Weekend Dad & Daughter Documentary Time: Sprawling From Grace

Date of movie watching: Feb. 11, 2012

Vania's comment: It is about the danger the sub-urbanization may lead to us in United States. The movie director suggested us to abandon the custom of driving cars too much. I think we really should drive less car. I wish our government can develop places that are close to where we live and we can shop and work. It demands the re-structure of our cities. And it is a very tough problem.

Weekend Dad & Daughter Documentary Time: The Betrayal

Date of movie watching: Jan. 28, 2012

Vania's comment:

Very touching movie. I think about how Unite States could have betrayed the people of Laos who helped American in the Vietnam war. Also it let me think of the difference between capitalism and communism. Actually neither of them is truly good or bad. I recommend this movie to everybody.

About the title "Betrayal", there are several betrays in the movie. Obvious the Unite States government betrayed the Laos people, though it was not an intensive betrayal. But the US government did abandon them after the war. And the title also refers to that those original royal Laos soldiers might have betrayed their people since they directed the US force to bomb on their own land. But these royal Laos soldiers were doing what they believed the right things at the mean time. By this mean, it is hard to say they really betrayed the nation. And in the movie there is also a husband who betrayed his wife. Most importantly, the title refers to the family leaving Laos for America. They were thought by their nation as the betrayals.

About capitalism and communism, really I like neither of them. Instead I prefer to a form which is a mix of them.

About human right, we should pay more respect to these who are forced to leave their own nation. No matter what they have done, they deserve to be better treated for having insisted on what they believed the truth.

Weekend Dad & Daughter Documentary Time: Crossing Arizona

Date of movie watching: Jan. 21, 2012

Vania's comments:

I think we should allow the immigrants in. This country was founded by immigrants. Few people now in America whose ancestors were not immigrants. It is wrong not to let the immigrants come.

About how to stop the illegal immigrants from making damage to the ranches they pass, we should make some routes for the immigrants to pass. The routes should avoid being close to the ranches. Therefore we can prevent the living stocks from being hurt by the immigrants.

About the people who want to stop the illegal immigrants, we should persuade them. This is a nation of free speech. But we should tell them that we cannot eliminate those immigrants' right of looking for better life by designing some laws ourselves. They are illegal only because we do not welcome them, but not due to they are bad persons. So it is us who should be questioned instead of them.

Two Documentaries watched in the end of the year 2011

The End of the Line (Dec. 30, 2011)

The Cove (Dec. 31, 2011)

Dad's Questions:

1. Which documentary do you like better? And why?

Vania: I like The Cove better. It is very exciting. It is like a mission impossible has been done.

2. What have you learned from The Cove?

Vania: One city of Japan (Taiji) is killing dolphins. I think we should help, somehow, to save dolphins from being killed. Apparently Japan loves fishing and we have a world-wide problem because of it.

3. How do you think of The End of the Line and what have you learned from it?

Vania: We have over-fished the ocean a lot and it could be an ocean without fish by 2048.

4. What can you do to prevent our future of being without fish in ocean?

Vania: Whenever we buy a fish, ask first where it comes from and if the species is in danger. If the species is in danger, say no to buy the fish. The government can regulate the hole size of the fishnets so that the young fish can survive.

Daughter's questions:

1. Which one is your favorite movie?

Dad: I love The Cove better too because it is a mission impossible. Moreover, the people showed their great courage to against a power much greater. This type of courage is what all of us need to have.

2. Why do you think the IWC did not protect the small whales like dolphins?

Dad: Because there are only few nations that are really concerning this issue. And among them, Japan is the most powerful and richest country. And therefore Japan can use its money to buy the votes and eventually pass the regulation that favors its situation. So IWC is not really a place that the truth can be spoken loudly and sound.