#Captain deertz

[pedroam-bang]

"Yorki?" "Jojo!"

Jojo Rabbit (2019)

[little-candy-store-of-horrors]

Gestapo workplace conversations... Do you reckon they know each other?

[winedad16]

14. Broken Bricks, Falling Walls

Masterlist

Previous Post

Warning(s) for:

Alluded Anti-Semitism

April 3rd, 1945

30:00:00:00

      Rosie was in trouble. There was no denying that. Looking on in horror, Freddy’s hands trembled as Klaus picked up the bike that laid on the stone walkway.

“I wonder who would leave behind such a nice bike,” The captain wondered aloud.

“It’s Rosie’s.” Freddy quickly said. 

      He was sure of it. He had seen it propped against the Betzler’s home many times. It had to be hers.

“Rosie’s?” Realization quickly donned Klaus’ face. “Jojo didn’t come in today.”

“He didn’t.”

      With no words spared, Klaus handed off his briefcase, slinked his arm beneath the bike, and hastily set off towards the Betzler home; Freddy not too far behind. 

“Do you have any idea of what could have happened?” Klaus quietly asked.

“I don’t,” Freddy replied. “Rosie is bold but not stupid.”

      Truthfully, Freddy worried that Paul had been caught while away in Italy, but decided that a public setting wasn’t the time to get into such specifics. He was more concerned for the well-being of the remaining Betzler family and what their future would look like if it were the case. He had heard rumors of what would happen and today wasn’t the day to learn if it was true.

      A bit breathlessly, they rushed through the already wide-open door and into the foyer of the Betzler home, letting out a sigh of relief to see Jojo standing there. Setting the bike aside, as well as the ridiculous formalities, Klaus did his best to survey the situation, scanning the room for Rosie, who was nowhere in sight, while Freddy considered the best way to get Jojo out of any trouble. Outside of the inspection clearly not being routine as Deertz insisted, neither Klaus nor Freddy could properly assess what had happened leading up to this moment. As Klaus quickly came up with a reason for their sudden arrival, he felt as though Deertz was towering over him, as if he was the officer’s prey, the other man’s eyes intense and focused.

      Watching as Deertz stalked down the halls of the Betzler home and into Jojo’s room, Klaus and Freddy followed behind, both wondering what would happen in the following few minutes, on edge, but nothing that they couldn’t mask for the time being. Freddy feared for the worst when he heard the commotion in the rooms above them all, the conversations that he and Rosie shared about Paul flashing through his mind. He could only share a glance with Klaus as they trudged up the stairs, reluctant to learn more, but unable to look away.

“Do you know where your mother is?” Deertz asked, never once looking at Jojo, but keeping a watchful eye upon everything being strewn across Rosie’s bedroom.

      As the questions continued, Klaus became frightfully aware of the change in Jojo’s demeanor. When Deertz questioned the state of the young boy’s uniform, it took everything in him to not shout, leave him alone!

      Then, suddenly, a female voice rang out, and all eyes were on her, the room silent and its intruders motionless. The “her” in question was a young woman, maybe eighteen years of age, but not any older. In a matter of seconds, everything clicked into place for Freddy. All those times he had heard the house creak when he visited— All those times in which Rosie had referred to something seemingly unimportant— All those times in which he thought nothing of it. He did his best not to stare, but her presence had his attention. 

      When the young woman had stated her name, Inge, Klaus couldn’t help but look between the two. He was aware that Jojo had an older sister, such information had been shared the year prior by Paul, but he imagined her to be older, possibly out of town, just based on how little Jojo spoke of her. Exiting Rosie’s bedroom, he felt as though something wasn’t right. Following behind Klaus, Deertz and Co., Freddy passed faux Inge in the doorway to her bedroom, making brief eye contact with the girl, praying that Rosie had told Inge about him. That somehow, she would know that he was on her side as Deertz rattled on with his analogies about those he sought to clean the world of… But, when Klaus ushered the order of her paperwork, his heart sank. 

      Of course, what he didn’t know was how much Klaus was trying to move everything along in time to get to Rosie. When Klaus received Inge’s paperwork, he conducted a routine question, one in which he would normally skip if he weren’t in front of the captain of the Gestapo. Much to his shock, she has gotten her own birthday wrong. He stared at her with realization, not once letting the horror that was creeping into his stomach show on his face, before confirming the information as correct and issuing the papers back to her. 

“Wait.” Deertz interjected, making both Klaus and Freddy’s hearts skip a beat.

      The relief that Klaus felt when Deertz didn’t go for the young girl’s paperwork would only be enough to subside the anxiety bubbling in his gut momentarily, as when Deertz landed on the book by Inge’s side, it began to come back. He did his best to force a laugh at the despicable content, Freddy echoing one just as fake but believable enough, but couldn’t help but imagine how deep of trouble Rosie had gotten herself and Jojo into. When the Gestapo lackeys exited the bedroom, Klaus issued faux Inge and Jojo a brief goodbye, instructed Jojo to stay home, and quietly exited the home with Finkel by his side.

“You’ve been keeping quite the eye on that one,” Captain Deertz called out to Klaus from his car, a wide unnatural smile across his face. “He’s the ideal picture of youth that our country needs and it’s clear he didn’t get it from his mother.”

“His mother?” Klaus feigned ignorance. “What of her?”

“She was caught this morning spreading anti-party sentiments. It’s quite the shame, really. I quite liked her husband when he was still with us,” Deertz checked his watch. “Well, we’ve ought to head out. Got to take care of business back at the office. Give us a ring if you need. Heil Hitler.”

