ar bucnh of scammers. I bet all ips assigned to Nigeria are encountering this problem.

But really, i still like Google despite ths annoyances.

If you encounter this error, do not panic. It is not your PC or laptop. It is just Google.

Talked about over-protection.

My Amarula Weekend

Well, here comes another weekend.

I worked from Monday until Saturday 2PM. So i get 1 full Sunday off.

Normally, I will spend the Sunday either at the beach or at the shopping mall.

But today, there were no available cars. Marcio borrowed one Peugeot and Edward took the other. So I have no choice but to stay at home. Good thing though that NEPA seems to be holding on since midnight.

I switched on the DSTV and saw the ongoing finals of Australian Open between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

I ran to the kitchen and searched the fridge for something to bite and drink. I found my half-empty (or half-full) bottle of Amarula. Aha. Showtime....

I brought a bowl of ice cubes, chichiria and Amarula into my room (Yes, Marix, my room has DSTV) and settled to watch the game.

In between the game, i was on the internet. After finishing my first glass, i felt compelled to research about Amarula.

According to my trusted friend Wiki:

Amarula is a South African cream liqueur made with sugar, cream and the fruit of the African Marula tree (Sclerocarya birrea) which is also locally called the Elephant tree or the Marriage Tree.

Amarula was first marketed in September 1989. It has the taste of slightly fruity caramel. Amarula has received consistently good reviews, with the caveat that, like many cream liqueurs, it is too sweet for some palates. It has become the second largest seller in the cream liqueur category after Bailey's Irish Cream, with particular success in Brazil. It is very popular and common throughout Africa, especially the south and east coast. Recently, Amarula has attempted to break into the American market.

Because of the marula tree's association with elephants, the distiller has made them its symbol and supports elephant conservation efforts. For marketing efforts it produces collectible items featuring elephant head decoration. Elephants enjoy eating the fruit of the marula tree. A common tale is that the elephants enjoy eating the fermented fruits and become "drunk" from them. Studies, however, suggest this is not true and that an elephant drinks too much water to feel the effects of the
marula.

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarula

I also found this video in Youtube.com about the effects of Marula fruit on African animals after they ate too much of the fruit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmQPwgV-WbQ&feature=related

I had a gas laughing out loud watching the drunken masters of the African wild.

Hah, but i am not going to do such inebriated foolishness. I'm in the safety of my room. No cameras. No embarassing moments.

Well, thanks to Amarula for keeping me company on this lonely Sunday afternoon....

Lars and the Real Girl

As usual, i spent my Saturday afternoon with a solo videoke. Yeah, i had all the Magic Sing for myself. I think I sang 20 songs before my vocal chords started vibrating like cat on nips...

So I switched to DVD mode. i rummaged thru our DVD collection and found a promising new copy.

With well-boiled camote in a bowl, topped with ice cream and yoghurt, i was ready for Lars and The real girl.

I thought it's going to be teeny-bopper comedy but it turned out to be a surprise drama.

Well, okay, so there's comedy all over the place, especially in Lars' office and his interaction with Margo.

The story, set in a seemingly old, close-knit Swedish community in the US, revolves on Lars Lindstrom (played by Ryan Gosling), a young man with a very sad childhood, desperate for affection but disliked intimacy, specially with women.

Lars, however, managed with his phobia and was actually able to get an office job. After his father died, his older brother Gus, now married, came home with his pregnant wife Karin. As soon as Gus and Karen settled in the main house, Lars moved into the converted garage. Unable to interact with Gus and Karin.

One day in the office, Lars saw another officemate (the geek type) looking at life-size sex dolls that can be ordered online. Lars ordered one.

When the doll arrived, Lars named her Bianca. The arrival of Bianca turned everyone's life in the community upside down.

On the first night, Lars came to the main house and for the first time, talked to Gus and Karin about his 'girlfriend'. Lars said that his girlfriend's name is Bianca, who is a Catholic Brazilian nurse and he would like her to stay in the main house.

