Writer-director Qasim Basir is nothing less than compelling in his feature film debut, “Mooz-lum.”  In it he attacks Islamist extremism while giving moviegoers a rare and enlightening portrayal of life as a Muslim in America. There’s an indisputable strength to the raw melodrama of “Mooz-lum,” a tale from the heart indie that expresses itself in primary colors. A coming of age story of a Muslim-American college student in the midst of an identity crisis on the eve of 9/11, the plot will engender debate and curiosity once audiences leave the theater. The stellar acting from the very accomplished ensemble only adds to the list of reasons this film is worth seeing.

The LA Times says, “Having created rich roles for his actors, Basir elicits from them inspired portrayals. Well-crafted in all aspects, “Mooz-lum” is not only rich in nuance, but also an engrossing entertainment made with skill and passion.

We say, don’t miss it.

So you’re out at a club with your friends and you see the a girl across the bar. You get the nerve to go over to her and say, “Is your dad a theif?…because he stole the stars out of the sky and put them into your eyes.”

So then what happens? Does she laugh, bat her eyes or throw the rest of her beer in your face? It all depends on the circumstances. Movies have long been the source of some of the funniest and most memorable pick-up lines and here at RELATIVITY Online we thought to put together a some of our favorites. Enjoy, but we don’t recommend using any of them!

• 1. “You know how they say we only use 10 percent of our brains, I think we only use 10 percent of our hearts.” - Owen Wilson, “The Wedding Crashers” (credit: New Line Cinema)
• 2. “I don’t exactly know what I am required to say in order for you to have intercourse with me. But could we assume that I said all that. I mean essentially we are talking about fluid exchange right? So could we go just straight to the sex?” – Russell Crowe, “A Beautiful Mind” (credit: Universal Pictures
• 3.“I don’t know how to put this, but I’m kind of a big deal.” – Will Ferrell, “Anchorman” (credit: DreamWorks)
• 4.“What color are your eyes?”
• “Um – they’re blue.”
• “I’d like to invite you both to come with me to Oviedo. For the weekend. We leave in an hour.” - Javier Bardem, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (credit: The Weinstein Company)
• 5.“God, you’re a real live outlaw!”
  
• “I may be the outlaw, but you’re the one stealing my heart.” – Brad Pitt, “Thelma and Louise” (credit: MGM)
• 6.“Are you stalking me? Because that would be super.” – Ryan Reynolds, “Van Wilder” (credit: Artisan Entertainment)
• 7.“Marry me, and I’ll never look at another horse.” - Groucho Marx, “A Day at the Races” (credit: MGM)
• 8.“I couldn’t help but notice that you look a lot like my next girlfriend.” - “Hitch” (credit: Sony Pictures Classics)
• 9.“Do you have a cell phone I could use?”
• “Why?”
• “Someone has to call God and tell him that one of his angels is missing.” - Vince Vaughn, “Couples Retreat” (credit: Universal Pictures)
• 10.“There’s something I want to say that’s always been very difficult for me to say. ‘I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.’ There. I’ve never been relaxed enough around anyone to say that. “ - Steve Martin, “The Jerk” (credit: Universal Pictures)

There are few plot inclusions more exhilarating than an honest to goodness barn-burning shootout. Whether they take place on urban city streets or in the Old West, these deadly firefights always make our hearts beat just a little bit faster.  From Brian DePalma to Sam Peckinpah, some of the best directors in the business have taken on the challenge of orchestrating  a symphony of gun play.  At times the result has been a beautifying production of mayhem and death. Although the list is debatable to be sure, after much discussion around the office, here is RELATIVTY OnLine’s top movie shootouts of all time.

• 1. Heat – robbery scene
• 2. The Untouchables - train station scene
• 3. Hard Boiled  – opening sequence
• 4. The Matrix – lobby sequence
• 5. Open Range – final showdown
• 6. The Wild Bunch – final scene
• 7. The Killer – apartment sequence
• 8. Scarface – final shootout
• 9. Tombstone - gunfight at the OK Corral
• 10.  The Professional – final shootout

via videosift.com

Scarface Ending – Click here for more free videos

The Kite Runner, based in the international bestseller by Khaled Hosseini,  tells the story of an Afghan refugee turned writer, many years removed from his struggles to arrive in the United States,  who is overcome by an eruption of memory from his days as a child in Afghanistan. At it’s core, the story is about an upper-class 12 year-old Afghan boy named Amir, who horribly betrays his childhood friend Hassan, the son of his father’s house servant. Years later, Amir takes the opportunity to atone for his actions with a tremendous act of courage. Powerful, haunting, and unforgettable, the film takes the audience  inside both a country’s history and culture, placing a very human face on the tragic tale of Afghanistan; a country that most only know from caustic headlines and brief nightly news installments. Even the the most stoic of viewers will have a hard time not being moved by RELATIVITY OnLine’s latest DVD recommendation. Skip the latest formulaic retread the next time you’re looking for a movie to watch and try something a little different. You won’t regret it.   

From Lama J…

The first movie I ever watched in the cinema was an Arabic movie called “Ice Cream Fe Glim.” It was a romantic love story and I liked it so much. I went with my sisters and a few other friends and I enjoyed watching it far away from home and far from my father’s cynical comments about romance in movies. The cinema has been my great escape ever since.

I always find the cinema a great way to get away from everything; a good story that keeps you occupied for couple of hours, even when you’re lonely or have nothing to do. I do my best to see my favorite actors and actresses on the big screen. It’s like I feel kind of disconnected from the whole world and I’m living in my plane of existence other than my own. I’ve always liked Hollywood movies, but also enjoy watching Arabic and Bollywood films as well. I also enjoy documentaries about other countries and cultures.

I live in Dubai and since moving here I’ve witnessed behavior inside a cinema I’d never seen anywhere else.  Cinemas in Dubai are often like small chat rooms, a place where people gather to talk and to make silly comments about every single part of the movie. If you go on the weekend to City Centre or Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, you feel you are inside a café shop full with kids, or a grocery store with many buyers. Some people even show up in the middle of the movie and leave 30 minutes before the movie ends. Some people continue their business by answering their phone calls and calling people to tell them about the movie. When there is a romantic scene, teenagers make stupid jokes and can’t stop making noises. There have been times when I wished I could yell into a mike and scream at everyone to be quiet. I pay eight dollars, but my snacks and settle in only to be annoyed – what’s the point. It seems people in Dubai, more often than not, simply don’t respect other people

I watched a documentary film from a Lebanese director about maids who are brought into Beirut from India and Sri Lanka. The film’s was about how horrible the living circumstances are for these maids, leaving their families and children behind  for years, for little money and often enduring physical and sexual abuse. It really broke my heart, but I sat there and listened to people laugh. When I saw a documentary about Palestine with some fellow Palestinians I felt so sad and cried about what is happening to my people. At the same time, my other Palestinian friends didn’t seem to care less.

My dream now is to watch a movie in a quiet environment. I even try my best to go to a cinema that few people go to. I don’t even like to take anyone with me except for my husband, as we both like watching movies. There was a time when I was with my husband and a Chinese man, who couldn’t speak English, and a friend of his were sitting right next to us. His friend was translating every single sentence of the movie and was driving us both crazy. This was absolutely not acceptable anywhere but in Dubai. Of course my husband couldn’t handle it. In the middle of the movie, he stood up and shined his phone light in the Chinese man’s face.  Standing there with is big arms covered in tattoos her yelled, Hey! You’re not in your living room! If you want to talk all the way through a movie, watch one at home!”

He never made sound for the rest of the movie.

The food you can buy at the cinemas here in Dubai is also kind of strange. All the regular goodies like popcorn, soda and candies are there, but there’s also stuff like chocolate, cheese or mushroom crêpes and cheese and cups or hot corn niblets. Last but not least, almost all cinemas have VIP sections where prices are doubles. One thing my husband likes about the cinemas in Dubai is that when you buy your tickets you choose your seats, something he says they don’t have back in Canada.

The violence seen in some movies stays with us long after we leave the darkened theatre. These movies often incorporate the dark and primitive nature of humanity to grab our attention and make us think. After much dispute around the office, here is RELATIVITY OnLine’s own top ten list. Let us know if you think we left out any violently noteworthy films.

• 1. 300
• 2. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
• 3. Natural Born Killers
• 4. Saving Private Ryan
• 5. Rambo (2008)
• 6.  A Cloclwork Orange
• 7. Cannibal Holocaust
• 8. The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
• 9. Braveheart
• 10 . Ichi the Killer