      Both Klaus and Freddy gave him an unsteady goodbye, watching as the black car drove off with bated breaths.

“There’s nothing we can do now, can we?” Freddy softly asked. “Is there any way one of us could talk to her?”

“I don’t believe so, no.” 

      Freddy placed his hand over his mouth in thought, the pit in his stomach growing as his fingers trembled.

“Let’s go back to the office,” Klaus suggested. “It’s about time we send everyone home.”

      The walk back was silent, and so was their time in the office. Few words were exchanged with Ida, who was already heading out the door by the time they had arrived, and most of the children had begun to filter out without instruction. Klaus paid no mind to the lack of respect for his authority, it didn’t feel that important at the time, but made sure to bade each child a goodnight, watching as each one stepped outside. After Freddy collected their things and locked the office’s doors behind them, they set out towards their flat, backs turned to the gallows that imposed its presence more than it ever had before.

      Once the door to their home was closed and locked, the outside world as far away as they could get it, Freddy let out a tense breath and blinked away the tears that threatened to fall.

“Damnit,” He muttered. “What do we do?”

      Klaus shook his head and pulled Freddy into a hug.

“I don’t know… I don’t know.”

      They both sunk into the hug, the stress of the situation being released from their bodies for only a moment, before returning back to reality.

“That girl— Inge,” Klaus began quietly. “She got her birthday wrong.”

      Freddy sighed. 

“I’m not surprised,” He took a step back, hands resting on Klaus’ hips. “Inge died last year, Klaus. She was sick. It’s just been Rosie and Johannes.”

“So, the girl, she’s most likely…” Klaus’ heart felt heavier when Freddy replied with a silent nod.

“Rosie hid it incredibly well. I never saw or heard anything out of the ordinary. I wish I knew, I could have done more."

“Maybe it’s best you didn’t,” Klaus suggested. “She kept it a secret for a reason.”

“I guess so.” A moment of silence passed before the sub-officer took a step back. “I ought to go down, to say something, do something–”

“Freddy-” Klaus lightly grabbed his arm. “There is nothing we can do without making things worse for her or implicating ourselves. If we all go, no one is going to be left behind to watch those children. What would Rosie want?”

      Freddy took a deep breath and ran his hands over his face, standing with his own thoughts for just a moment as Klaus relinquished his grasp.

“Alright,” He thickly swallowed, defeated. “Alright.”

***

      In bed, later that night, Freddy turned to face Klaus in the bed across from him, their blood shot eyes meeting the other’s.

“Do you remember what Deertz said about Paul?” He asked, prompting Klaus to shift a bit closer.

“Vaguely, yes,” He replied. “Why?”

“The way he worded things… It made it sound like Paul was… Well, dead.”

“I'm sure that’s not the case. It’s just the distance from us to him.”

“Hm,” A beat. Freddy furrowed his brow. “I’m sure Rosie would have said something if he was, but… Klaus…” He leaned in closer to whisper, “He abandoned his station. He left to meet someone in Italy.”

      Klaus tensed. 

“He did? When?”

“Sometime last year. He told me before he left the hospital. I promised to both him and Rosie to never tell a soul but now…”

“I understand,” Klaus assured. “I respect you for it. I can only imagine where he is right now, it seems as though Rosie did keep some things under lock and key,” He paused. “It’s hard to know who to trust these days.”

“Yes.”

      A moment passed, any remains of the conversation leaving for another day.

“Freddy?”

“Yes?” 

“I love you. I’m lucky to have you.”

      Freddy sadly smiled and extended his hand across the empty space between their beds and loosely intertwined his fingers with the captain’s.

“I love you too.”

      Time passed, maybe an hour, maybe a little less, and Klaus soon fell asleep, his hand no longer connected to Freddy’s, now lying limp by the side of his bed. This was just enough confirmation for the sub-officer, who quietly eased himself to an upwards position, before tip-toeing out of bed, and kneeling down to pray; For the first time in years.

Next Part (Currently Unavailable)

[agendaculturaldelima]

  #ProyeccionDeVida

🎬 “JOJO RABBIT”

🔎 Género: Comedia / Drama / II Guerra Mundial / Sátira / Nazismo / Años 40

⏰ Duración: 108 minutos

✍️ Guión: Taika Waititi

📕 Novela: Christine Leunens

🎼 Música: Michael Giacchino

📷 Fotografía: Mihai Malaimare Jr.

🗯 Argumento: Jojo "Rabbit" Betzler es un solitario niño alemán perteneciente a las Juventudes Hitlerianas que ve su mundo puesto patas arriba cuando descubre que su joven madre Rosie esconde en su ático a una niña judía. Con la única ayuda de su mejor amigo imaginario, el mismísimo Adolf Hitler, Jojo debe afrontar su ciego nacionalismo con las contradicciones de una guerra absurda.

👥 Reparto: Taika Waititi (Adolf Hitler), Scarlett Johansson (Rosie Betzler), Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Betzler), Thomasin McKenzie (Elsa Korr), Sam Rockwell (Captain Klenzendorf), Stephen Merchant (Captain Deertz), Rebel Wilson (Fräulein Rahm), Alfie Allen (Freddy Finkel), Archie Yates (Yorki), Luke Brandon Field (Christoph) y Gilby Griffin Davis (Clone).

