I Was Here - World Humanitarian Day

A few touching words, an honest voice and images of humanity's good deeds are all that took the lovely Beyonce to teach us the values of existence - I was Here - World Humanitarian Day August 19, 2012.

Creation: Boosters

This week I have been listening to those two songs which I think are major boosters when feeling down, they gave me a push with one of those boredom attacks :) so I called them boosters :) "What doesn't Kill You" by Kelly Clarkson and "Titanium" by David Guetta and Sia!

Cinematic: Ghost Protocol: Mission Failed to Portray Reality

Lamiaa ElKholy |Dubai

Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol has been highly anticipated here in Dubai since Tom Cruise’s memorable stunts on top of the Burj Khalifa as he dangled and hopped across the world’s tallest building.

With the release of the trailer and the never before seen on a Western film, footage of the tower we all held our breath as Tom struggled to stay attached to the glistening glass.

But how every patch we have seen translated on the big screen when it was time for the real thing was really disappointing!

When it came to action and explosives Mission Impossible 4 did what the film does best; it delivered, but when it came to portraying the scenes shot in the UAE, it was quite a shock how the movie sustained Hollywood’s long tradition of stereotyping the Middle East.

We can’t deny that the geographical nature of the region does involve vast deserts, camels and sandstorms as the film depicts, however to introduce the city on screen with Tom driving his four wheel across oceans of sand you can’t help but wonder which airport did the IMF team choose for landing?!

Routs leading to Burj Khalifa which lies in the most constructed urban districts in Dubai seemed to be on the edge of some oasis where camels intercept your way and traditional souks are erected just around the corner!

Dubai’s landmarks, streets the whole city surrounding the Burj was completely edited out in the movie!

When the location supposedly changes to India again the film brings us to one of Dubai’s most luxurious hotels; Zabeel Saray at the Plam Jumeirah where the Dubai Film Festival had its closing ceremony last Wednesday, deluding the viewer to believe that this place lies in India!

It might be rather exotic to a Western audience to maintain the illusion of Middle Eastern desert life but it would certainly feel weird if New Yorkers had to watch actors ride on horseback to head to the statue of liberty and rush out of the Empire states building into a chase in China Town! Would the film makers dare shoot in a popular European location and claim it is in the big apple?

In the world of movies everything is credible but what was expected from a huge production lead by Tom Cruise who was hugely welcomed in the UAE was definitely to stay true to the story it is trying to tell!

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Directed by:

Brad Bird

Movie Cast:

Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Josh Holloway, Anil Kapoor, Lea Seydoux, Tom Wilkinson.