I couldn’t seem to find a thread on this sucker, so here goes.
From the clips I’ve seen, it looks amazing. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find anywhere near me where it’s playing right now. Grr, feh, meh.
So, I’m curious.
First off, has anybody else seen it yet? Does it live up to the hype?
And, does anybody in the US know when/if it’s slated for a wider release at any point soon?
Finally, I know it is only now coming to America and already won a bunch of awards in Israel. Is there any chance that it’s already out on DVD with subtitles in English via some Israeli distributor?
I didn’t know Bashir could waltz! But when you’ve been genetically enhanced, I suppose you pick up a lot of skills. Wonder which Dax was his favorite partner…?
It’s the one where Sisko and Dukat are “shipwrecked” alone together, and Dukat hallucinates various other characters and argues with them, while trying to demonstrate to Sisko that he is not a really evil man, and the occupation was good for Bajor.
Bashir wasn’t in it that I recall. At least, not for more than a moment.
Thanks. I thought it was DS9 but I wasn’t sure. I haven’t seen TNG in years and while I just acquired and am finishing the last season of DS9 (once I get home from work) it’s been a while since I’ve watched the previous seasons.
Sorry about the hijack, FinnAgin. What’s the movie about?
Heh, no problem. Free thread bumps after all (although I don’t get the reference, TNG was the last Star Trek show ever created, and I’m sticking by that story).
In any case, Waltz with Bashir is the animated recollections of an IDF soldier who participated in the opening days of the invasion of Lebanon after its descent into civil war.
Both of these two videos should still be up and working.
It looks amazing and it’s gotten great reviews and awards, but I still haven’t spoken with anybody who knew first hand.
Thanks very much for posting, then. Do you think that you could either bump this thread and/or PM me when you get around to seeing it? At this point, I’m close to going down to Manhattan to visit my brother anyways, and it might tip the scales if the movie is playing there (it must be) and it’s worth seeing in the theater. With the animation style, I’d wager that the big screen helps.
I just saw this movie. I had the tiniest bit of fear that it might be capitalizing on the success of Persepolis without earning it, but I don’t think that happened. It was a powerful movie that spends most of its time making viewers more engaged and vulnerable, to (hopefully) catch them in a life-altering revelatory moment, which is ambitious. I won’t say what that moment is, but it’s pretty stomach-churningly powerful.
The animation was not wholly necessary; I think it could have survived as a simple documentary - but I can see the use of it – to endear foreigners who are otherwise looking at yet another round of poor looking overseas people caught in a war. It was a good film to show people, and though the filmmaker’s intentions behind it do not make themselves completely clear, it was a brave thing to put forth, considering. Also quite timely, what with the current situation in Gaza.
Ah, thanks. Even Rotten Tomatoes doesn’t have anything on it, i don’t think.
From the trailers I’ve seen, it looked like a good way to point out the surrealism/strangeness of war and to give a visual punch to the narrator’s thoughts. No?
Thanks… and that’s weird!
I looked at RT’s page earlier last night and I could’ve sworn that it said “N/A” in place of a percentage.
Thanks though I’ve rarely, if ever, seen any films on RT that get rated that high. I think I may have to take a road trip down to Manhattan sooner than planned.
Yes, definitely! After the ending I was feeling pretty out of sorts, so i didn’t mention it, but I feel better now the whole “animation functions on the border between reality and the subconscious” really came into play! The dreams were all the more dreamlike, the reality was all the more dreamlike. There were some beautiful moments there.
It’s a powerful film, and a wonderful piece of work.
I think it would have been far less compelling presented as a straight documentary incorporating the interview footage. From a purely practical standpoint, using animation also allowed the filmmakers to include fantastical reconstructions of the soldier’s memories of the war without consuming about $100m in budget.
Another advantage of animation over using film- it allowed the filmmakers to include contributions from at least one soldier who seemingly didn’t want to speak on camera. (The one who now lives in Holland- there’s a fleeting reference to this reluctance when the central character asks him if he can sketch his son).
Anyways, I got a chance to see this movie, and it was absolutely amazing. I’d thought that the animation might be sorta “Waking Life”, but while it was certainly surreal and strange at points, it didn’t get trippy (IMO). It was beautifully animated, as well. The opening scene with the dogs running down the street is shockingly well done. And speaking of that scene, in general the score for the film is absolutely top notch and fits it to a T.
As for the story itself, it is a very powerful and gripping look at the horrors of war. A definite must-see for anybody interested in, or revolted by war for that matter. Ditto for folks on either side of the I-P debate (and let’s please not drag that here). I’m not quite sure that the movie had a message other than “war sucks, really, really badly”, but perhaps that was some of the point ; Waltz does its best to get you to throw away the cliches and stereotypes you might have about combat and, although I won’t spoil it, the ending deliberately slaps you right in the face.
I knew the history of the conflict so I knew what to expect, but it took my wife a bit by surprise and she was in tears by the end. I’d been mentally prepared for the ‘big reveal’ since I heard about the movie and long before I knew its specific plot. No story about the war in Lebanon would be complete without at least a mention of the events that the end of the film focuses on.
All in all this film is undoubtedly worth seeing and, although I’m not sure I’ll ever re-watch it (though it’s not in the same class as Requiem for a dream in terms of awesome movies that I never, ever, ever want to see again)… I do think that I’ll pick it up on DVD. I have to admit with the quality of the animation I’d be curious to see if there’s going to be a blueray version, as well.
I finally saw this tonight. I had planned to see it a few days ago but ended up seeing Wendy and Lucy instead. I agree with all the raves here. It’s a very powerful film that also left me in tears at the end. The music over the ending credits goes on for a couple of minutes after the credits are over, just playing to a blank screen, and I sat through the whole thing until the lights came up, sobbing. I didn’t know anything about the events of the film and spent a couple of hours reading about it after I got home. I thought it was very brave for an Israeli filmmaker to take on this subject, especially since he was part of the situation. No wonder he lost his memory.
It’s nominated for Best Foreign Language film at the Academy Awards, which makes up for it not getting a nomination for Best Animated Film. At the very least, the nomination is getting the movie attention and more people are seeing it. It’s still only playing in one theater in the whole of Chicago though. I hope it wins so that it will be expanded a bit more.
(although I don’t get the reference, TNG was the last Star Trek show ever created, and I’m sticking by that story).
the whole “animation functions on the border between reality and the subconscious” really came into play! The dreams were all the more dreamlike, the reality was all the more dreamlike. There were some beautiful moments there.