📢 Dirección: Taika Waititi

© Productoras: Defender Films, Piki Films, Czech Anglo Productions & TSG Entertainment.

🎞 Distribuidora: Fox Searchlight

🌎 Países: Nueva Zelanda-Estados Unidos-República Checa

📅 Año: 2019

📽 Proyección:

📆 Jueves 18 de Abril

 🕗 8:00pm.

🎦 Cine Caleta (calle Aurelio de Souza 225 - Barranco)

🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️ Ingreso libre

🙂 A tener en cuenta: Prohibido el ingreso de bebidas y comidas. 🌳💚🌻🌛

[mytypeofdistraction]

Jojo Rabbit (2019).

[refreshdaemon]

Poster cast of Jojo Rabbit (2019):

Roman Griffin Davis as Johannes "Jojo" Betzler

Thomasin McKenzie as Elsa Korr

Taika Waititi as Adolf Hitler

Rebel Wilson as Fraulein Rahm

Stephen Merchant as Herman Deertz

Alfie Allen as Freddy Finkel

Sam Rockwell as Captain Klenzendorf

Scarlett Johansson as Rosie Betzler

[tea-is-at-8-pm]

Captain Deertz 👉👈

[charlott2200]

A little late but not so much

Happy birthday(late)  to the amazing and talented

Just a little homage to an amazing  actor ,writer,producer ,comedian ,director .

Thanks so much to portal for let me found mr stephen talent .

It was september this year  when i knew who he was  ,but i think the first time i see him act it would be in tooth fairy

 when i was 11-12 ,second time was when i see logan in the cinema ,and  the third

last year when i watched jojo rabbit .

Then i meet wheatley a character i knew before since 2013 ,but never found the interest (wich is weird cause i looove robots ) but now as an adult yt started to show me some portal animations and now im here and wheatley became my favorite videogame character .

So how i like him so much i started to watch other characters of mr merchant and hes talented ,too much and not only and actor that can do comedy and drama so well ,hes also a celebrity in england being the co-writer  The Office (2001–2003) and  Extras (2005–2007)

Even me someone who dosent watch live action knows how important the original the office is .Has a couple of important awards too (BAFTA)

I admire/like  him a lot for his inteligence and creativity besides him being an sympathetic funny person .

List his characters i drew :

Tracy - tooth fairy

Captain Deertz - Jojo Rabbit

Darren Lamb -extras

Stuart Pritchard- Hello Ladies

Higgins- Modern Family

Caliban- Logan

Wheatley -portal 2

Hope you like it,i  put a lot of effort

, i am not so confident drawing real people, I did my best.

Hope you like it 💖

[our-fic-archive]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Jojo Rabbit (2019) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Freddy Finkel/Captain Klenzendorf Characters: Captain Klenzendorf, Freddy Finkel, Rosie Betzler, Jojo Betzler, Elsa (Jojo Rabbit), Captain Deertz, Fräulein Rahm Additional Tags: Angst, World War II, Closeted Character, Nazi Germany, Mentions of Holocaust Summary:

"And yet he resembles you a lot." "Went for battle glory, returned deformed and made himself look stupid. Yes, that’s a mini-me for sure." "He has a good heart, that little lad," Finkel said, "I'd love to raise kids with you. In a different life."

[cavehags]

can you say why the reviewers are wrong about taika “going easy” on nazis? I mean he’s obviously not but I can’t think of a good way to articulate why he’s not. This is a dumb ask but I really liked the movie and would love to hear more perspectives on it.

critics are coming at this movie with what i think is a stubborn, preplanned, bad faith criticism. there is a long cultural history of using satire against nazis; satire is a vehicle that lends itself to the topic nicely because so much of the cultural output that depicts wwii and the holocaust is, well, kind of like christine leunens’ caging skies -- very very serious and elevated above any kind of emotional landscape that audiences can empathize with. this is only logical, because we understand that the pain and suffering experienced by victims of the holocaust were far beyond what most of experience in our day-to-day. but it does create a kind of distancing effect when every story about this topic is emotionally inaccessible. this is what taika was trying to rectify by turning to satire. 

jojo rabbit uses jojo’s point-of-view for all but two of its scenes. in every scene, we’re watching these characters with our own understanding of the atrocities being committed, but we’re also seeing what they look like through jojo’s eyes. jojo is ten years old and steeped in propaganda so his perspective is different from ours, obviously. this is what the film is trying to explore through perspective. while jojo has an unfounded admiration for captain klenzendorf, we easily clock the man as a disaffected drunk who’s decided to check out of life rather than live with any degree of personal responsibility. when jojo views the young soldiers at camp as accomplished and intimidating, we see their cruelty and selfishness for what they are. when jojo studies fraulein rahm’s propaganda and parrots it off as fact, we easily clock her as an uninformed sadist whose actions are driven by a love of destruction and a total absence of compassion. none of these character’s nastier attributes are hidden from jojo because the characters do not bother to hide who they are, but jojo has to go on his journey before he’s ready to see how truly evil these people are. that is just how childhood works. and when he does, his perspective shifts closer to ours. by the time we meet captain deertz, even jojo can understand that he’s full of shit, and creepy as all hell. in the final battle of the war, jojo sees fraulein rahm for what she is, too, when she literally throws a child into a bomb. by the time jojo has learned to tap into his emapthy, he sees these atrocities with clear eyes. 

the critics who think taika didn’t do enough to illustrate the evil of these characters might have been sleeping when fraulein rahm threw that kid into the bomb? or when the older boys killed that rabbit? (in fact, i looked away both times.) or when the gestapo raided the house in search of a hidden child to murder? or during every single other scene where any one of the characters other than jojo and his mother were onscreen? 

so in contrast to the negative reviews from critics, the fact that the film uses comedy to bring its argument closer to home is not a sign of disrespect. in fact, it’s a heightening device that puts us at ease enough to understand what the film has to say. the film shows us people acting out of pure evil and it’s just frankly ignorant to say that it’s somehow “too soft.” i don’t think taika had any chance of winning critics over, as an indigenous filmmaker behind a holocaust movie. like i just don’t think he could have done anything differently to win their favor. because he checked every box and still didn’t win in these idiots’ eyes.

