Thread: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!

Review

"12" (razgnevannyh muzhchin), 2007
(This film is based off of an American play and the 1957 American film "12 Angry Men")
http://www.mininova.org/tor/1964056%...0DVD%20quality
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_(film)


Hubby and I watched “12” and found it a rather interesting film. We both agreed very early on that if you took out all of the flashback scenes and changed the Chechen boy to an Hispanic boy (in our area Hispanic refers to anyone from Mexico or Central America) or an African American boy, this film easily could have been relocated here (Washington, D.C. area).

As I am an outsider looking into your world, I have absolutely no idea if the prejudices portrayed in this are an accurate depiction or not. I can tell you it would be an accurate depiction where I live and it is a sad commentary that we as a society have not come very far since this play and movie were first made in the 1950s.

I am not certain how many of you know of the Immigrant backlash that is going on in the Washington, DC area or not. I can go into on this detail if people want me to; but, suffice it to say for now, that on my street, I am known as “The American.” When we purchased our home in 1992, it was not that way.

Personally, I think the film could have done without the war flashback scenes. To me, once again, an outsider, they were not necessary to tell the story and I feel they were purely done for political reasons. The story here is about the differences between people and the events of our lives that shape each of us as human beings. What we believe or don’t believe about ourselves and other. Whether they are a little or a lot and how much these differences influences our lives and what we think of both ourselves and others. I do not need to see images of war combined with the personal character stories to get this.

With all that said, even IF this film is not an accurate portrayal of the situation in Russia, I do highly recommend this film. I believe that anytime we can see how others view people and it might help us to learn and understand, to get people to discuss the situation, even a little, then it is a good thing. Yes, as E-learner stated, the acting is a little over done in places and just try to ignore the war scenes!

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Review

"12" (razgnevannyh muzhchin), 2007
(This film is based off of an American play and the 1957 American film "12 Angry Men")
http://www.mininova.org/tor/1964056%...0DVD%20quality
12 (number) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Hubby and I watched “12” and found it a rather interesting film. We both agreed very early on that if you took out all of the flashback scenes and changed the Chechen boy to an Hispanic boy (in our area Hispanic refers to anyone from Mexico or Central America) or an African American boy, this film easily could have been relocated here (Washington, D.C. area).

As I am an outsider looking into your world, I have absolutely no idea if the prejudices portrayed in this are an accurate depiction or not. I can tell you it would be an accurate depiction where I live and it is a sad commentary that we as a society have not come very far since this play and movie were first made in the 1950s.

I am not certain how many of you know of the Immigrant backlash that is going on in the Washington, DC area or not. I can go into on this detail if people want me to; but, suffice it to say for now, that on my street, I am known as “The American.” When we purchased our home in 1992, it was not that way.

Personally, I think the film could have done without the war flashback scenes. To me, once again, an outsider, they were not necessary to tell the story and I feel they were purely done for political reasons. The story here is about the differences between people and the events of our lives that shape each of us as human beings. What we believe or don’t believe about ourselves and other. Whether they are a little or a lot and how much these differences influences our lives and what we think of both ourselves and others. I do not need to see images of war combined with the personal character stories to get this.

With all that said, even IF this film is not an accurate portrayal of the situation in Russia, I do highly recommend this film. I believe that anytime we can see how others view people and it might help us to learn and understand, to get people to discuss the situation, even a little, then it is a good thing. Yes, as E-learner stated, the acting is a little over done in places and just try to ignore the war scenes!

This morning, there is a massive man hunt on for a "suspect" believe to be Chechen and one of the Boston Marathon Bombers. I was instantly brought back to this film that I watched so many years ago now. Trying to recall what it was about the Chechens in the movie that made the Russians not like them or think ill of them. And why would it is that they want to kill and harm an innocent 8 year old boy who wanted nothing more than peace for the world? Maybe I should have paid more attention to the flashback war scenes. Maybe that would help me to understand... yet somehow, I just don't think I will ever understand taking an innocent life.