european film

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What Did You Do In The War Thanasi? (Greece)

What Did You Do In The War Thanasi? Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Time for a Greek comedy! What Did You Do in the War Thanasi is all about the extremely energetic and slapstick Thanasi. As much as he tries not to, you just know that trouble is going to end up finding him. For a fun and easy night in, watch this film with a free trial on Amazon Prime Video.

Image result for what did you do in the war thanasi

 Why Watch this Film?
  • For something light and funny (something we need more of on FilmRoot)
  • It’s our first Greek film set in Greece (see The Lobster for more Greek films)
  • If you liked Life is Beautiful or Closely Watched Trains and want to see another WW2 comedy
  • Experience some Greek humour (the main character is extremely energetic and melodramatic)
The Breakdown

It’s WW2 and the Nazis and Italians have occupied Greece. A bunch of the locals are queuing up for some rations; a big bowl of gruel. Back at home a family is listening to the forbidden BBC radio news trying to give the Greeks hope that the occupation will end.

From what you can see, the occupation looks brutal. Locals are scavenging for any food on the streets and people are starving (like the people in Germany as you’ll see in Little Dieter Needs to Fly). In addition, the German and Italian military occupation is obvious. Guards are watch the streets from watch towers whilst soldiers chase and shoot Greek rebels.

Thanasi, our protagonist, is our comic hero. He tries to avoid all association with the Greek resistance for fear of being caught by the Nazis. Typically, as this is a comedy, he always ends up being in the wrong place at the wrong time (kind of like Forrest Gump’s knack for ending up in famous historical moments).

Conclusion

What Did You Do in the War Thanasi is one of the best war comedies I have seen. It is driven by Thanasi’s constant high energy and melodrama (a bit like Guido in Life is Beatiful). Well worth a watch if you are looking for a good Greek film or a nice comedy.

7

All the Cities of the North (Bosnia) Life in an Abandoned Resort

All the Cities of the North Film Difficulty Ranking: 5

If you want to take a step into the world of slow film, I recommend reading our introduction here first. If you’re already a veteran of slow film, or are looking to tick off Bosnia from your film map All the Cities of the North may be for you. Let me know what you find!

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Why Watch All the Cities of the North?
  • To see a film from Bosnia (a first for FilmRoot)
  • If you’ve seen a few of the Slow Films on FilmRoot and want to see more!
  • You’re not after a fast-paced thriller, but a reflective film where the most exciting moment is when a guy blows into a bottle
  • For something to meditate to
The Breakdown

This film opens with a still shot of a man sleeping in a tent. Slowly he starts to move and you see a compilation of shots showing him: sharpening a stick, eating berries off of a tree, and washing the tent. It’s not thrilling stuff, this is the world of slow film.

As per a typical slow film, there’s little dialogue and a lot of long shots in which nothing much happens. In this case, there is no dialogue, the talking you hear is a couple of contemplative narratives.

The film takes place at an abandoned holiday resort in the former Yugoslavia. Two men camp and live together on the resort and what we see is the mundane things they do there, from berry picking to washing.

The only break from the script comes in a few shots of one of the weird complexes that Yugoslavia built in Lagos. The complex in Lagos also now in disrepair, but like the Yugoslav complex, local people have started living here. Whether this is symbolic of the fall of communism or renewal is never clear.

Conclusion

If you’re interested in learning about slow film, I recommend starting with our introduction to slow film. If you’re already a veteran then you may find something in this film that I missed. Perhaps it was because I wasn’t able to watch this film in a whole sitting that I didn’t find as much in it as A Mysterious Object at Noon or From What is Before. If you find something interesting, please comment below!

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10 European Films You Need to Watch Right Now

Here’s 10 European films you need to watch!

You’ve probably seen a load of Hollywood movies, but how many European films have you seen? Here’s a countdown of 10 of the best European films ever made.

10. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul is one of Fassbinder’s greats. It examines racism and prejudice in Germany 20 years after the fall of Hitler and the Nazis. The film is currently available to watch on YouTube (click on link).

9. Volver

Pedro Almodovar is the don of modern Spanish cinema and Volver is my pick for his best film. For more Almodovar make sure you check out All About my Mother and Talk to Her as well.

8. Leviathan

Leviathan is an epic. Zvyagintsev’s portrait of contemporary Russia draws on biblical stories and a small American business owner to emphasise the state’s disregard for it’s citizens.

7. Edvard Munch

Edvard Munch has style. It’s not like any documentary you’ve seen before as scenes from Munch’s life are reenacted by a full cast.

6. The Great Beauty

The Great Beauty is Sorrentino’s tribute to Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. So much so it feels like an update of the classic – a contemporary ode to the city of Rome.

5. Ex Machina

Yes! One of the best Sci-Fi movies of this century is European. If you’ve already seen this and are after something different check out Under the Skin.

4. Persona

Ingmar Bergman is a Top 5 European director of all time. And if you want to be a film expert Persona is your holy grail. It’s the Mount Everest of the film world. For more Bergman check out Wild Strawberries.

3. Trainspotting

This is Danny Boyle at his best. Who knew a film about heroin addicts in Scotland could be so entertaining.

2. La Haine

Over 20 years after it was made, La Haine is as relevant as ever. It brings social unrest to the big screen, showing us that Paris is not the romantic and happy city portrayed by Hollywood. La Haine gives a voice to the marginalised.

1. Divorce: Italian Style

This comedy is gold. I feel like Mastroianni’s performance influenced everything from Blackadder to Nanni Moretti in this film. It’s also one of Scorsese’s favourites.

 

Honourable Mentions:

Wild Strawberries, The Exterminating Angel, Aguirre: The Wrath of God, The Marriage of Maria Braun, Dear Diary, Insomnia, Toni Erdmann, Son of Saul