And so Gus and Karin invited them for dinner. To their shocked, they found themselves staring at the life-size doll to whom Lars is talking affectionately. They all have an uneasy dinner while Lars, for the first time, shows a vibrant and talkative mood. Describing Bianca's background in details.
Gus and Karin tricked Lars into going to the hospital to see their family doctor, who is also a psychologist. They explained beforehand what the case is all about. The pretext is that Bianca, the life-size doll, is sick and needs a weekly check up. Lars was very anxious about it. During this hospital visit, Dr. Dagmar takes Lars into her office for interview. The doctor said that Lars is suffering from extreme delusions, as he really believed that the doll is alive.

Meanwhle, Gus and Karin sought the help of the community elders, including the parish priest as to how to managed Lars' girlfrien. The entire community agreed to help by going along Lars' insistence about Bianca,

Margo, meantime, tried to move on by getting a boyfriend. When Lars saw her with the guy, he felt jealous. When he went home, Lars went into a fit of rage and jealousy. He shouted at Bianca and accused her of neglecting him...

Another day, Margo told Lars the she broke up with her boyfriend. Lars asked her why she took a boyfriend. Margo said because she felt so lonely... Margo asked Lars if he cares for a Friday bowling. Since Bianca has schedules to appear in charity event on the same night, Lars accepted the invitation. They had a great time in the bowling alley. As they went home separately, Lars, for the first time, had the courage to shake Margo's hand.

One morning, Lars woke the household, shouting that Bianca is not breathing. So they called 911. The ambulance arrived and paramedics even put an oxygen mask to the doll's face and rush her to the hospital. This being a close-knit community, everyone played their role. Bianca was wheeled into ICU. Lars told Dr Dagmar that Bianca is dying. The news about Bianca dying spread rapidly in the community.

After two days, Bianca was back in the house and Lars insisted that she is dying. One rainy morning, Lars came down to the porch to find it filled with flowers and get-well-soon cards for Bianca, from the community.

Next day, Karin and Gus invited Lars to go out with them to the lakeshore. Lars refused. But when Karin said that maybe Bianca needs fresh air, Lars agreed.

While in the lake, Lars brought Bianca to the water and declared that Bianca is dead.

They had a funeral service in the church, and a burial for Bianca, beside the graves of Lars/Gus parents.

--
Hmm, quite heavy on the psychology side, no?

Lars' delusions with the life-sized doll is brought about by his craving for attention by a female persona in his life. Because he grew up with a father who became a woman-hater and Lars lost touch with intimacy on the female side.

All the story that Lars weaved about Bianca was actually about his own life and his fantasy on what would be an ideal relationship with girl for him.

He thought he is happy with a woman who doesn't annoy him or whose touch do not scare him. But the jealousy against Margo's boyfriend brough Lars to reality and he realized he liked Margo also.

That is why Lars decided to let go of Bianca. The passing away of Bianca gave Lars a feeling of his father's emotion -- how it feels to lose someone you love. But Lars, despite being delusional, accepted the fact the he cannot marry Bianca.

But i think Lars made this story so he can free himself from Bianca and move on with his life, aimed towards Margo. That is why he asked Margo to walk with him after the burial.
------

The arrival of Bianca was actually a blessing in disguise for Lars. She helped Lars undergo a 'healing process' after an abnormal childhood. All the things that Lars wanted to do but unable to do because of his empathy-phobia, like bowling with friends, going to parties, dancing, going to mall and having family dinner -- all of these he finally did, with Bianca by his side. She gave him back self-confidence and empathy. It allowed Lars to express himself and break the chain that bound his emotions all through his growing years.

And Bianca's passing also signalled a 'healed' Lars. Finally able to move on with the real world.

We should expect a happy ending there.
--

Love conquers all. That is what this movie is all about..

===
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805564/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eivm8o07e0I

Cheaters

Awhile ago i was watching DSTV, while attempting (or pretending) to cook pork adobo.
By the way, since i can't find the usual adobo mix, i used toyo (soy sauce) and vinegar. then i tried to scrounge for some leftover ingredients that might have been left by another filipino in the house.

I saw a package marked "Clover", so i thot it might be a good ingerident, so i threw in generous amount.

