Pleased to announce our 2018 documentary trailer for “Forget Winnetou! Loving in the Wrong Way” won a best-in-category award at the Buddha Film Festival (June 9-10, 2018) in Pune, Maharashtra, India, rated as one of the top 100 best reviewed on Film Freeway. All results are viewable at their website.
Tag: movies
Native Perspectives Film Review: “The Revenant” (2015)
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Writers: Mark L. Smith (screenplay), Alejandro González Iñárritu (screenplay)
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson & Full Cast
Review:
With its honest portrayal of life spend in nature, the shifts between intense action and often tedious but necessary patient waiting and work, “The Revenant” was rumored to be an unforgettable film centered on Leonard DiCaprio’s performance and it delivered. “The Revenant” is directed by Mexico-born Alejandro González Iñárritu, an award-winning writer, director and producer born, an artist known for works highlighting the complexity of human motivations and needs. Self-described as music more often influencing for his work than other films, one easily discerned this in his latest offering for it was like watching a movie equivalent of a symphony: slow movements, a rising crescendo, and at last a finalé and resolution.
There have been survival dramas in the past, and the closest equivalent I can think of is “Jeremiah Johnson” (1972), whose titular character was played by Robert Redford. A similar theme of vengeance against those who wronged and murdered his adopted native family is central, as well as the poignant ending. DiCaprio’s character Hugh Glass was left to die after a bear attack, though mostly because his former comrades rationalize this eventuality is best to save themselves from threatening natives. Thomas Hardy’s character, John Fitzgerald, is most outspoken to abandon Glass along with a half native son, whose people and all natives John deeply hates. However, he volunteers to stay behind to witness Glass’ passing, but as soon as the others leave his rancor is made evident to both Glass and his son. Continue reading “Native Perspectives Film Review: “The Revenant” (2015)”
#Native Perspectives- #Film #Review: “The Last Saint” (2014)
Tagline: “Sometimes doing right means doing wrong.”
Special Notes: Debut feature film from the director.
Director/Writer: Rene Naufahu
Stars: Beulah Koale, Calvin Tuteao, Joseph Naufahu
Production Companies: Imaginex Studios, The Reservoir
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Release Date: August 28, 2014
Plot: “Minka is a teenage Polynesian boy living in the heart of the city. With his P-addicted mother well on the way to going completely off the rails, three people enter his life – each with a promise – each with the power to destroy.”
Review:
“Minka lives in a home where his mother obviously loves him, but who suffers from emotional and mental disorders due to domestic violence and intergenerational trauma. She has long attempted to self-medicate through substance abuse, triggering episodes where she terrorized and abused her son leaving him traumatized as well. Like many children in such homes, however, he is deeply devoted to her, serving as a keeper, a parent, his own childhood lost through having to take care of both her and himself, a lonely existence.
When his long absent father Joe returns offering him work, his mother having used all their funds on drugs, Minka accepts, not knowing what it really involves. Soon, the reality of the ‘requirements’ hits hard, leaving Minka between the proverbial ‘rock and a hard place’. While he might gain a sense of belonging through the gang and attempts at ‘normalizing the family, the ‘live skills’ Joe attempts to teach him and the casual, terrible violence and aggression often involved makes him question where will it all end. When tragedy occurs, Minka finds the answer for himself.
Continue reading “#Native Perspectives- #Film #Review: “The Last Saint” (2014)”
Native Perspectives: #Film Review “Bone Tomahawk” (2015)
“Four men set out in the Wild West to rescue a group of captives from cannibalistic cave dwellers.”
Writer/Director: S. Craig Zahler
Released: 23 October 2015
Starring: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins
To also see the full review of “Bone Tomahawk”, please visit my profile at IMDb, but its minus the cultural/societal observations given here.
“Russell, Fox and Jenkins give realistic, believable portrayals in their roles. Facing danger and death with the stoicism and dry wit historically attributed to many European settlers, as well as the historic though understated bigotry towards any non-whites one character voiced. Russell was on-point, his expressions and reactions excellent as Sheriff Hunt, and his “back-up” deputy Chicory played by Richard Jenkins and he had personal dynamics that really made the film.
Deaths were EXTREMELY graphic both visually and audibly in a stark brutally simplistic way. There is nothing of comedic horror in this film, of absurdity or “bloodshed for fun”. The setting, the “reality” of their situation were harsh and horrific in the exact sense of that word, and though tagged as “horror” in genre, it’s not one I would personally apply. While I didn’t care for the typical “settler heroes” vs. “savages” theme, the comment by a Native American in the film, “Those are not MY people!” provided some relevant clarity and truth that all Indigenous are not homogeneous, in past or present. Continue reading “Native Perspectives: #Film Review “Bone Tomahawk” (2015)”
Film Review “DeUsynlige” (Troubled Water) 2008
On a flight from New York to Helsinki, Finland, the people sitting close enough to see, and even possibly the staff, might have thought I was having a personal “episode” of some kind, because while watching this film, I not only teared up but I actually cried some minutes during one of the crucial scenes. […]
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