Tag: World War 2

REVIEW: Latest ‘Nuremberg’ dramatization intrigues, but lacks focus

The decisive court cases to close World War II’s final chapter have once again been dramatized, but the latest isn’t quite as strong as previous pieces of media.

The latest WW2 period piece takes place during most of the Nuremberg Military Tribunals after Germany’s defeat, with a focus on one of two main mental health professionals present during the process. That individual is Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek), a psychiatrist who spoke with the remnants of Third Reich who were imprisoned during the trial.

His most notable conversations were with Herman Goring (Russell Crowe), second in command to Adolf Hitler. As the film goes on, the discussions and analysis become more important as U.S. Justice Robert Jackson (Michael Shannon), the American lead prosecutor, prepares his case. Continue reading “REVIEW: Latest ‘Nuremberg’ dramatization intrigues, but lacks focus”

REVIEW: Ronan can’t boost tonally off ‘Blitz’

The Battle of Britain was a harrowing period of conflict for London during World War II and is ripe for good drama. Unfortunately, “Blitz” falls short.

As the name implies, the film takes place during the Blitz, a period of attacks on the United Kingdom by Germany toward the end of the Battle of Britain. That campaign was fought in the air, and included multiple bombing raids which had British residents seeking shelter.

Saoirse Ronan plays Rita in the film, a mother trying to keep her son George (Elliott Heffernan) safe during the bombings. Eventually, Rita decides to send George to the countryside where it will be safer. However, George desires to stay in London and leaps from the train he’s riding in an effort to get back home.

Continue reading “REVIEW: Ronan can’t boost tonally off ‘Blitz’”

REVIEW: Despite strong filmmaking, ‘Zone of Interest’ loses momentum

During the Nuremberg Trials, Rudolf Höss admitted that well over a million people were killed while he was commandant at Auschwitz. As this film shows, he had no issue maintaining a regular life next door.

Set in 1943, “The Zone of Interest” follows Höss (Christian Friedel) not inside the infamous camp, but rather at home with his family. While he was in charge of the camp, his residence was right beside it, only separated by a high concrete wall.

As the film demonstrates, the proximity to a place of extermination did not hinder the Höss family from living an average life, where the patriarch went off to work in the morning while his wife tended to the children and kept busy with a garden. They did all of this all while hearing the sounds from the camp.

Continue reading “REVIEW: Despite strong filmmaking, ‘Zone of Interest’ loses momentum”

REVIEW: Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ is an immaculate cinematic achievement

Scientific breakthroughs can be great things, leading to new discoveries and improvements in quality of life. They can also create terrifying, destructive power.

Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” captures the latter, and the impact it had on the figure that helmed such a breakthrough.

The film mainly revolves around J. Robert Oppenheimer’s work on the Manhattan Project, what led him to his involvement, and subsequent investigations into his character during the Red Scare. To do this the movie goes back and forth between three time periods.

Most of the movie takes place during the time where Oppenheimer was becoming a scientist and his work in Los Alamos. However, the movie also includes moments from Oppenheimer’s security hearing in 1954, as well as scenes in 1959 when Lewis Strauss’ hostile relationship with the physicist was brought up in commerce secretary nomination hearings with the Senate.

Continue reading “REVIEW: Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ is an immaculate cinematic achievement”