Afghan Star

As if getting on stage before millions and risking the insults of Simon Cowell weren’t bad enough, imagine if you had the Taliban sending you death threats just for appearing on “American Idol.”

“Afghan Star” is very much like its American counterpart, except for the shoestring budget. The titular documentary, playing for one week only at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, chronicles the lives of four contestants vying for the cash prize, record deal, and title of “Afghan Star.”

The film opens with the sobering image of a blind little boy singing a pop tune. He says that music makes his sadness disappear. A boy next to him adds, “If there was no music the world would be silent.” Music is probably more special to them than most of us can appreciate – up until recently, being caught singing could result in death.

Since 1979 Afghanistan has suffered civil wars and has been oppressed under the Taliban rule. Music was considered disrespectful and sacrilegious, and from 1996, it was a crime to dance, listen to music, or watch television.

With the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in place, the country had elections in 2004, and music and dancing were okay once again. A huge boon of television stations appeared and one popular program to emerge was “Afghan Star.”

A program that passes for thoughtless entertainment in the U.S. is nothing short of revolutionary over there. Viewers can vote for their favorite contestants via text message, which the first time many Afghanis have experienced democracy.

The competition is open to anyone despite gender or age. Two women bravely participate on the program. After losing, one of them removes her veil and does a modest dance during her final performance – shocking actions that threaten her safety, bringing her several death threats.

Besides encouraging the democratic process, the show advances national unity. Tribal disputes are set aside when people of all sects vote for their favorite contestants. One fan is so loyal to his idol that he’s willing to sell his car so he can buy more SIM cards for his phone, which equals more texted votes.

The story of “Afghan Star” is fascinating for several reasons, but mostly because of the parallels with its American counterpart. Albeit the show’s popularity in the States, the program is devoid of meaning except for contestants’ hunger for their own 15 minutes. In Afghanistan, the show represents the reemergence of popular culture and anticipation of a unified nation.

It’s important to see what Afghanistan is like now and where it has been. I think that our perceptions of region are highly skewed, and this film shows just a peek of what life is like on the other side. “Afghan Star” is worth viewing for the much needed reminder that there are real human beings in the Middle East. The story about the actual “Afghan Star” show is just icing on the cake.

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The Hurt Locker

Director Kathryn Bigelow crafts one superb study of the psychology of war in “The Hurt Locker,” one of the best war films to be released in recent memory.

A new sergeant, James (Jeremy Renner) takes over a highly trained bomb disposal team in Iraq. He surprises his subordinates, Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Eldridge (Brian Geraghty), by treating each fatal situation with reckless abandon and seeming indifference to death. The men, especially the by-the-book Sanborn, struggle to reign in their new leader as they work to disarm bombs in the heat of combat.

Acting from the whole cast is excellent, particularly Renner who plays the passionate James well. This guy eats danger for breakfast; approaching unknown bombs, taking off his bulky protective suit for comfort, outstaying his welcome among potentially unfriendly locals. James only makes the already tense situations worse for his comrades.

Though he often throws caution to the wind, he can show sensibility and compassion, coaching Eldridge when he starts to crack on the battlefield. Hopefully this movie is a launches a long career for the talented Renner.

The first half of the movie is nonstop nail biting action. Bigelow masterfully builds tension and shifts moods in part with the handheld camera work. A true sense of foreboding permeates the whole picture. Characters are killed lest you forget. The Iraqis watching the troops also add a very unsettling touch. Any one of them could have a detonator in hand.

A story arc that has been set up wonderfully in the first half of the film appears in the second, though it may catch you by surprise. Set ups and payoffs are marvelously orchestrated. Character development happens on the battlefield and off.

“The Hurt Locker” is tense, well-acted, riveting entertainment. A must see.

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The Wrestler

Desperate to continue a career as a professional wrestler after his golden years pass him by, Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) works the amateur circuit. A heart attack forces him to trade in the tights for a normal life as he searches for relationships with stripper friend Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) and estranged daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood).

The picture belongs to Rourke. His performance is sublime, physically and emotionally vulnerable, and painful to watch. Even with the brutal beatings and countless injuries suffered, wrestling has been far kinder to Randy than real life.

You can’t help but root for the guy, which makes his scenes of breathtaking self-destruction hard to swallow. The camera frequently follows Rourke creating a unique and especially personal aesthetic.

Even if wrestling is more of a spectacle than a sport, the pain is as real as it gets. Colliding with barbed wire, staple guns, and shattering glass are typical. Intricate details of the fights and performers talking shop backstage create a legitimate feeling world for the film.

The only false step in the entire film is Wood’s slightly undercooked role, and the fact that her acting prowess pales when next to Rourke. Stephanie has been understandably jaded by years of her father’s absence, but Wood’s performance isn’t much more than one-note callousness. A far more interesting relationship is played between Randy and Cassidy.

Both are aging performers far from their peak. Both have different names for on stage and off. Offstage, Cassidy prefers her real name, Pam. But Randy is Randy “The Ram” everywhere. He shudders to be summoned by birth name “Robin.” He’s only alive when performing; Cassidy performs because it’s a living.

On paper it may seem like a typical underdog story, but I never once felt the pang of cliché. Rourke is dazzling, the style gritty, the story compelling.

This is Darren Aronofsky’s most conventionally done picture yet – the frenetic visual style of earlier works is gone - but it just might be his best. He’s paid his dues; this should have been his shot at best picture and directing. Though the Academy unrighteously snubbed this outstanding film, “The Wrestler” deserves the highest accolades.

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