IslandGuru Who payed the critics

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Alistair Olson After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Brenda The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

texshelters 13 Minutes, a ReviewIN A WORLD...OF WORN OUT SUPER HEROES, TIRED REMAKES AND SEQUELs, COMES A FILM SO SHOCKING MULTIPLEXES ALL OVER THE NATION WOULDN'T SHOW IT. FROM A COUNTRY THAT BROUGHT US THE Nazis, RELIABLE CARS AND SCHADENFREUDE COMES a film about a socialist trying to kill Hitler in 1939 in Munich?! 13 Minutes is a film so audacious that it shows that socialists were not always the bad guys. The Nazis and Socialists, along with your standard capitalist parties, were fighting for control of the hearts, minds and power in Germany, we'll say since the end of World War I because that's the point in which 13 Minutes first mentions the conflict.Spoiler alert!: the Nazis were elected to power and systematically started to remove their opponents through work camps, torture, and their favorite, murder. Mild mannered carpenter and socialist sympathizer Georg Elser, played adroitly by Christian Friedel, sees the atrocities of the Nazis. Like many Germans, he decided to resists. In his case, he planned to blow up Hitler, a fantasy many of us had in our youth. We learn all of this right in the beginning, in the trailer actually. What unfolds is the Nazis attempt to understand how this "lowly carpenter" could have done this alone. Their technique for "understanding" include various forms of torture that would have made Spanish Inquisitors sit up and take notice. What also unfolds is the cause of Elser coming to such a radical decision and his many romances, including the love of his life. I assume that more of us would have found a way to flee Germany when the Nazis started killing people in our town. I would have chosen the "flight" route myself. Not good old, crafty Elser, who patriotically, as the film plays it, decided to take action. He planted a bomb that missed his target by...some amount of minutes. I don't want to spoil it for you. The acting is one of the best things about the film. From the bit parts, to the incredibly scary Nazis (IT has nothing on these Nazis), to the love interests, to the towns people, to the socialists, they were all well played. Moreover, the portrayal of the Hitler youth was more frightening than anything I saw in IT.The costuming and settings were impeccable and the filming framed the action in a simple yet interesting manner. It is German cinema, after all, from the director who brought us the gut- wrenching "Downfall." The music was not overwrought or cloying like Hans Zimmer's "Dunkirk" soundtrack. Overall, the production values show the best of modern cinema. The parts that don't work could have been fixed with one more pass through the script. There are scenes where the leads, Elser specifically, act out of character. A line or two, five minutes more of screen time, would have solved these issues. While we know the character of Elser, his actions don't match that character in two important ways. Most people won't notice, and I wholeheartedly recommend 13 Minutes. Rating: Pay Full Price. Peace, Tex Shelters

Paul Allaer "13 Minutes" (2015 release from Germany; 114 min.; original title: Elser: Er hätte die Welt verändert--Elser: He Would've Changed the World") brings the story of Georg Elser. As the movie opens, we see him installing the bombing device to attempt to assassinate Hilter in Munich on November 8, 1939. Alas, the attempt fails as Hitler unexpectedly leaves earlier than planned. It's not long before Elser is picked up by the Nazis, and the interrogation starts. We then go back in time to 1932 to learn more about what drove Elser. At this point we're 15 min. into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.Couple of comments: first, while I was aware of the fact that Hilter was almost assassinated at one point, this is the first time that I learn of the details of it. In theory this should make for a riveting drama. Alas, as brought by director Oliver Hirschbiegel (who previously gave us the excellent "Diana" bio-pic starring Naomi Watts), this is anything but riveting. The primary reason for this is that the acting is just all too staged, you can practically hear Hirschbiegel yell "and... ACTION!". It bothered me quite a bit, and it's a shame as this is an important "detail" of WWII that more people should understand better. Beware as well that some of the torture scenes are very intense and not easy to watch. Bottom line: this movie feels like a missed opportunity...This movie premiered in Germany in early 2015. I have no idea what now, two and a half years later, this shows up out of the blue at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The early Saturday screening where I saw this at was attended so-so (5 people in total). I can't see this playing in the theater very long. If you are interested in the movie, you'll have to most likely check it out on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray.

