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film: Paradise Now
director: Hany Abu-Assad
cast: Kais Nashef, Ali Suliman, Lubna Azabel
Warner Independent / 1 hr 31 min / 2005
score: 76 < click to learn more

by Joel Mathiesen

This was likely the most powerful film I have seen all year. From the acting to the directing, everything was incredibly realistic. The style of capturing reality in the movie was similar to that of Stanley Kubrick's film, “Full Metal Jacket.” One of my favorite techniques in this film was how the director focused in on the eyes. I have never seen the eyes give so much away and say so many things. The screenplay could have been better but the facial expressions were the true script.

This was not the “artistic movie of the year,” but the thought-provoking message and the realness of the acting made this movie very memorable. The heart breaking theme of the movie made the true impact. The director did a great job of showing the pain and struggles of the characters but, it never really gets deeper than the political posturing and the feelings behind suicide bombing. All in all this was a good movie that is well worth your money.