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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated The Battle of Algiers (1966) in Movies

Jan 28, 2021  
The Battle of Algiers (1966)
The Battle of Algiers (1966)
1966 | Classics, Drama, War
7
7.4 (8 Ratings)
Movie Rating
This film-maker was unknown to me entirely before I decided to watch this film. In fact, I had only heard of the film itself quite recently from seeing it mentioned as one of the best films in the genre as a commentary on political insurgency and civil unrest. It is so well regarded that even the US military used it to prepare troops for entering Iraq. The main actors are largely unknown and many of the supporting cast and extras are not actors at all. The camera is allowed to wander and wobble, and such is the feel of random chaos at times you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a documentary. Nominated for 3 Oscars, and faultless in achieving its goal of humanising both sides of an argument, you can see the influence on Oliver Stone and Paul Greengrass, to name but two better known directors with a political edge.

It’s not a film I would feel the need to go back to, unless demonstrating to someone how to make something staged feel entirely real. I admire this film very much, but wouldn’t exactly call it entertaining or even rewarding as a story. Its purpose is to reinforce the tragedy of a people facing oppression and to realise the lengths both sides will go to in protecting their ideals and relative freedoms. The excellent hand held photography and score by the always inspirational Ennio Moricone are other reasons to watch it. As a history lesson of North Africa post WWII it also has a lot to offer.
  
    Kosmos World Atlas

    Kosmos World Atlas

    Reference and Education

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    The comprehensive Kosmos World Atlas will turn all your virtual journeys across the Earth into a...

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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The Things I Would Tell You: British Muslim Women Write in Books

Oct 13, 2017  
The Things I Would Tell You: British Muslim Women Write
The Things I Would Tell You: British Muslim Women Write
Sabrina Mahfouz | 2017 | Essays
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A multitude of wonderful voices
From Lebanon to Pakistan, there is a whole host of female Muslim voices in this wonderful pioneering collection.

Some of the stand out stories, essays and poems include a man reconnecting with art through a woman's eyes, to political stories about the apartheid state of Palestine, so-called "honour crimes", and the illegal war in Iraq. The writers involved are award-winning authors such as Kamila Shamsie, actors, and even a young 15 year old poet - all based in the UK.

It avoids stereotypes and instead advocates quite a humanist outlook on femininity - that a person is complex, with a full range of emotions rather than just the standard media portrayal. A wonderful plethora of diversity.
  
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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated A Hundred Veils in Books

Sep 6, 2017  
A Hundred Veils
A Hundred Veils
Rea Keech | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Good pacing, wonderful descriptions (0 more)
Pretty good book
So the book is set at the very beginning of the Iranian Revolution – Marco is an American English teacher who’s come to Iran for a year. While there, he falls in love with his roommate’s cousin. The book is really their love story, while surrounded by political and religious unrest.

The writing is excellent. I’m sure I would get more out of the book if I could read Farsi, as each chapter is begun by a few lines of poetry in Farsi, written in both Arabic script and English letters. But the pacing is perfect, the descriptions apt – I really enjoyed this book.

Read my full review at https://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com/2017/08/22/book-review-a-hundred-veils/