Great movie. Much like the rotoscoping in Linklater's Waking Life, the animation adds to the documentary style rather than detract from it. There's a couple parts where it seems almost absurd, but that only highlights the absurdity of war. The soundtrack is also darkly humorous, but it doesn't denigrate those fighting or dying in the war either. Instead, it provides a needed insight into the Israeli mindset, which throughout most of the film sounds very laid back and matter of fact from those narrating.
I've seen some comments from pro-Israel hardliners saying it's anti-Israel, but I don't think it is, really. Anti-Sharon, perhaps, but... It doesn't go into why the Israelis went into Lebanon in '82 (pretty much everything is assumed from an Israeli viewpoint, so don't think any details will be explained), but it never says 'they shouldn't have been there' or anything like that. Not that it says they should have, either.
Still, there's a lot of guilt there with these guys, and Israel shares some of that herself.
So yeah, I'd recommend it for left and right folks alike.
Walts With Bashir
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Walts With Bashir
"It is not the literal past that rules us, save, possibly, in a biological sense. It is images of the past. Each new historical era mirrors itself in the picture and active mythology of its past or of a past borrowed from other cultures. It tests its sense of identity, of regress or new achievement against that past.”
-George Steiner
-George Steiner