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Cold War

Watched Cold War recently and found it to be a wonderful visual treat. I have long been a fan of black and white movies - its so much easier to immerse in the story without the distraction of realistic colors. There were many scenes in the movie where the viewer can just gawk at how beautifully it was shot. They could be stills to print and hang on the wall as pieces of art. The story is inspired by real-life and adapted for cinema. It is about a couple drawn to each other against perhaps their better judgment. They are volatile together and miserable when apart so there is no winning scenario. This too is love but in its wild and untamed form. 

The drama makes for a story with epic qualities specially set in the post-war times where east and west represent irreconcilable differences too and for a person trying to find their true place in the world, the ceaseless push and pull. On the one hand their is the comfort of the home country, familiar places and things even if tragically imperfect. It provides stability and stifles the spirit at the same time. Crossing the border could lead to a life that is far more vibrant, pregnant with opportunity but more often than not dreams die stillborn, disillusionment sets in. For a couple like Wiktor and Zula in the movie, this is a recipe for disaster that leads them to the tragic ending in the movie, a metaphor for how the real-life couple who inspired spend their last days. This is one of the best movies I have watched in a while.

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