Well, hello there, kind folks. If you’re visiting this blog of mine, I presume that you have a certain interest in the cinema. As for me, even since my early childhood, I have had a deep love of everything related to movies and television. As far as I can remember, I have been more at ease in front of a screen than in the yard, outside, playing. It is a great way to travel, though other people’s stories, without having to foot any kind of steep bill. Over the years, I feel that movie-watching has even fuelled my own creativity.

All that being said, I welcome you in my Cinephile’s Nest. I hope you enjoy it here, feel free to come back at any time. Here you will find reviews of current movies and older ones. TV shows also. Some classics that have remained some of my favourites, some that have disappointed me. I will use a very basic star (*) system to grade them from 1 to 5 (5 being sliced bread level). Remember, these are just my tastes. I will try to explain in each review what I liked about these particular movies, without giving spoilers.

Il y aura aussi des critiques en français pour les films francophones, car j'aime également le cinéma dans ma langue maternelle. Avant d'apprendre l'anglais, plus jeune, je louais des tonnes de films traduits en français, surtout ceux de Bud Spencer et Terrence Hill. Ma mère a eu le choc de sa vie lorsqu'un jour, dans la boîte d'un de ces films, Deep Throat avait malencontreusement inséré. Une expérience formatrice pour le jeune cinéphile que je suis.

Bienvenue à tous, amusez-vous bien.

I welcome you all here, enjoy yourself.

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)


Genre: Drama
Directed by: Mark Herman
Starring: Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Ruper Friend
Running time: 94 minutes



Based on the novel of the same name, written by John Boyne, this film tells the story of Bruno, a young boy who moves from Berlin to occupied Poland with his family during World War II. Bruno’s father is a Nazi soldier who just got promoted. Exploring near his new home, Bruno finds an extermination camp. Across the barbed wire fence, he sees Shmuel, a Jewish boy his age. Not understanding that he is supposed to hate the “enemy”, Bruno strikes up a friendship with Shmuel.

This film was accused of being historically inaccurate, of trivializing the Holocaust for the purpose of a story and of diverting the role of victim in the end. Those are all good points. There is also the fact that you have a mostly British cast playing German characters.

Nonetheless, this is a compelling story that will be sure to pull on the heartstrings. When kids are involved, it that much more emotionally-charged. The cast itself does a good job. I was moved, without a doubt, though this film is certainly not without fault. It remains a nice story about the innocence of youth still uncorrupted by the hatreds of adults. It still applies today.
Rating: «««

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