Page 25 - Boca Club News - March '24

Boca Club News, Page 25
Film Review: “The Wall” A Free Opportunity

By Nils A. Shapiro She is alone with For Animal
I have no idea how you will react to this film. her dog, joined as the
I started to watch it because I was intrigued by the brief weeks and months pass Lovers ...
description Amazon Prime Video offered of the film as I was by two cats and a cow that
looking for one deserving of a review in this month’s column. somehow strays onto the
Referring to it as an “art house film” (which to me denotes a cabin’s property before Now Feed 6 Shelter Dogs and Cats
work of unusual quality), the two-sentence hint of its story giving birth to a calf.
line made it clear that this would be very different from the Over a period of three Every Day at No Cost to You ...
typical action flicks, comedies and rom-coms that dominate years, alone with her in Less Than a Minute ...with just
today’s streaming services. animals—and despite her “Click”
What an understatement that turned out to be! horror of the need to hunt
“The Wall” is an Austrian production filmed in the and kill deer and other Want to feel really good about yourself? If, like
Austrian Alps, written and directed by Julian Polaner. It small creatures of the most of us, those TV announcements bring tears
was originally released in 2012 and garnered 12 award forest in order to provide to your eyes with photos of sad shelter dogs and
nominations in several categories, winning four, at food for her own and cats in small cages, hoping somehow to be brought
international film festivals. Filmed in the German language, her animals companions’ into loving homes – when you wish over and over
the Prime Video version is in English…although you need survival—we are witnesses as the woman undergoes stages again that you could somehow bring joy into their
not be concerned about the quality of dubbing since there is of emotional and psychological confusion, terror, calm and lives, here is an act of loving kindness that will
essentially no dialogue at all after the first minute of the just acceptance in an effort to retain some semblance of sanity. cost you absolutely nothing ... and take less than
over one-and-a-half hours of the film! During that time she decides to write a report of her daily a minute a day.
Instead, what we hear are the narrated thoughts of life as a way to fill the loneliness, and most of what we hear Visit the website: www.theanimalrescuesite.
one woman—actress Martina Gedeck in a tour de force are words she writes…both exquisite and tragic com and click on the words “Click here to feed a
performance—expressed so artfully that time and again I Then, just as the woman has found solace in the beauty dog or cat.” A “button” will appear on your screen,
absorbed this film as a true poetic experience. of the nature that surrounds her —the scents and sights of and all you have to do is click on it once. Each
The reason for the lack of dialogue is clear from the story the pastures and mountains, the trees that provide wood for time a person clicks on that button, the website’s
line. In the opening moments of the film, a woman is waving warming hearth fires in the cold winters, the endless stars that sponsors provide bowls of food, free, to feed 6
her wishes for a pleasant trip to a couple in a wagon. She has fill her night skies—humanity appears once again in her life! dogs and cats.
been visiting as a guest in their cabin, located in the middle And with the re-appearance of humanity—a man in her That’s all there is to it. In only seconds each
of a forest, and they are going to the nearest village for the forest—comes an act so inhumane that it depressed me to day, you can see to it that 6 animals are fed. The
day. The couple call for their dog, Lynx, to join them, but the the point only my commitment to this review kept me from folks who run the website never bother you with
dog returns instead to the cabin to be with the woman. turning off the film without waiting for the ending. tons of promotional e-mails. You can, if you wish,
After a while, the woman decides to take a walk in the To explain further would be a spoiler and unfair to those click on a link that sends a daily reminder to you.
forest accompanied by the wonderful, sweet dog—who of you whose sensitivity to the particular act might not equal I did that; the reminder is e-mailed, and that is it.
instantly won me over as my favorite character in the film— mine. This film deserves better than that. No hard-sell follow-ups. And if you realize how
and suddenly, shockingly strikes her head into a wall, an I opened this review by noting that I have no idea how this good it will make you feel to be able to do at least
invisible barrier, one that she cannot see (nor can we) but column’s readers will react to “The Wall.” My wife, Linda, something for these poor, loving creatures who are
feels with the palms of her hands and is clearly impenetrable! watched it with me. After the first half hour, she turned to there through no fault of their own (some have
There is no way around it nor over it. me and asked, “How can you watch this film?” I didn’t reply been rescued from abusive owners), imagine how
As she soon discovers, for no discernible reason she has because I saw promise in what was unfolding on the screen. even bowls of food will help make the animals feel
been cut off from all humanity. The couple who left her earlier When the film was over, Linda’s opinion had changed: better.
that day never return; no cars nor travelers ever pass. One “What a brilliant and fascinating film. You really must Please take just seconds a day to lift 6 animals’
day she sees through the invisible wall an old man and his write about it.” spirits ... and your own. Thanks.
wife in strangely silent, unmoving poses unable to hear her. The rest is up to you.

Serving over 118,000 satisfied customers for nearly 50 years

Boca Raton • 10% Off All Your
And
South Florida’s Plumbing Repairs
Largest Plumbing
Service Company! • Boca’s #1 Service
Plumber For Nearly 50
- Leak Detection Years
Residential & Commercial in walls or under slab
(up to 12 feet underground) • Saturday & Sunday
- tunneL experts – No Extra Charge
We Dig Tunnels Under Buildings & Houses to (9 A.M. To 4 P.M.)
Replace Your Water or Sewer Lines - No need to
leave your home! We DO NOT cut your floors
20% OFF - toiLet repairs • Rated A+ With BBB

GaRBaGe DiSpOSaLS - Water Heater • Tunnel Experts
SB repLacements • Leak Experts

20% OFF and Much More!

TOiLeT RepaiRS OR ReSiDeNTiaL 10% OFF • Repair Or Replace Toilets
TOiLeT STOppaGeS
SB • Repair Or Replace
All Plumbing Repairs

$ 100 OFF Water Heaters Or
Garbage Disposals
A+ Rated (BBB)
aNY NeW TOiLeT Florida Licensed and Insured
With installation SB CFC1427238 -CG1508546 • Backflow Repairs Or

Weekend service Certifications
$ 100 OFF at no extra cHarge
9am - 4pm

aLL WaTeR HeaTeRS Help is • Faucet Repairs Or
100% satisfaction Replacements
SB guaranteeD! Only a

561-279-2460 Boca Raton Call away! • We Will Install Your
Plumbing Fixtures