THE BAND'S VISIT

THE BAND'S VISIT - 2007

RATED - PG-13 for brief, strong language. A brief sexual encounter happens off camera. Pretty family friendly but probably a little slow for children.

RATINGS - 40 Amazon (4.5/5), 81,485 Netflix (3.5/5), 4,195 IMDB (7.7/10), Roger Ebert (4/4).

AWARDS - 40 nominations and 9 wins at various film festivals including BEST PICTURE from the Israeli Film Academy.

THEMES - Relationships.

STORY - An Egyptian police band from Alexandria travels to Israel to perform at the grand opening of an Arab Cultural Center in a small town. Somehow their connections get mixed up and they end up stranded in the middle of nowhere in Israel. The picture of the eight of them in their formal powder blue uniforms against the stark desert landscape says it all. They're lost. What happens next is not a summit meeting that will solve all the Israeli-Palestinian issues but it does show how, as human beings, we all share similar stories in this journey called life. The story centers on three main people, the very stern, rigid leader of the band, a young free-spirited ladies man in the band and a middle aged woman who runs a deli and agrees to put the band up for the night since there is no hotel and the last bus for the day has left. Both the woman and the band leader open up to each other in ways they would never have expected at the beginning of that day. This is a delightful little story that reminds us that some of the best moments in life can be the unplanned ones, the interruptions that are initially very frustrating but can be life changing or, at least, very influential. Like having a flat tire in the middle of nowhere and a stranger stops to help. Though this movie does not attempt to solve any of the world's big problems, it does remind one that, as humans, we forget that we have more in common than we realize. While world leaders may use angry rhetoric and accusations, the vast majority of the world wants to learn to get along even with those we may call 'enemies'. Enjoy this entertaining hour and half. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06/14/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, ROGER EBERT

SALAAM BOMBAY!

SALAAM BOMBAY! - 1988

RATED - NR but some language (several 'f' words, some violence, no sex or sexual nudity shown).

RATINGS - 28 Amazon (5/5), 47,653 Netflix (3.8/5), 2,685 IMDB (8.0/10), Roger Ebert (4/4).

AWARDS - Nominee for BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM -Academy Awards, BAFTA and Golden Globes.

THEMES - Relationships, justice.

STORY - I would call this film a docudrama. The screenplay is like a documentary but it feels like a real life drama. It is SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE without the millionaire. The entire film is shot on location in the slums of Bombay (now Mumbai) and it feels like you're right there with all the filth, the squalor and the mobs of people. The filmmakers also used real street children for the film. Krishna, an 11 year old boy, has been sent by his mother to work in the circus to earn money. One day, the circus leaves without him and he finds his way to the nearest 'big town', Bombay. There we meet the other main characters, street children, pimps, druggies and prostitutes. In their own way, they stick together and fight to survive. When they try to earn money honestly, the employers take advantage of them, knowing they have no one to defend them. Others give up on honest wages and turn to crime and drugs to survive. But they are all real people and have a story and that's the strength of this movie. You really feel like you have entered into the lives of these people and walked with them in their journey, however short and difficult it may be. Krishna's only goal is to make 500 rupees to take home, a modest goal for most people, but a huge obstacle in that environment. While there are plenty of depressing moments in the film, there is also hope, that with the right kind of guidance and opportunity, these are bright and resourceful children who would be successful in legitimate society if they were given a chance. The sad truth is that very few of them will have that life changing opportunity. There are millions of street children in India and around the world. Many of them just waiting for a sponsor to get them out of the cycle of poverty and crime through organizations that are doing a great work of love and compassion. One of the outstanding ones is COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL. If you watch the film, and I highly recommend it, don't stop there, get involved in making a difference. It changes our lives, too. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06/14/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, ROGER EBERT, COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL

EMPIRE OF THE SUN

EMPIRE OF THE SUN - 1987

RATED - PG for violence and intense scenes of terror. Not overly graphic but take it seriously for younger children. Recommended for 13 and over.

