I absolutely love traveling. It exposes me to different people, languages, cultures, perspectives, and way of doing things. It helps me to think OUTSIDE of the box and helps me to look at things from a more worldly perspective. But when I can't travel, I expose myself to different people, languages, cultures, perspectives, and way of doing things by watching foreign films.
Do you ever get sick and tired of the same old Hollywood predictable
plot lines?Bank robberies, fast cars, and
over-the-top special effects?The good
guy always winning?The main character
always getting the girl?
Think about it.English is just one language.There are up to 7,000 different languages spoken around the world.Why limit yourself to watching
movies in English when there are so many other options?Most people don’t realize that India producesmore films per year than the United States.Japan, China, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany also produce a healthy
number of films per year, along with many other countries. There is so much amazing
talent out there that most English-speakers haven’t been exposed to.
Watching a movie in a foreign language might sound more like
torture than pleasure, but reading subtitles gets easier and easier over
time.When I find a truly great movie I
often forget that I’m even reading subtitles.And I get the added satisfaction that I got to watch something truly remarkable,
that most of my friends have never even heard of.Please watch the movies in their original
languages!Watching a foreign movie
dubbed in English takes so much away from it.
Here is a list of ten of my favorite foreign language films
and why I think you will fall in love with them.
1Run Lola Run (1998) – Language: German – IMDB Rating:
7.8 – If you are in the mood for something original and thrilling, Run Lola Run
should be on your watch list.This movie
will suck you in and have you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning. The music is guaranteed to have your
heart pounding.You will find yourself
cheering for the main characters, even though they make some desperate
decisions that are highly illegal.You
find yourself questioning your own morals and wondering, “What would I do in
that situation?”It’s the most original
movie I think I’ve ever seen.It shows
us that each choice we make in our lives can lead to dramatically different
consequences – so we should be careful to choose wisely because you don’t get a
second chance…or do you?This is a movie
you will never forget, and surely want to watch again and again.
2Life is Beautiful (1997) – Languages: Italian, German – IMDB
Rating: 8.6 – If you feel like watching something that teaches you to always
look on the bright side, no matter how difficult the situation, Life is
Beautiful is the film for you.This
movie is the most heartwarming but heart wrenchingly sad movie I’ve ever
seen.A family is victim of the
Holocaust and gets put into a concentration camp during World War II.Determined to shelter their young son from
the horrors of reality, they convince him that they are merely playing an
elaborate game.This movie takes one of
the most horrible events of world history and turns it into one of positivity,
love, and hope.You will feel more
compassion for the characters in this film than you ever have before.You will find yourself wondering what you
would do in this situation.You are
guaranteed to laugh and cry as you watch possibly the most beautiful movie ever
made.
3 Amelie(2001) – Language: French – IMDB Rating: 8.4 – If you are looking for a film that will make you feel playful and happy and take you for a magical adventure, Amelie is the movie you should watch. You will simply adore it, especially the main character, played marvelously by Audrey Tautou. Amelie develops an extraordinary imagination because as a child her overprotective parents sheltered her so much that she didn’t get much interaction with others. She learns to use her imagination to make something extraordinary out of the simplest things, and will have you smiling the whole way through. When she grows up and moves into an apartment of her own in Paris she is still very shy and innocent, but becomes intrigued by the lives of others and begins spying on them. In her own unique mischievous way, she ends up bringing happiness to those around her. This movie is guaranteed to charm you, to make you smile, and to make you feel an overwhelming sense of happiness.
4Castaway on the Moon (2009) – Language: Korean – IMDB Rating:
8.2 - Even though I do really like Tom Hanks “Castaway” movie, this one is a
million times better.This movie is
unique beyond description.Castaway on
the Moon is a perfect mix of drama and humor.The main character starts out suicidal, but after a botched suicide
attempt he finds himself stranded on a river island in an urban area.He can see overpasses and skyscrapers, but it
seems no one notices him.If only he
knew how to swim!He has to adapt and survive
using the washed up garbage and debris from the city.In his fight for survival he develops a new
appreciation for life.While stranded on
his island, he develops a relationship with an agoraphobic misfit who lives in
one of the city’s high rise apartments and is obsessed with the moon.When she spots him through her telescope she
is sure she has discovered an alien from outer space.You will fall in love with this quirky,
unconventional movie.
5PK (2014) – Languages: Hindi, Urdu, English –
IMDB Rating: 8.3 - This film is a goofy and wonderful gem.It’s a tale of love, friendship, and life
lessons.If you’ve never seen a
Bollywood film before, this one will get you hooked on the Bollywood film
industry.It’s colorful, musical, and
just the right amount of cheesy.The
main character’s innocence and oddities will win you over instantly.He looks at the world in a way no one else
does, and makes others rethink their lives.Social issues are looked at through this movie, but from a humorous
angle.It will have you laughing out
loud and maybe even crying at some points.You will be swept away to beautiful places on this adventure, and will
get to experience the vibrant color and complexity of Indian society.It’s an absolute masterpiece, and you will
get to meet some of India’s best actors through it.
