Category Archives: Arab Culture

2013, Amazon Prime, Anti-Arab, Anti-terrorism, Arab Culture, Brother-Brother relations, Bullying, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Gay theme, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Grim, Hebrew and Arabic, Homophobia, Israeli culture, Israeli Secret Service, Lawyers, Mother-son relations, Palestine vs Israel, Problematic Ending, Suspense, Violent

Out In The Dark (2013)

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From IMDB:

A drama centered on the love affair between two men on opposite sides of the Mid-East conflict: Palestinian student Nimer and Roy, an Israeli lawyer.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1 hour 35 minute Israeli film with English subtitles.

Hopelessness of a gay relationship between a Palestinian and an Israeli seems to be the theme and intent of this film.  Homosexuality is accepted in Israel and violently rejected in Palestine.  What really complicates matters is the fact that Nimer’s brother is a Palestinian terrorist which brings the homophobic Israeli secret service into the plot.  When Nimer is finally on the run from the authorities, through the connection of Roy’s father Nimer is smuggled on a boat out of both countries expecting to meet Roy in Paris.   But that is the end of the story without any satisfying conclusion. Indeed that seems to be the point of the film.  Is there a solution?

As well done as it is hopeless.

2016, Abduction, Anti-Arab, Arab Culture, Based on a Book, Bloody scenes, Child abduction and murder, Child Molestation, Could Be Hard To Watch, Danish, Danish Detectives, Dark, Disturbing Image, Explicit sex, Grim, Netflix Streaming, Orphans in Foster Care, Philosophic Discussions, Police Politics, Religious Theme, Sadism, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Sociopath, Suspense, Uncategorized, Violent

Department Q (2016)

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From Denmark comes this TV detective series in which each episode lasts most of 2 hours. In other words, each episode is a feature-length film. From Netflix you can stream each episode.  Each episode has its own title. You should watch them in order. One of the reviewers called the series a “top box-office film in Denmark.”   Spoken Danish with English subtitles.

From Decider we learn that there are six books in the series, but that only three have been made into films.

WARNING: Generally speaking, these episodes are grim, violent, and peopled with vindictive, cruel, sadistic, psychopathic villains.  Strong stomachs are advised.

Episode 1: The Keeper of Lost Causes

From Decider:

Precisely. Nikolaj Lie Kaas stars as Carl Morck, a brilliant homicide detective who gets demoted to Department Q. His partner in solving crime? Another detective named Assad (played by actor Fares Fares). Together they delve into the crimes no one wants solved.

Episode 1 introduces us to the two detectives mentioned above. In episode 2 a third member is added to Department Q, which we would call the “Collection of Unsolved Crimes or Cold Cases”.

In this episode a young woman politician in on a ferry with her emotionally disturbed brother when she is abducted and held captive in a barometric chamber. You were warned it could get ugly!

Episode 2: The Absent One

In this episode the detectives uncover a series of brutal crimes planned and perpetrated by students at a posh private high school that caters to the ruling class. Their outrageous behavior continues throughout their wealthy lives as they are protected by a former classmate who is now an extremely powerful lawyer. More Ugly!

Episode 3: A Conspiracy of Faith

Yet another psychopath, this time kidnapping children of fundamentalist Christians and using a type of religious blackmail against the parents.  As we often seen in such films, the sociopath does his damage calmly and with a bland or smiling countenance. But still ugly!

One characteristic of all three stories is the suspenseful and action filled final scene in which our heroes confront the villain. You might even hold your breath in all the (did I mention “ugly”?) excitement. Take a tranquilizer and enjoy.

 

 

2013, Arab Culture, Arabic, Basically Sad, Hebrew, Israeli Palestinian Conflict, Prison, Revenge, Suspense, Torture, Violent, Wonderful acting

Omar (2013)

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From Netflix:

With his girlfriend, Nadia, living on the other side of an Israeli-built boundary wall, young Palestinian Omar regularly scales it to visit her. But he faces even greater obstacles after a lethal confrontation with an Israeli soldier.

From a filmmaking viewpoint, “Omar” is well done. Emotionally, as is true for most films about the Israeli Palestinian conflict, it offers a sad, hopeless view of the lives of those unfortunately born into the situation.

If you are a history fan, you will realize that such an atmosphere of paranoia in which you can trust no-one: friends, lovers, or otherwise is nothing new. In the court of Henry VIII of England there were spies everywhere.

For a good review see what Roger Ebert has to say.

As yet I do not understand why there is a wall between Palestinians and Palestinians. Omar regularly jumps this wall to see Nadia. But Nadia is Palestinian.

Stay alert for the final few seconds of the story.

If you can stand the heartache, “Omar” is worth watching.

2012, Arab Culture, Arabic, Basically Sad, Conspiracy, Disturbing Image, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Hebrew, Israeli Palestinian Conflict, Jewish Culture, Medical Theme, Military, Nudity, Sex Scenes, Terrorist Attack, Violent, Well developed plot, Wonderful acting

The Attack (2012)

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From Netflix:

An Arab Israeli physician offers assistance at the scene of a gruesome suicide bombing in Tel Aviv and then learns that the bomber was his own wife. Stunned and furious, he sets out to confront the people who encouraged her deadly decision.

