My February and March Movie Selection

Long time no movie reviews. February was a very movie-dry kind of month, with a lot of books to read and other professional obligations, therefore, after a relatively good start in January I took a long break until March, that was very intense. As I just paid one month subscription for Netflix, in order to catch up with some popular series, April announces a long list of film recommendations. And it is not April Fool´s.

Berlin Syndrome by Cale Shortland

A teacher sending confusing signals to young students, literally kidnapps an Australian tourist wandering the streets of Kreuzberg´s Berlin. The psychological tension and the horror of the violent events is very well played, until the end which is confusing and clearly below the expectations. In any case, I would figured out completely different a movie called Berlin Syndrome - maybe because I lived for way too long in this city...

Bridge of Spies co-produced by Steven Spielberg

Long before the Jewish-Russian dissident Nathan Sharansky was walking to freedom on the bridge in the Glienicke area of Potsdam, the Bridge of Spies was long use for Soviet-American exchange of prisoners. Set at the peak of the Cold War, it is inspired by the first such swap, when the convicted Russian spy Rudolf Abel was exchanged for the American pilot Gary Powers, caught during a mission of driving a U2 spy plane. Tom Hanks plays a very good role of the defense attorney for Abel, and the movie is less focused on ideological reasons, but on the chain of events and the general context. 

Movies by The Sudanese Film Group

The Sudanese Film Group refers to a group of young film directors from Sudan, whose movies were produced in the 1970s-1980s. They were educated either in Cairo or in Europe - particularly the GDR´s Babelsberg or Moscow. I have no idea about what is the state of the art of the Sudanese cinema, but the short movies by Eltayeb Mahdi, Suliman Elnour or Ibrahim Shaddad are very important to understand not only the different influences brought from their studies, but also the focus on local topics and stories.

Dieses Jahr in Czernowitz - This Year in Czernowitz

Part of my mother´s family comes from Czernowitz and many years ago I had the chance to pay a visit to the city. Now, with the destruction of the war, even the memories of the memories are erased. The film is following various US-based intellectuals originary from there, such as Norman Manea. I watched it while the Russians were attacking all over Ukraine, including historical Jewish heritage, and history feels wrong again. 

Babylon Berlin

The iconic Berlin-based series Babylon Berlin featuring the police inspector Gereon Rath kept me busy for at least one week. The turmoil of the last years of the Weimar Republic with all the changes brought to the mentalities and the political and social incertainties are very well portrayed, through the complex cases the inspector is supposed to solve - Berlin Alexanderplatz by Döblin is even better though - but personally I felt that some of the characters do have too many lives. It is good that they were continue to further play in the movie, but it is not Paw Patrol anyway...Also, the hats worn by the ladies in the movie are really really hot...

Synonymes by Nadav Lapid

The Berlin Golden Bear recipient, Synonymes was on my list of movies for a long. With a Larousse in his hand, a young Israeli refuses - at least for a couple of month, for the duration of his visa - to speak Hebrew and psychotically is trying to deconstruct and deny his identity. Although the topic is worn out, it is well played and is worth spending the time in the heavily nervous ambiance.

Honey Cigar by Kamir Ainouz

Selma (Zoé Adjani), 17, is stuck between the traditional world of her educated Berber Algerian parents and the temptations of the French life. The war in Algeria as well as her own growing up process are exerting even more pressure on her. An interesting story well played, by a non-conformist voice of the Algerian cinema.

Friesland

Second immersion within a month into popular German series, Friesland features a police working team operating in a small village in the Friesland region of Germany. She is of Turkish origin, and a woman in the police forces - long live multi-kulti - and the two of them operate sometimes at the very low limit of the law - didn´t expect it, Germany. It is not so bad, but definitely worth it if you are looking to improve your level of German and even catch some funny Frisian accents.