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Sunday, January 22, 2006

Ushpizin

We saw Ushpizin last night.

Things of note:

1. This movie is, as U. puts it, the "anti-Kadosh". Partly because it actually looks like it might not be totally miserable to be Jewish, and partly because they very deliberately show an actual husband and wife with a real relationship and say such things as "the most important thing is to make your wife happy." A little over-the-top perhaps. And not being "controversial" and "groundbreaking" (eg. downright offensive at times) it is not likely to get a standing ovation or an award. That suits me just fine. (I can tell you why I hate Kadosh another time. It's not always the same reasons other people hate it.)

2. Religious Jews, rather than complain about how they are depicted in movies, took the time to actually create a good movie the way they wanted it to be.

3. It was a very joyful film invoking much more thought and emotion for me than, by contrast, Munich which we saw last week, which should have been a Jewish movie and was not, and which should have evoked emotion about a real event, but didn't. (Extremely disappointing and gruesome experience.)

4. I am really curious to hear what other people thought about the concept of submitting to Hashem's tests in life versus allowing oneself to be walked upon by others. I think the movie did a decent job of struggling with it rather than stating a clear answer.

5. The depiction of non-Jews seemed less realistic than that of the Jews.
(Note, I meant to say "non-religious Jews", not "non-Jews...1/23/06. Sorry.)

6. It was a very nice movie. I was annoyed at a recent Shabbos dinner to hear someone say dramatically, "It will change your life." It won't. (And sometimes movies can.) But it has reminded me to at least think a little more about emunah (faith).

7. I was touched by seeing a Baal Teshuvah depicted in the way that he was.

8. I found the humor appropriate, the grief compelling and the miracles fun and joyous.

In short, not bad.

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3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This movie was a pleasant surprise for me as well. I expected the film to be a Jewish homework assignment: "Let's see how religious Jews are portrayed in this movie and take notes so that we can compare to religion-hating movies like Kadosh."
I'm happy to say that I was fairly well engaged in the movie as a drama in its own right. It's a solid work of art.

This may be a tad picky, but I didn't think lines like "the most important thing is to make your wife happy" were over-the-top (ie. melodramatic). Rather, I felt they were too self-conscious. It's almost as if the characters themselves had just screened Kadosh and were on their best behavior lest they leave a bad impression with the audience.

Arwen, if you ever do a post specifically on Munich, let me know. I've been meaning to blow off some steam.

2:05 AM

 
Blogger AMJ said...

Hi Arwen, we also saw Ushpizin, right around the chagim. While it was not life changing, David and I could deffinitely relate to it. Since he is a Kollel Student we really felt the parallels of their lives in someways compared to ours. Although they portrayed the secular Jews as the worst of the worst, sometimes that is the way people behave. When David was at Ohr SaMayach we heard some interesting stories from friends and Rav's of his.

All the best,
alina

3:24 AM

 
Blogger Celal Birader said...

I had read about this movie in the Jewish Chronicle and yesterday when i saw it at Blockbuster's it was our opportunity watch it.

4. I am really curious to hear what other people thought about the concept of submitting to Hashem's tests in life versus allowing oneself to be walked upon by others. I think the movie did a decent job of struggling with it rather than stating a clear answer.

Moshe Belaga let his yeshiva rulers walk over him. His wife castigated him for it. Yet he was silent. It's not until we learn he had a very bad temper in his "old life" that we realise this meekness is in deliberate obedience to HaShem.

You never get a sense they are being doormats because they have a weak or flawed character. They were totally subservient to their guests in obedience to HaShem.

I agree with all the comments from all.

I would say that as a Christian this movie is on many levels (except one very important one [smiley-smiley]) a Christian movie as well in terms of how we bring faith to bear to daily living and daily trials. The Judeo-Christian God is real and this movie lets Him be real.

Having most of the plot take place in the Sukkah is a fitting analogy to the pilgrimage of faith.

Shalom.

3:33 PM

 

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