Against All Odds..."Into The White"

Into The White (2012)

Rated R

Starring Florian Lukas, David Kross, Stig Henrik Hoff, Lachlan Nieboer, Rupert Grint

Directed by Petter Naess

The Story:

In the early days of World War II, the Allies and Nazis were hoping to gain access to the mineral deposits in Norway. As both sides waged aerial battles for dominance, on one mission, a German bomber is shot down as well as a British aircraft. The 3 Nazis (Lukas, Kross, Hoff) find an abandoned cabin to wait for the weather to die down and allow them to march back to the sea. The next day two British (Niebor, Grint) arrive and are taken prisoner. To survive the elements, and each other, both sides will need to work together to outlast a severe Norwegian storm.

Yes, it's based on a true story.

Not nearly an action or war film, it's a drama about 5 men who are thrust together in a desperate situation and forced to survive.

As the time in the cabin stretches, so do the nerves of the men as they must put aside their differences if they have any hope of survival.

This keeps the movie running at a slow pace, though it does attempt to keep you riveted as the situation becomes more and more desperate and the men become less hostile to one another.

Naturally, there will be a few curveballs thrown at everyone along the way.

Humanizing the faces of war, you'll find these are likely the 3 "best" Nazis to appear on screen in likely forever.

Nice to see this true story of men overcoming the element and each other brought to the screen.

Final Grade: B-

War Is Hell... "Hacksaw Ridge"

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Rated R

Starring Andrew Garfield, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington,

Directed by Mel Gibson

The Story:

Desmond Doss (Garfield) is a conscientious objector who still feels the need to serve his country during World War II. He enlists but refuses to carry a weapon. He simply wants to be a medic and do his part by saving people.

This is his true story.

The actions and decisions by Doss at an early age shape his beliefs as he grows older. He makes a fateful mistake one day that has nearly tragic consequences.

His parents (Weaving and Griffiths) are of course a huge influence on the man he would become. His father served in The Great War, and Desmond watches as everyone around him grows up and goes off to war.

He feels the need to make the sacrifice as well, even if it means losing the love of his life (Palmer) while in combat.

Of course the second half of the movie details Doss' training and the fact that the Army really didn't care to have someone unwilling to pick up a rifle take up their time and energy during basic training.

The movie establishes the rest of the characters at this point that will be a part of Doss' life until the fateful day on Hacksaw Ridge.

The horrors of war that Gibson portrays on film are just as effective as Spielberg's D-Day Invasion for Saving Private Ryan.

What Doss does once he gets to the top of Hacksaw Ridge is nothing short of miraculous.

It's an inspirational story, more than worth your time.

Final Grade: A-

The Fate Of History Decided In Court... "Denial"

Denial (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Spall

Directed by Mick Jackson

The Story:

Historian and author Deborah Lipstadt (Weisz) is accused of libel by historian David Irving (Spall). He makes the accusation in England, where Deborah is forced to prove that Irving's claims are false. With Richard Rampton (Wilkinson) and his team on her side, she must prove that Irving's claims that the Holocaust never happened are patently false.

If she should fail, then the British government will be forced to rule that the Holocaust never happened.

How's that for a high stakes game of  Law & Order?

It's a fascinating, and sad, story to be told.

How anyone could deny what happened during World War II is unfathomable to begin with. To do so as an author and historian seems incredible to believe.  But here it is.

And did I mention it was based on the real court case that happened in the late 90s?

Because if I didn't, well, it was.

The entire existence of whether or not the Holocaust ever occurred was played out in an English courtroom.

To make things even more challenging, Rampton refused to let Leipstadt or any Holocaust survivors even testify.

They refused to give Irving any ability to question, interrogate, harass and belittle any survivor, as he was very much a "shock and awe" public speaker.

Instead, they would use his own words against him whenever possible, and rely on historical fact and inaccuracies in Irving's own published words against him to win the case.

If you're up for a good legal thriller, look no further.

Final Grade:  B

Quite The Little Charmer..."A Royal Night Out"

A Royal Night Out (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Sarah Gadon, Bel Powley, Emily Watson, Rupert Everett, Jack Laskey, Jack Gordon, Jack Reynor,

Directed by

The Story:

Princess Elizabeth (Gadon) and Margaret (Powley) would very much like to get out of the castle and celebrate V-E Day with Londoners everywhere as World War II is over. Letting your daughters out on a night like that is worrisome enough for parents, but when your parents are the King and Queen (Everett & Watson) of England, you can imagine the answer already. However, they do send the girls out with a pair of military escorts (Laskey & Gordon) to ensure the girls are fine.

Naturally, you know what's going to happen next.

Based on the Queen's own true story, though I'm sure much of the efforts are exaggerated for comic effect, this movie is a sweet little story about 2 little girls who have one shot at feeling normal in their lives, and are determined to take it.

