adammezei Reviews

Around the Bend (2004)

Jordan Roberts -- a nicer guy you'll never meet

[24 September 2004]

I was fortunate to catch this film at the 2004 Montreal World Film Festival, where I was doubly lucky to be part of director Jordan Roberts and producer Elliott Lewitt's 30 minute press conference.

Bravo to Warner Independent Pictures and executive producer Mark Gill for this bold step and for standing behind this Roberts' team. Quasi-independent film-making seems to be the trend of the future, and if ATB is any evidence of what the immediate future holds, then we're certainly in good hands. (Criminal is another in WIP's new crop of films. Two winners so far, portending bigger and better things).

Inspirational quote from the press conference: "Go out there and direct!" -- Jordan Roberts. A shot in the arm for any aspiring filmmaker. Thanks Jordan! (Thanks for signing my book as well).

I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for you and your future work. Kudos to Christopher Walken for taking a role that was completely against type, demonstrating some of that masterful and all-important range.

Made my festival. Totally.

Downfall (2004)

A truer rendition of Hitler I've never seen...

[15 September 2004]

Not since perhaps Rod Steiger's portrayal of Benito Mussolini in Moustapha Akkad's LION OF THE DESERT (1980) have I seen a notorious dictator more realistically acted than Bruno Ganz's stunning display as "Der Fuerer" in The Downfall (2004).

Sitting amongst a full-house of patrons here at the Toronto Int'l Film Festival's 2004 edition, Ganz captivated the local audience with the scariest Hitler I've ever seen up on the silver screen -- better than Noah Taylor's English Hitler in MAX just a couple of years back.

Audience members get a glimpse into the final days of Hitler's rule from the bunker deep beneath the Reich Chancellery in Nazi Berlin's dying days. The defeated spirit of the Nazis -- covered extensively in the history books -- has seldomly been more penetratingly shown on the Big Screen. Bravo to director Oliver Hirschbiegel for doing this the right (German) way -- for intrepidly tackling a period piece few German producers might.

I'd had a chance to chat with the actors post-screening, with lead actress Alexandra Maria Lara (playing Traudl Junge) candidly admitting the sheer amount of work she'd diligently invested in bringing her character to life -- doubtless complicated by the death of Frau Junge in 2002. Her research, however, was clearly impeccable and left no stone unturned. Corinna Harfouch wasn't on hand -- as Magda Goebbels. Pity because in many respects, she convincingly stole the show.

So rarely do we see Hitler on screen in modern days to allow us a glimpse into the horrifying nature of a madman bent on global domination. We all know the end of this story, but seldom does a film so masterfully suspend your disbelief than does The Downfall in making you wonder just how the Third Reich might end. Historical fiction might never be the same.