Sophie Scholl: The Final Days

Few people are aware that there were small opposition groups at work inside Germany during World War II. These consisted mainly of a handful of young people who opposed the Nazi dictatorship or who realized that the Nazis were leading Germany to disaster.

One such group of university students operated in Munich. They printed and distributed leaflets, painted anti-war slogans on walls and were a minor nuisance to the Nazi leadership.

This group called itself The White Rose and Michael Verhoevan made a film about the group in 1983. That film describes how the group came about and developed and ends with the arrest of its members.

A new film, Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, picks up the story where The White Rose ends and focuses on Sophie Scholl, her arrest and her five days of interrogation and then her subsequent execution.

The new film is a powerful drama that is based on recently discovered minutes of Sophies interrogation and descriptions of her ordeal. The result is a deeper and better understanding of Sophie Scholls beliefs and convictions and features a terrific performance by Julia Jentsch as the title character.

The film captures the essence of the Nazi evil--how it managed to ensnare such a non-political police interrogator as Robert Mohr, whose main interest was upholding the Law, no matter whose law it was.

The film also succeeds in capturing the hypocrisy of the trial Sophie and her comrades had to endure--a trial where the defense attorneys were intimidated into going along with the circus atmosphere and where the blood judge, Roland Freisler, steam rolled over all concepts of true justice.

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days is a powerful, moving film that also ends with hope for the future. Not even a decade of Nazi rule was able to extinguish all sparks of justice and humanity from the German people. Even in the depths of depravity, a few good people stood up for their beliefs and were willing to die in order to show that there were still some decent people left in Germany:

German with English subtitles.

Starring: Julia Jentsch, Alexander Held, Fabian Hinrichs, Johanna Gastdorf.

Joyeux Noel

This is another excellent foreign film and another film (like Sophie Scholl: The Final Days) that was nominated for an Academy Award this year as Best Foreign Language film.

Joyeux Noel tells a beautiful story about one of the ugliest eras the world has known. The story is set on Christmas Eve in 1914. World War I was already raging and trench warfare made combat difficult and bloody.

Units of three armies were on the front lines, as Scottish and French units faced the Germans. In the German trenches was a young opera singer who was invited to spend Christmas Eve with his soprano girlfriend entertaining the Kaisers son.

Then after their performance, the couple go back to the trenches to entertain the German troops. When the Scottish and French soldiers hear the wonderful singing, they bring out their instruments and join in, eventually coming out of their trenches and exchanging Christmas cheer with friend and foe alike.

The film is a peon to peace and brotherhood. It features some glorious music and is a warning about the follies of war and the foolishness of our political, military and religious leaders.

The film is a perfect example of how international the film world has become. Financed by a number of countries, the film was shot in German, French and English, and has become a huge box office success all over Europe. Hopefully it will gain a sizable audience in North America as well.

Starring: Diane Kruger, Benno Furmann, Guillaume Canet, Dany Boon, Gary Lewis, Daniel Bruhl, Alex Ferns.

Recent DVDs

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

One of the most enchanting and charming films to come out on DVD in a long time, this adaptation of C.S. Lewis beloved classic book follows the exploits of the Pevensie kids.

The children enter a parallel universe by walking through a magical wardrobe and discover a world inhabited by talking animals, dwarfs, centaurs, giants and more. This kingdom has become cursed by an eternal winter and the children join forces with Aslan, the lion that rules Narnia.

This film contains everything children love, including a final spectacular battle to free Narnia from the ice spell.

The DVD includes a behind the scenes tour, a directors diary, multiple audio commentaries, featurettes and so much more. A joy to own and experience.

Starring: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Kiran Shah.

Chicken Little

Disneys popular animated film is now available on DVD and is loaded with extras, including three alternate openings, music videos, karaoke Sing-Along and more.

The film itself uses cutting edge animation techniques to tell the story of the little chicken, who proclaims the sky is falling. After turning out to be wrong, Chicken Little tries to win back the respect of his father. He joins the local baseball team and leads it to an upset victory. Then he learns that the sky really is falling and has to decide whether to raise the alarm.

Starring the Voices of: Zach Braff, Garry Marshall, Joan Cusack, Steve Zahn, Amy Sedaris.

The Greatest Game Ever Played

This is the greatest film golf enthusiasts will ever see. Based on the true story of Francis Ouimet, it tells of Ouimets challenge in the 1913 U.S. Open, when this young caddy beat the best players in the world.

The effects are amazing and the film is just a joy to watch.

Starring: Shia LeBeouf, Stephen Dillane, Elias Koteas, Peyton List.

C.R.A.Z.Y.

The best Canadian film of the year is now available on DVD, C.R.A.Z.Y. won upteen awards at the Genies and the Jutras and deserved every one. This story about a young French Canadian growing up in the Montreal of the 1970s and trying to fit in with his brothers and the rest of his family, is an absolute delight. This is a film that everyone in Canada should see.

Starring: Marc-Andre Grondin, Michel Cote.

Ushpizin

Excellent little film from Israel about one familys test of faith. The film tells about an ultra-orthodox couple in Jerusalem. During the holiday of Succoth, the husband cant afford to buy items necessary to celebrate the holiday properly. But fate intervenes and provides the money, as well as two strangers from the husbands unsavory past.

But goodness wins out and eventually all ends well.

Hebrew with English subtitles.