6 Pan’s Labyrinth(2006) – Language: Spanish – IMDB Rating: 8.2 – This film is extremely creepy and magical at the same time. Although some people may describe Pan’s Labyrinth as a fairy tale, it’s definitely not for kids. It’s a dark fairy tale full of violence and brutality, but also hope. It is set in Spain at the end of the Spanish civil war under the regime of Francisco Franco. The main character, an innocent young girl, escapes the horrors of reality and finds herself on a desperate mission in a dark fantasy world. Some of the characters in the fantasy world of Pan’s Labyrinth would surely make little kids cry. The quality of storytelling and seamless overlapping of fantasy and reality is what makes this movie so brilliant. And as an added plus for people not used to foreign films, it doesn’t require an excessive reading of subtitles because it is more visual than dialogue driven.
7 Ida (2013) – Language: Polish – IMDB Rating: 7.4 - Set in 1960’s post World War II Poland, this movie makes you believe that
it was truly filmed during that era.It
is visually stunning, and the black and white images and choice of music are
perfectly fit to the story.The story is
told in a very calm, quiet way.The main
character was raised in a Catholic orphanage.She is about to take her vows to become a nun, but before she does that
she has to go on a journey to meet aunt, her only living relative, and learn
who she really is.Ida is pious and
innocent, and her aunt is a gruff alcoholic.Ida learns that she is really Jewish, and that her parents hid her at
the orphanage at the end of the war to save her from the Holocaust.Ida goes on a quest to find her parents’
grave, and her experience outside of the nunnery make her question everything she
thought she knew.
8Good Bye Lenin! (2003) – Language: German – IMDB Rating:
7.7 - The story line of this movie is extremely creative, tackling social issues
in a humorous, satirical way.It takes
place around the time of the Cold War in East Germany, around the time of the
fall of the Berlin Wall.A mother who has
dedicated her life to supporting the communist party ideals has a heart attack
and falls into a coma when she sees her son on TV getting arrested in an
anti-communist protest.When she
awakens, Germany has been reunited and western ideals and goods have poured
in.Everything is dramatically
different.Her son fears that his mother
will fall back into a coma if she learns the truth.To protect his mother, he creates a false
reality and goes out of his way to trick his mother into believing that
everything is as it was before the fall of the wall.You won’t believe the things he has to do to
keep this illusion up!
9Like Stars on Earth (2007) – Languages: Hindi & English –
IMDB Rating: 8.5 – This film is uplifting, heartwarming, and
inspiring. It sends us the very powerful message
that every child is special, and is especially powerful for parents and educators. What each
child needs to be successful may not be the same.The little boy in this movie is always
misbehaving and failing in school and his parents and teachers don’t know what
to do with him.He
gets sent away to a boarding school because his parents and teachers think that
strict discipline is the only thing that can straighten him out.Boarding school starts out horribly for him,
and he becomes severely depressed. No
matter how hard he tries, he still fails.When his usual art teacher gets replaced by a highly unconventional teacher,
things start to look up for him. You
will feel an overwhelming sense of joy when you see the little boy’s world
start to turn around.Like Stars on
Earth will make you look at “difficult children” in a whole new light.
10My name is Khan (2010) – Languages: Hindu, Urdu, English –
IMDB Rating: 7.9 - This film will introduce you to a beautiful way of looking
at the world.“There are only two kinds
of people in this world.Good people who
do good deeds.And bad people who do
bad.”The main character’s mother taught
him this when he was a child, and he lives by it.You will grow emotionally attached to this Indian
Muslim boy with Asperger’s syndrome because of his innocence, blunt honesty,
and good heart.As a child in Mumbai,
India he faces the challenges of being different than all the other
children.When he is older, he moves to
the United States where he falls in love with a Hindu woman.His open heart leads him to many new
experiences, both good and bad, and helps him to make friends and enemies of
different backgrounds.This movie will
help you to look past race, religion, and social class and see people for who
they truly are.
Give these films a try! They will open up your world. Nowadays it is easy to find great foreign films. You can even find many of these films on Netflix.
What are your favorite foreign films? Please post in the comments below!
Our salon cushions and upholstery are gross. They are ugly, old, no longer very supportive, have lost their shape, are thread-barren, filthy, and smell like mold. I decided to give our salon a major face-lift and replace and reupholster our cushions.
Our GROSS old cushion and upholstery
I have never done any upholstery work, and had very limited experience sewing. Since sewing scrunchies in 8th grade home economics class over 20 years ago, I just recently got back into sewing so I could save money and do lots of projects aboard our sailboat.