Then i saw round blacks things which i thot to be "paminta", so i took some and threw on my adobo... and then when the pot started to boil, to my horror, it smelled like hell. those black things were indian ingredients and were giving what i suspect as saffron smell. shit. the kitchen smelled like a burnt prayer stick... well, whatever those things are, it's already cooking. i'm bound to eat my mistake... ugghhh..

Since it's adobo, i decided to watch TV to while away the time. I tuned to the Zone Reality channel. i like the channel because it has no commercial break, believe you me. I first saw the program "medical detectives". it's about use of medical forensic to investigate crime.
then came the next program, titled, Cheaters..

Yes, that's correct. Cheaters.

It's about investigating cheating spouses, or partners or lovers (GF/BF). You know, there is this group called Cheaters Investigations. And they handle surveillance against a suspected erring spouse or lover using sophisticated surveillance equipment third only to the CIA and FBI.
The host, a Mr. Greeco (i forgot his first name, but no, his last name is really Greeco, not Roman. geez), interviews "the complainant" and the reason why they sent e-mail to our C.I. to investigate if his/her spouse/lover is doing "other" things.

The first "client" was a 22 year old Latina, pregnant at 8 mos. and married her 27 year old BF. After they live together, the partner suddenly lost interest in her and oftentimes stayed out late, even on weekends. since she is going to give birth pretty soon, she wants to know what it is his cold husband is busy doing that he can't spend anymore time with her.

So surveillance started and before long, the guy was seen meeting with a chubby lady and dating her every night and staying at the lady's apartment. on one of the surveillance, while the husband was with the paramour, the wife called to ask where he is. Husband said he is on his job and kinda busy right now. The call was recorded.

After a week, Mr. Greeco met with the wife and showed her videos of surveillance. He then asked the wife if she would like a confrontation so that she and her husband would come into terms. But considering her advance pregnancy, Mr. Grecco reminded her it might complicate her situation. But the young wife said she's going to do it. Tee-deng!

So they waited at the parking lot while her husband and the other lady were having dinner. then, as the two lovers get into the guy's car, the wife came over and --- scandal on the parking light. cuss words, wife slap husband. husband don't what to speak. other girl shouting to the wife (what the f***) -- at least 4 cameras and lights focusing on the couple and on the fleeing paramour (protesting her innocence, that guy said he is single). cameras chasing the other girl and another camera on the spouses. Mr. Greeco and his bodyguards made it sure the husband can't do any physical harm to his young wife.

The twist is that, the young wife, broke her water bag (ikaw ba naman buntis ma tension like that) and proceeded to labor pains. CI crew and Mr. Greeco helped her into the CI van and they called 911. she was moaning saying that the baby is coming out... soon, 911 came right in time and she promptly delivered a baby boy, right inside the van. wow... how real can that be..
well, to make the long story short, the husband apologized to her and on TV about his misdeeds.

And young wife, crying, forgave him. Happy ending...

Reminds me of The Buzz.. hahahaha...

Movie blues: Crash

Once again, i am alone in the house and I was stuck in the sala surfing the DSTV (cable) for good movies to watch. And i stumbled into an MM3 channel movie. It is titled "Crash". I thought it was a boring movie, but since i cannot find other interesting shows, i decided to watched it. And i like it.

Here is a summary of "Crash" i downloaded from the Internet.:

"For two days in Los Angeles, a racially and economically diverse group of
people pursue lives that collide with one another in unexpected ways. These
interactions are always interesting, and sometimes quite unsettling. The film
explores and challenges your ability to judge books by their covers.

Several stories interweave during two days in Los Angeles involving a
collection of inter-related characters, a police detective with a drugged out
mother and a thieving younger brother, two car thieves who are constantly
theorizing on society and race, the white district attorney and his irritated
and pampered wife, a racist white veteran cop (caring for a sick father at home)
who disgusts his more idealistic younger partner, a successful Hollywood
director and his wife who must deal with the racist cop, a Persian-immigrant
father who buys a gun to protect his shop, a Hispanic locksmith and his young
daughter who is afraid of bullets, and more."