RATINGS - 255 Amazon (4.5/5), 590,285 Netflix (3.9/5), 29,383 IMDB (7.7/10), Roger Ebert (2.5/4).

STARRING - Christian Bale (film debut), John Malkovich, Nigel Havers (Chariots of Fire), Ben Stiller.

THEMES - Relationships, the human spirit.

AWARDS - 6 Academy Award nominations and BEST PICTURE nominee Golden Globes.

STORY - Christian Bale makes his stunning movie debut in this Spielberg directed film as Jamie, a 12 year old British boy, who grows up in luxury and opulence as the son of a wealthy textile factory owner in China during WWII. Having attended the best private schools, having every conceivable luxury available to a young boy growing up in that era, not least of which is being able to give the servants orders in direct contradiction to the instructions given by his mother, his life is abruptly changed when the Japanese take over that part of China. His family moves into a hotel temporarily to see what happens and when the Japanese bomb that part of the city, thought to be safe, there is a panic as thousands of British and Chinese try to escape. Jamie and his parents are separated and do not reunite until the end of the war, approximately four years later. The film is the story of Jamie's survival during that time. An extremely bright and resourceful boy (played brilliantly by Bale), he uses his natural leadership and aggression to stay alive and become indispensable to the American who becomes the unofficial leader (godfather) of the prison camp. The camera work, acting and screenplay are exceptional, not to mention the music. The film loses a little something (I think) when Spielberg gets a little too artistic and surreal but this is still one of Spielberg's best. Overall, a very interesting and worthwhile movie about another slice of WWII and how the human spirit adapts when it is put into survival mode. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 05/25/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, TRAILER, ROGER EBERT

THE INCIDENT

THE INCIDENT - 1990

RATED - NR but probably PG for some language (family friendly).

RATINGS - 5 Amazon (4.5/5), 5,499 Netflix (3.7/5), 228 IMDB (7.2/10).

STARRING - Walter Matthau, Harry Morgan, Susan Blakely.

AWARDS - EMMY for Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special & nominated for several other awards including two Emmy's.

THEMES - Justice, prejudice.

STORY - This made for TV special takes place in 1944 in the fictional town of Bremen, Colorado (it was filmed in Colorado Springs) which is home to a POW camp for German soldiers just outside town. The long-time, popular town physician (also the camp doctor) is murdered at the camp late one night. A makeshift Federal Court is set up in town to conduct the trial. No one doubts for a minute that one of the prisoners, Wilhelm Geiger, did it. To give him a 'fair' trial, he must have legal representation so the judge 'drafts' local down and out attorney, Harmon Cobb (Matthau) to do the job. Cobb, a decorated WWI hero, with a son serving in the military in France, is reluctant to take the job. The judge 'convinces' him to do it. Immediately, he and his family become targets for the local townspeople as 'German lovers'. As he gets into the case, he realizes that it's not all that it appears to be. The acting is great and the story is intriguing, especially since this is a part of WWII that has not had much publicity. A very informative and entertaining 100 minutes, especially for those who like courtroom dramas. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 05/24/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, POW LINK

P.S. I have to admit I was not aware that there were approximately 500 of these POW Camps in the U.S. during WWII. There were between 400,000-500,000 German and Italian soldiers held prisoner. Because of the war, there was a shortage of farm labor and many of them ended working on farms. It is a subject not given much publicity as far as I know. If you google 'german pow camps in america' you will find some interesting websites.

TAKING CHANCE

TAKING CHANCE - 2008

RATED - TV-PG

RATINGS - 52 Amazon (5/5), 14,784 Netflix (4.2/5), 2,284 IMDB (7.3/10).

STARRING - Kevin Bacon as Lt. Col. Mike Strobl

THEMES - Sacrifice, relationships.

