Trauma Code: Heroes on Call

"Trauma Code:  Heroes on Call" (2025) has been a big hit for Netflix.  By ten days on the streamer it had topped the charts in 17 countries and top ten in 63 countries including New Zealand, France, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, India, Japan, Egypt, Peru and Chile.   Does that mean it is any good?  Some might disagree, but I think most (if you can handle some surgical blood) would find the series well worth your while

Baek Kang-hyeok comes across as very arrogant, but talented a trauma surgeon.  He encounters stiff resistance from hospital staff.  Over time he commands team cohesion as he really is focused on helping save lives.. 

His first surgery requires a helicopter rescue  rappeling to reach the victim.   At one stage he takes over the helicopter, the first clue that his medical experience came under combat conditions

In a later episode he expresses a concern over organ donations as he has an urgent need.  A few times an organ donation is necessary for survival on the surgery table.  Baek feels families should be pleased to be able to save another human being.  He blesses those who contribute.

There is an ongoing power struggle between Baek and hospital directors that are more concerned about budgets.  Heroic and innovative measures increase Beak's credibility, but the administration is looking for any sort of malfeasance.  An ongoing battle we can see in our own backyard.

It takes a lot of people to keep your attention.  Here are a few.

Lee Do-yun was the director.  He has 2 director credits, 1 for writing and 1 for special effects.

Tae-Kang Choi was the writer with 2 writing credits.

Karim Debbagh was a producer for the Morocco segment.  He has 80 producer credit, 15 for production manager and 2 for directing including "A Hologram for the King"  (2016) and "Beirut" (2018).

Ju Ji-hoon played Baek Kang-hyeok, the lead.  He was an award winning model before getting into films.  He has 29 acting credits including "Along with the Gods:  The Two Worlds" (2017) and "Hyena" (2020).  Hyena has one of my favorite laugh inducing scenes.  Check  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/04/an-addiction-to-korean-tv-mini-series.html  Buried, but with a photo are two paragraphs on "Hyena" that mention one of my biggest laughs.  Ji-hoon has a few interesting quotes on IMDB and here is one:  "In times of borderless content sharing, it's gotten easier to observe and compare audience reactions. I find it both amusing and enriching to see how a single piece of content can set off such varied reactions depending on the cultural context of the audience."

Choo Young-woo played a protege for Baek.  He has 10 acting credits.

Shin Ha Young played a senior nurse.  She studied western painting at university and went on to study at the School of Visual Arts in New York.  She has 9 acting credits.

Yoon Kyung-ho played a staff doctor who initially did whatever he could to block Baek.  He has 85 acting credits including:  "Okja" (2017), "Itawan Class" (2020), "Vincenzo" (2021) and "Escape from Mogadishu" (2021).  see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/04/escape-from-mogadishu-we-can-learn-to.html

Jeong Jae-kwang played a staff doctor.  He has 18 acting credits including "It's Okay not to be Okay" (2020) and "The Roundup" (2022).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/03/its-okay-not-to-be-okay.html

Kim Sun-young played the Minister of Health and Welfare.  She has 49 acting credits including "When the Camellia Blooms" (2019), "Crash Landing on You" (2019-2020), "Broker" (2022) and "Our Unwritten Seoul" (2025).    See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/02/crash-landing-on-you-very-addicting.html and  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/06/our-unwritten-seoul.html

Kim Jae-won played a military doctor.  He has 10 acting credits including "Our Blues" (2022) and "King the Land" (2023).

In some accounts "Trauma Code:  Heroes on Call" is considered a comedy and it certainly has a lot of humor, but there is life and death moments.  There is no romance.

Available subtitled and dubbed on Netflix.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  The ones with links are among my favorite Korean films and a big part of my Korean obsession.  If you follow the links you should be able to determine if any film is worth following up. The bolded films were mostly above average.

A Different Kind of Power

Jacinda Ardenne is in so many ways a uniquely positive leader. She was born in Hamilton, New Zealand but her father became a sergeant and gained a position in charge of a small town police station.  She has been raised as a Mormon. 

 Her mother complaining about flyer delivery got Jacinda her first job, something my mother did for me.  

She was studying at Arizona State University at the time of 9-11.  While many were condemning all Arabs as terrorists, Jacinda asked  "Why?"  

New Zealand has an electoral system different from America or Canada.  Voting districts are decided by whoever gets the most votes.  Each voter also a chance to vote for a party.  Most often there is a disparity between the parties of winning candidates and the party preferences of the other pooled vote.  To reflect that differences other Parliamentarians are selected to better represent the will of the voters.   Their system is more democratic than ours.  A politician can be elected by winning in a district or off a party list if their party gets enough votes.  The parties negotiate to decide how decisions are to be made.

Jacinda at an early age proved to be talented and conscientious and found herself being ranked high on her Labour party list.  In her first two elections she was successful  at getting elected to Parliament on the opposition side.  After negotiations with two other parties she was able to be the Prime Minister.

Just another personal note.  During the inaugural celebrations one of the performing bands was Fat Freddy's Drop that I discovered while visiting New Zealand and still listen to them.

Notably she was the first Prime Minister to give birth while in office.  As an unwed mother it was assumed it must have resulted from an accident.  Not so,  She had become conscious that time was running out and with her supportive boyfriend Clarke Gayford she made attempts to become pregnant and consulted with infertility experts.  She had given up hope, but the day she was declared Prime Minister she learned she was pregnant. 

A crisis occurred when a terrorist killed 50 Muslims and injuring many others in Christchurch.  She visited to give comfort to the survivors and their families.  She was expecting anger and grief from an Iman, but was told he thanked the people of New Zealand for supporting his community.  

New Zealand did not have as much gun violence as many other countries, but she felt something had to be done to curb guns.  She called together the first responders who were familiar with pump action guns and asked how many were hunters and then asked them to differentiate between five and ten round guns.  They admitted for hunting ten rounds were unnecessary so the government banned the ten round version and set up a recovery program to encourage citizens turning in their 10 round pump action guns.  Jacinda also campaigned to restrict violent messages on social media with some success.

Another strategy was to not mention the name of the killer and give more emphasis to the victims.  Donald Trump called and asked why she was calling the killer a terrorist.  She pointed out that the killer was trying to spur more violence.  When Trump asked if there was anything he could do, she responded "You can show sympathy and love for all Muslim communities."  Not recorded his response, but I imagine it was silence.

Another personal note.  My cousin Linda and her husband Derek happened to be in New Zealand at the time with a pet care program that allowed them to get free room and board in return for looking after pet needs.  They had been in Christchurch about two weeks before the killing, went to a nearby community and returned about two weeks after the killing.   

The Covid pandemic caught everyone off guard, but Jessica had been monitoring developments and when it hit New Zealand had to make some difficult choices.  Lockdowns and other restrictions were part of the defense.  When vaccines became available the government did what they could to expedite distribution.  Jacinda noted the "Freedom Convoy" in Ottawa, Canada that marked resistance to vaccines.  New Zealand achieved a high rate of inoculations and were relatively safe, but with long lasting effects.  On the positive side they managed to increase life expectancy.

On the brighter side her government declared a new national holiday, Matariki , the Maori New Year.  The government had made the teaching of New Zealand history compulsory in schools.  She felt all New Zealanders had to appreciate how the country was founded and be conscious of mistakes that had been made.  Quite a contrast to Trump who wants to downgrade the horrors of slavery.

There were many ups and downs during her administration but her popularity started to decline and she became sensitive to criticism and started to think someone else could better represent the Labour Party.