The movie, by the way, started with a car crash with the veteran but racist white cop (Philippe) refusing to help them because they're black. And it is the same black guy (husband) who the white cop has defended as he was cornered by other white cops after a hot pursuit, because a young black thief rode on his car pointing a gun at him. The white cop convinced his colleagues the black man is innocent and he is his friend and he can vouch for him. The black man refused to believe and challenged him to let the other cops shoot him instead. But the white cop prevailed over him and his colleagues. As they went on their ways, the black man drop the young thug in a corner and told him he was a disgrace. This young thug happens to be the younger brother of another black detective, who has to endure for an addict of a mother...

The actions in their respective lives were a whirlwind of events that connect each one of them by one or two of the other person in the movie.

That being said, i found the movie engaging, the story is told fast-paced and at first, you get lost on changing scenes, but near the end, you get to understand the underlying message of the movie. For me, the movie represents hope, amidst the noise, vices, crimes, vanity and greed. It is also about unconditional love for family and friends, belief in the thot that in every person, there is kindness within, and that when you do something good to someone, friend or stranger, it is returned - in more ways - like catharsis.

Sometimes, as we go through our lives, going to work, going home, interacting with people, we take things for granted. we tend to ignore others or regard them with utmost suspicion, or make malicious judgment on them. Only to realize later how wrong we were -- on all counts. In the end, one can only say, "wish i never said that, or do that".

"Crash" is a movie of redemption. of acknowledging that a kindness given has a wide-ranging effect from the first person who's surprised to received it. and from that first gesture, kindness continues or is passed on to another person..

i am not really very good in reviewing a movie, but this is much what i can say.

Weekend Chef - Operation Adobo...

When you are alone (as in you are also the ONLY Filipino in the house), a lot of crazy things come to your mind. As for me, it is weekends that makes me do crazy things. Before, i'd drag my international housemates to the beach. But since we realize this is one dangerous place to go 'beaching', we decided a shopping in Shoprite or ParknShop in VI will do the trick.

I was watching Kylie Kwong on BBC Food and her seemingly simple, quick but delicious Chinese cuisine makes me wanna go home. I miss that Mandarin Chinese Restaurant in Cagayan de Oro. The chicken feet, the quail eggs and shark fin siomai dumplings, mixed vegetable toppings with quail eggs.

So, i lately discovered we had a kitchen. Becoz we have no cook on Sunday (day-off), we will be the ones cooking our foods for the day. Those who don't know how cook, they ask the chef to cook foods for them enough for 3 days (or even a week).

So now, i am one guy who gets tired easily of one dish. And since i recovered from malaria, i have lost appetite for African dishes (which i used to love a lot in my first 2 months). I like to cook in small quantity so i can have variations in menu everyday.

In my cupboard, I have Noodles (called Indomie), yam (gabi), cooking oil, salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, margarine, camote, irish potato, black peppers, garlic, ginger, olive oil, Nido, Nescafe, and jasmin rice (from thailand). In my part of the fridge, i have eggs, butter, assorted veggies (baguio beans, cabbage, cucumber, onion, tomato, cauliflower, ampalaya (bitter gourd), talong (garden egg or aubergine), alugbati (african spinach), green peppers, dried red peppers and carrots), dried bagoong mix (given by a pinoy friend), and plain youghurt. I also have one loaf of slice bread. Meat would be chicken (wings), pork (chop and stew size), cow liver, chicken gizzard, and beef (cube lean meat or stir-fry cut). Occasionaly i'd buy goat meat and lamb meat.

My morning menu is usually Filipino. Eggs cook sunny-side up or scrambled in either fried rice or plain rice (toasted bread once in a while). When i get tired of eggs, i cook the ampalaya (ginisang ampalaya at itlog). As they say, eating ampalaya is an acquired taste. Then when i have talong, i broil (sugba) the eggplant and when it is peeled and cooked, i flatten it with a fork and then add it to a scrambled egg. Then toss it into a wok. I like my 'tortang talong' well done -- medyo sunog. I'll wash it off with coffee with milk/sugar. Ha! my housemates can only watch in amusement on what i can do with these veggies. :-D

Lunch and Dinner will usually be the same -- meat. This is where i got the inspiration to write this blog.

