screamonly Reviews

The Restaurant (2017– )

Disappointed

[4/10 · 12 March 2023]

Shame that is such great production, good acting, directing goes to such a dull screenplay! Short dull conversations, flat characters with almost no dimension, lack of organic connection between the different characters of the show, especially the main characters. Unless its a love interest! Most of the side characters are there to serve a line or move a plot in a certain direction with no clear ambition or motive! In addition reliance on over used story shticks the we saw times and times again in dated soap operas and telenovela! The show had so much potential to actually discuss the changes in the Swedish society in a more in depth.

I heard a lot about the show and I really wanted to like it as I think that I am genuinely a fan of Swedish drama but i think it failed to live for it's potential here.

The Blue Caftan (2022)

I never want to forget this film!

[10/10 · 1 February 2023]

Where to begin? Defying all the taboos and presenting a queer love story in arabic cinema, a pure presentation of love at its best. Beautifully filmed and edited in a magnificent and elegant craft. Career defying performance by the film leads! Devastating and yet beautiful story/ fairytale if i dare say so.

Intimate, personal, small yet larger than life film where the vulnerability of its characters made me feel i was an intruder in their presence ears dropping on their story from behind the curtain. Feeling their emotions and sharing their experiences Thanks to the beautiful work of its director. I wish for the whole world to watch this film because it is exactly why I love cinema! This film have the power to change lives!

Farha (2021)

Storytelling at its best

[10/10 · 5 October 2022]

Walking into the film I had no expectations but the desire to watch something that tackle Palestinian stories.

As I learned about Farha, i started to have my own thoughts and dreams for her journey. Little did I that my dreams will be ripped away as the movie unravels. I felt heart broken as I witnessed the teen girl journey and I kept thinking, if that was me how was it for her then?!

Darin, The brilliant director and writer of the film told a story for the ages, and introduced new narrative to the way Palestinian stories are told, beautifully so. A well thought out and beautifully written and directed film. Beautiful acted by its young talent who held the movie on her shoulder and she did it with grace!

As i ugly sobbed at the end of screening, I was thankful for the experience because This film is important, and those stories needs to be told.

Can't wait for the director future projects!

Gangster Squad (2013)

a disappointment

[5/10 · 3 February 2013]

Enjoyable cheesy one liners that were quoted from every single mob movie there is; great cinematography, production design and edit; a very well established spoofs of similar genre but maintaining the semi serious part of the movie through some really hardcore blood scenes. All that happened in the first half of the movie before throwing everything they achieved down the drain!

What could've ended as a great 60s mob movie ended up as a bad fairytale and an 80s action flick starring Rambo and Stallone with endless ammo, it felt like the director lost his interests at the end not knowing what he wants to do next or how the scene should end to the limit where it felt like the actors stopped doing their job while the camera still rolling!!

Failing to establish any character growth as the movie reaches the end, Sean Penn build a physical appearance, a voice tune and a sadistic fetish without neither giving the character a proper background nor a satisfying downfall! Josh Brolin was there to look handsome, sexy and strong plus saying do this and that; and to remind us that cops have wives! Ryan Gosling was as charming as usual, witty dialogue but that's about it. Emma Stone beside the rest of the cast did what they were asked to do exactly wishing that eventually all of this will end up well but of course the opposite happened.

It is really frustrating for such a movie with literally an awesome beginning to end up with such a low point. All in all; 5/10

The Sessions (2012)

Brave, sensitive and emotional

[9/10 · 3 February 2013]

What a beautiful heart warming take on such a topic. At a certain point before watching the movie I was getting ready to feel sorry and devastated for John's character however I found myself slowly cheering for him and what an amazing string human he was.

The credit goes of course to the beautiful settled direction of Ben Lewin, a soothing background music and of course a great performance by it's lead: John Hawkes which remind me how frustrated I am for ignoring his name at the Academy Award nominations and choosing the always one character performer Denzil Washington. Helen Hunt is someone i always feel good to see on screen; in this movie I wasn't just feeling good, I was delighted by what a strong actress she is. What she did requires courage and she got plenty of that. Considering it is the Oscars season now I am not sure wither she will beat the competition but she defiantly deserves the recognition.

Even though it is hard to put the words paralyzed and hope in one sentence but this movie was about a paralyzed body with hopeful strong soul that really makes every single breath count.

