kwhatever55 Reviews

Kippur (2000)

Probably the best anti-war film ever.

[5 May 2004]

This is not a Hollywood film, and not an action film by any means. Its an art film, just look at the opening love making sequence. Two characters making love sopping in paint on Yom Kippur while everyone else takes part in religious activities. You dont get much more sac-religious than this. So we know this is not a propoganda film.

Despite its boredom and such, when compared to other "anti-war" films like platoon and such, this is king. Why? Because there is nothing glorifying about it or the characters, its boring, there is not a single gunshot in the whole film. Rather we spend 2 hours following a medical rescue team in a chopper hauling dead and wounded bodies into a chopper. No heroic sacrifice, no barely dodging bullets and RPG's, no cool action sequences at all. Israel needs more films like this, to see the futility of fighting wars like this. The use of long shots puts us on the outside looking in on the film, and the use of long takes helps us observe these events in real time. Specifically with the stuck in the mud scene. THe one character ironically says "this earth, this sH^&*^" When the Israeli ideology is so focused on a spiritual connection with the land, the land they feel entitled to.

Its about time that Anti-war films actually institute a feeling of real social change, and not pretend to be anti-war films conveying sacrifice and a "it was worth it" ideal. Real anti-war films do not just show the horror of blood and guts and death, they show the futility of it completely. And they are very difficult for the viewer to accept for the first time.

Chronicle of a Disappearance (1996)

Funny, Artistic, Mysterious

[30 March 2004]

My guess regarding all the props used in the film, is that is was created to break expectations of genres and stereotypes of Palestinians. We see a beautiful Arab woman unable to rent a flat in Jerusalem because others can tell over the phone that she is arab and not Israeli. We then see her with two men strapping wires around her, telling her where the remote is, and where to insert the powder. This turned out to be a fireworks display they were showing her. The viewer will also see things such as guns and grenades, which turn out to be lighters, Israeli police hastingly exiting a van with their rifles and lining up against a wall so they can all pee together next to each other. Our main character, the director, is somehow unable or chooses not to speak in this film. After coming back from NYU, Suileman is supposed to return to Palestine to present a film about peace, and is unable to speak, or is never given the chance to even when on a podium. Long takes, long moments of silence, and constant humored dialog and dashed expectations are what makes this mysterious film. Theres a mix of languages, including Arabic, English, French, Russian, and Hebrew. So many things about it, a college course could be taught on it. This is not the film you want to see if you are looking for propaganda, rather it falls more into the art film realm.

Mr. Baum (1997)

Blazingly funny, pessimistic ending

[18 March 2004]

Very freudian and critical of religion is the undertone I got from this movie. The fact that the jewish mentality or Israeli mentality was the celebration of life. Yet we see the Israelis doing things completely unreligious, smoking, felating, teen sex, sex with a sales girl in a drugstore asile, ironically talking about death and life, and our main character refusing to talk about it. THe very end of the movie, we have the two burial helpers saying, "theres no plan, you live and thats it." My guess is that this film had some controversy when it was released, its more critical of Jewish spiritual beleifs, and honest about the way humans and Jews look at death and afterlife. In one scene, he wants to jump into an ambulance telling them he only has a half hour to live. THe ambulance people shove him out telling him that with a half hour he can "call God."

Nasser 56 (1996)

Most overt ideological film I've ever seen

[23 February 2004]

The obvious propaganda and overt use of mis en scene and cinematography is at work in this long film. Nasser, the Egyptian president during the 50's through the 70's, is shown as a brave, noble, selfless, perfect, without feeling, supernatural human being. The man who takes time out of important meetings to play with his children, who are all beautiful and perfectly obedient as the camera shows. A wife who never questions, always supports, and Nasser himself always depicted as thinking hard, never sleeping or drinking, smoking occasionally. "I share your feelings dear brothers", and constantly ingrained in Muslim support of their cause. While my Egyptian professor thinks that in real life, it was his actions who caused the downfall of Egypt, and the current state it is in today. Your classic low angle shots of the flag, high angle shots looking down on him, close ups, and intimacy with his facial expressions force the viewer into sympathy for him. Other parties, such as the old diplomats, are shown doing nothing but drinking again and again. The Israelis are given no characters or closeups, rather are only shown in tanks and legions of armies. The french, shown as drinking idiots, with funny nonsensical facial expressions. While the Egyptians, do everything through Non-violence in the film. Such as when they took over the Suez Canal, even the Generals are shown without any firearms.

Again, this is a long film, because a patriotic ideology is at work, attempting to show Egyptians, that its bad now, but this was the way things were. This was when things were good.

Lay It Down (2001)

Very disappointed, (from a Christian's Perspective)

[17 February 2004]

Just about the worst acting, writing, and overuse of transitions I will ever see. Christiancinema has a lot of explaining to do, as well as some serious work to do, because I would be ashamed to have anyone who isn't a Christian to see this. Iam ashamed to even have my very own Christian friends see it. The story has a good idea to it, but the acting, script, costume design ex. "Money" looks like he jumped out of N sync. Overuse of fading in and out transitions with memory to street racing expereinces, music - similar to watching an old 80's movie about drugs you'd see in Health class. The overall corny shots, the kid with his wingspan pose being held by his brother above the convertible, as an obvious technique taken from "Titanic". Many of my Christian friends would agree, we need more movies like "Contact" and "Signs". Overall, it was a great idea to reach the street racing audience put to terrible waste. While I appreciate the effort, I have a feeling the effect will only depict Christians as cheezy filmmakers with obvious attempts to convert everybody.

Powwow Highway (1988)

Fantastic film

[17 February 2004]

The opening shot of Reservation poverty cuts right to the problem of a land that should belong to a race of people here before any of us. Its depressing and funny as anything to watch, overall, an independent masterpeice. Anyone researching native Americans should see this film. The question at hand, is whether to think of it as a comedy or drama.

Jimbo