War Movie Reviews and News

84 Charlie MoPic (1989)

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:31:00 -0500

84 Charlie MoPic (1989)

Well, I finally managed to, um, find a way to watch this in its entirety, and quite frankly its not quite as good as I remembered. But 84 Charlie MoPic is still a decent, little-known (and incredibly hard to come by) film about a squad during the Vietnam war, being "documented" by an army cameraman as they go on patrol in the jungle....

First off, I just have to say this: Brian DePalma should have used this as a reference for his similar but just-plain-awful faux-documentary Redacted. If you're going to do it, do it right.

That being said, there really isn't anything all that spectacular about 84C. The acting is not terrible, but not particularly wonderful either. The only familiar face I recognized was that of a younger Glenn Morshower (Pierce from "24").... Yet despite that shortcoming, somehow this film manages to keep you engaged, and you're able to connect with the characters and feel what they're feeling. And yeah, the "short" jokes get a little tiresome, and a bit forced (sorry Zack!)....

What you do have is a rather diverse group of men (albeit stereotypes), who under normal conditions "back home" likely wouldn't have anything to do with each other. Still they are able to band together, and as they one-by-one fall for various reasons, the bond they share becomes obvious. And by the end, even MoPic has been accepted into their group, albeit a little too late.

Part of the reason 84 Charlie MoPic "gets it right" despite the production, is the attention to detail, and it appears they got Mr. Dale Dye to advise on this one (listen for him on the radio!)

All-in-all, if you want a glossy Hollywood rendition of things, then you might as well forget it. But as a decent indy effort it really does the job well.

And it figures, the whole bleeding thing appears to be on YouTube if you want to follow the pieces. Here's a chunk for your amusement....

84 Charlie MoPic (1989) on Spout.com

Johnny Got His Gun (1971)

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:30:00 -0500

Johnny Got His Gun (1971)

IMDB

Johnny Got His Gun is a mostly little-known movie, which would be even more obscure if it weren't for Metallica's "One" music video back in the day. But forget about that for a minute.

What you get here is a surreal trip into one man's nightmare after suffering extensive injuries on the battlefields of World War I... and a biting anti-war film to boot.

"Johnny" is really Joe Bonham, who does his civic duty and goes off to Europe to fight in the trenches. He literally blown to bits by an inbound shell, losing his arms, legs, and face, losing all senses except touch. He survives, and becomes a medical curiosity to the upper brass. He's kept alive, and in his sensory-deprived state, we get to go on some rather odd journeys down memory lane, among others.

Really I don't want to spoil too much of it, because I think you really have to experience it for yourself. Between his remembrances of his father, who apparently loved his fishing pole more than Joe, to his matrix-like train station conversations with Jesus (a trippy Donald Sutherland), and the absolute terror portrayed as he tries to figure out what is happening to him.... It's just brilliant. Yeah I know I said something before about it being not-so-much, but on another viewing I've changed my mind.

The only problem I think exists with the amount of anti-war "preaching" that goes on. Some of it is just so obvious and "in your face" that it comes across wrong. Take for example the bit with he and his father talking about Democracy.... While it might be true to a point, its almost pretentious.

But... I guess that's to be expected given the time it was made, right at the height of the Vietnam war and all. (Especially if you take a gander at the poster art...) I think it probably serves as a metaphor for that war more than anything. Viewed in that respect it also adds another layer of depth to it.

Johnny Got His Gun is a mind-trip, that's for sure, but I have to recommend it.

Johnny Got His Gun (1971) on Spout.com

No Man is an Island

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:26:00 -0500

No Man is an Island

IMDB

Anyone who thinks the Hollywood "Formula" picture is a new or recent creation is fooling themselves. No Man is and Island is a direct ancestor of todays average fare, and unfortunately it just ain't that good.

As the Japanese rout the Allies from the South Pacific in the early days of WWII, George Tweed (Geoffrey Hunter) managed to escape the invading Empire on Guam, and was able to hide out until the Allies eventually returned.

What could have been a harrowing tale of survival ends up being, well, just meh. From the greatly exaggerated stereotypes of the natives and the Japanese, to the incredibly forced love story between Tweed and one of the natives.... There isn't much to do but sit back and roll your eyes waiting for something really interesting to happen.

The actual invasion scenes aren't very well executed. His initial escapees are all eliminated save for George, but not very compellingly... I don't think I'll go on.

