The Zone of Interest (2023)

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1. 

   Ted B

   This is a movie of contrasts: the sights that are seen vs. the background sounds that are heard, petty daily concerns vs. matters of life and death, innocence vs. complicity, beauty vs. unthinkable evil. Also watch for parallels such as the crematorium smokestacks rising behind German children bullying each other.
   
   The first half of the film is dominated by the daily life of the Rudolf and Hedwig Hoss family who are living comfortably in housing next to the concentration camp, while the second half mostly shows Hoss feeling isolated at Nazi officer functions. The pacing is slow throughout which allows the film to establish what the ambience must have been like while functioning in this kind of an environment.
   
   Having visited Auschwitz-Birkenau last summer, the emotions I felt during the film were consistent with recently being in the concentration camp and viewing the same displays that are shown in a flash forward near the end of the film. It's important to contemplate that something like this actually happened to hopefully prevent history from repeating itself. 2 months 1 week ago
2. 

   samoan

   Overall a very good movie, with great cinematography, and really well done. Unique film, not the best film of 2023 but excellent. I recommend checking this one out. 3 months 2 weeks ago
3. 

   baraka92

   Amazing!
   Glazer keeps channeling Kubrick, but his biggest influence for this seems to be Chantal Akerman. The way his shots convey the space on screen is masterful.
   I guess there's a little bit of Michael Snow's Wavelength too.
   
   Instead of focusing on the suffering inflicted inside the camps, which is what in my opinion turns most Holocaust movies into exploitation (I agree with Haneke's views on Schindler's List), it uses filmmaking techniques to create an elipsis for that and go beyond being a mere history lesson.
   
   I don't think they see themselves as evil. For them, it's another way to "get by". They talk about work and home as most people would and that creates a very creepy dissonance. Even when Rudolf talks about gasing the party. I believe he's saying it like when any of us keeps thinking about work outside of it. "How can I be more practical?" How can I improve my performance?..." Just another mental exercise.
   This grounds the evil on the comfort of the Höss family life and expands it beyond the film's setting.
   What's happening around me? What am I ignoring right now?
   
   It would make a heavy double feature with Son of Saul, another Holocaust movie about what you can and can't see.
   
   This has to be the most off beat Best Picture nominee ever. 2 months ago

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