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17 reviews in total

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13 out of 14 people found the following review useful:
Island on Bird Street, 23 January 2005

Author: Elaine-84 from United Kingdom

I came to this film cold. I turned on the TV between housework and getting ready for the family to come home at the end of the day. I missed the very beginning but was soon captured by the film.

I enjoyed it that much I tried to loan the book from my local library but was told it was out of print and not available. I would still like to compare the film with the original book as I often find that by their very nature books deal with thoughts and feelings in more depth.

I feel that the film gives a glimmer of insight into the times and trials of Jewish families during the war. I am someone born over a decade after the war ended, in a European country not really touched by the ravaging of the Jews. Someone who does not know anyone personally touched by these affairs. Someone who is a parent. I'd recommend this film to anyone who meets those criteria.

I re-watched it again on 22nd January and had my 16 year old daughter watch it. I felt it warranted this second watching and my daughter also approved of it. This is the type of film that could be shown to High school students.

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12 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
One boy's story of indomitable courage -- one terrific performance by a young actor, 2 January 2000

Author: Ruby Liang (ruby_fff) from sf, usa

Director Soren Kragh-Jacobsen sure picked his young protagonist well -- Jordan Kiziuk as Alex in the Danish film "The Island on Bird Street" practically carried the film by his undeniably superb performance. The film is about a Jewish young boy, bordering teens, his survival "adventure" in Poland during Nazi occupation.

How heartwarming can an uneasy wartime premise be? It actually achieves beyond "Jakob the Liar" -- Alex's courage, his creative ways in taking care of himself when he's all alone, his tenacity and steadfast belief that his Dad would come back for him…hold its own. And there is suspense: we fear for him, we want him to succeed, we pain, and we felt angst and joy with him. The set of his hide-out is somehow graphically appealing: a solitary, broken brick wall arrangement, with atmospheric lighting, and momentary interludes: a solitary dog on a street, paper off the ground dancing in the wind…

Music is by Zbigniew Preisner (Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Trois couleurs: Bleu" 1993, "Rouge" 1994, "The Double Life of Veronique" 1991, also "Fairy Tale: A True Story" 1997), hauntingly complements the plot. This may not be of Hollywood stature likened to "The Schindler's List", yet it's a small film with powerful impressions. It's a life-affirming story. Alex hanged on to hope -- we can, too.

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8 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
A movie that still remembers what or who are the children, 31 March 2008

Author: przgzr from Zagreb, Croatia

If it wasn't made by Kragh-Jacobsen I would be surprised.

But there are not many directors who can make a movie about a child, a whole movie with one child as a hero, a main character, and avoid one of two possible traps: either make a (usually low-intelligent) movie for kids (and adults who can believe it) and turn hero to superhero who can solve all problems and beat everybody all alone, or make a movie where all tragedies have to happen to a single child so the target adult audience can fill the bucket by draining their tear glandes.

Scandinavian authors are better than any others able to make a real movie about real children. They (as I wrote on another board) understand children as if they had invented them. Unfortunately, some modern, especially Danish movies suffer from Hollywoodization and though some can be good (like Klatretosen) they don't belong to the great tradition, they don't succeed the great movies from former decades.

Kragh-Jacobsen is not a typical example, but among the best. "Bird Street" is not exception, he made several movies about children in very different situations, but in similar style: these movies are about kids, can be watched by kids, but mostly try to present real kids to adults. However, he became worldwide famous by "Mifunes sidste sang". It's not a surprise because many western countries avoid Scandinavian kids movies, because they are too different. British authors used to do something in this style (sometimes even in darker mood like Loach), American kids are too infantile (but still beat adults...), Italians are too mature (because of social context), Czechs forgot that they have children (and were among the best in 70's), so only French authors can stand next to Scandinavians. And these movies don't seem to have audience in USA, either for not being interesting (for kids), or even for being controversial (for adults). As USA creates an opinion in almost whole world, things that are not accepted there usually can't make international success, and are convicted to stay within local region.

"Gummi Tarzan" was one of the first movies which seriously admitted that bullying exists and is a problem. "Skyggen af Emma" (his best work in my opinion) strongly opposes modern world widespread paranoia that makes our lives miserable, almost worthless. In both movies kids are involved in different and firm interactions with other people.

"Island on Bird Street" is a one-actor movie like Spielberg's "Duel". Unlike some dark power personalized in Spielberg's truck driver this movie deals with a very recognizable, yet equally dark power of nazism. And, what some other comments declare to be a fault, I find to be brilliant: Alex is not a superhero. He didn't do much exceptional things. His biggest success was that he survived. He often simply had luck. There are no cartoon Culkin tricks: he is afraid, he hides as every normal kid would do, and sometimes when he seems to do something brave, it is more because of hopeless resignation. But in the same time he can still feel joy in small things and in spite of accelerated maturation he keeps the soul of child and his real age comes to surface whenever allowed by the circumstances.

Two flaws: First, English language, and there is nothing to justify it. Second, the ending which is too false-romantic for reality (not fitting in harsh, cruel world of former 100 minutes)), and too vague if not realistic (being e.g. a dream in agony).