You might give No Man is an Island a go if you've got nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon... but frankly I dont' think I'd do it again.

No Man is an Island on Spout.com

The Children of Huang Shi (2008)

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:24:00 -0500

The Children of Huang Shi (2008)

IMDB

OK, lets take a bit of a different take on events in Asia during the early part of World War II....

The Japanese are rolling through China and Manchuria in 1937, and to top it off, China itself has its own problems between the Communists and the Partisans....

Caught in the middle are a group of children holed up in an orphanage. By a twist of fate, they and their part-time attendant Ms. Pearson (Radha Mitchell) are brought together with an English journalist, George Hogg (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and Chinese partisan Chen Hansheng (Chow Yun-Fat).

As Hogg is thrust into the role of taking care of these children, it becomes clear that they must abandon their orphanage and head for neutral territory. But this means marching on foot across some rather difficult terrain, and through Japanese and hostile Chinese outposts. The journey, as they say, is more than the destination, and this film proves it spectactularly.

OK, so maybe its not a "war movie" in the traditional sense. But it is still a damn fine film regardless. It's complex and engaging in about every way I can think of, it'll make you laugh, cry, cringe, and think about an aspect of the war that we in the west don't very often.

The Children of Huang Shi will probably never get the real respect it deserves, and thats unfortunate. Check it out when you get the chance! Here's the trailer....

The Children of Huang Shi (2008) on Spout.com

The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2007)

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:21:00 -0500

The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2007)

IMDB

There are war movies that make you cringe. Either because of the violence or the atrocities portrayed, or the sheer evil that is shown.... and then there are films like The Wind That Shakes The Barley, which make you cringe for some of the above reasons, but for other reasons a little less obvious.

The most obvious of which is that a country that we 'mercans hold in such high regard, namely the UK, could exact such a toll on such a nearby and similar neighbor, namely Ireland. Yeah you could draw a similar (but not identical) parallel to the US Civil War, and I'll get to that, but there's just something about the way the situation in Ireland is brought to life in this film that leaves you asking yourself some questions.

Of course, this film explores the war between the Irish and the British during the 1920's. Namely the Irish want the Brits out, and want independence. Of course the Brits won't have it, and a band of men form together and fight back guerrila style against the English oppressors.

Just as the battle seems to be won, and a treaty is drafted, two of these brothers split. One, Teddy (Dadraic Delaney) on the side of the newly formed, yet still mostly British government and the other, Damien (Cillian Murphy), on the side of principle.

"Barley" is a decidely gloomy picture. I really can't say there was much to remember as being "uplifting" about it. There's no victory, no celebration really to speak of. The whole thing oozes of desperation on the part of the Republicans. And that's probably just how it should be.

The whole "brother vs. brother" thing has been explored before in films, mostly in regard to the US Civil War, the north vs. south dividing families, but I can't say I've seen a better portrayal of that than here. In fact the ending (and I won't ruin it here) should leave you shocked and saddened. It should.

The Wind That Shakes The Barley is another one of those movies that we weren't really exposed to here in the states, and in fact the conflict within is one that we here tend to not understand, or simplify in terms that really aren't correct.... If you're at all interested in the roots of the conflict, which carried on through well into the latter part of the 20th century (and some would argue still today) then you need to watch this movie. Yes, it is slanted heavily towards the Republican side of things, and not knowing everything I can't say how much is truth and how much is "propaganda" for lack of a better term... but its a good, thought-provoking, heart-twisting war movie nonetheless.

The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2007) on Spout.com

The Purple Heart (1944)

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:18:00 -0500

The Purple Heart (1944)

IMDB

The Purple Heart is of course the medal given to servicemen wounded in the line of duty. The movie of the same name, really doesn't seem to have anything to do with the medal. At least not what I could tell.

What it is, though is a perfect example of a World War II "propaganda" movie, again, for lack of a better term.

A Bomber crew is taken captive by the Japanese after they crash land in China after the infamous Doolittle raid. What follows in this film is their "trial" by the Japanese, witnessed by a group of international journalists.

But the entire thing is just plain ridiculous to watch. I can't think of a good way to say it. Everyone is caricatured in blazing stereotypes so thick you'd need an axe to get through it. From the Japanese, to the Chinese governor and his son, to the German reporters covering the trial (who seem to be there just to cement the fact that we're dealing with Axis powers, not simply Japanese ones....) they're all laughably over the top.

