We’ve been together since November 18, 2000, back when we were seniors in high school. Despite a lot of obstacles like living on opposite sides of the country for much of our relationship and the glacial pace at which I completed grad school, we’ve stayed together and continue to be in love. To celebrate our engagement, we made this epic blanket fort.
Here’s the nerdy story that made all of this possible.
A nerdy love story
Nhu-An and I were very different people when we met. She worked hard, wanted to make a big difference in the world, and kept thinking about the next big thing. I only cared about enjoying the present moment with my friends and family. That’s why our senior class voted me “most likely to be out of class” while Nhu-An was “most…
Portrait of Dido Elizabeth Belle and her cousin Lady Elizabeth Murray
This film, released early in 2014 in the US, is a must-see, especially for fans of historical dramas and Jane Austen! Issues of class privilege, marriage/property, and slavery arise. In the portrait (above), the viewer’s eye is drawn to Dido, who seems full of vivacity, while her cousin seems more proper/sedate.
The poster for the film
The poster itself intrigued many people walking through theater lobbies- a pretty biracial woman dressed in finery. The film was directed by Amma Asante, the daughter of Ghanian immigrants to England; she is also an actress and writer. The luminous lead actress is Gugu Mbatha Raw, the daughter of a black South African doctor and white British nurse. (FYI: That’s natural beauty- Gugu wore no makeup during filming, since there was none for Belle’s complexion.)
Belle & Elizabeth all grown up
The young Belle is brought by her naval officer father (Matthew Goode) to live in the household of his childless uncle, William Murray, the first earl of Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson, superb as ever) and his wife (Emily Watson, in a low-key role). All we know is that the child’s mother was an African slave found aboard a Spanish vessel. Already living on the vast country estate is another girl, Elizabeth Murray (newcomer Sarah Gadon), the daughter of another of Lord Mansfield’s nephews. The girls grow up together, like sisters, though Belle is of a different status (too high to dine with the servants, yet too low to dine w/ the family).
Lord Mansfield & Belle talk
Lord Mansfield is also Chief Justice of the Royal Court, and as in the film, the real Dido assisted her great-uncle w/ his daily correspondence. I especially enjoyed the debate/discussion scenes between these two!
Belle & John
The idealistic son of the local parson, John Davinier (newcomer Sam Reid, a solid performance) comes to study law with Lord Mansfield. He mentions an important court case involving slave cargo, and she wants to learn more.
…this gentle and thoughtful director shows human nature running a very natural course.
It had humor, seriousness, lessons, insight, beauty, love, family, decision-making, sadness, reflections, invisibleness, self-doubt, invention, perseverance, respect, aging, determination, coming to terms when enough is enough and genuine affection in how feelings grew by words alone…
Here is the perfect film (from a first-time director) for smart/sensitive viewers who want an alternative to Bollywood. Neglected middle-class housewife/mother, Ila (Nimrat Kaur), yearns to win back the attention and love of her husband Rajeev, one of the many strivers in the new India. Rajeev barely looks at Ila, is glued to his cell, and often comes home late at night. With the help of her (unseen) upstairs neighbor, she creates delicious (vegetarian, as she’s Hindu) recipes, and packs them in his tiffin (lunchbox).
This lunchbox is supposed to be picked up each afternoon and delivered (via rickshaw, truck, and bus) to his office. However, it goes to a Sajaan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan from The Namesake, Life of Pi, etc.), a lonely/Christian government accountant just a month away from retirement. He likes the food, so an empty lunchbox is delivered back to Ila. Feeling appreciated, she decided to write him a thank-you letter.
The two lonely people begin a correspondence, bringing (much-needed) hope and optimism into each other’s lives. They share thoughts in their letters that no one else knows, from the mundane to the deeply personal. Are they just pen pals? Or is there possibility for more?
Saajan is dreading retirement, and postpones the training of his replacement, Shaikh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), a younger Muslim man eager to learn/succeed. I enjoyed the slow reveal of Shaikh’s life- he’s got a fascinating story under that big grin. His character’s struggles and yearnings embody that of many modern, urban men. Siddiqui (still in his 30s), played a pivotal role in Midnight’s Children, and is an actor to watch. Nimrat Kaur is very easy to relate to; I’d never seen her before. She had a make-under for this role; she’s a very glamorous woman in real life. Irrfan Khan continues to (quietly) create magic- he simply becomes the character! He still has a long career ahead (only in his mid-40s). This is a must-see!
Ali & Nhu-An’s engagement photo 
Knightleyemma 