Gadon and Powley are up to the challenge of putting a little life into their royal portrayals and make the characters come alive getting a chance to experience a lifetime of events all in one night.

Equally charming are Everett and Watson as the stiff upper lip monarchs who are thrilled to see the war is over and now worried about what their girls are up to.

Of course, while the 2 military escorts play the comedy part of the movie, there's a 3rd (Reynor) who will bump into Elizabeth and provide the romance.

Like with all whirlwind movie romances, the two don't exactly hit it off very well upon their first meeting.

Very well done, and I'm glad the Queen was able to get out and let her hair down at least once in her life.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

Just Who Is "The Man In The High Castle" ?

The Man In The High Castle (2015)

Amazon Original Programming

Starring Luke Kleintank, Alexa Davalos, Rupert Evans, Arnold Chun, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Rufus Sewell,

Created by

The Story:

In 1962, World War II has been over for about 15 years. However, it was America that lost, and it is now divided into the Pacific States of America, controlled by Japan and the Greater Nazi Reich. In between is the buffer zone, which pretty much works as the Colorado Rockies. There is, however, some films being smuggled by the American resistance and sought after by the Nazis. The newsreels suggest a different timeline of the world where the Allies won World War II and the world turned out very differently.

For those with Amazon Prime, you've undoubtedly already watched this one. The pilot was their most watched show on their service.

However, if you haven't, you really should.

The settings, the costumes, the look of the show is nothing short of spectacular as they reinvent the early 60s and put a decidedly unAmerican spin on the country.

The show builds slowly, and centers on Joe (Kleintank) an undercover Nazi trying to get into the resistance and find these films; Julia (Davalos) who winds up with a film in her possession and quickly gets involved over her head; and Frank (Evans) who was with Julia until she vanished, and then has his world turned upside down until all he can think about is revenge.

Frank's story is the most heart-breaking of the main stories, and shows just how cruel the Axis powers could be.

However, that's not to say the Axis aren't just as riveting to watch with their stories, especially that of Obergruppenfuhrer John Smith (Sewell) who has always been a great villain, and he rises to the occasion once again. But to see the family man behind that steely Nazi glare, you almost, almost, sympathize for his situation at home.

So too Trade Minister Tagome (Tagawa) who wants to prepare his country for the moment he feels the Nazis will turn on Japan and seek total global domination.

There's a lot going on, but it's well worth your time.

I'm not sure where they're going with the story, and in many cases, that's a wonderful thing.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Season 2 coming soon.

Final Grade: B+

The "Fury" Of War

Fury (2014)

Rated R

Starring Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena, Logan Lerman, Jon Bernthal

Written and Directed by David Ayer

The Story:

Army Sergeant "Wardaddy" (Pitt) takes his Sherman tank and his crew deep into the heart of Nazi Germany during the end of World War II on a daring mission.  Everyone dies.

The end.

This is one of the most disappointing war films I've seen in quite some time.

It's bloody.
It's violent.
It's...

boring.

Didn't care for this one in the least.

At least Saving Private Ryan had interesting characters to care about as they were picked off one by one.

This one, you knew they were pretty much all cannon fodder early on, and they just drug it out to the end of the film.

They kill lots and lots of people along the way, but after awhile, even killing Nazis gets old.

That's a sentence that I never imagined typing.

I expected more. Or better. Or something.

Maybe next time.

Final Grade: C-

Avoid Being Drafted Into "Frankenstein's Army"

Frankenstein's Army (2013)
Rated R for language and violence

Starring Karel Roden, Joshua Sasse, Robert Gwilym, Alexander Mercury, Luke Newberry

Directed by Richard Raaphorst

The Story:

World War II is coming to a close, and a Russian unit pushing through into Germany discovers a secret lab.  Inside, Nazi scientists were experimenting Victor Frankenstein style and combining the bodies of the dead with pieces of machinery to create unstoppable weapons in a last-ditch effort to win the war.  Will the Russians save the day, or is humanity doomed?

Based on the grotesque true story...

No, not really.

Based on someone's pretty crazy imagination though, this film does pretty good for a B movie trying to make a horror/World War II film.

For the most part, they completely succeed.

Shot almost entirely as a handheld documentary/found footage affair, you know you're going to be subjected to shaky camera syndrome and the usual jumps and starts that go with that genre.

It also plays like a hybrid cross between Medal of Honor or Call of Duty in the first person shooter.

Opening doors, diving behind things for cover.

Great work on the monsters.  They seem to be a perfect balance of nightmare yet completely plausible, and that adds to the drama and tension, especially as they close in on the Russians.

This film is currently available to stream on Netflix for those interested.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Once was enough for me.

