"War broke out in June of 1982. When I returned, my mother embraced me, weeping and expressing her gratitude to my deceased father, to God and to all who watched over me and returned me home safe and sound. At the time, she did not realise that I did not come home safe and sound. In fact, I did not come home at all. She had no idea that her son had died in Lebanon and that she was now embracing an empty shell".
– Samuel Maoz in the press notes for Lebanon.

Lebanon opens with a scene of beautiful serenity, as we gaze upon a brightly lit field of sunflowers under a cloudless summer sky. Enjoy this view, because it is the last time we'll be allowed to bask in the open air for the next ninety minutes. Aside from the opening and closing shots, Lebanon takes place entirely within the cramped confines of a tank. Largely based on director Samuel Maoz's own experiences, the film takes place on a single day and allows us to share this small space with four young Israeli soldiers. They have been ordered to drive into a town that has already been devastated by an aerial bombardment and help the ground troops inspect and clean out whatever remains. The men are uniformly anxious and unsure of what lies in their path, and they are about to embark on a hellish odyssey that they'll never forget.

Stories of innocent young men being corrupted and traumatised by warfare are nothing new in cinema, but Maoz's telling of the story gives it fresh juice. In restricting the film to the inside of the tank the director has crafted a claustrophobic atmosphere that amplifies the terror of the young recruits' situation, frequently using tight close-ups that invite us to see the fear in his characters' eyes. The stand-in for the director himself is Shmulik (Yoav Donat) who has the task of manning the tank's gun, and Maoz makes us feel the full weight of responsibility that this role entails. Shmulik is forced to make life-or-death decisions at various points in the film and he freezes early on, when he cannot bring himself to pull the trigger despite the frantic cries of his commanding officer. His hesitation costs lives, and when he does pull the trigger the next time he is called to do so, he discovers that he has opened fire on a civilian vehicle.

Maoz is not above using such cheap ironies, and one would certainly not describe his filmmaking as subtle. He constantly returns to the same tactic of showing us events through Shmulik's gun sight and having someone stare directly back at him – and, by extension, us – with a reproachful glare: "J'accuse!" Another scene finds the director cutting from blown apart bodies to lumps of meat hanging in a butcher's window, but while Lebanon may lack nuance and elegance at times, the film makes up for it with its sheer visceral impact. Technically, it is a tour de force, with Maoz showing marvellous ingenuity in the way he directs us around his limited location, ensuring the film doesn't grow visually dull or stuffy. Arik Leibovitch's editing draws incredible tension out of the film's various set-pieces, but it is the sound design that is perhaps the film's most crucial and impressive facet. The obvious touchstone is Das Boot, and Lebanon similarly takes advantage of our restricted viewpoint to suggest a constant sense of danger lurking on the other side of the walls. Planes roar overhead, bombs explode, guns fire and people scream, and all the while, the tank moans and rattles as it chugs further into the breach.

Sharing such close quarters as we do with these four men, we get to know them a little, but not well. Characterisation is limited and set out in swift, broad strokes; alongside Shmulik there's Asi (Itay Tiran) their indecisive leader, the pragmatic missile loader Hertzel (Oshri Cohen) and Yigal (Michael Moshonov), whose thoughts continually drift to his family. Others enter the group's tank during the course of the picture, including their tough, no-nonsense commander Gamil (a superb Zohar Strauss), and a violent Phalangist (Ashraf Barhom) who comes bearing a hostage. In a chilling sequence, he tells his prisoner how he is going to tear his body apart slowly as soon as he has him alone, talking to him with a smile on his face and in a language that none of the Israelis can understand. When the Phalangist leaves the hostage tied up inside the tank the young Syrian pleads for his life with the four enemy soldiers, each of whom is as scared and bewildered as he is.

That is the strength of Lebanon. It doesn't draw distinctions between the soldiers fighting on either side of this conflict – indeed, it isn't even a film about this particular conflict at all. Instead, Maoz has made a picture that offers a universal portrait of what happens to young men when they are handed a gun and told to kill for their country. They are not defined by their nationality, race or religion; they are defined by their fear, their desperate desire to survive and – as evidence in a touching scene of connection between Shmulik and the Syrian captive – by their humanity. Eventually, Maoz takes his camera back outside the tank in the film's closing scene and allows us to come up gasping for air once more. The setting is the same field that we saw in the opening shot, but the sunflowers are now wilting instead of reaching for the sky, and the young men climbing out of that tank have been changed irrevocably.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjzcc6IgXDU

Stalker (Tarkovsky, 1980)

