OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006)

Could you use some hearty laughs? Then you’re in the right place!

Below is a selection of diverse comedies from different countries. I’ve tried to pick iconic movies that give an introductory taste of each country’s culture and sense of humor, but this is only just a beginning. Let’s start this international laughs festival, straight from your home!

OSS 117: Cairo, Next of Spies (2006)

(Original Title — OSS 117: Le Caire, nid d’espions)

I went to see the Lion King remake with a five-year-old and two eight-year-olds. The five-year-old is very sensitive and did not remember much of the first Lion King. I was worried about the (spoiler) Mufasa(James Earl Jones)death scene and the crying that would follow from my group. However, the only instances when these kids had any reaction were when the hyenas were introduced. Why weren’t they completely destroyed seeing Simba’s dad killed so graphically, like I was watching the 1994 movie? Somehow the gravity of the situation was not “acted” well on the real-life lions’ faces, and therefore didn’t evoke any emotional response from the viewers. But the remake still made it clear that outsiders are to be feared, male lions know best, and Africa is just a country. Did Disney learn any lessons from the 1994 version to the 2019 version?

While millions of American’s tune in to the Super Bowl to see which team will ultimately take home the Lombardi Trophy (the name of which I did have to look up), many movie buffs tune in for the exclusive new trailers and TV spots. While Disney released an exciting look at the new film Raya and The Last Dragon, which promises some much needed Asian representation to the studio, perhaps the most exciting trailer was for the loooong-awaited sequel Coming 2 America.