Change Your Image
yiapap
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter (2013)
Brilliant, though somewhat flawed
Let me begin by stating that my grandfather (a civilian) was executed by the German occupation forces so I know quite a few things about Nazi atrocities. Let me also add that I understand all the negative reviews given by Poles.
That being said... This was a piece a brilliant viewing! I think that it captures the essence of what war can do to people's souls. I do not agree that Germans were portrayed in a positive or neutral light as there were quite a few characters who were corrupt and evil from the beginning. In addition, the tone of the film is depressing from the start even during the time when Nazi Germany was jubilant. I especially liked Friedhelm's character and how he turns from a pacifist to a soulless murderer, only to rediscover his humane side as the end of the war came near and eventually act on this rediscovery at the very end.
As many reviewers pointed out and I can't disagree, the main flaw is the portraying of almost all Poles (except one girl) as antisemitic to put it mildly. Apart from that it does show at least three in a positive light. One of them, the leader of an AK resistance cell stands out as honorable, almost heroic, even if he is flawed. But so are the German characters, and the Russians. So what? This is the true human nature after all!
Technically, the film is also brilliant. I consider the comparison to Band of Brothers (even though they are VERY different in context) to be a great compliment given the fact that this series had a fraction of BoB's budget.
The performances of the main characters ranged from excellent (Tom Schilling) to acceptable. What really strikes me is that nobody has mentioned the second line of characters who were stunning and gave the series much needed depth.
All in all, this is not a documentary about WW2 or the Holocaust. It is not a hero-based mega-budget production like Band Of Brothers. It is however a good story, remarkably well filmed, about five specific Germans during the climax and end of WWII. Watch it as such and I'm certain you will enjoy it!
Space Battleship Yamato (2010)
If you never heard of Yamato...
I found it very interesting that all the reviews make references to the original series and/or anime. I for one have never heard of 'Yamato'. I watched this movie because it is Sci-Fi and because I always try to find and watch off-Hollywood movies.
Unfortunately Battleship Yamato was not a very good choice.
People praise the CGI; and they would have been great. In 1990. Perhaps even 2000. Not in 2010, come on fellow reviewers! The battle scenes are OK but... quite unbelievable. A squadron of fighters destroy opponents stronger than them in... orders of magnitude! They defy the laws of physics not just in the ever present "space sounds" (lasers, explosions etc.) but also in the little matter of inertia. The space fighters love to stop and make 179 degrees turns in ways that would make any human passenger a blob of... you know what. And this is the favourite tactic of our Black Tiger squadron, the one that always succeeds. Of course the enemy can accomplish no such feat and is therefore laser fodder.
Talking about the enemy... This must be one of the worst caricatures of aliens in SciFi movies. They are close to giant mutant spiders and flesh eating clouds. Their tactical choices ridiculous. Their range in skill spectacular. One of them can kill several elite troopers inside their own spaceship while avoid the bullets from dozens of their colleagues, while a little later gazillions of them die storming a vehicle and a silly-voiced robot. Oh and in case you are wondering, this is an individual yet collective mind race. Both, yes!
All of the above were the best parts of the movie. The worst parts include cheesy dialogue, undeveloped (not underdeveloped) characters for whom you have no sympathy or attachment, bad to hideous acting, boring camera work, a photography that has too few well placed frames and A LOT of awful ones, all the clichés in SciFi and War/Action filmography and (I left the worst for last) a love story that makes you yearn for an Adam Sandler movie. Preferably with Paris Hilton as the object of his undying love!
So why the three points? After reading the other reviews and doing some homework all three points are given out of respect for the original Yamato story and for the original productions. 0/10 for this one.
Third Reich: The Rise & Fall (2010)
Rare footage, other than that...
I'm sorry but I can't accept that this is one of the best documentaries about the rise and fall of the Third Reich. Grant you, its focus on rare footage and home videos made by Germans during the era is a large plus.
Unfortunately, the first part of the story leaves so many points out that it is insulting to the Germans. I have no sympathy towards the Nazis, in fact I lost my grandfather during the occupation of Greece but the documentary is missing many points. For example there is no mention whatsoever about the fall of unemployment after Hitler took power. No mention of the support he got from the industrialists. About the massive state investments in infrastructure. About the rebuilding of the economy. It is as if the majority of Germans, at least those not persecuted, were suddenly enchanted by parades and flag waving and became supporters of the regime. There is no mention of the remilitarisation of the Rhineland one of Hitler's first diplomatic victories. There's only as brief mention of how the Annexation of Austria came to be, again as if Germans woke up one morning to find Vienna listed as a German city.
The second part(The Fall) is much more balanced and I have no serious complaints about it.
I would also prefer if the documentary was more balanced towards the victims of the Second World War. True, the Holocaust is the Nazis' largest crime against humanity. But it is extensively covered throughout the documentary while other crimes such as the brutal murdering of civilians in the USSR, in Poland and in most occupied countries or the slave labourers are mentioned for brief seconds or not at all.
Lastly, I too found the start/end fake frames of the footage overused and that some of the videos were uninteresting (toddlers walking/falling/playing). All in all not bad, but not one of the classics.
Bank Bang (2008)
Excellent... Or am I biased?
I gave this movie one of my highest marks ever. But is it because I am Greek and therefore biased towards this movie? I don't think so. In fact throughout the movie I kept thinking that if it wasn't illegal I would create English subtitles for it as I'm sure that very few people would be able to view and enjoy it abroad.
The movie is about a normal Joe (Mihalis in our case) who finds himself between a rock and a hard place, socially, professionally and emotionally. His positive attitude towards life doesn't really work in the relationship with his brother (Nondas) who is a wannabe master criminal.
Nondas' dealings force Michalis into crime (bank robberies) when at the same time Michalis desperately tries to have an affair with a covert policewoman assigned to bank robberies, with personal problems of her own.
The excellent plot, the unexpectedly clever dialogues, the good cinematography and the almost excellent casting and performing adds up to an excellent movie.
My only reservation is with Lena's role. Mrs. Triandafyllidou was borderline atrocious on a demanding part.
All in all this movie reminded me of Two Smoking Barrels. If you like non-Hollywood movies, give it a try. Then again... it's only Greek to me so... :-)