ZOO: SAVING PRIVATE ELEPHANT

By José Alberto Hermosillo

“Zoo” poster. Photo Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films / Copyright © 2017 Jacks Film Co.Ltd

A charming family drama based on an incredible true story about a boy’s journey to rescue a baby elephant from the Bellevue Zoo in Belfast, Ireland, just as World War II begins. This film is a hidden gem!

“Zoo.” Photo Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films / Copyright © 2017 Jacks Film Co.Ltd

Young actor Art Parkinson is quite a revelation in this movie. He plays the twelve-year-old boy Tom Hall with charm and charisma on camera. During his free time, Tom joins his father, the veterinarian headman, in the zoo’s daily routine. The convalescent baby elephant is in a special care unit.

“Zoo.” Photo Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films / Copyright © 2017 Jacks Film Co.Ltd

When Tom and his father visit the baby elephant, the little creature immediately bonds with the boy.

Inspired by the great American actor and comedian Buster Keaton (“The General,” 1926), Tom names the elephant “Buster.” 

“Zoo.” Photo Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films / Copyright © 2017 Jacks Film Co.Ltd

At school, Tom is bullied by his classmates. Despite the hostile environment, he finds some allies. Among them are a friendly, quiet girl, a tall, chubby boy with his “little brother,” and a long-standing lady who has an endless love for animals.

 

Tom’s father leaves the zoo and his family to fight in the war. Thousands of people die in Ireland during the two bombings carried out by the Germans.

 

During the WWII raids, the authorities ordered the killing of all zoo animals in case they escaped and threatened public safety.

 

Tom quickly realizes that the same fate could happen to Buster, and he will do whatever it takes to save the elephant’s life.

Zoo poster  Photo Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films / Copyright © 2017 Jacks Film Co.Ltd

Regarding story structure, “Zoo” runs a little slow. The screenplay overstates every character’s refusal of the call, creating an enormous barrier to the piece’s harmonious flow.

This film needed melodic orchestration to make the story unfold smoothly, as in classic works centered on children by visionary filmmakers, such as Alfonso Cuarón’s “A Little Princess” and Agnieszka Holland’s “The Secret Garden.”   

“Zoo” distinguishes itself from other European productions of the same period, such as “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” a much more obscure film set in Poland with a larger budget. 

Straightforward, warm, and affectionate, “Zoo” focuses on loyalty and friendship. This war movie with children leaves a lasting impression on the viewer.

Another stunning war film that leaves a similar response is the French production “A Bag of Marbles.” It recounts the journey of two Jewish brothers escaping the Nazi invasion in Paris. 

The Italian Oscar© winner “Life is Beautiful” is a heartfelt story of a boy and his father inside a concentration camp during the Holocaust. 

Also, “The Book Thief.” It tells the story of an intelligent and brave girl who brings books to read to a Jewish refugee hidden in her step-parents’ basement.

“Zoo” is an adaptation of an article published in an Irish newspaper that led an exhaustive investigation to find Denise Austin, the eccentric lady who, in real life, saved the elephant while working at the zoo. For her heroic action, she was named the “elephant angel.”

“Zoo.” Photo Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films / Copyright © 2017 Jacks Film Co.Ltd

Ironically, in this film, Mrs. Austin, played by Penelope Wilton, has only a small part as a friendly neighbor and animal lover. She has nothing to do with the zoo but plenty to do with the elephant.

“Zoo.” Photo Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films / Copyright © 2017 Jacks Film Co.Ltd

Director Colin McIvor’s surprisingly well-made first feature continues a tradition of excellence in Irish Cinema.

“Zoo” features some finely written, dynamic lines, delivered by a group of terrific actors who portray unique, diverse characters in this moving family drama.

Zoo movie trailer

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Festival in LA ©2018

A War: An Important Call to Change the Rules of Engagement

By Jose Alberto Hermosillo

Image courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

“A War” is one of the best movies of the year, politically correct, realistic and meaningful.  

The timing of this war-drama couldn’t be any better as an insightful study of the Afghan conflict, its ethics, and politics. 

In the aftermath, "A War" focuses on the soldiers and their families back in the West. 

"A War" is a moral discussion about what is right and wrong in a "modern day" wartime. "A War" is this year’s Oscar winner “The Hurt Locker.” 

On the page, “A War” contains several layers of emotions that connect society with the government, the law with witnesses, the criminals with judges, the terrorists with its victims, and soldiers with their families. 

“A War” evidences an endemic system that faces terrorism in the world and the confrontation with the democratic countries.
 
The action starts when Denmark’s government decides to join the U.S. and other ally countries in the military confrontation with the Taliban.    

With this decision, many questions arise: Where the war is taking place, in a foreign land or back home? Who is the enemy, the rebels or the comrades? Who is guilty, the commander who makes the decisions or the soldiers who execute them?

Image courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Danish Commander Claus M. Pedersen (Pilou Asbaek) stationed in Afghanistan is fighting with the Coalition. In crossfire with the enemy, Claus had to make a decision with enormous repercussions back home.

In Denmark, the Commander’s wife and children have to deal with the absence of their father. They have to cope for themselves, even if they are deeply affected by the war.
 
Claus has to face criminal charges in a civil court for violation of civil and human rights. During the trial, we see who supports him and who betrays him.   

The cross-examination is gripping, intense, well put together, and it raises the tension for the surprising outcome.  

The dialogs used by the defense, witnesses, and judge are credible, realistic and straight forward.
  
One of the greatest assets of this war drama is making the soldiers more human.

Tobias Lindholm, photo by Jose Alberto Hermosillo, copyrights Festival in LA 2015.

A memorable scene comes when Claus and his family walk on the beach observing seagulls, a metaphor for freedom. Director Tobias Lindholm delivers another powerful, intense, and impeccable masterpiece.  

 
“A War” is the second nomination for the best foreign film for Lindholm after his critically acclaimed modern-day pirates' drama “A Hijacking” in 2012.  
  
Now, we will see if his most recent film can earn him the gold statuette at this time.  
     
The well-researched script displays some of the same moral values depicted in the also Danish film “In a Better World,” the 2011 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film, directed by Susanne Bier. "A War" goes way far beyond of “Zero Dark Thirty.” 

Director Tobias Lindholm, critic Jose Alberto Hermosillo, copyrights Festival in LA 2015.

In a conversation I had with director Tobias Lindholm during the AFI Fest 2015, he gave some advice to the new filmmakers: “Keep it  real, be patient, and go with the flow in the filmmaking process.”   

Director Tobias Lindholm, photo by Jose Alberto Hermosillo, copyrights Festival in LA 2015.

And as a father, he reflects: “In war time, who will tuck your children into bed tomorrow, if you won’t be able to be there for them.” 

The director's own exceptional screenplay presents the actual facts of a war-crime that may not occur in the way it was perceived. 

In the end, the spectator needs to find out if a shadow of the doubt prevails. 

 A WAR TRAILER:

"A War" Trailer

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