Movie Review: 1917 (2019)

There's no need to compliment Sam Mendes and his amazing cinematography. While he might be in the public consciousness mainly thanks to Skyfall and Spectre, in my mind, he's still the man who made history come alive as a present contemporary movie in American Beauty. In 1917, he again showcased his ability to compress small into big and vice versa, showing individuals' lives as a representation of the wider, bigger and the more unknown collective experience.

Also, as a clear work of passion, it is hard not to compare the film with Dunkirk, another unusual war movie from a brilliant director. Yet, while Nolan's work leaves that sense of trying to be something much grander while forcing itself to stay (not completely successfully) grounded in real people, 1917 is all about the people it features.

Short Film Showcase: Fallin' - The Official Movie

Out of all the numerous evils in the world, it is easy to understand why so many feel that domestic violence is an especially heinous one. The idea of someone turning a home - which should be a place where family members feel loved and safe - into one of danger, humiliation and pain is truly terrible. What makes it even worse is that it often takes place all around us, hidden (or barely hidden) behind closed doors and dark sunglasses.

Fallin' is a short film that explores precisely this dark but very important topic. It was directed by Romel Moralez of the Moralez Motion Pictures and from the first moment, it starts to build its tension. Like domestic abuse, it takes place in a seemingly ordinary home where a woman is frantically packing her belongings, all the while keeping a gun close to her. She is interrupted by the doorbell, which begins a cascade of disturbing and ever more serious events. With a run time of just four minutes, the movie is blunt and even shocking in its portrayal of domestic abuse and its potential bloody resolution.

As a showcase of a horrible process that is happening around the world, including many developed nations like the US (where the film takes place), Fallin' shows the reality of domestic abuse. This reality is not pleasant to watch or even think about, which is why movies like this are so important as a means of raising awareness of the problem. With the work of Moralez and other artists who cover domestic abuse, the possibility of things actually changing for the better will slowly take shape in everyday life. Watch the entire film right here: