Letter Never Sent

Distinguished forests immaculate wilderness slumbering swathes imposing woodlands, resplendent rivers halcyon hilltops embowering glades diatonic dispersal. 

Freeform isolation tumultuous task domicile diligence heuristic fluoride, bushwacking burlap cartographic reconnaissance holistic haystack innate resilience.

Bucolic barnacles finagled firmament lollipop Liechtenstein verdant acuity, geologic serum prehistoric elixir Orion ointment boomshakabalm. 

Tenacious tilling strategically sewn stereoscopic symmetry curvaceous crucible, Candide cultivation meticulous mounds unfathomed furrows syntactical slash.

Sequestered sojourn juniper jaunt candlelit copperfield indelible depot, oracle sediment mineral mantra restorative roseate acrostic thimble.

Drambourine bannocturne nutrient narcolept symphonic synergy Denninger trim, wheelhouse Wittgenstein yodel-ah-hee-hoo sarcophagi spinets cymbaline circuitry. 

Ursa blanchetiquette scorpio samurai sandwishlist mincolent diatriballroom, olfactotem syndicate Mozambique mosey revolveeta varnish chauspices cloaky. 

Eureka Johansel Gretasense soulkien itinerant bold largesse luminescene, resounding detail octopi penzance reverb reaction eccentric ion. 

Fortuitous fortunes dharma Danzigzag linoleum lotion diamunchie main, cognac comptable brandywine sucre almaternal minstrel feverish flight.

Limber hike out declaration articulate response ecstatic vigorous spirits, ebullient motion certified synoptic letterhead limpid tollgate targ.

Pioneering cinematography cloistered finesse agile innovation, metaconstructs simultaneous cynosures exotic legion musketeer 'mersion.

Sublime objective narrative nestling rigorous rustle ominous ocelot, determined opus creative collateral omnibus chapters indigo moxie.

Courageous acting death-defying heights Revenant companion maneuverling magma, endless potential interminable loci circa swamp water exacting accolades. 

*Don't know when nature documentaries became popular in Soviet Russia, but the potential for animal scenes was unfortunately missed in this one. 

**Getting into water like that and remaining to shoot an intricate sequence would have been difficult.

***Iron clad stamina. 

****I've never read Wittgenstein. 

Come and See

One of the most blunt traumatic films to ever illustrate Nazi World War II horrors, Elem Klimov's Come and See cacophonously presents sheer total war.

Seen through the eyes of a child who dreams of heroically saving his country, the horrifying effects of what he encounters enough to debilitate the strongest man (or woman).

He's left behind after being recruited since his boots fit an older soldier, so he makes the trip back home only to find his family has been slaughtered.

With another orphan he gradually makes the awkward journey to a secret hideaway, where they team up with humble survivors who are desperately struggling to find food.

He then heads out with some brave citizens to find supplies to ease their hunger, but the older individuals are soon shot down and he's eventually captured by the Nazis.

Who then take the citizens of another town and cruelly lock them in a barn.

Which they proceed to light on fire.

The boy narrowly escaping.

There's a visceral haunting grotesque evil effectively showcased in Come and See, which doesn't shy away from directly depicting the inherent terror of unleashed fascism.

As the monsters who wickedly believe they're the master race destroy and devastate, their sick malevolent point of view is thoroughly disputed and castrated.

The film isn't an exaggeration they murdered and butchered unarmed civilians like this, and sent many of the survivors to death camps where they fruitlessly laboured without end.

Such an ideology motivates psychotics who want to viciously and dismally demonstrate, that the openminded collective free world was unfortunately unable to vanquish hatred (it seemed so plausible before the internet).

And just as the Nazis terrorized the Soviet Union Russia currently attacks Ukraine, the victim so obsessed with its once hopeless position that it despicably embraces the oppressor's logic. 

If you want to see the fascist end game watch Come and See in stoic shock, and look on as people who could have been friends are wildly reduced to pestiferous ruin.

It angers up the blood and leaves one more determined than ever.

To embrace the olive branch. 

And stop such things from happening.

Red Army

A different approach to the cultivation of sporting legends was adopted by the former Soviet Union.

Notably in regards to hockey, according to Gabe Polsky's new documentary Red Army.

Constant training, living together in isolation for 11 months of the year, severe punishments for failure, patronizing management of all aspects of a player's life, a rigid system demanding strict and unyielding obedience.

Under coach Tikhonov anyways.

Coach Anatoli Tarasov had a different style, much more gentlepersonly, focusing on the artistic nature of the sport, the application of progressive thought to cohesive teamwork, balance, to equanimous belonging.

Both coaches succeeded, one was despised, one loved.

I never realized how crazy about hockey the Soviet Union was until watching this film, it was like watching Canadians discuss hockey, I didn't know Russians loved the game so much.

Tikhnonov's torturous regime did produce results, the Soviets going undefeated for 2 years in the '80s, Red Army even including footage of Gretzky in awe of their prowess, during his prime, the Russian Five of this period referred to by many as the greatest line ever.

They still hated their whiplashy coach.

I always understood that it's a source of National pride that we defeated the Soviets in '72, but I wasn't alive at the time and only ever really highly respected it because everyone who was alive at that point regarded it as a nation building moment, something much more elevated than just another international hockey tournament.

After watching Red Army, I fully understand why.

Even if Polsky exaggerates the Soviet Union's obsession with hockey, it still rivals our own, and to think that we beat them, winning 3 in a row on Soviet home ice to win the series, against a team that trained religiously, no pun intended, is astounding.

I always thought the Soviets were more well rounded when it came to sport, because their population was so much larger than Canada's, Russia's still is, thinking that with such a large population their athletic interests would be more like those of the United States, although I do recall them winning quite a few medals whenever the Olympics were held and they attended, in my youth, but don't ever recall them playing football, basketball, or baseball.

In Fareed Zakaria's Post-American World, whose title is misleading, he points out that the American economy was/is so dynamically multifaceted that it could/can pursue multiple goals simultaneously, and effectively, while countries with smaller economies have had/had to focus on a smaller number of things, many of which they elegantly pursue/d, but in terms of sheer diversity of excellence, no one could/can compete with the United States.

Perhaps that's why the Soviets focused so much attention on hockey.

They did finish 4th in the World Cup of Soccer in 1966 as well.

I've read a depressing number of articles recently about the lack of high-paying permanent jobs in the United States however, and it would be nice to read about that possible trend disappearing.

Red Army uses the example of Viacheslav Fetisov to offer insights into an individual's growth within a collective system, examining the pros and cons of that system from his own testimony, and that of others, thereby investigating how things have changed in Russia since communism fell.

He's perhaps not the best example to use since he spent most of his life on top, although it was a much less glamorous life than that experienced by exceptional professional athletes in North America or non-Soviet Europe, he still wasn't starving or sent to the gulag, and could hold his head high being one of the best in the world.

He still had very little freedom.

He eventually did play in North America, winning a Stanley Cup in his late 30s playing on a Russian line for the Detroit Red Wings, with one teammate from his former Red Army line (Igor Larionov).

Note that many players don't play that well in their late 30s in the NHL.

An informative tripartite examination of ideology, politics and sport, Red Army delivers a chilling look at objective efficiencies, the value of teamwork, and personal strength.

Unbelievable how many awards Fetisov won.

Good companion film for Foxcatcher.