The Wolf of Wall Street

If you are one of those who believe that money buys life and happiness, this is a movie that you really need to watch. However, if you don't change your mind afterwards, I advise you to reconsider your priorities.

The movie is based on the true life of Jordan Belfor, a broker who made a big fortune by tricking and steeling, then lost it when a decent FBI agent uncovered his corruption and crimes.

Now, even though you may be taken aback at first by the film’s length (the running time of the uncut version is three hours), but the scenes flow simply and easily. After all, the great Martin Scorsese will never bore you, for he is a master in his craft. The scenario and tempo are like a periodic function, ascending and descending on time, never failing to entertain you and keep you interested and alerted.

His story takes you behind the scenes of the money world where everyone wants to be a billionaire no matter how. You see how it is easy to come over morals and to betray yourself just for the promise of fortune.

The movie is full of sex scenes, drug abuse and wild parties, all of them are very crucial and necessary to show the lifestyle of the people involved and understand their actions and greed.

I felt no sympathy towards any of the characters; on the contrary, I waited for them to fall and was extremely happy when they did. The FBI detective was the only one I was rooting for and wishing that he would achieve his goals.

That, I know, is due to the great acting of everyone involved. The cast is perfectly chosen; each actor is placed in the right role, especially Leonardo DiCaprio who never disappoints. He gives a fearless, strong and precise performance in a role in which an actor may exaggerate and over-perform.   

If you love cinema, do not miss this movie.

Rating: 4.5/5

#StripforTuiton

"lets begin a #stripfortuiton campaign"

The light in the ruins

This novel was my first experience with Chris Bohjalian and it was an encouraging beginning.

Although, I rated this book on Goodreads with three stars out of five, I cannot deny that it was a great read and that anyone who enjoys historical/fiction novels will love it.

It is Italy in 1955, when a weird crime happened. A woman, the widow of the son of the Rosati (a noble family), was found dead with her heart extracted. The family who lost three of her members in the World War II was threatened when the killer hunted his second victim. The book goes back to Italy in 1940 and we are now looking upon the life of the family back then. The Rosati family was friendly with the Nazis forces, finding peace and protection between the walls of the villa, trying not to get involved in the war that was happening in all Europe. But what happened between these two dates?

The story goes smoothly trying to find the missing clues of these serial crimes in the dark past of the family and in this missing piece of their history.

The book puts into question the notion of right and wrong and how much history differs based on the teller. There is no black or white. We can always find excuses to support our point of view; after all, truth is a matter of perspective.

In Chris Bohjalian’s novel, the question of “who is the real victim?” is posed explicitly and that is something I would give him credit for.

The weakness is his book, in my opinion, was caused by my personal expectations after reading the first pages. I thought that I was going to explore a crime/mystery novel where the writer plays with my mind, where I will be scared and lost. It was not the case. The plot was good, but not chocking. I did not short breathing nor did I check by backside searching for the killer.

The ending was somehow shallow and it left me with this bitter disappointment.

After all, I cannot but admit that Bohjalian is a great writer and this book is a well-written one.

Fik tkhater w tes2al mjareb, bas a7sanlak tes2al hakim

I used to think that my mother has the cure for every pain! Seriously, she always has the right prescription:

Rassik 3am youwja3ik è PANADOLE

Gripe and fever èAdvil

Waja3 zle3im èAntibiotics

Last and not least: Nausea è MOTILLIUM

Who really needs to go to a doctor and pay 100 000LL to get a prescription when you can simply ask your mother, neighbor or friend then go to any pharmacy and buy the 

medicine you need?

Why to ask a doctor when everyone has a virtual certificate in medicine?

Today, I had to face a tough reality: “my mother is not a doctor! “

Motillium is now under suspicion, and who knows what other medicine may turn out to be risky in the future. Did you ever consider how dangerous a drug combination might be?

The least we can do is to refer to a “real doctor”.Pharmacies are not goodies stores!

Remember: "fik tkhater w tes2al mjareb, bas a7sanlak tes2al hakim".

What doesn't kill you..makes you BRIAN ACTON!

“Every time you face failure, remember the 9 publishers who turned harry potter down.” I used to laugh at this saying.

But now I guess we have to change it to: “every time you face failure, remember that Facebook turned Brian Acton down.”