I wanted to cook adobo but can't remember how to do it. SO i searched the net (on a sunday) for a recipe. I am not good into translating recipe, but this is how i did my adobo. ta-da!!

My ingredients:

(10) cuts of pork stew meat (with fat)
half teaspoon Black pepper (ground)
1 clove Garlic, pounded
3 pieces Onions, rounded-sliced
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Vinegar (depends how much meat you use)
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce

How i cook it:

- Boil the pork for 30 mins. Then throw the water of the first boil.
- Put the pork back into casserole.
- Throw in the garlic, black pepper and half of the onion.
- Add vinegar , sugar and soy sauce. Add little water. Boil for 30 mins.
- Once in a while, stir the contents to mix the ingredients. Add water as necessary.

The meat should turn to golden brown. Add the remaining onions. Stir to mix.

When there is little water, turn off the stove and let it simmer and the remaining water will have a 'syrupy' consistency.

Done!

I did not bother to taste while i was cooking it. I was too worried i may not like the taste.

Since my housemates are Buddhist (no meat) and Muslim (labaw!), i cannot ask them to taste-test my obra. i just have to assume i cook it right. i just have to assume i cook it right.

And yes, it was good.

Really.

Next time, i will write about my chicken gizzard menu.

Watching Bollywood: Water

Movie: Water
Producer: David Hamilton
Director: Deepa Mehta
Starring: Seema Biswas, Lisa Ray, John Abraham, Sarala(introducing), Manorma, Raghuveer Yadav, Khulbhushan Kharbanda, Waheeda Rehman
Music: Mychael Danna, A.R. Rahman-Hindi Song

--------------------------

I saw this one on MNet Africa (DSTV). This is a story of pre-Gandhi India when widows are separated into a commune or house for widows called "ashram".

In those times in India, children can be married by their parents at very young age like 7 years young. Widows are not allowed to remarry and are forbidden to work or be seen in public. They rely on donations and 'extra-curricular' acivities for funding for foods, clothing and house repair.

They are also not allowed to eat sweets or any 'nice' foods - -they have to make do with porridge or plain rice/lintel.

The movie opens in the widows' housing commune (ashram) near Delhi, beside the holy Ganges river, for the widows of all ages. There was elder Madhumati Didi (elder sister) who served as the ashram landlady and who pimps the younger widows to wealthy gentry to support the ashram house. Then there was the seven year old child, named Chuihyah (Hindi for mouse) who was bethroth a few months back, but then her child-husband died of disease. At such age, she was abandoned by her family to the widows house. Another was Kalyani, a pretty 20-something woman who also entered ashram house since 9 years old. She is the bread-and-butter of the house because she is young and pretty, so she was being pimped for by madhumati didi.

A young man, Narayan - British educated and a Gandhi advocate, falls in love with Kalyani, despite her mother's objection. Didi also warned Kalyani that if she insist on marrying, she cannot come back to ashram again.

Before the wedding, he tried to bring Kalyani to his house for introduction. When Kalyani saw the house, she asked to be returned to the ashram. Later, Narayan discovered that Kalyani was a regular visitor to his father's boudoir. Even his father felt guilty - knowing how much his son loved her -- but nevertheless, remained unapologetic.

Kalyani was heart-broken. She tried to go back to ashram house but Didi refused her entry. So she went to Ganges river and drowned herself. The next day, Narayan went to the ashram house to look for her - he still wanted to marry her. He was devasted when he was shown the funeral pyre for Kalyani. He decided to follow Gandhi, who was at the train station, to go around india preaching civil disobedience.

In the meantime, Didi, with the loss of Kalyani, decided to send the seven-year old widow Chuihya to Narayan's father. Another widow, Shakuntala Didi looked for her in the ashram house. When she saw the pimp coming from the other side of the river, she immediately knew what happened to Chuihya. She tooked the shaking, unconcious child in her arms and ran to the train station. Gandhi's train was just about to leave and Shakuntala was racing alongside the train - -begging anyone in the train to take Chuihya with them -- to safety, to freedom. As the train races past her and Chuihya, Narayan, who was hanging by the door of the last coach, saw her. She saw Narayan and ask him to take the child. Narayan understood and before the train finally left the platform, he took the child with him -- leaving Shakuntala convulsing in tears, but relieved..

