Bab el shams (2004) Poster

(2004)

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9/10
Captivating epic / History of the Palestinians 101
kai_sheffield28 April 2006
This movie is divided into two parts, the first dealing with the Palestinians' displacement in the 1948 war and the history since then, and the second part dealing more specifically with the Lebanon war and the Palestinians' complicated situation there.

The first part is absolutely brilliant, a totally engaging epic told through the a comatose Palestinian militant. The second part has a lot more dialogue and gets a bit didactic in parts, where it seems like the characters are just explaining the politics of the Middle East for the benefit of the camera. Since the whole movie runs 4.5 hours, this half could probably have benefited from some cutting, but it's still hard to criticize the film as a whole.
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9/10
Very interesting movie dealing with some very sensitive issues with a very daring handling
zenguir27 January 2005
The history of a nation , lies in the memories of its heroes... An amazing journey through the memories of a dying fighter , taking us through the Arab Israeli conflict , shocking details of a history that most of us r desiring to know about , a very interesting movie dealing with very sensitive issues with a very daring handling , I LOVED IT!!! i would like to comment on the great performance of Rim El-Turky in the role of Nahila the fighter's wife , & also the escape scene was fascinating , & i can't ignore the music as it just puts u into the mood.... i just wish to see this movie winning some big award in some international festival , as it deserves it! u should see it to know for yourself...
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10/10
Absolutely beautiful, an EPIC. This is a must see for all
salvia_d27 September 2004
Absolutely beautiful, an EPIC. This is a must see for all. It's about history and the plight of the Palestinians and how Zionism played its part. It's a true love story that will bring smiles and tears to your eyes.

The best way to describe this movie is to compare it to Ararat. What Ararat should have been for the Armenian genocide committed by the Turks, this movie is for the Palestinians. But this movie, The Door To the Sun, is about 10 times better then Ararat and much more significant as a historical film that will not see it's equal for many years to come.

This movie is one of the best films I have seen for a very long time. From its music to it's poetry. From its scenery to it's cinematography. From its dream sequences to it's vivid portrayal of reality. It's is absolutely magnificent.

Highly recommended for all ages. DO NOT MISS THIS MOVIE
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10/10
Simply a Masterpiece
ezzat-118 January 2005
Bab el Shams is considered in my opinion one of the greatest Arabic movies ever if not the best. The movie is about Israel's beginning and the struggle of the helpless Palestinians. The first half is technically marvelous, great scenes, wonderful picture and amazing acting for all the cast. It tells how it all began and how the Palestinians suffered and it shows how it was like before the war between the Arabs and the Zionists. It objectively shows how the Jews looked like when compared to the Arabs in 1948 They were educated, organized in their camps, overall more civilized than the Arabs (probably because they were immigrants from Europe and America). The movie is criticizing the Arabs more than attacking the Israelis The second half of the movie really challenges your mind and keeps you alert for every word is said has a meaning or two One of my favorite scenes was when um younis told her husband (the warrior) to listen to her for once in her life and see what she really needs; she told him that she and his kids are now working for the Israelis. It is a must see movie but please if you gonna see it, first don't watch it with preset ideas, second..do not compare it with Hollywood commercial movies
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10/10
Amazing epic, a must see
rlasheen9 May 2005
This a very beautiful and very personal account of a story of a nation. Nasrallah did a great job. The dialog, imagery, costumes, acting are superb, touching and very human. Filmography is very good, excellent director of photography.

The fact that it contains two parts is a very subtle distinction between how two generations view the nakbah.

Life in pre-nakbah Palestine is both idyllic and realistic, the depiction life afterwards is very expressive.

The film is a tour de force and emotionally charged.

Two thumbs up!
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10/10
A Film to remember
midovich25 January 2005
Bab el shams , i think it's a charming film about love story between man and a woman , between people and their stolen homeland . let's see the relation between the blind man and his home , how is younes work to make his homeland free and how did he love his wife ,the little girl who come a wife of younes how did she grow up and lost her home and return to it .. the film maker yousry nasr Allah make us feel about the people, their life , how they feel when the lost their home . i think it's very important film not just because it's a good film with a good acting, music , picture, etc.. but because they give us a film to make us remember what some people want us to forget .
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6/10
Not really...
vdg30 September 2004
I had high expectations from this film: 270 min. epic about Palestine. ..but in the end, I had to walk out of the movie before the end, as some scenes were pure ridiculous. Of course, it's a political movie, and the Jews are portrayed almost the same like Nazis, but the main reason for not liking it was the direction and the acting. Quite understandable, there are no good actors in here, most of them seemed to be amateurs, but this is not an excuse for a director to deliver such a distasteful movie. Way to many close-ups, and running scenes were everyone is looking into the camera, like waiting for the next signal to do something. The sceneries, costumes and the music were brilliant, but this was not enough to make me recommend this film. Sorry.

6/10
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3/10
It lacks the credibility...
Waddah748 June 2007
Warning: Spoilers
It is a movie which sheds the light on the begging of the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli occupation of Palestine but it does not show the real feelings of the people back then and how they were tricked into believing that they could return to their home soon , it does not mention the massacres committed by the Jews like Der Yassine and how they tortured and killed and destroyed the family of any Palestinian freedom fighter it lacks the credibility about the real Palestinian struggle and about anything Palestinian , however it has something about the suffering of Palestinian citizens ending up as refugees in the nearby Arab countries , the movie focuses on the story of the man in coma he is now in the present time and through his story we see the film . The movie is just telling the life of one person and has some nudity scenes which are irrelevant to the story.
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It is a good film But.................................................................
drdregambit28 January 2005
This film is a very good Directed film compared to other Arabic films and the most amazing thing in the movie which i didn't expect at all is the acting of actors and actress it is really amazing and the decoration and dresses is very good speacialy things which show Palestinians life BUT............. it is still has a certain disadvantage the film is sooooooo long although it could be shorter lots of scenes could be shortened or even canceled also there is some events which is a little bit tricky so Concentrate , and never get asleep :) now we could compare this movie to other good Arabic movies first of all i have never seen a movie on the Palestinian life before there may be but i didn't see it so i think this film writer has chosen the right subject . so my grade to the movie is 8 from 10 which mean it is good film my recommendation for the movie go directly to the cinema and see it thanks
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