So, I thought this movie was great for the most part. I thought it looked at a very edgy topic that is not talked about all too often and I thought it brought an interesting point of view for western viewers such as Americans and Europeans. I also thought it was cool that the movie tried its best to stay accurate and serious but at the same time still had a few funny moments here and there. The one thing that bothers me though is that it seems to be one sided, though the director says he was keeping an open view on this topic, I just feel we didn't get the whole background of it. I know a lot of people will not like that I feel this way but the movie , in my personal opinion, seemed to be promoting terrorism more than a "freedom fighter" movement. This just really got on my nerves a little bit and I understand nationalism, but I feel that what the Palestinians are doing is more of a terrorist act than a revolutionary act. With that being said though, I still thought the movie was good and interesting, it kept the viewer on the edge of their seats and kept them wanting more. I would totally recommend this to a friend if they were looking for a movie of this genre. 8/10

If I were to tell you that Hany Abu-Assad's Paradise Now is about two suicide bombers, you'd probably wince a little. However, if I told you that the film was a humanization of two Palestinian men planning to conduct a suicide attack on Israel and that the film paints a respectable portrait of the moral and human complexities involved in such an extreme plan, I'd hope you'd think twice. The film concerns Said and Khaled (Kais Nashef and Ali Suliman), two lifelong friends living in Nablus, working rote jobs as mechanics and passing their time by discussing Israeli-Palestinian conflicts over hookah. The two are recruited for a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, and go about their daily lives, maintaining as much normalcy as they can in public until they comfortable hide away in a secret hideout with numerous other Palestinian extremists, carrying out their plans of action. These involve complex, down-to-the-minute plans being orchestrated along with the creation and promotion of videos glorifying and praising Allah in the midst of orchestrating these attacks.A key humanization comes during the filming of the video glorifying Allah. Said stands tall, hoisting a rifle and talking about his loyalty to Allah and the message he brings. After one take, the director discovers the video didn't record properly, so they're forced to set up and do it again. Another technical-difficulty occurs during the second taping before the third taping gets it right on the money. Following the director's demand to "cut," Said yells upstairs to his mother that he found water filters cheaper at a place they normally don't go to.Such dialog seems trite and padded, but writers Abu-Assad, Bero Beyer, and Pierre Hodgson include these kind of things as a reminder that these suicide bombers are, one, indeed human, two, have families, and three, don't always operate with the kind of breakneck sophistication that we see dramatized on Television shows and Hollywood movies. Mainstream American cinema has had us quietly conditioned to think that everyone in the Middle East is an enemy that possesses enough power and wit to take down America and all its people, almost encouraging us to sleep with one eye open. Abu-Assad, in an act of deviance, shows us the kind of amateur setups these operations often are and the humanity of the characters that are involved with these sort of incidents.In all the glorification, the frenzied reports, and the fear-mongering in America that concerns the Middle East, America's war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the proclaimed War on Terror, Paradise Now is a refreshing and necessary watch to at least give us a more realistic view on how these operations can be conducted. It's rare we see characters like terrorists and suicide bombers drawn in multiple layers, if even presented as characters at all, so the fact that Nashef and Suliman's characters are given names and personalities is a huge step in a progressive direction. The bravery to make a film like this and rise above all the nonsense was a bold feat on part of Abu-Assad and his crew, who had to jump through several hoops to get this film made.From attacks on the set, to interference from actual protest, to threats of censorship from the Israeli government, Paradise Now was in production in the 1990's, but repeated incidents of drama and danger prevented its completion until 2005. Following its release, it became the first Palestinian film to be nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, deservingly so. In response, Abu-Assad made probably one of the best comments that could've been made about the film's recognition, saying, "the politicians want to see it as black and white, good and evil, and art wants to see it as a human thing," reminding people that, at the end of the day, these are human lives we're talking about on both ends of the spectrum and that fact should never be lost despite being amidst a wealth of oversimplifications.Starring: Kais Nashef, Ali Suliman, Lubna Azabal, and Hiam Abbass. Directed by: Hany Abu-Assad.