STORY - Based on a true life events, this HBO docudrama follows the journey of Lt. Col. Mike Strobl who volunteers to escort the body of Chance Phelps, who was killed in action in Iraq, to his home. Strobl initially volunteered because he saw that Phelps, who he had never met, was from the same home town in Colorado. It turns out, however, that the family wants him buried in Dubois, Wyoming and the real reason he wants to accompany the body is a deep feeling of guilt for not serving in Iraq. This is not only the personal story of Mike Strobl but an incredible look at the process of getting the bodies of fallen soldiers from foreign soil to their final home. The care, reverence, honor and respect that characterizes this process is amazing. From the smallest detail of making sure the last uniform they wear is absolutely perfect to the protocol of everyone involved along the way, including the civilians involved from airline ticket clerks to the pilot of the plane, the love and care will overwhelm you. It is also the story of Pfc. Chance Phelps, whose promotion to Lance Corporal had been overlooked the week before his death, a young man who died way before he should have. A gunner in a Humvee, his mission partners credit him for saving their lives when their convoy is hit by an IED. A potential college scholarship athlete, he chose the Marines to serve his country the best way he knew how. Like many gifted, confident young men, he probably thought he was invincible. Another terrific HBO movie and a great tribute to those who serve our country prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. Make sure to have a Kleenex handy. The extras about the real Chance Phelps and Mike Strobl are very good. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 05/23/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, TRAILER

LIVE AND BECOME

LIVE AND BECOME - 2005

RATED - NR but probably PG-13 for some language and violence.

RATINGS - 7 Amazon (4.5/5), 2,477 Netflix (4/5), 2,130 IMDB (8/10).

AWARDS - 9 wins and 6 nominations at numerous film festivals.

THEMES - Relationships, spirituality, justice.

STORY - This is the story of Schlomo (Solomon), a 9 year old Ethiopian young boy whose Christian mother disguises him as an Ethiopian Jew to take the place of a Jewish boy his age who has just died and whose mother is being airlifted out of a Sudan refugee camp in 1984 as part of a rescue mission operated by the Israeli secret service to bring Ethiopian Jews to Israel. His mother's parting words as he very reluctantly leaves are 'go, live and become'. He does go and he does live (his 'new' mother dies shortly after arriving in Israel) and the film is about becoming. He is adopted by a secular Jewish family. Becoming is hard enough growing up under normal circumstances. What if you must keep the secret that you are not Jewish and should never have been admitted to the country, learn to live in family where you don't fit in easily, adapt to a culture that is foreign and unfriendly to blacks and experience all the many adolescent challenges of hormones, loneliness, and a great ache for your homeland and birth mother? How does one cope with all these challenges? The three actors that play the various stages of Schlomo's life do an outstanding job. There are many levels which hit your emotions as you watch this. You want to him to survive and mature but it's so difficult, the odds are not good and you know he most likely would have been dead had he stayed in Sudan. Somehow he must persevere and overcome and 'become'. A heart-breaking and uplifting story of the human spirit and the will to live and become. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 05/16/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB.

A WOMAN CALLED GOLDA

A WOMAN CALLED GOLDA - 1982

RATED - NR but probably PG for some violence and thematic material.

RATINGS - 9 Amazon (5/5), 1,108 Netflix (3.4/5), 261 IMDB (8.4/10).

STARRING - Ingrid Bergman and Leonard Nimoy

AWARDS - Golden Globe and Emmy for BEST ACTRESS plus several other wins & nominations.

STORY - The made for TV mini-series begins with a limousine pulling up to an elementary school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Out steps Golda Meir, the former Prime Minister of Israel and the most famous graduate of this school. Born a Russian Jew, she and her family were forced to leave Russia in the early 20th century and emigrated to the US. Golda's dream became to live in Israel. As she answers questions from the school children she flashes back to her life and the events that led to her being the Prime Minister of Israel and one of the most influential women of the 20th century. Ingrid Bergman is outstanding as always and was a great choice to play the part of Golda Meir. This is not only the story of an incredible and influential woman but it is the story of Israel, its journey to statehood and its fight to survive in the midst of its enemies. It's a great biography and an excellent history lesson. It makes one wonder what it would be like now if there were a woman of her stature in Israeli leadership. It's four hours long with the DVD divided into two sections. Well worth the investment of time to learn more about this important area of the world. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 05/16/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB.