Spielberg's Best Film and an Overall Cinematic Masterpiece

Rating: Null/10 (14 December 2018)

"Those who save one life, saves the entire world."
I made my film professor laugh when I told him that I would be celebrating the end of Finals Week with the fifteenth anniversary of Schindler's List. I had never seen the film before, so I didn't understand the laughter. After three hours and fifteen minutes, a face dripping with tears, and my body shaken, I now understand what my professor was talking about. I thought finals were depressing already!
Regardless, Schindler's List is the definitive film that people should look to for a true story about the Jewish persecution throughout Europe during World War 2. The Holocaust was perfectly emulated here, perhaps a little too perfect. As you get uncomfortably transported to the 1940s, you follow the workings of Oskar Schindler, a Nazi officer who decides to start a pot-making factory during the war. Because he is a cheapskate, he decides to use the Jews as cheap labor to run his factory, only to slowly gain a heart throughout the course of the film, as he discovers the real persecution his workers are going through.
The film's narrative is, without a doubt, my favorite thing about it. I love the redemption of Oskar Schindler. Whether it is our history books, other films, or through stories, the Nazis are always labeled as heartless soldiers who killed anybody they didn't like on sight. Those labels are 99% correct, I am sure, but the story of Schindler made me realize that even the most evil people, can find a heart. Liam Neeson nailed the performance of Schindler, and he is currently my favorite character in a film right now. I will never forget his performance, especially at the end of the film. He is such a well-written character and is wonderfully acted.
I also must give credit Ralph Fiennes, who gave an incredibly realistic portrayal of the stereotypical evil SS officer. And if the Nazi stereotype is a thing, I think it all derives from Fiennes' acting in this film, because he is definitely the grandaddy of all Nazis. He does a terrific, yet terrifying, job here. Fiennes' character is so interesting because he is so neurotic and insane, yet he is very eloquent and well-composed at times. His hatred for Jews is insane, but you still love him for some reason, because deep down, he is still Ralph Fiennes.
Ben Kingsley, who I didn't realize was in this film until I got past the accent, does a fantastic job here as well. This dude can legitimately play any race if he wanted to. He is so fantastic.
As for the rest of the film, the score by John Williams is extremely depressing. I cannot stop listening to the Main Theme, It breaks my heart. The black and white cinematography is so gorgeous. And just when you think you are used to it, the little girl in red comes out, and it makes your jaw drop. The acting was so solid, even with all of the background characters. I will never forget the scenes where the Jews had to be stripped naked, run around all across the yard, all to see if they were healthy. Every person looked really unhealthy, malnourished, extremely skinny, and honestly kind of dead, which added to the realism of the film. It was so hard to watch.
Also, a film finally got gunshots to the head right. Watching the Jews get executed was incredibly difficult to sit through, but with the added realism of the blood gushing out, it really makes the audience feel for what happened to all of these Jewish people.
I especially loved how the ending of the film played homage to the real-life survivors of the Holocaust, and it is said realizing that since this is the fifteenth anniversary of the film, none of those survivors are still alive. But it all still broke my heart.
Anyways, despite my absolutely love for the film, I have two nitpicks: First, despite how great the characters and narrative was, I almost wish the film was completely in Polish and German. However, the film was almost entirely in English, which took away from the realism just a tad. Spielberg said that "I wanted people to watch the images, not read the subtitles." I completely disagree with that statement entirely, because I watch subtitles with every film, including English ones, and it makes me appreciate the story even more. So boo! And secondly, some characters were introduced in the beginning that were never really brought up again, like the one guy at the church.
But who really cares? Schindler's List is ultimately a masterpiece.
PS: Three hours and fifteen minutes has never flown by so fast.