ouiliam

I discovered this show learning Egyptian Arabic on you-tube, and the original story and sense of humor was very entertaining. Not only are the scriptwriters playing around a lot with inventive insults and innuendos and slapstick expressionism and overboard, quirky behavior, they also built realistic characters who behave according to consistent psychological patterns, and the plot contains realistic everyday issues and unexpected twists throughout. The two brothers are a laugh, and the degree of their idiocy, humiliation and debauchery knows no bounds, and the rapport with the pet dog just weird. Some characters such as the 3 commercial reps got on my nerves at times, though that could be from the dubbing or the jokes did not translate well from Spanish into Egyptian. This series was also a cultural adventure into the psyche, home and workplace of Bogota and Colombia, and covered many issues from divorce, sexual harassment and co-parenting, to corruption, Alzheimer's, poverty and dysfunctional family/pet relationships.

Not since Jane Adam's tragically lovable character "Joy" in Solondz' Happiness have I seen such a genuinely touching and vulnerable portrayal as Bullock managed to pull off here. Roberto Benigni in Johnny Stecchino and Il Mostro also comes to mind. The sheer purity of heart and dorky altruism oozing from each of Mary "Horror"witz' klutzy quirks just made me melt.

The tale is an uplifting metaphor about life, she affronts challenges with positivity and the strength born of her ignorance, or maybe intentional want to believe in good. Not once does she slip into cynicism, bitterness or vengefulness - a nice change from the slick, down on their luck, self-pitying con artists who often crop up in romantic comedies. Bradley Cooper plays a very convincing stalk-interest too as Steve.

If only there were more Marys in this world!

This film excels both dramatically and visually (I could easily watch those battle sequences at the start for over an hour!), not to forget the meaningful message that freedom dies in the thunder of applause.. The powerfully disturbing imagery of Annikin at the end reminds us of the horrors of war, which should put a damper on politicians who churn out absolutist rhetoric such as 'you are either with us, or against us'. The ghoulish pallid face of the Chancellor, that ugly lip/tongue twitch thing, writhing on the floor, will no doubt haunt many nightmares to come. I just can't believe this was the same team that made the 2 previous episodes, I mean how is that possible!!? The Revenge of the Clones had shallow sequences cutting to and fro after a fews seconds' worth of each, which was just a barrage or blur of fancy CG and not much else. Annikin (Hayden) has really matured in this one, and Kenobi (Ewan) has lost some of his cockiness to really make him melt into the role so endearingly portrayed back in 1977. F A B U L O U S STUFF