And unfortunately the same goes for our "heroes" the bomber crew. Headed by Capt. Ross (Dana Andrews) they are so unbelievably gung-ho patriotic to the very end, that it hurts more than helps. It also doesn't hurt the patriotic cause of the film to have our men tortured at every opportunity. And of course, who should arrive but a Swiss delegate from the Red Cross to help bring some civility to these heathens.... sigh.

On the one hand, you've got to realize that films like this exist. They're not inherently bad, and historically speaking they went a long way towards keeping the folks at home in that "fighting spirit" that we needed to see the thing through. Inaccurate, overplayed, you name it, its there in spades.

On the other hand, we look back now on stuff like this with such a negative view, it almost makes me feel guilty to rail on it. I've seen better examples, that aren't nearly as crazy. But The Purple Heart is just so textbook in this respect I just can't help it. Points for effort, and for "the thought that counts," but brother, tone it down a bit!

Unfortunately I can't seem to locate a clip or anything at the moment.... you'll just have to take my word for it.

The Purple Heart (1944) on Spout.com

The Dam Busters (1955)

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:16:00 -0500

The Dam Busters (1955)

IMDB

You'd think that a film about developing a one-off weapon that defies all logic would be incredibly un-interesting, right? Wrong!! The Dam Busters takes a look at one of the more ingenious weapons devised and implemented during World War II, and then follow the men who had to deploy the thing in action....

Alright, so it does start off a little bit dull. Doctor Wallis (Michael Redgrave) has come up with a weapon that will destroy the incredibly fortified dams which power the Ruhr valley in Germany, the heart of the war machine's industry. The problem is how to make the bloody thing work. He devises a series of tests and experiments, which culminate in another series of "live" tests, until his concept is proven.

In proving this concept we also get a fairly accurate look at how testing and experiments should be done. Not so much of the usual Hollywood shenanigans here, I actually believed it here. And the rest of the delivery mechanics are shown in a way that also make sense scientifically. You have to love it.

The concept is what exactly you ask? Well, in short, he's come up with a bomb that will skip along the surface of the water until it hits the dam, sinks below water level, and blows up there, causing significantly more damage there than other spots. The problem of course is getting the thing to bounce correctly!

The other problem is how to deliver the thing correctly, so it doesn't fall short, or skip completely over. That's the other half of this movie: Guy Gibson's (Richard Todd) bomber wing who must retrain themselves to fly incredibly fast at just the right speed and altitude, and release this weapon at exactly the right time with their specially developed bomb sights....

And yes, its all true. There actually was such a device, and it was actually used to great effect, which makes this movie a monument to Allied ingenuity, perseverance, and bravery on the part of the pilots who had to pull the thing off. AND it actually is interesting, and not so much in the PBS documentary way either. You will start rooting for Dr. Wallis and Commander Gibson, and you'll be cheering as the things hit their mark.

A couple of curious side notes. 1) Fans of the original Star Wars movie might start to feel a little deja vu as you watch the bombing scenes. In fact these scenes served as both inspiration and reference for the Death Star Trench run scene. 2) Fans of the film, Pink Floyd's The Wall will instantly recognize a few scenes as having shown up on the TV screen in that film. Now that I get the reference, those parts make even more sense!

The Dam Busters is just a fun AND educational bit of film, that I can't recommend enough!

The Dam Busters (1955) on Spout.com

"Apocalypse Meow" Trailer

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:12:00 -0500

"Apocalypse Meow" Trailer

"Don't go easy on them, just 'cause they're cute!!!"

Apocalypse Meow... at least thats what it'll be called here in the states, for obvious reasons... "Cat Shit One" otherwise. I just don't have words, and can't wait to see it.

HBO's "The Pacific" Trailer

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:05:28 -0500

HBO's "The Pacific" Trailer

Alrighty, finally a US version of the trailer for HBO's upcoming miniseries, "The Pacific." Too bad its been pushed back until next year but better late and good than early and not-so....

From just this alone, it looks to have a different "take" than Band of Brothers, with some sort of love story going on, and a little more openly "pensive"... One thing I liked about "Brothers" was it never really came across as too pretentious or "preachy", at least where the dialog was concerned, just a bunch of guys doing what they had to.... yet with enough meat to make you think....

