Staring: Alexia Barlier, Christian Schiaretti, Daniel Auteuil, Élodie Navarre, Fanny Cottençon
Director: Jean Becker

Australia released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Two men find themselves sharing a lifetime of experiences and observations over the course of a summer in this low-key comedy-drama from France. After the death of his mother, an artist (Daniel Auteuil) well known for his nature studies inherits his family's vacation house in the country. The artist notices that the house's once-impressive vegetable garden has fallen into neglect, and he hires a local gardener to put it back into shape. To his great surprise, the gardener (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) turns out to be an old friend from his school days, and as the gardener gets to work, he and the artist talk about where their lives have gone since they last saw one another. Over the next several months, the gardener and the painter chat about life, love, work, family, vegetables and anything else that crosses their minds as they casually pass along their life's stories and what they learned along the way under the warmth of the summer sun. Dialogue Avec Mon Jardinier (aka Conv...
Fabulous French Film, 2010-06-10
I really enjoyed this film so much. A simple plot, great location, superb characters and gentle (thought provoking) pace make this a truly entertaining film. It's this type of film that the French film industry makes so well and that you know would be a heap of schmulzy drivvel if done US style. So sit back with a glass of wine (or two) and enjoy. Can't wait for the time to watch it again.

Rated: Suitable for 15 years and over
Staring: Hiam Abbass, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira
Director: Tom McCarthy

The Visitor - Superbly written, cast and acted!, 2010-07-08
It's been a long time since I've found a drama so engaging. The cold secretive inhuman system of the US immigration & deportation system contrasts greatly with the humanity shown by Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) Zainab (Danai Gurira) and Tareks mother Mouna (Hiam Abbass) for Tareks plight. A real David and Goliath feeling of Tarek being detained at the ICE detention centre with the contrast of Walter Vale's (Richard Jenkins) lacklustre life as a college economics professor in Connecticut and his transition into the contrasting world of drumming. Brilliantly written, perfectly cast and I'd heartily recommend this DVD as a involving and engaging drama.

Staring: Andy Lau, Anita Mui, Aaron Kwok, Kenny Bee, Gloria Yip
Director: Corey Yuen, David Lai, Eran Riklis

Informative, 2010-02-14
I bought this film from Amazon.de as it was not available in UK. The service was fantastic, I received the film in shorter time frame than if ordering from UK.

The film itself is certainly worth watching and gives an insight to troubles in Middle East from a human perspective.

Staring: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Oscar Isaac, Hiam Abbass, Shaun Toub
Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Fantastic film, 2010-05-09
Excellent film. Really wonderful. Atmospheric, enchanting, inspiring. Very good acting, visually beautiful. I love it.

Rated: Parental Guidance
Staring: Doron Tavory, Hiam Abbass
Director: Eran Riklis

the lemon tree, 2010-08-01
an exceptionally fine and sensitive portrayal of the plight of israel and palestine, as seen through the eyes of two women who share more than either is willing to acknowledge from each side of the divide - which is of course not only physical but emotional.
truly fine performances from both actresses, and an excellent insight into the complexities of the situation.

Staring: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Alia Shawkat, Jenna Kawar
Director: Cherien Dabis

Rated: Suitable for 12 years and over
Staring: Daniel Auteuil, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Alexia Barlier, Hiam Abbass, Elodie Navarre
Director: Jean Becker

Fabulous French Film, 2010-06-10
I really enjoyed this film so much. A simple plot, great location, superb characters and gentle (thought provoking) pace make this a truly entertaining film. It's this type of film that the French film industry makes so well and that you know would be a heap of schmulzy drivvel if done US style. So sit back with a glass of wine (or two) and enjoy. Can't wait for the time to watch it again.

Staring: Hiam Abbass, Doron Tavory, Ali Suliman, Rona Lipaz-Michael, Tarik Kopty
Director: Eran Riklis

the lemon tree, 2010-08-01
an exceptionally fine and sensitive portrayal of the plight of israel and palestine, as seen through the eyes of two women who share more than either is willing to acknowledge from each side of the divide - which is of course not only physical but emotional.
truly fine performances from both actresses, and an excellent insight into the complexities of the situation.

Staring: Gérard Depardieu, Guillaume Depardieu, Sylvie Testud, Julien Boisselier, Noémie Kocher
Director: Jacob Berger

A loving father, 2008-03-14
A French poet, Léo Shepherd (Gérard Depardieu), secretly suffering from a three year period of writer's block, wins the Nobel prize for literature. He decides to travel to Stockholm for the ceremony by motor-bike while his assistant Arthur (Julien Boisselier)and his secretary & daughter Virginia (Sophie Testud) plan to travel by plane.
The dysfunctional family is contacted by son Paul (Guillaume Depardieu) from whom Léo is estranged. Paul we learn is a reformed addict but is obviously psychologically damaged.
While following his father along the roads towards Stockholm a prolonged chase ensues and Léo ends up coming off his bike at speed while narrowly avoiding a pile-up in the middle of the road that has already killed a couple of people including another bike-rider. The dead biker is of similar build and dress to Léo and is badly disfigured from the crash. Léo, while dazed following his spill, drops his wallet containing his identification. Paul kidnaps his father. Naturally the authorities find the crash site, find the wallet and assume the dead bike-rider to be the famous poet.
While Paul and his father argue their way north, Virginia is distraught with the news and she is taken to identify the body. On discovering it is not her father she decides to keep the information from the authorities assuming that her father's reputation would be damaged by the error and the mystery of his whereabouts.
As they journey together we learn that Paul and Léo have had a poor relationship from the time when Paul was a child. Léo it seems was an abusive father to Paul especially and a poor one to his daughter. Paul retaliates as a child by destroying years of his father's writings and is almost killed by Léo in his anger.
Things are brought to a head and an emotional ending of sorts while everyone is on board a ferry to Stockholm.
The film ends on a possible positive note with Léo seemingly accepting another small child we assume is another son from a new relationship in a new country.

This is a moving (although not a classic "tear-jerker") film with a bit of mystery thrown in. Both Gérard and Guillaume Depardieu give wonderful performances. How much is for real - who knows? You'd hope none! A nicely supportive cast. I would have preferred to have had the characters a bit more developed but realise that his would have lengthened the film but it would have assisted in understanding motives.

Well worth watching - 4/5 stars.

It should be noted that this film is incorrectly tagged as Gay/Lesbian. I am totally bewildered why it should have been tagged thus. Nothing in the film points or fingers any character as openly gay or lesbian. I suggest the category be changed to "Family relationships" or "Father & son relationships"

Staring: Hiam Abbass, Hend El Fahem, Maher Kamoun, Monia Hichri, Faouzia Badr
Director: Raja Amari

A Sense of Discovery, 2010-03-15
This is a thoroughly enjoyable film that captures the rediscovery of life of a middle-aged widow living in Algeria. The widow rediscovers life through a series of events brought about by an accidental visit to a local cabaret where she witnesses the art of belly dancing. This is a thoughtful film about a woman's fulfillment in a world dominated by men. The experiences highlighted are realistic and well balanced. The ending is cleverly manipulated and surprising. Hiam Abbass is superb as the downtrodden widow.