After being refused by both Twitter and Facebook, Brian Acton worked with one of his colleagues on a cellphone application that turned out to be “Whatsapp” and today he sold his company to Facebook for 19 billion dollars.

Never give up on your dreams or let a “NO” holds you back because you are only confined by the walls your built yourself.

 

12 Years a Slave

It’s hard to write about this movie without falling in the trap of writing about the slavery period in general and in the USA especially.

This statement is what makes “12 years a slave” one of the greatest movies. The atmosphere that the director Steve McQueen has created transports you to another place and time. You’ll forget that you are watching a movie and just feel what those humans were feeling.

Based on the true story of Solomon Northomb, a free black man sold into slavery, the movie depicts his journey as a slave and the lives of many others who lost their identities to ignorance and inhumanity. Solomon Northomb was a free black man who enjoyed his life as a musician without thinking of others who were subjected to all kind of racist acts. 

But what would you do if you became a slave? Would you fight and die? Would you submit all your life and surrender to a faith chosen for you?
What if you believe that you're superior to others and that it is your right to enslave a human? The worst is what if you do believe that you're inferior to others and that it is your destiny to live as a slave?

All these questions came to my mind while watching this movie.  In those 130 minutes I cried, hated, sympathized and felt human again in a time where this feeling is the most needed.

The performances of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'o and Michael Fassbender were beyond amazing and certainly worthy of all the possible awards and I particularly hope that the wonderful newcomer Lupita Nyong'o wins the Academy Award for best supporting actress.

“12 years a slave” is a movie about a man’s journey from physical freedom to physical and mental slavery then to total freedom. It’s a movie about despair and about begging for death to end a life that is not yours.

Jean Assi is not a Criminal!

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

Voltaire

Dear Mr. President, 
I don’t know which is worse! Living in a country where anyone may insult his president without consequences or living in a country where we don’t have our basic rights and needs! 

Jean Assi will go to Jail! What a tough joke! 

In a time and place where we risk our life just by being courageous enough to go to work, in a time and place where criminals are ruling our days with explosions and fears, do some few words count that much???? 

While terrorists are wondering free in our streets, is it really a big deal if a young man exercised his freedom of speech more than what is acceptable??? 
Did he insult you more than some politicians do? Why is he the only one facing trial? 

Lebanon is the country of freedom and talking spontaneously is one sign of our identity … Do you really want to change that? 

With all my respect.

Rihab

Jackie Chamoun

First Aline Lahoud then Jackie Chamoun: the stupidity of some Lebanese couldn't become more exposed.

Like every subject in this country, Lebanese people just wont agree. Even when a talented girl sings in Arabic, a Lebanese song, in an international popular program and astonishes the whole jury and gives a positive image of Lebanon, you'll get some haters who will attack her and undermine the effort that she put.

And when a Lebanese athlete, a girl who made a lot of effort to be one of only two persons to represent Lebanon at the Olympics exercises her personal freedom, some become judges of morals and social traditions.

What I really wish for is that all of those people direct their hate and negativity towards the ones destroying their beloved country instead of those who are trying to build it with arts, culture and sports. To all the hypocrites I say: To hell with all your traditions and false freedom.

Abir

صديقي العزيز

بيروت في  2030  12-12

صديقي العزيز،

مسافاتٌ كثيرةٌ هي تلك التي تفصلنا. بحارٌ، أوديةٌ، جبالٌ و مستقبلٌ غامض و غدٌ مخيف...

إنه العام الثالت للحرب و ها أنا أجلس أمام أوراقي، أكتب لك رسالةً لا أعرف إن كنتُ سأستطيع أن أعبر الشارع لأضعها في مكتب البريد، ولست متأكدةً حتى إن كان مكتب البريد لا يزالأصلا ً قائماً.

أكتب لك وأنت منفذي الوحيد الى حياةٍ سرقوها مني، أكتب لك علّ كلماتي تحملني بعيداً من هذا الواقع المرير  فأحظى ولو لدقائق بوهم السلام.

مضى عامان على الحرب, لكن الدمار بدأ يلفنا بسرعةٍ جنونيةٍ منذ اليوم الأول. قد لاتعرف الشوارع يا صديقي إن أتيت. لقد دمروا كل شيئ. مضى عامان على الحرب، وأنا أسترق النظرات من نافذتي، أبحث بعيونٍ دامعةٍ عما تبقى، توقظني أصوات القذائف و طلقات الرصاص و صراخ الناس و صوت دعساتهم الهاربة من الشيطان المخيف.

