The Square

Greetings again from the darkness. This is the third of this year's five Oscar nominated documentaries I have seen, and thanks to the historic Texas Theatre, I'll get to see the last two as well. This one is directed by Cairo born and Harvard educated Jehane Noujaim. She sets out to capture the Egyption Revolution, as part of the Arab Spring, and now in it's third year. This is a look from inside the core of the revolution, not a washed-over CNN report.

It should first be noted that this revolution began as more of a protest. Citizens just fed up with the Mubarek regime began congregating in Tahrir Square in hopes of influencing change and a transition to a society of conscience. Ms. Noujaim and her multitude of cameras follows a hand full of these protesters and the changes that occur inside the revolution. These changes occur as Mubarek falls, the military takes over and betrays the movement, and then the Muslim Brotherhood takes control when Mohamed Morsi wins the election. This causes the loss of solidarity in the movement as it becomes clear that the Brotherhood consorted with the military to gain power, proving their mission was quite different.

One of the faces of the revolution is Egyptian actor Khalid Abdalla who you might recognize from the fine 2007 film The Kite Runner. Abdalla speaks excellent English and is clearly passionate about the vision. His comments also drive home the difference in a protest and the politics of a true revolution. We only get a couple of on camera comments from government and military officials, but the real insight and spirit of the film is captured in the faces, words and actions of those involved in the sit-ins, despite the many violent attempts to shut them down.

The most staggering visual comes from an aerial view of Cairo as the camera captures the masses as they descend on the streets during the third uprising that we see. It's breathtaking and in stark contrast to the news reports we saw in the U.S. Unfortunately, there is still no resolution in this as Egypt is still in flux and preparing for yet another election. That brings even more power to the "in the moment" point of view that this film delivers. http://moviereviewsfromthedark.com/

Hard to digest at first, but ultimately a fantastic film. I have seen many "documentaries" on the Arab Spring, and none have come close to covering a revolution so completely. I recall seeing the director, Jehane Noujaim on (I believe) the today show last year after she was arrested by the police or Army in Cairo and put in prison while making this film. I can only applaud when, aside from risking their lives, a filmmaker takes on the task of condensing 2 years of history into less than 2 hours of what sums up a truly complicated and twisted situation which may be the most influential of the Arab Spring. When Syrians finally take down their dictator, will they be able to watch this film and get all the answers? Definitely not, but this films gives a real and raw insight into not only what it means to be a revolutionary, but where the path of the revolutionary really ends.

S.F.

As both an Egyptian and a Filmmaker, I could not have been more proud of this title. The Square is a MUST SEE documentary. which takes you from the very beginning of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, until recent events that occurred throughout the past three years.

The Square focuses on a perspective that didn't have it's voice in the mainstream media, the liberal perspective. A point of view that basically initiated the Egyptian revolution. It's ambition doesn't necessarily focus on appointing a new leader nor a new constitution. But on how an Egyptian were dismissing the needs of another Egyptian for their own political interests. Although Director Jehane Noujaim showed the various different perspectives on the revolution, she succeeded on finding the ultimate common interest that led to the downfall of The Mubarak Regime, The Supreme Court of Armed Forces and last but not least, The Muslim Brotherhood.

The style of filmmaking and editing also contribute heavily on the film. The way the story transitions through music and art was spectacular. This proves what an individual can do with a camera.

The awards that went to this movie doesn't even give it justice. But the movie itself gives justice to the people of Egypt and to those who lost their souls fighting for it.

The moment the film started, my blood was running at a high-octane buzz. As someone who cares deeply about social movements in general and the Middle East specifically, I was elsewhere through the beginning of the Egyptian Revolution, so learned many of the details from this film firsthand. The story is long, chaotic, and without definitive resolution, just like the moment it follows. That is its strength, and its legacy.

We meet 5 courageous characters, a variety of Egyptians, and we learn why they devoted the last two years of their lives to protesting in the square. The way they speak about their country is heartbreakingly direct, and when they suffer for their goals it's heartbreaking. Interesting, too, is the balance of art, protest, technology, discussion, and music in the protester's toolkits. The picture is up-close, traumatic, and fast-paced, which was all the better. When a story is ongoing, I don't want a portrait with clear summaries and 20/20 hindsight. I want the information that the revolutionaries had as they made their decisions.

this movie really touched me. it showed the real story. the story has almost been forgotten because of the media,the ruling regime,the soldiers of the old regime ... As an Egyptian and as a participant in the revolution since the 28th of January 2011,I can tell that this movie shows one of the most honest images of the revolution as well as a complete one,of course some events were dropped, but as an overall all major events and the complete story- line of the revolution has been told. Despite being a documentary,it is also very clear that the movie reserved the thriller and the spirit in every single moment. can't agree more about all the opinions stated in it. can't agree more about the sequence and the severity and reactions of the events showed in. But our (the Egyptians) major problem until now is that after 3 years we didn't accomplish the demands and the requests of the revolution. I hope there would be more parts of this movie,more parts until we reclaim our freedom and demands.