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Jojo Rabbit

We live in a time where everything is offensive and every body is so sensitive to anything that dares to challenge any point of view that's strays from the norm. We've genuinely almost forgotten how to laugh. There are films out there that dare to do something different that it’ll shake your foundations. I'm glad to say that this film has done that and it was fantastic. I can't remember the last time we've had a film like this. It takes a look at a time in history and puts it a satirical spin on it while not disrespecting those that fought in World War 2. The story was truly filled with heart and its a unique coming of age story that I don't think anybody could've imagined being this good. The comedy in the film was smartly written and delivered and at times you weren't sure if you should laugh because of the material or line delivery. That was truly brilliant and even though it focused on Hitler youth programs, it was a morality tale of a boy wanting to grow up too fast.

Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo was absolutely fantastic. Through his performance, you get an inside look of the struggle of morality and his genuine curiosity. He was witty and had some hilarious reactions to some horrible things happening around him. Through his eyes you see a boy grow up a make his own decisions even if a tyrant wants to make them for him. Taika Waititi portrays his imaginary version of Hitler and he was fantastic as well. Even if he was a figment of the boys imagination and inner voice, his chemistry with Roman was outstanding and hilarious. Scarlett Johansson as Jojo's mother was Rosie, was equally fantastic and lovable. She was his moral core and heart and I loved her in every scene. Archie Yates as Jojo's friend Yorki, stole every scene he’s in with his perfect comedic timing. If the film just followed the two of them, I would've been happy. Thomasin McKenzie was excellent as Elsa, the Jewish girl that befriends Jojo. No matter how horrible he was to her, she brings out the good in him and their bond organically grew. Sam Rockwell and Alfie Allen were great as Captain Klenzendorf and his second in command Finkel. The two of them were just so good and I loved Klenzerdorf's hilarious reluctance to being a teacher. Rebel Wilson was good in the film as Fräulein Rahm and even though she was sometimes hit or miss, she still made me laugh at times. Stephen Merchant was his perfect and hilarious self as the Gestapo agent Deertz. This was just a fantastic cast all around I loved them all.

The score by Michael Giacchino was fun and on point through even the most emotional scenes. The cinematography was warm and made this film stunning to look at. Like I said before, it is great to see someone tackle this subject matter with witty writing and a great since of humor that isn't tainted by the media. Taika Waititi has directed an hilarious satirical take on Hitler youth and made a great coming of age story that comes from a place of growth and understanding. If you haven't seen this film then I definitely recommend it.

[constakes]

Damn, Jojo’s Got Mojo

By Conor O’Farrell

After weeks of high anticipation, I recently got the opportunity to leap down the rabbit hole into Taika Watiti’s fantastical Nazi Germany. It’s status as imaginary is indicated to us iin a variety of ways, from an outrageous childlike representation of infamous facist leader Adolf Hitler (played hilariously by Watiti himself) all the way to the strangely strong British accent of Hitler Youth Yorki (not detracting from the charm of Archie Yates in the slightest). However, in spite of its ridiculousness, this film possesses a depth that took me by surprise not because of its presence, but moreso the sheer magnitude of said depth. With the critical world currently divided over the quality of Jojo Rabbit, I’m swinging one way and one way only. This is a brilliant film, hands down.

When the opening credits scene has you laughing out loud in the cinema, as your subconscious consideration for the experiences of other moviegoers goes out the window, it’s very often a positive sign (unless it’s laughably bad I guess). The first half of the film that follows operates in a similar fashion, mercilessly mocking perhaps the most notorious regime in human history. Whether it’s Captain Klezendorf, played fantastically by Sam Rockwell, showing off his firearm flair to youth campers by hitting targets from all angles or fellow campmates being instructed to perform squats in gas masks as wartime endurance training, this film rightfully reserves no respect for Nazi Germany, both drawing hard laughs out of an audience shocked by the taboo unfolding on-screen whilst on a deeper level working to discredit a reign whose dark shadow still looms over the modern world. The consistency of jokes and gags also ensures a balance that a trapeze artist would be proud of, while heavier moments are disguised so well amongst the film’s light-hearted aspects that when they arrive, they hit so damn hard. It’s truly miraculous how well this film is tonally balanced, as humour and weight cooperate in ying-yang style to create an experience that is both enjoyable and moving.

This depth only increases in profundity when considering the film’s underlying messages. Watiti chooses to use this platform to preach unity over division, because ultimately as humans more binds us together than what separates us. For instance, Scarlett Johansson’s Rosie recites blissfully “love is the strongest thing in the world” in an exchange with her son truly telling of Taika’s intentions. Also, the satirising of the Nazi regime finds further significance in the fact that symbolically, it uncovers the true ridiculousness of hate and indoctrination. I don’t know how else I can put it, this is nothing short of a masterstroke.

