The emotions of soldiers at war is a topic that has been explored in countless films over the years, including documentaries, buddy-films, patriotic films, and tragedies. Lebanon is a bit of all four genres. Filmed entirely inside a tank, it provides a novel perspective on the Israel-Lebanon war of 1982. A tank crew undertakes a mission – succeeding some times and failing at other moments – knowing only what they hear over the radio or through the vehicle’s scope. The soldiers are overwhelmed by the situation (and apparently incompetent) although this seems to be part of director Samuel Maoz’s message: the …
Waltz with Bashir
Waltz with Bashir, an animated film by Ari Folman, recounts the story of a man trying to recover repressed memories from his time in the army. The film is a study of contrasts: the black and white of the characters compared to the bright colours of the sky, children at play and children serving as child soldiers, the violence of R.P.G. explosions and the loud sounds of rock music, vibrant young people in a club and a dead child in a pile of rubble, the 2-D animation and the emotion of the live video footage shown the conclusion of the …