Movies!!
Over the holidays, I've had the time to watch a few movies that have been on my list. More to come, but the first review is below.
Munich - I have been semi-avoiding this movie for a while because I knew it would not be pleasant to watch. (Terrorism is not the most uplifting topic on which to base a movie. Plus, I'm not a big fan of movie violence. In the theatre, I'm the one cringing with my hands over my eyes, asking, "Is it over yet?") BUT I thought it would probably be a worthwhile movie to watch, and I am personally quite interested in movies about the Israeli-Arab conflict. To recap - the movie deals with the aftermath of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Germany (hence the film's name). Once the Israeli state learns the full magnitude of the killings, political and defense leaders assemble a team of men to track down and assassinate those responsible for the killings. The movie is about that team of men, what they do, and how it affects them.
While all the performeers were excellent, Eric Bana (the protagonist) was particularly fantastic. Bana plays Avner, the leader of the Israeli team. He is a force to be reckoned with in this film, spinning on a dime from nonchalant to wracked with guilt, coarsely brutal to meltingly tender. I have not seen Bana in many films (although he was the best part of the too-epic Troy), but he was amazing in Munich. Bana captured the two sides of conflict: a man who feels a duty to avenge his countrymen as well as a man who sees the humanity in his enemy. Just great, great work.
The message you come away with in this film - everyone loses. The terrorists killed innocent athletes. The Israeli team is sent to take out the terrorists. But as they track down the men, they realize that even terrorists have their own dreams of a homeland. They have wives, children. And when they kill the men responsible for the Munich murders, new men take their places within the terrorist organization. And the men of the Israeli team are left broken and haunted by what they have done. There is no end, just a violent rabbit hole that keeps on wending its way through the Middle East. I think that anyone who has followed world events would agree that this seems to be an accurate assessment.
This film is definitely worth watching, but it's not popcorn cinema. This film is a great example of how film can be riveting (if not exactly entertaining) and teach you something, make you think, and perhaps even change you.
Munich - I have been semi-avoiding this movie for a while because I knew it would not be pleasant to watch. (Terrorism is not the most uplifting topic on which to base a movie. Plus, I'm not a big fan of movie violence. In the theatre, I'm the one cringing with my hands over my eyes, asking, "Is it over yet?") BUT I thought it would probably be a worthwhile movie to watch, and I am personally quite interested in movies about the Israeli-Arab conflict. To recap - the movie deals with the aftermath of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Germany (hence the film's name). Once the Israeli state learns the full magnitude of the killings, political and defense leaders assemble a team of men to track down and assassinate those responsible for the killings. The movie is about that team of men, what they do, and how it affects them.
While all the performeers were excellent, Eric Bana (the protagonist) was particularly fantastic. Bana plays Avner, the leader of the Israeli team. He is a force to be reckoned with in this film, spinning on a dime from nonchalant to wracked with guilt, coarsely brutal to meltingly tender. I have not seen Bana in many films (although he was the best part of the too-epic Troy), but he was amazing in Munich. Bana captured the two sides of conflict: a man who feels a duty to avenge his countrymen as well as a man who sees the humanity in his enemy. Just great, great work.
The message you come away with in this film - everyone loses. The terrorists killed innocent athletes. The Israeli team is sent to take out the terrorists. But as they track down the men, they realize that even terrorists have their own dreams of a homeland. They have wives, children. And when they kill the men responsible for the Munich murders, new men take their places within the terrorist organization. And the men of the Israeli team are left broken and haunted by what they have done. There is no end, just a violent rabbit hole that keeps on wending its way through the Middle East. I think that anyone who has followed world events would agree that this seems to be an accurate assessment.
This film is definitely worth watching, but it's not popcorn cinema. This film is a great example of how film can be riveting (if not exactly entertaining) and teach you something, make you think, and perhaps even change you.
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