2 Days in Paris

Julie Delpy made this film! It’s true from the cinematic standpoint as well as in the credits. She wrote, directed and produced this film. She also composed new music for the film and at the end credits I believe it’s her singing the song-“La La La”.
2 Days in Paris—is about Jack and Marion-a couple who has been together for two years-and have recently taken a two week vacation to Italy. The scenery in the film really is very nice. I tend to like some movies just for the scenery of the cities or countries in the film. There are some nice shots of Italy and Paris. But the film really is very good in relaying how difficult relationships are-not how hard they can be, but how hard they ARE. Anything worth keeping is worth fighting for and that may mean fighting with the person you love. In this film we see how Jack-who is an American from NYC-and Marion-who lives in NYC but is from Paris-interact and are as a couple, but we also see how Marion’s family acts as they spend 2 days in Paris. The title conveys the length of stay as well as the location of all the action and drama.
Marion’s family speaks very fast and very loud. Jack doesn’t speak French and so appears to feel not only out of the loop but scared at times when the family is yelling at each other. Marion does her best to calm his fears, but Jack comes across at times as a hypochondriac who’s looking to get into trouble-not just get sick. Jack gets more than he bargains for after he and Marion have an argument on the bank of Seine and he walks away from her. He later gets detained by the police and his not speaking French does not help him. Near the end of the film-Marion played by Julie Delpy-has a speech to the audience that is presented as a narration. She talks about how both her and Jack had not invested themselves into the relationship, they were both too scared over loosing and being dumped to not give it their all. She speaks about how relationships are all difficult and all have problems. But she previously had always walked away from her exes instead
of staying and fighting for the relationship. It made me think of my own relationships and made me wonder if I too was guilty of what she was accusing herself of doing.
The film ends with no real closure of what happens with Jack and Marion. It’s not said whether they will remain together, or if the 2 days they spent together in Paris are their last two days together.
I recommend seeing this film if you want to have some laughs, see a bit of the city of lights-though not much-and want to experience verbal and emotional drama that lead to questioning what we all are doing with each other. Whether we are alone because we can’t’ find the right person, or if we’re alone because we’re too scared not to be alone.
Julie Delpy is a very talented actress as well as writer and director. She has acted in many films which include but are not limited too-An American Werewolf in Paris and the Three Musketeers.

2 DAYS IN PARIS
http://www.2daysinparisthefilm.com/

An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118604/

The Three Musketeers (1993)
http://imdb.com/title/tt0108333/

Thursday September 20th, 2007

Are You Tired Too?

I know that many people come to work, school, or go out with friends and family and consistently say that they are “tired”. I’ve been tired for what seems like weeks at this point. I have been thinking it’s because I work an odd shift-midnights-and have to sleep during the day. Even on my days off I tend to be up most of the night and sleep through part of the day. I’ve talked with co-workers in t he past and asked them how do they deal with sleeping during the day? Some have their ways of getting around the sunshine and day time. One of my friends has to have it completely dark, so that not a bit of sunlight gets in to her room. Another told me that he drinks a glass of wine to relax himself before going to bed in the AM.
Even if you’re NOT a midnight worker, many Americans today simply do not get enough sleep. Between single parents working and running their kids around between school, day-care, sitters and soccer practice. Or single people who work two jobs to pay their bills and try and have a social life. To young people and old alike who simply cannot get to sleep at night, wake up during the night or can’t get back to sleep.
Now this is NOT an online add for some OTC or prescription medication to help you fall asleep. I recently read an online press article from the UMHS-University of Michigan Hospital System’s Web Site about how up to 40% of Americans do not get enough sleep and are fatigued, not simply tired but fatigued and have difficulty in completing their daily activities at home and work. It can be so bad that some cannot function or even do not act like they normally would because they are so tired. In a previous position I held we termed this behavior “ICU-Psychosis”. It’s not an easy thing to necessarily diagnose and not an easy thing to over come. It sounds easy to over come-just get MORE sleep. Doing that is not always easy though.
And to close-I wish each of you a good night’s rest!
Crossing the line between tired and fatigued
http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2007/hmfatigue.htm
Wednesday September 19th, 2007