Neither of it should give second thoughts to any of those who believe that kids are still kids, despite what modern society tries to make them to be or make us believe they are. And if you are this kind of person, probably your children are ready to watch it with you.

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9 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Good young actor., 26 June 2005

Author: Teemu Erämaa from Finland

I don't know if the story's true - it might be. Makes you think. At times makes you even feel that it is real - right in very front of you.

I found myself from all the hiding games. The boy's events were partly an adventure - playing hide and seek with the gestapo (panthers) all by himself with his assistant Snow (Friday). And partly a nightmare where the war grips everything away and leaves you no choice but to crawl into your hideout and cry. You really feel&fear for the kid when soldiers come to find the last of the Jews again and again and again...

I think the director made quite a decent job (at least above the average) by telling the story so visually. Not too much talking here - and it is mostly in English, which is odd. Although some scenes I would've done differently.

I didn't know the composer was Z.Preisner until read it here, but you sure will notice a meister at work. At least when the ending credits roll.

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10 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
Dreary and astounding, 22 January 2005

Author: morganpony2 from United Kingdom

Not least because it is apparently a true story. Alex is an 11 year old boy, stuck in an almost empty city awaiting his father's return. The plot, though slow is tense, holding an audience's attention throughout. What I most liked about this film was the sense of realness, as I watched it(though the language was English) I felt that somehow I was in fact watching an actually documentary as it unfolded. the clothes the sets the streets, everything was real. The acting is so well performed I could easily assume that these were real people, in particular Jordan Kiziuk's performance of Alex. The ending was tear-jerking, and I mean big blobby tears that swam in torrents. It was an all-round wonder to watch.

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6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Underrated, 4 February 2007

Author: sjdean-1 from United Kingdom

This movie is fantastic, one of the best I have ever seen in a long time. I was surprised to see that it is from 1997 because until I turned onto BBC2 today, I had never even heard of it.

Although this is a simple, some say linear story of Nazi Germany vs the Jewish community telling of one boys struggle to survive on his own to wait for his father, it really draws you in.

In the same vein as movies like DARYL, or Finding Neverland, it does not rely cheap gimmicks. Instead we find a gripping a story that draws you in. You become attached to the characters and really feel for them. It stirs up quite a bit of emotion. I was dancing all over the room at one point biting my nails.

This is a fantastic story with some brilliant acting. The main focus is on Alex, played by Jordan Kiziuk. Im surprised he hasn't done anything before or since as he played a brilliant part, even if his accent is a little dodgy.

The director has done a fantastic job in the telling of the story. It is one of those underrated films that you must watch if you ever get a chance.

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7 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
Great movie.... portraying the reality very closely, 5 March 2006

Author: access_sri from India

I only heard how awful the struggle was, but watching the movie made me empathize for the struggle. This movie almost transformed me there into the ghetto. I could almost feel what it would have been like for a Jew in the Nazi regime. One of the best movies that I have ever watched and I suggest anyone interested in this topic to watch it.

I would rate it in the same class as Schindler's list, but a contrast in story, since here it is a small kid helping himself and others, at the same time standing his ground in the worst circumstances. One other movie to watch is "Life is beautiful".

Lastly, I think a 10 line review is not necessary to sell a movie of this class

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7 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
touching adventure, 26 January 2001

Author: raving_wolf from brockport, ny

i was a little uncertain when i was first introduced to this film...my friend had bought it and it really didn't seem interesting, i mean come on...another nazi v. jew film but i was surprised...

this story is origional following a little boy who is left alone and is being hunted by the nazi's. his courage comes from a book and his best friend is a little mouse named snow...

the story follows the boy as he decides to wait in dangerous territory for his father, whom although was taken away, promised to return...

this is a touching story and a great chapter for anyone iterested in this tragic time period...

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5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Great child actor and story, 25 March 2006

Author: david_w_gibson from United States

This story was great. I was on the edge of my seat worried for the boy the whole time. It brought out a strong emotional response considering there is so little dialog. Almost as good as Schindlers List if not so much an epic. Makes you want to go after the Nazi's yourself. Because of the Nazi's this boy endures and is forced to do things that a Little boy should never have to do. He survives only due to his ingenuity, bravery, and the compassion of a few that don't agree with what the Nazi's are doing to Jews in Poland. A must see, but bring your Kleenex. It has very little dialog, but the visual story and the music set the mood.

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8 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
Last Boy Standing, 23 January 2005

Author: paul2001sw-1 (paul2001sw@yahoo.co.uk) from Saffron Walden, UK

The most successful films about that most enormous of subjects, the holocaust, often take a sideways glance rather than stare full on at the horror; and 'The Island on Bird Street' does likewise, telling the story of a boy left behind after the clearance of the Warsaw ghetto. Unfortunately, the psychology of the child is never satisfactorily realised, turning the film into a mere linear sequence of events, almost like a Boys' Own adventure with little of the context seeping through. The story also ends short of the arrival of the Russians, which might have added a little moral complexity; and overall, seems to suffer from the decision use an English script, especially as some characters put on central European accents and others do not. A reliable plus is Zbigniew Priesner's typically excellent score, but there are other films that offer more real insight into the true nature of life under the Nazi's; for example, try the Czech-set 'Divided we Fall'.

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