أضحينا نعيش في عتمةٍ مطلقة، نغلق نوافذنا ونطبق على قلوبنا و نختبئ داخل صومعة خوفنا، عسى أن يكون ما نعيشه كابوساً نستيقظ منه مع أول شعاع شمس.لقد إختلفت حياتنا بشدةٍ يا صديقي، أصبحت أيامنا محكومةً بقوة السلاح, أصبح الحصول على الخبز حلماً نعيشه، فترانا نرقص بين نوتات الخوف بحثاً عن رغيفٍ. والمضحك أن بيروت التي لم تعرف يوماً النوم لا تزال كما هي، فهم نفسهم أبناءها الذين أغرقوها رقصاً و موسيقى و حفلات، هم الآن نفسهم يعزفون ألحان  موتها.

تعود اليّ كلماتك الان، كنت تقول لي أننا نحن المؤمنين ببلدٍ واحدٍ صحيح، أننا  نحن من تقع على عاتقنا مسؤلية القيام بالوطن. يومها يا صديقي بدت الحرب بعيدة، يومها كنت أظن أننا لانزال نملك الكثير من الوقت، يومها لم أكن أعرف أنه سيأتي ذلك اليوم الذي نفقد فيه تحكمنا بالوقت وأننا سنعيش سنيناً طويلةً في دوامةٍ نعجز عن الخروج منها.لا أزال أسمع كلماتك الرنانة عن أنظمةٍ لا تحكمها الطوائف و بلاد يسودها الأمن لا بصدفة القدر أو بقرارتٍ دولية إنما بإرادة شعبٍ أراد الحياة. أسمعك تخبرني أن الجهل لا يزال يلاحقنا حتى في الغربة، تصدمك تلك العقول الضيقة المحدودة. فتصرخ فيّ أن أثور. تقول لي أنها مسؤليتنا، أن تلك الشعوب التي قادت الثورات لا تختلف عنّا بشيء... ولكني كنت أنانية، أقنعت نفسي أنني مجرد نقطة ماءٍ في محيطٍ واسع و نسيت أن المحيط ليس سوى مجموعة قطرات.

إنه العام الثالت لحربٍ لا أعرف كيف بدأت. فجأةً رأيتهم يحملون السلاح، ينتشرون في الشوارع و على أسطح البنايات. فجأةً مرّ الموت محمولاً على الأكتاف و نصّبوه ملكاً على لبنان. فجأةً أصبح من حقهم أن يتحكموا بسنين عمرنا، أن يلعبوا بمصائرنا، فجأةَ أصبحت العقول الضئيلة تحكم عالماً تقرر فيه الغد.

أراهم أمامي يتقاتلون. عيونهم عمياء لا ترى، يحاربون بإسم الرب و الله وإسم المبجل، يقتُلون و يقتَلون. أراهم أمامي هم الذين تقاسموا في الأمس الخبز و مشوا سوياً على نفس الطرقات،أراهم اليوم يتحاربون. أراهم يدمرون غدهم و غدي.

يتوعدون...

يهددون...

ويقولون أنهم بإذن الله سينتصرون...

لكنهم لا يعرفون أن الله لا يحتاج الى الدم ليعيش و لا الى الموت ليقوى ولا الى الكره لينتصر.

وأنا أقف صامتة عاجزة. لا أعرف ماذا أقول و كيف أخبرهم أن الإنسان محبة، أن الدين عطاء و أن الجهل خطيئة.

لم تعد الدنيا كما كانت يا صديقي و أنا لم أعد أنا.

غداً أصبح بعيدأ  و لا أعرف إن كنت سألقاه. لا أعلم إن كنت ستقرأ مني رسالةً أخرى أو أن كلماتي هذه ستكون الأخيرة لك. لكن حين تمر السنين و يدركون كم كانوا مخطئين أخبرهم أنه في ذلك البلد المسلوخ  كان لك صديقة تؤمن بلبنان وطناً للجميع.

مع حبي

The power of a question mark

Have you ever asked yourself about a life with no questions?

What if Man has never asked a question? Would life be the way we know it? The obvious answer to such a question is NO, science and society would not progress without questions and curiosity. The evolution of mankind is based on questioning the unknown subject and finding (or trying to find) by experiment the right answers.

