I usually prefer to talk about the a film, what’s on the screen and not about what’s going and what’s being said around it, but I’ll make a slight exception. Russia churns out a lot of war films and a lot of films with patriotism as the key (sometimes only) ingredient. There is an understandable fatigue of these films (just like some are tired of … Continue reading Panfilov’s 28 (2016)
Saw this at the Leiden International film festival 2019 (LIFF.nl). Revenge on revenge, and lots of greed, the sum of it spiraling out of control. It all happens within a single apartment, with only a few outdoor scenes in the form of flashbacks. We are “lucky” (mind the quotes) that all the unpleasant things that people do to each other, are accompanied by an unusual … Continue reading Why Don’t You Just Die! (2018)
Eleanor Roosevelt remembers the first time she met Lyudmila Pavlichenko, the female sniper with 309 kills, back in 1942 when she was member of the Russian delegation visiting the USA. Accepted at Kiev State University in 1937, Lyudmila was more eager to serve her nation on the front lines. A friendly shooting contest with her friends landed her the attention and recommendation of a Russian … Continue reading Battle for Sevastopol (2015)
I’ll give you another chance. You choose and prepare a Russian tank crew. On a designated day at the shooting range, you show your science, to my cadets. You won’t have ammunition. Just your skill. If you die … you die as a soldier on the battlefield. I thought it was time again to watch a realistic WWII war movie. One that focuses on heroism … Continue reading T-34 (2018)
