BattleGround: 21 Days on the Empire's Edge (2004)
Every once and a while I like to throw a documentary out there, especially when I haven't much of a chance to check out any traditional "war movies" (like lately! sorry!)Battleground: 21 Days on the Empire's Edge is a multi-faceted look at the war in Iraq. There's lots I could say, and we all have our own opinions on the subject, so let me just leave it at this: "Battleground" is... well its interesting. I can't say I agree with a lot of the ideas they push, and I sure can't agree with some of the viewpoints of those they focus on, but its interesting nonetheless.
It takes on the subject through the eyes of a few different individuals. One is a former Iraqi who fled the country after the 1st Gulf War after he joined the resistance movement which was abandoned by our first King George. I'm not really sure what the point of this was, except maybe to somehow show that things are better now? That he was able to return without facing death for himself and his family? *shrug* His observations and subsequent reunions were probably the most satisfying part of the picture.
300 (2007)
"Tonight we dine in hell!"
Well, I finally did it. I broke down and put 300 on the top of my Netflix queue. And I have to say, I'm impressed.
Either 300 is a total piece of hyper-stylistic, cheeseball, violence-celebrating, FX-laden garbage...
...or its pure friggin genius. I'm still trying to figure it out.
300 tells the story of King Leonidas of the Greek city-state of Sparta, whose citizens were bred and taught to be the warrior elite. Faced with imminent destruction by the king of Persia, Xerxes, he takes a band of 300 men, against the will and laws, to face them.
Der Untergang, aka Downfall (2004)
Man, I really wish I hadn't stumbled upon this 30 minutes late on cable. Because all of what I saw was some of the best, yet emotionally difficult to watch, film I've seen in a while.Downfall (or "Der Untergang", which translates to "the conditions".. ? eh? at least according to google it does) is a bleak, depressing, claustrophobic look at final days of Adolf Hitler and those who surrounded him during his final few days in Berlin.
The film is also entirely in German (being a German produced film, I guess you have to expect that...) which lends a lot to the "authenticity" of the picture. My German is nicht sehr gut so I was having to read most everything, which proved to be only slightly distracting.
What struck me most about Downfall, was the almost sympathetic portrayal of Adolf Hitler, masterfully done by Bruno Ganz. I say "almost" because even though Hitler is shown to have a somewhat more human side here, the madness still overshadows any goodness the man might've had. Ganz' depiction of the all-at-once paranoid, delusional, meglomanical, just-plain-nuckin-futz Hitler is just brilliant. From the anger and crazy rants we've come to know and, well, to the hunched over, slow walking, palsied-hand "poor old man" that nobody really thinks of.
Of course it really doesn't matter in the end. I don't think I'm spoiling too much to say that Hitler's (and Braun's) suicide isn't really the end of the story here. What's even more disturbing is the portrayal of Hitler's cult-like followers, such as the Goebbels' family. Probably the most disturbing scene of the picture (well the parts that I saw) was Mrs. Goebbels poisoning her children, only to calmly sit down to a game of solitaire.
It's also obvious just how insane the man was, as is evident by the delusional orders he continues to give, despite the encroaching Russian forces. This madness is also clear in the faces of his Generals as he rants on, with some of them obviously fed up with the insanity. The rest clinging to some vain hope of der Fuhrer pulling them out of their situation.
Of course that's not the only story. Also of importance is the somewhat connected side story of Hitler's secretary, Traudi Junge (played by Alexandra Maria Lara.) She eventually escapes the death and madness, and eventually goes on to write one of the books this film is based upon.
There was also the brief and disconnected story of a young boy caught up in the fighting, but I must've missed something important there, as it really didn't make much sense in the bigger picture. Other than to say he leaves the city with Junge in the end. I wasn't sure if he was supposed to be a Hitler Youth, one of the ultra-young conscripts of the German Army or just a kid in the wrong place at the wrong time.
If I can catch the first 30 minutes of this I will definitely do it. Based on the remaining 126 minutes (yeah its kind of long) I rate Downfall right up there with the best films I've seen.
It's also nice to see such a dark and depressing film end on somewhat of a bright and optimistic note, as the boy pulls a bicycle out of the ruins of a bombed out bridge, and he and Junge ride off to an uncertain, but less depressing, future.
Technorati Tags: war movie reviews, Der Untergang, Downfall, Adolf Hitler, World War II 2, Germany, Russia, Traudi Junge, Alexandra Maria Lara, Bruno Ganz
Children of Men (2006)
OK, I know what you're thinking. "What are you smoking over there! Children of Men isn't a war movie!"'Well, you're right it isn't. It falls somewhere in the "dystopian future science fiction" category. Children of Men follows the story of Theo (Clive Owen) who is somewhat forced into the situation of delivering the first baby born in the UK in eighteen years, and her mother, Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) to safety. Along the way we're witness to a lot of 'bad future' scenarios.
Guns at Batasi (1964)
Good war movies don't necessarily have to develop out of a major war. Sometimes all it takes is a little political maneuver to provide the catalyst, even if its purely fictional. Guns at Batasi gives us a glimpse into the collapse of the worldwide British Empire, as control is handed over, somewhat awkwardly, from the British to the local government of an unnamed African nation.Actually the movie is based on the 1962 novel, The Siege of Battersea, by Robert (or is it John?) Hollis (or Holles? Wikipedia and Amazon conflict here!)
Regardless, the story mainly follows a group of British sergeants, who have been trapped by chance in their mess hall during the messy takeover of the camp by an overzealous Lieutenant Boniface (Errol John). Meanwhile they're hosting a member of parliament (Flora Robson) while the former camp CO (Jack Hawkins) is away.
They've got to hold their ground in the most English of ways against this new tyrant, and the men have to deal with their "by the book" Sgt. Major Lauderdale (Richard Attenborough), and a rogue Private Wilkes (John Leyton) and his wayward companion and interest, the UN secretary Ms. Wise (Mia Farrow).
In the process of harboring the interim camp commander, Capt. Abraham (Earl Cameron) they're given an ultimatum, deliver the Capt. to be "tried" for treason or face destruction. They choose to fight back, and do so successfully.
Unfortunately for Lauderdale his actions bring shame to his career and his family tradition, and himself, as he's forced to leave the country immediately or face the government for his "crimes."
Ultimately its a sobering look into the politics and helplessness of situations like this. Really I can't describe any more than that. It may sound like a boring exercise, but really it works quite well. There really isn't a lot of military action to speak of, except for the very end, but the tension and chemistry between all the characters, along with the superb acting and writing really make for an excellent film. After all that's more of what this is about, the plight of the trapped sergeants and their company. The rest of it is window dressing.
Guns at Batasi might on the surface seem like just another ho-hum British war movie (believe me I've seen a few of 'em) but I recommend checking it out, you'll probably be as surprised as I was.
Technorati Tags: war movie reviews, guns at batasi, 1964, the seige of battersea, richard attenborough, mia farrow, earl cameron, errol john, jack hawkins, flora robson, british empire, africa