But being born in Lebanon, we were taught that some subjects are to not be questioned: religions, sex, homosexuality, refugees, change and a lot more. The answers already found by our ancestors should not be reviewed and therefore changed, because they are keeping this society from vanishing.

We were born in a society that is ruled by the power of silence. They taught us how to give up and how to let go, they convinced us that the road is already chosen and that we do not have any way to change it.
Well we were never easily convinced. We knew that questions and answers are the natural way of evolution, and this rule must be implied to our society.

ChiTikTik ChiTi3a is our way to revolve, it is the free space where we could ask and get answers, where there is no "Prêt-à-Porter" realities...

The Book Thief

“Sometimes you read a book so special that you want to carry it around with you for months after you've finished just to stay near it.” 

Finally, I decided to review the book thief. I know it has been year and a half since I read this book and I am not absolutely sure that I can remember everything about it, but after watching the movie, I felt that I should put into words what this book meant to me.

All my friends know how much I like storytelling, but that doesn't mean that I can hear anyone telling a story. To be a good storyteller for me means to be able to draw characters, to blow life into them. It means to create a whole world with all the needed details, to bring music to my ears and make me smell the odor of the flowers, to make me feel the heat of the fire. I want to open the door of a magical world whenever I open the book.  

Markus Zusak is without any doubt a very talented storyteller. “The Book Thief” tells the journey of Leisel in the time of World War II.
Leisel is a girl coming from a communist family; she lost her brother on her way to the foster house. Leisel, the girl who can’t read or write stole her first book at her brother’s grave and by the help of her new Papa Hans Hubermann, she learned her first words .
 

In her new life, she meets Rudy, a neighbor who becomes her best friend and their innocent acts make us see that no one is born racist.

The story hits her target, when Hans and his wife hide Max, a Jewish man running from the Nazis. Leisel and Max develop a deep relation, both needing a family and a shelter, a place to run to in a society that is ruled by death and fear.

Leisel, the little thief, steals a lot of books along her journey in World War II. She uses them to help max get over his solitude and to create different worlds inside the small Hubermann’s basement where Max stays.

So many personalities interfere in this story and each one represents one aspect of the society back then.  Max the doomed Jewish, Hans the German man who stood for his Jewish friend’s son, Rudy the innocent boy who sees the world as it is without racism and Leisel who finds love and peace in the least expected places.

The heartbreaking end of this book, and all the bitter moments you pass through make you see how far humans can go with their violence and their love.

While reading the book thief, you will benefit from a large look upon Germany in the 1940’s, you will feel sad and I am absolutely sure you will cry sometimes, but believe me you will live one of the most amazing stories ever.

PS: if you haven’t read the book, then don’t watch the movie because the later has nothing to do with this beautiful story.

V for Vendetta

“Behind this mask there is more than just flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea... and ideas are bulletproof.” 

I have watched this movie so many times and it's easily one of my favorites.

The plot, based on a graphic novel by Alain Moore, is set in the near future, where Grand Britain is ruled by a totalitarian regime. Its leader came to power after a series of unfortunate events that killed thousands of people and left many victims. “V”, one of the victims, did not surrender to his fate but he was determined to take his revenge at all costs.

While executing his first mission, “V” met Evey, a vulnerable woman who was living behind the shadows, giving up to the system and not seeking any change. As “V” changes Evey’s perspective, you change your own. You evolve from a simple spectator to a thinking spectator.

Even if you adopted V’s point of view or not, you cannot but feel moved especially when it comes to the methods he used to awaken Evey. 

You can’t help but feel their emotions and understand their motives and that would not be possible without the great mis-en-scène of the director James McTeigue and the adaptation of the Wachowskies known for the Matrix trilogy. Even though the movie is different from the original graphic novel, it still influences you, with the help of the amazing performances by the actors.

Hugo Weaving is fearless in his portrayal that you forget that V is a masked character.Natalie Portman is very convincing in showing the evolution of her character.

In a way, Evey reflects the message that this film wants to share: you are not helpless; you can change the injustice to justice. Each one of us has the power to influence others but we should just find the way to do it.

V is a not your usual type of heroes. He's an eccentric freedom fighter, who does not only want to change the political system and get his vendetta, but who is keen to change the way of thinking of the mass by injecting interesting references and ideas.

And for that, V for Vendetta is one of the greatest movies.