As a German interpretation of the Second World War, Generation War provides us with a perspective that we aren't frequently exposed to. It takes place over a period of five years, centering around the lives of five German friends as they navigate their own unique paths through Nazi Germany and into World War II. Generation War shows the different ways the friends were effected by the war -- some of the characters are soldiers, one is a nurse, one is a singer, and, heartbreakingly, one is a Jewish tailor. It's a thought-provoking look at the lure of Nazism and the desire to go to war, without diminishing the impact of Nazi atrocities. We are often accustomed to thinking of Nazi Germany in terms of black and white, evil and good. And while it's entirely accurate to class Nazism with evil, we do their victims a disservice by failing to understand the larger complexities of the society that allows Nazism. Generation War is certainly one of the most controversial programs to have been released in 2013, but is one of the rare occasions when its controversy is equaled by its merit. This show also provides possibly the best way to start a fight in a Polish bar -- when the series was released in Poland, it received no end of criticism and was charged with slandering the Polish resistance by implying their anti-Semitism. Status: Completed
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
