Extra+Credit

= Geography Extra Credit =

Extra Credit can be earned by any student who has completed all the assigned work for the course during the current quarter. Any extra credit assignments must be turned in one week before the end of any quarter. A student may earn no more than 50 points extra credit per quarter. Extra credit can be earned in a number of ways, all of which require you to do independent research and writing on a topic. The assignments vary from listening to the radio, reading a book, working on the Internet, or watching a movie. Every assignment requires a written report and it is the quality of the written report which will be graded. In particular, you will be graded on your ability to follow directions and write clearly. Points will be taken off for poor grammar. The amount of time and effort you put into these is obvious when I read your report and you will be graded accordingly. Click on the assignment that interests you below to learn more about it. Where's Mr. Landreth?- Figure out where Mr.Landreth is for EC points

Radio
(30 points possible) The best source for news and music from around the world in the Chicago area can be found at 91.5 FM- WBEZ, the local public radio station. Monday through Thursday, between 7:00 and 8:00 pm, a show called "The World" is broadcast. It is about current events and culture from around the world. Each show features a geography quiz and highlights an international musician (at the end of the show). For extra credit, listen to "The World" for three evenings. In your report, list the subject of all of the stories featured each evening and the location in which it takes place. Write a short paragraph on the story you found most interesting from each evening (three paragraphs in all). The paragraph should include a sentence summarizing the story. It should also explain why you found the story interesting.

Book
(30 points possible) Read a book, fiction or non-fiction, which takes place in a geographic area that is covered in our textbook. Write a book report that includes the following: 1. A brief summary (one paragraph) of the plot which includes information about the location and time period in which the book takes place. 2. Explain in detail three things you learned about that location from the book (at least one paragraph for each). Tell why you found these points interesting.

[| Plaid Avenger]
(15 points possible) The Plaid Avenger is the alter-ego of a brilliant geography professor at Virginia Tech University. Go to his [|web site and watch a plaidcast]. The report on the international situation it describes. 1. Describe the international issue/situation 2. Describe what is at stake and who the major players are. 3. What are the international implications?

=** MOVIE LIST **= The following movies have a great deal of Geographic content and are fun to watch. Most of them should be available on Netflix or in your local library. (Check the [|Library Catalog]to see if the movie is available. If it is at another library, you can request to have it sent to you.) To receive up to 25-30 extra Credit points, watch the movie and write a report that includes the following: 1. The name of the Movie and its director. 2. The basic plot of the movie. (at least one paragraph) 3. Where does this movie take place? (city- country- continent?) Describe the physical geography (climate, landforms,of the place as shown in the movie. (Some movies have multiple settings so tell about each) (One paragraph) 4. List in detail and explain at least three things you learned about this area's culture from watching this movie? (i.e.: How do they live? What language do they speak? Religion? Their social organization? What foods do they eat? etc. etc.) (two paragraphs) 5. A paragraph on why you would or would not recommend this movie. NOTE: Some of these movies are rated "R" so ask your parents permission before you rent an "R" rated movie. Click on the region below to be brought to a list of movies that are appropriate for the region.
 * = == **North America** == ||||= ==__** Latin America **__== ||= ==__** Europe **__== ||
 * = == __**Middle East**__ == ||||= ==Asia== ||= == __**Africa**__ == ||

= North American Movies =


 * [[image:anne.jpg width="122" height="122"]] || Anne Green Gables A wonderfully sweet story of a strong-willed orphan growing up on Prince Edward Island, Canada ||
 * [[image:incon.jpg width="118" height="168"]] || An Inconvenient Truth Al Gore's Academy Award winning documentary about Climate Change. Lots of great geography in this readily available movie. ||
 * [[image:11th.jpg width="122" height="175"]] || 11th Hour A look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems. Leonardo DiCaprio produced and stars in this. See me for a copy if interested. ||
 * [[image:chase.jpg width="122" height="174"]] || Chasing Ice (2012)- Excellent documentary about a photojournalist efforts to document Climate Change. Dramatic and award winning ||
 * [[image:Home.jpg width="123" height="181" link="@http://youtu.be/eoto5FC4gsM"]] || Home- All Aerial footage of Earth highlighting problems both current and future- Beautiful Film on You Tube ||
 * [[image:visit.jpg width="121" height="165"]] || The Visitor (2007) A college professor befriends an immigrant couple in New York and has his eyes opened on immigration issues. ||
 * [[image:froz.jpg width="124" height="144"]] || Frozen River (2008) Upstate ew York is the setting for this drama of two women overcoming prejudice and showing a side/border of the immigration issue rarely discussed. ||
 * [[image:blood.jpg width="124" height="178"]] || There Will Be Blood (2008) Disturbing but powerful drama of the early oil industry in Texas ||