A couple of instances triggered the decision to resign. During a medical exam in preparation for a trip to the Antarctic a small lump was discovered and she started to think if it was cancerous she would have to leave.  It turned out to be insignificant.  During Parliament an exchange with an opposition member led to a remark that was captured on mike where she called him "an arrogant prick."

On the other side she was feeling guilty about being a too often neglectful mother.  She decided to resign.

Her administration did many good things for New Zealand that resulted in social benefits.  One goal had been to create a capital gains tax, but was unsuccessful.  Asked many times what she hoped to accomplish as Prime Minister, one striking response was "I want people to feel {this government} that it is open, that it's listening and that it's going to bring kindness back."  She chose the word "kind" for her title.  Being Prime Minister in the best of time you have to make difficult choices.

She and Clarke did get married.

Jacinda was able to move to Boston and work on fellowships with Harvard University allowing her to interact with students on case studies.  She also is very involved with a Climate Change project led by Prince Andrew.  She endorsed Kamala Harris for U.S. President.

We need more politicians like Jacinda who are not afraid to ask "WHY?"

Another blog on Jacinda Ardern  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/03/a-better-way-to-deal-with-sick-shooters.html

A book I read awhile back helps explain a difference between America and New Zealand.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/06/fairness-and-freedom-book-review.html

Graveyard

"Graveyard" (2025) merely refers to the location of the office of Special Crimes that is in the basement, a dismal place.  The Special Crimes division was set up to solve cases where women were murdered in Turkey (femicide).  Onen was selected to lead.  She is tough and persistent.

 As a team the Special Crimes encounters lots of bureaucratic obstacles and some apathy.  There is a segment of women who wear submissive/traditional hijabs and of men who are dominant.  At the same time Turkey is more modern than other Muslim countries 

Police brutality is sometimes used to get information.  There is some opposition and ultimately success comes with a mix.  Onen is a good thinker striving to find root causes. 

Istanbul is one of the larger cities in the world and is unique in that it divides between Asia and Europe, strategically located at the outlet for the Black Sea that encompasses the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Abdullah Ogoz was the director.  He has 22 directing credits, 55 for producing and 5 for writing including "Bliss" 2007).   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/05/turkish-delight-in-book-and-movie-form.html

Onur Bober was a writer with 5 writing credits.

Cem Oget was a composer.  He has 44 composing credits, 21 for the music department and 7 for soundtrack. 

Ferhat Uzundag was the cinematographer.  He has 30 cinematography credits, 3 for the camera and clectrical department plus2 for directing.

Hamdi Deniz was an editor.  With 43 editor credits and 2 for the editorial department.

Birce Akalay plays, the lead Onen, in charge of the special forces.  She finished 3rd for Miss Turkey and went on to the Miss Europe contest.  Birce has been involved with sports programing and hosting.  She also teaching theatre and acting courses.  She has 22 acting credits and 1 for soundtrack.

Olgon Tokar played an aggressive police officer. He has 29 acting credits. 

 It has strong plots, very good acting and a few brutal scenes. "Graveyard" (2022) is available subtitled and dubbed on Neflix. 

 Some political context:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/08/how-to-lose-country.html  in which Turkey is described as a fascist country.  The series suggests there is corruption, but this Special division is trying to the right thing.  

Catalog

 We live in a society that is promoting sex role equality.  Of course not all of us have completely adopted the new life style.  "Catalog" illustrates that some men have taken their wives for granted.  

In the first few minutes we meet Amina the wife who shortly dies.  Youssef and the two children, Karima and Mansour are grieving.  The father, a workaholic, also grieving was pretty clueless about his children's needs, but learns and eventually finds a list of videos that Amina left regarding parenting.

Youssef's brother Hanify is also a very supportive soccer coach for his talented nephew, Mansour.

Amina's brother Osama, also grieving comes to live with Youssef's family.

A comical character is their landlord who suffers agoraphobia and regularly provides advice and we realize he has secrets.

You will be aware the story takes place in a Muslim country.  Ramadan is celebrated, their polite greeting are stereotypical Islamic and the occasional hijab,  Egypt is more modern than many other Muslim countries.  There seems in films at least a move towards sex role equality.

 The grieving feels compelled to smoke, but the first video talks about how unhealthy smoking is for the children and he right away throws all his cigarettes out and no other smoking scenes occur,

A period seems to be a part of any story with a growing girl, but is handled a little differently.  Youssef is pretty clueless, but concerned.  Karima is a little irritable and uses having her first period as an excuse.  Locks herself behind her bedroom door as father wants to know what is happening.  Not sure how to explain it, but Karima calmly explains that her mother had already explained it to her--all she needs is a pad.  He says he will go to the pharmacy to get one and she follows up--you don't need to do that--just get one from mom's bottom drawer."

 It looks like at least part of it was filmed in Alexandria, Egypt.  Historical, but also modern and very beautiful on the Mediterranean. 

Although I have seen a number of Egyptian films there aren't a lot of connections.  I note some names as they are likely to show up in the future.

Khaled El Halafawy was the director with 17 directing credits.

Ayman Wattar was the writer with 13 writing credits and 7 for acting and 1 for composing.

Mohamed Farrag played Youssef.  He has 5 acting credits including  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/02/newtons-cradle.html

 Khaled Kamal played the brother and a soccer coach for his nephew Mansour.  He has 44 acting credits.

Tara Emad played a sort of romance element as a teacher for Karima.  She has 34 acting credits including  least one in Bollywood. 

Riham Abdel Ghafourat played Amina, the dead wife, but is seen in her parenting videos and a few flashbacks.  She has 58 acting credits.

Retal Abdelaziz plays the daughter Karima.  This is her film debut and she had sessions with Mohamed Farrag to get the father daughter relationship comfortable.  She is very charming.

Ali El Beialy played the son Mansour and was required to display some soccer skills.  This was his second film feature.

Although there is a lot of grieving it is full of humor, but not childish.  Another series from Egypt similar in family content is "Finding Ola" (2022)  see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/04/finding-ola-first-series.html

Available with dubbing and subtitles on Netflix.

The Cowboy and the Queen

"The Cowboy and the Queen" (2023) showed up at the Hamilton Public Library in DVD format bringing back a lot of memories.  Most of my life has been in cities (with one big important exception) and I really had no connection with horses.  A combination of working with newspapers and working with a cleaning product I got a chance to sell ads for a horse publication, "The Rider."

I was given an opportunity to watch a Monty Roberts demonstration near Newmarket.  I was barely conscious that most horse owners used traditional methods of "breaking" horses that did seem rough.  In my efforts to sell ads I realized that most of my horse prospects did in fact rely on traditional methods.

In "The Cowboy and the Queen" we get brief histories of both Monty Roberts and the Queen.  She lived a privileged and public life but when World War II came she was involved in the war effort.  One of the joys in her life was horses which she loved riding and later got involved with race horses.  Monty grew up with a father who was a traditional horse trainer and was also abusive. At about age 9 he substituted for Elizabeth Taylor for some horse jumping scenes in "National Velvet" (1944).  

He had been very successful at rodeo and other riding contests.  It was thought he could be groomed for movies, but he hated the idea.  He learned that horses were too often killed to create an exciting effect in a movie battle scene. 

While young he got a chance to observe wild Mustangs and it modified his thinking as he felt he understood they had their own language.  Over time he developed his own unique method of gentling horses.  Despite success he attracted strong criticism.  His father maintained that a horse has to know who is boss.  Then out of the blue he was contacted by the Queen of England.  She had read some articles about him and felt that he was likely right.  He got invited to England to demonstrate his methods.  He actually got a tough test with two big, unruly horses, but he was able to get a saddle on these horses in 22 minutes and 19 minutes.  

