Peter Murmann

Foxtrot

No Comments 10 June 2018

The first third of this Israeli film is almost too hard to bear. A father and mother are visited by the military representatives who bring the sad news that their son has been killed in the line of duty. The next 40 minutes we are shown the horrific emotions that a father would go through at this moment. I was saying to myself, “I am not sure if I want to watch this for another hour or so.” But then the film takes an unexpected turn and we get a break.

Movies, Documentary

The Shop around the Corner

No Comments 31 May 2018

Today successful Hollywood actors are widely admired. This was not always the case. Some years ago, I visited LA and learned about the surprising history of Hollywood. The good society of LA looked down on actors. They were only seen as slightly better than prostitutes and so they were not allowed to live in town. The actors needed to move outside the city in a new area called Hollywood. I was reminded of this history in the opening minutes of The Shop around the Corner, which was produced in 1940.

Movies, Drama

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

No Comments 13 May 2018

A mother lost her only daughter to rape and murder. She is underwhelmed by the efforts of the police department in a little town in Missouri to find the perpetrators of the crime. This is moment the film starts.