**SPOILERS**

Stalker can be best described as a science-fiction film structured as a metaphysical journey -and arguably just that, a meta- rather than physical journey- for three men in search of inner truth and self-worth. Their search takes them from a drab, post-industrial city to a restricted area outside the city limits called the Zone, where it is believed aliens once visited. The Zone is a minefield of perceptual illusions, booby traps, and shifting geography, making each step a potentially life-threatening danger. The Zone has been officially recognized as a forbidden area by the government ever since an investigative group went missing (eerily foreshadowing Chernobyl, where the chemical spill area was also referred to as 'the Zone'). Legend has it, however, that nestled within the danger-ridden Zone is a room where one's deep inner wishes are granted. The latter plot point is crucial, because the room sees through superficiality and grants not what you may think you desire, but the desires of your soul. The Stalker (Alexander Kaidanovsky) is someone trained as a guide for people willing to risk their life to reach this wish fulfilling room. His latest 'clients' are a Writer (Tarkovsky favorite Anatoly Solonitsyn) and a Scientist (Nikolai Grinko). For these weary travelers, stripped of their self-confidence, faith and ability to love, the room represents, perhaps, their final hope.

After weathering the death traps along their path (rendered through mood and anticipation rather than cinematic, science-fiction pyrotechnics), the men arrive at the threshold of the room (symbolically enough, the gutted remains of a church). We learn that the Scientist, fearing that the wishing room may be misused for evil intention, had planned all along to destroy the room with a bomb he smuggled into the Zone in his knapsack The Stalker makes a frantic plea to let the room exist, as it represents for many the last depository of faith. Shaken and crying, the Stalker is reduced to a pathetic state (what else would you expect from a Tarkovsky 'hero'?). Somehow the Stalker's desparate pleas move the Scientist, and he dismantles the bomb. Exhausted, the three men sit quietly outside the room, with neither the energy to continue their philosophical spattings, or the courage to venture into the room and test their inner selves. As if to reflect their sorrowful epiphany, a gorgeous sunshower spontaneously falls into the water-filled room.

The three men return to their urban wasteland as they left, seemingly bereft of spirit or hope. The three men sit still and quiet in the café where they met at the beginning of the film. In fact, outside of the black dog that identifies the Zone, it could appear as if they never even left the bar. The Stalker's wife (Alyssa Freindlikh), along with their crippled, mutant daughter 'Monkey' (Natasha Abramova), comes to collect her husband at the café. Upon returning to their squalid home, the Stalker burdens his wife with his growing despair in the face of the cynical travellers. If people become so cynical to the point of losing all vestige of hope, what will come of him? The film concludes with the Stalker's mute daughter performing what appears to be a magical feat of telekinesis by willing a group of glasses to move across the kitchen table.

The three men travel to the Zone by way of a stolen flatcar that they drive along a train track. This visual transition from b/w to color is further underscored aurally by the mesmeric soundtrack during the flatcar journey (clanking of the steel wheels on the tracks, and an oscillating electronic pitch) which places us in a somnolent state (much like the travelers) that makes the change that much sharper to the full sensorial system. Where this DVD is most welcome is in the darkly lit, low-key scenes, namely the scenes in the bar and in the Stalker's bunker-like apartment, where we can now make out so much more detail of the film's painstaking production design. The cut from the Writer in the bar (in b/w) to the color shot of the Stalker's daughter Monkey in color, is even more striking than the initial transition to color when they enter the Zone. Her gold head scarf stands out dramatically, as it should, since the shift to color now assumes important thematic significance -the power, magic, 'color' of the Zone- now emerges in the drab cityscape. In fact, in the VHS version the scene in the bar is more sepia than b/w, and to be precise, it is only the daughter who 'lives' in color in these post-Zone city scenes, rendering her a specific magical quotient in the film's philosophical system, which is in keeping with Tarkovsky's ideas on the purity of children and their ability to intuit reality over and above the culturally/socially conditioned adult. So while the scenes between the whimpering, self-loathing Stalker and his wife are in b/w, the final 'telekinetic' scene with the table top glasses, passing train, and daughter is in full color.

Food for thought: A Metaphor for Faith?

Rating: 5 stars

No Trailer, but check this!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBBR8Pn7eUQ&feature=related

Sátántangó (Tarr, 1994)

Satantango, Bela Tarr's 1994 7.5 hour masterpiece is incredible first and foremost in that despite its length and multiple shots of literally nothing taking place it is never, I repeat, never boring. This is one of the most incredible films I have ever seen. Complied of only 150 shots, many of which last for over 10 minutes, Tarr and his cinematographer manage to create a hypnotic and beautiful depiction of a desolated communal farm in post-communism Hungary. The scenery is at once withered and ugly, yet compellingly beautiful. The land is muddy and the buildings are in shambles. There are two scenes where main characters walk with the camera following as multitudes of trash blow along with them in the wind, creating a somehow hypnotic effect.

