Hearat Shulayim

English Title: Footnote

Joseph Cedar, Israel, 20011, imdb

Review: 3.5 Uchuvas

Comment:

It took me all these time to comment in this film because my fellow companions watching this film didn't like it as much as I did.
Yes, It's not as good as I thought it would be. The trailers tricked me on that! I just thought that with such a great subject how can you missed to create a good film! Maybe they messed up the edition? You must say that the script was good... the idea was brilliant! and the actors were good. But yes, they were tones of information that didn't end anywhere! and, in fact, the film didn't end anywhere either!! (that end guys!! that end!! uuggrr!!) However, I still like it a lot. I enjoyed the drama and the general development. 

Meduzot

English Title: Jellyfish

Shira Geffen, Israel+others, 2007, imdb

Review: 3.5 Uchuvas

Comment:
It's kind of a weird feeling after watching this film. It is, indeed, very sad but some how it's not THAT depressing considering that none of the 4 stories is slightly happy. The actors weren't that good but the stories were nicely sad, nicely told and well edited (although sometimes the sequence should have been longer... well, from my humble point of view).

Ajami

English Title: Ajami

Scandar Copti-Yaron Shani, Israel, 2009, imdb

Review: 4.5 Uchuvas
Comment: The greatest achievement of this film is without any doubt: the editing! Unavailable good!! The story is amazingly sad specially because what it is behind it in all levels (political and human). BTW: two new directors... Spot on!

Gmar Gavi'a

English Title: Cup Final

Eran Riklis, Israel, 1991, imdb

Review: 1.5 Uchuvas
Comment: So, I had another go with this director and it was deeply dissapointed. Let's say that he got better with age! There is no way to compare either The Syrian Bride (2004) and Lemon Tree (2008)with this film! I will only say that during the film I took plenty of time to find and kill a mosquito flying around my room without stoping the film.

Etz Limon

English Title: Lemon Tree

Eran Riklis, Israel+France+Germany, 2008, imdb

Review: 4.0 Uchuvas
Comment: It's been a while since my last post and I'm glad I'm back with this beautiful film.  I passed by a theater and saw a poster of an Israel film with an actress I knew so I just decided to have a go and see what was about.  After I saw the film I realized that it's the same director of the other film I liked a lot: The Syrian Bride.  What I like the most is the softness of the film with such a tough subject. It's very nice how the director mixed the complex political subject with complex relationships. 

Vals Im Bashir

English Title: Waltz with Bashir

Ari Folman, Israel+others, 2008, imdb

Review: 3.5 Uchuvas
Comment: Without any doubt the graphics are great, the artistic side of the film is really good. I like a lot how they play with a yellowish color; that color and some others gave so much power to the film, especially to the subject of it; for me the color talks for itself.  I won't say that the film is a bad film... not at all! It's just that I don't like war films even if they are animation films!! In fact it's very stressing looking at an animation film (which is suppose to be fun and relax) showing a war story. For people who don't care much about watching or not war films, it's really worth it!

The Syrian Bride

English Title: The Syrian Bride

Eran Riklis,France-Germany-Israel,2004, imdb

Review: 5.0 Uchuvas
Comment: It's an amazing film!!! It really is aaaaaamazing! When I saw the film I didn't know very much about the conflicts around the area where the film is set: The Golan Heights. It was "undisputed Syrian territory until Israel captured the region on 9-10 June 1967 during the Six-Day War..." (whole story here). Apparently when Israel took the region, a lot of Syrian families got stuck in their own territory; Israelis didn't allow the Syrians, that were living in the taken territory, to leave unless it was for good. DO NOT WORRY... This is not the plot of the film!! not at all....it's just that I'd have loved to know this before watching the film!!! The photography is great and the actors soo good! It's a great combination of history, drama, comedy and surrealism (for the situation itself). Great film! Have a look!

Bikur Ha-Tizmoret

English Title: The Band's Visit

Eran Kolirin, Israel, 2007, imdb

Review: 4.5 Uchuvas

Comment: Only for the ridiculous situation that the band is in, it's worth watching! So funny! The acting is really great; they are the ones that makes the film real, as the situation is not!