Movie Review: "The Band's Visit"

This comedy centers around the plight of an Egyptian ceremonial band lost in a lost Israeli city. The Alexandria (Egypt) police band is engaged to play classical Arabic music at the opening of an Arabic cultural center in a West Bank city in Israel. On arrival in Israel, they are stranded and erroneously end up spending the night in a desolate dessert Israeli Jewish settlement.

Because the movie is in Hebrew, Arabic and English (with English subtitles), the dialogue is sparse, but pointed. The sharp and sometimes dry humor is almost entirely situational. An astounding degree of intimacy is developed between the Egyptian and Jewish characters through the cast’s superb acting skills with a bare bone minimum of dialogue. At one point the band’s leader is asked “Why does a police band need to play Arabic music?” The reply: “That’s like asking why a man needs a soul.” Exceptional performances are rendered by Sasson Gabai, who plays Tewfiq, the band’s maestro and Khalifa Natour, who plays Simon, the band’s second-in-command. All in all, it’s a blending of elements of “Little Miss Sunshine” and “The Russians are Coming!”

Movie Review: "Marooned in Iraq"

This 2003 release by Kurdish director Bahman Ghobadi revolves around the adventures of an elderly Kurdish singer named Mirza and his two musician sons, Barat and Audeh. Mirza persuades his sons to accompany him on a trip from his Iranian village to search for his ex-wife, Hanereh, who is lanaguishing in an Iraqi refugee camp. The journey is fraught with numerous conflict and personal loss, but is not bereft of comedy. The first hour of the film is quite comical. The last portion of the story is bleak and heavy on stark symbolism.

Movie Review: Daughter of Keltoum (Bent Keltoum)

This French film is about the journey if a young Swiss woman, Rallia, who returns to Algeria seeking her biological mother. She was adopted as a baby by a Swiss couple. She returns to the remote mountainous village of her mother, only to discover that she no longer lives there. While staying in the village, she meets her maternal grandfather and aunt. As the film progresses she both embraces and rejects the culture of her mother. In the end self-deceptions and torturous self-sacrifices are laid bare by her final confrontation with her mother.

This movie is in French and Arabic with English subtitles. The story is somewhat interesting, but moves rather slowly.

Movie Review: "Jumper"

This Doug Liman (Bourne Identity) directed film chronicles the adolescence and early adulthood David Bruce. Bruce is a “Jumper” or one who is able to instantly bodily transport himself- or his goods and accomplices- to any place on the planet. After discovering his gift in late adolescence, Bruce pursues a life of near total self-indulgence.
He and fellow British Jumper, “Griffin”, are pursed by the Jumpers’ ancient foes, the “Palladins.” In the course of this conflict, Bruce re-discovers his childhood sweet heart. She, his family and friends all become potential peripheral damage in his battle with the Palladins.

The origins of the conflict between the Jumpers and the Palladins is never fully developed. Bruce’s relationship with his parents remains vague throughout the story. Samuel L. Jackson plays the head Palladin. Hayden Christensen’s portrayal of David Bruce and Jackson’s role are disappointing. The special effects are above average. The movie is appropriate in length for the plot. If you are looking for a slightly above average action movie without too much gore and no explicit sex, this is it.