Spuzzlightyear

(2012-04-29 18:52:04)

Ajami

An interesting film, no doubt heavily influenced by "Traffic" and"Babel" "Ajani" takes 5 or 6 stories and quite brilliantly interweavesthem together. The film mostly focuses on the Arab/Israeli conflict,and it's effect on the regular townspeople. It would help if you knew abit of history (I didn't) to have a better political connection to thestories, but that's OK, the stories make up for it with it's humanelement. It's a bit confusing to follow for the first bit while you'retrying to figure out what the filmmakers are doing, but once you getinto it, you get hooked. Contains a twist ending that's both shockingand in an instant, puts more depth into the story. A must see if you'reinto these types of films. Great work here.

(2012-04-29 12:00:04)

Missing dreams!

Ajami is a haifa's neighborhood. A cresol of cultures where different points of view exist and collide; a hazardous wasteland where Muslims and Christians are forced to live. Through the lives and times of several personages, we are witness about how messy and compelling the situation becomes till the boiling point is reached. Nasri (13)is a teenager who lives scared. Malek (the main feature) is a Palestine refugee who works ilegally in Israel, whose admiration and love for his elder brother and the serious health state of his mother forces him to cross over certain forbidden rules, and Binj is a rich Palestine who dreams with a promissory future together with his Jew girlfriend.These intersections of fate will make its appearance to twist and bend hopes and illusions; dreams and projects in this messy territory where the uncertainess rules and survive today is the main priority. A formidable movie whose realism and graphic crudeness have become a referential and one of the ten best films of this year.

Roger Ebert

(2012-04-28 00:25:34)

The specifics of the plot in Ajami aren't as important as the impact of many sad moments that build up one after another. Hatred is like the weather. You don't agree with the rain but still you get wet.

Red-125

(2012-04-27 07:31:25)

They're neighbors, but they're not friends

Ajami (2009) is an Israeli film nominated for Academy Award BestForeign Language film. It's written and co-directed by an Israeli and aPalestinian--Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani.This is a powerful film that takes place in the Ajami district, on theoutskirts of Jaffa. Ajami is a mixed neighborhood, where Muslims,Christians, and Jews coexist in an uneasy truce. The film opens with ascene of violence, and then flashes back to an earlier scene ofviolence for which the opening scene violence was a retaliation. There were five plot threads, all of them interrelated. Each scene waspowerful, but I sometimes had trouble remembering how the charactersknew each other, and how their history was shaping their presentactions.We saw this film at the superb Rochester Jewish Film Festival, but itwill work well on DVD. In fact, I think DVD might be better, becausethen you can go back and review what previous scene led to the sceneyou're watching. It all fits together, but it was hard for me toremember just how it fits together. It's worth watching the movie and,if need be, watching it again.

Harvey S. Karten

(2012-04-26 15:10:39)

As complex as Paul Haggis's film "Crash," this one may be confusing the first time around but affords the viewer an emotional picture of life in one of Israel's toughest neighborhoods.

Michael Phillips

(2012-04-26 04:00:04)

Aside from its honesty, I just think it's a really gripping narrative.

tombthrower

(2012-04-21 21:42:40)

Amazing piece of work

First of all, I have to say that I usually hate Israeli movies, they'reeither awfully political, terribly artsy or both altogether.I came to an early screening of this movie during a workshop in which Iwas participating, not knowing what to expect but not expecting much,and man... This movie blew me away. It's just great, really. Don't getme wrong, it's not perfect, but it's still great."City of God meets Pulp Fiction", some would say, and I tend to agreewith them! Besides, all the characters in the movie are played byabsolute non-actors, and they make an amazing job doing it.Anyway, all I'm saying is - go see it!

Steven Rea

(2012-04-21 09:54:10)

Ajami brings its audience into a world where the cultural conflict is fierce, emotions run high, yet the hopeful vision of peaceful coexistence shines through the cracks.

Robin Clifford

(2012-04-19 23:43:59)

...deft filmmaking and storytelling by the tyro directing team. I cannot wait to see their follow up works.

(2012-04-19 11:27:15)

A Harsh Portrait of Life in a Jaffa Neighborhood

Old Jaffa, bordered by the Mediterranean on the east and surrounded onthe other three sides by Tel Aviv, is still predominantly Arab andAjami is one of its neighborhoods. This film, which tells its severalstories episodically and without drawing any explicit lessons, conveysthe hazards attending life in a place where Israeli Arabs andPalestinian Arabs, both Muslim and Christian, Bedouin and othercriminal gangs, rub up against one another under the sometimes watchfuleye of Israeli police. Without summarizing the story to the point ofrevealing the plot, it is about violence and the threat of violence,about familial ties and codes, about vengeance and deals to appease theavengers. It is very well acted, and the subtitles make clear what isbeing said either in Arabic or Hebrew and occasionally both at once.The film makers have not had much experience. That makes it all themore remarkable that they have succeeded so admirably in tellingoverlapping stories from different vantage points and, sometimes, outof sequence without confusing the viewer. It is harsh but powerful filmand well worth the two hours required to watch it.

