by Irma Arkus
It was only a matter of time before topics such war, terrorism, and Islam became assimilated into comedic content. While these are seemingly still out of bounds for American filmmakers, UK seems to be offering this year a surprising roster of comedic films that do address the issues of terrorism, nationality and ethnicity in a multicultural, cosmopolitan arena.
It struck me earlier today that Harold and Kumar are the closest thing North Americans have to inclusion of the “other,” the upcoming UK productions, boisterously irreverent and humorous, have a better time including the idea that the “other” is these days undeniably part of all of us.
The first one is Four Lions, directed by Christopher Morris, a prominent TV name known for “Brass Eye” and “Nathan Barley” episodes. Four Lions tells a story of four young jihadists who are planning a terrorist plot, while obviously engaging in uncovering ideological inconsistencies amongst four men who are the product of western upbringing as much as of their own cultural roots.
Another movie that came as an even bigger surprise this year is The Infidel, by the lovable Omid Djalili, who, as a devout muslim and a family man, discovers that he is actually jewish and adopted.
This twist, I did not expect. And it comes with an entirely new territory of hilarity touching on anything from anti-semitism, famed Islamic apostheosis, and of course, the unearthed joys of Judaism!
I bet you anything that these two will not be released in 3D.
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