An inspired narrative from Watiti (based off Christine Leunen’s darker novel Caging Skies) is supplemented by outstanding acting performances across the board. I get that I’ve glowed about a few already, but in this instance teamwork really does make the dream work. Particularly, young Roman Griffin Davis (one to watch closely for the future) is spectacular as Johannes Betzler, shrugging off the pressure that comes with the ‘protagonist’ title to show a maturity far beyond his years whilst possessing a child’s charm. Scarlett Johansson is similarly remarkable (just check the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ category for the upcoming Oscars, need I say more?). Otherwise, newcomer Thomasin McKenzie shines as the soft-spoken Jew in-hiding Elsa, Stephen Merchant aces it as the intimidating Gestapo agent Hermann Deertz and it’s business as usual for cameo queen Rebel Wilson in her role as camp instructor Fräulein Rahm.

If slapstick doesn’t tickle your fancy, there’s the more clever gaffs to look forward to. If you get uncomfortable with the satire, you will be put at ease through the emotional moments. What I’m trying to say is this movie should make you laugh (probably guiltily at points) and might make you cry (my eyes got watery, no shit) but ultimately you’ll leave the cinema feeling satisfied, optimistic and uplifted. So if you haven’t quite got the gist yet, see this film ‘cause it’s fucking awesome.

[nctjpeg]

This is true, 1917 (2019, dir. Sam Mendes) is an intensely homosexual film, but I would feel remiss if I didn't bring up the homoerotic tension in the film JoJo Rabbit (writ. and dir. Taika Waititi, cine. Mihai Malaimare Jr. star. Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo), Thomasin McKenzie (Elsa), Taika Waititi (Adolf), Rebel Wilson (Fraulein Rahm), Stephen Merchant (Deertz), Alfie Allen (Finkel), Sam Rockwell (Captain Klenzendorf), Scarlett Johansson (Rosie), Archie Yates (Yorki)). In this essay I will revea

no no no keep going i’m literally a film major let’s TALK about this!!!

also i had to stop myself from writing an essay about 1917 and the cherry blossoms and how they’re a metaphor ahahaha my english teachers would be proud of me

[winedad16]

7. While You're Away

Masterlist

Previous Chapter

Warning(s): Funeral Setting

Translation(s): Heiligabend: Christmas Eve Frohe Weihnachten: Merry Christmas Weihnachten: Christmas Schöne Ferien: Happy Holidays

Monday: December 24th, 1944

The events of the previous day sent Freddy into an urged rush to head back to his hometown to aid his sisters in as much funeral planning as he could, heading out of town Saturday afternoon. This left Klaus to his own devices on Christmas Eve, Ida Rahm having already taken holiday to wrangle her children. Originally, Freddy and Klaus planned to guide the kids through some paper snowflake and Christmas card creating, but the captain decided to scrap the idea and take the kids out for a winter walk. After making sure everyone was snugly wrapped in their jackets, mittens, hats, and scarves, he set out with them. It wasn’t unbearably cold, but the extra coverage never hurt.

By mid-afternoon, their winter festivities were interrupted by a familiar Gestapo officer.

“Ah, Hauptmann Klenzendorf,” Drawled Deertz.

Klaus popped up from behind a snowy barricade, gently brushing himself off.

“Herman,” He firmly greeted as he placed his peaked hat atop of a boy’s head.

“I see that you’ve cut the children’s curriculum today.”

That made Klaus scoff.

“It’s Heiligabend, I believe that kids are allowed to have fun outside of the Reich’s requirements.”

“Then do you and Unteroffizier Finkel plan on covering everything you missed plus more next time you meet?”

Klaus smirked.

“We covered it all last Friday.”

Deertz rolled his lips at that.

“Where is Unteroffizier Finkel?”

“He had to return to his hometown for a family emergency,” Klaus simply replied.

It looked as if Deertz went to say something smart, but suddenly, there was a solid thud and splat of snow on Deertz’s face, the action being enough to silence the kids ten feet away. While the Gestapo captain grimaced, Klaus paused in surprise and did his best to repress a laugh.

“Excuse me, Hauptmann,” He held back a snort. “But you seem to have something on your face.”

With one hand, Deertz wiped his face and patted out his scarf.

“I noticed. I think I’ll be going now.”

Klaus nodded and gave the bureaucratic captain a weak salute.

“Frohe Weihnachten.”

Deertz forced a wide and long smile before turning on his heel and heading back into the town. Once Klaus deemed Deertz out of earshot, he turned around with a stern look on his face.

“Who threw that?”

The gaggle of boys and girls quickly pointed to one another, not giving the captain a clear answer as to who the culprit was.

“Well, I think such good behavior should be rewarded.”

A wave of confusion washed over the kids.

“Does anyone want to go home early?”

Almost every child raised their hand.

“Well go on then, Frohe Weihnachten.”

Many of the kids left in an excited fervor, but for those who didn’t, Klaus built some snowmen and snow forts with them, which ultimately led to a snowball fight, which he graciously lost.

When the kids who stayed back eventually trickled out, Klaus slowly made his way back to the Reich Jugendamt to close his side of the offices. He shuffled the glue, scissors, and paper that he and Freddy set up the previous Friday away before un-filing and refiling some paperwork. When he was done with that, he opened and closed a drawer a few times before pulling all of its contents out, reorganizing, and putting them back in. After an hour of doing minor and simple tasks, Klaus realized that he was stalling. Stalling for what, he didn’t exactly know. But now he was bored and was running out of things to do mindlessly.

