Reviews

Reviews

HELP

	Genre: Drama Length: 90 minutes Year: 2009 Cast: Joanna Andraus Director: Marc abi rashed Review: “Help” is the story of a teenager named Ali who lives in a van in Lebanon. His life suddenly turns upside down when he meets Thuraya, a prostitute living with a gay man. The movie has nudity and an excessive use of inappropriate words. The reason of the ban is still not clear, at least to me. The movie was initially given the license to be shown in the Lebanese theaters on contdition that it will be restricted to viewers above 18 years old, later on he head of the censoring body was replaced and his successor withdrew the authorization! Some claim it is because the movie is too much for the Lebanese audience to accept, while others say that it is because the lead actress “Thuraya” who has appeared naked in the movie, and happens to be Joanna Andraos the daughter of the Lebanese MP Antoine Andraos, which might negatively affect his campaign in the upcoming election in June 2009. In case authorities gace the license back to “HELP”, I believe it will make double the profits it was supposed to make before, becuase people will be eager to watch it after the fuss that the ban issue has created!

Dukhan bila nar

	Genre: Drama Length: 90 minutes Release Date: 8 january 2009 Actors: Tony Balabane, Elie Mitri, Julia Kassar, Toni Maalouf Reviews: The film relates a critical period in the modern Lebanese history, from Al-Taef agreement until the unfolding of the latest events. It follows the journey of a young Egyptian director who comes to Lebanon to document a film about the political oppression, only to become its victim.Lebanon, December 16, 1898--An elderly priest heaves his way to the altar of a small secluded monastery on the majestic hills of Annaya to pray his last sermon before forever dedicating his soul to the miraculous healing of mankind. As he prepares to meet the Lord, Charbel's entire life parades in his mind's eye, flashes of memory that tell tales of dedication to Christ, devout inspiration, clairvoyance and wisdom, within a Lebanon torn by Turkish occupation and human suffering.

The Combination

	Rating: R Length: 90 minutes Year: 2008 Actors: George Basha, Doris Younane, Firass Dirani, Clare Bowen The Combination is a powerful and deeply affecting story of a contemporary Lebanese family in urban Australia. John Morkos (George Basha) is released from prison intent on a new life, free of his old ways. But he finds his younger brother Charlie (Firass Dirani) being lured by the local underworld. George’s demands to stay clear of crime fall on deaf ears -- Charlie has no respect for the former crim. In the thrall of gang leader Zeus (Ali Haidar), Charlie’s life oscillates between the schoolyard punch-ups and the gangland streets of his neighbourhood. When John meets Sydney (Clare Bowen), a local Aussie girl, and finds a job at the local boxing gym his life is challenged in unexpected ways. But Charlie’s continuing descent into the world of crime places the his whole family in harms way forcing John to risk his new life to right his younger brother’s wrong.-- Jonathan Curiel, San Francisco Chronicle

Charbel

	Genre: Religion / Drama Length: 90 minutes Release Date: 5 February 2009 Actors: Antoine Balaban, Elie Mitri, Julia Kassar, Ghassan Estephan Review: Lebanon, December 16, 1898--An elderly priest heaves his way to the altar of a small secluded monastery on the majestic hills of Annaya to pray his last sermon before forever dedicating his soul to the miraculous healing of mankind. As he prepares to meet the Lord, Charbel's entire life parades in his mind's eye, flashes of memory that tell tales of dedication to Christ, devout inspiration, clairvoyance and wisdom, within a Lebanon torn by Turkish occupation and human suffering. Additional Notes: dialogue Arabic Country Of Origin: Lebanon

Waltz with Bashir

	Rating: R Length: 90 minutes Year: 2008 Actors: Ron Ben-Yishai, Ronny Dayag, Ari Folman, Dror Harazi, Yehezkel Lazarov One night at a bar, an old friend tells director Ari about a recurring nightmare in which he is chased by 26 vicious dogs. Every night, the same number of beasts. The two men conclude that there’s a connection to their Israeli Army mission in the first Lebanon War of the early eighties. Ari is surprised that he can’t remember a thing anymore about that period of his life. Intrigued by this riddle, he decides to meet and interview old friends and comrades around the world. He needs to discover the truth about that time and about himself. As Ari delves deeper and deeper into the mystery, his memory begins to creep up in surreal images. *Winner of the Golden Globe AND Critic's Choice Awards for Best Foreign Film!* Official Site A brave, personal and truly original piece of filmmaking. -- Rafer Guzman, Newsday The best movie of 2008? The most revealing war film ever made? The greatest animated feature to come out of Israel? All these descriptions could apply to Waltz With Bashir. -- Jonathan Curiel, San Francisco Chronicle

Whatever Lola wants

	Genre: Drama Length: 90 minutes Release Date: February 2009 Actors: Carmen Lebous, Laura Ramsey, Asaad Bouab Review: Whatever Lola Wants is the story of Lola, an aspiring dancer and Brooklyn postal worker, who follows her heart all the way to Cairo. There she befriends a legendary but disgraced belly dancer portrayed by Carmen Lebbos. Their meeting, which turns the women's lives upside down and shatters their prejudices, is the moment of reconciliation and dialogue between cultures which defines the movie. Director Nabil Ayouch manages to shine a light on the complexity of cultural differences by showing the world that differences really lay in prejudice and misunderstanding, not in core values. The movie is in English and the production itself has been a cosmopolitan experience: a Canadian-French production, shot in Morocco, and the US, the actors are American: Laura Ramsey, Lebanese: Carmen Lebbos, and Egyptian. Lebbos admits that acting in a language that is not her own was actually her greatest challenge. “Acting in English means feeling in English, it’s a whole different world and I was afraid it would not work out. It wasn’t easy but everything turned out beautifully. It was also an international crew and we all got along great, it felt like a real family,” she explains. Dancing however, was no foreign language as it has always been her childhood dream to become a dancer, actually, the actress wishes there were more dancing scenes in Whatever Lola Wants. The movie spurred quite a controversy in Egypt, where many consider that Ayoush’s portrayal of Egypt is not a flattering one. However, this modern day cross-cultural Cinderella fairytale is a beautiful hymn to one of the country’s most admired traditions. In Lebanon’s the movie opened in style with Grand Cinema ABC hosting a red carped worthy of Hollywood’s greatest stars. The beautiful Carmen Lebbos was of course, present, along Nabil Ayouch and Moroccan ambassador as well as the Actors Syndicate’s most prominent members.

Silina

	Rating: GA Length: 90 minutes Release Date: 25 March 2009 Produced by: Nader Atassi Directed by: Hatem Ali Written By: Mansour Rahbani with the cooperation of Ghadi Rahbani Actors: Duraid Lahham, Miriam Fares, George Khabbaz, Antoine Karbej, Hussam Tahsin Beik, Elie Chouairy, Bassel Khayat Review: One girl, poor, candid, exposes a whole town, that was living on lies. Her weapon? Honesty. Her motive? Selflessness. But is this possible in the real world? Or is it just a dream? A dream? So be it. But are not dreams the first step to reality? “Silina” is the old dream of a producer that has given a lot to the Arab world cinema. Driven by his relentless love of others for years gone by, he ventured upon making a musical, in spite of all the special financial and artistic requirements of the genre; designs, costumes, musicians, singers, dancers, actors, and technicians. “Love” can also be contagious, and if you read the script written by renowned author “Mansour Rahbani” and listen to the Rahbani brothers play “Hala and the King”, you’ll fall in love with that “dream” and understand the secret reason of producer Nader El Atassi’s attachment to this project. I admit: I also fell into the same “trap”. Hatem Ali

Main Menu

Golden Apple Award

© 2009 Cinemaiyat.org All rights reserved.