She was able to get him involved in a documentary.  In this case he was challenged by wild Mustangs in the wild.  This took three days to master a join-up and interestingly enough the chosen horse lived over 30 years which is well beyond normal.  He wrote a book about his experiences, "The Man Who Listens to Horses" (1996).  Talking with the Queen, Monty declared he thought his methods could be adapted for humans.  He was already helping victims of PTSD.

Near the beginning of the film Monty was shown criticizing how humans abused one another focusing on Vladimir Putin.  He found horses more amenable.

They carried on a relationship that involved Monty visiting at least once most years.  She named one of her corgi dogs, Monty that turned out to more unruly than the others.  Monty attended the Queen's funeral in 2022.

He is shown feeding some wild deer who lived near him.  Monty commented that they were more "flighty" than wild horses and you had to earn their trust which he obviously enjoyed doing.

This documentary captures how he changed training horses and how the Queen helped his efforts.  Here are some of the contributors to the film.

Andrea Blaugrund Nevins, was the director, writer and producer.  She had graduated from Harvard and went on to become a sports reporter.  She has 8 credits as a producer, 7 as a director and 5 for writing.  This was her last film before dying at age 63 in April 2025.

Graham Clark was a writer, editor and producer.  He has 4 credits for the additional crew, 3 for editor and 2 for the editorial department.  This was his first effort for producing.

Craig Richey was the composer.  He graduated from the Juilliard School of Music.  Craig has 50 composing credits,and 7 for the music department.

Watching Monty Roberts live demonstration was one of the highlights of my work.  I came to respect horses.  Unlike a dog, it would have been easy for a horse just to run away instead of being mankind's most effective transportation for centuries.  

There are a lot of little things in the documentary that helped develop the more famous things.  Very inspiring and worth watching.

Keep Sharp--Advice from Dr. Sanjay Gupta

 Sanjay Gupta is a familiar face on television.  He is friendly and articulate.  And as we learn more he is truly dedicated to improving health. He was a respected medical expert and worked at the White House as a consultant.  Sanjay was given a job at CNN just before 9-11 where he was almost alone as a medical expert for a major television network that in turn led to jobs in war zones.

It has been pointed out that people dread dementia as much if not more than cancer.  Perhaps that reflects our aging population.  Sanjay offers advice on how to reduce dementia risks and to help prolong a useful life.  All of us have been urged to lead a healthy life style from our youth, but somehow most have let things slide.  Perhaps with a fear of dementia more of us will take his advice seriously.

One patient, Sandy Halperin spells it out, "All we really are is our thoughts and our brain."

Sanjay's goal is to explain a bit about dementia, how to prevent it or at least diminish it and how to cope with it.  Five pillars are identified :  Move, Discover, Relax, Nourish and Connect. 

Move is exercise that can be as simple as walking, but ideally for many running, cycling, calisthenics, etc.  It is important to build muscle strength.  Stretching is also critical.  For Sanjay this is perhaps the most critical step to avoid dementia.

Discover something new and find a purpose.  A goal is to develop a cognitive reserve referring to what your brain can develop through education, work and other endeavors.  You should put off retirement until you find something worthy to replace that effort.  Ideal activities aim for the concept of "flow". 

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi devoted most of his science career studying what he termed "flow."  That is activities that are absorbing because they are enjoyable and meaningful.  These could be any effort, either physical or mental.  One example that has greatly diminished is reading.  Actually reading a book as opposed to reading online lends itself better to flow.  Reading fiction helps develop empathy.  It is said "...when you widen human empathy, you open the universe a little more."

Relaxing helps to release tension.   Sleep is critical allowing the brain to recycle.  Stretching was mentioned as an exercise, but is also important for relaxing and sleeping.  Forest bathing was mentioned.  Meditation is much touted.  Sanjay had met the Dalai Lama who  steered him towards what he calls Analytical Mediation that instead of focusing on a single object, focus on a problem, a topic or philosophical concern.

Another thought is to spend time thinking about the many things you should have gratitude for.  Much better than obsessing on things that upset you.

Nourish your body with healthy foods but if you stray once in awhile that could be okay.  Should cut down sugar and processed foods.  Foods he prefers for your health include fresh vegetables (especially leafy greens), whole berries (not juice), fish and seafood, nus and seeds and what he calls healthy fat (extra virgin olive oil and avocados.  A secondary list includes beans, other legumes, whole fruits, low sugar/low fat dairy, poultry and whole grains.    

Weight loss can be important.  Fat waists have been co-related to dementia.  For some who have trouble sleeping a weight loss can make it much easier.

Connections are very important.  Loneliness seems associated with dementia and of course makes life less bearable.  Keep relations with different ages, younger, older and the same as you.  Volunteering is one way of expanding your connections.  Any pet can make you feel less lonely, but such as with dog walkers become a great conversation starter.

Most of the book advises the reader how to minimize the risks of getting dementia and coping with it on yourself, bu a critical part is reserved for the caregiver.  Caregivers have a greater risk of developing dementia than the general population.  They have to deal with their own feelings of denial and guilt.  Just as important they may deal with anger, hallucinations, apathy, incontinence, wandering, etc.  A common problem is repetition of what is said by the patient.  Sanjay advises moving on to some other activity and if that doesn't work seek advice from others who have dealt with the same problem.

From a practical view finances need to be organized and legal concerns dealt with.  Someone will have to be appointed for financial decisions, but others delegated to make legal and health decisions.  Most important the principle caregiver has to give their own health and peace of mind priority.

I have tried to take much of his advice seriously.  One of my bad habits is multi tasking which I do even as I write a blog. I used to think I could pay full attention to two or more activities, but the brain was not designed that way.  Probably some of you are multi tasking as you try to figure out how much to pay attention to my words.  Some people are more adept at switching interests back and forth and retaining some value, but science has proved that the mere act of switching guarantees you lose something.  This problem is exacerbated with the multitude of electronic devices.  Distracted driving is an increasing cause of death.  A couple of times a week I ignore distractions to watch someone I respect such as Fareed Zakaria, Steve Paikin or Sanjay Guptatalk on tv.  I can no longer read a book and watch tv.  From earlier examples I still love to listen to music while eating, but recognize it is not the best way to enjoy either thing.

One of the things I agree with is that having a Purpose makes life more meaningful.  I enjoy blogging which allows me  to spreading my opinion.   One unique effort is promoting foreign films with the idea of getting more people aware of different people in the world.  The way I blog is to read, watch and listen.  Afterwards I re-read my posts to reinforce my memories--some things to be grateful for.  Some further thoughts on blogging:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/09/what-keeps-me-blogging-and-what-i-have.html

Many books have been read to boost my health, but this is the first to focus on the brain.  I am grateful for Sanjay Gupta's advice.  This blog has really skimmed his ideas and you would likely find something of personal value reading his whole book.

Trump Illustrates the Unfairness of their electoral system

 Most Canadians would agree Donald Trump is a very poor president, but he is very conscious about their electoral system and how he can abuse it. to help carry on his treacherous regime.  There are lessons for Canadians and others.

 Based on population each of the 50 states is allotted a number of voting members for the House of Representatives.  Based on the number each state is allowed they divide the population into boundaries for each representative.  With sophisticated computer information the party in power is able to design electoral districts to optimize their party's chances of winning the next election.  In Canada these decisions are made by an independent government department.

Trump realizing his popularity is declining has decided to as much as possible to change boundaries to give him theoretically another 5 representatives in Texas. in time for the midterms in 2026.  Republicans are approaching Indiana with a similar request.  This means despite significant minorities (possibly a majority) the party in power can gain even more power.  