 * [[image:breaking away.jpg width="121" height="165"]] || Breaking Away This is a great movie. Set in Bloomington, IN, a young man tries to find his own way and come to terms with his identity as a Cutter. See me for a copy if interested. ||
 * [[image:canbac.jpg width="122" height="174"]] || Canadian Bacon What happens when the US decides to invade Canada? Michael Moore's first film has fun with the possibilities. See me for a copy if interested. ||
 * [[image:daysheav.jpg width="122" height="169"]] || Days of Heaven Set in the Texas Panhandle, this film looks at what people will sacrifice in order to get ahead. ||
 * [[image:deliv.jpg width="123" height="170"]] || Deliverance A classic film of survival and friendship in the backwoods. ||
 * [[image:edge.jpg width="123" height="177"]] || The Edge Two men and a hungry bear fight each other for survival in Alaska's wilderness. ||
 * [[image:eve.jpg width="124" height="170"]] || Eve's Bayou A haunting story of love and betrayal in the Louisiana Bayou as seen through the eye's of a special child. ||
 * [[image:Fargo.jpg width="124" height="181"]] || Fargo An interesting look at life in Minnesota through the eyes of the Coen brothers- murder, intrigue, and humor are all here. Violence and language are prolific so be forewarned. Rated R ||
 * [[image:food.jpg width="139" height="149"]] || Food Inc. Want to know what you're really eating and how it gets to the table, then watch this excellent and entertaining documentary about the American agribusiness industry. ||
 * [[image:wild.jpg width="121" height="172"]] || Into the Wild The story of Chris McCandless, an independent-minded young man who gives away all his belongings and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. This is a great coming of age movie with terrific scenes in the wilderness from Mexico to Alaska ||
 * [[image:jeremiah.jpg width="120" height="159"]] || Jeremiah Johnson One of my all-time favorites, this is the story of a man who leaves civilization to become a mountain man. After many trials, he becomes a legend. ||
 * [[image:lastm.jpg width="120" height="168"]] || The Last of the Mohicans A great film full of action, adventure and romance. If you haven't seen this one yet, do yourself favor and see it now. ||
 * [[image:lonestar.gif width="118" height="158" align="left"]] || Lone Star If you like mysteries, this is the film for you. A Texas ranger finds a body in the desert and off a chain of events that no one could anticipate. ||
 * [[image:milagro.jpg width="121" height="213"]] || The Milagro Beanfield War A film by Robert Redford about the struggle to unionize farm labor in the Southwest. ||
 * [[image:greek.jpg width="112" height="161"]] || My Big Fat Greek Wedding A hilarious look inside a Greek family and the daughter attempting to make her own life. ||
 * [[image:mystery.jpg width="118" height="166"]] || Mystery, Alaska A small town hockey team gets a visit from the New York Rangers. ||
 * [[image:obrother.jpg width="116" height="160"]] || O Brother Where Art Thou? A fantastically entertaining film set in the Deep South and full of great music and lots of laughs. ||
 * [[image:rain.jpg width="119" height="158"]] || Rain Man A road movie in the classic sense. Tom Cruise plays a man who suddenly finds he has an autistic brother (Dustin Hoffman) who he has to take cross-country. ||
 * [[image:smoke.jpg width="122" height="177"]] || Smoke Signals A quirky, but fun, road movie set amidst the poverty of the Native Americans in the Southwest. ||
 * [[image:supersize.jpg width="120" height="176"]] || Supersize Me Very entertaining documentary about the American Culture of fast food. Morgan Spurlock eats nothing but McDonalds for 30 days. See what happens. [|Watch the entire movie here.] ||
 * [[image:thelma.jpg width="121" height="167"]] || Thelma and Louise Another Road movie about two desperate women on the run. Lots of fun but rated R for language. ||

= **Latin America Movies** =
 * [[image:gilbert.jpg width="127" height="174"]] || What's Eating Gilbert Grape One of Johnny Depp's best movies, this is the story of a young man in the Midwest trying to break away from his past. ||
 * [[image:winter.jpg width="124" height="174"]] || Winter's Bone (2010)- Jennifer Lawrence stars in this excellent drama of life in the Ozark Mountains ravaged by Meth ||

Absorbing biography of El Salvador's Archbishop Oscar Romero, chronicling his transformation from passive cleric to eloquent defender of his church and people. Thoughtfully directed with a good script by John Sacret Young and a quietly powerful performance by Julia. The initial feature film was financed by officials of the United States Roman Catholic Church. || developers, who want to cut down their part of the rainforest for a new road and ranch land. The rich and the powerful will stop at nothing, and frequently resort to murder. || and political factions within the church, in the late 18th century. || (1985) Aleandro is exceptional as woman who lives the good life, sheltered from political turmoil that surrounds her in Argentina... until she begins to suspect that her adopted daughter may have been the offspring of a political prisoner. One of those rare films that manages to make a strong political statement in the midst of a crackling good story. Oscar winner as Best Foreign Language Film. A knockout. || Orphaned boy raised in the Amazon jungle is brought to civilization by a well-meaning priest (Durning) who knew his father. Slow-moving story starts well but loses its grip as it leaves behind mystical elements and focuses more on child's-eye view of good guys and bad guys. Nicely filmed on location in Brazil. || Based on a true story, Powers Boothe plays an American dam engineer in Brazil. Boothe's son (played by Charlie Boorman -son of director John Boorman) is kidnapped by a rain forest tribe, and raised as one of their own. Boothe continues to look for him and after many trials and adventures, stumbles upon him. || ** European and Russian Movies **