Watch this if....understanding the mind and motives of a terrorist is intriguing. This is a very well made film that will open your eyes.Acting/Casting: 8* - Being a foreign film, I am not familiar with the cast, but I do believe they do a superb job. I would argue that the lead roles are played as well as any I have seen.Directing/Cinematography/Technical: 7* - This is a perfect example of a crew that squeezed every dime out of their budget and made a terrific film. It keeps you intrigued, but at the same time doesn't wow you with any special effects, etc.Plot/Characters: 7* - Two friends are chosen to carry out a suicide bombing mission, but things don't go quite as planned. It is likely that this film depicts the mind and motives of a terrorist more than any other I have seen.Entertainment Value: 6* - While the movie is a great look at terrorism and the motives, they are some slow spots. Overall I found it entertaining, but I can see where some less dedicated viewers might lose interest.My Score: 8+7+7+6 = 28/4 = 7.0Email your thoughts to [email protected]

Really not that many movies concerning the Israeli–Palestinian conflict have been made throughout the years, simply because it's something that remains a very controversial and delicate subject. It's hard to come up with a movie that sheds some light on the whole situation, without really picking sides or offend a large group of people. I however feel that "Paradise Now" managed this and besides did a surprisingly great job at it as well.As strange as it might sound, this is not really a political movie, since it isn't really picking sides. Even though it's a movie from the Palestinian territories, you can't really accuse the movie for being Palestinian propaganda as well. That's simply not what the movie is all about! It's actually more of a neutral observation of the whole Israeli–Palestinian conflict, that just happens to focus on Palestinian characters. It's not saying that anything they, or the Israelis, do is right or wrong. It simply shows the effects of the whole conflict on the lives of two very ordinary young men, who's lives are heavily influenced and ultimately, unavoidably affected, by the conflict. It's like the course of their lives had already been set out, before they were even born, just because of the time and place they were born at.The movie is asking itself all sorts of questions. Of course it's not providing any solutions to the whole conflict but again, this really wasn't the movie its intention. But something that the movie does bring up is if violence brings you any closer to a possible solution and if it will achieve anything at all. Can one life or one kill make really a difference?The movie does provide an unique look into the minds of suicide terrorists. This is still where most of the movie its controversy comes from. You also have to remember this movie got released in 2006, when the whole subject was even more controversial, due to the whole state and situation the world was still in at the time. Perhaps the movie would be considered somewhat less controversial if it got made and released today. But you could also turn things around and say that the movie got released at a perfect and relevant place in time.But really, this movie is not approving or glorifying terrorism in any way. On the contrary quite really, in my opinion!It's also refreshing for once to see things from the perspective of suicide bombers and show their human side. It's not like they are happy to go, or are completely without doubt. They actually question their coming actions constantly and wonder if it's really the right thing to do. The closer they get to their 'goal' the more doubts and questions start to arise in their heads. You also won't sympathize for them but you will perhaps understand their actions and motives better after watching this movie.Again, this movie won't turn you pro-Palestine or pro-Israel but it does shed an unique light on the whole situation and tells the story from a side that is not often being handled in movies or documentaries.A true daring project from director and writer Hany Abu-Assad, who ultimately did a great job at telling the story. It's a skillfully made movie, that is realistic looking and feeling, which makes it a bit of a shame that the script is also being filled by some not so likely developments, that perhaps belong more in a less serious or heavy thriller. This is the case in the second half of the movie and the only reason why I just can't really call this movie a perfect one or an absolute must-see.Nevertheless, the movie still remains a very effective and successful one, at what it was ultimately trying to achieve; showing the whole hopelessness, as well as the human-side of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The conflict as it is and was at the time knows only losers, while the innocents are doing the suffering and are paying the price for it.8/10 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/