Stoa

Wednesday'sChildWhenamotherreportsherchildashavingbeenabductedbyamanandawomanmasqueradingassocialworkers,Banksisdrawnintoastrangeandunsettlingsearchforthemissingyoungboy.PieceofMyHeartFollowingthedeathofajournalist,Banksandhisteamdiscoverconnectionstoasuspiciousdeathintheeightiesinvolvingthesurvivingmembersofapop...

Voice1(male"professionalannouncer"type):Thisneighborhood(1)wasmadeforthewretcheddignityofthepettybourgeoisie,forrespectableoccupationsandintellectualtourism.Thesedentarypopulationoftheupperfloorswasshelteredfromtheinfluencesofthestreet.Thisneighborhoodhasremainedthesame.Itwasthestrangesettingofourstory,whereasystematicquestioningofallthediversionsandworksofasociety,atotalcritiqueofitsideaofhappiness,wasexpressedinacts.Thesepeoplealsoscorned"subjectiveprofundity".Theywereinterestedinnothingbutanadequateandconcreteexpressionofthemselves.Voice2(Debord,monotone):Humanbeingsarenotfullyconsciousoftheirreallife-usuallygropinginthedark;overwhelmedbytheconsequencesoftheiracts;ateverymomentgroupsandindividualsfindthemselvesconfrontedwithresultstheyhavenotwished.Voice1 - Theysaidthatoblivionwastheirrulingpassion.Theywantedtoreinventeverythingeachday;tobecomethemastersandpossessorsoftheirownlives.Justasonedoesnotjudgeamanaccordingtotheconceptionhehasofhimself,onecannotjudgesuchperiodsoftransitionaccordingtotheirownconsciousness;onthecontrary,onemustexplaintheconsciousnessthroughthecontradictionsofmateriallife,throughtheconflictbetweensocialconditionsandtheforcesofsocialproduction.Theprogressachievedinthedominationofnaturewasnotyetmatchedbyacorrespondingliberationofeverydaylife.Youthpassedawayamongthevariouscontrolsofresignation.Ourcamerahascapturedforyouafewaspectsofaprovisionalmicrosociety.Theknowledgeofempiricalfactsremainsabstractandsuperficialaslongasitisnotconcretizedbyitsintegrationintothewhole"”whichalonepermitsthesupersessionofpartialandabstractproblemssoastoarriveattheirconcreteessence,andimplicitlyattheirmeaning.Thisgroupwasonthemarginsoftheeconomy.Ittendedtowardaroleofpureconsumption,andfirstofallthefreeconsumptionofitstime.Itthusfounditselfdirectlyengagedinqualitativevariationsofeverydaylifebutdeprivedofanymeanstointerveneinthem.Thegrouprangedoveraverysmallarea.Thesametimesbroughtthembacktothesameplaces.Noonewenttobedearly.Discussiononthemeaningofallthiscontinued...Voice2 - "Ourlifeisajourney"”Inthewinterandthenight."”Weseekourpassage..."�Voice1 - Theabandonedliteratureneverthelessexertedadelayingactiononnewaffectiveformulations.Voice2 - Therewasthefatigueandthecoldofthemorninginthismuch-traversedlabyrinth,likeanenigmathatwehadtoresolve.Itwasalooking-glassrealitythroughwhichwehadtodiscoverthepotentialrichnessofreality.Onthebankoftherivereveningbeganonceagain;andcaresses;andtheimportanceofaworldwithoutimportance.Justastheeyeshaveablurredvisionofmanythingsandcanseeonlyoneclearly,sothewillcanstriveonlyincompletelytowarddiver搜索引擎优化bjectsandcancompletelyloveonlyoneatatime.Voice3(younggirl):Noonecountedonthefuture.Itwouldneverbepossibletobetogetherlater,oranywhereelse.Therewouldneverbeagreaterfreedom.Voice1 - Therefusaloftimeandofgrowingoldautomaticallylimitedencountersinthisnarrow,contingentzone,wherewhatwaslackingwasfeltasirreparable.Theextremeprecariousnessofthemeansofgettingbywithoutworkingwasattherootofthisimpatiencewhichmadeexcessesnecessaryandbreaksdefinitive.Voice2 - Oneneverreallycontestsanorganizationofexistencewithoutcontestingallofthatorganization’sformsoflanguage.Voice1 - Whenfreedomispracticedinaclosedcircle,itfadesintoadream,becomesamererepresentationofitself.Theambianceofplayisbynatureunstable.Atanymoment"ordinarylife"�canprevailonceagain.Thegeographicallimitationofplayisevenmorestrikingthanitstemporallimitation.Anygametakesplacewithinthecontoursofitsspatialdomain.Aroundtheneighborhood,arounditsfleetingandthreatenedimmobility,stretchedahalf-knowncitywherepeoplemetonlybychance,losingtheirwayforever.Thegirlswhofoundtheirwaythere,becausetheywerelegallyunderthecontroloftheirfamiliesuntiltheageofeighteen,wereoftenrecapturedbythedefendersofthatdetestableinstitution.Theyweregenerallyconfinedundertheguardofthosecreatureswhoamongallthebadproductsofabadsocietyarethemostuglyandrepugnant:nuns.Whatusuallymakesdocumentariessoeasytounderstandisthearbitrarylimitationoftheirsubjectmatter.Theydescribetheatomizationofsocialfunctionsandtheisolationoftheirproducts.Onecan,incontrast,envisagetheentirecomplexityofamomentwhichisnotresolvedintoawork,amomentwhosemovementindissolublycontainsfactsandvaluesandwhosemeaningdoesnotyetappear.Thesubjectmatterofthedocumentarywouldthenbethisconfusedtotality.Voice2 - Theerahadarrivedatalevelofknowledgeandtechnicalmeansthatmadepossible,andincreasinglynecessary,adirectconstructionofallaspectsofaliberatedaffectiveandpracticalexistence.Theappearanceofthesesuperiormeansofaction,stillunusedbecau搜索引擎优化fthedelaysintheprojectofliquidatingthecommodityeconomy,hadalreadycondemnedaestheticactivity,whoseambitionsandpowerswerebothoutdated.Thedecayofartandofallthevaluesofformermoreshadformedoursociologicalbackground.Therulingclass’smonopolyovertheinstrumentsweneededtocontrolinordertorealizethecollectiveartofourtimehadexcludedusfromaculturalproductionofficiallydevotedtoillustratingandrepeatingthepast.Anartfilmonthisgenerationcanonlybeafilmonitsabsenceofrealcreations.Everyoneunthinkinglyfollowedthepathslearnedonceandforall,totheirworkandtheirhome,totheirpredictablefuture.Forthemdutyhadalreadybecomeahabit,andhabitaduty.Theydidnotseethedeficiencyoftheircity.Theythoughtthedeficiencyoftheirlifewasnatural.Wewantedtobreakoutofthisconditioning,inquestofanotheru搜索引擎优化ftheurbanlandscape,inquestofnewpassions.Theatmosphereofafewplacesgaveusintimationsofthefuturepowersofanarchitectureitwouldbenecessarytocreatetobethesupportandframeworkforlessmediocregames.Wecouldexpectnothingofanythingwehadnotourselvesaltered.Theurbanenvironmentproclaimedtheordersandtastesoftherulingsocietyjustasviolentlyasthenewspapers.Itismanwhomakestheunityoftheworld,butmanhasextendedhimselfeverywhere.Peoplecanseenothingaroundthemthatisnottheirownimage;everythingspeakstothemofthemselves.Theirverylandscapeisalive.Therewereobstacleseverywhere.Therewasacohesionintheobstaclesofalltypes.Theymaintainedthecoherentreignofpoverty.Everythingbeingconnected,itwasnecessarytochangeeverythingbyaunitarystruggle,ornothing.Itwasnecessarytolinkupwiththemasses,butweweresurroundedbysleep.Voice3 - Thedictatorshipoftheproletariatisadesperatestruggle,bloodyandbloodless,violentandpeaceful,militaryandeconomic,educationalandadministrative,againsttheforcesandtraditionsoftheoldworld.Voice1 - Inthiscountryitisonceagainthemenoforderwhohaverebelled.Theyhavereinforcedtheirpower.Theyhavebeenabletoaggravatethegrotesquenessoftherulingconditionsaccordingtotheirwill.Theyhaveembellishedtheirsystemwiththefunerealceremoniesofthepast.Voice2 - Years,likeasingleinstantprolongedtothispoint,cometoanend.Voice1 - Whatwasdirectlylivedreappearsfrozeninthedistance,fitintothetastesandillusionsofanera,carriedawaywithit.Voice2 - Theappearanceofeventsthatwehavenotmade,thatothershavemadeagainstus,nowobligesustobeawareofthepassageoftime,itsresults,thetransformationofourowndesiresintoevents.Whatdifferentiatesthepastfromthepresentispreciselyitsout-of-reachobjectivity;thereisnomoreshould-be;beingissoconsumedthatithasceasedtoexist.Thedetailsarealreadylostinthedustoftime.Whowasafraidoflife,afraidofthenight,afraidofbeingtaken,afraidofbeingkept?Voice3 - Whatshouldbeabolishedcontinues,andwecontinuetowearawaywithit.Weareengulfed.Weareseparated.Theyearspassandwehaven’tchangedanything.Voice2 - Onceagainmorninginthesamestreets.Onceagainthefatigueofsomanysimilarlypassednights.Itisawalkthathaslastedalongtime.Voice1 - Reallyhardtodrinkmore.Voice2 - Ofcour搜索引擎优化nemightmakeafilmofit.Butevenifsuchafilmsucceedsinbeingasfundamentallydisconnectedandunsatisfyingastherealityitdealswith,itwillneverbemorethanare-creation"”poorandfalselikethisbotchedtravelingshot.Voice3 - Therearenowpeoplewhopridethemselvesonbeingauthorsoffilms,asotherswereauthorsofnovels.Theyareevenmorebackwardthanthenovelistsbecausetheyareunawareofthedecompositionandexhaustionofindividualexpressioninourtime,ignorantoftheendoftheartsofpassivity.Theyarepraisedfortheirsinceritysincetheydramatize,withmorepersonaldepth,theconventionsofwhichtheirlifeconsists.Thereistalkoftheliberationofthecinema.ButwhatdoesitmattertousifonemoreartisliberatedthroughwhichTom,DickorHarrycanjoyouslyexpresstheirslavishsentiments?Theonlyinterestingventureistheliberationofeverydaylife,notonlyintheperspectivesofhistorybutforusandrightaway.Thisentailsthewitheringawayofalienatedformsofcommunication.Thecinema,too,hastobedestroyed.Voice2 - Inthefinalanalysis,starsarecreatedbytheneedwehaveforthem,andnotbytheirtalentorlackoftalentorevenbythefilmindustryoradvertising.Miserableneed,dismal,anonymouslifethatwouldliketoexpanditselftothedimensionsofcinemalife.Theimaginarylifeonthescreenistheproductofthisrealneed.Thestaristheprojectionofthisneed.Theimagesoftheadvertisementsduringtheintermissionsaremoresuitedthananyothersforevokinganintermissionoflife.Toreallydescribethiseraitwouldnodoubtbenecessarytoshowmanyotherthings.Butwhatwouldbethepoint?Bettertograspthetotalityofwhathasbeendoneandwhatremainstobedonethantoaddmoreruinstotheoldworldofthespectacleandofmemories.1.Thisfilm,whichevokesthelettristexperiencesattheoriginofthesituationistmovement,openswithshotsoftheParisdistrictfrequentedbythelettristsintheearly1950s.

