Bushra’s Blog

A lot of sites are not only writing about their “Top 10s” of the past year, but of the past decade. So I thought, why not do that too? I mean, my opinion is just as valid as anyone else’s.

I’ll give you a second to stop laughing…

Here it is, my “Top 10″ of the last decade. DISCLAIMER: I’m not proclaiming these to be the 10 best ever as I am well aware that everyone has different tastes. Also, I’m sure I forgot about something here or there that I wish I would have included.

In no particular order:

Donnie Darko - There’s just something about this movie… I can’t quite explain why I’m so into it. For some reason, Donnie speaks to me. All I know is that no one can ever doubt my commitment to Sparkle Motion.

Pan’s Labyrinth - I think that how one interprets the ending determines whether one is an optimist or a cynic.

Children of Men - A lot of the movies about the not-so-distant future depicted dystopian societies and this was one of them. There are some excellent scenes in this movie.

Spirited Away - I remember when I was watching this movie for the first time on DVD. I hadn’t been that engrossed in a movie in quite a while. I was so deep into the fantastical world that Miyazaki created, I couldn’t get up to make myself a mocha even though I really wanted one. That is huge, my friends.

Pride and Prejudice - I wasn’t too keen on watching this movie because I wasn’t a Keira Knightly fan and I thought the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice was really good. There wasn’t much too improve upon, y’know? And yet, I saw this movie despite my misgivings and loved it. This is probably the girliest movie I like although I didn’t think of it is a girly movie until I had let my manager borrow it and he returned it like this.

V or Vendetta - Remember, remember the 5th of November… I don’t know how many conversations this movie inspired. Everyone I know who watched it wanted to talk about it and give their take on the events that transpired in the film.

The Prestige - I just thought this movie was awesome and ended up reading the book it based on, which was great in its own regard.

Waking Life - I get something out of this movie every single time I watch it. In the simplest way to describe it, it’s an animated movie about dreams but it really is a lot more than that. Whenever I recommend Waking Life to someone I always say the same thing, that it’s not a popcorn movie that you watch with your friends, it’s a movie you have in which you have to focus and stick to it, even if the beginning doesn’t seem to make any sense. Trust me though, it pays off.

Before Sunset - I love how this sequel to Before Sunrise is set 9 years later, with the actors 9 years older themselves. I wasn’t sure which one I liked better and kept on flip-flopping between the two before Before Sunset finally won out as my favorite. Jesse and Celine had more realistic views in this movie than in the other one, mostly due to their characters’ experiences in the time that passed in between the movies. I definitely have appreciated this movie more upon multiple viewings.

Monsters, Inc.- Hands down my favorite Pixar movie. “Oh, hey. We’re rehearsing a - a scene for the upcoming company play called uh, Put That Thing Back Where It Came From Or So Help Me. It’s a musical.”

Honorable Mention: Volver, Once, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Persepolis, Batman Begins/The Dark Knight, Memento.

And there it is. Feel free to tell me how lame my movies are and that the movies on your list are oh so much better than mine

I realized something the other day. Or last week. I forget when.

Anyways back to what I was saying…

I realized I haven’t updated a lot, wasting a lot of my spare time not doing much of anything (I don’t think sulking can count as an activity) so I thought back to when I did 30 Posts in 30 Days earlier this year and figured I should do it again.

The posts won’t be about any particular topic but will probably fall under religion, books, movies, comics, and whatever else strikes my fancy.

So here goes.

P.S. “Strikes my fancy” is a weird phrase.

Yesterday, there was a suicide bombing in Karachi, Pakistan in which a someone blew himself up at a Shia mosque on the day of Ashura. This is just one of many suicide bombings that have occurred in Pakistan as of late.

I can’t understand this. Not only the killing, attempted or otherwise, of innocent people, but the act of suicide to accomplish such an act. Every Muslim knows that killing oneself is a sin in Islam.

In Dying to Win, author Robert Pape writes about the origin of suicide bombing and its use as mostly political (foreign policy, etc). Basically, it was never used as a religious form of terror. And yet here, it is. All of a sudden, some Muslims believe that it is totally OK to kill themselves for religious purposes. I really, truly wonder what is said to them that convinces them that performing this act is not a violation of the core of their own religion.

