Amazing and inspiring

Rating: 8/10 (16 September 2008)

Currently hailed as one of the top ten films of all time, "Schindler's List" remains an amazing story depicting the persecution of the Jews during the Holocaust. If you ask me, the film is not truly about the Jews themselves. For me, the main part of this film deals with the man Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson, in what is possibly his best role) and the life change he endures by deciding to help out the Jews. He begins as a selfish man using the Jews to work for him so he can make a profit. As a result, he pays to save the Jews from Hitler's persecution so he can use them to work for him instead. A large number of Jews end up on his list (the list of the title) and come to work for him. By the end, however, he sees what he has done for them and wishes he had been less selfish and could have spent more of his money (which he now sees as worthless) to save the lives of more of the Jews. The scene in which he realizes this is my personal favorite scene of the film. This is where the movie is at. It makes us all wish we could do more to help. At over three hours long, this film can prove to be a bit long and slow at times, which is really the only reason I cannot call it perfect. Nevertheless, everything about the movie is perfectly well done. The depictions are very realistic and the acting is brilliant. Spielberg pulls it off once again. Hard to say if this should be the Best Picture of 1993, though. "The Fugitive" is my personal favorite movie and I would have liked that to win. Of course, it is a film like "Schindler's List" that truly deserves a Best Picture Oscar. Not one of the top ten of all time for me, but a must see for all.
***1/2 out of ****