What can we learn?  In a winner take all situation it means many votes will not count.  If the party in power is able to spread their votes where they will do the most good or where the less harm can be done by an opposition party they will gain power.  For instance stack opposition voters so they win overwhelmingly in one riding, but don't win elsewhere.  Or spread likely voters around to make a difference in a wider number of districts.

In each of our existing voting districts there are differing viewpoints.  Currently with the first past the post electoral system it is likely that most can be ignored, even without monkeying with the boundaries.

Prince Edward Island when becoming part of Canada negotiated that they are guaranteed 4 members of Parliament despite their relatively small population.  I believe Quebec has been granted the right to maintain their seat count after a decennial redistribution.  Political realities amount to a need for negotiation.

Proportional Representation has many variations.  One favored method is to have a vote for a local representative in a larger area and the rest to be allocated proportional over a bigger area, possibly the whole country or a province/state or a designated district..

There could be proportional representation for each province (or state) to ensure each province has its fair share of power.  To make sure every voter's choice is respected all the provincial or state are determined by proportionate representation.

Boundaries still matter, but provincial and state borders are well established.  

Texans would be better served by letting every citizen make a choice (not necessary confined to two parties) and aligning the percentages voted by their citizens to the number of members for the House of Representatives allowed by the federal government.

In Canada with a widespread geography, one concern would be to ensure local representation it makes sense to divide the country to logical districts.  At the moment most voters are not really being counted.  We can do better. 

Check out Fair Vote Canada www.fairvote.ca  Learn more and find out how you can lend your support.

From the Philippines to Calgary

Hello, Love, Again" (2024) is an interesting romantic film that hit a few nerves for  me (in a nice way).  

 Several years ago a friend of ours had a very positive experience when she hired a Filipino woman to look after her newborn.  She was so impressed she wanted to go into business setting up more of them in Canada.  I have since learned Filipinos are honest workers that often go beyond job requirements 

One interesting conversation I had with a store manager in a north of Toronto suburb regarding an unusual item I was trying to sell--a tooth brush for dogs.  The manager explained that some enthusiastic champions for the brush were Filipino maids.  So many of them had taken on the responsibilities of taking care of the family dog and had decided brushing teeth with my version was good for the dog's health. 

The migration of Filipinos for work is at the heart of this movie so here is a bit of an explanation:   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/07/a-good-provider-is-one-who-leaves.html

There was a prequel that I did not see, that explains  how a young  Filipino couple got together in Hong Kong and through Covid restrictions (plus misunderstandings) they broke up. The lead male, Alden Richards had discussed with director Cathy Garcia (who subsequently remarried after her first husband died in an auto accident)that he would be interested in a sequel and was later joined by the female lead, Kathryn Bernardo.  In flashbacks we learn Ethan had proposed to Marie-Joy, but had been prevented from actually marrying by the Covid pandemic and later during a one night stand had been caught.

A few years later pursuing a job she ends up in Calgary, Alberta working in a nursing home while his job prospects are not quite as good also ends up in Calgary.  She harbors bad feelings after their breakup.  He seems to feel guilty, but open to getting back together and willing to bend.  You know their mis-understandings will be explained and circumstances will provide opportunities to cross each other's paths.  In many ways a typical romance, but with the concept of where is "home" and how important is it.

What makes it enjoyable (definitely not just laughs) is the cast and crew.  Here are a few contributors:

Cathy Garcia-Sampana was the director.  She directed the prequel, "Hello, Love, Goodbye" (2019) in Hong Kong.  She has been key in the highest grossing Filipino films 9 times with 6 being the highest grossing ones of all time including this one.  She has 43 directing credits, 23 for assistant directing and 14 for acting including "Four Sisters and a Wedding" (2013).

 Carmi Raymundo was a key writer and supervising producer.  She has 68 credits for the script and continuity department, 55 for producing and 24 for writing including "Starting Over Again" (2014),
"Barcelona:  A Love Untold" (2016) and "Rewind" (2023).  You can learn more about two of them at: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/10/four-filipino-movies.html

Kookai Labayen was the producer.  He has 9 writing credits, 11 for producing and 12 for additional crew including one of my favorites,  "Isa Pa with Feelings" (2019).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/12/isa-pa-with-feelings-really-helps.html

Jesse Lasaten was the composer.  She has 189 composing credits, 26 for the music department and 5 for the sound department including "Seven Sundays" (2017) and "Hello, Love, Goodbye" (2019).

Noel Ttthankee was the cinematographer.  He has 46 cinematography credits, 38 for the camera and electrical department and 2 as director including "Four Sisters and a Wedding" (2013) and "Hello, Love, Goodbye" (2019).

Marye Ignacio was the editor.  She has 202 credits as editor, 37 for the editorial department and  41 for additional crew including "Four Sisters and a Wedding: (2013),  Starting Over Again" (2014), "Everything About Her" (2016),  "Barcelona:  A Love Untold" (2016), "Seven Sundays" (2017), "Love you to the Stars and Back" (2017) and "Rewind" (2024),  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/08/two-filipino-movies-with-message.html     

Kathryn Bernardo played Joy-Marie, the leading lady.  She started her film career playing the younger version of a leading lady.  Kathryn has also had a successful singing career.  She has a history of being in the highest grossing films.  She has 40 acting credits, 2 for Soundtrack including "Barcelona:  An Untold Love Story" (2016), "Three Words to Forever" (2018) and of course "Hello, Love, Goodbye" (2019).

Alden Richards played Ethan, the leading man.  He owns a restaurant chain.  Alden has been a successfull recording artist.  He has 55 acting credits, 2 for producing and 1 for additional crew including "Family of Two" (2023) and the prequel "Hello, Love, Goodbye" (2019).

Joross Gamboa played a mutual friend, Jhim.  He has 103 acting credits including "Hello, Love, Goodbye" (2019) and "Rewind" (2023).

Kevin Kreider played Joy Marie's boss at a nursing home.  He is a Korean American.  Kevin is known as a skateboarder.  He has 13 acting credits and 2 for producing.

Mostly filmed in Calgary with a slight segment in Banff.  Available subtitled (with lots of English dialogue) on Netflix.

An enjoyable romance and a little feel for the migrant life. 

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  Some of them are among my favorite Filipino films and a big part of my Filipino obsession.  If you follow the links you should be able to determine if any film is worth following up.

How to Lose a Country

There was a debate over the subtitle that I received as "The 7 Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship"  The preferred last word was "Fascism", but it was too apt at the time.  An e book version has changed to use Fascism.

What does the author Ece mean by Fascism?  In a 2024 interview she explains that it is more than "authoritarianism".  When journalists and politicians are severely restricted.   She had been fired herself in 2012 for writing articles critical of the government.  Recep Tayyip Erdogan has used religion as a weapon to enforce his views.

Written in 2019 after Trump had been in power over two years she was critical of his efforts and we notice parallels of similar roads since Trump has been re-elected. 

The government changed slowly.  Erdogan had created a movement that promised to end Turkish corruption.  His strength came from small villages. He was able to identify enemies of the people and have them thrown in prison.

 Ece explains "People's desire for a cause is the authoritarian's confidently told story."  The masses are looking for a strong leader.  Over time he was able to consolidate his power and gain control over media. Protesters and journalists found themselves legally restricted.  Ece found herself unable to visit dissidents in prison.

She noted that Fascist governments stick together using fear and hate. Too many nations are headed to Fascism that Ece wrote this book as a warning. Progressive countries need to work together.  A quote from a 2024 interview;  "...that what we imagine for the world require love and acceptance and humility most of all."

