Peter_Suciu
Well-known member
Joyeux Noël, which was nominated for an Oscar for Best foreign film, opened in New York last weekend. I saw it today.
While the story takes some great liberties with the actual history, the film is extremely moving and heartfelt. It is a powerful anti-war film, where the enemy is the unseen commands. The actual soldiers in the trenches have no quarel to settle, and their primary motivation isn't to win the war but rather to survive.
The sets are outstanding, but the film makes the battlefield seem small and somehow isolated. This isn't so much a complaint, as it does make the story feel all the more personal. The costumes and equipment are equally impressive, and this for history buffs it is fun to see the early equipment before the introduction of the steel helmets and drab uniforms.
The only complaint is that seeing the film in March takes some of the power out of the film. As a film to be viewed during the Christmas season,the viewer could get a better sense of the longing for home and desire to be with family all the more.
While the story takes some great liberties with the actual history, the film is extremely moving and heartfelt. It is a powerful anti-war film, where the enemy is the unseen commands. The actual soldiers in the trenches have no quarel to settle, and their primary motivation isn't to win the war but rather to survive.
The sets are outstanding, but the film makes the battlefield seem small and somehow isolated. This isn't so much a complaint, as it does make the story feel all the more personal. The costumes and equipment are equally impressive, and this for history buffs it is fun to see the early equipment before the introduction of the steel helmets and drab uniforms.
The only complaint is that seeing the film in March takes some of the power out of the film. As a film to be viewed during the Christmas season,the viewer could get a better sense of the longing for home and desire to be with family all the more.