The sun was almost down when he stepped outside, creating a brisk chill in the air, but that didn’t discourage the dog that ran in front of him from going outside. The captain almost tripped over the furry creature before realizing the animal was the pup from the day before. Not giving it much thought, Klaus cooed and scratched behind its ears before heading home.

The minute Klaus stepped into his and Freddy’s apartment, he realized what he had been putting off all evening. The feeling of loneliness encapsulated him as he sat down in his armchair, making him miss the quiet sound of turning pages or light footsteps along the wooden floor. After twenty minutes of silence, he stood and put on a record, loud enough that he could still hear it clearly in the shower.

Tuesday

December 25th, 1944

With a gentle knock on the wooden door, Klaus arrived at Anita’s late afternoon on Christmas, briefcase in hand.

“Frohe Weihnachten,” Klaus greeted with a chattering smile.

Freddy smiled back.

“Frohe Weihnachten. Come on in.”

“How are you?” Klaus asked before kissing Freddy’s cheek, his cold lips contrasting the other’s warm skin.

“Alright,” They shared a small kiss. “I just got back.”

“From?”

“Marta’s. I missed the kids’ Weihnachten this morning because I was at Anna’s,” Freddy explained as he ran his hand back through his hair, giving Klaus room to take his jacket off. “So I thought I’d drop by.”

“How are they?” Klaus asked as he hung his scarf and jacket. “Anna’s kids, I mean.”

Freddy sighed.

“Depends on who it is. Johannes has just begun to grasp that his father is dead, Kirsten is too young to remember him, and Tilly is more secluded than I’ve ever seen her, so…” He paused. “His funeral was today- Out by the church in town.”

“On Weihnachten?”

“They were short on time, we were lucky the church was even open,” Freddy sighed before making his way to a love seat, Klaus following behind. “Plus, it’s hard to get a body in the ground when there’s a foot of snow and the dirt is hard as rock so I guess they’re trying to stay ahead of the weather.”

“Ah.”

The two men soon found themselves down on the love seat, their legs loosely intertwined as they talked about the past few days.

“You know, you look good in a suit,” Klaus murmured as he placed a kiss on Freddy’s head.

Freddy tiredly smiled.

“Thank you. I haven’t worn one in ages,” he rested his head on Klaus’ shoulder. “The last time was probably Marta’s wedding.”

“Mm.”

The sub-officer nuzzled a bit closer.

“Now what’s got you all dressed up?”

Klaus chuckled.

“I went to church to save face.”

Freddy quietly snorted.

“Church? You?”

“Oh, hush.”

They fell back into silence, quietly snuggling together, both sleepy and content as a throw blanket found itself over them. Klaus was just about to doze off when Freddy spoke.

“I miss her.”

Klaus took a moment, thinking about what to say as he pursed his lips. He softly rubbed Freddy’s side with his thumb.

“That's natural. Will you be alright tomorrow?”

Freddy took a deep breath.

“Yes.”

“Alright,” A moment passed. “Go easy on yourself.”

“I will.”

The sub-officer slowly turned his face against Klaus’s cheek and gently kissed it.

“Let’s go to bed,” He mumbled.

Wednesday

December 26th, 1944

The second day of Christmas set in with light snow, gently coating the few inches that had arrived on the ground the previous day. The white church blended with the snowy environment, but the frozen crystals reflected the sunlight and created a heavenly aura around the house of worship.

“A perfect day for mom, isn’t it?”

Freddy jumped and turned to where the voice came from. Behind him to his left, his youngest sister stood there with a smile. He chuckled.

“I can still hear her complaining about how cold it is.”

Marta let out a soft laugh as she stepped forward and gave him a hug.

“I wish Edgar could have been here,” She sighed after a moment of embracing.

Freddy gently squeezed her.

“Me too.”

When they pulled away, the sub-officer noticed something.

“Where are the boys?”

“In the car with their father. He’s giving Oskar the talk about death and Peter… Peter is just with them,” She answered before asking, “Where’s Klaus?”

Freddy cleared his throat, his boots shifting in the snow.

“Inside. He says that the cold reminds him of Russia.”

Marta snorted before glancing at her brother.

“Sorry,” She quickly apologized. “I know it’s sensitive. It just sounded like something dad would say.”

Freddy nodded with a forgiving look before flexing his hands, the cold air biting at his fingertips.

“Let’s go inside.”

-

Freddy’s eyes scanned down his mother’s casket, taking in every small detail and knot in the polished wood and metal brackets. He tried to imagine his mother’s face beneath the timber, full of color and with a smile, but he couldn’t. It shouldn’t have been that hard, that was the face he had seen for most of his life, but all he could see was her disappointed face. Slowly and almost unsure, he placed his hand on the top of the lid, pressing his palm flat.

“They got her a good one,” Klaus said as he watched Freddy carefully examine the polished container. ”The casket, I mean.”

Freddy nodded as he slowly pulled his eyes away from the casket that held his mother.

“A family friend helped pay for it. He insisted that he would,” He paused. “Well, he insisted so Anna insisted and her word is always final. I can’t say no to her.”

Klaus chuckled but Freddy’s expression went despondent. The captain leaned in a bit closer.

“Do you want to go and get some air?”

