Munich

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: January 23, 2005

DVD Release Date: May 9, 2006

Plot 411: When Israeli athletes are slain at the 1972 Olympics, the Israeli government authorizes a secret group to eliminate those responsible for the massacre.

Review: Eric Bana plays Avner, a Mossad agent who was selected to lead an elite team of men to seek revenge for the killings in Munich. The men, who include a driver (Daniel Craig), a forger (Hans Zischler), an explosive expert (Mathieu Kassovitz) and a clean up man (Ciaran Hinds). One by one, targets are discovered through Avner's informant Louis (Mathieu Amalric). This movie is an intense revenge story based on true events that really gets you involved. At times, I found it hard to follow the plot. However, that's more my fault than anything else. I lack a full understanding of the events because a) I wasn't born yet and b) I'm just bad at historical stuff. The movie shows you how a battle can become sloppy due to highly explosive emotions. Fighting of any kind affects all players in significant manners that may not be fully realized during the experience and can only be recognized when it is too late. The psychological and emotional pressure the team felt is palpable and yet you understand their heated desires as well. Diplomacy would've been a welcome distraction I bet. I'm sure things didn't play out in real life as it did in the movie, but it's definitely gotta make you wonder about all the Black Ops happening in the world today. Do you really want to know about it?

Watch It: Because it's seriously really good.

Skip It: If you're one for historical accuracy. Steven Spielberg has apparently taken some liberties judging by the kinds of criticisms this movie has received.

Defiance

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: December 31, 2008

DVD Release Date: June 2, 2009

Plot 411: A group of brothers lead Jews into the forest toward salvation and fight against German soldiers in World War II.

Review: The courageous story of the Bielski brothers hasn't been told before, and this makes the film that much more important historically speaking. The movie stars Daniel Craig (Tuvia), Liev Schreiber (Zus) and Jamie Bell (Asael) as three of four brothers who helped save over a thousand Jews during the war. Despite their great accomplishments, somehow the emotion and significance of the plot doesn't really seem to translate well. You'd think I would feel very connected to these men and really root for their success. But I didn't feel it. The movie didn't draw any emotions out of me. Yes, intellectually I realized that they were in unique circumstances and were still able to overcome adversity, but I didn't feel emotionally connected to the characters. I don't know if that reflects more poorly on the film or on me. What the film did do well is to capture brilliant moments of cinematography that made you forget what you a war film. Whether it is sunlight shining through trees onto people's faces or the soft-covered trees in the middle of winter, the movie was able to capture a real artistic vision. The contrast between the violence and this beauty is ironic.

Watch It: For a new historical perspective that combats stereotypical ideas of Jews as victims. This movie shows that they were strong and resisted what was being done to them even if the odds were against them.

Skip It: If you're looking for a war movie with a lot of outrageous special effects. The bombings and shooting in this movie skew toward realism.

The Invasion

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: August 17, 2007

DVD Release Date: January 29, 2008

Plot 411: An alien species comes to earth on a space shuttle and slowly infects the world.

Review: In The Invasion, Nicole Kidman plays a mother who is trying to save her son from turning into an alien. One human at a time are being turned into aliens. They talk and look the same but somehow their actions are stilted. They have no emotion. The reason for the alien takeover is to purge the world of war and hatred. When everyone on earth are of like mind, people will stop killing eachother and the environment. All of our other problems will be solved. Now isn't this interesting social commentary?

Watch It: For a twist on the normal alien invasion movie. These are socially aware, higher beings looking only to make our world a better place, or so they believe.

Skip It: As it is a bit slow in the beginning and there's not a lot of real action sequences.

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