Change Your Image
olrovin
Reviews
Afghan Star (2009)
Super well done documentary
This was such a well done documentary that gave me a completely new perspective on the country of Afghanistan and its people. I cannot believe that music was banned in Afghanistan for about 20 years and only recently (the early 2000s) was it finally allowed again. Afghan Star is the first and only singing talent competition TV show that Afghanistan has ever had. It is such a big deal because not only does it involve singing, but it also is the first time that many Afghans have been exposed to democracy and been able to take advantage of it. The voting for Afghan Star is all done through SMS messages that the people send from their mobile phones which is also cool because I had never realized or thought about the idea that everyone in Afghanistan would have a cell phone. I thought it was crazy how when one of the competitors, Setara, danced on national TV everyone freaked out, and men were calling her "loose" and saying that she should die. Clearly the society is still very conservative and rigid when it comes to this, and while they may accept and enjoy singing, dancing is something that the Afghan people are definitely not ready for. Overall, I would give this film four out of five stars.
Lakposhtha parvaz mikonand (2004)
Important film for Americans to see
This movie was yet another international film that really helped open my eyes to the viewpoints of others in a completely different culture. Living in America, I have always heard and learned about the Iraq war(s) from our perspective so it was very interesting to see it from the perspective of a minority group, the Kurds, who were being directly affected by the war and chaos occurring in their country. Along with being eye opening, this movie was also devastating to watch. The ending made me cry but the whole film was bordering on the edge of making you smile and making you sob. The character called Satellite was probably my favorite because of his concern for all the other children and the way he seemed so positive and optimistic. His love for Agrin was endearing and adorable and definitely added a silver lining to the whole film. His character definitely made me smile; however, when you look at the whole picture of all these orphan children with lost/distorted limbs because they spend their days digging up land mines to make money, it's really enough to make you sob. Overall, I would give this film a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I liked it a lot, but the sadness and horror definitely made me hate some parts of it just because of the pure raw emotion they created. I definitely think this is an important film for Americans of this time to see especially because of our fairly recent constant presence in Iraq.
Omar (2013)
perfectly filled with romance, action, and drama
This film was definitely one of my favorites out of all the international films that I have seen. The love story combined with the overall drama of the occupation and Omar's friendships lend to an amazing story that leaves you reflecting on everything that happened long after the film is over. Omar and Nadia's love was so sweet and pure, at least at the beginning of the film. He risked so much each day just to see her by climbing over the wall that separated them. I like how the director, Hany Abu- Assad, just goes right into the movie without any intro like other movies. This movie also had no music which is very different from American films where each movie usually has a soundtrack. It worked for this film because I think that music would have taken away from the raw, reality of the film and would have made it seem almost too dramatic. I did not even notice there was not music in the film until someone pointed it out to me later. The plot line got more complicated and confusing as the movie continued which was hard to follow sometimes. I thought it was an amazing film about life in general happening despite all the other horrible things going on in and around the West Bank. Overall I would give this film 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Paradise Now (2005)
Amazing, mind opening film
I absolutely loved this movie. It was so interesting to see it from the Palestinian point of view. I feel like most of the news that comes out of that area is from the Israeli perspective so it was refreshing to have a change. I thought this film was pretty intense, and it had me on the edge of my seat more than a few times. The part that really blew my mind was the fact that the two main characters, Khaled and Saïd, were just normal young men trying to live their lives and provide for their families who were turned into suicide bombers. They both seemed very normal and worked together as auto shop repairmen. Suddenly they got called into action for what I assume had already been discussed with them previously. Initially Khaled is the one who seems all in while Saïd appears very hesitant. When the mission gets interrupted and the two young men have to return to the West Bank, things begin to change. It surprised me the deep passion rooted in both these men to do something to help their people. Before viewing this film, I had never had the ability to even try and comprehend why people would sacrifice themselves to kill others by being a suicide bomber but this film made me understand a bit. Both men seemed to believe that this was their only way to fight back against the Israeli occupation. While I don't necessarily agree with their thought process, I can understand why they would feel this way. I love that this film helped open my mind to see a completely different perspective that I would not have had a way of understanding otherwise. Overall I give it 4.5/5 stars.
