Thoughts and pic spam on West Bank Story (2005) (a musical!) :D [updated]
I accidentally deleted my post about West Bank Story so will now have to start all over again :P
I wrote last week that a movie called West Bank Story caught my eye.
A musical comedy set in the fast-paced, fast-food world of competing falafel stands on the West Bank... David, an Israeli soldier, falls in love with the beautiful Palestinian cashier, Fatima, despite the animosity between their families' dueling restaurants. Can the couple's love withstand a 2000 year old conflict and their families' desire to control the future of the chic pea in the Middle East?
I finally watched the movie and it is adorable.
Trailer is here.
*snap snap snap*
We then meet Ahmed, owner of the Hummus Hut. Westside Story-style, he and his staff slide, shuffle and click their way through the market.
When they encounter the checkpoint guards.
Ahmed's smile disappears ....
He would be even more unimpressed if he knew that his sister Fatima and David the sweet, Israeli guard are exchanging sweet glances ..... David has an incredibly sexy mouth.
It's love at first sight.
Ahmed faces off the checkpoint guards.
So Ariel, owner of the Kosher King and brother of David, appears.
The soldiers glance at them and then join in the dancing.
There is a tense Dance of Confrontation.
They then dance away....
Ariel and his gang into the Kosher King and Ahmed and his gang into the Hummus Hut.
Video clip is here
Ahmed then sings about how great Hummus Hut is.
As he sings, we hear the wail of a Jewish violin. Flash to the Kosher King and then we see Ariel singing ...
He waxes lyrical about how great Kosher King is.
The staff of Kosher King and Hummus Hut dance past.
Then there's a hilarious split screen.
Ahmed: Your side of the screen is encroaching on my side of the screen.
Ariel: No, you are clearly threatening my side of the screen.
Ahmed: Excuse me it's my side of the screen!
Fatima sings wistfully of the Israeli soldier she saw earlier that day.
Thinks of him.
Wishes he was thinking of her.
But then says she's a Hummus Hut nut in love with a man in an Israeli uniform.
Then it's David's turn to sing.
He sings to the world and to a passing camel.
He thinks of Fatima.
"It's for my people that I must be strong, I must remember I'm a Jew ..." :D
"But I wish I could make her my boo ...."
They then sing together......
But when I see him (when I see her)
When I see him (when I see her)
When I see him (when I see her)
I wish he would (I wish she would)
Only see me....
Video is here
Then Fatima runs after a customer to give him the Hummus that he left behind. Ruvik, the checkpoint guard freaks out and thinks that she's saying 'Hamas' instead of Hummus ;)
David sees and intervenes hastily.
"Do I look like a suicide bomber?"
"Like I'd be caught dead in this outfit?"
David is enchanted, tells Ruvik it's fine and he'll handle it.
Ruvik scans Fatima anyway, to David's irritation.
They have a very awkward exchange. He introduces himself and she tells him her name. Did I mention he has a sexy mouth?
When Fatima walks away, she's all giggley and 'bye' and he's all smitten and 'bye' and they're both so in love ;)
Unfortunately, it makes him less than diligent for the next person who shows up at the checkpoint.
Even though the guy looks a wee bit dodgy.
"It's good. Go ahead."
He lets him by. "Have fun!" he says absently ;)
I won't recap the rest of the movie because it's cute and it's best to see it yourself, but David's so cute when he asks her to meet after work.
David: Can we meet after work?
Fatima: Our families hate each other
David: I don't care. Let me come to your balcony tonight to annoy your parents and neighbours by singing you a really overdramatic song about feelings and love.
Fatima: What?
*laugh* Oh come on, he has a sexy mouth.
Reaction of Fatima's cousin when she says that she and David are in love :D
Gah. :D Also, I am a dork :) I wrote a ficlet for the movie here, although the tone is more serious than the movie was.
Links
West Bank Story: Love, Politics, and Hummus
Love, hummus and the Mideast conflict
Musical comedy on West Bank wins Oscar for best live action short film
Love, laughter & tears
A Place for Us
A little humor, a little hummus
Local actor stars in Oscar Award-nominated film
I Really Want to See West Bank Story
I just met a girl named Fatima
Ari Sandel's Amazing Twenty-Four Hours. Very critical and horrible review of the movie.