Underground (1995)

Also known as Once Upon a Time there was a Country, this artsy and comedic biopic of the 20th Century life of Yugoslavia touches on both the pathos of its history and the resilience of the population.

Two scheming brothers in Belgrade end up fighting German invaders when the Nazis attack in the early 1940's. Leading them is the fearless and legendary Tito (shown in archive footage between eras) and surrounding them are people from every ethnic group in Yugoslavia who have joined together for a common cause. One brother is badly injured and is kept in a bomb shelter with other resistance fighters where they produce weapons while the other brother profits from their work long after the war is over as their only point of contact on the outside.

The film becomes much more surreal and it crosses path with a film crew producing an epic battle (which was in reality more humourous than heroic) before entering into the early 1990's when the two brothers end up on opposite sides of the civil war.

Rather than rendering a clear synopsis of Yugoslavia, Underground speaks of humanity and inhumanity between brothers. The film deserves the accolades it received.

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Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Hercule Poirot delivers a masterful performance through Albert Finney. A snow trapped train in Yugoslavia gives detective Poirot time to investigate the murder of one of the passengers. He interviews each of the distinguished and oddball international passengers while deftly maneuvering through red herrings.

What struck me was how very portly and wooden Poirot is with glossy slicked back hair and a penchant for gourmet food and being bothered. His contemporaries seem either quite put off by him or very respectful because of his reputation as a masterful detective. Each character is portrayed brilliantly and it is fun to see young versions of some actors who continue to make films.

It is difficult to discuss the actual mystery without giving away the ending, so I'll restrain myself. I do say that piecing it together with Poirot pleases and the 25 minute expository ending titillates.

Truth: Right or wrong, people have an innate sense of justice that is used to excuse acts of vengeance.

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The Peacemaker (1997)

This was an intelligent thriller with some over the top action. It was interesting watching an attempted terrorist attack on NYC that still had the twin towers though.

George Clooney and Nicole Kidman team up as counter-terrorists for the United States. In this world, the USA is watching out for the earth, so when a nuke goes missing in Russia (and one is detonated too), they have the responsibility to catch it. In this film, the United States are nearly flawless and all the motivations are altruistic. It is the rest of the world that has fallen prey to becoming terrorists and using the bomb for their own purposes.

The action in the film was suspenseful and the acting was enjoyable. An inevitable romance didn't develop, so that was refreshing. The film takes you around the world as though it were a Bourne film - Russia, Austria, New York, Bosnia, Azerbaijan, Turkey.

The terrorist is made to be sympathetic, but his motives, losing his wife and daughter, ultimately don't tug too strongly at your heartstrings... after all, several tens of thousands of people are killed in the first 15 minutes of the film.

The procedures seem well researched and you have the sense throughout the entire film that there is always someone higher up that they need to get permission from in order to carry out an operation, so it's not Rambo. The story is contrived and the characters a little to superhuman for my liking when the film isn't as entertaining and far-fetched as Die Hard. It's fun. It's just not that great.

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No Man's Land (2001)

This is an allegory, though told dramatically, relating the horrible condition that the Yugoslav republics were/are in. It masterfully expresses the futility of war and the tinderbox that this part of the world is.

The players are a Serbian soldier, two Bosnian soldiers, a UN tank full of French troops, a British reporter, and a German mine specialist. Therefore the film is told in four languages: Serbo-Croatian, French, English, and German. This emphasizes the point that the conflict was an international one - one in which we all bear some responsibliity to solve.

The no man's land where the film is set, the banter and attacks from one side to the other, the man laying on a mine, the long summer day, the soldiers with their hands tied behind their backs, the reporters, and so much more are ripe with symbolism. I dare not try to unpack it here as I would be preventing you from enjoying the film independently.

Excellent writing, acting, and sweeping landscape images of the Bosnian landscape make this a watchable film. Though there is violence and tension, there is also humour and humanity infused throughout.

I studied Yugoslavian history circa World War II. In order to do so, I had to go back 1000 years and trace the roots of the ethnic conflict. The land was used as a buffer zone between the Ottoman and Austrian empires. So the Croats, Serbs, Bosnians (all different religions to boot) were hired to fight for one empire or the other and kill each other. It is amazing to me how the country was relatively peaceful for the 45 years following the war. It is still a war waiting to happen, and it always will be, as the film leaves you with a sense of futility. The film left me with an intense desire to solve the problem - I woke up thinking about it this morning.

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