 * [[image:life.jpg width="146" height="206"]] || Life and Debt (2001)Interesting film of the effects of debt on a country and the international organizations charged with fixing them. ||
 * [[image:westmontgeography/two escobars.jpg width="144" height="211"]] || The Two Escobars (2012)- Excellent documentary about what happens when soccer and narcotrafficing collide in Colombia during the 1990s. ||
 * [[image:westmontgeography/Underthesame moon.jpg width="157" height="186"]] || Under the Same Moon ||
 * [[image:alive.gif width="106" height="181"]] || ** Alive ** (1993) on a true story. A Uruguayan rugby team charters a plane to fly across the Andes. When the plane crashes, there are about 20-25 survivors. Spotter planes are sent to locate the plane and look for survivors, but hampered by the fierce weather conditions they soon give up hope of finding anyone alive. After weeks without food, the passengers are faced with a dilemma; eat the dead or join them. ||
 * [[image:apoca.jpg width="129" height="188"]] || ** Apocalypto (2006) ** Brutal but accurate portrayal of the Mayans and their rituals with an excellent story to boot. ||
 * [[image:maria.jpg width="130" height="189"]] || ** Maria Full of Grace (2005) ** This movie is a sensitive portrayal of a young girl duped into becoming a drug currier in Colombia. ||
 * [[image:citygod.jpg width="132" height="190"]] || ** City of God (2005) ** One of the best movies of 2005, this film shows what life is like in the favelas/slums of Rio de Janeiro. It is a bit violent at times, so be warned. ||
 * [[image:motorcycle.jpg width="132" height="192"]] || ** The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) ** This film recreates the early travels of Che Guevara, one of the great revolutionaries of Latin America. An excellent movie. ||
 * [[image:buena.gif width="134" height="189"]] || **Buena Vista Social Club** In 1996, a group of legendary Cuban musicians were brought together by Ry Cooder to record a CD. This documentary shows some of their songs being recorded in the studio, concert footage from Amsterdam and New York City, and some of the musicians talking about their lives in Cuba and how they got started in music. ||
 * [[image:men.jpg width="128" height="203"]] || ** Men with Guns ( **1997) Directed by John SaylesThis excellent movie could be about any country in Central America during the 1980s and, for that reason, the actual location is never given. Humberto Fuentes is a wealthy doctor whose wife has recently died. In spite of the advice of his children, he takes a trip to visit his former students who now work in impoverished villages. His trip soon becomes a quest, politically awakening him when he finds out that one of his students was killed by guerillas. ||
 * [[image:under.gif width="127" height="207"]] || ** Under Fire ** (1983) Caught up in the emotions of war in Nicaragua in 1979, Russel Price agrees to help the rebels by staging a photo of their dead leader to make him look alive. The results are far-reaching and ultimately devastating. First-rate political thriller about journalists on the line in Managua, Nicaragua, 1979, how their lives intertwine, and how two of them risk their professionalism by becoming involved in the revolutionary conflict. One of those rare films that manages to combine real-life politics and realistic romance with a no-nonsense story. ||
 * [[image:havana.gif width="127" height="181"]] || ** Havana ** (1990) Cuba, December 1958: The professional gambler Jack visits Havana to organize a big Poker game. On the ship he meets Roberta and falls in love with her. Shortly after they arrive in Cuba, her Cuban husband, the revolutionary Arturo, is shot on the street by the military and Roberta is arrested and tortured. Jack manages to get her free again, however he can't keep her from continuing to support the revolution. ||
 * [[image:romero.gif width="124" height="211"]] || ** Romero ** (1989)
 * [[image:el norte.jpg width="132" height="190"]] || ** El Norte ** (1983) Sweeping, emotional saga of a brother and sister who leave their violence-torn village in Guatemala to find a better life in The North--El Norte. Getting to America is half the story; making a life there is the other half. ||
 * [[image:centrl.gif width="123" height="203"]] || ** Central Station ** (1998) A woman who writes letters for the illiterate at Rio de Janeiro's central train station feels obliged to help a 9-year-old boy whose mother has just been killed. The two form an unlikely bond and journey to a remote area of Brazil to try to find his father. ||
 * [[image:burn.gif width="133" height="223"]] || ** Burning Season, The ** (1994) (TV) Based on the true story of a Brazilian rubber tapper who leads his people in protest against government and
 * [[image:mission.gif width="130" height="212"]] || ** The Mission, ** (1986) Excellent Movie about a productive (and profitable) Jesuit mission in the jungles of Brazil which is threatened by greedy merchants
 * [[image:official.gif width="124" height="205"]] || ** Official Story, The ** (1985) aka Historia oficial, La
 * [[image:medicine man.jpg width="141" height="183"]] || ** Medicine Man ** (1992) Connery plays a research scientist, sequestered in the Brazilian rain forest, who's found the cure for cancer--but can't duplicate it. Bracco is his brainy superior from the U. S. who's come to check up on him. Connery carries this movie singlehandedly, and as usual he's commanding to watch, but the film is weak, and Bracco's abrasive performance (and poorly written character) practically sink it. ||