Tuya de hun shi (2006)
Eye opening film
Before viewing this film, I was very unfamiliar with Mongolian culture. I had always imagined the Mongolian people as a nomadic group who only lived in tents and constantly from place to place in large groups. It had never occurred to me that there were many Mongolians who did live in a stable place in homes. This movie definitely opened my eyes to that. It also made me think about the various issues that people face in different regions of the world. Tuya's issue was that her husband was crippled and she was at risk of becoming crippled so she needed to marry another man in order to support her family; however, this proved to be very emotional for Tuya and her husband, Bater. It was a slower paced movie but the visuals were very beautiful and intriguing. The director did a good job of portraying the landscape of Mongolia and setting up the scene so the viewer got a sense of the typical way of life in Mongolia. Overall I would give this film 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Xi you: Xiang mo pian (2013)
Goofy, adventurous movie
Journey to the West directed by Stephen Chow was a very interesting movie. In some ways it was similar to some goofy American comedies that I have seen. I liked how it used a serious idea like Buddhism to underlie the story and then brought in various ridiculous, goofy scenes to add some comedic relief. I found that I laughed out loud a couple times which I honestly did not expect would happen so I was pleasantly surprised. I loved that there was a powerful female warrior character, Duan, who got stuff done. It was interesting how Chen, the main male character, was portrayed as weak and almost childish. In the end, however, Chen showed his strength when he handled extreme pain caused by the Monkey King, the king of all demons, and called the Buddha to come defeat him. That was my favorite part because although Duan was killed by the Monkey King, Chen finally admitted that he had loved Duan all along. It was devastatingly sad because they could never be together since she was dying, but I was happy that he admitted to loving her. Overall, I would give this film four out of five stars.
Qin ai de (2014)
Sad but important film
Dearest was a very unique, interesting movie about child abduction and the story of parents doing everything they can to find their children. I have never seen a movie from China before but I liked this one. When I think about China my first thought is about their government and communism. It was interesting to me how there was no mention of communism at all throughout the movie. It is easy to see just one side of a country when you learn about certain "defining" characteristics and harder to remember that there are millions of people in countries like China who are just trying to live their lives. This movie helped me see that Chinese people are very similar to me. It also allowed me to get an insight into what it would be like to have your child abducted and the struggle that you have to deal with even after your child is returned to you. Peng-peng had completely forgotten about his birth parents because he was abducted when he was 3; kids rarely remember anything about their lives before the age of 3 so it was probably fairly easy to adjust to his new life. Overall, I would give this movie 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Chennai Express (2013)
Such a cute movie
Prior to watching this film, I had never seen a full Bollywood movie. It was quite different from American films, but I loved it. The whole movie had a lighthearted, positive vibe to it. A lot of slow motion was used to add drama to many scenes along with various camera angles to give the viewer the feeling that they were involved in the scenes with the actors. There were a lot of musical scenes with singing and dancing which were very entertaining. It was impressive how the actors could sing, dance, and act. I loved seeing all the traditional Indian clothes and dances. Rahul's character development over time was very interesting to watch as he grew from a self centered man to one who was willing to risk his life for Meena. Their love story was adorable.This was probably one of my favorite global films that I have seen so far. Overall, I would give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Ajeossi (2010)
Gory, intense film
The Man from Nowhere is a crazy movie in the sense of all the gory scenes and intense themes throughout the film. I really liked the main character, Tae-Sik Cha. He seemed very complex and mysterious at the beginning of the film. As the viewers learned more about him, I began to like him more because of the way he handled his past and the situations at the present. His determined search to find, avenge, and eventually save the little girl who is his neighbor is honorable and very sweet. I enjoyed the complex plot of this film; however, I found myself cringing throughout the movie due to the extreme blood and violence present during the whole movie. The various groups of people involved in the plot was a bit confusing, but I think the director did a good job making it clear who belonged to which group and each of their relations to each other as the movie continued. Overall, I would say that I liked the movie, especially the main character; however, it contained a bit more violence and gore than I would typically like to witness. I would give this film 3.5/5 stars.