The sub-officer went to reply but the sound of the church door opening and shuffling of feet distracted them. Freddy’s expression softened at the sight of Anna and her kids bundled tight and huddled together. Matilde had Johannes’ hand tight in hers while little Kirsten was presumably tucked away in the baby carriage. Freddy gave Klaus a small glance in return for a nod and stepped down from the casket and towards his family.

“Good morning everyone,” Freddy softly greeted. “How are we?”

Matilde gave him a soft ‘Good morning’ in response as his nephew latched himself to his leg while Anna sighed and kissed his cheek.

“We’re alright.”

“Schöne Ferien,” Klaus approached. “Hey, kids.”

“Hi, Uncle K.”

“Hi, Klaus,” Anna kissed his cheek before turning to her two oldest. “Go sit up front, Mama will be with you in a moment.”

With that, Johannes tightened his grip on his uncle’s leg. As an attempt to encourage him off, Freddy placed his hand on the back of his nephew’s head and gave it a soft rub, prompting the boy to nuzzle further into his pant leg. Freddy knowingly frowned and moved his leg a bit in another attempt to get him off.

“Jahni,” Matilde gently tugged on her younger brother’s sleeve.

“Johannes,” Anna tiredly said.

Klaus slowly knelt down and placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder, the coarse fabric sending a slight shock to his fingertips.

“Johannes,” He softly began, prompting the young boy to turn his face away from Freddy’s leg.

He flashed a warm smile.

“Hiya, kid.”

A brief moment of silence.

“Hi.”

“Would you like me to walk you over?” He tenderly asked, trying to make the boy feel as comfortable as possible.

Johannes’ deep brown eyes stared back to Klaus, accessing his options before slowly reaching out one hand to the captain. With a smile, Klaus gently wrapped his hand around the smaller one, allowing the boy to wean himself off of his blood-uncle before standing up. In awe, Freddy wondered how his partner ever learned to do such a thing while his sister sighed.

“Thank you, Klaus.”

The captain gave her a curt nod before redirecting his attention back to the kids, asking some questions to distract them both. Both Anna and Freddy’s eyes followed them before a shrill babble came from the carriage, making Anna sigh again.

“I’m sorry for not getting here earlier,” Anna apologized as she scooped her youngest out of the baby carriage. “Kirsten didn’t want to keep her booties on, it took me ten minutes just trying to get her to keep them on, and then Matilde needed help braiding her hair and Johannes couldn’t-”

“Ann.”

“-find his jacket which was right in his closet and after we had left the house I had realized that I forgot Mom’s bouquet and-” She looked around. “I must have left them in the car-”

“Annie-”

“-I’m so sorry, I’ll be right back. It won’t be more than a-”

Freddy placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Anna.”

She paused.

“I’ll go get it,” Freddy insisted. “Who did you come with?”

“Uncle Gÿnter. He’s outside with Marta, Rudolph, and the kids.”

Freddy nodded and quickly excused himself as Klaus returned, leaving his sister and partner behind. With a soft sigh, she tucked a loose curl back behind her ear and looked back at Klaus.

“How are you?” She asked with a tired smile.

“I’m alright, thank you. And you?”

“I’m as good as I-” Kirsten placed her hands on Anna’s face, making her quietly laugh. “I’m as good as I can be in these circumstances.”

Klaus nodded.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

Anna sighed as Kirsten’s bright blue eyes gazed around the room.

“Thank you,” She paused. “It’s been hard. It was hard before Bruno passed, but at least I had my mother. And now…”

She thickly swallowed as she looked at her youngest daughter for some time, brushing a thin golden wisp of hair back. Studying her face, Klaus could see that she was fighting emotion that was building up in her throat.

“May I hold her?” Klaus asked in an attempt to change the subject.

“Oh,” Anna smiled. “Of course.”

She slowly transferred her daughter over.

“Just make sure to support her back- There you go.”

Klaus smiled as Kirsten placed her hands on each side of his chin and looked deep into his eyes, possibly intrigued by his dead eye. The captain gently gazed back, a smile slowly forming on his face. The small trance that she had put on him broke when drool dribbled out of her mouth before she smiled and laughed. Klaus deeply chuckled, allowing his head to go back before intently looking back at her. He pulled a hanky out from his breast pocket and wiped the drool away before tucking the cloth away. He then began to slightly sway back and forth, bouncing the 7-month-year-old up and down while speaking childishly to her as Kirsten babbled back.

Anna smiled as she looked from Klaus to her daughter, and back to Klaus.

“I knew she’d like you.”

Klaus looked up with a smile, still swaying and bouncing, but slower.

“Really?”

“All the kicking I had going on in my belly when you spoke to her was a tell-tale sign.”

The captain only smiled more and resumed chatting with Anna as they moved to the front of the church, joining Anna’s two oldest. Freddy reemerged not too long after with bouquet in hand, his youngest sister and her family trailing close behind as more family, family friends, and some strangers slowly filled the church. Eventually, everyone had filed into a pew and the procession began. The priest took his spot at the pulpit, greeting those who were there for Anita before going on to read Ecclesiastes 3:1-4.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…”

Freddy held his sister’s hands in his as they listened, Marta quietly mouthing the words as the priest spoke them, having chosen that verse herself. Freddy had hoped that the decision would calm her heart, even if it was a small amount.

Before he knew it, Freddy was signaled to stand and present his eulogy. Going up to the pulpit, he glanced at Klaus, who was sitting next to Anna, baby Kirsten still in hand. The captain gave him a nod and a small, comforting smile. Taking a deep breath, Freddy shuffled the slip of paper in his hand and straightened his posture.