Another perspective on Fascism:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/10/fascism-warning-form-madeleine-albright.html

As I read the book I am also watching a television serial, "Graveyard" set in Turkey and released this past year.  Remarkably the main character is a woman and her main goal is to deal with femicide that is a serious problem in Turkey where ideally women are homemakers.  It has the usual violence and mystery expected of such shows, but also depicts women as subordinates.  The main female character is very capable often undercutting superiors, but often has an uphill battle.  To me it represents some rebellion against social and political reality while being entertainment.

Death of a Salesman

 Salesmen are always trying to be upbeat in a job that can really test one's self confidence.  As a salesman with many self doubts, a play titled "Death of a Salesman" (1949) can be pretty scary.  It actually has been years after retirement that I have tackled this play although I spend a lot of time reading literature of one sort or another.  As a working man I read lots on how to sell more, and build self confidence.

We are introduced to Willy Loman after he has cut short a sales trip.  We learn that he has enjoyed traveling in the past.  His wife is very loyal and supportive.  His success has been limited and they are in debt.  He talks loudly.

We learn he is not doing as well as he once had.  We also learn that while lonely out of town he at least once gave in to temptation. His eldest son, Biff who had just failed an important school test caught his father with a woman.  Eventually we realize this was so upsetting that his Biff gave up trying to rectify his failed test.  A further repercussion was he did not get into college and ended up drifting through life.

Willy decided to confront his boss who was the son of the original boss.  He felt squeezed financially and wanted to change his work conditions.  He felt the son was obligated to help him, but the son had his own constraints and suggested Willy take a break.  This only exasperated Willy.  At the same time his son Biff had some expectations of improving his situation, but in fact he was also very disappointed.  Willy and his two sons met at a restaurant and some of the disappointments were aired.

One financial pressure on Willy was a premium for an insurance policy, but making that a priority he came up with the money borrowing from friends.  A lot of feelings were aired and at one point Willy left with the car and we are led to believe killed himself.  At the funeral we become even more conscious that Willy did not have many friends left.   

 Arthur Miller was an established playwright when he met with an uncle who had been a salesman (a year or two after World War II.  He was not a happy man and committed suicide about two years later.  Miller had two other salesmen friends who killed themselves.  He had been invited to testify before the House of UnAmerican Activities Committee, but was convicted after refusing to name any writers or others.  He has won both a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for "Death of a Salesman".  He has 123 writing credits plus 4 for acting and 1 for additional crew including "An Enemy of the People" (1966 and 1978) and "The Misfits" (1961).  Famously married to Marilyn Monroe he wrote "The Misfits" for her, but shortly after they divorced.

Volker Schondorff was the director.  His background was in Germany where he had directed operas.  He won an Oscar with "The Tin Drum" (1979).  He has 48 directing credits, 29 for writing and 17 for producing.

Alex North composed the music.  He won music scholarships for Julliard and the Moscow Conservatory.   His first film work was scoring documentaries for the Office of War Information.  He went onto get nominated for 13 Oscars.  He has 88 composing credits and 44 for the music department including for "Spartacus" (1960), "The Misfits: (1961) and "The Agony and the Ecstasy" (1965).

Michael Ballhaus was the cinematographer.  He has 133 cinematography credits plus 6 for directing and 6 for acting including "What About Bob?" (1991) and "The Age of Innocence" (1993).

David Roy was the editor.  He has 37 editor credits plus 4 for the editorial department and 3 for the sound department including "The Taking of Pelham One, Two Three" (1974).

Dustin Hoffman played Willy Loman.  He recalls that as a youngster "Death of a Salesman" was the first play he ever read.  He has won 2 Oscars.  Mike Nichols turned him down for a musical role, but remembered him for the breakthrough role of "The Graduate" (1967).  He has 88 acting credits plus 7 for producing and 3 for directing including "Little Big Man" (1970), "Papillon"  (1973), "All the President's Men" (1976), "Kramer vs. Kramer" (1979), "Tootsie" (1982), "Rain Man" (1988) and "Runaway Jury"  (2003).

Kate Reid played Linda Loman, the long suffering wife.  She was raised in Canada and began her acting in the theatre including at the Stratford Festival and The Shaw Festival.  She took her stage acting to Broadway and London.  For film she has 90 acting credits including "The Enemy of the People" (1966).

John Malkovitch played Biff Loman.  He started on stage in Chicago and proceeded to Broadway.  He has acted and directed in Spanish.  He has 138 acting credits plus 24 for producing and 3 for writing including "Secretariat" (2010).

Charles Durning played Charley, a neighbor.  He has 215 acting credits and 123 for soundtrack including "The Sting" (1973), "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975), "Enemy of the People" (1978) and "Tootsie" (1978).

My local library in Hamilton, Ontario provided me with a DVD including special features and also the book.

Willy Loman was an oldstyle salesman with the glad hand, the jokes and contacts.  We are never told what he actually sold.  The  need for selling comes from someone with an idea/service/product who needs help finding customers.  It has gotten much more sophisticated and prospective customers have become more discriminating.  A lot of what used to require personal contact now relies on the phone or online.   

Personally I have found it motivating to represent an improvement for a customer.  I loved traveling and meeting a variety of people and sometimes felt really good about helping someone.  But all salesmen and saleswomen have to learn to accept and overcome rejection as their success depends on how well they can do it.

Selling has been a critical part of my life and has also been very educational.  Here are some posts that illustrate.  Selling was a challenge not only to overcome resistance, but also to feel I was helping to make the world a better place.

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/05/we-are-all-in-sales.html

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/10/my-career-selling-office-supplies.html 

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/07/travels-of-salesman-part-3-quebec.html 

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/06/working-with-pet-retailers-part-2.html

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/01/my-most-unusual-way-to-make-money.html 

The Undoing Project

A history of two psychologists surprised me with a lot of information about evaluating potential NBA basketball players.   One point made was that there were a lot of statistics about individual players which were helpful, but needed to have more context to be used for multi million dollar decisions.  One aspect would be the caliber of their opposition.  Another angle was how individual efforts fit into a team.  Amos Tversky was a basketball fan.

Daniel Kahneman was used to thinking he was the smartest guy in the room until he met Amos during Israeli combat against Arab foes.  Amos was a paratrooper, one of the most dangerous positions requiring intelligence.  The two men had an interest in psychology involving statistics.

The real key to their importance was collaboration.  Often neither could determine who should get credit for a particular idea.  One simple thought led to something else and each would be inspired to elaborate.  Lots of false leads, but in their case led to decisions closer to a solution.  By changing the context in which two things are compared, you submerge certain features and force others to the surface.

Bias is insidious.  We all tend to look for an easy solution and too often automatically adopt the first one uncovered.  They went to elaborate procedures to uncover bias.  The problem is that bias are difficult to uncover.   The law of large numbers does not always apply to small numbers.  Many scientific and psychological experiments are done with small numbers and often are misleading when extrapolated to larger numbers.

 It was pointed out that economists tended to belittle psychologists, but more of them have come to use psychological insights to help explain investor decisions.

The world has wondered how Israel has defeated so many of their enemies in military combat.  He felt others made decisions based on wrong assessments.  He was quoted in university saying, "When someone says something, don't ask yourself if it might be true.  Ask what it might be true of." 

Donald A, Redelmeier was a doctor at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto who had been exposed to the decision making process of Tversky and Kahneman.  He found that many life and death decisions were too often based on habits, accepting the first seemingly plausible solutions.  His decisions saved many lives and helped create better decisions in medical situations. 

 Both men made decisions to work together even when they had jobs at different universities.  Married, it seemed to many they had a closer relationship with each other than with their wives.

Michael Lewis started the book with a quote from Voltaire, "Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is an absurd one."  The book does not eliminate uncertainty, but certainly does reduce it.

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/12/all-your-decisions-are-really-bets.html  puts all decisions into gambles, most of which become habits, but a different choice could be an improvement or disaster.

