Review of Schindler's List (1993) by Alasdair B — 22 Nov 2014

Steven Spielberg has made many phenomenal films, but "Schindler's List'' is his flawless masterpiece. It is a harsh and dramatic film about the Holocaust, and one man who is trying to save the Jews. It stars Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes.

It's set during the second World War. The Jews had just begun to be persecuted in Germany. They were forced to wear the yellow star to indicate they were Jews. Oscar Schindler (Neeson), is a German. He owns a factory that builds pots and pans. He sees the treatment of the Jews and wants to help them. So, he hires them to work for him at his factory. As the war continues, Jews are forced to leave their homes and go into the ghettos. Later they are sent to concentration camps where they are put to work. Many are slaughtered mercilessly. Others are gassed, killed on the spot, and eventually they are all burned. Schindler doesn't want to except that his people have become animals. However, when he witnesses the unimaginable animal like deeds of humanity, he can wait no longer.

The acting in this film is absolutely flawless. It is only fitting that Liam Neeson won an Oscar for best actor. His performance in this is probably his best performance in his entire career. The supporting role went to Ralph Fiennes, who also more than deserved it. Ben Kingsley, who did not win an award for his role, was also fantastic. Every actor and actress in the film was perfect. They all deserved awards.

The direction from Spielberg is strong. He is one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema next to Scorsese. He knows how to balance drama and war perfectly. He was able to get the best performances out of all the actors. John Williams and Spielberg have worked together on many projects, and once again Williams crafts a perfect score for this film. The music was so rich and filled with emotion. It added to the heart wrenching nature of the film. All the costumes are great, and the black and white cinematography is beautiful. Janusz Kaminski, the DP, really knows how to use black and white. It adds a timeless feel to the film.

With painfully real imagery and an emotional core, "Schindler's List'' is one of the greatest films of all time, and it certainly is Spielberg's best. The production, cinematography, music, and acting are all flawless. It is one of the hardest films to watch due to it's true to life depiction of the Holocaust, but it is a fantastic film and worth watching. It is emotionally powerful and extremely compelling.