Lori D. Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Just got home from a 70mm film (rather than digital) screening of Christopher Nolan's new film, Dunkirk. Realistic, powerful, intense, like a visual symphony. One to take your high schoolers to, and see on the big screen, esp. those who just did, or will this year, be studying 20th century or modern history. (Note: never graphic, but it is emotionally and psychologically intense so if you have a sensitive teen, hold off.) 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Just got home from a 70mm film (rather than digital) screening of Christopher Nolan's new film, Dunkirk. Realistic, powerful, intense, like a visual symphony. One to take your high schoolers to, and see on the big screen, esp. those who just did, or will this year, be studying 20th century or modern history. (Note: never graphic, but it is emotionally and psychologically intense so if you have a sensitive teen, hold off.) I've been wondering! My kids have a thing for the Workd Wars, and have seen Savibg Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, etc, with no issues. But I'm wondering if the "lack" of physical stuff will make the emotional parts too much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 22, 2017 Author Share Posted July 22, 2017 (edited) I've been wondering! My kids have a thing for the Workd Wars, and have seen Savibg Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, etc, with no issues. But I'm wondering if the "lack" of physical stuff will make the emotional parts too much? The film is PG-13, not R. If they've watched those films you've listed, Dunkirk will probably not be a problem. In some ways it's all about the physical stuff: this trailer gives you a good sense of the both the "lyrical" visual feel, and what kind of physical stuff to expect. The aerial dogfight footage and the flooding/sinking ship footage is stunning. The film somewhat distances you emotionally, as you don't even have names of many of the main characters that are followed in the 3 "story strands". Many of the shots are extreme wide shots/distance shots, which also helps to reduce emotional intensity. And there's an amazingly small amount of dialogue -- the percentage of dialogue in the trailer is higher than what is actually in the movie. All together, this works to give the film a little bit of a documentary feel, which might also make it less emotionally reactive... However, you are following several characters in each "story strand" closely, and they do experience peril and attempt to survive, and there are a lot of close hand-held shots so you feel like you're experiencing the tension, fear, and peril right alongside. While it's hard to say how an individual teen would react, I think it will be fine. But, as always, if in doubt, preview first for YOUR teens. :) Edited July 22, 2017 by Lori D. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 It seems we're going Sunday, lol. Thank you though! I'll probably mention to the younger one that it'll look like a documentary, but it's not, just so he can keep "movie" in mind! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistachio mom Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 Thanks for the recommendation. I will look into it for my 11th grader. It will relate to our social studies content. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeepa Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 (edited) Thanks for the review, Lori D! We studied US history this past year and when I saw the preview for this movie, I was really hoping it would be worthwhile. I think my graduate and I will head to the theater this weekend. :001_smile: Edited July 22, 2017 by jjeepa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 My husband and teen are seeing it tomorrow in an imax theater. We actually went to Dunkirk (Dunkerque) a couple of weeks ago, but the big dynamo museum was closed. :thumbdown: We did go to a port museum that included some info on the evacuation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 This is an interesting perspective on the movie. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/news/uk/831820/Dunkirk-film-world-war-two-French-fury-criticism-British-Harry-Styles/amp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chanley Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 My WW2 history buff and plane fanatic kid approved the of movie and the accuracy. It was a very well done film and I was relieved to see that they did not add an obligatory love interest or any fluff of that sort. I think that the movie is best watched with some background knowledge of the events leading up to it. This is definitely a movie we will watch again. It really highlighted the bravery and nobility of the men who fought in the war. If your kid has watched Saving Private Ryan, this film will be an easy one to watch. There was very little gore. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted July 22, 2017 Author Share Posted July 22, 2017 (edited) This is an interesting perspective on the movie. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/news/uk/831820/Dunkirk-film-world-war-two-French-fury-criticism-British-Harry-Styles/amp Hmmm... I note with interest that in the article no one is complaining that the film doesn't also include German perspective -- and German troops were the reason the event occurred. ;) I come from a film background, and it always irks me when people (like those in the linked article) throw out random comments about what the film is NOT doing or SHOULD be doing, without bothering to view the film and see what it IS attempting to do and judge it on those merits. Christopher Nolan is clearly making a movie from a British point of view. The film is entitled "Dunkirk" (British spelling) and not "Dunkerque" (French spelling) -- from the title alone, you know what perspective to expect -- the British perspective of the event in which 400,000 allied soldiers were trapped on the beach, and British civilian boats attempting a mass rescue and retreat by crossing the Channel. Further, each of the first 3 scenes is clearly labeled with a title for each of the 3 story strands that are interwoven, with an idea of how time is being compressed as the events are interwoven: "1. The Mole [name of the pier on the beach]: 1 week" "2. The Sea: 1 day" "3. The Air: 1 hour" The director is clearly stating up front what the focus of the film is -- not the French town or the French defense of the town/beach, but a much more focused view of the emotions and choices of characters in those three story strand settings -- the pier/beach, boats on the sea, planes in the air. Interestingly, I thought that, until the boats return to England, the film actually felt like a very universal statement about war -- the focus is on the fear and helplessness of being trapped by mechanized, faceless, impersonal death and destruction of war. I think the namelessness of many of the characters is intentional -- these could be soldiers of any country, as people of all ethnicities and races experience these same universal emotions and reactions in the face of bombs and bullets and having no escape. I think to also try and include the French story as another strand would have diffused the intensity of the film, and there just would NOT have been enough time to do credit to the complexity and many heroes on the French side of the event. I would love to see a film that focused exclusively on the French efforts at Dunkirk! :) In some ways, I'd actually place this film a lot closer to the "survival" genre than the traditional "war" genre or "historical epic" genre. Just my 2 cents worth. And, I still highly recommend it! :) It is simultaneously a powerful and beautiful piece of filmmaking. Edited July 23, 2017 by Lori D. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) Thanks for the review. I'm not sure that I'm up for the stress, but my two dc want to see it. It's a compelling story. The criticism of the movie sounds a little ridiculous to me. Edited July 24, 2017 by Fifiruth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Dd asked already to see the movie :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 DS (17) and I watched "Hacksaw Ridge" together on HBO last Monday extremely gruesome (as the Pacific theater was) but based on a true story My son said the movie "certainly does not glorify war" just after it ended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Just got home from a 70mm film (rather than digital) screening of Christopher Nolan's new film, Dunkirk. Realistic, powerful, intense, like a visual symphony. One to take your high schoolers to, and see on the big screen, esp. those who just did, or will this year, be studying 20th century or modern history. (Note: never graphic, but it is emotionally and psychologically intense so if you have a sensitive teen, hold off.) Was this IMAX? If so please PM where you saw it (I live in same town) I want to take DS 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmith Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I had a really hard time watching "Hacksaw Ridge" although it was a very good movie. I spent a lot of time looking away from the screen. Not a good movie for squeamish people. I was very surprised by how gruesome it was, but I didn't check first before I watched it, so my bad. There are a few scenes I wish I could erase from my memory. DS (17) and I watched "Hacksaw Ridge" together on HBO last Monday extremely gruesome (as the Pacific theater was) but based on a true story My son said the movie "certainly does not glorify war" just after it ended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 We saw it last night. The story was told well and yes, visually stunning, however, we didn't care for how it was told in the three interwoven timelines (even my husband who is a HUGE history buff). I didn't realize they were different timelines until well into the movie so it was confusing for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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