The film opens with literally a 10 minute shot following a herd of cows wandering through a seemingly rundown farm town. The camera makes what has to be one of the most incredible pans in cinematic history panning to the left for most of the ten minute scene. Who else but Bela Tarr would try such a thing; and who else but Bela Tarr could make it work so well.

The film follows the people of the farm in essentially three sections. The first section begins by showing Futaki having an affair with Schmidt's wife. Schmidt we find out is planning to run away with the money the town has made over the past year but comes home and is confronted by Futaki who has suck out only to come right back and knock on the door. They hear that the smooth talking Irimias and his sidekick Patrina, who have been believed dead by the town, are on their way back to town. The other residents, who all plan to take their money and leave town, seem to be under the thumb of Irimias and after hearing of his return meet at the local pub and discuss what to do and wait nervously for Irimias's arrival.

A Communist Vincent and Jules!

The scenes are broken down into 12 steps, such as in a Tango. Nearly all of which are connected in that we see what has already happened from another perspective. The first section as noted involves Schmidt and Futaki; the second and one of the most hypnotic in the film is of an overweight and frail doctor who sits in front of his window documenting the actions of the townspeople. He details how Futaki is slipping out of Schmidt's house, and then goes back in, a scene which we've already seen except this time it's from the window of the doctor's house. The doctor hulks around and then realizes he must leave his home to get more alcohol. Scenes go on like this weaving in out and out the story line from different points of view. The first third of the film deals with the realization of Irimias' return, and exposes the corruption of the citizen's capitalism by their greed. The second third is the post powerful. It documents a little girl who is conned by her brother and ignored by her mother. The only thing she has power over is her cat, and in order to feel that superiority she tortures and poisons the cat. I will not reveal how, but this section turns to tragedy which will be exploited by the smooth talking Irimias.

The final third deals with the corruption of Irimias's communist plan for the farm. He convinces them to give him the power and all the money that has been saved up only to con them. This section is brooding with satire, as is the first in some ways, and has shades of Orwell's animal farm – the dumb and obedient townspeople conned into subjugation by the charming Irimias.

Essentially, Satantango is a 2 hour movie shown without its cuts bringing it to 7.5 hours. The film never uses its drawn out scenes to further the narrative, but neither does it use them for simply aesthetic purposes either. The film's length and incredibly long shots seem to be rubbing the atmosphere right in our nose. Many shots have the camera move, raising and weaving and circling defining space like no other film. Some of the extended scenes are incredibly funny in bizarre ways, such as an extended dance seen (from which the film gets its title) where the villagers get drunk waiting for Irimias and Patrina, dancing to accordion music while the little girl peers in through the window; and another scene that circles the room while two officers dictate and type out Irimias's statement, cleverly changing vulgar statements (which I found hilarious) and in the middle of it all, sitting down and having a snack in real time! These scenes sound perhaps boring, but somehow Tarr makes them seem riveting and when they end it's almost sad to see it. Another incredible extended sequence sees the camera facing down at the sleeping villagers circling them ever so slowing as a narrator describes their dreams.

Satantango is a film like no other. Its scope is breathtaking and its style is beautifully crafted. Tarr's films are almost like ballets: the camera moves always gracefully and in ways that we would only imagine that a cut was necessary, never faltering and always creating incredibly beautiful dances, and they set a mood perhaps better than anyone else. Satantango is Tarr's masterwork, epic in every sense of the word. If you get the chance to see this one, do yourself a favor and experience all 7 and a half hours of its majestic and drab atmosphere. Satantango is film for the sake of film and art for the sake of art.

Final Rating: 5/5

Trailer Unavailable, but here's the opening sequence in its glory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj57-Do-O1Q

"The Far Side of Jericho" (Hunter, 2006)

An interesting concept put forward by Tim Hunter for a western. The store of three ladies who see their outlawed husbands hanged and then chased by everyone else in the picture because they are believed to know where the stolen loot is buried. We see them chased by a drunken, incompetent posse, two bounty hunters, a faux preacher and his gang and then, some Native Americans.

They're definitely not cutie-pies and the roles they bring to the screen are not your typical Western female hero. One, Maxine (Suzanne Andrews), is a macha-hero-type but the other two, Claire (Judith Burnett), an ex-school marm with a drinking problem married to an abusive bum and Bridgett (Lissa Negrin)is an ex-hooker who actually loves her husband, Billie.