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/08/decisions-are-path-to-success.html  focuses on making better decisions by among other thing widening your options and looking at a bigger context.

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/03/knock-on-wood.html  is another way of looking at statistics going beyond "luck".

Michael Lewis has become one of my favorite authors.  Below is link to recent blog with two other links. http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/06/who-is-government.html

A Brother and 7 Siblings

Netflix has helped me discover Indonesia as a film powerhouse.  It takes years to develop expertise and of course money plays a role.  Caught off guard I would like to recommend still another one, "A Brother and 7 Siblings" (2025).

A young man, Moko is living with his sister and her husband.  He seems destined to graduate soon and become an architect.  His girlfriend Meuron is set to also graduate and form a partnership with him.  His life changes when his sister who was pregnant and her husband die within a short time of one another.

He takes on the responsibility of taking over care of the four children, including the new baby.  He drops his education as well as his very supportive girlfriend and wears himself out working and caregiving.  When he has to go out of town (for a job arranged by his ex girl friend) a brother in law takes over child care, but proves to be a con man.  Struggling never seems to end, but Moko does wise up. 

There is not really 7 siblings, but the original title is 7 Ponakan.  In addition to the actual 4 siblings is added the daughter of an old music teacher (expected to be temporary) and Moko's sister and her husband.  The 7 Ponakan are all treated as family.

The film got a very high rating so I have already given out too many plot details.  Here are some of the contributors to its success.

Yandy Laurens was the director and writer.  He started with commercials and musical videos.  He has 13 credits as a writer, 14 for directing and 1 for script and continuation including "Cemara's Family (2019).    see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/01/cemaras-family.html

Arswendo Atmowilata wrote the original tv. series.  He was a journalist and short story writer.  In 1990 he was imprisoned for subversion and released in 1993.  Arswendo took a writing course at the University of Iowa.  He has 7 writing credits, 2 for acting an 1 for directing including "Cemera's Family" (2019).

Olef Obaja Setiawan composed the music.  He has 26 credits for composing and 2 for the music department.

Dimas Bagus Triatma Yoga was the cinematographer with 20 cinematography credits.

Hendra Adhi Susanto was the editor.   He has 22 editor credits and 4 for editorial department including"13 Bombs" (20243) and "Heartbreak Motel" (2024).  See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/12/two-year-end-film-reviews.html

Nandi Giri was the casting director.  She has 20 casting director credits, 5 for the casting department and 2 for acting including "Photocopier" (2021). 

Chicco Kurniawan played Moko.  He was an advertising model and was a film extra.  He has 30 acting credits and one soundtrack including "Photocopier" (2021) and "13 Bombs" (2023).

Amanda Rawles played Maurin, the girl friend.  Her father was Australian and she received some of her education there.  She has 31 acting credits.

Freyanashifa Jayawardana played Nina, the older niece.  She is well known as a singer and dancer and part of JKT48 musical group.  She has 5 acting credits, 1 for the music department and 1 for soundtrack.

Ringgo Agus Rahman played Eka, the brother in law.  He has 52 acting credits including "Cemara's Family" (2019). 

Maudy Koesnaedi played Agnes, the older sister to Moko.  She has 30 acting credits including "Cemara's Family" (2019) and  "Losmen Bu Broto:  The Series" (2025).

Available on Newflix subtitled.  Well done.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.

The Sirens' Call

 

 An early quote from William James demonstrates the importance of attention; "My experience is what I agree to attend to."  As technology advances everyone gains access to more information with more competing for our attention.  What you agree to, shapes your life.

 Our attention is gathered in three ways.  First we voluntarily focus on something of interest to us.  Second we are abruptly distracted by something like a siren. Third you react to something of personal interest such as your name even if barely heard. 

We would like the time and context to focus on things of value or at least of interest, but literally millions of others would like to grab your attention.  People have developed some defenses.  The Walkman head phone at first was seen as anti-social, but is more acceptable today.  There is infinite information and finite attention.  Many look for summaries and others how to sort out what really matters.  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/05/the-signal-and-noise.html

Attention has been commoditfied.  Newspaper circulation has been a basis for advertising rates for many years.  Television has ratings in great detail.  The claims can be difficult to verify as for example one study showed that 2/3 of television viewers reach for their phone during a commercial break.  Others take a bathroom break or do some household chore.  

Google has developed a more sophisticated system:  when you click on any link you help them develop a profile identifying what interests you.  Advertisers can bid for links to likely profiles and the advertiser only has to pay when the consumer clicks on their links.   

One advantage others seeking your attention have is that humans dread boredom.  Many humans feel alienated and without a sense of purpose.  Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is known for the concept of flow that many of us strive for.  One is happiest when one is engaged in an activity where they are so engaged they lose concept of time.  One example was riding horses where some are so engaged that is what they think of most of the time.

A model for communicating ideas was in 1858 Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas had a series of historical debates.  They would each be given an 60 minutes opening statement a 90 minute response and finally a 30 minute rebuttal.  There would be a series of debates with each man given opportunity to make their points and refute the other's points.  Today with lots of commercial pressures, political debates are more narrowly restricted.  Chris points out to understand the issues in depth we have lost.  Neil Postman in 1985 thought these debates illustrated how we have lost our ability to pay attention;  see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/05/amusing-ourselves-to-death.html

Along side he points out that in society we have taught children to wait their turn and wait for a sign for them to talk.  Nowadays interruptions and time restrictions have set different standards.

Chris Hayes has a unique position being a cable newscasters as he has to contend with what news gets covered.  To stay in business and keep his job he has to find news that gets attention.  Too often he has to deal with mass shootings.  At first a lot of attention was given to the perpetrator, but realized that a key motive was to draw attention.  Shifted the coverage more to the victims.  It is still news.

Donald Trump has the biggest megaphone in the world.  He seeks recognition but achieves attention.  He has learned how to be provocative.   Almost every day Trump creates attention that is difficult to ignore despite the fact that it is nonsensical it still seems to benefit him (or his ego).

One issue that doesn't get enough attention is climate change.  A flood, fire or drought is news and does get some coverage, but usually not much for long.  Logically the issue deserves much more attention.  You cannot actually see the climate changing and while some activists are creative, they are up against well financed fossil fuel advocates.

Multi tasking has been developing with the increased access to information (and entertainment), but it obviously results in divided attention which ultimately means each focus is diluted.  Along with Chris this is a bad habit and I am conscious that something is lost in the effort, but the fear of missing something drives me on.  How about you?

Chris pointed out that each of us have a desire for recognition.  As a newscaster he has found fame among strangers.  He found himself checking ratings and his social media responses.  Personally I check blog stats and Facebook responses.  Social media encourages such behavior.

Jonathan Haidt wrote about how smart phones and social media have quickly gained the attention of our youth.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/06/the-anxious-generation.html

Chris admits that technology increases all the time, but there have been some interesting rebellions.  One was vinyl records that provide cover art and sound better.  Most people read news online, but he has discovered that print newspaper offer something different.

There is a lot of meat in "The Sirens' Call "and it is not too practical for my summary to give an in depth understanding.  Hopefully my description has drawn your attention and if you want a more in depth understanding you need to read the book.

Uproar: How one prejudice protest can trigger another prejudice protest

 "Uproar" (2023) is from New Zealand and takes place during a time of racial protests in the memory of one writer who felt some of the same emotional elements of the lead charatcer.  The protests spurred others to realize they have been the victims of prejudice, the native Maoris.  The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival.

We are introduced to Josh a half Maori student at a private school.  He is not particularly interested in sports, but has a brother who had been a local rugby hero and finds himself pulled in that direction.  A teacher sees something else in him and encourages him to check out acting.  The school principle is against protests ruining the rugby tour.