Whale Rider (2002)
Amazing, heartfelt tale
The Whale Rider is probably one of my favorite movies that I have seen in awhile. The videography was very artistic and really added a lot to the film. I loved the main character, Paikea. She was strong and brave and willing to sacrifice for her people. Her love of her grandpa, despite the fact that he was always disappointed in her because she was a girl and he wanted a boy to carry on their family's chain of chiefs, was admirable. My favorite scene was when Paikea helped save the whales and actually became a whale rider like her original ancestor, Paikea, who was the first chief. I also loved how Paikea proved her grandfather wrong by getting the whale tooth and proving she could become chief. He had not let her engage in the activities that the other boys were doing to learn how to be chiefs so by getting the whale tooth she proved that she was worthy and able. Overall, I would give this movie 5/5 stars.
Merantau (2009)
Intense fighting
Merantau was unlike anything that I have ever seen before. The pencak silat martial arts were really cool to watch. Prior to viewing this film, I had never heard of this type of martial arts. I really liked the main character, Yuda. He seemed like a really good person who just wanted to help Astri and her little brother Adit. While he didn't have much to give himself, he used his skills in pencak silat to protect them from harm. The whole movie was very intense with some fairly graphic fighting scenes. I have gotten more used to these type of disturbing scenes through all the foreign films that I have been watching recently; however, it is definitely still hard to witness. The ending of this movie was bittersweet which is a bit different from most American films since they tend to end rather happily the majority of the time. Overall, I would give this film four out of five stars.
Beasts of No Nation (2015)
Very well done but very intense film
Beasts of No Nation is really well done when it comes to the characters, scenes, and overall mood of the film. It begins from the perspective of the main character, a young boy named Agu, who is living with his loving family in a "buffer zone" of his country during a time of civil war. After his mother and baby sister leave for safety, Agu is left with his brother, father, and the other men of the zone to defend their goods; however, tragedy strikes, and Agu is left to fend for himself in the forest. He stumbles upon a rebel group that takes him in and trains him to be a child soldier. Under the guidance of the Commandant, Agu learns the ways of a soldier and sees and commits some horrible acts on others. Cary Joji Fukunaga did an amazing job of showing violent, dramatic scenes without showing too much. His unapologetic, raw scenes showed how easy it is for such a young child to become desensitized to death and become a trained killer. At one point in the film, the color of the entire scene shifts to blood red and gray. Fukunaga used this change in color to show the shift in the attitude of Agu as he sets out to kill the innocent people of a seemingly peaceful village. The story itself is difficult to watch, yet it is very real, and I think it is important to see. Overall, I really liked this film and would give it 4.5/5 stars.
Timbuktu (2014)
Interesting insight
This was the second time that I have seen this movie, and I definitely liked it better the second time. I found it so interesting to get an inside look into a city under the control of extremists. The terrorists seemed like very normal, almost understanding people who cared about getting their hostage the medicine that he needed and discussed typical things like soccer star, Lionel Messi. They also seemed very hypocritical. One of the leaders of the extremist group smoked (which was forbidden) and flirted with a married woman (which was also definitely forbidden). I loved the scene in the movie when the boys were playing soccer without an actual soccer ball. It was so powerful and sad but also uplifting. The boys were making the best out of a not so great situation which was very positive of them. It is horrible how the terrorists basically outlawed all fun in the whole city including playing with balls and making music. It is unclear to me what this has to do with religion. I think they might do it to show their power. Overall, I really liked this movie and would give it four out of five stars.
