On Mothers’ Day…

It is the vernal equinox. And it is also Mothers’ Day in Lebanon.

So naturally, everyone starts saying how their mom is the best. Well, all moms are the best. The idea of a superlative comparison when it comes to motherhood becomes void. Why? because of all the creatures that walk this Earth, your parents, and specifically your mother, make you who you are. And they do so by giving it their all.

Mothers are your mentors, friends, guides, your light. They put up with you in situations when no one should – or no one can. They know you sometimes better than you even know yourself. And even though you bring them down on way too many occasions, they still look up at you smiling, embracing you because you are the light that shines in their lives.

I was not going to post anything for this occasion. But a combination of Marcel Khalife’s lyrics and a mental image of my mother drove my fingers on the keyboard. The lyrics of that song describe a man who misses his mom, her coffee, her bread…. He adores his life because he’d be ashamed, in case he passes away, of every tear that trickles down on his mother’s cheeks. He asks her to cover him with grass that was made holy by the sole of her feet. I can only imagine the day when I’m going to be abroad, on Mothers’ Day, thinking I’d rather be for a few hours in my hometown, with my mom.

Yes, we all have mothers. And we will never forget our mothers. So today, let me say to my mom that you are the most amazing my eyes have seen. You are the light that shines in my days and mom, I adore you.

And speaking of Mothers’ Day, check out this great Kunhadi ad with a great message.

And for those interested, this is Marcel Khalife’s song:

Citizen Kane – Movie Review

Citizen Kane

This 1941 movie is said to be the best movie ever made. It is the first feature film of Orson Welles, who was 24 years old at the time and who also portrays the main character.

The movie’s plot is given in fast points in the first five minutes in what I thought was an interesting part, a documentary about the life of late Charles Foster Kane. It is then revealed that Kane’s last word was “rosebud”. So the documentary’s team decides to suspend release and they set forth to investigate what Kane meant by that word.

Charles Kane was a poor child born to a family who owns a boarding house in Colorado. Adopted by a rich man, he soon turns rebellious against his guardian and does not seek any of the many riches bestowed upon him – except a newspaper acquired through foreclosure. Soon enough, Kane turns this newspaper into an empire, with the main goal of fighting for the voices of those whose voices have been suppressed. Kane marries the niece of the US president and soon enough, his pursuit of power begins.

Welles delivers a chilling performance as the man who makes himself by himself and then takes it all away, brick by brick, watching everything tumbling down around him. His wife leaves him soon after she finds out about his affair. Later on, she dies in a car accident with his only son. He marries the singer with whom he had the affair and she ends up leaving him too. Soon enough, the vastness of the empty castle (Xanadu) he builds for himself doesn’t even compare to the emptiness he feels inside and he spends the remainder of his life wishing upon the memories of when he literally had nothing except his snow sled, his childhood – the only time where he was really happy, deeply addressing the issue of “does money buy you happiness?”

While watching the movie, you cannot but be drawn to the intricacy of the details. The cinematography is exquisite, the sound editing, etc… are all top notch. It’s no wonder why this movie was thought to be twenty years ahead of its time. The story itself is also a representation of American Capitalism at the time and it is executed really well.

At the time of its release, Citizen Kane was not recognized, awards-wise, as much as we bestow upon it today. It might have been for political reasons. It is said that Charles Foster Kane is a biographical representation of real life newspaper giant William Randolph Hearst, who had his ways around Hollywood and sought out to stop the movie from being released.

But now to the million dollar question… is Citizen Kane the best movie ever made? I would say no. Ask me what is the best movie ever made and I would say I don’t know. Sure, Citizen Kane is revolutionary in every movie aspect but many movies have also been revolutionary. However, it remains a fine example that being showered with awards does not necessarily mean the movie will linger in people’s memories. The Hurt Locker anyone?

They Should Not Be Forgotten

Lebanese Detainees in Syria

Amidst the political brouhaha taking place across the Middle East today, I’m afraid we are beginning to forget about a very importance puzzle piece in the face of the Lebanese political situation today.

What has brought this to my attention again were the protests that erupted in Syria on March 15th and the hope that rekindled in me that Syrians would find it in them to take these protests the long way and come out triumphant, toppling down the system that has made their lives – and ours – a living hell.