The Impossible (2012)

better than expected but...

[7/10 · 6 January 2013]

entering the movie I had so mixed emotions, excitement about the Director Juan Antonio Bayona next project, seeing 2 of my fav actors Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor while on the other hand, re living what the movie trailer revealed but in a longer version!

that was what happened in most of the story, basically the trailer tolled me exactly what to expect from the movie; everything is focused about a white happy family and their survival story ignoring a disaster happened to more than 200 thousand if I am not mistaken! and while some passing scenes came across other characters or victims which happened to be white people as well!!!! on the other hand as the camera rolled at the native Thai people they seemed to be perfectly normal with no injuries or whatsoever as if they knew about what was coming!!! I am not sure what the director intend on this idea but that made no sense to me at all!! in some of the scenes it felt like the director was trying to distract the audience from noticing plot holes by taking them on a roller coaster ride of emotions and tears which -to be honest- was working most of time while I remained in need for further details or depth in exploring each of stories and characters portrayed here and there.

that been said, I have to highlight some of the great stuff about the movie which were: Naomi Watts amazing and astonishing performance wither physical or emotional wise, the young talent Tom Holland, the soundtrack and the most amazing cinematography I have seen in a movie since along time.

at the end I will not say I am disappointed with the movie as it was a bit better than what I was expecting but for sure I will be big time disappointed if Naomi was not the one who will take the Academy Award home this year

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

A Magnificent ending to a Magnificent tale

[10/10 · 15 August 2012]

How to begin describing this emotional roller coaster?!! The Dark Knight Rises being the epic conclusion of the trilogy will not give the movie its right owned description as the highlight mark of this generation.

Christopher Nolan literally had his way fully loaded leading and directing this film, with every scene ending and a new one beginning you can feel Nolan stamp of approval. I was finding it hard to breath as the movie continued, my eyes where opening more and more, trying to observe every single scene and character movement and decision.

Batman was stripped in this film to the human he was, the fragile breakable human being who is trying to stand up to what he believes, it is a symbol and ray of hope which they where trying to establish from the beginning of this Batman trilogy. a symbol that brought hope to those who believed in and to the fans who were watching.

since Batman Begins Nolan made sure to establish a character and a hero that could exist in this world, and in this final chapter; a world was established in perfect references that anyone of you could relate to, a world that you would feel for, that you will do your best to protect and turn into your own version of Batman.

Now in this new world, new character were brought in like Bane, Selina (Catwoman), Blake and Miranda, brought in new stories and new investments, the old characters we all grow to love even grown more now; emotion and depth was added to each one of them especially Alfred who brought tears to my eyes in every single sentence he spoke.

the movie toke it time telling the story, and while I had some issues with the editing in some of the scenes it did not fail to build the most powerful ending I have ever witnessed since I started obsessing about movies.

the movie had it flues yes; but with a scale this big; Christopher Nolan did the fans good, he gave them something worthy of their love to the character of Batman, it is a movie that will stand on for generations.

with shaking hands I am typing this and with tearful eyes I wish to shake Nolan's hands and thank him, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gorden-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, Michael Cane, Hans Zimmer and every single person who was involve in magnificent tale of a MAN stood to what is right.

Batman, our world needs someone like you

Asmaa (2011)

a sad yet inspirational story

[10/10 · 25 June 2012]

During years and years of watching and tuning into a movie addict; I got used to movie stories, Director methods, editing and cinematography styles and twists but every now and then; a movie comes and challenge all that.

It doesn't really challenge it with the new effects and methods provided, but with the story building, characters and the heart investment in that movie.

And that's what happened with the movie "Asmaa" a movie that came to retrieve my own faith in the Arabic and Egyptian Cinema. The movie was basically an independent effort to resurrect a dead story and give life to that thrown newspaper or medical files that once held the details of a real human being that lived upon us.

The true story was reborn again through the camera and imagination of its Director (Amr Salama) and the people working on this movie; as we see (Asmaa – brilliantly portrayed by Hind Sabry) a woman who accepted what was written in her Faith dealing with the HIV virus however trying hard to protect and survive her surrounding through her good yet stubborn heart and mind.

Through the shaking camera movement the director toke us on a journey telling the story of a woman who fought her way delivering her message through the colorful scenes that reflected on smiling tearful faces of the audience just before taking us back to that awful truth that people trying to ignore or deal with it with judgment before finding the solution.