(2012-04-07 22:21:20)

Ajami - Kino (Blu-ray)

In our societies, when we think about the Middle East, what comes to mind might be the Israel-Palestine conflict, the war in Iraq, and maybe Iran - that's it. But we easily forget that the people in that region are affected in their everyday life by many of the problems that plague our society, too. That's what I got when I watched "Ajami," a riveting tour de force of daily life in one community in Israel, one of those films that you won't forget.The stories included in "Ajami" take place mostly in the Ajami neighborhood, located in Jaffa, a city incorporated with Tel-Aviv, in which Muslims, Christians, Jews and others co-exist in what appears to be a very fragile environment. The film begins with the assassination of Yihyah, a young man who was mistaken by somebody else, and paid with his life. The crime was witnessed by Nasri (Fouad Habash), a child whose voice tells us the origin of this horrible incident. It all started when a Bedouin went to Nasri's uncle's business to demand protection money. The uncle "makes the mistake" of shooting the criminal, which was a truly bad move, because the Bedouin belonged to the powerful Abul-Zen Clan, which will not rest until everybody in Nasri's family is decimated. So, as Nasry says, "the worst time of my life began." Nasri is moved out of town by his mother. However, his brother, Omar (Shabir Kabaha), stays and tries to find a way out. For this purpose, he seeks the help of Abu-Lias (Youssef Sahwani), a cafГѓВ© owner with connections. He informs Omar that they want to kill him, and that money is the only solution. So Omar and Abu-Lias meet a mediator and the gang leaders, and it is agreed that he has to pay the Clan 35,000 Dinars ($57,000), in order that he and his family can be spared. This, of course, is almost impossible. The movie is divided in chapters, and in the first three we meet other characters with similar problems, all of which are connected at the end, providing us with a big, dramatic picture, one that hits you in the gut. And you thought you had problems."Ajami" is what life is all about, and, in addition of entertaining, it really adds to your knowledge in understanding those cultures a little better. The film was deservedly nominated for the 2010 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category, and won numerous others, including five awards at the Israeli Film Academy, two being for Best Film and Best Directors (Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani). The magnificent Blu-ray edition is loaded with extras, such as deleted scenes, trailer, a documentary about the actors (mostly non-professional), and more. (Germany/Israel, 2009, color, 120 min plus additional materials)Reviewed on October 6, 2010 exclusively by Eric Gonzalez for [...]

gregking4

(2012-04-07 11:54:02)

a gritty and edgy drama set on the mean streets of Jaffa

Ajami is a gritty and edgy drama set on the mean streets of Jaffa, anarea of Tel Aviv with high unemployment and crime rates. It also is amelting pot of ethnic, racial and religious differences. Like Gomorrah,etc, the film follows a number of interwoven story lines andcharacters, and events are seen from a number of differentperspectives.The crux of the story deals with an act of revenge that sparks aviolent war between two crime clans. But the ripples of that act ofretribution affect the lives of many within the community, includingthe innocent. Ajami has been written and directed by Yaron Shani (whoseprevious film was the short Disphoria) and first time directorPalestinian Scandar Copti. The pair has used non-professional actors,which lends a raw and natural feel to the performances. The film'scentral character is Omar (Shahir Kabaha), is a young Israeli of Arabdescent who crosses some gangsters and has to broker a deal to save hisfamily. Part of that deal involves dealing drugs, which leads him intoeven more troubled waters.The film's creators suggest that there is no easy solution to thetensions and cultural divide of this area, but still the film holds outhope for the future.

Mick LaSalle

(2012-04-06 20:30:36)

It's a film that rewards close attention, involving disparate characters whose lives intersect over the course of several chapters.

MellowMuslim

(2012-04-06 11:02:51)

INJUSTICE TO MUSLIMS

I was impressed by signs of a melting pot in Jaffa’s Ajami: Muslims, Christians, Jews and probably others, living together and trying to co-exist peacefully:Omer, a Muslim Palestinian, fell in love with a Christian Palestinian, inspite of her father’s objection. Bijni, also a Muslim Palestinian, fell in love with a pretty Israeli Jewish blonde, inspite of being called “traitor” by his Palestinian relatives and friends. Add to that Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, the co-directors of the movie: the first a Palestinian Christian and the second an Israeli Jew.But, living in an officially Jewish state must make non-Jews feel, at least, uncomfortable, if not discriminated against. Add to that the facts that Israel was established on parts of Palestine; now occupies the rest of Palestine; and rejects withdrawing until it feels “secure”, a subjective word that implies an intention not to withdraw at all.Add to that, as in the movie, Malek, an “illegal Palestinian in Palestine” -- there couldn’t have been more injustice.My sadness was probably increased because I was able to follow the Arabic dialogue among the Palestinians; because I felt like one of them; and because I, for the first time, saw the real life of the Palestinians inside Israel. Then there was Islam.I (an old Sudanese journalist, and, since 1980, a correspondent in Washington, DC, for major Arabic publications in the Middle East) am, in a way, thankful to the so called “War on Terrorism” that was declared by President Bush. I have come to believe that it is a subtle war on Muslims. And this belief, therefore, has (a) strengthened my Islam and (b) added a religious factor to my analyses of history and international events.Therefore, I have come to believe that the conflict between Israel and the Arabs is less about nations, states and lands, and is more about a conflict between Jews and Muslims. I have come to understand Israelis’ fear of Islam and Muslims; the recent rise of Muslim-oriented organizations, like Hamas and Hezbollah; and the leaning of the Christian West to stand by the side of the Jews. Also, I have come to be religiously optimistic: this injustice inflicted on Muslims will, one day, end.So, as I was watching “Ajami,” nothing attracted me as much as the “Azan” (Muslims prayer call); the Islamic greetings of “Alsalamu Alaikum” and “Alhamdullilah”; and “Ayat Alkorsi,” (certain verses from the Koran used by a Palestinian mother as she was praying to her ailing son. The verses are about the many powers of God.)In that dark theater as people were silently watching, I could have screamed: “Allhau Akbar” (God The Greatest).

Marc Savlov

(2012-04-04 01:31:58)

It does place the audience squarely amid the myriad horrors of a land and a conflict predicated, it appears, on little more than an age-old blood feud and Joseph Heller's concept of catch-22.

(2012-04-03 16:14:47)

powerful crime saga set among Israeli Arabs

SPOILER ALERT:This powerful movie takes place within the Israeli Arab community, mainly within the Ajami neighborhood of Jaffa. It's in a mixture of Arabic and Hebrew -- sometimes the two blend within the same sentence. It begins with a gangland killing and ends in a tragic shootout.It takes some time to realize that the film is broken up into separate chapters that we the audience do not see consecutively. Thus only when the final chapter is complete does the whole picture come into focus. A fascinating addition to the DVD is a short documentary showing how the directors found the amateur actors who populate this movie and how they were able to coax such convincing performances from them, often working without a script.There are many interesting subtexts within this movie. We see the complicated interplay of different factions within the Palestinian community. A love affair between a Palestinian Christian girl and Muslim boy becomes a kind of doomed, Romeo and Juliet relationship. The Israeli Arabs and the Palestinian "undocumented workers" who sneak in from the West Bank view each other with mutual distaste. An Arab in a relationship with an Israeli Jewish woman from Tel Aviv is seen by his friends as a traitor. All these people live side by side -- but separately.An Israeli police officer, effectively portrayed by a former policeman, seems to behave with inexplicable brutality -- until it becomes clear there is a reason for that too.There is something almost Shakespearean about this movie. The characters are trapped in a sequence of events that none of them can stop, leading to an inevitable tragedy. Everyone behaves with perfect logic from their own viewpoint -- and the outcome is terrible.

Anton Bitel

(2012-03-31 08:55:59)

There are hints at the sort of collective punishment so often rained down by Palestinians and Israelis upon one another, but really there are far broader concerns here in what is, in effect, a drama of divisions

Nigel Andrews

(2012-03-30 16:20:17)

By showing how people fail to live together - in a film you could call Israel's City of God, with its sectarian-feuding story lent power and immediacy by improvisation and non-professional casting - Ajami shows how they might or should live together.

David Eastman

(2012-03-21 19:47:22)

Mean streets

I just saw this at the London Film Festival. Oh, what a treat.Taking on the fashionable use of related threads and retelling the samenarrative from a different angle, this film delivers a bullet toughview of street life and crime around Jaffa.The audience is sucked into the maelstrom so quickly, that we forgetthe media view of the great enmity and realise that there are, ofcourse, many smaller ones. While much eventually revolves aroundIsraeli governance, this is not a blame game but a Shakespeareantragedy.Unlike City of God, the casual viewer is not always given heavy cluesabout a characters background - and which side of the racial /religious divide they are on. And subtle differences can end up beingof major (often fatal) importance. Beware.This is not a film destined for multiplexes. Its a man's world wherewomen are a distraction. There is no victory for political correctness.But more to the point, we are not given any particular reason tobelieve that Things Will Get Better.

Nozz

(2012-03-21 16:31:21)

Confusing but well acted, holds interest

There is the sensitive kid thrust into a situation that requires morematurity and smarts than normal for his age, there is the couple whoselove incurs disapproval because it crosses ethnic lines, there is theauthority figure who protects you today but may turn against youtomorrow... the problem is, this movie has two of each of those. Thecast of characters is huge and hard to keep track of, the plot isartificially discontinuous, and in short if you want to get the moviestraight, you'd better be ready to see it twice. Which you may want to,because the acting is convincing and although the characters are usedfrom time to time to make a clear and didactic sociopolitical point,they win considerable sympathy from the viewer-- without, for the mostpart, being oversentimentalized.