 * [[image:black1.jpg width="142" height="220"]] || ** Where the River Runs Black ** (1986)
 * [[image:emeld.gif width="144" height="144"]] || ** The Emerald Forest ** (1985)

These two movies are about a boy, his family, and the summers they spent in the French countryside. Few films capture the joys of childhood and the simple pleasures of French country life like these do. They don't have to be watched in order. In fact, if you're going to watch only one, I'd recommend "My Mother's Castle". || This pair of movies not only features the beauty of the French countryside but also is a wonderful story and study of human nature. A great story all around, Jean de Florette tells of a hunchback, played by Gerard Depardeu, who moves from the city to become a farmer. This is an endearing but sad story as he is ruined by his scheming neighbors. If you watch "Jean de Florette", you will have to watch "Manon of the Spring", in which his daughter takes her revenge. Marvelous films. In French with English subtitles. || (Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei)Achingly realistic, unsentimental look at reporters covering the Bosnian war in Sarajevo. One British TV reporter becomes especially outraged by the plight of orphaned children and finds his casual promise to a young girl--that he will lead her to safety--being put to the test. Based on a true story, and told with a compelling blend of genuine and staged footage. Difficult to watch at times, but rewarding. Rated R for strong graphic war violence. || Sumptuous, sprawling epic from Boris Pasternak's acclaimed novel; Sharif is charismatic as Russian poet/doctor Zhivago, an orphan who later marries aristocratic Chaplin but falls in love with politicized nurse Christie. Film spans several decades, including WW1 and Bolshevik Revolution, and features stirring crowd scenes, gorgeous romantic vistas (set to Maurice Jarre's sweeping music) and a powerful exodus sequence on train. || ** Middle East / North Africa Movies **
 * [[image:everythingilluminated.jpg width="137" height="198"]] || ** Everything is Illuminated ** An American Jew goes to Eastern Europe to find the woman who saved his grandfather during the Holocaust. This is a humorous and touching movie that highlights issues of globalization and migration. Well worth your time. ||
 * [[image:bendit.jpg width="137" height="201"]] || ** Bend it Like Beckham ** This is a brilliant movie about an Indian immigrant in London who loves to play soccer but her traditional parents won't let her. This is the immigrant experience played out with a British twist. Lots of fun with Keira Knightly and Jonathon Rhys Meyers starring. ||
 * [[image:theclass.jpg width="136" height="199"]] || ** The Class ** A look at an urban classroom in France. Extremely well done and you may see some similarities to our own educational issues. ||
 * [[image:fullmonty.jpg width="137" height="201"]] || ** The Full Monty ** A group of out of work miners in England find a unique way to make money and regain some self respect. ||
 * [[image:once.jpg width="138" height="202"]] || ** Once (2006) ** The story of two street musicians in Dublin. Great soundtrack. ||
 * [[image:tunnel.jpg width="139" height="194"]] || ** The Tunnel ** The true story of a group of East Berliners who attempt to escape to West Berlin by digging a tunnel under the Berlin Wall. ||
 * [[image:childrenOfMen.jpg width="140" height="206"]] || ** Children of Men ** This movie is set in the near-future in England when people have stopped having children. It explores issues of population and migration. ||
 * [[image:goodbyeLenin.jpg width="140" height="195"]] || **Goodbye Lenin** This movie explores the end of the Cold War and the effects it had on regular people. ||
 * [[image:nomansland.jpg width="141" height="196"]] || ** No Man's Land ** An ironic look at the Bosnian war of the 1990s. It looks critically at all sides as well as the UN and the media. No one looks good in the end. This movie is a favorite of my AP classes because it is filled with ironic twists. ||
 * [[image:sound.jpg width="125" height="178"]] || **The Sound of Music** Set in the Austrian Alps outside of Salzburg just prior to World War Two, this is one of the most enjoyable movies ever made. Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer are simply terrific. I can't recommend this movie enough. ||
 * [[image:little.jpg width="115" height="192"]] || **A Little Romance** If you can find this one, you won't be sorry. A 14-year-old American girl living in Paris falls in love with a Parisian boy and they decide to run away to Venice to fulfill a romantic legend. Starring Laurence Olivier and Diane Lane, this very intelligent and classy film is a little-known classic and one of my personal favorites. ||
 * [[image:secret.jpg width="138" height="189"]] || **The Secret of Roan Inish** An Irish fantasy about a 10-year old girl who goes to live with her grandparents in a small fishing village. This is a beautifal, lyrical film about the old Irish legend of the selkies. It gives an excellent idea oflife in an Irish fishing village. ||
 * [[image:enghill.jpg width="135" height="183"]] || ** The Englishman who went up a Hill but came down a Mountain (1995)**When an English cartographer must tell a Welsh village that their mountain is only a hill, the offended community sets out to change that. A humorous look at small town life in Wales and one of Hugh Grant's best performances. ||