Links: HBO's "The Pacific" Site, Official Trailer Page

(If this particular video turns up as "unavailable" please let me know...)

Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997)

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Sat, 23 May 2009 07:30:00 -0500

Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997)

IMDB

2006's Rescue Dawn was the story of US Navy pilot Dieter Dengler, as he was shot down over Vietnam, and his successful escape from the POW camp, the only person ever to achieve such a feat.

Little Dieter Needs to Fly is a documentary of that same story, told from the man himself, Dieter Dengler. And if there was ever a more engaging, interesting, and just plain curious documentary, or individual, for that matter, I think I've yet to see it.

Told entirely by Mr. Dengler, he revisits the locations involved in his story, and with amazing clarity and presence of mind, recounts the story in great detail. To be quite honest, I was simply amazed at his ability to put himself back into those situations, back into shackles, and walking through the jungle. All this while (at least for the camera) maintaining a bizarre and seemingly out-of-place sense of humor about the whole thing.

In fact, in my review of Rescue Dawn, I noted that the movie seemed to be a little too light-hearted for the situation. But after seeing "Little Dieter" I think I fully understand why it was this way.

In any case, Little Dieter Needs to Fly will glue you to your screen, make you laugh, move you to tears, and introduce you to one of the real heroes of the Vietnam war. Of course he would deny that, but I'll let you be the judge....

Here's a little clip, I hope you can see what I mean from this one....

Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997) on Spout.com

Valkyrie (2008, Blu-Ray)

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:04:31 -0500

Valkyrie (2008, Blu-Ray)

IMDB

In 1944, a segment of the German Army was fed up with what Hitler was doing to the country, and put into motion a series of events that nearly resulted in success. Nearly.

Valkyrie is a telling of that story. Revolving around Col. Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) we see the events unfold from his days in North Africa, until his execution (spoilers? you know how it ended!) after the failed attempt on Hitler's life in the "Wolf's Lair" bunker....

Alright, so Valkyrie really isn't a "war movie" per-se, lets just get that over with right now. I'd classify it more along the lines of "mystery/thriller/docudrama" more than anything. If you're looking for action and scenes of combat, this isn't it. The story is intriguing, and this telling really is engaging, but the truth is, we know how its going to end, so its like watching someone build a model or put together a puzzle that we know what the end result will be.

Performance wise I have to say that nobody really stands out as having a really good day. The cast goes through all the right motions and they act like good staunch Germans... but I can't really recall anything that stood out as great. There are a lot of familiar faces, to be sure, too many to try to list. And the potrayals of the Nazi high command seem to be cardboard cutouts of their stereotypes, Hitler included. He is portrayed here as a forgetful, absent-minded putz, rather than a raving lunatic.

The production however is another story, brilliantly pulled off, and quite epic at times. The shots of the Berlin "government quarter" with the rows of flags and such are really quite good. Most everything else, however takes place behind closed doors, or behind the fences of the Wolf's Lair.... With the notable exception of the well-done attack scene at the beginning. The HD Master audio sound was brilliant, but at times the quiet scenes were, well, too quiet. And there were a lot of them.

What really drove me nuts though, and I've noticed this on a few new Blu-ray releases, was the presence of (for lack of a better term) low light digital noise in some of the darker scenes. It was obvious these scenes were shot in HD video rather than on film, and this difference was even more noticable when the edit would change to a similar scene without the noise. I would think that these things could be cleared up during post. Or maybe it was just my equipment, I'm not sure. I didn't see it on the big screen, or on regular DVD, so I can't comment on whether or not it was there all along, but the fact it came and went, and only on certain shots lead me to the conclusion that someone cheaped out bigtime.

The other part of it is that in order to actually "get into" the film, you need to somehow find it within yourself to side with Stauffenberg and the rest of the dissenting Germans. Depending on your prejudices that might be a tricky task. It would help if there were really something more to grab on to. I kept hoping there would be more exploration of how these decisions affected his family. But alas, we are only given a fleeting glimpse into that as he hunkers in the bomb shelter with them, and as his wife is leaving for safer shelter....

Ultimately I think Valkyrie turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment. A beautiful picture to look at (despite the aforementioned problems) but lacking in substance. I have to succumb and only lay a 6/10. Sorry, United Artists, you're going to have to do better!

