By 
A WAR ****
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous acts are as filthy rags”
How can we measure someone’s faults or fatal mistakes? Our contemporary society tends to constantly judge one’s behavior and lifestyle, and any private scandal now-a-days quickly becomes viral, as everyone believes to have the right to make their opinion valuable. We live in a sort of a “Big Brother” infestation, where we became accommodated with the idea of being the ruler of the world, as we witness the conflicts of war. The battlefield is a deadly place to be and in the other hand, as we look interiorly, the heart and mind are as deadly and deceptive as a war zone, pointing to directions and leading to decisions. Some of those are totally irreversible. Once given the chances of a decision, are we completely certain of its accuracy? How far can someone go in order to save innocent brothers, rescue them and bring them safely back home? How far can one stand to the truth, as hurtful as it can get in order to protect the peace of consciousness and restore compassion? As one chief-commander stands up in front of the jury, awaiting the decision for his future, a lawyer asks “who will suffer the consequences of negligence and hidden facts?” becoming the striking question, which the film finds to print its remarkable moral dilemma. Competent and loyal to his duties and his men, Claus is as devoted to his tasks as he is committed to his family. He makes sure all his soldiers are in good conditions to lift up civilians as they help on reconstructing Afghanistan, and digitally maintains track and contact with family. This compassionated characteristic remains firmly with him as he’s haunted by the consequences of his acts- he orders a bombing, killing 11 innocents. As he will examine the incident himself, the authorities, the facts, the reasons surrounding the order, and the public opinion, Danish director Tobias Lindholm provokes us with a cut-throat look inside a common rational fear– carrying the weight, uneasiness and responsibility of a crucial mistake for a lifetime. Undoubtedly the most accomplished film among the nominees for this year’s Oscar for Best Foreign Film, Lindholm created a remarkable contemporary piece that reaches its intentions with preciseness: action-packed and extreme raw violence in the battlefield, incredible sensibility with family and comradeship issues and alarming exposé on the continuous trend of fatalities among men.
(Opens Friday at AMC Empire 25 and Landmark Sunshine, NYC)
THEEB ***
In this wonderful coming of age tale, up for an Oscar on the Foreign Film race, a boy learns how to survive the dangers of the desert and the greed of men. Intrigued by the mysteries surrounding a British soldier and the arrival of the railroad in Arabia 1916, he follows his older brother as he guides the soldier through the intensely dry landscape. As Theeb quotes “the strong eats the weak”, he acquires wisdom once he’s pushed by life in order to overcome the challenges he meets along the journey, including thirsty and a gunman. Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat gives a heartbreaking performance as the protagonist in Naji Nowar’s adventurous and efficient study on loss of innocence and manhood. (A Film Movement Release)
EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT **
Colombia’s Oscar nominated foreign-film starts as a contemplative look on the mysteries of the Amazon River, its inhabitants and its powerful resources, as it explores two periods in the life of a native Indian- the past when he guided a doctor through the forest as he studied healing plants, and years ahead as he’s contacted by other civilized men, seeking confirmations on those reports. Stunningly shot in B&W, Ciro Guerra’s film loses its initial force as it tries, unsuccessfully, to become an irreverent satire on civilization using mystical and political allegories. Despite its distractions, the film deserves attention for the phenomenal visual quality and the honest performances. (Opens February 17th at Film Forum, NYC)
THIS WEEK’S DVD
TRUMBO is a well-done glamorous production depicting the years of censorship in Hollywood, when writers were prosecuted as communists. Bryan Cranston’s Oscar nominated performance is an outstanding work of compulsiveness as he embodies the genius mind behind such gems as “Spartacus”, “Exodus” and “Roman Holiday”.
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