I haven’t been to Pakistan in a couple of years, but I’m wondering if there’s some sort of movement to help re-educate the brainwashed few and make them stop killing themselves and their own people. A massive undertaking, no doubt, but I’m sure it would be well worth it for the country to invest in a project like this. I know it’s easy for me to say that sitting here in the States but I worry about Pakistan and I really do want it to be a better place, InshAllah.

The latest straight to DVD DC animated movie came out on DVD a while ago and I didn’t really have a moment to talk about it. So here goes…

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies was what I was waiting for to be the animated movie to elevate Superman on my list of DC animated movies. While Superman:Doomsday is at the bottom of my list, it didn’t mean that it was bad just that it wasn’t as good as Batman: Gotham Knight and the rest of the movies.

This, on the other hand, was bad.

Ok, ok, not terrible, just not as good as I wanted it to be.

Here’s the story - Superman is framed for murder by President Lex Luthor to get him out of the way for, um, something. But no worries, because Superman’s bro is on the case! That’s right, despite the fact that he said he wouldn’t help Superman out of what was obviously a trap, Batman shows up in a nick of time to save Superman from Metallo who, incidentally, is the one Superman is framed for killing. (Might I point out that although Superman didn’t actually kill Metallo, it sure seemed like he had wanted to?)

Anyways, the two heroes spend the duration of the movie not only trying to clear Superman’s name, but to also figure out why he was framed in the first place. After 66 minutes, it was all over. Yeah, that’s right, the whole thing was only 66 minutes. Most of that time was spent on Superman and Batman fighting against various superheroes and supervillains with a bit of plot dropped in here and there. I admit, the movie had it’s moments though, like when Superman called Batman his best fwend. Awww. Hehehe.

The only cool thing about this movie is that it had the original voice actors - Kevin Conroy as Batman, Tim Daly as Superman, and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor. Other than that, it wasn’t that great. This movie officially holds a place below Superman:Doomsday on my list of the DC animated movies.

Here’s hoping the next straight to DVD feature DC throws at us is better than this one. Look for Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths in 2010.

Last year, I wrote my first ever Am I Ready to Back to Pakistan entry so I thought I would continue the trend with another blog post.

It has now been two years since I went on a trip to Pakistan with my family. I discussed the issues I had in the entry I referenced above and so once again, I’ll ask myself the question:

Am I ready to go back to Pakistan?

Not yet.

Please note this is different from the resounding “Nope” I gave in my last post.

While I still can’t bring myself to think about the next time I’ll go to Pakistan, I do find myself warming to the idea that I may make a trip there sooner than I thought I would (although considering that I thought ‘never’ was going to be the next time I go anything would be considered sooner).

Yes, I did have issues while there but in the end, Pakistan is part of my heritage and I don’t want to deny any of that.

I would do things different though. I don’t want to experience Pakistan stuck in my relatives’ houses. I want to get out and see the country. Better yet, I would want to make the trip about both Pakistan and India to visit the area in India where my family used to live before partition. I really want to explore my background and I figure wandering around Pakistan and visiting Uttar Pardesh in India is one of the best ways to do it.

However, before I make any kind of trip, it would be awesome if someone who actually cares about the welfare of the country came into power in Pakistan. The citizens of Pakistan deserve that at the very least.

So…. watch this space next year for another round of ‘Am I Ready to Go Back to Pakistan?’

I was lucky enough to catch a screening of Where the Wild Things Are last night at the Metreon in San Francisco. Author Dave Eggers, who co-wrote the screenplay was in attendence and said a few words before the start of the movie and a Q&A with director Spike Jonze, actress Catherine Keener (’Mom’) and Max Records (’Max’, the kid in the movie) followed the screening.

I really liked the movie. However, this isn’t quite a review as it is about a thought I had during the movie: I really don’t know how it would play for little kids. At times it was dark, the kind of bleakness that a child may have trouble coping with if watching on a big screen.

As I was discussing the movie with a coworker today (some people knew I was going to watch it and wanted my take on it), I told him the above. I said that although I got a sense that most of us in the theater really liked the movie, Where the Wild Things Are didn’t really come off as a family film and so I wondered how successful this movie would be. Don’t get me wrong, I want it to make a ton of money, I just couldn’t help thinking about it may have lost some of its potential audience due to the nature of the film.

My coworker said that this may not be a hindrance for the success of the movie. If anything, this movie is better off being aimed at adults.

I thought about that and realized he had a point.

The crowd in the theater consisted mostly of older people, from mid-twenties on up, with a lot of middle-aged folks in attendance. If Where the Wild Things Are was entirely for children, then multiple generations, the many who have read the book since the 60s, would have felt left out. Instead, we were given a movie about a child, about innocence, and it worked. Somehow, I was able to really connect with a movie in which the title character is a little boy in a wolf costume with an incredible imagination.

Of course, there’s another point that I may be missing entirely - maybe kids these days can handle more emotional upheaval than I give them credit for. They don’t need to be coddled, y’know?

Here’s hoping Where the Wild Things Are is the success that it deserves to be. Props to Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers for sticking with something that they believe would better represent the book instead of creating the film that the studio initially wanted. However, to give Warner Brothers credit, they did eventually come to see the movie as Jonze intended it. They also provided a print of the movie for benefit screenings, like the one I went to last night. The proceeds went directly to 826 Valencia writing/tutoring center. Very cool.

Also, just as an FYI, Dave Eggers wrote a novelized version of the movie called Wild Things, which will be released soon.

The movie will be released on October 16. Watch it!

I remember back when I first started fasting in the month of Ramadan. I was in the 4th grade and fasted for maybe 2 or 3 days in the whole month. I started fasting full time when I was in the 5th grade. Well, full time minus one day. There was a class party one day and I decided not to fast because I didn’t want to miss out on the food. Although I wasn’t even required to fast back then, I still look back on that situation and mentally shake my head, wondering how I justified not fasting because of a class party. It made perfect sense when I was 10 though.

Back then, if someone asked me why I was fasting, I probably wouldn’t have been able to give more than a generic answer. To my young self, Ramadan meant I couldn’t eat from dawn until dusk and not too much more beyond that.* Now, I really try to do my best to utilize the month as it is about a lot more than not eating and drinking during the day. I look forward to Ramadan because every time it comes around, it’s at a time when I need a spiritual recharge, when I need to be reminded about what’s important in life and not let all the little things affect me in a negative manner. I increase my reading on religious matters and try to gain knowledge in this month. Also, I really do try to watch what I do or say and how I am with people. In essence, I try to be a better person.

This year I’m trying to focus on getting rid of one particular bad habit - I worry too much. After I have done everything I can for a situation, I need to let it be and not constantly dwell on it. I need to keep the faith and understand that whatever happens, happens and that’s the way God intended for it to be.

I have found myself struggling lately to keep the above in mind and not succumb to worry and to over-analyze a situation. Ramadan is already half way over and I have been doing my best to work on this internal issue of mine. Here’s hoping that I can achieve this goal and find other ways in which I can improve myself, InshAllah, before the month’s end.

Next Ramadan: I’ll try to work on my sarcasm and get it under control.

I can’t make any promises though.

*The Wikipedia article on Ramadan explains the meaning of this month quite well.

I watched Green Lantern: First Flight over the weekend, a DC Animated film. These movies have always been enjoyable and this latest installment in the franchise is no exception.

Test pilot Hal Jordan assumes the Green Lantern mantle from the late Green Lantern, Abin Sur within the first couple of minutes of First Flight and then begins his journey to the Green Lantern Corp headquarters in space. However, the Guardians of the Universe (the masterminds behind the Corp) doubt his capacity to handle the ring based on the fact that he’s a human. Because, y’know, we’re the crudest species, prone to violence, and unable to live peacefully.

However, veteran Green Lantern Sinestro volunteers to take Hal under his wing to help him find out who killed Abin Sur and to prevent the warlord Kanjar Ro from obtaining the mysterious yellow element, which can withstand the power of the green element in which the Corp is based upon.

Jordan soon finds himself at odds with Sinestro’s brand of justice and eventually ends up on opposite sides of the power-mad Sinestro as the latter’s loathe of the Guardians and quest for the yellow element for himself endanger the Green Lantern Corp and in effect, the rest of the universe.

Green Lantern: First Flight manages plot and action quite well without any kind of lull in its 75 minute run time. The viewers are rewarded with a tale of corruption and redemption. And fights between superpowered beings! In space! In addition, I like how the filmmakers don’t dwell on the origin story but instead get right to the point. Also, the voices of Christoper Meloni as Hal Jordan, Victor Garber (Spy Dad from Alias!) as Sinestro, and Tricia Helfer (Six from BSG!) as fellow Green Lantern Boodikka complement their animated characters quite well without overpowering their animated persona. Although I have never purported to be a fan of Green Lantern, First Flight is definitely worthy of being added to the roster of DC animated movies.

Here’s my ranking of the DC Animated straight to DVD movies thus far (linked to my reviews on this site):

1. Batman: Gotham Knight
2. Green Lantern: First Flight
(tied)
2. Wonder Woman (Uh, oops, did I not review this? Well, I liked it The violence in this movie was spectacular. “Was that a head?” my sister asked as something flew across the scene in the initial battle scene Wonder Woman. “Yes, yes it was.” I responded.)
4. Justice League: New Frontier
5. Superman: Doomsday (Supes, I’m really sorry you are at the bottom of my list. You are still my favorite superhero.)

Next in line: Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, to be released in September. Can’t wait!

P.S. I love the idea of the Green Lantern Corp, an intergalactic police force. I want a Green Lantern ring. I promise to use it only for good.

I remember back when Hurricane Katrina happened in 2005 in New Orleans. I heard about the lawlessness that took over New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit and I saw the images of destruction on TV, but in no way was I prepared for Dave Eggers’ new book Zeitoun. Syrian born Abdulrahman Zeitoun, or ‘Zeitoun’ as he is called, and his family were among the New Orleans residents whose lives were affected by the flood and its aftermath. In his latest work of nonfiction, Dave Eggers chronicles the Zeitoun family through Hurricane Katrina, the days leading up the event, and the ensuing weeks that forever changed them.

Eggers opens the book with Zeitoun and his wife Kathy as they go about the day to day. Together, they have raised a family while establishing a successful business in New Orleans. When we are first introduced to these characters, the hurricane has yet to strike. However, the ominous warnings regarding the increasing strength of the hurricane are prevalent throughout New Orleans media, ensuring Zeitoun, Kathy, and all of the New Orleans residents become aware at the dire nature of the situation, especially with the news that the levees may breach. And yet, Zeitoun elects to stay in the city as his wife and kids evacuate despite his wife’s pleas for him to join them in the exodus to a safer area.

When speculation becomes reality and the levees break, the city is flooded and Zeitoun somehow makes the most of it. He navigates the city with his second hand canoe and becomes a savior of sorts to people around the city as he rows around, offering his help when he can. At first, he embraces the calm spell the city falls under. Then, the unthinkable happens and Zeitoun finds himself apprehended and placed in a makeshift prison. Meanwhile, Kathy goes through her own personal hell as she can’t contact her husband and is left to wonder if he is among the rising number of dead bodies floating around New Orleans. One will feel a rise of indignation as they read on about the atrocities committed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, all in the name of justice.

In the end, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Not only was I completely immersed in the story, but it’s important that we learn about one of the most defining events in recent U.S. history. Also, I loved how Eggers goes back and forth from the present to the past with events that provide insight on the people he documents throughout his book. The reader learns about Zeitoun growing up in Syria and his life at sea, what led Kathy to Islam, how Zeitoun and Kathy met and got married, and a multitude of other events that truly define these people and make them easy to relate to, making their struggle our struggle, whether one is Muslim or not.

Further reading: - Check out Wajahat Ali’s interview with Dave Eggers: Dave Eggers Interview: Zeitoun - An American Muslim Hero. This interview has also been featured in Huffington Post and Variety.

Today I read an article about President Obama stating that the jobless claims will increase before the end of the year, which is not only discouraging to one like myself who is looking for a job, but also disheartening when one thinks of all those people out there who are struggling to support their families and have yet to get a reprieve from the job market. And yet, investment firm Goldman Sachs, which was part of the financial crisis, has not only survived, but has acquired great profit in this turmoil.

In his article yesterday, Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com provides a timeline from September 2008 to today regarding the financial crisis:

Remember all of this — the $700 billion bank bailout, the AIG scandal, dark and scary threats of imminent global meltdown if there wasn’t full-scale capitulation by the citizenry to the immense transfer of public wealth to the private investment banking sector? Such distant, hazy memories: so many exciting celebrity deaths and riveting celebrity resignations ago. If sequences of events like these don’t cause mass citizen outrage, then it’s hard to imagine what will:

Read on

By the way, if you don’t already include Glenn Greenwald’s articles as part of your daily reading, you should.