 * [[image:billy.jpg width="136" height="185"]] || ** Billy Elliot (2000)**Growing up in industrially depressed England is not much fun for Billy Elliot. His father and brother are bitter, striking coal miners. They want Billy to box but Billy finds release through ballet. An excellent film that shows the life of the British working class as it is today. Warning: Strong language and accents. ||
 * [[image:sweet.jpg width="106" height="185"]] || ** Life is Sweet (1990)**Four days in the life of a middle class English family. This is a sweetly comedic look at some trials faced by families and how they can overcome them by sticking together. This is a very enjoyable film- understated, intelligent, and sometimes a bit wacky. ||
 * [[image:cinema.jpg width="129" height="186"]] || ** Cinema Paradiso (1989)**Another movie I can't recommend enough. The movie tells the story of a young boy coming of age in Sicily just after World War Two and of the central role the town cinema plays in the life of the town. Hilarious and poignant. Acadamy Award winner. Watch it in Italian with subtitles for the best effect. ||
 * [[image:ilpos.jpg width="128" height="174"]] || ** Il Postino (The Postman) 1994**A beautiful portrait of life on a small Italian island. The local postman befriends a famous poet, Pablo Neruda, and uses his newof poetry to woo the woman he loves. A great movie. Watch it in Italian with subtitles for the best effect. ||
 * [[image:lifeis.jpg width="129" height="180"]] || ** Life is Beautiful (1997)**This 1997 Oscar winner is a comedy about a Jew dealing with the Holocaust. Set in Italy, it gives a good glimpse of daily life as well as the triumph of the human spirit. Roberto Begnini is terrific as the father who gives everything to save his son. Amazingly, this film works wonderfully. Watch it in Italian with subtitles for the best effect. ||
 * [[image:schindlers.jpg width="129" height="181"]] || ** Schindler's List (1993)** This is the best and most realistic (and disturbing) movie ever made about the Holocaust. Staggering adaptation of Thomas Keneally's best-seller about the real-life Catholic war profiteer who initially flourished by sucking up to the Nazis, but eventually went broke saving the lives of more than 1,000 Polish Jews by employing them in his factory, manufacturing crockery for the German army. //**(Caution: This film has graphic and disturbing violence and some brief nudity.)**// ||
 * [[image:myfathers.jpg width="127" height="183"]][[image:mymothers.jpg width="129" height="183"]] || **My Father's Glory (1990)****My Mother's Castle(1991)**
 * [[image:jean.jpg width="130" height="190"]][[image:manon.jpg width="172" height="129"]] || **Jean de Florette (1986)****Manon of the Spring (1986)**
 * [[image:welcome.gif width="113" height="184"]] || ** Welcome To Sarajevo (1997)**
 * [[image:kol.gif width="105" height="181"]] || ** Kolya (1996)** Winner of the Best Foreign Film Academy Award, Czech director Jan Sverak's warm and witty seriocomedy follows a down-and-out cellist and confirmed bachelor who agrees to a marriage of convenience with a friend's beautiful Russian niece. When the new bride leaves to be with her German lover, however, she leaves Kolya, her 6-year-old son, behind in her "husband's" care. Zdenek Sverak (the director's father, who also scripted) and Andrej Chalimon star. 105 min. In Czech with English subtitles. ||
 * [[image:stalin.gif width="122" height="170"]] || ** Stalingrad (1993)** A depiction of the brutal battle of Stalingrad, the Third Reich's 'high water mark', as seen through the eyes of German officer Hans von Witzland and his battalion. A German production, this is a much more powerful film than Enemy at the Gates ||
 * [[image:dr.gif width="111" height="183"]] || ** Doctor Zhivago (1965)**


 * [[image:insidemecca.jpg width="133" height="192"]] || Inside Mecca- National Geographic Documentary about the pilgrimage to Mecca. [|Watch here.] ||
 * [[image:westmontgeography/argo.jpg width="133" height="192"]] || Argo (2012)- This won Best Picture at the 2012 Oscars for good reson- excellent drama about the little known rescue of six American hostages from Iran in 1979 ||
 * [[image:kiterunner.jpg width="137" height="197"]] || **Kite Runner (2007)** The story of two young friends in Afghanistan. ||
 * [[image:osama.jpg width="138" height="205"]] || ** Osama (2003) ** A young girl pretends to be a boy to get work in Afghanistan during Taliban rule. Still extremely pertinent to this day. ||
 * [[image:syriana.jpg width="137" height="190"]] || ** Syriana (2005) ** George Clooney plays a CIA operative and Matt Damon is an oil analyst caught up in the international oil trade. A Complicated but worthwhile film. ||
 * [[image:hurtlocker.jpg width="141" height="206"]] || ** The Hurt Locker (2008) ** The story of an American bomb squad working in Iraq. Should have won best picture Oscar. ||
 * [[image:kingdom.jpg width="139" height="203"]] || ** The Kingdom (2007) ** A team of U.S. government agents is sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This provides a glimpse of life in Saudi Arabia ||
 * [[image:law.gif width="119" height="203"]] || **Lawrence of Arabia** The story of T.E. Lawrence, the heroic and troubled man who organized the Arab nations to fight the Turks in World War I and then, having reached a pinnacle of power in Mideast politics, retired to postwar military obscurity. Great movie, but be prepared: it is 202 minutes long. ||
 * [[image:3kings.jpg width="136" height="184"]] || **Three Kings** George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and Ice Cube star in "Three Kings," the story of a small group of adventurous American soldiers in Iraq at the end of the Gulf War who are determined to steal a huge cache of gold reputed to be hidden somewhere near their desert base. Finding a map they believe will take them to the gold, they embark on a journey that leads to unexpected discoveries, enabling them to rise to a heroic challenge that drastically changes their lives. ||
