Review of Waltz with Bashir (2008) by Anoop K — 21 Jan 2011

In a way I wish I had reviewed this earlier, but A) I wanted to do my reviews in some sort of order, and B) I wanted/needed to debrief from this film as truly, truly, truly, I feel we have a classic on our hands here, in addition, something madly innovative and exhaustingly brilliant and emotional. A rare find and a cinematic experience I doubt I can relive.

When I saw the film, I was first simply impressed by the innovation of it; it was an animated documentary and therefore animated what could not be seen (memories). It was ingenious but I wasn't wowed or overtly emotionally attached. Until the ending...

It was the final sequence, which is A) emotional, and it then hit me, but more over B) the curtain is pulled, and you see that the live footage meets the animated sound. It was heart wrenching- almost to show us that all you have seen was real, you feel the fist. I felt so much emotion: anger, bewilderment, praise for the film. I'm glad I waited to review or I would have been more rambling in how I felt. Additionally, I wanted to feel I could be critical, at that point, I didn't think I could be. Truthfully I think I can say, that this film maintains all it's power after the fact. Even when the credits finished rolling, no one in class had left or even moved for compassion or shock. It was a wonderful yet uncomfortable experience.

An excellent and brilliant film; the best of 2008 without a doubt!