(Ooops. I accidentally deleted out of existence my review of this fantastic flick from Feb 8, 2005. Luckily, everything is cached on the internets with The Google, so I was able to clip ‘n’ paste.)

jheadontheposter.jpg

Before I get into the movie, a moment to announce just how staggering
hair, makeup and wardrobe are to a woman’s appearance. This may seem
obvious, but I used to think I was into the au natural look. Maybe I
still am on certain people, who knows. All I can say is that, for the
first 2/3rds of this movie, I was completely thunderstruck by the beauty
of leading actress Sibelle Kekilli. Like. . .at times I couldn’t even
pay attention to the movie, that’s how in awe of her I was. I loved her
large Mediterranean nose, her robust hair, her rear end, yeegads, don’t
even get me started. Sibelle Kekilli has officially replaced Julianna
Marguelies as the only woman I would leave Ann for. Then, in the final
third of the movie, there is a plot twist and Sibelle cuts her hair,
eschews make-up and puts on large mannish clothing. Homely isn’t the
word. She looked like Pete Freaking Townshend! What does this have to do
with this fantastic film? Absoultely nothing. “Head On” is a wondeful
movie blending the aggressive storytelling of the best New German Cinema
(if that term still means anything) and the Amour Fou represented in
French New Wave. It reminded me of “The Girl on the Bridge” which is a
major compliment. I loved everything about it, including the awesome
soundtrack. I may even go and buy the CD. The catalyst of the film,
though, is how awfully Muslim families, even moderate Muslim famlilies,
treat women. It’s good to have this in a pop culture here-and-now film
like “Head On” and not just in earnest guilt-fishers like “Osama.” To
think that half the world’s women are still treated like slaves by their
family, right out in the open here in the West, makes me sick to my
stomach. Also: to make my feminist sentiment seem a little
contradictory, I just learned the Sibelle Kekilli used to do porn. I’ve
seen some of the photos and I think I am about to have a heart attack.