Untold Tales of World War II... "The Book Thief"

The Book Thief (2013)

Rated PG-13 for violence

Starring Sophie Nelisse, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson, Nico Liersch, Ben Schnetzer

Directed by Brian Percival

The Story:

Liesel (Nelisse) is a young girl being sent to live with the Hubermann family, Hans and Rosa (Rush & Watson) at a time when Nazi power is on the upswing in Germany but before World War II has been declared.  Liesel's brother dies on the trip, and she discovers her first book, "The Gravedigger's Handbook" and steals it, fascinated by what it could contain.  Hans helps to teach her to read, and so begins her love affair with books.  However, as time marches on, so too does the onset of war, and the change and heartache that comes with it.

This is an interesting, slightly odd film concerning World War II.

First, it opens with narration by Death.  Death will provide a voice over a few times during the film, and it is an odd plot device to employ in the story.  It really doesn't add much to the story, it simply provides some omniscient narration that the writer or director wanted to emphasize.

It's neither a good nor bad technique, just different. 

As for the rest of the story, it's a very quiet build as Liesel learns to adapt to her new family.  Adored by Hans, and fearful of her new mother, the movie is a slow burn as emotions and feelings change throughout the movie.

The movie, while just over 2 hours, doesn't really drag, and they do manage to compress an entire war in the running time.

It's a remarkable feat, and yes, you begin to wonder if the movie is based on a true story, but no, it's a work of fiction.

That said, there is no doubt that the events that occur in the movie very likely happened to many, many Germans during the war.

That includes the hiding of Max (Schnetzer) in their basement, and the budding romance with the neighbor boy  Rudy (Liersch) that is both sweet and tragic as the movie rolls along.

There is some power to this movie that American audiences may never fully appreciate.  While we suffered casualties on the fields of battles, the countries involved in the ground war lost casualties on all fronts and lived in constant fear.

Nobody is asking you to suddenly feel sympathetic to the Nazi Party, but you are stretched to realize that not every German in the country was a devout follower of Herr Hitler.

If you get the chance to see it, I don't think you'll feel disappointed.

Final Grade: B/B- range.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: While I could watch it again, I would have no need to own this one for the library.

It's A Super Weekend...Part Two..."The Wolverine"

The Wolverine (2013)
Rated PG-13 for Violence and Language

Starring Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen

Directed by James Mangold


The best there is at what he does...mostly.

The Story:

Wolverine/Logan (Jackman) has been in seclusion since last we saw him.  He is haunted by dreams of Jean Grey (Janssen) and longs to join her in death.  Lucky for him, Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi) has the resources to give Wolverine that peace, and repay a debt of gratitude from long ago.  Accompanied by Yukio (Rila Fukushima), they return to Japan where he meets Yashida's granddaughter Mariko (Tao Okamoto).  However, when Yashida dies and the Yakuza come gunning for Mariko, it's up to Wolverine to keep her safe.  However, there's one problem... his healing factor appears to be gone, so he's going to get hurt...badly... and may not survive what's coming next.

Ah, much better.

To be honest, I have seen the first 3 X-Men movies, and they get a collective "meh" from me.  Amazingly, I think Last Stand, the most reviled of the three, is my favorite.  It's the one that most approached the appeal of the comics.

Then there was X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

So much potential...  so poorly executed.

"Seriously?"

My biggest beef, you don't cast Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, then sew his mouth shut. 

Stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid.

Of course, Fox knows they have a cash cow, they just have to keep cranking out these films to avoid having the rights going back to Disney where a proper X-Men film can be made.

"Do I Want To Be In Your Movie?  Let Me Think About That..."

Thankfully, they hit the reset button with X-Men: First Class, easily the best of the entire X-Franchise, and it seems like Fox was at least willing to try and treat the franchise with the respect and care that it deserves to at least try and compete with Marvel Studios for quality superhero movies.

Then the focus turns back to the star of the franchise, Wolverine.

How do they fare this time?

Better.

"That Plane Can't Be A Good Thing..."

Much, much better.

I absolutely loved the flashback to Logan's tenure in a prison camp during WWII, and how he creates his bond with Yashida.  It's very well done, and makes the comic and movie fan wish that the entire Marvel Universe was under one umbrella, because how cool would a WWII movie with Cap and Wolverine be?

Yeah... Pretty cool!













Then we have Wolverine's Japanese adventures, and aside from a few scenes that just seem slightly jarring in the manner in which they were filmed, overall, everything works.

What I wasn't a fan of...

Silver Samurai as a giant robotic suit.  I understand the why, it doesn't mean I have to like it.

Wolverine's claws.  Never a fan of the bone claws, and hopefully he'll have those things fixed by the next movie.  However, I understand that due to his age, he's had the adamantium claws for much less time than he's had them as bones.  Fair enough.

