Board viewRecommended movie/DVD: "Amreeka" (video-photo)
posted by bibleprobe
, Mass., 01.18.2010
BibleProbe.com comment:
This is a good peek into the trials and tribulations of even a non Muslim Palestinian family's attempt at assimilation into American society (in Illinois). Except for the obvious Palestinian propaganda-like attempts to demonize the Israeli's as some sort of evil "occupiers" -- which they aren't -- I found this movie to be charming and probably realistic. In fact, I love this hidden gem of a movie. It's funny, heartwarming, and just 96 min long.
I loved how the teenage Palestinian boy handled his role. And I loved the roles played by the two young "sassy", already "Americanized", American-Palestinians girls -- who are Muna's nieces in Illinois. Actress Nisreen Faour as Muna was simply incredibly believable, honest, sweet, and a bit chubby (but she knows that)... The older Jewish male school "headmaster" who becomes Muna's only friend, also did a fine job in this movie. Finally, National Geographic (movie distributor) is doing something other than selling over-priced cheap, poorly made clothing, and trinkets...
![[image]](http://prorege-forum.com/Amreeka.jpg)
See YouTube movie trailer: here
AMAZON description:
Amreeka chronicles the adventures of Muna, a single mother who leaves the West Bank with Fadi, her teenage son, with dreams of an exciting future in the promised land of small town Illinois. In America, as her son navigates high school hallways the way he used to move through military checkpoints, the indomitable Muna scrambles together a new life cooking up falafel burgers as well as hamburgers at the local White Castle. Told with heartfelt humor by writer-director Cherien Dabis in her feature film debut, Amreeka is a universal journey into the lives of a family of immigrants and first-generation teenagers caught between their heritage and the new world in which they now live and the bittersweet search for a place to call home.
Amreeka recalls Dabis's family's memories of their lives in rural America during the first Iraq War. The film stars Haifa-trained actress Nisreen Faour as Muna, and Melkar Muallen plays her 16-year-old son, Fadi. Also in the cast are Hiam Abbass, Alia Shawkat, Yussef Abu-Warda and Joseph Ziegler. Written and directed by Cherien Dabis, Amreeka was produced by Christina Piovesan and Paul Barkin. Alicia Sams, Dabis and Gregory Keever were executive producers; Liz Jarvis and Al-Zain Al-Sabah were co-producers. Amreeka made its world premiere in dramatic competition at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, and played as Opening Night of New Directors/New Films, a co-presentation of The Museum of Modern Art and The Film Society of Lincoln Center. Amreeka made its debut internationally in Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.
See at Amazon: here
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- Recommended movie/DVD: "Amreeka" - bibleprobe, 01.18.2010