Europa Europa
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Movie Reviews of Europa Europa
Movie Review: A Great Film out of the ashes of Tragedy
Summary: 4 Stars
Europa Europa is a fun movie about a tragic time in history. The director, Agnieszka Holland, takes great license in making this film. Naturally, though based on a remarkable story, it is hyperbolized to great degree. Don't let this prohibit you from watching this film. Being essentially a war movie made by a female director it garners a wide audience through its use of humor, emotion and a little bit of surrealism.
Although the film plays like an anime movie in which the most bizarre and coincidental events happen, it only helps to portray the way the adolescent Solomon sees the world. This makes the movie all the more fun. The mixed emotions and panics and ecstasies that Solomon, the protagonist, feels play in tune with the deception which he uses to survive. I, though far from adolescence, can still remember the drama in the most mundane actives. While I don't want to say that Solomon is a "Drama Queen", even he as a character seems to exaggerate his plight at times.
When I first saw this movie I was as old as Solomon is supposed to be and I think this could be why I enjoy it so much. Overall the film is beautifully shot and while it is less than historical it is fun and interesting to watch. I think in these days when the WWII an the holocaust do not receive enough attention in schools this film is a great medium for introducing to teens (and adults for that matter) the turmoil of central europe during the middle of the last century. It is endearing and a humanizing portrayal of WWII Europe that can help to open up discussion of the tragedies of our past.
-- Ted Murena
Movie Review: Charmed Life in Armaggedon
Summary: 4 Stars
"Europa Europa" is an unusual movie that caught me a little off guard. I didn't know whether to take it as an above-average war movie or a unique approach to view multiple perspectives of WWII. I'm sure the latter was the purpose for the writer and director but I'm still shaking my head at the many twists and turns that our hero had to take. I won't spoil the movie by trying to tell too much but "Jupp" saves himself from the Nazi's by joining them. The many near misses keep us in suspense and the many different hats that Jupp wears gives us an inside look at the mindsets of the victims and agressors.
What challenged me most about "Europa Europa" was what to think of Jupp. Is he a hero or a traitor? We are given ample evidence to consider. The movie does a good job of looking at the best and worst of the various groups although it is clear that those blinded by anti-semitism are the bad guys. However, there were "good Germans" that garnered our respect and sympathy (more victims of the Nazis).
Jupp got caught up in something he couldn't control despite his guardian angel. However, as he weaves himself through this amazing maze, we might be excused for wanting him to take a stand and, if only for a brief moment, make a difference. In essence, for me, the strength of the movie is also its' weakness. Jupp could not survive by being a hero; he could only survive by being a victim
Movie Review: Brillantly executed, exposes true horror of Nazism and the Holocaust
Summary: 4 Stars
"Europa Europa" shockingly portrays the growing fascism that engulfed Germany, and its cruel, lasting impact on Jews and the `a-socials' (such as the homosexuals particularly). From the strict demands of the new government, viewers see the severe insecurities felt by more and more Europeans, as they would constantly question if they fit such rigorous demands of character and physical traits that fascism encouraged. To me, the movie's overall theme surrounded around the idea of a "master race" of Aryans and "purebred" Germans, and when a Jew, "Jupp," merely through luck, escapes his fate of being exterminated, when he defies the system and becomes looked at as a pure German, all reasoning about the idea of a master race is destroyed. Viewers of "Europa Europa" experience how fascism in 1930's Germany and its bizarre ideas are based on mere nonsense.
The only problem I had with this movie was the strange sequencing of events. "Jupp" has some confusing dreams in the duration of the film, which often stray from the true meaning and themes the film portrays. The dreams may try to incorporate the true political aspects of German government, (for example, the Hitler-Stalin agreement is portrayed in the first dream) but they often infringe on the movie and deviate from the overall message the movie tries to send about the situation in Germany.
Movie Review: 4B --- Emily
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie depicted some valuable and interesting viewpoints during the power hungrytime of the Nazis. It showed Solomon, a Jewish boy who invoked on a treacherous journey of escaping the Germans and staying alive. He had schemes and ideas all shown throughout the movie, which were surprising and sometimes even miraculous. Parts of the movie I did not quite enjoy was that at times, it was quite explicit. However, it is an original German film and they customarily find the explicit details more open than for myself. It seems to be one of those films that you would watch once, never forget it, and never want to view it again. The film was filled with satire on how Nazi ideology was just a bunch of egregious and blunder ideas. One scene that I found hysterical was a scene when Solomon, as known as Jupp with the Germans, was having his head measured in the "best Nazi school for training boys". The professor told the class that Solomon's features carried inevitably strong traits of a purebreed aryan. Overall, I personally found this movie with details that felt outstretched, but was covered with many good proofs how a lot of things were through WWII. For that, the movie deserves four stars.Movie Review: Europa Europa- Chester
Summary: 4 Stars
Europa Europa is a movie based on the true life of a young jewish teenager growing up during world war II. The movie itself seems to be historically accurate to World War II, while the story at times does not. The main character of the movie is countlessly being given miracles it seems, as he escapes harm numerous times. The events and characters in the movie seem to be a bit overexaggerated and untrue at times. This may only seem this way however because of the unbeleivableness esss of the events. For example,one character in the German Armyy that Solomon is friends with turns out to be a homosexual, and tries to go as far as molest "Solly" or "Jupp" as he is affectionaley known by the germans. The movie also features many "adult" scenes, as well as gory and unnecesary scenes, going as far as depicting sex on a train and the main character's penis(numerous times i may add, with one very disgusting scene that many men will find painful) that seemed unnecesary. Overall the movie is a good movie to watch to learn of the events of World War II, and to view the war in the eyes of those who actually faced its hardships and disasters.