Kitchen Stories

an Enemy of the Tennis Judge's Chair

A touch polarizing, this film shows the distinct divide between two countries that when these countries are stereotyped their people are essentially the same people. But stereotypes are typically wrong when put under a microscope, and Kitchen Stories acts as that microscope. This film shows a Swedish kitchen company, that sends it's efficiency investigators to look at the single Norwegian male kitchen usage market. The Swedish folk seem very well to do, always wearing suits and ties. While the Norwegians who are being observed seem woodsy and a little backward. But this film truly helped me appreciate the multitude of usages for a tennis judge chair.

a Stereotyping Car Company

Little Otik

a Wonderfully Backward Country

a Little Otik

Perhaps my favorite film of this class, this cinematic masterpiece lifts a Czech fairy tale (just as good as the Brother's Grim) to the deliciously backward modern day Eastern Europe. Thematically this film is special, as it blends stop-motion animation to bring Little Otik to life, run of the mill filming of the real world and traditional animation to bridge the fairy tale world and the real world. And as far as the story is concerned, there is no risk that this story is overdone, in fact I don't believe that this story has ever been done. But to be honest, the novelty of this movie is one thing, it's quality is something entirely else. This movie would have been a hit if it was a Hollywood film alas it was done by a Eastern European director from an Eastern European film studio. But that just means that it is the proverbial "diamond in the rough" and all the more enjoyable for yours truly.

Of Love and Eggs

Going in/Coming Out

an Average Mexican Love Triangle

One fun fact about Indonesia is that it has the world's largest Muslim population, yet in the film Of Love and Eggs the level of (stereotypical) Muslim influence is less. One does not see the Middle Eastern level of Islam present in Indonesia, albeit one does see a mosque but it plays a secondary role to that of the marketplace. So while in Baghdad one sees marketplaces blown up by suicide bombers, in Indonesia it seems that the life of the city emits from the marketplace. And this film's perspective of Indonesian daily life seems on par with the average Mexican life being portrayed by Univision's soap operas. So without further to say, a bit overacted. 

a Before Picture of a CNN News Story About Iraqi Life