The Springboks rugby team from South Africa had agreed to a tour of New Zealand in 1981.  This aroused an anti -apartheid protest among some European descendants.  In turn some Maori activists decided that they had been discriminated enough and thought to piggy back on the protests.  Josh felt pulled in two directions and did not want to get involved in protests.

Josh's older brother had been a star rugby player before an injury ended that, but he was wanted as a coach.   His mother, born in England was reluctant but made a deal that if they wanted her older son to coach they would have to accept her younger less athletic son for the team and it was agreed.  She felt awkward in New Zealand, but her Maori husband had felt unwanted in England and she felt unwanted by Maoris.

Josh really felt out of place, but one of his friends, Grace wanted him to take part in the protests and Mr. Slane, the school principal was vehemently against the protests.  He had helped his brother to recover from his serious injury.  

The movie is mostly from Josh's perspective struggling to please others and assert his own identity.

History provided the material, but the cast and crew have given life to the story.  Here are some contributors.  

Paul Middleditch was a director, writer and executive producer.  He had lived as a young boy during the Springbok tournament.  He is well known for tv. commercials in Australia.  Paul has 10 directors credits and 3 for writing and 1 for editing.

Hamish Bennett was the other director and one of the writers.  He was a full time primary school teacher.  He has 6 writing credits and 5 for directing.

Sonia Whiteman was another writer.  She has 5 writing credits, 4 for directing and 1 for producing.

Mario Gaoa was another writer.  He was part of the Naked Samoan Comedy Group.  He has 12 acting credits, 8 for writing and 3 for producing including "What We Do in The Shadows" (2014) and "We are Still Here" (2022).  see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/10/indigenous-perspective-illustrated-with.html

Rachel House was still another writer.  She got experience directing in theatre and went to study directing at the Prague Film School in the Czech Republic.  She has also been an acting coach.  Rachel has 62 acting credits, 7 for additional crew and 2 as director including.  "Whale Rider" (2002), "Eagle vs. Shark" (2007), "Moana" (2012), "Hunt for the Wilder People" (2016) and "Thor: Ragnarok" (2017).

Karl Solve Steven was the music composer.  He has 64 composer credits, 18 for the music department and 6 for soundtrack including "800 Words" (2015) and "The Sounds" (2020).  For a section on "800 words see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/12/tv-series-from-down-under.html

Maria Ines Manchego was the cinematographer.  Known for music videos and tv. commercials.  She has 22 cinematography credits.

Carly Turner was the editor.  She has 25 editor credits, 17 for the editorial department and 4 for the sound department including "Hacksaw Ridge" (2016), "Adrift" (2018) and "The Legend of Baron To'a" (2020).

Julian Dennison played Josh and was quite a contrast to what we saw in "Hunt for the Wilder People" (2016) where he played a rambunctious youngster.  After two previous films he was offered that role without an audition.  He has attracted attention from Australian and American film makers.  Julian has 16 acting credits and 1 for soundtrack. 

James Rolleston played Josh's older brother.  In July of 2016 he was in a very serious car accident that resulted in brain and lower body damage that required extensive rehabilitation to talk and walk.  He has 14  acting credits including "Boy" (2010), "The Dead Lands" (2014) and "The Dark Horse" (2014).

Minnie Driver played Shirley, Josh's mother.  She has been a successful singer with 3 solo albums and written songs.  She has 98 acting credits, 2 for producing and 18 for soundtrack including "Good Will Hunting" (1988 in which she was nominated for an Oscar), "Big Night" (1991), "Owning Mahowny" (2003), "Barney's Version" (2010), "Return to Zero" (2014), "Beyond the Light" (2014) and "The Red Tent" (2014).

Rhys Darby played Madigan, the teacher trying to steer Josh to acting.  He has been a standup comedian and performed as such in the United Kingdom along with radio and film.  He has been a climate ambassador for Greenpeace and once took part with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with a tourism video.  Rhys has 114 acting credits, 10 for writing and 1 for directing including "What We Do in The Shadows" (2024) and "Hunt for The Wilder People" (2016).

Mark Mitchinson played Mr. Slane, the principle.  He acted in one of the Hobbitt films shot in New Zealand.  He has 90 acting credits including "Tracker" (2010).

Jada Fa'atui played Grace.  She had done a few podcasts, but this was her first film.

I caught the film by PVR.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  Some of them are among my favorite films.  If you follow the links you should be able to determine if any film is worth following up.

Sisyphus

Science Fiction is a tool.  It can point the way to a future and/or deal with moral dilemmas.  Good ones do a little of both.  One criticism of this film brought to my attention was that the explanations for time travel were inconsistent.  To me belief in time travel is ridiculous, but it is still very useful as a tool, that is illustrated with "Sisyphus:  The Myth" (2021).

From Greek myth Sisyphus was punished by rolling a stone up hill until it reverses and the process begins again, symbolizing unending labor

The key problem is a nuclear war that will kill everyone.  From the future  Seo-Hae is sent to disrupt an invention that would precipitate such a civilization ending event.  The key scientist Tae Sul is arrogant, very smart and loose with women.  Seo-Hae, exceptionally beautiful, but focused convinces him to take action.  Her father had strongly advised her to avoid him, but she needed to talk to persuade him.  They are attracted to each other and others try to take advantage of that.  At one point he seems forced to make a decision between her and the war.  There are endless complications where several characters act in different futures.  

Of course this provides a great platform for action.  Explosions, gunfire and martial arts.

The creative team voice some thoughts about the future.   At one point the hero, Tae-sul asks Seo-Hae why she seems so slick fighting, but can't drive a car and speculates because cars in the future are all self-driven.

With many ups and downs fighting and some romancing we arrive at the ending, but you really should sit through all 16 episodes to really appreciate it.  

 A lot of people have a a rosy or lackadaisical view of the future, while many others have great fear.  The creative behind this series can foresee great danger.  Technology is churning out innovations, but some of them might not be totally beneficial. A strong belief of many science fiction lovers is that there are many other civilizations in the universe, but Carl Sagan concluded the reason we have no contacts is that any civilization that advances to a high enough technology to communicate with other planets blows themselves up.  Check :http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/10/carl-sagan-and-our-future.html

A lot of talented people make this worth viewing.  Listed below are some.

 Jin Hyuk was the director with 12 directing credits.

Lee Je-in and Jeon Chan-Ho are listed as script writers, but neither has any other credits.  They obviously exhibit professionalism that sooner or later will be revealed.

Chung Yeakyoung wrote the music.  At age 11 she won a national song contest that has remained popular.  She has 8 composing credits and 8 for the music department including "Chocolate" (2019).

Cho Seung-woo played Tae Sul.  He has been a top musical theatre star which surprises me as he doesn't get to sing in any films I have seen.  He has 24 film acting credits and one for soundtrack including "Chunhyang" (200), "Tazza:  The High Rollers" (2006), "Stranger" (2017) and "Divorce Attorney Shin" (2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/04/divorce-attorney-shin.html

Park Shin-hye plays Seo Hae.  She is gifted in Tae Kwon Do, performing her fight scenes in this series.  She has also been a backup singer in Korean films.  She is popular in Japan, China, Taiwon and other Asian countries.  She has been a generous philantrophist and has done volunteer work in Korea, Nepal and Ghans.  Shin-hye has 31 acting credits including "The Beauty Inside" (2015), "My Annoying Brother" (2016), "Memories of the Alhambra" (2018) and "Doctor Slump" (2024).  See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/03/doctor-slump.html

 Kim Jong-Tae plays Seo-Hae's father.  He has 38 acting credits including "Something in the Rain" (2018) and "Daily Dose of Sunshine" (2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/11/daily-dose-of-sunshine.html

 Sung Dong-il played Mr. Park, sort of a villain, but sometime ally.  He started in the theatre and now has 86 film acting credit including "200 Pounds Beauty" (2006) and "Miss Granny" (2014).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/04/a-slice-of-korean-cinema.html

 Kim Byung-chul played Sigma, a definite villain.  He has 26 acting credits including "Doctor Cha" (2023).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/06/doctor-cha.html

 Jeon Gook-hwan played an early investor with Tae-sul.  He has 55 acting credits including "My Mister" (2018) and the very popular "Crash Landing on You" (2019).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/02/crash-landing-on-you-very-addicting.html

Available on Netflix subtitled or dubbed.