 * [[image:not.gif width="135" height="220"]] || **Not Without My Daughter** American woman accompanies her Iranian-born husband on a visit to his homeland. Once there, he decides to stay, and she learns (to her horror) that in Iran she has no rights, as a wife or as a woman, so she must find a way to flee the country with her daughter. Absorbing film based on real-life experience of Betty Mahmoody; the drama works because Field is so believable, and because her husband is not portrayed as a one-dimensional monster. Filmed in Israel. ||
 * [[image:english.jpg width="134" height="193"]] || **English Patient, The** (1996) During World War II, a mysterious stranger is rescued from a fiery plane crash in the Sahara Desert. The American allies care for him and the dangerous secrets from his past come to light. An exceptional achievement all around. ||
 * [[image:gallip.jpg width="128" height="185"]] || **Gallipoli** An excellent film about Australian soldiers fighting in Turkey during World War One. Mel Gibson stars. ||
 * [[image:jourhope.jpg width="130" height="200"]] || **Journey of Hope** (1990) aka Reise der Hoffnung (1990) Heartbreaking, based-on-fact account of what happens when a poor Turkish couple and their young son set off for Switzerland, in the hope of finding a better life. Deserving Best Foreign Film Academy Award-winner packs a real wallop. ||
 * [[image:desert.jpg width="128" height="187"]] || **Lion of the Desert** Sweeping ``David vs. Goliath'' spectacle, with Quinn as Omar Mukhtar, guerrilla leader who stymied Italian forays into Libya between 1911 and 1931. Steiger is Benito Mussolini. Filmed in 1979 ||
 * Asian Movies **

** Sub-saharan Africa Movies **
 * ** South Asia ** ||
 * [[image:out.jpg width="130" height="187"]] || ** Outsourced ** This is an extremely smart and funny look at Indian and American culture through the eyes of an American sent there to outsource his own job. Great romantic comedy which inspired the TV series of the same name. ||
 * [[image:born.jpg width="126" height="184"]] || ** Born into the Brothels ** Two documentary filmmakers chronicle their time in Sonagchi, Calcutta and the relationships they developed with children of prostitutes who work the city's notorious red light district. **[| Watch Here.]** ||
 * [[image:slumdog.jpg width="124" height="182"]] || ** Slumdog Millionaire ** 2008 Academy Award winner for best picture, this is the story of two brothers in modern India. A brilliant look at the globalizing forces at work in India. ||
 * [[image:bride.jpg width="124" height="181"]] || ** Bride and Predjudice ** Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice gets a Bollywood treatment. ||
 * [[image:weepingcamel.jpg width="127" height="180"]] || ** The Story of the Weeping Camel ** A family's efforts to save a camel calf result in a beautiful portrait of Mongolia. ||
 * [[image:manking.jpg width="131" height="188"]] || **The Man Who Would Be King** This is my favorite movie about Asia. Based on the classic tale by Rudyard Kipling, it follows the adventures of two ne'er-do-wells (Sean Connery and Michael Caine) as they attempt to create their own kingdom in what is today Afghanistan. A great movie all around. Lots of fun. ||
 * [[image:ghadi.gif width="92" height="160" align="center"]] || **Gandhi (1982)** Sweeping account of the life and times of Mohandas K. Gandhi, who rose from a position of simple lawyer to become a nation's leader and a worldwide symbol of peace and understanding. Storytelling at its best, in the tradition of great Hollywood epics, though film's second half is less riveting than the first. Kingsley gives an unforgettable performance in the lead. Eight Oscars include Best Picture, Actor, Director, Screenplay (John Briley). Look for Daniel Day-Lewis as one of three youths who accost Gandhi in the street. ||
 * [[image:city.gif width="92" height="160" align="center"]] || **City of Joy (1992)** An American surgeon loses a young patient, quits the medical profession and goes to India to find himself. There he runs into a nun who is trying to establish a free clinic in a neighborhood of untouchables. He resists the call back to medicine, but eventually begins helping them build the clinic, which angers the local "Godfather" who tries to stop the project by intimidation. ||
 * [[image:k2.gif width="99" height="172" align="center"]] || **K2 (1991)** Taylor and Harold are good friends and avid climbers. While climbing one day, they meet a man who it seems might be attempting to climb K2, the world's second-highest peak. Always pushy, Taylor bugs the man for a spot on the team, claiming that he and Harold are good enough. They may be very good, but K2 is a very tough mountain. A good movie for the geography of the Himalayas. ||
 * [[image:littlebuddha.jpg width="144" height="208"]] || ** Little Buddha ** (1993) Lama Norbu comes to Seattle in search of the reincarnation of his dead teacher, Lama Dorje. His search leads him to young Jesse Conrad, Raju, a boy from Kathmandu, and a Indian girl. Together, they journey to Bhutan where the three children must undergo a test to prove which is the true reincarnation. Interspersed with this, is the story of Siddharta, later known as the Buddha. It traces his spiritual journey from ignorance to true enlightenment. ||
 * **East Asia** ||
