Mosul

Mosul film takes you inside the city's battle for liberation from the perspective of an Iraqi journalist, in a way that's very intimate and engaging. You'll be wanting to stay longer with each of the featured characters, listening to their life stories, their sorrows, their misfortune, and their victories. You'll be in the midst of street battles (real footage) that'll have you on the edge of your seat, fearing for the lives of the character friends you just met. But most importantly, it shows the very recent history of a city ravaged by the terrorists' hate and the sectarian clashes that are still sadly alive to this day. It raises the question of tomorrow, a question the city of Mosul has yet to answer.

The stories the people tell are detailed and paint a terrible picture of the Hell they are forced to live in and the hate towards ISIS and hope they feel when the military comes through. However, Ali Maula takes an interesting angle in questioning whether or not many of the civilians re telling the truth. It is a sad thing to think but does show how much distrust and discord ISIS has sown into the country. The use of actual footage of the cruelty and violence make for a shocking and utterly disturbing watch. Gabriel doesn't pull any punches and though that does make the film hard to watch, it is not for the faint of heart, he does manage to make his point more poignant and memorable. The runtime is short clocking in well under ninety minutes - however this works in the film's favor. Not only does it still manage to perfectly fit in every story and bit of information, but the quick pace gives the film a sense of urgency and energy which makes the viewing direr and memorable.

Mosul is at the top of my list for war films/documentaries, especially post-9/11 flicks. It is a brilliant combination of historical documentation and cinematic entertainment in one. The film is directed by a former CIA officer who knows the region inside and out - and it shows. It is the most accurate depiction I have seen of what really happened in Iraq.

I didn't know what to expect when I started watching this. Being a self-confessed news junkie I like to think I know what is going on in the world. The story of the rise of ISIS and their so-called 'Caliphate' was something I had followed for a couple of years and found coverage of it to be gripping. The caliphate was never going to last especially with the military might of the US-led Coalition, Russia, Turkey and Iran railed against it. The movie reflects this confusing situation where many groups and factions who would normally be enemies come together to defeat a common enemy. Where 'Mosul' succeeded was in providing me with details about who was involved in the fight to liberate Iraq's second city from ISIS. The western news media didn't really go into much detail about the various groups in the fight - but this movie showed me that Iraqis of many colors came together to liberate the city. Christian militias, Shia militias, Iranian militias, Kurds etc were all together...but knowing that Iraq is pretty much a tinder box waiting to explode, the movie reflects that this reality and while providing hope for the future unity of Iraq, it also provides a warning that things could go wrong again. The footage is amazing - as is the access the film crew had. The combat footage is gripping and is made all the more tense by the soundtrack. If you want to learn more about the fight against ISIS, this is a must-see movie. It tells the Iraqi side of the story and is an honest and emotional portrayal of the fight to rid Iraq of the horror that was ISIS.

In 2014, ISIS takes over Mosul with little opposition. It's over two years later. Disparate forces join together to take on ISIS despite their sectarian conflict. Iraqi journalist Ali Maula is embedded with a militia. He interviews captured ISIS recruiter Nasser Issa, Um Hanadi (only female commander of a militia), Captain Alaa Atah, and Sunni Sheikh "The Crocodile" Saleh.

It' s a documentary. It's fine. There are some talking heads. They are interesting players in the conflict. In the end, I'm more interested in the fight. There is a small section in the end with some war action. It's a slice of the epic events in Iraq. It's not the whole thing. This is a companion piece.