Opening at the Film Forum Theater in New York on May 21, Fatih Akin's
"The Edge of Heaven" is unfortunately cut from the same mold as Paul
Haggis "Crash" and Alejandro González Iñárritu's "Babel". These sorts
of films, with their combination of far-fetched coincidence and
liberal pieties, seem to be irresistible to film festival award
panels. "The Edge of Heaven" won four German Oscars, including one
for Best Film. I imagine that New York film critics will fall all
over themselves praising it, but that's nothing new. "Crash" and
"Babel", another two pretentious Message movies, were also hoisted on
their shoulders. My intention, as always, is to dig beneath the hype.
Fatih Akin is a 33 year old Turk who was born and raised in Hamburg,
Germany. Since his last film "Crossing the Bridge" was an excellent
introduction to the Turkish music scene, it can at least be said that
"The Edge of Heaven" is distinguished by the inclusion of some
terrific background music attributable to the director's obvious
expertise. The acting and cinematography are also first-rate,
including some wonderful scenes of Istanbul streets and the starkly
beautiful Black Sea region of Northern Turkey. It is too bad that the
screenplay is utter nonsense.
full: http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/the-edge-of-heaven/
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