Films and book

So I saw this movie called 'Dirty Pretty Things' in the afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised to find a really nice film on the free to watch selection on cable. Normally it is a place reserved for films of two categories- ones that no one wants to watch and ones that everyone has already seen. This one is the story of two illegal immigrants in London. It is a tale of their helplessness, struggle and the blatant exploitation they face as they try to survive. It is also an unlikely love story and I admit I had tears in my eyes at the end. Do watch it if you get the chance.

Then there's the George Clooney movie 'The American' a movie I love watching mostly because I've fallen in love with the place where it was shot in Rome. The story itself makes me wish it was in Italian instead of English. Yes it should have been an Italian film but still with George Clooney playing the lead. I noticed that he had chewed up his cuticles and I wondered if that had to do with his preparation for the role or does George Clooney chew his cuticles? I chew my cuticles when my nails are short which is why I prefer to keep them long. It's an awful nervous habit some of us have, I mean me and George. I hope one day I will visit Rome. I'll tell you if I do.

I finished reading 'And The Mountains Echoed' by Khaled Hosseini. I'd say it's a good book but over structured. The tales are meant to intertwine and even though the plot is carefully woven I felt as though Hosseini is trying to put his structuring ability on display when he didn't really need to at all. The story itself could have stood firmly on its own with a simpler structure. I somehow couldn't come to terms with the character of Nila Wahdati. I felt like Hosseini completely failed with her. She had no shades to speak of. She's just someone who is doomed from the beginning and it all seems to be her fault. He gives her absolutely no redeeming qualities. She's all dark. Alcoholic, promiscuous, unable to truly love anyone including herself. And then she self destructs. Naturally. As though there couldn't ever have been any hope for her. 

The rest of the story is nice but Hosseini truly excels at writing about childhood. That's where he comes across as most authentic. Sometimes he gets sidetracked as he tries to make a point about the concept of beauty. And yes it is relevant in the general sense but not in the larger scheme of the story itself. May be I'm being much too critical. I did enjoy reading it and recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed his previous offerings.

I made aloo beans today but the aloo didn't cook properly so I cooked them some more and resultantly burnt them a little bit. It still smells good though and is quite edible. One chapati out of six ballooned perfectly and I'm quite content with my progress.