Night Train to Lisbon - Nachtzug nach Lissabon.

I haven't read the book  by Pascal Mercier, however I really enjoyed the movie directed by the Danish film director Billie August. The movie really pulled me into the story. It's like for the protagonist in the story the Swiss professor Raimund Gregorius (acted by Jeremy Irons) who gets pulled into the story of the book (a philosophical novel) by Amadeu de Prado- a Portuguese doctor and poet, a serious man who fought against the dictatorship. Raimund gets touched deeply and like the viewer gets more and more thrilled and follows the persons that had touched Amadeu (acted by John Huston). He wants to find out about Amadeu's life. It seems more important than his life, Raimund's life in Bern, Switzerland., his teaching job.

Raimund crosses the bridge -  not knowing that this morning will change his routine life forever. The mysterious lady he saves on the bridge, leads him to board a train to Lisbon. From there his life takes a different turn. He doesn't  know this yet. Raimung and the viewer could have never imagined the turn of his life. 
You'll find a beautiful picture gallery here.

I can only recommend this movie.  It's a touching story and a brilliant movie. The right thing to watch on this never ending winter, the long lasting cold.

Life of Pi

Today was the premiere of the movie "Life of Pi" in Germany. Of course, we couldn't miss it. In other countries it's been already premiered earlier. For our family this movie has a special meaning and we've been keen to watch it. Somewhere beginning of 2011 when the movie was shot in India, Pondicherry, we still called India our home. We saw the film buses and encountered blocked roads in Pondy during that time. We saw the crew - even Gerard Depardieu - at Calve College in Mission Street. (I guess they had called him to see the French Rivera of the East). Everybody talked about the movie and Ang Lee. Our neighbor boy even went for the casting. However  he didn't get the role in the end.


All of us had read the book some years ago and were already familiar with the story. We've enjoyed reading the book and were  in awe. I can fully recommend the book. But we were fascinated by the pictures of the movie too. They were enchanting and enthralling. There was tension and fascination throughout the movie. I would say that Ang Lee has done a beautiful adaption of Yann Martel's book . It's simply a marvel - a masterpiece.



I'm not getting much into the story here. Just this much. The story is about a young man who survives a disaster at sea and is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery  While cast away, he forms an amazing and unexpected connection with another survivor .... a fearsome Bengal tiger, (Official Site)
For symbolism and analysis of the whole story,  I leave it up to you.

"Without Richard Parker, I wouldn't be alive today...". There seems to be no right or wrong and I would say that the author let's you decide at the end what you want to believe. You can make up your own mind.

Here some pictures of the scenes in Pondicherry:
Source & credit for the following pictures and information: Guardian.co.uk

The French Quarter: The backdrop to many of the sequences in Life of Pi, the French Quarter was a base of the Compagnie des Indes Orientales (French East India Company) from 1675. Pondicherry then frequently changed hands between France and Britain between 1761-1815, after which it remained in French possession until 1954. On quiet, wide streets like rue de la Caserne, rue Suffren and rue Dumas – the latter with its Notre Dame des Agnes church – are French villas and trailing bougainvillea. Outside the Travaux Publics government building, a notable backdrop to one of Pi’s childhood memories, a sign reads ‘Beauty is our city. Preserving it is our duty’ in both English and French. Across the street is Aayi Mandapam, an imposing Arc d’Triomphe-style, Napolean III-era memorial. 

Grand Bazaar and Tamil Quarter: Reach rue Jawaharlal Nehru and you swap colonial ambiance for bustling, busy India, and the frenetic walled Grand Bazaar. The setting for Pi’s flirtations with his girlfriend Anandi (pictured centre), this football pitch-sized market crams in dozens of types of bananas, sacks of beans, okra and ginger, and flowers.

The smell of jasmine garlands and curry leaves fills the air, though both struggle to compete with the fish market next door. It’s staffed entirely by women, who lay out the day’s catch on concrete pitches. Pi is played in the film by Suraj Sharma, pictured here.

The pillars celebrated a train track from an adjoining pier where French boats docked; the pier was destroyed by a cyclone in 1953 – just a year before Pondicherry was transferred to India. The remains are just visible, though it’s the newer construction just south that features in Life of Pi

Movie: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

This movie is a must see. It's really a great movie with great actors. It's a British comedy drama in which a group of British seniors decide to "outsource" their retirement to less expensive and seemingly exotic India. The Marigold Hotel advertises as a newly restored Hotel and promising to be a luxury development to be "for the elderly and beautiful" in Jaipur, India. The clever hotel manager Sonny  (played by actor Dev Patel who also acted in Slumdog Millionaire)  got this old palace from his father and thanks to photoshop got these retirees to travels thousands of miles.

The seven stranger have each their own story to tell and their own reasons why they decide to spend their last days in India. However, when they arrive they don't find what they'd expected although slowly the palace begins to charm in unexpected ways. The seniors struggle in their own way with the situation, too spicy food ("if I can't pronounce it, I don't eat it") and no doors or taps that are falling apart. The very enthusiastic hotel manager Sonny welcomes them and keeps up his enthusiasm. The movie shows India how I know it - colourful, chaotic, crazy, sweet, adventurous, lovely, warm, contradictory, charming, overwhelming, magical ...

And the movie also presents us with a sweet Indian love story; Sonny rebelling against his mother's wishes for an arranged marriage having the courage to confront his mother and dare to be with his love.

Our whole family watched it - my stepson was here for a visit - and we all enjoyed it. The way the Indians shake their heads, only Indians can do it. It is funny and touching at the same time. I can only recommend it. For sure it bring a smile on your face.

"Everything will be alright in the end. So, if it's not alright, it's not yet the end."

http://youtu.be/dDY89LYxK0w

Our fun day at Filmpark Babelsberg

Phew, time flies. It's almost a month ago, it was on Pfingsmontag - 28th May -  that we went to the Filmpark Babelsberg . http://www.filmpark-babelsberg.de/ It was a very sunny day while today it's such a grey day that makes you wonder if summer will visit Berlin this year or not.
 (I shall write about Berlin's grey days in another post)
Anyhow, back to the Filmpark ..we went by public transport and it took us an hour from Wilmersdorf. Luckily we remembered to punch extra tickets for "Zone C". Our BVG Abo is only valid for Zone AB. And guess what...right, there was a ticket check...Lucky us!

The filmpark is a great place and we had lots of fun. Although be ready to pay a hefty entrance fee. The 4 D cinema is such great fun. It seemed that I shouted the loudest. Also the monster shooter is hilarious. My stepson won and my husband lost.  Ha, it’s so funny, they show your picture and how many monster you’ve shot. I was laughing so hard. They also present shows like The making of the "The three musketeer”.

My son is interested in movies and film making (basically editing) so we took the studio tour with a small group. The guide showed us  the sets outside especially the drama “Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten” (GZSZ) but I never watched it so I have no clue about it. The guide walks you through the set and tells you about it and and some famous movies shot in the location.  It was quite interesting.

We’ve been lucky that it wasn’t too crowded otherwise it can take a very long time waiting and be a bit frustrating.


For further entertainment some scary stuff .... 

 At the end we relaxed taking a boat tour visiting Janosch in Panama.

All in all it was a fun day and good family outing. We came home happy and a bit tired.