February 09, 2007 | 02:22 PM
Babel and Paradise Now
Babel is a work of absolute genius, but still stands, in my view, the second best film of last year. The best film is a unquestioningly a Palestinian film called 'Paradise Now', which was not even recognized by any of the awards announced. That is why awards such as the Oscars will always be suspect..
So if you get a chance, see Paradise Now. It is a film about two friends that sign up to go on a suicide bomb attack inside Isreal, and the events that follow. It is riveting, not in the forced 'hollywoodized' way of say United 93, but in an absolutely real and raw way. And the central male lead is far far better than any other performance of the year.
Which does nto detract from the greatness of Babel. On whatever level. However, when I meet the Director of the film, I will ask him what the relavence of the Japanese story was to the two other stories. The japanese story in itself was really engrossing and emotional, but other than a plot device of the Rifle, how were the themes explored in the Moroccon and the Mexican stories related to the Japanese ones ?
Any points of view on this ?
Shekhar
Showing posts with label Films. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Films. Show all posts
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Paradise Now
April 30, 2006 | 12:34 AM
Paradise Now
Just when you had given up hope that the you will be able to see a film about the people that are written about as statistics by the Western Press, comes the brilliant film, Paradise Now ..
It is a moving, incisive and bold and intelligent film about two Palestinian friends that are moved by their lives in the occupied territories to go together on a suicide mission in Tel Aviv. Notice that I did not say 'recruited' as most of the sales blurb on the internet seems to suggest.
It is obvious that the two friends interpret their deaths as the only alternative to the loss of dignity they feel under foreign occupation. We may or may not agree. But the most stunning line in the film is "We don't have planes, the only weapon I have left is my Body".
It potrays people that go to suicide missions as intelligent, loving, caring and the thinking people. Not the demonic ideas we are fed with of people from a totally different mind set. Just a totally diffent envioroment. It will make you wonder whether in a different situation, and at a different time, and under the same pressure, you would have done the same.
The Directing is terrific. As are the performances.
And Kais Nashef as 'Sayeed', has turned out one of the best performances on film I have seen for a long time.
Go see this film,
Shekhar
Paradise Now
Just when you had given up hope that the you will be able to see a film about the people that are written about as statistics by the Western Press, comes the brilliant film, Paradise Now ..
It is a moving, incisive and bold and intelligent film about two Palestinian friends that are moved by their lives in the occupied territories to go together on a suicide mission in Tel Aviv. Notice that I did not say 'recruited' as most of the sales blurb on the internet seems to suggest.
It is obvious that the two friends interpret their deaths as the only alternative to the loss of dignity they feel under foreign occupation. We may or may not agree. But the most stunning line in the film is "We don't have planes, the only weapon I have left is my Body".
It potrays people that go to suicide missions as intelligent, loving, caring and the thinking people. Not the demonic ideas we are fed with of people from a totally different mind set. Just a totally diffent envioroment. It will make you wonder whether in a different situation, and at a different time, and under the same pressure, you would have done the same.
The Directing is terrific. As are the performances.
And Kais Nashef as 'Sayeed', has turned out one of the best performances on film I have seen for a long time.
Go see this film,
Shekhar
And the Oscar for the best film goes to ..
March 03, 2006 | 06:31 PM
And the Oscar for the best film goes to ..
Turtles can Fly. Ever heard of it ? Probably not. Is it better than all the nominated films ? Definitely. Far better. So what do the Oscars mean ?
A huge fasion show. A huge celebration of Gossip, a lot of Partying. And all the applause for members of the club. A club called Hollywood. It is definitely a celebration of the glamour of Hollywood. and so it ought to be. It is a club that has for so long suceeded in dominating the culture of the world.
But lets not kid ourselves. This is not the best of Cinema that the world can offer. 90% of the world cinema does not even get seen by any member of the academy. The truth is that the members of the academy have rarely seen the films they vote for either.
Here is information on Turtles Can Fly. It does not push a message down your throat. Just reaches your heart and tears you apart before you even realize it. See it if you can. It is the best film this year.
"Turtles Can Fly" is the third feature from internationally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi ("A Time For Drunken Horses"). Written, directed and produced by Ghobadi, the film features of cast of local non-actor children.
"Turtles Can Fly" is set in Ghobadi’s native Kurdistan on the eve of the American invasion of Iraq. Thirteen-year-old Soran (Soran Ebrahim) is known as “Satellite,” for his installation of dishes and antennae for local villages looking for news of Saddam. He is the dynamic leader of the children, organizing the dangerous but necessary sweeping and clearing of the minefields. He then arranges trade-ins for the unexploded mines. The industrious Satellite falls for an unlikely orphan (Avaz Latif), a sad-faced girl traveling with her brother Henkov (Hirsh Feyssal), who appears to have the gift of clairvoyance. The siblings are care-taking a three-year-old, whose connection to the pair is discovered as harsh truths are unveiled.
The devastation to this land and its inhabitants is revealed in the matter-of-fact perspective of the children and is equally displayed with every poignant detail of its unbearable nature. The exquisitely haunting mountains play backdrop to violence and tragedy, but at the same time the heart and humor of the children is an undeniable force.
"Turtles Can Fly" won the Golden Shell at San Sebastian and the Silver Bear at Chicago and is the Iranian entry to the Academy for 2004 Foreign Film consideration.
Shekhar.
And the Oscar for the best film goes to ..
Turtles can Fly. Ever heard of it ? Probably not. Is it better than all the nominated films ? Definitely. Far better. So what do the Oscars mean ?
A huge fasion show. A huge celebration of Gossip, a lot of Partying. And all the applause for members of the club. A club called Hollywood. It is definitely a celebration of the glamour of Hollywood. and so it ought to be. It is a club that has for so long suceeded in dominating the culture of the world.
But lets not kid ourselves. This is not the best of Cinema that the world can offer. 90% of the world cinema does not even get seen by any member of the academy. The truth is that the members of the academy have rarely seen the films they vote for either.
Here is information on Turtles Can Fly. It does not push a message down your throat. Just reaches your heart and tears you apart before you even realize it. See it if you can. It is the best film this year.
"Turtles Can Fly" is the third feature from internationally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi ("A Time For Drunken Horses"). Written, directed and produced by Ghobadi, the film features of cast of local non-actor children.
"Turtles Can Fly" is set in Ghobadi’s native Kurdistan on the eve of the American invasion of Iraq. Thirteen-year-old Soran (Soran Ebrahim) is known as “Satellite,” for his installation of dishes and antennae for local villages looking for news of Saddam. He is the dynamic leader of the children, organizing the dangerous but necessary sweeping and clearing of the minefields. He then arranges trade-ins for the unexploded mines. The industrious Satellite falls for an unlikely orphan (Avaz Latif), a sad-faced girl traveling with her brother Henkov (Hirsh Feyssal), who appears to have the gift of clairvoyance. The siblings are care-taking a three-year-old, whose connection to the pair is discovered as harsh truths are unveiled.
The devastation to this land and its inhabitants is revealed in the matter-of-fact perspective of the children and is equally displayed with every poignant detail of its unbearable nature. The exquisitely haunting mountains play backdrop to violence and tragedy, but at the same time the heart and humor of the children is an undeniable force.
"Turtles Can Fly" won the Golden Shell at San Sebastian and the Silver Bear at Chicago and is the Iranian entry to the Academy for 2004 Foreign Film consideration.
Shekhar.
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