Recent Viewings: Foreign Edition

Downfall: (Der Untergang. 2004) Excellent German film covering the last days of Adolf Hitler and the fall of Berlin to the Soviets in 1945. What stands out most about the film is Bruno Ganzâ€™ amazing performance as Hitler instead of just playing him as a raving maniac, which there is still plenty of, Ganz gives the performance depth and you also see what a pathetic broken thing he was at the end trying to hide behind delusions of make-believe armies, and weapons that would turn the tide. You also see the heartless disregard for the lives of his people. Superb production values and equally strong script, riveting performances from Ganz, Corinna Harfouch, as a cold Hitler worshiping Magda Goebbels (her characters last act will make your skin crawl) and an unnervingly good performance from Ulrich Matthes as Joseph Goebbels, the sycophant's sycophant, along with efficient direction from Oliver Hirschbiegel keeps things moving quickly so that the filmâ€™s more than two hour thirty-five minute run time goes by very quickly. Highly recommended.

Joint Security Area (2000) A South Korean film that further confirms just how excellent their film industry is. A film that works as a mystery, political drama, character study and social commentary. After a border incident between North and South Korea a pair of neutral nation officers investigate the reasons for the incident, which left two North Korea soldiers dead, and one wounded from both sides. With resistance from both sides and stories that donâ€™t add up the investigators piece together the story which makes for a very good film that keeps you interested from beginning to end. It does look like it will run out of steam during the flashback which makes up the middle of the film, but it quickly picks it self up and finishes well with an especially sad last shot that speaks volumns about the relationship between the two Koreas. Kang-ho Song is quite good as the North Korean survivor-he was also in Shiri. Director Chan-wook Park is already looking like a film deity with JSA, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Oldboy, the latter two I must see. Highly recommended.

Warriors of Heaven and Earth (2003) Dear director Ping He let me now express the many ways I hate your film Warriors of Heaven and Earth. I could easily overlook the confusing opening twenty minutes where I practically need a scorecard to keep the myriad of characters their motivations and backstories straight. Or I could lament how after that terrible start your film suddenly kicks into high gear and nearly redeems itself with some good ole slam-bang action scenes like the fight in the town or the attack on the caravan, which, however, is marred by the laughably silly death of one of the soldiers. No, Ping He you should regret the moment it all goes so terribly wrong and why I loath your film: I present to you exhibit A, the blanking blank of a mother-blanking cave scene. Right there the completely incongruous supernatural element is awkwardly shoehorned into the story and then film goes off the rails. Even then Ping you almost saved it with the finale at the fort, but no you blew that with the lamest deus ex macina I have ever seen and completely ruined what could have been a darn good movie. In spite of good stolid performances from the leads, an epic scale, beautiful cinematography it all goes for naught. Avoid.