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Reviews
Stalingrad (2013)
bad propaganda
I had high expectations, since lately the Russians have made some great war movies, like Bielai Tigr, Brestskaya Krepost or 9 Rota. Gritty, realistic, well-filmed, well-acted. Unfortunately, this is not the case with Stalingrad. The actors play way too fake, the story is crap, everything is so underlined that is as dreadful to watch as the 30s Soviet or Nazi propaganda (or 40s US propaganda, really bad too). And actually this is all about this movie: propaganda, and not even good or subtle (Brestskaya Krepost was also quite propagandistic, but still a good film anyway). For example, SPOILER the first battle scene: Russians charge undeterred while on fire, burning to death but still attacking none the less, while the Germans, well entrenched and heavily armed with MGs, just throw their weapons and run SPOILER END. Really? How could anyone think there are out there watchers so dumb not to laugh out at this? The characters speak mostly in slogans, not like normal people, and everybody is ridiculously stereotypic, from the German officer to the brave devoted scout. My opinion? about 3/10, with 3 points for the filming (at least the filming crew knew what they were doing, unlike the writer or the actors). My advice? Go watch Brest Fortress (Brestskaya Krepost-2010) instead.
The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh (2012)
little shown, much to think about
Seeing the movie has only a 5.3 rating o IMDb, I was sure I was going to like it, as it's customary for me to be utterly disappointed with films rated in the 7 to 9 area, and satisfied with the fivers. And, boy, I was right! The film is excellent, even though it's a one man show (just one present character and maybe a suggested one). The atmosphere is greatly done, step by step, and that with a budget obviously not too large. The CGI is rather bad, but it's there only for a few minutes, and not that relevant. What the movie succeeds in greatly is to suggest, not to show, and to do that gradually. The events go downhill step by step, creating a creepy spooky feeling, and that without using darkness or the usual Hollywood stereotypes. Actually, it does't feel like Hollywood at all, and that's great news. But what it really does best is to make the viewer think, and a week after watching it, I still think about it and the theories about what the hell happened. I'd give it a 7/10 for the actor (Leon), 7/10 for the scenery (not too much money involved), a 10/10 for the director (I loved the subtle touches like the mirroring of Leon's stance by the background statues) and a definite 11/10 for the story (which is let quite unexplained, for you to think it through). Overall, 9/10 and totally recommended for people who liked thrillers like Lake Mungo, for example, and not recommended for those who like the slashing kind of horrors.
Talvisota (1989)
gritty realistic war movie
I am a totally WW2 fanatic and, generally, a war movie watcher,having viewed all the war films I could get my hands on, regardless of country, language or approach. generally speaking I think the Russian war movies are the best (despite the fact I really, really don't like Russia), because once you set aside the propaganda part (still present even in the latest ones) they are very realistic and gritty, not Hollywood Nazi hunting walk-in the-park style. But my favorite WW2 movie ever is Talvisota, and I watched it innumerable times. The reason? It is very realistic, both in filming and in story, and it really manages to make you feel the fear, frustration, boredom, desperation and slow gradual psychological grinding felt by the Finnish soldiers (and, indirectly by the Soviet ones, dieing in scores in endless frontal attacks). It also slowly grows on you, making you care for the characters, not as soldiers, but kind of as family members, and makes you feel bitter and sour about the absurdity of it all. As it stays true to the real Winter War, which was no Blitzkrieg, there are no tank battles or anything epic; just endless trench war, endless artillery bombardment, and endless waves of Soviet infantry, simply ignoring the horrendous losses and just wearing the Finnish down through sheer exhaustion. And that' s what the viewer feels, too, exhaustion and a slow loss of hope. Maybe i am a little biased, because I'm from another European country neighboring the USSR, invaded by them in 1940 and then fighting alongside the Nazi in a losing war, but I still think this is the best ww2 movie ever, describing perfectly what the soldier of a small army feels like when fighting a superpower. 10/10 for me, but don't expect it to be an Enemy at the Gates kind of movie, it's more similar to Brestskaya Krepost or Go Ji jeon.
Croatian Kings (2011)
great European medieval history
well done low-budget documentary about the early medieval Croatian kings. with quite few resources and some CGI, combined with great music (so good that I looked for it on the Internet to download) they manage to tell a god historical story. actually, the series made me envious and angry, because it shows that a great series can be done with not too much money, and no one in my country managed to do that (I live in Romania, which is nearby, with just Serbia in between, and has a very similar history). I highly recommend it for European public (especially East-Europeans), not so much for Americans, as the story (and historical assumptions) are favored over special effects. 10/10
Soldier of God (2005)
friendship with the enemy? God won't allow it....
i got an IMDb account just to comment this movie, because i was angry. i was angry on being deceived by some previous comments saying it's a bad movie and i'm puzzled by the movie's rate. it is a really good movie, and just because it's less about fighting and more about feeling and thinking doesn't mean it's not worth watching. on the contrary, it makes you think a little on what's inside everyone of us (men): the instinct to kill. religion has always been a good reason for killing, just as "patriotism" today. well acted (the less words are talked, the more is said), beautifully filmed, it focuses more on the inner struggle of all the characters. just one thing i disliked: when the Muslim and the Christian finally get along, guess who's betraying them...yeah, you guessed right, the Jew. apart form this, it is a well thought movie about trying to get along with "the enemy"....and failing to do so. no happy end, fortunately. on the contrary, the end is surprising and just gorgeous.