Ajami - 8.5

Ajami is an Israeli film in the same vein as City of God or Amores Perros (high praise already, the back of the DVD also compared it to The Wire and Boyz N the Hood).  It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009, and it's not hard to see why.  It has that gritty, authentic feel that makes you feel like you're eavesdropping on someone's real life instead of watching a movie. 

The title, Ajami, refers to a diverse neighborhood in the Israeli port city of Jaffa (which is now a part of Tel Aviv) and the story deals with the interactions and conflict between the various ethnic groups that uneasily co-exist there, including Jews, Arab Christians, Arab Muslims, and Bedouins.  According to Lily, it's a very accurate portrayal of life in Israel and really illustrates the depth and hopelessness of the racial and religious divides which lead to so much senseless violence. 

The film itself was co-directed by an Arab and a Jew (which gives me just a tiny bit of hope) and deals with multiple characters, told through five different intersecting, non-linear stories.  Now I'm always a sucker for this type of plot as it is, but putting aside my bias in favor of this structure, I really don't think it felt at all forced or gimmicky.  I'm not very good at judging acting in foreign films because I feel like I'm reading the subtitles 75% of the time, but the largely non-professional cast came off as natural and assured.  Ajami was consistently engaging, and also timely and relevant, though quite depressing as well.  I think it has earned its place alongside other modern classics like City of God or Amores Perros ... though I don't think I can in good conscience compare anything to The Wire (and no movie will ever be able to match its breadth and scope).