The film fails itself in many small aspects. One notable thing that really bugged me was how fast-paced some of the conversation seemed to be. Steps in logic just seem to be missed out. For example, all three women lie to one another regarding a map piece. When this is discovered, all three just seem to shrug it off and move on. This is just one example of the many occasions where logical steps in conversation are missed out.

The film also lacks in atmosphere, which is a shame as it seems such a unique and interesting concept for a western. Perhaps the film has too much dialogue, and the wrong dialogue at that. There's no real shift in perspective throughout the movie, as most of the "bad guys" seem to have the same goal, even if they do double cross eachother at any chance given.

While this is not a film to keep you on the edge of your seat, it is an evening's worth of entertainment and I still enjoyed it.

Final Rating: 3/5

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxxxDZOH11k

"Antichrist" (Von Trier, 2009)

Antichrist most definitely has it's own deliberate controversial and shocking moments to it, and yet once you've seen the film you could probably see it working with over half of these shocking moments removed. Some of the horrific moments do belong in the film and work well while others definitely don't. These disturbing shots though, do create the sick and twisted atmosphere that dwells in the viewer's mind for the remainder of the film, and keeps you with your eyes closed, or on the edge of your seat.

The film has a great feel throughout, mostly down to Camera technique and post-production. The colour in the film really helps set the mood, and helps the audience ease into the unexpected. Well thought out monologue's of both Defoe & Gainsbourg show the viewer different sides of the imagination and perception of events. This contrast helps create the sinister, yet mysterious atmosphere the film holds, and it works well! Although not necessarily considering this during the movie, Von Trier has achieved similar symbol-use to that of Andrei Tarkovsky (whom the film is dedicated to). Various shots composed of nothing more than a blur set in some obscure location help create the mysterious aura that is seen in "Stalker" (Tarkovsky, 1979) & "The Werckmeister Harmonies" (Tarr, 2000).

The acting from both William Defoe & Charlotte Gainsbourg is just superb throughout. As a viewer, you quickly side with Defoe, feeling he is the innocent in the conflict, though there are opposing shots through the entire length of the film to counter-act this, such as showing little to no grief over the death of his son. Gainsbourg Porno-Terror helps the audience's distaste of her grow, especially in the cum-blood scene. She is truely terrific and horrifying in the woodland chase scene, as nothing can be heard save her beast like screaming "Where are you?" and Defoe's heavy breathing.

Overall, This is a grim film that makes you to feel the pain its characters do. It will make you shudder, and will send shivers down your spine. But its much more than your generic horror flick. It is an ode to one of the greatest directors of the last century, and makes vast comment on marriage, isolation and mental illness. Definite recommend.

Final Rating: 4.5/5

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw03QayJ2fU

"The Sun" (Sokurov, 2005)

Japanese - Subtitled

The story of the downfall of Emperor Hirohito and the Japanese nation at the end of WWII and the ensuing aftermath.

The first notable flaw with this film is the camera pixel rate (Or what I assume is) seems to lack depth and detail. It doesn't particularly bother me, but I know it would to many. The Acting seems pretty shambolic all throughout, and doesn't help create an atmosphere the film intends (This is the downfall of an empire we're talking about here...). The film fails miserably in addressing the emotions behind the Emperor, and that of the nation as well as the sheer tension and awkwardness created after the surrender.

The film also just feels like one massive monologue, rather than a descriptive re-telling of the end of the second world war. At this, the film moves at too slow a pace which again negates itself the atmosphere it desires. I don't really have much else to say about this, but its one film I shan't watch again.

Final Rating: 1.5/5

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8cpBPT2TB4

"The Beast Stalker" (Lam, 2008)

Japanese - Subtitled.

Now when one thinks of Asian action films, your first thought is "Rush Hour". This movie is a highlight of asian cinema, and is definitely worth watching. It isn't a special film, but it's solidly entertaining, possessing of action, suspense, appropriate emotions and some well-drawn characters. Nicholas Tse leads the cast as Sergeant Tong, a super-serious cop whose stern demeanor edges dangerously close to overacting. What happens in the opening sequence ties together the characters on a fate they fight to change.

The film has a very interesting "1st person" filming technique, which I liked, based around Sergeant Tong, as the main protagonist, and main antagonist Hung (played by Nick Cheung) which puts the viewer right into the action and suspense. The audience can sympathise with Tong, seeking redemption and a means to an end after a series of unfortunate events. I was impressed with Nick Cheung's acting too, and as an audience member, at times you can't decide whether he really is the bad guy or not. That I'll leave up to you.

The film is tense and emotional, and sometimes dips precariously into melodrama, but in the end it's not trying to be a great film. It's merely a well-made, solid and satisfying movie, and that's precisely what Hong Kong Cinema needs right now.

Final Rating: 4/5

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olHDT_R9PPY