Which leads me to the closing credits...

Come on people, why do you keep getting out of your seats when a Marvel film from any studio is over?

"Even the God of Thunder and a World War II Super-Soldier Have Figured This Out"

 Would it kill you to sit still for an extra 3-5 minutes?

At worst, you acknowledge the hundreds of people that devoted hours to bringing you entertainment for 2 hours.

At best, you might see something pretty cool.

Looking forward to the next film.


Final Grade: Complaints aside, I'll give Wolverine a solid B.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'd happily give this one another viewing, and I'm sure it will find a spot in my library sooner, rather than later.

The Twelve Reviews of Christmas...Day Six: "White Christmas"

A remake and changing  of a previous film that gets it right the second time.

The Story:

At the close of World War II, Capt. Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) is entertaining the troops under the command of General Waverly (Dean Jagger) who is getting ready to be shipped home.  When the enemy attacks, Wallace is saved by Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) who will use the injury that he sustains to turn Wallace's successful stateside career as a singer into a dynamic entertainment duo that takes the nation by storm.  A decade passes, and the boys find the Haynes Sisters, Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy (Vera-Ellen) at a nightclub event, and Judy and Phil conspire to get Bob and Betty to fall in love, with the ulterior motive that they will get more freedom if their partners are romantically entangled.  The next thing you know, the quartet is heading to a gig at an inn in Vermont, owned and operated by none other than General Waverly!  However, a balmy winter season threatens to shut down the place.  Will there be a Christmas miracle to keep the place operational?

Bet on it!

First the obvious, yes, this film is very, very similar to the Bing Crosby led Holiday Inn. 

However, where that inn opened only for the holidays and had specific song and dance routines based around those holidays, Holiday Inn focuses on Wallace and Davis rehearsing their show at the inn to pump some money into the General's pockets to keep the place open.

Better still, the partnership between Crosby and Kaye is just that, a partnership.  In Holiday Inn, Fred Astaire was a jerk.  Any time Crosby found a girl, Astaire tried to steal her.  Some friend.

So if you're going to choose one for the holidays, it should be this one.  The other encompasses all the holidays, whereas this one ends at Christmas with a wonderful closing number of the title song.

Speaking of songs, yes, this is a musical.  There is singing and dancing.

So if you hate that, you'll want to avoid the movie most likely.

However, as this is a classical musical comedy, the ratio of dialogue/plot to song & dance is very good.  There are stretches of movie before a song breaks out, and many times the songs simply help the narrative of the film, so it's all good.

All of the songs were written by Irving Berlin, and Crosby, Kaye and the ladies do an exceptional job with his body of work.

Plus, I dare you not to get a little emotional at the end of the film when the boys spring their surprise on the General.


Directed by Michael Curtiz, who directed a slew of Hollywood's best films of all time, including The Adventures of Robin Hood and Casablanca.

This one?

Better than those.

: )

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Amazingly, with cable broadcasts and streaming on Netflix, I still as yet have to purchase this film.  Maybe next year when it celebrates its 60th Anniversary?

There's Something Dangerous on the Dark Side of the Moon... "Iron Sky"

 

 

There is nothing new coming out of Hollywood...

But over in Finland....

The Story: 

At the end of World War II, the Nazis fled to the Dark Side of the Moon.  There they have been patiently waiting and building the ultimate weapon for their eventual return to the Earth as conquerors.  In the year 2018, the President is trying to figure out a way to win re-election.  Her idea?  Head back to the moon, this time with a black astronaut.  He's captured, turned white, and...

But wait, why spoil it?

: )

So what's harder to accept?  Space Nazis or Palin as President? 

Both are equally far-fetched, but one made for much more interesting premise than the other. 

The satire against Palin and the Tea Party Republicans is handed its head by showing how easily the Nazi ideals are adopted by the party to ensure a winning re-election campaign.

That said, the Nazi moon invasion is actually the strength of the film.

It's an amazingly amusing premise, but one that is sold so believably, you just kick back and enjoy the film. 

The actors, aside from one, I had never seen or recognized from anything else I've ever seen.  Yet all were competent in their abilities and did not drag this "B" movie into grade "Z" schlock-ville.

No, even the Special Effects are given their just due in the film, and it plays like a big budget versus a SyFy channel low budget affair.

It was amusing throughout with an occasional zinger to punctuate the whole affair.  Switching effortlessly between English and German with appropriate subtitles, the film never misses a beat.

Good stuff, and much more enjoyable than I was expecting.

 

Available to stream instantly as of this writing on Netflix.

Final Grade: Solid B... could be higher.

Would I Own It: You know, if I find it at the right price, I could see shelling out for this one.  Hopefully Hollywood will start coming up with their own crazy ideas soon enough?