In Syria today is a group of Lebanese people who, the least you can say about them, have been killed without them dying. How so? Hundreds of Lebanese have been taken as political prisoners to Syria, never to be seen or heard from them again. Sure, the most logical conclusion you can draw is they were killed… but what if they’re not?

These Lebanese prisoners have been slowly turned into second degree political prisoners. Why? because Syria, after all, is not our “mortal enemy” like Israel and therefore, Lebanese prisoners in Syria are not as worthy of attention as their counterparts in Israel. And so the length that some parties go to in order to liberate the prisoners they have in Israeli prisons, they simply do not make for these prisoners, even though they might be the only parties in the country who have the means to currently do so.

Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons are treated like less than human beings. One of the few who got out alive is a school teacher from Tripoli who told about her torture through a process called the “tire” (Douleib). They basically put her inside a tire and hit her with electric cords, not caring where the cords slammed her. Her eye was hit and it erupted like an egg in a frying pan. They did not care. They kept on hitting her.

Contrast that with Samir Kuntar, who, according to many, has committed one of the worst crimes in Israeli history. He came out of Israeli prison as part of an exchange safe and sound. He even married an Arab Israeli in prison and she received monthly payments because he was a prisoner. And while in prison he also pursued a university degree. When Kuntar was “liberated”, he received a hero’s welcome by the party that sought out his release. When the teacher I mentioned earlier was released, she went into oblivion. And in my mind, that is seriously wrong.

So today, I plead to the humanitarian side of those who still have it. It looks like the political party who has the means to help doesn’t care at all. Therefore, I hope with all my heart that something comes out of the Syrian protests that would lead to some closure for the families of the Lebanese detainees and hopefully a new page in the story of the Lebanon-Syria relationship where we are seen as equals and not a province that wasn’t.

The Maronite Church and Lebanon’s New Patriarch

The Maronite Church has spoken and has chosen Beshara Al Raai as the successor to Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, as the patriarch.

I will not enumerate the many qualities this man has. I’m sure the Bishops that chose him have chosen well. I just hope that he is at least half as good as his predecessor, Nasrallah Sfeir, who was as great as greatness could be.

I hope this new patriarch stands by what he believes in and does not waver, even when things get tough, like his predecessor. He will be submitted to great pressure. Many are going to want to see him fail and on a few occasions, he will make mistakes. I hope he perseveres through all the hardships because we, as Maronites and Lebanese, deserve to have “the Good Shepherd” in these dark times. I hope that he continues in the legacy of the Maronite Church, as a rock on which Lebanon was – and will forever be – built.

How Do You Know – Movie Review

How Do You Know you have a movie that is simply a dud? When haflway through, you’re wondering why in the name of God you were convinced of purchasing a ticket for it.

And then you remember, yeah, it has Reese Witherspoon and Jack Nicholson… should be enough to drive any movie right?

Well no. The actors are really good but they are given characters that are so tiresome and dull that they cannot even begin to try making them likeable enough for you to connect with them. Add to that the fact that this movie, a romantic comedy with a very predictable and cliche plot, is over two hours long and you’re in for one overly stretched ride.

Reese Witherspoon plays Lisa, a baseball athlete that is past her prime and suddenly finds herself in need to search for other pursuits in life. And naturally, what pursuit is the best one to be sought? Yes, you got it: love.

So she becomes torn between jobless romantic and prosecuted George (Paul Rudd) and millionaire athlete, who happens to be (as is the case with every single movie of the type) stupider than a doorknob (Owen Wilson).

Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson (George’s dad) provide some much needed comic relief for a movie whose scenes are extended beyond the scope of them being tolerable anymore.

The only scene in the movie where I felt serious acting chops were demonstrated involved Lisa (Reese) discovering that her whole life needs to be changed. Her standing in front of the mirror, brushing her teeth, was probably the only time you could connect with a character in the movie.

So all in all, How Do You Know is a predictable story of love in our modern-day world, one that has been done over and over again in movies that were written in a much better way and executed in sharper manners. The story of these characters discovering how you know if you’re in love and whatnot is done so laboriously slow that at times, the movie gets you wondering why people bother with love in the first place.