Page 2 September 1, 2016 Film Review In Directorial Debut “A Tale of Love and Darkness,” Natalie Portman Honors Jewish Heritage Natalie Portman in “A Tale of Love and Darkness.” Courtesy of Voltage Pictures. By Morgan Rojas Natalie Portman is regarded as one of the most ambitious and hardest working people in Hollywood today. Opting to place her career on hold to attend Harvard University in 1999 (getting her degree in Psychology), she is a perfect example for actors everywhere that one shouldn’t rely on beauty, not even talent alone, to survive in show business. The new film “A Tale of Love and Darkness,” based on Israeli author Amos Oz’s bestselling memoir, further proves her abilities as a triple threat in a film that Portman not only stars in, but adapts and directs. Oh, and did I mention the film is in Hebrew with English subtitles? “A Tale of Love and Darkness” is told from the perspective of Amos as an elderly man, reminiscing about his childhood in the budding State of Israel in the 1940s and ‘50s. Amos (Amir Tessler) is a 10-year-old Jewish boy, not yet mature enough to comprehend the politics of the Middle East. He meets a young Arab girl at a party and although they only speak a few words, they are enough for him to understand the conflict around him. His father Arieh (Gilad Kahana), an author with an awareness of the political state of the country, tries to teach his son life lessons every day. His mother, Fania (Portman), puts on a brave face as the matriarch of the household amongst the turmoil, but battles internal forces that eventually become too overwhelming. In tackling the vast historical context of Middle East politics, “A Tale of Love and Darkness” is slower and much denser than any of Portman’s other work. Its appeal is that it is non-commercial, but that doesn’t mean it lacks cinematic inspiration. Some of the most vivid scenes come from the nightly bedtime stories Fania tells Amos. Just as the character Sara in “A Little Princess” created fantasy worlds for her friends while in boarding school, the stories Fania tells are acted out in a similar fashion. This film is not just Natalie Portman’s directorial debut, it has also been her passion project that she worked on for over 10 years. It is an interesting choice for a filmmaker’s debut, as it definitely goes against the grain of formulaic Hollywood films. However, after watching, it seems like no one else could have pulled off this striking balance between romance and melancholy as well as the triple-threat Portman. “A Tale of Love and Darkness” is rated PG-13 for thematic content and some disturbing violent images. 95 minutes. Now playing at the Landmark Theater. • A Special Case This big boy is nothing but sweet and docile! He is about eight years old and weighs 78 lbs, according to the vet. I first found him on my back doorstep, trying to escape the summer heat in South Los Angeles; he was limping on his back leg and covered in dirt and fleas. He was even so thirsty, he tried drinking a puddle of oil that had been leaking from a parked car. Luckily, I was able to coax him into getting into my car and put a leash and collar on him. He was limping, bleeding from being so flea-infested, covered in black blotches of dirt, and had a huge swollen ear. His breaths were drawn out and exasperated, and he barely wanted to move. In fear that he was seriously injured or sick, I took him to the vet that same day; she explained that he had an extremely large hematoma in his ear that would require surgery as soon as possible as well as advanced arthritis in his back legs. After getting him some much needed flea medicine and an anti-inflammatory for pain, I returned the dog to my house where he is now camping out in my bathroom. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to have dogs at my place of residence, and I already am fostering a cat. He is just too sweet and loving though; even in his poor condition, he nudges his head onto my lap for me to hold and pet him. This dog has earned his right to be able to spend his last years being well cared for and loved; he needs to enjoy his last years in peace. I am in search for any rescue or family that can lend a hand to help keep this big boy stay out of the pound and streets and get into his rightful, forever home! 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