The last film you watched....

[Ghostmojo]

Well, I went to see War Horse with my son over the weekend. You know what they say about working with children and animals - well both proliferate in this excellently moving story.

With the centenary of The Great War nearly upon us, I reckon we will be seeing a great many more films covering this period - and why not? I haven't read Michael Morpugo's novel and am frankly bewildered as to how this was made into a theatrical production (full size puppets or something I believe) - but it is a perfect story for the cinema.

It is also nice to see Hollywood - in the shape of the ever decent Steven Spielberg - produce a film that deals with a period of history and story that is quintessentially British without trying to Americanise it as these things often are. Other less ethical director/producers would have turned this immediately into either an American story of the Civil War, Wild West or just possibly WW1 (although I think they might have struggled with it). Full marks to SS to paying us the respect as a nation, and MM the respect as an author that the story deserves.

There are scenes in it that remind us of the famous Christmas of 1914 when British and German soldiers stopped fighting and played football instead (more chance of the Germans winning that!) and swapped cigarettes etc., and in general it makes no political or behavioural comment about either side. In fact, the British, French and Germans are all represented as the usual human mix of good, bad and indifferent - but interestingly this time we have a Hollywood film that doesn't just have stereotyped middle and upper class English twits providing the token baddies! Most characters come across as very sympathetic and you really feel for some of them - particularly two young Germans.

Full marks to Mr. Spielberg for producing such a wonderful and emotive film. As you might expect it has his usual touch of tear-jerking moments - but in this case, why not? We both really enjoyed it and my teenage son is developing an interest in WW1 (due to visit the battlefields and Ypres on a school trip this year). War Horse is highly recommended and as for Joey himself - well an Oscar surely? (And perhaps next year he can take over from Ricky Gervais!)...