 * [[image:hiddendragon.jpg width="142" height="207"]] || ** Wo hu cang long aka Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ** (2000) The disappearance of a magical jade sword spurs a breathtaking quest for the missing treasure. Li (Chow Yun-Fat) is embittered by the loss of his jade sword, and his unrequited pursuit of Yu (Michelle Yeoh) is further complicated by the mysterious intrusion of an assassin. The identity of the assassin is gradually unveiled as another poignant tale of love begins to ravel with that of Li and Yu against the backdrop of Western China's magnificent landscape. ||
 * [[image:eden.gif width="114" height="193"]] || ** Close to Eden ** (1991) aka Urga (1991) Russian truckdriver accidentally comes into the lives of a Mongol family, adroitly raising the question of who's ``civilized'' and who isn't. Beautifully filmed in the Mongolian steppe region of inner China. The shepherd Gombo lives with his wife, three children and grandmother in a tent on the Mongolian steppe. They are pleased with their rustic conditions, until a Russian truck driver, Serguei, gets stuck with his truck nearby. The cultural gap between Gombo and Serguie seems invincible. But maybe they can learn a few things from each other? ||
 * [[image:fist.gif width="137" height="188"]] || ** Fist of Legend ** aka Jing wu ying xiong (1994) Over twenty years since the first telling of the story, Bruce Lee's 'Fist of Fury' returns to the screen. The story is a classic one that has its roots in an actual event in Chinese history -- the defeat of Master Huo at the hands of the Japanese. This time around, popular actor and martial arts champion Jet Li steps into the shoes of folk hero Chen Zhen, in a race to save his master's honor and his own pride. ||
 * [[image:Emperor.gif width="135" height="187"]] || ** Last Emperor **, The (1987) Remarkable film inspired by true story of Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, who is crowned at age three and lives a cloistered life in the Forbidden City until he is deposed (as a young man) during the revolution and forced to fend for himself in the outside world for the first time. A magnificent journey to another time and place, hampered by unanswered questions in the narrative and a main character who remains somewhat cold. Nothing can top the spectacle of life in the Forbidden City (where scenes were actually filmed)--or the twists of fate that fill Pu Yi's life. Photographed by Vittorio Storaro; music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, and Cong Su. Winner of nine Academy Awards including Best Picture. ||
 * [[image:live.gif width="103" height="166"]] || **To Live (1994) aka Huozhe (1994)** Film follows married couple as their fortunes rise and fall, through several decades of Chinese life, from 1940's onward. Viewer gets history lesson as time passes, children grow, and freedoms are suppressed. ||
 * [[image:kundun.gif width="146" height="203"]] || ** Kundun ** (1997)The fascinating saga of the 14th Dalai Lama begins with the discovery that he has been reincarnated in the body of a two-year-old boy. We follow his journey through life, including education, exile, and a confrontation with the Chinese government, led by Mao Tse-tung. This is just good, solid storytelling, from Melissa Mathison's script (written with the Dalai Lama's cooperation). A cast of nonprofessional actors is simply remarkable, and so is Philip Glass' score ||
 * [[image:sevenyears.jpg width="144" height="206"]] || ** Seven Years in Tibet ** (1997)A very good movie about a German soldier (Brad Pitt) who comes to Tibet during World War Two. He learns to love the land and his life there before the Chinese take- over. ||
 * **Southeast Asia** ||
 * [[image:killingfeilds.jpg width="148" height="210"]] || ** Killing Fields, The ** (1984) This is a great movie. A highly charged drama based on the memoirs of N. Y. Times reporter Sidney Schanberg, who remained in Cambodia after American evacuation--putting his native translator and assistant Dith Pran in great jeopardy. Frighteningly realistic depiction of a country torn apart by war and terrorism; an emotional powerhouse. Long but worthwhile. Impressive feature debut for documentary director Joffé; Ngor (who lived through Cambodian turmoil in real life) won Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his acting debut. ||
 * [[image:livingdangerously.jpg width="144" height="206"]] || ** Year of Living Dangerously, The **(1982) Guy Hamilton (Mel Gibson) is a journalist on his first job as a foreign correspondent. His apparently humdrum assignment to Indonesia soon turns hot as President Sukarno electrifies the populace and frightens foreign powers. Guy soon is the hottest reporter on the story with the help of his photographer, half- Chinese dwarf Billy Kwan, who has gone native. ||
 * [[image:anna.jpg width="144" height="193"]] || ** Anna and the King ** (1999) This is the story of Anna Leonowens, the English schoolteacher who came to Siam in the 1860s to teach the children of King Mongkut. She becomes involved in his affairs, from the tragic plite of a young concubine to trying to forge an alliance with Britain to a war with Burma that is orchestrated by Britain. In the meantime, a subtle romance develops between them. ||
 * [[image:beyondragoon.jpg width="115" height="205"]] || ** Beyond Rangoon ** (1995) Laura is trying to pick up the pieces of her life after the murder of her husband and son, and goes on vacation with her sister to Burma. After losing her passport at a political rally, she is left on her own for a few days, during which time she falls in with students fighting for democracy. She and their leader, U Aung Ko, travel through Burma, whilst witnessing many bloody acts of repression by the dictatorship, in an attempt to escape to Thailand. Based (loosely) on a true story. ||
 * **JAPAN** ||
 * [[image:lostin.jpg width="133" height="199"]] || ** Lost In Translation (2003) ** Bill Murray stars as a an American wandering through Tokyo in a mist of culture shock. ||
