Cupcakes (Hebrew: בננות, romanizedBananot, lit.'Bananas') is a 2013 Israeli Hebrew-language musical comedy film.

Cupcakes
Film poster
Hebrewבננות
Directed byEytan Fox
Written by
Release date
  • 14 February 2013 (2013-02-14)[1]
Running time
89 minutes
CountryIsrael
LanguageHebrew

Plot

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In Tel Aviv, a group of friends meet to watch the Universong song contest. The friends are unimpressed by the Israeli entry and start singing their own song. A mobile phone recording of the singing goes viral and the group are selected as the Israeli entry for the next Universong.

Cast

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The Band[2]
Character Actor
Yael Yael Bar Zohar
Dana Dana Ivgy
Anat Anat Waxman
Keren Keren Berger [he]
Efrat Efrat Dor
Ofer Ofer Shechter

Themes

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The song contest in Cupcakes is modelled on the Eurovision Song Contest.[3] Fox said that he wanted to make a "feel good movie" with Cupcakes.[4]

Critical reception

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Andy Webster in The New York Times praised the film's casting and production design.[5] Sheri Linden for the Los Angeles Times praised the "bright zingers and seamless fantasy sequences" of the film, but said that clunky moments held the film back.[6]

The Guardian's Dee Rudebeck awarded the film three out of five stars. Rudebeck was critical of the lack of complex character development, but added that this shouldn't be an issue for fans of the genre.[7] The London Evening Standard also awarded the film three out of five stars.[8]

Variety praised the film as "Endearingly goofy".[9] The Hollywood Reporter bemoaned that the film "lacks the anarchical humor necessary to overcome its predictable elements".[10]

The Jerusalem Post described the film as an "infectious and enjoyable movie".[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Cupcakes". 24 April 2014.
  2. ^ a b Brown, Hannah (14 March 2013). "A gossamer-light musical comedy". Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  3. ^ Round, Simon (29 April 2014). "Eurovision memories inspire film hit from Israel". The Jewish Chronicle. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  4. ^ Brown, Hannah (20 March 2013). "How Eytan Fox baked his 'Cupcakes'". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  5. ^ Webster, Andy (27 March 2015). "Review: In 'Cupcakes,' an Impromptu Cellphone Video Is Noticed". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  6. ^ Linden, Sheri (2 April 2015). "Review: Songs and love, served with 'Cupcakes'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  7. ^ Rudebeck, Dee (24 April 2014). "Cupcakes review – feelgood Israeli musical comedy". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  8. ^ O'Sullivan, Charlotte (25 April 2014). "Cupcakes - film review". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  9. ^ Scheib, Ronnie (12 February 2014). "Film Review: 'Cupcakes'". Variety. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  10. ^ "'Cupcakes': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
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