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Army of Shadows - (1969)
Well, that has to be one of the best World War II movies I've ever seen - I haven't seen many about the French Resistance, but this is about as realistic and as gritty as you can get. It's populated by real flesh and blood people, and by that I mean characters that have tremendous depth and we care about. Aside from that, the way everything is staged is very suspenseful, but we never veer off into fantasy. Sound is used to great effect. The cinematography is out of this world. The casting was perfect. Make no mistake though, this film is as bleak as it's subject matter is, and it's not about heroes and victory, or thrills and action - it's about sacrifice, death and struggle. It's about giving yourself body and soul to a cause. These resistance fighters lose themselves, become murderers and eventually martyrs. I loved the fact that Army of Shadows did not romanticize the war or resistance - but showed it how it really was, becoming a real anti-war statement and powerful film.
9/10
Foreign Language Countdown films seen : 85/100
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We miss you Takoma
We miss you Takoma
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