The Kilkenny Observer Friday 18 March 2022
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The Bombardment truly wonderful and poignant
5
you can watch right now on Amazon prime
This 2020 impressive directorial debut from Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. presses the same emotional buttons as a Black Mirror episode. It focuses on Nolan Wright (Mamoudou Athie), a man who survives a car crash, but now suffers from amnesia. After failing to pick up his 10-year- old daughter from school, he undertakes an experimental treatment that leads to chilling results. Part of a Blumhouse anthology, this sci-fi horror plays familiar cards, but will satisfy thanks to a focus on character and a twist to look forward to in the end.
THE BOMBARDMENT also known as The Shadow In My Eye, is directed by Ole Bornedal and focuses on the events that happened during a time when an underground insurgency was slowly gathering more support in Denmark and eventually came to be known as the Danish Resistance Movement. The film has just landed on Netflix. History chronicles events relatively, and in doing so, it caters to the bigger things at the helm, often forgetting the minor details. But these minor details have stories hidden behind them that have affected millions of people and shaped their lives forever. These events that history generally describes in a line or two, are inched in the memories of those who unfortunately became a part of it. One such event was Operation
Carthage, aimed at bombarding Gestapo Headquarters. Though it was a successful mission, so to say, the British Air Force accidentally destroyed a nearby building too. Many members of the resistance movement who were held as prisoners in Gestapo Headquarters were able to escape, but hundreds of civilians lost their lives in the carnage, a majority of whom were children. Humanity was lost in oblivion, and keeping faith was becoming difficult every passing day. The people had to face so much cruelty and so much injustice that often they asked themselves, what kind of God would let all this happen? What do you tell a child who has lost his parents at a tender age? How do you tell a mother or a father to keep the faith after they find their children buried inside the
rubble? Films like The Bombardment which h is poignant and wonderful in its acting and its camera work, are a testament to the fact that every party loses something or other in a war. Nobody wins; rather, it just becomes an accumulation of losses, and whoever has the smaller pile is declared victorious. The Bombardment stands apart as it never really gets preachy about the subject matter, rather it creates imagery that has the potential to haunt you for life. Be it a little girl coming out of the rubble, a nun questioning the mere existence of God amidst such chaos and debauchery, or a teenage boy who has a phobia of the open sky. It is astonishing how, even in times of despair, people are able to find moments that bring a smile to their
faces. This is the most beautiful and intriguing aspect of the human spirit, that no matter how tough the times get, you never lose hope and also never forget to seize a moment that can bring you happiness, no matter how adverse the situations around you might get. Just look now at what is happening in Ukraine. The members of the Danish Resistance Movement were constantly asking the British Forces to bomb the headquarters of the Gestapo in Copenhagen, at the Shell House. The Gestapo kept the members of the resistance on the top floor of the headquarters so that in case the air forces attacked them, the prisoners would act as a human shield. To tell you any more of this truly wonderful pic e of cinema would be to spoil your enjoyment.
Yet, more good ones for you to stream 1. The Adam Project (Netflix) Ryan Reynolds portrays pilot Adam who travels back in time and teams up with his younger self (Walker Scobell) in the past following the death of their father (Mark Ruffalo) in The Adam Project, which premieres Friday on Netflix. The sci-fi action film from director Shawn Levy (Stranger Things) also stars Jennifer Garner and Zoe Saldaña.
2. Turning Red (Disney+) Mei (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) is an accomplished student ready for another successful school year until she wakes up as a giant red panda in Disney and Pixar’s Turning Red, which comes to Disney+ on Friday. Mei’s mother Ming (Sandra Oh) explains that their ancestors had a mystical connection with red pandas with the ability to transform running in their family.
3. Life After Death With Tyler Henry (Netflix) Clairvoyant medium Tyler Henry travels across the U.S. to help families find hope, healing and closure in this reality series, which arrives Friday on Netflix. Henry will also be investigating a family mystery to help himself and his mother find out where they truly come from.
4. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+) Samuel L. Jackson portrays 91-year-old Ptolemy Grey who is dealing with dementia and is given a chance to temporarily regain his memories in The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, which premieres Friday with two episodes on Apple TV+. Dominique Fishback also stars in the series, which is based on the Walter Mosley novel of the same name.
Luca Guadagnino’s 2018 horror picture framed in a bleak, art house window won’t be for everyone, but for those who go down the rabbit hole of its prestigious Berlin dance school, you’re in for a twisted treat. Tilda Swinton is the majestic lead teacher, who mentors young ingenue Dakota Johnson. Be warned: The flexible dancers bring new contortions to body horror. It’s a long movie, at over two and a half hours, but if you’re into disturbing visuals and a touch of witchcraft, there are a couple of jaw-dropping scenes you’ll want to stick around for.
This fantasy show adapts Robert Jordan’s popular series of novels. Rosamund Pyke plays the mystical Moiraine, a member of a powerful organization of women called the Aes Sedai. She’s on the hunt for the reincarnation of the Dragon, a wielder of the One Power who went mad and destroyed much of the world. This reborn hero or heroine could potentially vanquish an evil entitity called The Dark One. The show, rife with magic and wicked monsters, brought in a ton of eyeballs during its debut week. Though it may not replace your favorite fantasy series, it still may be destined for your screen.
If you’re in a particularly meditative mood, reflecting on life, relationships and the big choices we make in life, Forever, a series will gently set your world on fire. June (Maya Rudolph) and Oscar (Fred Armisen) are a married couple cruising through their suburban life until vastly unexpected turns take them into otherworldly territory. Stick through the slow-burning first episode and you’ll be rewarded with an exceptionally crafted eightepisode series, gently wrapping you in its visually beautiful and meaningful dream. Season 1 there now.
An American period comedy-drama streaming television series, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino,. Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it stars Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel, a New York housewife who discovers she has a knack for standup comedy and pursues a career in it. It also stars Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle, Tony Shalhoub, Kevin Pollak, Caroline Aaron, Jane Lynch and Luke Kirby. Season 4 landed last month.