Realizing that I had zero knowledge about how to do a new cushion and upholstery project, I began by reading, researching, and watching videos. I have included links to the most helpful information I found. Not surprisingly, I watched lots and lots of Sailrite instructional videos. They have a ton of them on all sorts of sewing projects, and I don't think I would have the courage or skills to do any sewing projects without them!
It is very important to understand some foam terminology before making your decision on which foam to use for your project. It may seem overwhelming at first, but soon you will understand what all of this means and be able to choose your ideal foam.
Closed cell foam - Each individual cell is closed off from the others, meaning that water cannot penetrate the foam. This foam floats, typically pretty hard, and is recommended for boat cockpits. It is typically more expensive than open cell foam because of its higher density.
Open cell foam - Each cell is open, and moisture can penetrate it and potentially be trapped in it. It is softer than closed cell foam, and recommended for use inside where it will not be exposed to much moisture. It can, however, be covered with a moisture barrier to help with potential moisture related problems such as mold, mildew, and bacteria.
Biocide - a treatment added to some foams in the manufacturing process to prevent mold and mildew.
Dry fast foam - It's an open cell foam with its cell walls removed. It is extremely porous, so water can run right through it rather than be absorbed into it. It is significantly more expensive than regular open cell foam. Good for outdoor applications, or places where it is likely to get wet.
Foam density - Pounds polyurethane per cubic foot. Higher density foam is considered higher quality and will typically last longer than lower density foams.
Indentation Load Deflection - The force in pounds required to compress the foam by 25%. The higher the ILD number, the firmer the foam. The lower the ILD number, the squishier the foam.
Memory Foam - A polyurethane foam with added chemicals to increase its viscosity and density. It conforms to the body and reacts to body heat, helping to warm you. Not recommended in hot environments.
After my research I decided that I wanted an open cell 5" foam with a density over 2.3 lbs, an ILD rating of 35-50 lbs, and a long life. I also decided that DryFast foam would not be necessary, since it would be used inside and it would not be exposed to water. Some articles I read recommended more firm foam for the seat cushions than the backs, but I wanted the same foam for both the seats and seat backs because my settee converts to a bed. It would not be comfortable for sleeping if the cushions were not all uniform.
I really wanted to buy my foam from Sailrite because I have benefited so much from their products and instructional videos, but unfortunately they didn't offer foam in the sizes, density, and ILD rating that I was looking for.
After searching all over the internet and comparing prices and quality, I decided to order foam from the Foam Factory. Tiffany was the sales rep who helped me. She was very kind and tolerant of my numerous questions, the headache of figuring out shipping to the Virgin Islands, and she even advised me on which foam I should get.
I originally picked out the 5" LuxHQ foam. It has an ILD rating of 50, and Tiffany warned me that this is very firm, almost like sitting on the ground. Yikes! I don't want that! So I picked out the HD36 high quality foam instead. It has an ILD rating of 35, so it would feel more comfortable.
The prices I found on their website were significantly better than anything else I was able to find online. It was $205.99/sheet. The foam density of 2.8lbs/cubic ft was in the range I was looking for (2.3lbs/cubic feet or higher). The Indentation Load Deflection (35 lbs) was in my desired range. The foam comes in big sheets (82" x 76") so I won't need to puzzle piece my cushions together and can have some long cushions. And it's rated to have a typical life of 12-18 years.
After I figured out what foam I would use, it was time to do some research on fabric. I've included links to the most helpful videos and articles that I found.
But after some more consideration, I changed my mind and decided to go with Sunbrella Upholstery Fabric in Dupione Paradise because it has more of a texture to it and I think it would look more classy and not show stains as well.
Now that I knew what foam and fabric I wanted to buy, it was time to figure out how much of it I should order. I found a video that helped me take measurements.
I found a website with a great calculator to help you figure out how lay out your cuts to get the right size pieces with minimal waste. You just input the dimensions of your starting piece, input the dimensions of your individual pieces, and then it lays it all out for you in the best way.
I was wondering if I would be able to cut the foam myself, or if I would need to get it custom cut (for a significant increase in price). I found a great Sailrite video showing how easy it is to cut foam yourself using an electric kitchen knife, purchased from any store selling kitchen products for around $15.
I was curious how you get the foam into the fabric, and I found this Sailrite video:
To figure out how much fabric I would need to purchase, and later, to figure out how I should cut it, I used Sailrite's handy FABRIC CALCULATOR
I decided to buy Sailrite's Edge Hotknife Package to make my life much easier, and to prevent unraveling of the edges of my fabric over time.
I also decided to add polyester batting to my cushions so they would be more comfortable and less boxy. I took measurements and estimated I'd need 13 yards.
I decided to get cushion wrap silk film to use as a moisture barrier around my cushions, to prevent mold and mildew.
