7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Astonishingly Real, February 7, 2008
This review is from: 9 Star Hotel (DVD)
When I first saw this documentary I could not believe the ordeal the Palestinian men dealt with, risking their lives crossing the Israeli border to find work. But despite the raw sadness you feel watching their struggle for survival, the story ultimately is about the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity. An excellent film by Ido Haar.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
the real deal, February 8, 2008
This review is from: 9 Star Hotel (DVD)
When I chanced upon "9 Star" at Tribecca I was taken aback by its story. It's one of plight and struggle, filmed in what I would call 'real terms' (the use of handheld cameras to not only permit the filming, but to further the 'reality of it all' stylistically). Now, having seen it, I stop instantly with each and every news story about what's going on in the region. The breached border in Gaza, the thousands of people struggling to create a life for themselves against odds that are nearly impossible. 9 Star really opened my eyes in a way only a film can to an ordeal being faced and a reality that is not easy for anyone.
While the 'real' story is newsworthy in and of itself, 9 Star also contains a storyline about friendship and loyalty and family and 'what it takes' to survive.
Interestingly, in an entirely different way, another recent film from the region had similar imapct for me. Syrian Bride, the story of a planned-marriage-against-the odds, also carries incredible impact. Built in reverse to 9 Star (a narrative fiction approach), Syrian Bride's topline story is one of union, but its underlying message is one of struggle-against-the-odds. I cannot help but wonder why this region of the world cannot simply get it together.
In a world where most films deal with nothing other than entertainment, both 9 Star Hotel and Syrian Bride bring to light daring stories that provoke thought and enlightenment.
Cheers to KOCH Lorber for having enough bravado to release such incredible quality works to the market.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A documentary that deserves 9 stars, February 7, 2008
This review is from: 9 Star Hotel (DVD)
Had the pleasure of seeing this moving documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival and hear the director Ido Haar answer a few questions about the making of the film after it screened. Thrilled to see that it has been released on DVD and will be exposed to a wider audience. It opened my eyes to an issue that I never knew existed - the plight of migrant Palestinian workers crossing into Israel - a situation not dissimilar to the one that exists on the U.S. and Mexican border.
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