No Man's Land perspective of war is unique, expressing a frustration with the general inability to achieve anything due to politics and the role of the media and neutral parties involved in conflicts. This foreign flick distinguishes itself from Hollywood war movies most strongly because of the fact that no true heroes, only people trying to help but remaining more focused on their own good standings and personal positions.
Sgt. Marchand tries hard to rescue the booby trapped man, but when his superiors order him back to base under threat of court martial he responds immediately. His devotion to his own survival is revealed again when, made aware of the knowledge that the rescue mission is a charade and a failure, keeps his mouth shut in the interest of his own career. The question is posed, however, would Marchand's deeper intervention have saved the man's life?
News reporter, Jane Livingstone works to shed light on the events unfolding in the trench. But, much like the 'vulture' that Ciki compares the media too, she obtains the information by listening to a UN radio frequency and waiting for a juicy story. Even when Ciki executes Nino, Livingstone's expression of horror is diminished by the words, "Did you get that?" The irony, in the end, is that when the opportunity for a real scoop is presented, she fails to take it.
The responsibility and actions of the UN commander and his secretary are laughable. When permission is requested for investigation of the issue, the commander appears to be about to engage in sexual acts with his secretary and disregards the message hurriedly. Later, upon arriving in the field, he and his secretary horribly out of place near combat. He is the one who makes the executive decision to cover up the UN's blunder and failure by faking the rescue of Cera. In a most despicable act, he then proceeds to suggest to both sides that their enemy will rush the trench in the morning, resulting in a hail of artillery fire that surely decimates Cera and covers his tracks.
The characters and resolution of No Man's Land are what define this experience among the myriad of other war movies, contemporary and historical. The film is well worth watching for the perspective it paints of war.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Underground
The internationally co-produced (Yugoslavia, France, Germany, Hungary) film Underground presents a dizzying perspective of life during and following WWII centered in Belgrade. Each of the three parts of the picture forces the main characters into different relationships with one another based on the unyielding and unforgiving conditions of the world as it whirls around them. Overall this movie is a very black comedy set to the backdrop of a region's history, but many other elements affect the experience, and experience seems to be the most appropriate word for describing the act of digesting this work, which must be mentioned as well.
The bleak humor of the film I can only truly equate to the Cohen Brother's Fargo, but even that does not quite express the dourly comedic ease with which Underground disposes of human life. *SPOILER*The deaths of Blacky, Jovan, and his wife are glazed over with a surreal nature while Marco and Natalija's are given a comical twist as they wheel around in circles, madly burning alive. *SPOILER*From the crazy antics of Marco and Blacky at the beginning of the film to the laughably haphazard wedding, all the way up to the very, very strange ending, the film strikes a humorous chord despite it's contrastingly depressing backdrop.
The film resonates distinctly foreign in nature, but don't let this stop you from watching. The fresh perspective of World War II is enlightening, especially the (slightly out of place) stock footage from the era. The opening drunken-chase scene sets the local tone of the film as the band follows the two drunken men on a carriage as one aims a revolver wildly and fires. One thing worth noting is the disturbing lack of mourning for the deaths of dear friends and family; this gives the impression that death is not just familiar but almost mundane to these people. *SPOILER*It is fitting then that the last scene takes place in the afterlife where all the characters are reunited.*SPOILER*
Two complaints I had with the movie were the length, pushing three hours this film seemed to last forever, and some confusion between characters and relationships due to the pace of the film and jumps in time. So my suggestion is set aside a sizable chunk of time and plop down on the couch to watch this one. The madcap characters and their wild antics lighten the mood of this otherwise dark film, making it a very enjoyable film and leaving no doubt as to why it received the Golden Palm award at Cannes.
The bleak humor of the film I can only truly equate to the Cohen Brother's Fargo, but even that does not quite express the dourly comedic ease with which Underground disposes of human life. *SPOILER*The deaths of Blacky, Jovan, and his wife are glazed over with a surreal nature while Marco and Natalija's are given a comical twist as they wheel around in circles, madly burning alive. *SPOILER*From the crazy antics of Marco and Blacky at the beginning of the film to the laughably haphazard wedding, all the way up to the very, very strange ending, the film strikes a humorous chord despite it's contrastingly depressing backdrop.