 * [[image:mrbaseball.jpg width="132" height="193"]] || ** Mr. Baseball ** (1992) A Major Leaguer down on his percentages gets traded to the Chiunichi Dragons, and has trouble adjusting to Japanese customs. He resists what he considers ridiculous and arbitrary rules of the club and belittles the etiquette expected of him as a representative of his team. When he starts seeing the interactions of his coach with the owners of the team, and falls in love with his translator, he begins to rethink his attitude ||
 * [[image:minbo.gif width="131" height="234"]] || ** Minbo, or The Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion ** aka Minbo no onna (1992) A grand old Japanese hotel is trying to get a prestigious contract as the site of a summit meeting of important foreign officials. Unfortunately, this hotel is quite popular with the Yakuza (Japanese gangsters) and is a favorite target of theirs for extortion. They employ a variety of schemes to con the hotel out of 'hush-money.' The hotel needs to rid itself of the Yakuza and finally begins to fight back by hiring Mahiru Inoue, a lawyer who is an expert at dealing with these criminals on their own terms. This film by Juzo Itami combines action with farce, as an all-out war ensues. ||
 * [[image:dance.gif width="102" height="180"]] || ** Shall We Dance ** aka Shall We Dansu? (1996) Beautifully realized film of middle-aged businessman (Yakusho), who secretly yearns to break out of the rigid conformity of his daily life, encountering the world of ballroom dance. Deliberately paced and laced with humor, with a great cast. Ballerina-turned-actress Kusakari matches Yakusho's fine performance. Written by the director. Widescreen. My personal favorite in this region, because it reflects the current society in realistic fashion--if you want to understand the Japan of today, this is your best bet. ||
 * [[image:memoirs.jpg width="123" height="181"]] || ** Memoirs of a Geisha (2006) ** The story of a girl becoming a Geisha in 19th century Japan ||

Story of Black activist Stephen Biko (Denzel Washington) and a liberal white newspaper editor Donald Woods (Kevin Kline) who risks his own life to bring Biko's message to the world. Based on a true story in South African apartheid history. || Exquisite, intelligent romantic drama based on life of Karen Blixen, who married for convenience, moved from Denmark to Nairobi, and fell in love with a British adventurer and idealist (before gaining latter-day fame as author Isak Dinesen). || In 1896, an Irish bridge builder heads to Africa for his latest project, but the campsite is soon cursed by violent and unexplainable attacks by a pair of man-eating lions. Eventually, renowned big-game hunter Douglas is called in. || Highly original, offbeat comedy about cultural clashes in Africa, involving a bushman who encounters civilization for the first time, a pretty schoolteacher whose new assignment is a remote village, and a bumbling scientist whose attempts to make her welcome result in slapstick catastrophes. ||
 * [[image:lastking.jpg width="150" height="224"]] || **Last King of Scotland** Forrest Whitaker plays Idi Amin, the crazed dictator of Uganda in the 1970s. A brilliant portrayal of what happens when madness is in charge. ||
 * [[image:invictous.jpg width="144" height="211"]] || ** Invictus ** Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman star in this story of one of the century's greatest men, Nelson Mandela, who went from prison to the presidency of South Africa. ||
 * [[image:hotel.jpg width="138" height="205"]] || ** Hotel Rwanda ** In 1993, almost a million people were butchered in Rwanda as the world looked on. This is the story of one man trying to maintain sanity as his country goes crazy around him. ||
 * [[image:blooddiamond.jpg width="140" height="205"]] || ** Blood Diamond ** The diamond trade has fueled the wars of West Africa. This adventure shows all sides in this conflict. Leonardo DiCaprio stars. ||
 * [[image:totsi.jpg width="142" height="205"]] || ** Tsotsi ** The story of six days in the life of a young gang leader in Johannesburg, South Africa and his attempt at redemption. ||
 * [[image:cryfreedom.jpg width="141" height="243"]] || **Cry Freedom**
 * [[image:outofafrica.jpg width="143" height="201"]] || ** Out of Africa (1985)**
 * [[image:gorilla.gif width="143" height="197"]] || ** Gorillas in the Mist (1988)** Absorbing drama based on the life of Dian Fossey, who journeyed to Africa in 1967 and, with no prior experience, set out to document the vanishing breed of mountain gorillas for National Geographic. ||
 * [[image:Ghost.gif width="141" height="196"]] || ** Ghost and the Darkness, The (1996)**
 * [[image:gods.jpg width="148" height="217"]] || ** Gods Must Be Crazy, The (1980)**
 * [[image:white.jpg width="143" height="245"]] || ** Dry White Season, A (1989)** Ben du Toit is a schoolteacher who always has considered himself a man of caring and justice, at least on the individual level. When his gardeners son is brutally beaten up by the police at a demonstration by black school children, he gradually begins to realize his society is built on a pillar of injustice and exploitation. ||
 * [[image:lion.gif width="137" height="226"]] || **Lion of Africa** A missionary uses a million-dollar diamond to lure a safari guide into helping her get medicine for sick villagers under her care, fighting the jungle along the way. Filmed on location in Kenya. ||
 * [[image:one.gif width="139" height="196"]] || **The Power of One** Tells of a white South African lad who promotes integration by getting into the boxing ring with his oppressed black buddies. Think Rocky and Karate Kid in Africa. ||