Lost In Translation

Trading With The Enemy

As with all good travel books, the author, Tom Miller, has done extensive research about Cuba and refers to the research he has done throughout Trading With The Enemy (1996). The introduction to he paperback written in 2008 puts his situation into a more contemporary perspective, but history marches on and I found it most useful for the background information and perspective it gives about Cuba. Miller also makes an effort to get outside of Havana and those sections are among his best in the book in my opinion, especially the section on the American base and the Cuban town of Guantanamo. He also goes to a cigar rolling factory and talks to the workers, including one that reads the newspaper and other books to the rollers to keep their minds occupied as they perform the repetitive and mundane task of cigar rolling. Perhaps the greatest strength and weakness of the book lies in the fact it was written in the early 90s-during the special period. That was an especially difficult time for average Cubans as they lost their main trading partner in Russia and had to deal with austerity measures and rations and shortages for prolonged periods. Generally speaking we had similar interests: the literary tradition as personified by Hemingway and Greene but also Cuban authors and updates of the best selling books many of which were outdated classics (ala Dreiser’s Sister Carrie for example), everyday life of average Cubans, and baseball.  Some others not so much, like the Jewish community and classical music. Miller debunks the myths of La Bodguita del Medio (was thought up to serve as the mojito foil to Hemingway’s daiquiri bar El Floridita), Teddy Roosevelt and the Roughriders at San Juan Hill-actually an afterthought to a battle won by Cuban rebels over the Spanish imperialists. Overall, an entertaining and informative, if not somewhat outdated look at a fascinating country.

Havana: Day One

These beautifully maintained classic American cars are ubiquitous in Cuba, the pride of those who manage to preserve their beauty with meager resources.

Bucanero, one of the two national beers-the other being Cristal.

Casitillo de los Tres Reyes del Morror fort across the bay from old town.

Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta.

Parque Martines del 71.

The Florita, a famous watering hole frequented by Hemingway that serves his signature daiquiris.

Near Parque Central and the Florita in old Havana.

Castillo de Farnes restaurant.

Dinner: black beans and rice with Shrimp Ajillo.

A Birghter Summer Day

I was compelled to seek out Taiwanese director Edward Yang's epic semi-autobiographical film A Brighter Summer Day (1991), because I was so impressed with his first film I saw, Yi Yi. It's a film that on one level is a family drama, on another level a kind of social history, which is immersed in issues like that of identity and national pride and culture. The story is loosely based on a 1961 incident from the filmmaker's childhood (a highly publicized case that had also led to the prosecution of the first juvenile trial in Taiwan). The film is an understated, insightful, and richly textured account of social uncertainty and cultural anxiety of transplanted Chinese as they attempt to rebuild their lives in a newly created nation after being consigned to an unimagined life of exile. There are also stories of first love, discord among gangs, the continuing legacy of Japanese occupation, and the looming specter of the future in 50s. Rock and roll plays a roll in the turbulent times in which the youth of Taiwan are searching for their roles in a postwar society. On yet another level it's a personal story of torment. Its narrative flow is compelling and original-it is almost four hours in length. The fluidity of the storytelling makes the disquieting, harrowing incidents conveyed throughout resonant. The film is epic in scope and ambition and probably demands additional viewings to fully take in all the thematical issues at stake in the film.

Havana: Hotel Deauville

Hotel Deauville is where I stayed on the first leg of my Havana stay ( March 9th-11th). It's basically a two star hotel, but within walking distance of Old Havana across from the ocean on the Malceon. This area near the Malceon reminds me of other Spanish colonial cities with similar roads: Manila and Panama City in particular.

The view from the 11th floor.

The house band for the lobby of Hotel Deauville.

First mojito in the lobby of Hotel Deuaville.

The Homesman

The Homesman (2014) directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones is an unusual western. I was intrigued by this films since I enjoyed his earlier foray into the western genre, The Three Burials of Mequiades Estrada. Jones plays a renegade loner, George Briggs, who is roped into helping Mary Bee Cuddy (Hillary Swank) transport three women who have become mentally unstable in the Nebraska frontier. The combative relationship between the two is not unlike that of Rooster Cougburn and Mattie Ross from True Grit.The films boasts some impressive cinematography, but is also marred by a cartoonish episode with a hotelier, played by a hammed up James Spader. It also features an unconventional ending, but overall an original western.

Spokane: Kendall Yards

Kendall Yards a new mixed space neighborhood along the Spokane River has been developing for a couple of years now. It's my first visit and it seems as though there' s more construction and several new retail shops going up around the currents restaurants, shops, and houses.

Recent Films: At Berkeley, Fury, Whiplash

At Berkeley (2013) directed by Fredrick Wiseman clocks in at 244 minutes, more than four hours! I bailed at the two hour mark and feel as though I got the message. Wiseman didn't add any text or voice overs in the course of the film that recorded classes, administrative meetings, and several other interactions. Excellent public institutions like Berkeley are the pride of the nation and one of the things that makes it so great. Informative rather than entertaining.

On the other hand, the sometimes entertianing Fury (2014) directed and written by David Ayer, starring Brad Pitt, Shia Beouf and several others, doesn't really have a lot to add to the "war is hell" pantheon of war films. It is competently constructed with some good performances, but there's very little that is new or original in the execution. Some of the characters and set pieces were  much too familiar or caricatures from previous films about war. I suppose the tank crew perspective was somewhat less prone to overexposure as other types of war experince. 

I have to admit I was somewhat reluctant to watch Whiplash (2014) directed by Damien Chazelle, because of the familiarity of the overall concept; i.e. the overbearing mentor whose tough love lesson teaching techniques borderline on the sadistic. But the film did get several positive reviews from critics I respect, so I decided to give it a chance. And I'm glad I did, I think the film had some new angles on that storyline and I was not able to predict what would happen at several key points in the film. And the film's success really does depend on the performances of the two lead characters, J.K Simmons as the limit pushing jazz conductor and Miles Teller the obsessive jazz drummer obsessed with greatness and excellence. Both actors were successful in their portrayals of people to whom jazz is the only thing that matters. It should get more mainstream exposure with four Academy Awards including best supporting actor for J.K. Simmons.