Another Korean science fiction:   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/02/when-stars-gossip.html

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  Some of them are among my favorite Korean films and a big part of my Korean obsession.  If you follow the links you should be able to determine if any film is worth following up.

Fredrik Backman comes up with another worthy read

Fredrik Backman is a favorite author and I go for his books even when the description does not fit my normal reading.  He has proved to be worth the effort.  As the last words of his acknowledgements "Telling stories is the only time I really feel like myself.  Thanks for following along."

This story seems to begin when a 17 year old independent girl comes across an apparently homeless man who is about to die.  Another man approaches  and assures the man he got the painting.  In the short time Louisa is known she makes such a strong impression that his last request is to give the painting to her.  There is a little back story of Louisa and lot about the painting and four friends.

There were four 14 year old friends that enjoyed each other so much despite some differences.  They offer the view of some youngsters who mostly do not know what they want out of life.

 There is a lot of humor, but also references to dying and the dead.  The dialogue is clever.  The plot is about a lot of back stories plus the adventures of the painting and Louisa.  There are interesting views on the art world and subtleties. 

There are lots of interesting thoughts, but I picked out three quotes that had some meaning for me. 

"Surely taking life for granted is the whole point of being here."

"My friend, all opera, all about love."  Reminded me how I came to love opera.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/06/why-i-love-opera-wayne-gretzky.html

"It's art that helps me cope.  Because art is a fragile magic, like love, and that's humanity's only defense against death."

Fredrik Backman hails from Sweden, but his books are found in over 40 countries.  He writes about a variety of topics and setups.  Highly recommend all his books.

 Here are some previous posts, but the first one is of a movie he inspired.

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2017/07/a-man-called-ove.html 

 http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/06/beartown.html

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/04/anxious-people-by-fredrik-backman.html 

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/11/the-winners.html 

http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/08/us-against-you.html 

Our Unwritten Seoul

Another Korean romance.  If you are in to them they are among the best.  In "Our Unwritten Seoul" as a tool they use identical twins so similar their mother can't tell the difference.  In addition another tool for romances is the misunderstandings that here are compounded by identical twins.  First reaction might be to expect a comedy, but it is more dramatic.

Looking at the photo all the apparent differences are cosmetic--they are the same actress.

The two women, Mi-Ji and Mi-Rae are in different circumstances and have different personalities.  Mi-rae is in a big corporation in Seoul and feels uncomfortable with corruption.  Mi-ji is more at loose ends, but staying with her mother so she could help her grandmother.  Getting together the twins cook up a scheme to switch roles.  They do have only a rough outline of the other's situation.  They cover it up, but leave a little wondering doubt.

The romance comes from their new job situations.  Mi-ji working in the corporate environment deals with an old acquaintance, Ho-su, a company lawyer she went to high school with.  Ironically he had a fixation on Mi-ji, but pretending to be the sister she is truly surprised.  They both are upset with a move to push out small businesses for a new shopping mall.  One lady resists and she at first is suspicious of both of them and all feel caught in the middle.  This dilemma has more complications and a few twists.  

Mi-Rae moves back home and her mother thinks she is strange, but still accepts her as Mi-ji.  The grandmother is the one not fooled, but keeps it quiet.  Mi-rae takes a job at a strawberry farm.  Eventually we learn that the owner, Se Jin had once been a financier, but gave it up because he was upset about corruption.  They rub each other the wrong way.  When he reveals his background he is surprised she even recognizes his name and she has to lie to not reveal how she knows it.

Both men are lied to, but gradually the truth comes out.  Most romance followers can anticipate sparks, but there really is more to the story.  The two sisters are quite different, although at times the viewer will be confused.  

The quality of the series is top notch.  Here are some of the contributors.

Park Shin-woo is the director.  He has 10 directing credits including "It's Okay Not To Be Okay" (2020) and "When The Stars Gossip" (2025).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/03/its-okay-not-to-be-okay.html and  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/02/when-stars-gossip.html

Lee Kang was the writer.  She has 5 writing credits.

Nam Hye-Seung was the music director.  She is noted as a multi instrumentalist.  In the early days she was involved with children's programs, but was careful to not to copy Disney that was common at the time.  She has 20 composing credits and 49 for the Music Department including "Crash Landing on You" (2019), "It's Okay Not to be Okay" (2020), "Queen of Tears" (2024) and "When the Stars Gossip" (2025). see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/05/queen-of-tears.html and  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/02/crash-landing-on-you-very-addicting.html

A quote that perhaps other composers would also feel and illustrates her dedication to music in films: "All scenes deserves a touch up or entirely new music because different scene might need more detailed music work. Audiences might not catch it all the time but it is needed to deliver the message to their heart as close as I can do because I know the importance and how much minor things can do to the whole picture." 

Park Bo-young had the difficult role of playing identical twins Mi-ji and Mi-rae.  While in middle school she was in a short film.  At high school she had done a tv. commercial.  She has 25 acting credit including "A Werewolf Boy" (2012) and "Daily Dose of Sunshine" (2023).     See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/11/daily-dose-of-sunshine.html

Park Jin-young played the lawyer Ho-Su.  An early interest was dancing and later was part of a boy group.  Jin-Young came to this role after his army release.  He has 62 acting credits and 2 for soundtrack.  

 Kim Sun-young played Ho-su's step mother who had stepped in despite contrary advice when her husband killed in auto accident that also seriously injured Ho-soo.  She has had an extensive career in theatre.  She has 47 acting credits including "When The Camellia Blooms" (2019),  "Crash Landing on You" (2019), "Broker" (2022) and "Queenmaker" (2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/05/queenmaker.html

Jang Young-nam played the mother of the twins.  She has a strong background in theatre that includes the solo role in "Vagina Monologues" (2006).  She has 85 film acting credits including "A Werewolf Boy" (2012), "It's Okay Not To Be Okay" (2020) and "Love Next Door" (2024).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/10/love-next-door.html

Im Chul-so played a handicapped and corrupt lawyer.  He has 19 acting credits including "Signal" (2016) "Crash Landing on You" (2019), "Vincenzo" (2021), "Queen of Tears" (2024) and "When the Phone Rings" (2024).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/01/when-phone-rings.html

Ryu Kyung-soo played the former fund manager turned to strawberry farmer.  He has 19 acting credits including "Itaewon Class" (2020) and "Broker" (2022).  See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/07/broker-japanese-korean-collaboration.html  

Kim Mi-kyung played the elderly restaurant owner.  she has 80 acting credits including "Secret Sunshine" (2007), "Glove" (2011), "It's Okay not to be Okay" (2021), "Trolley" (2022- 2023), "Doctor Cha" (2023) and "Agency" (2023),  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/06/agency.html 

"Our Unwritten Seoul" is available on Netflix subtitled and dubbed.  A brilliant series.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  Some of them are among my favorite Korean films and a big part of my Korean obsession.  If you follow the links you should be able to determine if any film is worth following up.