Whales and Water: Last night, finally, I watched Whale Rider. It was a wonderful, beautiful film on more than one level, which, of course, the best movies are. It was set (and filmed) in a small Maori community in eastern New Zealand on the coast. The scenery was stunning, both land and sea. The story, too, was beautiful and spare and simply told and the acting seemed filled with honesty and integrity. Perhaps this was in part the young girl around whom the movie was centered, one who had not acted before. The emotions her character went through were visible on her face, as was true with the rest of the more veteran actors. And last night I slept soundly and dreamt of the ocean... and of whales, whose surprisingly graceful images were an integral part of the film.
Water and Wine: I have been meaning to write for sometime about Cork Boat, by John Pollack. In his book, John tells the story of a childhood dream fulfilled: to build a boat entirely of wine corks. He tells his story well, and you are compelled to keep reading to find out not only how he accomplished his boat building feat, but also, what came next. It is a book that is filled with humor, good spirit, adventure, ingenuity, tenacity, a hint of politics, memory, poignancy, family and a journey. I highly recommend it.
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