To paraphrase an old saying, “One good film is worth a thousand history books”. My guess is that as you watch this marvelous film in Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles your attitude towards the events and the protagonists will change at least somewhat. Here is yet another film about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that succeeds in not choosing sides, something that is very difficult to do in a film. If nothing else you will probably sympathize with the surgeon husband of the suicide bomber, a man caught in the middle of two cultures.

Superb acting, subtly developed plot, and a thought-provoking situation make for a must-see film.

2012, Acceptable for children, Arab Culture, Arabic, Bicycles, Could Be Sad, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Feel Good For All, Human spirit, Optimistic, Religious Theme, Unusual

Wadjda (2012)

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From Netflix:

Persistent 10-year-old Wadjda would like nothing more than a new bicycle so she can beat her friend (a boy) in a race. But it’s going to take some ingenuity to get one — especially in her culture, which sees bikes as a threat to a girl’s virtue.

Because this film is not yet on DVD, and also not available from Netflix, we went to a movie theater. As my hearing gets worse, I am dependent on subtitles. Since this film is in Arabic, there were subtitles.

While re-enforcing my opinions about the sad repression of women under Islam, this film cannot fail to charm even the most skeptical viewer. Spunky Wadjda and her wonderful young friend Abdullah are a pleasure to watch. Abdullah is so thoughtful of his rebellious sidekick that you wonder where in his male-dominated society he learned to care.

“Just tell the story” and the points will come across. Indeed, you will see religious fundamentalism revealed as also hypocrisy. You will see that although Wadjda’s father loves her and her mother, he is under societal pressure to produce a male heir. You will see Saudi natives able to bully possibly non-legal immigrants. And above all you will see a somewhat crushing regimen forced upon the women in a seemingly bleak country.

For a down-to-earth possibly sad but also spirited story, DO NOT MISS!

2012, Arab Culture, Drama, Feel Good For All, Israeli Palestinian Conflict, Jewish Culture

The Other Son (2012)

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From Netflix:

While preparing to enter the Israeli military for his compulsory service, young Joseph Silberg learns he was accidentally switched at birth with the son of an Arab couple from the West Bank — a shocking revelation that sends both families reeling.

Joseph Silberg has been raised a Jew in Tel-Aviv. Yacine Al Bezaaz has been raised a Palestinian Arab. To keep sanity in this discussion we have to use the characters’ names because these two young men (approximately 18 years old) were switched at birth due to the panic of a scud attack.

You can imagine the reactions of hurt, anger, and confusion. For example:

  • Joseph wrestles with “Am I a Jew?”
  • Joseph’s father is Israeli military.
  • Joseph has done nothing with his life.
  • Yacine is about to enter medical school in Paris.
  • Yacine and his brother Bilal have a dream of opening a hospital for their fellow Palestinians.
  • Bilal hates Jews.
  • Yacine’s family struggles with money.

Whether it is realistic or not, the hope of this story is to watch a rapport grow between these two distraught and very loving families.

If nothing else we can see visibly the enormous difference between the lives of the Jewish occupiers and the oppressed Palestinians.

Many languages are used, but the film is basically French with a choice of subtitles.

An adult drama well worth seeing.

2006, Arab Culture, Crude Talk, Dancing, Explicit sex, Flirting, Gay theme, Hebrew and Arabic, Jewish Culture, Love Story, Military, Nudity, Political statement, Race Relations, Suicide, Suspense, Violent, War, Wonderful acting

The Bubble (2006)

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From NetFlix:

When a young Israeli named Noam (Ohad Knoller) falls for a handsome Palestinian (Yousef “Joe” Sweid) he meets while working at a checkpoint in Tel Aviv, he recruits his roommates Yelli (Alon Friedman) and Lulu (Daniela Virtzer) to help find a way for the two to stay together. Director Eytan Fox’s poignant film offers a glimpse at life inside the tumultuous borders of Israel, where everyday people are constantly surrounded by conflict.

Two themes run concurrently throughout this film: The difficulty of being gay in the Arab world (Israel is very accepting) and the constant wearying and dangerous conflict between Jews And Arabs.

Previously I reviewed Yossi and Jagger which was written and directed by Etan Fox. Ohad Knoller who was the lead actor in that film is also the lead Jewish character in “The Bubble”. He again plays a Gay Jew who this time falls in love with a Gay Arab named Ashraf. Arab culture is strongly homophobic so that Ashraf’s life becomes not only difficult but dangerous. Much film footage is devoted to the perilous border crossing where several sad scenes are enacted.

Realize that the cast of characters are young adults and as such spend their time talking about romances and popular music. But the entire film rings true as it portrays the lives of young single (and mostly Gay) Jews most of whom are tired of and against the unending war.

WARNING: In the film Gays exchange much same-sex kissing. Additionally there is one explicit scene in which the two male leads engage in anal intercourse.

For Ashraf the situation seems hopeless (for further reasons as the film develops) and this hopelessness leads to a surprising but possible fitting conclusion. Comments welcome.

Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles.