I saw this little gem at a film festival in LA. I went in expecting to see another war film but I was in for a treat! I don't want to give too much information away so let me say the movie takes the viewer on a twisting, turning surreal journey that will disturb you at times, frighten you and bring you to tears before the end credits roll but you will be glad you saw it. The movie encompasses several different elements-the perils of war, a touch of macabre, sadness and redemption. All these elements are woven together nicely by director Jeff Burr-who also wrote the film. One of the many things that really caught my eye was the imagery-during the outside scenes the snow is so white you want to touch it while the rest of the picture has a steely bluish gray look that makes you feel like you are experiencing a dreary winter day. The movie also has an eerie dreamy sort of quality to it with great use of flashbacks that only add to the tone of the film. Last but not least, there are a few bloody scenes that prove very effective in disturbing the viewer, without turning the whole film into a gore fest. This film may be "low budget" by Hollywood standards but that's what makes it stand out above the rest. I like the fact that this was not a typical big budget film with big overpaid stars and a bunch of teenagers that looked like they just came in off the WB. The people especially the children were real and that stood out thru out the movie. I think director Jeff Burr did an outstanding job on this movie and I look forward to seeing more of his films. I hope that this comes out in theaters so everyone can have the opportunity to witness a truly moving film.
