Movies
An early Tarkovksy that is surprisingly accessible. There are some dreams and flashbacks, other than that this was a pretty straightforward story about a young boy during wartime. The story and characters aren't that interesting, but the cinematography certainly helped to make the film stand out. Set during WWII, the film follows Ivan, a young boy who works for the Russians. When he is captured in Germany by a Russian regiment, they don't believe his story, but after checking in with the people back home it becomes clear Ivan has vital information for them. Through flashbacks, we find out more about Ivan's past. The cinematography is the clear winner here, the scenes in the swamp in particular are very beautiful (and reminiscent of similar scenes in Come and See). The film could've used a better soundtrack and a little less dialogue, the story itself isn't too special either, but at least Tarkovksy makes sure there's plenty of pretty images to look forward to.Read all
A famous Tarkovsky classic. The man can shoot a pretty picture, but when the focus shifts to dialogue and drama, he loses me completely. The characters are often vessels for Tarkovsky's own inner voice, his last film is no exception. I'm afraid that's just not my kind of cinema. Alexander celebrates his birthday with some close friends in a remote house. But then the unimaginable happens: an atomic attack shocks the world. Alexander and his friends contemplate the consequences, and Alexander is adamant to restore world peace. He realizes he will have to give something in return. When Tarkovsky aims for atmosphere, The Sacrifice is an interesting film. There's just not enough of that, and the rest really drags things down. The characters are dull, their conversations are didactic and the drama piles up. The runtime didn't really help either, but it's not his worst film either.Read all