Valkyrie (2008, Blu-Ray) on Spout.com

Memorial Day 2009 TV War Movie Schedule

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Fri, 22 May 2009 09:35:36 -0500

Memorial Day 2009 TV War Movie Schedule

Yeah, I know, its been a while. I had to take a break from war movies for a while, but I'm back into it now, with a slew(?) of new reviews, and the obligatory Memorial Day post... Those of you with satellite or cable... enjoy! And remember the reason you've got a day off work!

Click thru for the whole list.

Unfortunately, it looks like the NBA takes over so TNT will not be doing the Saving Private Ryan thing...

Turner Classic Movies (all times EDT)

Looks like they've really out-done themselves this year. I can't imagine a more representative collection of classic WWI & WWII films to chew on.

Saturday, May 23

6:00am - Wings Of The Navy (1939)
7:30am - Air Force (1943)
9:45am - Task Force (1949)
11:45am - Flying Tigers (1942)
1:30pm - Back To Bataan (1945)
3:15pm - Pride Of The Marines (1945)
5:30pm - They Were Expendable (1945)
8:00pm - Battleground (1949)
10:15pm - Walk in the Sun, A (1946)

Sunday, May 24

12:15am - Fighting Sullivans, The (1944)
2:15am - Objective, Burma! (1945)
4:45am - Story of G.I. Joe, The (1945)
6:45am - Destination Tokyo (1943)
9:00am - Submarine Command (1951)
10:30am - We Dive at Dawn (1943)
12:15pm - Operation Crossbow (1965)
2:15pm - Short Film: From The Vaults: Look Back At Crossbow, A (1965)
2:30pm - Where Eagles Dare (1969)
5:15pm - Bridge On The River Kwai, The (1957)
8:00pm - Above And Beyond (1952)
10:15pm - Dam Busters, The (1955)

Monday, May 25

12:30am - Sailor-Made Man, A (1921)
1:20am - Shoulder Arms (1918)
2:00am - Ballad of a Soldier (1959)
3:45am - Fighting Seabees, The (1944)
5:30am - Action In The North Atlantic (1943)
7:45am - Sahara (1943)
9:30am - Hell is for Heroes (1962)
11:00am - Men Of The Fighting Lady (1954)
12:30pm - Devil's Brigade, The (1968)
2:45pm - Dirty Dozen, The (1967)
5:19pm - Short Film: From The Vaults: Operation Dirty Dozen (1967)
5:30pm - Kelly's Heroes (1970)
8:00pm - Sergeant York (1941)
10:30pm - Dawn Patrol, The (1938)

And carrying on into TUESDAY, May 26th!!

12:30am - Fighting 69th, The (1940)
2:15am - Big Parade, The (1925)
4:30am - Lost Patrol, The (1934)

Fox Movie Channel

A few classics, with a few not-so-common gems and a few comedic efforts....

Saturday, May 23

6:00 am - THE PURPLE HEART - 1944
8:00 am - THE BLUE MAX - 1966
11:00 am - THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX - 1965

Sunday, May 24

NOTHING, booooo

Monday, May 25

6:00 am - WHAT PRICE GLORY - 1952
8:00 am - SOMETHING FOR THE BOYS - 1944
9:30 am - WHEN WILLIE COMES MARCHING HOME - 1950
11:00 am - THE PURPLE HEART - 1944
1:00 pm - FIXED BAYONETS - 1951
3:00 pm - BACK DOOR TO HELL - 1965
4:30 pm - THUNDER BIRDS - 1942
6:00 pm - STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER - 1952
8:00 pm - HEAVEN KNOWS, MR. ALLISON - 1957
10:00 pm - BACK DOOR TO HELL - 1965
11:30 pm - SEVEN WOMEN FROM HELL - 1961

American Movie Classics

Nothing until Monday proper, but they dish out some real classics as well!

Monday May 25

6:00 am - Sink the Bismarck!
8:15 am - Battle of the Bulge
12:00 pm - The Longest Day
4:00 pm - Patton
8:00 pm - Midway
11:00 pm - Hamburger Hill

Heaven & Earth (1993)

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:41:00 -0500

Heaven & Earth (1993)

IMDB

Heaven & Earth is Oliver Stone's final entry in his Vietnam Trilogy, and likely the most controversial of the three. Following the trials of a Vietnamese girl, Le Ly (Bussaro Sanruck) from a young girl at the outset of the war, all the way through to far after.

Le grows up in a small village in rural Vietnam, far from the politics the rest of the world. Honestly, I'm sitting here trying to think about how to summarize the first part of this film in a nice neat package, and there just isn't a good way. It's just that complex, taking Le from the village, to fighting for the VC, to being the VC's enemy, to having a her rich boss' baby... And much more inbetween. This is the best part of the film, showing how she copes with life during the war, trying to make the best of a bad situation. The relationships with all of her family members, including her mother (Joan Chen) and father (Haing Ngor) are complex, sad, and wonderful.

And then she meets Marine Steve Butler, an American looking for some company. She winds up falling for him, and manages to escape the fall of Saigon with him back to America. And then film takes a turn.

We go from her life in Vietnam, to being some sort of statement about fat, lazy, stupid Americans living life to excess with problems that she doesn't understand. Butler is in dire straits, and has some psychological problems of his own it seems. Things go from bad to worse, as the abuse starts, they split up, she tries to save him, but its just too late. Throughout she remains a strong and excellent character, dealing with ignorance and prejudice, but the contrast is just too over the top.

Life after Steve returns her to Vietnam, where she's reunited with her family along with her now grown children. Here the film regains its sanity as they discuss the problems they faced after she left.

If it wasn't for the "trip to Oz" that she goes through, I think this would be an absolutely stellar look at an alternate viewpoint of the war. As it is, it just goes from dead serious and thoughtful, to a sad comic episode that doesn't belong.

Heaven & Earth could be a top notch movie, in fact it might make you rethink your attitudes towards the war, and think about what things were like for the people on the other side. But you'll have to endure things like the wide-eyed trip to the supermarket, and the unreal Thanksgiving dinner episode to get there.

Heaven & Earth (1993) on Spout.com

Soldiers of Change, aka The Painting (2002?)

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 12:53:00 -0500

Soldiers of Change, aka The Painting (2002?)

IMDB

Alright, lets just get this out in the open right bloody now. Soldiers of Change is not a war movie per se. Despite the cover image, and the descriptions. But its still a good, yet little known movie.

What it is though, is a thoughful look at racism and overcoming it during the late 1960's. Atlanta rich white boy Randy Barrington (Heath Freeman) falls for the niece of his father's driver (Clifton Davis), one Hallie Gilmore (Stacey Dash). He's got to overcome prejudices on both sides before either side will accept this relationship, and ultimately he ends up going to Vietnam to escape his father's disapproval. He's killed, and its not until his father (Charles Shaughnessy) meets his grandson does he overcome it.

So yes, there is a brief foray into Vietnam, but its by no means the central aspect of the movie. The war is at home here. Since it's not really a war movie I won't even attempt to explain it in great detail. All I can say is you really should see it, just because. I found myself spending the first half going, "hmm, ok, so when does he get shipped off?" then I started actually liking it for what it was. Yeah its not exactly a top notch production, and the acting, while good, is certainly not oscar material... but I found it compelling and interesting nonetheless.

War movie? No. Movie about struggle and the fight to overcome prejudice? Yes. I'm only giving it a 6 because I was duped by the cover! :) But I still recommend it.

Soldiers of Change, aka The Painting (2002?) on Spout.com

Apocalypse Meow!

chris@warmovieblog.com (Chris) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:44:31 -0500

Apocalypse Meow!

OMG This looks too good to be true. I'll let the links speak for themselves!!

Director: Kazuya Sasahara
Original Manga (released in the USA as Apocalypse Meow): Motofumi Kobayashi
Format: 23 min. 12 episodes
Target Viewers: Survival game fans and military fans
Anticipated Customers: Clients who are looking to invest in imaging contents that are on a par with those by PIXAR

Plan Objective: The concept of this work is the development of real and fierce combat by cute and fluffy animals. In these days when people have become too used to seeing people die in movies, we wish to use cute animals as the characters to give viewers a stronger feeling of the misery of the wars that are taking place in this world.

Link: CAT SHIT ONE -THE ANIMATED SERIES-offical site
Link: An Eternal Thought in the Mind of Godzilla: TAF - Best of Show - Cat Shit One: The Animated Series
Link: Apocalypse Meow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia