Movie Reviews

(First, and briefly: LeClerc on pole, then the Red Bull boys? McLaren out of the basement? Niiiiice. Gonna be an excellent race tomorrow.)

Anyway, what is it with Netflix? They seem to be grabbing a lot of European WW2 movies and buying the rights to distribute them in the US.

Which is awesome. I love WW2 movies, and the European filmmakers don't head-up-ass as often as we do.

First, The Forgotten Battle. This is a Dutch movie about the Battle of the Scheldt. It follows British paratroopers, a Dutch SS trooper, some civilians, and some resistance members through the horrors that were taking place on the left flank while Market Garden disasterized the right flank. Extremely taut and gritty movie. Also, Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) as The Old Man of the squad? Makes me feel old. Solid A or A-.

Second, Netflix is calling it The Bombardment while its Danish translation is The Shadow in my Eye.

Oh. My. God. When this movie was over, I couldn't decide if I wanted to cry or throw up. This was emotionally devastating, but it is unbelievably good, my God.

Shortly before VE day, the Danish resistance asked the Allies to bomb the Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen. Thanks to the fog and friction of war, about half the bombs struck a school full of nuns and children, and—

Well, you can imagine. The movie follows a farm boy suffering PTSD after witnessing fighter-bombers mistakenly strafe a carload of civilians, and sent to live with cousins in the city; his cousin and her friend; one of the nuns; and a Danish Gestapo collaborator; all through the days leading up to the bombing.

Seriously, this may be the best movie I've seen since Greyhound two years ago. Taut, powerful, loaded with symbolism, and building to an inevitable and horrifying crescendo. A+.

Comments

[Samey90]

the European filmmakers don't head-up-ass as often as we do.

As an European I can confirm Americans can't make a war movie without going "America fuck yeah" at some point. Maybe that explains the standard fimfic warfic plot.

Shortly before VE day, the Danish resistance asked the Allies to bomb the Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen. Thanks to the fog and friction of war, about half the bombs struck a school full of nuns and children, and—

I recall reading about this in a book about Mosquito bombers. Gotta check it out.

[SockPuppet]

5649625

As an European I can confirm Americans can't make a war movie without going "America fuck yeah" at some point.

A European filmmaker is willing to say "Happy ending? Ha! Hold my akvavit!"