I decided that I wanted to have piping around the perimeter of my cushions to give them more of a professional look. You can buy pre-made piping in a limited number of colors and styles, but it is not cheap. I decided to make my own piping, using Sailrite's 5/32" foam piping and a slightly different but coordinating fabric, Sunbrella Canvas Parrot Upholstery Fabric. I found a photo on Amazon of a throw pillow that was upholstered in Dupione Paradise fabric with Parrot piping, and was convinced that these two fabrics would be a great combination for my cushions.
I was so excited to have found the foam and fabric I wanted, but living in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands poses a problem for shipping.
I got a shipping estimate for foam from The Foam Factory.I wanted to order 2 sheets of 5" LuxHQ foam, but they cannot ship the 5" foam to the Virgin Islands. Instead I could order 2 sheets of 2" foam and 2 sheets of 3" foam and glue them together. I figured I could do that, but my eyes about popped out of my head when I saw the shipping cost estimate!
2 Sheets of 2” x 80” x 76”= $ 84.99 (each) =$169.98
2 Boxes 24Lbs = $90.00 (each) =$180.00
2 Sheets of 3” x 80 “ x 76” = $ 125.99 (each)= $251.98
2 Boxes 34Lbs = $100.00 (each) = $200.00
Grand total for the foam plus shipping = $801.96 ...YIKES!!! The shipping cost was almost as much as the cost of the foam!
I checked into alternatives, like taking advantage of their free shipping within continental US and shipping through a freight company based out of Florida. I found out it would save me A LOT of money if I went through a freight shipping company, and I could order the 5" foam that I wanted after all. Here are the quotes I got from a couple of different shipping companies that service St. Thomas for the following shipping dimensions:
All of the companies I contacted quoted me much better prices than shipping directly from the seller to St. Thomas. However, St. Thomas Cargo won my business. They had the best prices and most clear and simple shipping instructions of all of their competitors. They
can even consolidate your packages from multiple shipments. Cargo must
arrive to warehouse by noon on Wednesday to make their Thursday sail. Cargo
arrives to St. Thomas on Sunday. They unload cargo Monday Morning. Their motto is: "Shipping is as easy as 1-2-3!"
I managed to save a lot of money by shipping my foam through ST. THOMAS CARGO instead of using standard shipping.
Foam Original Shipping Quote: $380.00
Cost to ship to Florida + Cargo Ship to St. Thomas: FREE + $50 (including insurance)
Money saved: $330.00
Sailrite Original Shipping Quote: $120.00
Cost to ship to Florida + Cargo Ship to St. Thomas: $31.37
Money saved: $88.63
TOTAL MONEY SAVED: $418.63
I'm sure budget is a big deal for many liveaboard sailors. To give you an idea of how much everything cost me for this project, my foam order was $411.98, my Sailrite order was $685.29, shipping via St. Thomas cargo should be $50, and the electric kitchen knife cost me $12.
My grand total for this project was $1159.27. I should mention that this amount also includes some extra things from Sailrite, including extra fabric to make throw pillows, extra bobbins, extra V69 thread, extra #16 needles, and an extra soapstone marking pencil.
I am excitedly awaiting the shipment of my materials so I can get started on this project! I'm really hoping my measurements and estimates were right, and that the foam and fabric are what I expect! I will blog again once the project is complete!!!
6 Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) – Language: Spanish – IMDB Rating: 8.2 – This film is extremely creepy and magical at the same time. Although some people may describe Pan’s Labyrinth as a fairy tale, it’s definitely not for kids. It’s a dark fairy tale full of violence and brutality, but also hope. It is set in Spain at the end of the Spanish civil war under the regime of Francisco Franco. The main character, an innocent young girl, escapes the horrors of reality and finds herself on a desperate mission in a dark fantasy world. Some of the characters in the fantasy world of Pan’s Labyrinth would surely make little kids cry. The quality of storytelling and seamless overlapping of fantasy and reality is what makes this movie so brilliant. And as an added plus for people not used to foreign films, it doesn’t require an excessive reading of subtitles because it is more visual than dialogue driven. 
7 Ida (2013) – Language: Polish – IMDB Rating: 7.4 - Set in 1960’s post World War II Poland, this movie makes you believe that
it was truly filmed during that era. It
is visually stunning, and the black and white images and choice of music are
perfectly fit to the story. The story is
told in a very calm, quiet way. The main
character was raised in a Catholic orphanage.
She is about to take her vows to become a nun, but before she does that
she has to go on a journey to meet aunt, her only living relative, and learn
who she really is. Ida is pious and
innocent, and her aunt is a gruff alcoholic.
Ida learns that she is really Jewish, and that her parents hid her at
the orphanage at the end of the war to save her from the Holocaust. Ida goes on a quest to find her parents’
grave, and her experience outside of the nunnery make her question everything she
thought she knew. 