I will not belabor you with my own review but i will just copy-paste one review i saw on the net for further information.

-------------------------------

Our eyes and ears are those of Chuihya (Sarala), a seven-year-old widow
sent to live in an ashram for widows. She encounters the vile head of the
widows, Madhumati (Manorma), who exploits the residents. Shakuntala (Seema
Biswas) is the only force that occasionally opposes Madhumati´s tyranny. Kalyani
(Lisa Ray) is the beautiful young widow who befriends Chuhiya-- she is also
pimped by Madhumati and the eunuch Gulabi (Raghuveer Yadav). Ironically, she
sent to work by crossing the Ganges. Narayan (John Abraham) is a follower of
Gandhi who falls in love with Kalyani, regardless of her status as a widow. Throughout Water, Mehta exposes the cruelties of Hinduism against widows.

Chuhiya, in her ignorance, asks all the right questions like "Hum apne ghar kab
jaayenge?" or "Aadmi vidhwaah kahan jaate hain? " It is not that Mehta is
rejecting Hinduism as a respectable religion. She is merely raising the right
questions--she is striving to empower those with the means to help those widows
who, till this day, suffer in the same conditions described in the film. No
religion is perfect. Each one has a dark past. Hinduism is no different. Whether
these injustices are innate to the religion or a by-product of chauvinistic
interpretation, one thing is clear: unleashing and relinquishing one of the
skeletons in Hinduism´s closet will only enhance the quality of the religion.

"We are very good, as different nations and different cultures, to have a
collective amnesia about our own [problems]…[Water] is about three women trying to break that cycle and trying to find dignity, and trying to get rid of the
yoke of oppression, and if it inspires people to do something in their own
culture, that´s what´s important." (Deepa Mehta, as told to the CBC).

Considered as a film, rather than a "baggage of controversy" (says Mehta
herself), Water is superior. The screenplay is crisp and tight. There are not
miscellaneous sub plots that divert from the prevailing theme, which is always a
bonus. No action completely overt, which makes the experience even more
fulfilling. Moreover, the dialogue is engaging, especially those lines in which
Narayan deciphers the need for a custom that sentences widows to lives of
degradation. Thankfully, the movie is not preachy but speaks volumes on the
issue it addresses.

Lisa Ray is a complete revelation. Her Hindi has improved leaps and bounds.
Not only does she look stunning, but she is convincing as the prostituted widow
trained to be submissive. Her self-imposed exile from Bollywood is sad, as one
wonders how many movies Deepa Mehta can make to keep this talented actress in
the limelight--there is minimal scope for actresses of Indian origin in Canada
and Hollywood.

John Abraham is too chic for his role. He´s just one of those people that cannot look average even with the right makeup. But his mannerisms and dialogue delivery are perfect. This is the performance that he should be most proud of.

Seema Biswas, best known for Bandit Queen but also impressive in recent
movies like Ek Hasina Thi, is no less spectacular. Her fear, concern, and confidence are ideal and she proves that she is ideal for the role. Even the original choice for
Shakuntala (Shabana Azmi) may not have been able to the kind of justice to the
role that Biswas has.

Manorma is perfectly vile. After being out of film for a long time, she
returns with a bang, playing a character you love to hate. Raghuveer Yadav lends
adequate support as the heartless eunuch.

Waheeda Rehman is in a small role that could have been played by anyone.

Sarala is the best part of Water. She´s cute, energetic and the perfect
choice for the role. In real life, Sarala cannot speak a word of Hindi. Her work
in Water is the complete memorization of lines and their phonetic regurgitation.
This makes her performance even more profound. What an amazing actress!

Source : http://www.planetbollywood.com/Film/Water/

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I hope Filipino Indie filmmakers will continue to make socially relevant, non-commercial films, like India's Water. I am sure there is a dearth of topics about the true Filipino culture and identity to relate.