“To begin, I’d like to thank everyone for coming today on such short notice. As unfortunate as the circumstances are, I’m glad to see many faces that I’m familiar with. For those who I don’t recognize, I’m sure that Mom would have.”

He briefly scanned the room, taking in everyone’s presence before his gaze landed on the back corner of the church. His breath got caught in his throat as he choked over his next words, paralyzed with surprise. Of all days, he wasn’t expecting them to arrive.

Next Chapter

[ashsfilmreview]

Jojo Rabbit

Taika Waititi strikes again with another smash hit! Following the success of 2017′s ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, Waititi had some very big shoes to fil... and fill them he did.

A comedy film about Adolf Hitler isn’t something you’d expect to be nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards, but after viewing, it is definitely not a surprise. Waititi simultaneously makes you laugh and cry throughout the 1 hour 48 minute run time.It was not something I would have expected coming from one half of the comedic duo who brought us the ever re-watchable vampire comedy ‘What We Do in the Shadows’. Waititi brought tears to my eyes when I was least expecting it ( and once again in the car on the way home discussing the scene with my Dad).

On a lighter note however, Waititi’s portrayal of the infamous fuhrer is a sight to behold. Who’d have thought there would come a day that we would laugh at a portrayal of Adolf Hitler. From the exuberant slomo dancing to eating a unicorns head for dinner, he had us laughing the whole time. In the words of my father, “You got excited to see him on screen”.

If we are going to talk about exemplary acting, we can’t forget Scarlett Johansson’s Rosie Betzler, the progressive and independent mother of our protagonist Jojo. She was so convincing as a mother doing all she can (even if that means lying) to protect her son in Nazi Germany, while still being an uplifting bright star in her sons life and fighting for what she believes in.

A special mention must go to Sam Rockwell for his portrayal of the flamboyant Captain Klenzendorf and Stephen Merchant’s ever loyal Gestapo agent, Deertz.

All I can say is Taika Waititi has wowed crowds with an unexpectedly  heartfelt, yet entertaining take on such a controversial genre. Is that because we saw it through the eyes of a character we’ve never seen this story told through before? What ever the reason may be, I urge you to go see this film. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, but you’ll leave with it lingering in your mind for days to come.

[notanotherreview]

Jojo Rabbit Review (2019)         #4

Director:  Taika Waititi                                                                                Stars:  Taika Waititi,  Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson

Jojo Rabbit is a delight from start to finish, this satirical look at Nazi Germany months, weeks and days before their surrender all through the eyes of 10 year old boy trying to fit in with Nazi Germany.

Film starts with 10 year old Johannes Jojo Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis) getting prepared to go to Nazi Youth camp where he will learn vital skills in defeating Germany's enemies most in particular Jewish people. Led by Captain Klenzendorf (Sam Rockwell) or Captain K as he likes, the Captain has been shot in the field so he’s been positioned to the youth camp,. Even though he’s all to aware that by now the Germans are losing the war he’s stuck having to run the camp.

Jojo though has an imaginary friend, who just happens to be Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi). This dynamic works amazingly Taika plays the role magnificently seeing him doing his own thing when not talking to Jojo or guiding Jojo to do the wrong thing. Jojo is a young boy that’s been sucked into the Nazi propaganda, he hates Jews because he’s been told to, fed unimaginable lies that Jews can read your mind and all sorts.

When Jojo has a little accident at the youth camp he has to stay at home for some period of time to recover from his wounds, while Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) Jojos’ mother is out for work he hears a rumble from upstairs, when upon investigating he finds a young girl Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) hiding in a secret tiny room. His worlds turned upside down. This Jew girl hiding in his house because Rosie chose to keep her here safe and out of the Nazis hands.

The dynamic between Roman and Thomasin in each scene they take part in is amazing, they have chemistry that makes the scenes work, both at first being scared and wary of each other to them being comfortable around each other. Even falling in love with each other but it being deeper and more than Love. Both of them deserve all the credit they receive 

Stephen Merchant as Deertz a Gestapo member adds a brief few moments shock and pleasant comedy. he acts all serious but his actions don’t come across as such, And the Hail Hitler scene was genius 

The comedy in the film treads a very fine offensive line but for the context of the film they work, they’re funny they make you think did they really just say that and did they really get away with making this film. Jojo Rabbit also has some quite hard hitting raw emotional scenes, you could be laughing one minute then the next gasping at what you’ve just witnessed. 

What got me was the last 20 minutes the Germans are pinned back to the very streets Jojo walks on, we see the kids and old people willing to fight and die, waiting for the Americans to come round the corner. These last 20 or so minutes make you feel like your now not watching a satirical film but a war film and Jojo is fighting to survive. We see Jojos friend Yorki (Archie Yates) ready and waiting to fight even though the young boy is nowhere near ready for it. Cinematography for these scenes are lovely true gripping drama unfolding before your eyes, we do see a moment of comedy from  Fraulein Rahm (Rebel Wilson), I feel her character as a whole wasn’t needed, I felt rather uncomfortable when she was on-screen even in that moment its both funny but serious at the same time.

I loved Jojo Rabbit, Taika does a wonderful job of both directing and playing a role in the film, both Roman and Thomasin are highlights for me, hoping we see more from both of them, even in the same film together would be nice. Scarlett for me was a good choice she’s always seemed to take on her roles with passion and pride leaving it all out there on-screen. Highly recommend this film to anyone 

8/10