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josephsyu
Reviews
Sonny Boy (2011)
Interracial Love Story with a Holocaust Background
This epic love story is highly watchable but never really feels substantial enough for you to discuss anything about it after the movie. The story revolves around an inter-racial couple, the Surinamese student Waldemar, who comes to Holland to get a college education and hopefully, lift himself out of poverty, and free-thinking housewife Rika, who leaves her husband after catching him having sex with their maid. The story takes place against a background of prejudice, as the couple find themselves rejected by mainstream society while being helped by outsiders such as Sam, who runs a saloon and gives them a room after they are evicted from their rented house.
The strongest parts of the film are those that take place during WWII, when the Nazis occupied Holland, and Rika and Waldemar find themselves interned in Nazi labor camps. However, the movie never seems to go beyond a depiction of events to give us a deeper insight into the culture of the times. Still, its definitely worth watching for its strong storytelling and good performances.
Nuntã în Basarabia (2009)
My Big Fat Bessarabian Wedding
This is a totally enjoyable movie that gives international audiences a look at Bessarabian wedding traditions while still being universal enough to be appreciated by general audiences. The two leads give strong performances that make you empathize with the difficulties they're encountering during the ceremonies while at least one or two of the supporting cast will remind you of relatives you've met at weddings you've actually attended.
Although this film does not seem to have the mainstream distribution it deserves and is mainly playing at specialized film festivals, if you get the chance to check it out I highly recommend that you do so. It's a fun movie that will make you feel good while still giving you just enough substance to talk about with your friends at the end.
Kozelat (2009)
A look at Bulgarian Cinema
This is an odd film that will probably disconcert audiences who are more accustomed to slick and polished film making styles. The Goat almost seems to be on the level of a student film, with crude production values, meandering story and a lot of speechifying. But if you can stay with it until the end, it does offer a rewarding last scene. Otherwise, its probably mainly of interest to film buffs like myself who want to see how films are made in different cultures.
The movie concerns a goat who has been sent from the heavens to safeguard a treasure. He manipulates the kind-hearted Yona, in whose property the treasure is located to help him in his mission to protect it from discovery by interlopers such as the obsessed Rumbata. Meanwhile, despite Yona's intense nationalism, he eventually finds a connection with Rumba's American wife Emma, who is enamored with Bulgarian culture, in particular its folk songs, even though she never bothers to learn how to speak the language.