Topic: Movies
See The Girl in the Cafe which is airing on HBO and also available on HBO On Demand! This HBO Films/BBC co-production is one of the quietest, sweetest, and most compelling movies I have seen. It's about two mismatched people who meet in a crowded cafe and unexpectedly develop a relationship while also dealing with the issues of poverty and humanitarian assistance during the 2005 G8 conference. The movie might be something of a challenge for American audiences because the pacing is slower, the action subtler, and the message more political than we are used to, but it is well worth the investment! I hate saying that the movie is political or even that it has a message because I worry that will turn some people away. All I can say is that Richard Curtis, who also wrote Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, and Love Actually as well as the screenplay adaptations for the Bridget Jones movies, has written a story that is simultaneously romantic, entertaining, educational, and provocative, all without ever making his audience shuffle their feet and groan because they recognize a lecture or heavy handed argument coming their way. (You can learn more about Richard Curtis at the Internet Movie Database, here.) See a preview and read more about the movie and its cast at http://www.hbo.com/films/girlinthecafe/.
I stumbled on this movie by accident, but I hope others will actively seek it out, and soon. While many people will be watching the Tour de Lance on television in July (myself included), the 2005 G8 conference will be happening in Scotland (July 6-8), and likely receiving much less attention. Viewers of the movie who want to learn more about poverty, AIDS, and the Millennium Development Goals can go to http://www.hbo.com/films/girlinthecafe/actnow or http://www.one.org. These sites also have electronic letters that you can send to the President and other elected officials encouraging support of programs to end poverty and the spread of AIDS, as well as other suggestions for how you can get personally involved in this issue. As a matter of fact, The One Campaign (which derives its name from the fact that many of the world's poorest people survive--or fail to survive--on less than one dollar per day) is selling wristbands. This July, I think it's time I balance out my LiveStrong bracelet with a ONE bracelet.
Thoughts captured by Kristine
at 1:38 AM EDT