hilbertjl
Joined May 2013
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Ratings876
hilbertjl's rating
Reviews15
hilbertjl's rating
I'm not going to lie and call it great cinema, but I found this movie endearing. The humor was off-beat in a good way and the cast performed very well all around. It also managed to convey some serious things without getting heavy handed.
The talented and brave Salima Khan was an absolute joy, both to hear sing and to watch. Generally, the story and characters gave a rather Americanized view of Afghanistan, but the parts with her in them were spot on authentic in feel.
Was I laughing out loud the whole film through? Not at all. But aside from some slow pacing I found it an enjoyable experience (would have loved to see more Zooey Deschanel though).
The talented and brave Salima Khan was an absolute joy, both to hear sing and to watch. Generally, the story and characters gave a rather Americanized view of Afghanistan, but the parts with her in them were spot on authentic in feel.
Was I laughing out loud the whole film through? Not at all. But aside from some slow pacing I found it an enjoyable experience (would have loved to see more Zooey Deschanel though).
I have no patience for documentaries that aim to tug a variety of heart-strings and make it obvious from the first few frames. Nick Yarris's story is different, perhaps mostly because it's treated objectively by the film's director. Instead of an hour and a half of old morality play, we simply sit and listen to a guy tell his incredible tale. At no point does Yarrow pretend to be anyone other than himself; at no point does he ask us to see him differently. He just tells us what happened to him, the good and the terrible, and does not ask us to judge, convict, or even forgive.
It is for that reason that I found his story so compelling and emotionally evocative. It is, perhaps, a reminder that we all have amazing, emotional stories to tell and that we should all try to sit back and listen more often.
It is for that reason that I found his story so compelling and emotionally evocative. It is, perhaps, a reminder that we all have amazing, emotional stories to tell and that we should all try to sit back and listen more often.
I had very low expectations going in; the movie looked and sounded like typical genre fare but it proved me wrong by being a bit different. The characters were very well realized, for the most part, and the plot moved along well without seeming too contrived. I didn't find it scary or even particularly suspenseful, but it intrigued me from the get go.
Apparently the story was written by a married couple who team up for movie making, and it was neat to discover that. Indeed, similar to Oculus (an earlier Flanagan/Siegel project), dull predictability took a vacation and was replaced with something truly unique. I can only guess that as the team continue improving, their films will grow into something special.
While I would not call it a masterpiece by any means, I do consider it a cut above similar titles I've seen.
Apparently the story was written by a married couple who team up for movie making, and it was neat to discover that. Indeed, similar to Oculus (an earlier Flanagan/Siegel project), dull predictability took a vacation and was replaced with something truly unique. I can only guess that as the team continue improving, their films will grow into something special.
While I would not call it a masterpiece by any means, I do consider it a cut above similar titles I've seen.