A great portray of the Egyptian (and Middle Eastern) society and its way of dealing with a matter that is considered to be out side the box or consideration.

It's hard to go deeper with this movie description without rescuing any spoilers in this story that was full of raw human emotions.

A great salute to each person who worked on this movie and for delivering such a message to ask each one of us; a love letter to look at our own reflections before judging what is around us.

Zenne Dancer (2011)

Such an emotional yet great experience

[10/10 · 3 June 2012]

Finally, and after waiting for so long I had the chance to see Zenne Dancer after I got the DVD from Istanbul.

if there is one word to describe how I felt after watching the movie; it lift me breathless.

allot of emotion runs through your mind while watching this movie, between the sweet feeling of the friendship and the innocent love story in development and the heartache watching the emotion that each of the characters went through as the movie continues.

I want to applaud each person who was involved in this movie for this amazing creation from the actors who did their roles so naturally and let the story express their emotion so effortlessly; from the writers who wrote a simple yet magnificent script that can speak to anyone regardless their orientations or behavior values, a script that was written directly to the human heart in each one of us; from the cinematographer who let his camera fly between the face expressions to the wide angles expressing the atmosphere so perfectly; from the art director and the costume designer who expressed the emotions and the mood in each scenes through amazing colors, sets and beautiful places; from the great musician whom music was telling the story that at some point I can hear the words without actually hearing any.

last but not least thank you for each of the directors for leading and working with such an incredible team and for bringing Ahmet's story to life in such beautiful portray and imagination.

I did not know Ahmet before except for what I read about him after the accident but after the movie, I felt like I lost a best friend, someone I relate to, someone who used to be a soul, a human being who felt love, pain, happiness and fear before transforming into a name on the grave yard or a title in the newspaper.

thank you so much for such an emotional yet great experience, it was totally worth my tissue box :')

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

an honest review

[1/10 · 27 June 2009]

First of all I have to admit that the graphics were outstanding, the movie over all wasn't boring and way better than the first one acting wise _except for this new character "Leo Spitz". However talking about huge production that coast $ 200 Million the movie had huge and unforgivable problems: • Michael bay is known for his action directing career, still in his previous movies (Armageddon, Pearl Harbor & the Island) he paid great deal of attention to the human side of the character which was totally missing here except for cheesy few lines here and there and it was mostly made by the Robots; for me Megan Fox's lines were non sense and unnecessary at all considering the situation they were in the movie especially the ending part. • It's amazing how a whole make up department which included around 8 people in charge didn't notice Megan fox's perfect make up and amazingly glowing lip glues through the movie!! What's up with the full make up through fighting a whole army of Aliens in the middle of the Egyptian desert?? Seriously?!!! • Egypt and Jordan scenes: where to start with that?!!! I'm an Arab, and it's a shame to say that the American cinema still portraits the Arabic countries as a huge Desert with few barbarians and camels here and there, not to mention the dump midget police man, the crappy Egyptian and Jordanian borders and the 5 minutes distance between Egypt and Jordan!!! What's the deal here, why all this conspiracy from huge production companies to manipulate the Arabic image along with the Arabic countries? It's 2009 now and I think a 6 years old kid would know the truth if he googled it!! Honestly; I blame both the Egyptian and the Jordanian governments for allowing such movies to be shot in their countries with out any knowledge of the story contains.

The Dark Knight (2008)

simply a masterpiece

[10/10 · 23 July 2008]

Yesterday i watched the movie at its opening night in Dubai, And I have to say I was blown away, the movie brought me in tears, i won't be adding anything new when i say that heath ledger did the performance of his life, it felt as if he knew that he'll die soon and he gave the part all he had!!! the movie structure it self was great, the movie went beyond the idea of a comic book to establish a whole real world, i reached a point where i wouldn't be surprise if i saw the batman passing by on my way home, i would be just excited to meet him of course :P Still I have my points about the side characters and the extras, they blow away most of the tension during some of the top scenes, especially the chase between Harvey and the joker in the track, and the boat scenes, and the batman voice was too much honestly.

All in all, thank you Christopher Nolan "if you ever gonna read this" for such a great movie, thank you Christian bale for Bruce Wayne, you did great portraying the real part of batman, and of course heath ledger may he rest in peace