claudecat I was lucky enough to see this film on the big screen during the brief period that it played locally. I didn't know any more about it than the basic subject, and I'm glad about that, because the film got some strangely negative reviews in the U.S. Some critics seemed to complain that it wasn't a Jason-Bourne-style thriller. Instead, it's a careful portrait of one man, and shows how both he and his village were changed by political events in their country. I was surprised to find out the movie was originally released in Germany in 2015, because it included so many events that are happening in 2017 America: left-vs-right street violence, religious intolerance, disagreements about which party represents workers, and government officials who think torture is the best way to get the truth. The photography is beautiful and the storytelling clear but unusual. For example, an explosion is shown from a far-off POV, as a small part of a beautiful landscape shot, instead of up close to the blast. The production design is thoroughly convincing (though I may not be a perfect judge of the authenticity of period films set in Germany), and the settings are lifelike. When a character swims in a lake, it reminds you of just what that feels like. The violence works that way, too. Though it's not gruesomely detailed and exposed in a Tarantino kind of way, you'll probably feel it more. The acting is excellent overall. The leading actor comes across as more babyfaced and less worldly than the real Georg Elser, just judging by their respective looks, but he creates a memorable character that is never a stereotype, yet is not merely a movie eccentric. Though the brutality of the Nazis' actions is never toned down, there are still moments when some of them display a believably human sense of doubt. A minor character has his own complete arc, from downtrodden village man to local Nazi leader to someone unsure if the party has gone too far. I completely disagree with one reviewer who thought the movie was too sentimental. It doesn't lionize even its main protagonist, and shows the problematic aspects of his violent political act.Afterward, I read about the real Georg Elser, and I was disappointed at a few of the fictional changes. I was sorry they cut out the character of Georg's sister Maria, who seems to have been important in real life, and since everything is seen through Georg's eyes, and he has limited knowledge, and we don't hear about some of the other people the Nazis persecuted and even murdered after the bombing. But you can read about this. I never would have known the story was worth investigating further if I hadn't seen this compelling film.

relate-47835 Most films about Nazi war era is made about victims of any Other ethnic, social group and I have never heard of a common-man-German's resistance nor any Germanic people daring to act against the strict, strident Nazi forces. WWII was horrendous.This film makes that vision clear and scary, still today. Nazis, as they were clearly depicted in "13 minutes" film still inflicted fear in an audience who knew they were sitting in a safe movie theater…and yet the fanaticism and coldness, heartless obedience was shown, effectively.And without extra drama or fluff or exaggerations to get ratings or profits. This movie is a necessary 'correction' to the more popular WWII movies, those depicted with "victim-fighting-and-losing" or "victim-turns-hero-and-wins" – the popular, very common versions.These Nazis were mainly shown as males, as stiff, sharp, stone-immobile -faced and with rigid bodies, even in gestures, expressions & all their movements. Surprisingly, only very few Nazi females were included in film, to balance the understanding of which Germans submitted, why so many Germans obeyed, or how most Germans actually lived their lives within those actual Nazi enforced strictures. yet. these were believable. As was the man who refused them - and suffered strongly for disobedience.The movie tension was constant & visceral - felt strongly, throughout most of the long movie- even in flashbacks and scenes of the hero's attempts to explain himself after being caught. Torture was difficult to watch - and though this writer is mostly proud of "facing reality, no matter what it is" did close eyes and ears at 2 points to not indulge in horrors on screen.And to avoid having later prolonged effects from seeing real-life torture, as viewed on such a Big Screen - with loud sounds & music, with gore, extreme pains shown. The cruelty was so easily inflicted - and the helpless of this proud man, who was very brutally punished. For disagreeing, disobeying, failing.There are No Heroics in watching brutal humanity enjoying or obediently acting-out-orders. The inclusion of no-apparent-exaggerations- but here probably showing realistic depictions - were acted out dramatically, as subtly as is necessary, to make this film appear valid. "13 minutes" should be seen by all & anyone who has been alive - then and who escaped such pains. And equally by those who have never lived inside such war-gutted societies and with the people who collude in wars - do so for their safety - or they lived there for their benefits of being with those who are the "Winners and In Power & Control" - or are those who collude, and become collaborators. Or those who had to be there mainly for their body-survival - as occurs, in any war, any where else.Especially those of a younger demographic should view this film, which exposes Germans and Nazis more realistically than American or some other Japanese/European movies dare do. A Hero is one who acts on their own honorable, responsible, ethical convictions - not hurting others - but who act to prevent worse happening to others too, in their world/ town/ country.Not to "kill 'em all & sort them out later" . But a hero has to have serious convictions and to be personally courageous - to take personal actions that may put that person in serious danger . To do something on & with purpose - to prevent worse happening for others – that becomes a higher calling / purpose.Comparatively, all other -mostly American- movies that are Not nearly as realistic, pointed and directed to our heads, as is this one. This film is not just to provoke fear & easy emotions. Most others do not meet the level of truth & honesty, as is well depicted here.