Welcome to Sarajevo
This week's movie was from the library - Welcome to Sarajevo. The 1997 British film starred Stephen Dillane, Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei, and Goran Višnjić, and was based on the book Natasha's Story by Michael Nicholson. It's about a couple of reporters covering the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of whom takes a Bosnian child home with him.
I was interested in the subject given my past post about the Sarajevo Haggadah, and about the pope talking up the questionable saint Aloysius Stepinac on his trip to Croatia.
A trailer ...
And here's the beginning of a review of the movie from The New York Times ....
Dangers And Jitters Of Life in Sarajevo
Unlike more exotic and elliptical films that have tried to depict the chaos of war in the former Yugoslavia, such as ''Before the Rain'' and ''Underground,'' Michael Winterbottom's ''Welcome to Sarajevo'' tackles its subject head on. Set in 1992 and based on a memoir by an English journalist, Michael Nicholson, ''Welcome to Sarajevo'' plunges directly into pandemonium.
Peril and jitters are everywhere as Mr. Winterbottom presents a gonzo guided tour of life under fire. Yet this film, for all its apparent immediacy, winds up less affecting than a more poetic or roundabout approach might be.
In part, that happens because the film walks a thin line between flippancy and passion. War correspondents surely do the same as a way of hanging on to their sanity, but the film's apparent detachment is strong and cavalier enough to create a chill. So does its way of intermingling real images of wartime with patently manufactured ones, as when Marisa Tomei, very much the actress, turns up as a relief worker helping orphaned children. The near-documentary feeling of much of the film is undercut by such intrusively dramatic touches ....
I was interested in the subject given my past post about the Sarajevo Haggadah, and about the pope talking up the questionable saint Aloysius Stepinac on his trip to Croatia.
A trailer ...
And here's the beginning of a review of the movie from The New York Times ....
Dangers And Jitters Of Life in Sarajevo
Unlike more exotic and elliptical films that have tried to depict the chaos of war in the former Yugoslavia, such as ''Before the Rain'' and ''Underground,'' Michael Winterbottom's ''Welcome to Sarajevo'' tackles its subject head on. Set in 1992 and based on a memoir by an English journalist, Michael Nicholson, ''Welcome to Sarajevo'' plunges directly into pandemonium.
Peril and jitters are everywhere as Mr. Winterbottom presents a gonzo guided tour of life under fire. Yet this film, for all its apparent immediacy, winds up less affecting than a more poetic or roundabout approach might be.
In part, that happens because the film walks a thin line between flippancy and passion. War correspondents surely do the same as a way of hanging on to their sanity, but the film's apparent detachment is strong and cavalier enough to create a chill. So does its way of intermingling real images of wartime with patently manufactured ones, as when Marisa Tomei, very much the actress, turns up as a relief worker helping orphaned children. The near-documentary feeling of much of the film is undercut by such intrusively dramatic touches ....
posted by crystal | 9:44 PM
2 Comments:
I don't want to change subject on you crystal but as long as the anti-christ quietly continues to convince U>S (usual sinners) that we should continue to do on to others what should be done to U>S and do "IT" first, "IT" will only get even worst before "IT" gets better.
Hey! Let's not lose "Faith" because backward 'lived' might start learning in Time to try and show U>S his Good side. Jesus The Christ, the good side of the bad side if I may say so, The real Christ will come to the rescue in "Time" and all we need do is follow God (Good Old Dad) by first accepting in our loving heart and honest mind as to what is truly "Godly" right but as usual, we'll still continue to fall short but not trying will only make "IT" a LOT worst if you know what I mean?
Peace
I saw your ambivalent post on my feed reader. I like your blog and hope you keep posting.
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