Foreign Cinema: The Band's Visit

The Band's Visit (Advance Screening) Directed by Eran Kolirin To be released February 8, 2008 I loved this movie from start to finish. The tagline for this film sums it up perfectly: "Once-not long ago-a small Egyptian police band arrived in Israel. Not many remember this...It wasn't that important." The band, especially band leader Tawfiq, treats their situation like the most serious and important of missions. This is one of the most wonderful, quietly affecting stories I have seen on film in quite some time. The entire band does deadpan so well, and the film is thoroughly amusing. It proceeds slowly but never for a second becomes boring. Words cannot describe how terrific this cast is - especially Sasson Gabai (Tawfiq), Ronit Elkabetz (Dina), and Saleh Bakri (Khaled). The music is also fantastic. A-