yingers11

Admittedly, I'm not into history. So I'm simply sharing my 2 cents through the agnostic lens of Asian origin. I enjoyed it. The storytelling from the perspective of a precocious yet truly 10-year-old boy creates juxtapositions that reverberate through the movie. Be it the in-your-face pastel coloured surroundings against the backdrop of WWII's doom and gloom, or the read-between-the-lines of his imaginary friend (often an innocent contraption) being Hitler. Contrasts are great at amplifying differences – or in this case, the lack of. His journey of uncovering the inane hatred that plagued Germany is mainly told through his gain of a friend with a Jew in the wall, and his loss of a mother to the noose. And of course, Waititi had to make us fall in love with the mother before killing her. I almost sobbed when I saw her shoes dangling beside his face. (And can I just point out that the dangling pointe shoes were probably inserted to pay homage to Scarlett Johansson's other identity as the Black Widow? There, I just had to get it out – the first thing that popped up in my mind at the fleeting sight of those shoes.) While the conclusion could be a little simplistic, I do appreciate the use of a universal concept to tie up the loose ends. Too often, we magnify our differences and neglect our similarities. Sometimes, we even forget that #AllLivesMatter. Now is one of those times. And it'll not be the last of its kind. Reminders, in the form of Jojo Rabbit, are always much needed.