"TheWitchBurntAlive"Afteraverylong,butvisuallyarrestinganimatedopeningcreditssequence,LuchinoVisconti(DeathinVenice)directsthefirststory,whichisthelongestofthefive,takingapproximatelyathirdofthefilm'srunninglength.Manganoplaysasuperstaractressandmodelwhotravelstoamountainresort,onlytofindthewell-to-doinhabitantshavepre...

Twenty-three-year-oldPeterFosterisanonlychildwholivesathome,whereheconstantlyhearshisparentsarguing.BecausePeterdoesnothingallday,thefamilygoestoaclinicwhereatherapistvideotapesthem.AfterPeterwatcheshistape,heviewsthetapeofatroubledArmenianfamily,whogavetheironlysonawayforadoptionwhentheyarrivedinCanada.Peterdecidestovisitthisfamily,andhepretendstobetheirson,BedrosDeryan.TheDeryanfamilywelcomeshimwithopenarms,andPetertriestopatchupthepoorrelationshipbetweenGeorgeDeryanandhisdaughterAzah.

Aveteransoapoperastarretirestoabeachhousewithherpublicistandpartner,butherEarlyOnsetAlzheimerswillstrainthecouplesrelationshipuntiltheyfindthestrengthtoredefinethemselvesandwhattheymeantooneanother.

ThisisthestoryofonedayinthelifeofElizabethGlinka,theheadof"FairCare"foundation,aphilanthropist,adoctorandahumanrightsactivist.Asthedaystarts,ElizavetaandherhusbandGlebaregoingtocelebratetheir30thweddinganniversary.Lizaisplanningtospendsometimewithherfamily,waitingforhersonsandclosefriendstoarrive.ThelastthingtodoistodropbyPaveletskytrainstationtocheckthecampaignoftheFundforsendinghumanitariansuppliestopeopleinneed.Suddenly,sheisaddressedbythefatherofagirlsufferingfromaseveredisease,andDoctorLisaagreestohelp.Thisrequestyieldslotsofunexpectedcircumstancesintothewell-plannedday.

David,nowanoldman,isstillkingofIsrael.Amonghissons,theambitiousAdonijahandthecleverSolomon.Thetwoyoungmenarefiercerivals,sincebothareprospectiveheirstothethroneandonlyonecanbesuccessful.Duringahuntingexpedition,AdonijahchallengeshisyoungerbrotherSolomontoachariotrace.WhileSolomon,thoughbrave,stillretainsamodicumofcaution,thedaredevilAdonijahiseagertowinatallcosts-andlosescontrolofhischariot.SolomontakestheseriouslyinjuredAdonijahbacktoJerusalem.OnthewaytheretheymeettheattractiveAbishag,whodespiteheryouthisversedintheu搜索引擎优化fhealingherbs.Sheactuallysucceedsinhelpingtheprince.AdonijahfallsinlovewithAbishag-butBathshebaarrangesthingssothatsheworksforDavid,hopingthatheryouth,herbeautyandherhealingpowerswillsoothetheoldking’ssuffering.SeveralmembersoftheinfluentialpriesthoodandalsotherespectedarmygeneralJoab,whoservedDavidloyallyformanyyears,supportAdonijah’sclaimtothethrone-eventhoughDavidhasstillnotmadeanydecisionwithregardtoapotentialsuccessor.Thebattle-experiencedJoabregardsSolomonasanindecisiveweakling,underwhoseleadershipthekingdomwouldsoonfallapart.WhentheprophetNathanfindsoutaboutAdonijah’sconspiracyheinformsBathshebaandSolomon,whourgeDavidtotakeimmediateaction.AndsoitcomestopassthatpreparationstoanointthefuturekingofIsraelaremadebothattheSpringofEnrogel,whereAdonijahandhismenareencamped,aswellasinJerusalem.ThefestiveprocessionforAdonijahhasalreadybeenassembledandthepeopleenticedwithdeliciousdelicaciestocheerhimon,whenthenewsofSolomon’scoronationreachesEnrogel.ThepeoplepromptlyacknowledgethewillofKingDavidandstreamofftoJerusalemintheirhordestogreetSolomon,theirfutureruler.Adonijahremainsbehindwithahandfulofloyalfollowers.Herealizesthathehaslost-forthetimebeing.Humblyheplaceshislifeinhisbrother’shands.Adonijahisforgivenononecondition:thathealwaysremainsloyaltohisbrotherSolomon.ThegreatKingDavidisdead,andhissonSolomonhassucceededhimastherightfulrulerofIsrael.AdonijahnowhasarequesttomakeofBathsheba:hewantstomarryAbishag.Solomonhearsaboutthisseeminglyinnocentwish,andrecognizesitasarenewedployonbehalfofhisbrothertoreclaimthethrone-Adonijah’smarriagetothelastwomantoshareKingDavid’sbedwouldstrengthenhispoliticalpositionconsiderably.Solomonknowsthathehastoactquicklyanddecisivelyifheistosecurehisownpower.HehashisbrotherAdonijahandthelatter’sclosestassociateJoabexecuted.Afterthisradicaldecision,Solomonwithdrawstopresentsacrifices.InadreamtheLordappearstohimandgrantshimthefulfillmentofawish,whateveritmaybe.Solomonmerelyasksforwisdom-inordertobecomeagoodrulerandjudge.WarwithEgyptislooming.Toarmhiskingdomagainsttheterritorialambitionsofitspowerfulneighbors,Solomonnotonlyintroducesseveralreformsbutalsodecidestomarrythedaughterofthepharaoh.TheEgyptianprincessdoesnotremainSolomon’sonlywife,however:astimegoesbythekingmarriesnumerousnoblewomenfrommanydifferentcountriesforpoliticalandeconomicreasons.Inthiswayhepreservespeaceforhispeople,andcreatesgreatprosperity.ByallowingthewomentocontinuepracticingtheirdomesticcustomsandreligiousritualsinJerusalemaswell,hecomesintoregularconflictwiththepriesthood,whoseetheforeignreligionsasendangeringIsrael’ssolecovenantwiththeLord.ThewisdomgrantedtoSolomonbyGodbecomesfullyevidentwhenthekingsitsinjudgment.Onedaytwoharlotseachclaimtobemotherofthesamebaby.Solomon’sdecisionseemsutterlycruel:hesaysthatthechildshouldbecutintwosothateachwomanreceiveshalf.Solomoncannowdeterminewhotherealmotherisfromherreaction:shewillnotallowherchildtobeharmed.Solomonhandsthechildbacktoitstruemotheramidcheersofapproval.OneofthemostimportanttaskshandeddowntoSolomonbyhisfatherDavidisbuildingthegreatTempletohousetheArkoftheCovenant.Ithastobelargerandmoremagnificentthanallothertemplesintheworld,andSolomonnowsetsaboutfulfillinghisfather’swish.HeplacesJeroboaminchargeoftheIsraeliteworkersaschiefoverseer.Sevenyearslater,theworkiscompleted.Theexpensiveconstructionmaterialshavebeenbroughtfromfar-offlands,andthepeopleofIsraelhavepaidexceedinglyhightaxeswithoutcomplaintinordertofinancetheconstructionwork.TheArkoftheCovenantcannowfinallybetakentotheTempleinatriumphantprocession.Aftersomanyyearsofwandering,theIsraelites’mostsacredpossessionnowhasafixedhomeofitsown.PeoplestreamtoJerusalemfromacrosstheentirecountrytocelebratethegreatday.Abishag,nowmarried,comestooandbringsherfamily.Solomonhasdecidedtomingleamongthepeopleindisguise,andheandAbishagareoverjoyedwhentheyaccidentallymeetagainaftersomanyyears.TheTemplemakesJerusalemanditskingfamousthroughouttheworld.Eventhedark-skinnedQueenofShebasetsoffwithalargeretinuetovisitthewiseandcultivatedSolomonandadmirehismagnificentcity.Theadmirationturnsouttobemutual:Solomon,captivatedbyherbeauty,fallsdeeplyinlovewithher.Thetwoofthemhaveachild,Menelik,butonedaytheQueenofShebadecidestoleave.ShedoesnotwantMeneliktobedeprivedoftheregaldignityawaitinghiminhishomecountry.Solomonstaysbehind,withaheavyheart.Thekinghasnowachievedeverythinghesethishearton,butwiththepassingoftheyearsthewiseSolomongraduallybecomesamelancholy,skepticaloldmanwhoregularlyquestionshisveryexistence.Materialthingsseemtorepresenttheonlyrealityforhim.Healsorefusestoadoptanykindofsteadypolicy,especiallyinreligiousmatters.Withhisforeignwives,Solomonsacrificestoforeigngods,andthisincursthewrathofthepriesthood.TheloyalJeroboamappealstohisking’sconscience,buttonoavail.DuringoneofSolomon’ssortiesindisguiseamonghispeople,asimplefarmerremindshimofthefirstoftheTenCommandmentsrevealedbytheLordtoMoses:"Youshallhavenoothergodsbeforeme."Atanotherdecisivemoment,GodHimselfspeakstoSolomonandannouncesthepunishmentforhissinfulness:thekingdomwillcollapseafterSolomon’sdeath.Thekinghasgrownoldandweary.HehaslosttouchwiththepeopleofIsrael,whoaresufferingfromheavytaxationandforcedlabor.Solomonhastreatedhislong-standingcompanionJeroboam,towhomheentrustedtheadministrationofthenortherntribes,withmurderousangereversinceaprophetpredictedthedivisionofthekingdomtohim.Thekingnolongerhasthestrengthtochangethings-hejustleavesthemastheyare.Theconsequencesofthisbecomeclearshortlyafterhisdeath.Solomon’ssonandsuccessorRehoboamtreatsthecountry’sleaderswitharrogance,andprovokesthedivisionofthekingdomintotwoparts:theonlytribestillloyaltohimisthatofJudah,whilealltheothersuniteunderJeroboam.Theprophecyhasbeenfulfilled.ThekingdomthatSolomonreceivedfromhisfatherDavid,andinvestedwithsuchmightandmagnificence,isnowdivided.

AccomplishednovelistRichardSykesstrugglestocomeupwithaconceptforanewbookwhiletryingtoresolvehistroubledmarriagetoHaley.Intheprocess,heseeksoutfriendsandcolleaguestoassisthiminovercominghispersonaldemonsthatmayservrtomakehimorbreakhim.

Baba,ayoungGhanaianwoman,goesinsearchofherfatherforhisblessingonherimpendingmarriage.Thisturnstoanightmareasheinsistssheadifferentman,andthatsheundergofemalegenitalmutilationasisthecustominhistribe.Sheisforcedtofleeher...

Samantha'slifeisgoingdownhillfast.Thefifteen-year-oldhasacrushonthemostpopularboyinschool,andthegeekiestboyinschoolhasacrushonher.Hersister'sgettingmarried,andwithalltheexcitementtherestofherfamilyforgetsherbirthday!Addallthistoapairofhorrendouslyembarrassinggrandparents,aforeignexchangestudentnamedLongDucDong,and...