The film resonates distinctly foreign in nature, but don't let this stop you from watching. The fresh perspective of World War II is enlightening, especially the (slightly out of place) stock footage from the era. The opening drunken-chase scene sets the local tone of the film as the band follows the two drunken men on a carriage as one aims a revolver wildly and fires. One thing worth noting is the disturbing lack of mourning for the deaths of dear friends and family; this gives the impression that death is not just familiar but almost mundane to these people. *SPOILER*It is fitting then that the last scene takes place in the afterlife where all the characters are reunited.*SPOILER*
Two complaints I had with the movie were the length, pushing three hours this film seemed to last forever, and some confusion between characters and relationships due to the pace of the film and jumps in time. So my suggestion is set aside a sizable chunk of time and plop down on the couch to watch this one. The madcap characters and their wild antics lighten the mood of this otherwise dark film, making it a very enjoyable film and leaving no doubt as to why it received the Golden Palm award at Cannes.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
My Sassy Girl [엽기적인 그녀]
Not being one for suspense, I won't make you hold your breath for my verdict. I enjoyed My Sassy Girl and I recommend that you go see it, regardless of how old you are or where you come from. Sassy Girl is a film that is uniquely able to appeal to a very broad audience, much like Harry Potter. This is less surprising when you consider the 2 hour run-time, although the film seems longer; there is plenty of time to include a little something for everyone.
Many audiences will be drawn immediately by the breaking of the fourth wall. The film is introduced by very cutely presented subdivisions, which splice the story into parts 1, 2, and a special 'Over Time' section at the end that tidies things up nicely. These serve to break the film up, Another attractive feature of the movie is the presence of a likable narrator, Gyeon-wu, who comically relates the details of his life to the audience and gives the international viewer a glimpse into Korean culture. The charm of both the male and female leads are irresistible and despite the self-aware nature of the film, viewers world-wide will find themselves being sucked into the characters and their romantic saga.
The film presents a contemporary perspective on Korea's high-speed urban lifestyle while still maintaining traditional, cultural roots. Focusing on a characters in their early twenties allows younger viewers to connect with the film, seeing their ideal selves projected onto the silver screen. The film's love story is one of a newer generation, not pure like classical ones, but dirty and confusing. Older audiences (Korean at least) are not alienated as an abundance of traditional references are present in the film, from the architecture of Gyeon-wu's home to the attention to social hierarchies to the family arranged romances. I associate the older viewers of this film with Gyeon-wu's professor: his age belies his hip nature and awareness of youth culture.
If you're still reading at this point, you've probably already seen the movie (and are perhaps my professor), so I don't feel inclined to endorse this film once more. Instead, contemplate how you connected to the film and why (or if you didn't at all). Does your relationship with the movie resemble what I've describe above? Feel free to comment on this or your general sentiment regarding Sassy Girl or my writing.
Many audiences will be drawn immediately by the breaking of the fourth wall. The film is introduced by very cutely presented subdivisions, which splice the story into parts 1, 2, and a special 'Over Time' section at the end that tidies things up nicely. These serve to break the film up, Another attractive feature of the movie is the presence of a likable narrator, Gyeon-wu, who comically relates the details of his life to the audience and gives the international viewer a glimpse into Korean culture. The charm of both the male and female leads are irresistible and despite the self-aware nature of the film, viewers world-wide will find themselves being sucked into the characters and their romantic saga.
The film presents a contemporary perspective on Korea's high-speed urban lifestyle while still maintaining traditional, cultural roots. Focusing on a characters in their early twenties allows younger viewers to connect with the film, seeing their ideal selves projected onto the silver screen. The film's love story is one of a newer generation, not pure like classical ones, but dirty and confusing. Older audiences (Korean at least) are not alienated as an abundance of traditional references are present in the film, from the architecture of Gyeon-wu's home to the attention to social hierarchies to the family arranged romances. I associate the older viewers of this film with Gyeon-wu's professor: his age belies his hip nature and awareness of youth culture.
If you're still reading at this point, you've probably already seen the movie (and are perhaps my professor), so I don't feel inclined to endorse this film once more. Instead, contemplate how you connected to the film and why (or if you didn't at all). Does your relationship with the movie resemble what I've describe above? Feel free to comment on this or your general sentiment regarding Sassy Girl or my writing.