I've finally finished watching the movie. I'm not going to say much because I don't feel qualified to discuss the subject at all. What happened then is still happening even at the moment when I'm typing this. The whole situation bewilders me; it overturns my idea of right and wrong, good and bad. It's not even a question about grey area, uncertain territotries where values and judgement are put upside-down and blurred. No, the whole thing is just so entangled that I don't even know where I should start to look into it to try understand it. How far back should I start looking at? 60 years? 2006 years? Or even further back? Who started it? What did they do? WHY?
There were many scenes in the movie which place much weight on my heart. One is when Avner was debating with Ali, the PLO operation leader. The general Palestinian attitude that was projected through Ali was so compelling, though unsurprising. Others would not truly understand what it felt like as the Palestinians did, because at the end of the day, they all had a home to go back to, but the Palestinians. Ali and his troop (and his "tribe", as that would be what Louis' father would have called it) didn't care if they would die when carrying out those operations. They didn't care if they would see the result then and there. What mattered was that they have children, and the children will have children. As long as they persist, as long as they believe in what they are doing and carry on doing it, they will win the fight eventually. Even if it has to take 100 years, or much longer. They will win their HOME back.
The other contrasting scene was when Avner's mother told Avner that she didn't have to know the details to know what he did. Whatever he's done, he's done it for the country, for the people, for his daughter, for the future, for peace.... "Everyone has a place on Earth," she said. And, what he's done has won Israel a place on Earth. "We have a place on Earth."
Is this all what the whole thing is about? Having a home and a nation that you can claim you belong to? It strikes me how powerful this desire is, that it leads to such massive destruction. So massive that the destruction is still going on, the damage is still not fully done.
I guess, all I could say is that I'm grateful that I was born in a peaceful city in a blissful time. Maybe, it's so peaceful that I was unable to observe and understand the agony that the others are feeling; so blissful that I thought the petty, trivial things happening in my life every day are a matter of life and death to me. When others are fighting to have a place to call their homes and struggling to survive the fires and bullets, what can I say to complain that the world is unfair to me?
I watched Munich in 4-5 intervals, always stopping and picking up where I left off a few days later when boredom hit. I still can't remember if I finished the movie or not. I couldn't relate to the movie, partly because I a daff when it comes to history, and partly because I've also grown up in a blissful environment.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of movies, can't wait to see 'science of sleep'! Its a michel gondry flick, and the trailer is kick ass. You must check it out.
Anyway, you're probably wondering who the heck I am. I'm just here to return the favour by commenting on your blog. I've done the pleasure of reading your entire blog, which isn't much considering I can't read chinese :P.
And to comment on your comment, I've been sleeping earlier now, but this initiative hasn't translated into early waking, but just sleeping more.
Cheers.
Hi m,
ReplyDeletethanks for leaving your words here.
my english isn't that good, so i stopped after a few tries. the chinese ones would tell more about me. :P
haven't heard of "science of sleep" but will definitely check it out... by any chance it's got to do with your previous sleeping habit?
it's a good thing to sleep more. we think that sleep is an innate thing, but seriously, to be able to sleep enough, and soundly, is a bliss.