Rebelle (2012)
War Witch
I really loved this movie. I think it is my favorite film from Africa that I have watched so far. The way that the director portrayed the ghosts was very creative and made it seem more real. The various magical and spiritual elements that were woven into the movie made the plot even more interesting. Komona is a young girl who gets kidnapped by rebel forces and forced to murder her parents. The strength that she exudes throughout the movie is very impressive especially based off of what she has seen and done in her short life. At first I was worried that the Magician's love for her was not reciprocated, but it was evident that it was especially in the scene where they are laughing in the woods. I thought that was a very sweet part. I found the balance between the positive and negative in the film to be refreshing because I feel like there has been a lot more negative in many of the foreign films that I have seen. Yes, this film was sometimes gruesome and upsetting to the point where I had to look away in some scenes, but those scenes were short and usually balanced by some positive scenes later. Overall, I was really engrossed in this film and would give it 5/5 stars.
Simshar (2014)
Excellent directing
This was not my most favorite international film that I have watched. The plot was interesting; however, there were some parts that were very slow. Before seeing this film, I had never heard of Malta. It seems like a very slow paced place to live where not a lot happens. The biggest news there is the constant stream of immigrants coming into the country from African countries. The tensions between the Maltese people and the African migrants seem to be fairly high, but the tension mostly arises from the Maltese people who are afraid of the migrants taking their jobs. I think I was bothered by the film because of the upsetting way that Theo and the others died. It was very frustrating and horrible for me to watch Theo, his dad, and the African migrant get passed over by the helicopter and the boat. I did really like the cinematography that the director used, especially in the scene when Theo's mom is panicking at the festival. The use of slow motion and the shaking camera really captured her fear and the panic of the situation. Overall, I would give this film three and a half out of five stars.
Un homme qui crie (2010)
Interesting film
The Screaming Man is a fascinating tale about the bond of a father and son. Everything is going well; the father loves his job working at the pool of a local hotel, and his son, Abdel, ends up joining him. The father, Adam/Champ, says that the pool is his life, and he seems to love everything about his job. Things begin to change as a Chinese company takes over the hotel, and Adam's friend, who works as the cook, gets fired. Adam is moved to the position of gate guard, and his son takes over the position of pool boy. After this, Adam is portrayed as very sad and brooding in many of the scenes. Unlike American films, there are a lot of silences. I am not accustomed to seeing this in movies or in general because in our culture, usually people talk a lot (sometimes too much). However, I think it is a good representation of life. We, as humans, are alone a lot and have a lot of chances to reflect and think about our choices and our beliefs. Abdel is drafted to fight in the civil war which we later find out is because Adam got him into in. I think he did this for selfish reasons but later regretted this decision. Parents are people, too, with needs and hopes and dreams and wants. Adam loved the pool so much that he was willing to sacrifice his son to get what he wanted, but then he realized the error of his ways.
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Intense movie
Hotel Rwanda was a very intense, sad, and inspirational film. Before watching this movie I knew a little about the Rwandan genocide. I knew that it was between two ethnic groups, the Hutus and the Tutsis, but I did not really comprehend the amount of deaths or the true atrocity of this genocide until I saw the film. I think that it did a really good job of portraying the horrors of the genocide to the viewers. On top of that, it showed that no country came to the aid of the Tutsis. The UN was there, but they did nothing which really shocked me. I thought that in a humanitarian crisis like the Rwandan genocide the UN would be very concerned and have a lot of involvement in helping the people, but they did not seem to be doing anything at all. I hope that in future crises, the UN would have much more of an impact to stop deaths from occurring. The movie was directed by a Jamaican director who was American trained; this was evident by some aspects of the film including the happy ending, the almost death scenes, and the depiction of some of the characters. I would give this movie ⅘ stars overall.
Voces inocentes (2004)
Great depiction of the citizen side of El Salvador's Civil War
I enjoyed this film especially because it was the only Latin American film that I have seen so far that had a truly happy ending. Chava, the main character, was placed in a horrible situation of war as a young child. He was 11, turning 12 during the film, and was constantly in fear of being recruited into the government's army since they recruited 12 year old boys. I liked how the director weaved in moments of childhood innocence and activities among the children. It showed that despite the war, children will still continue to have fun and be resilient. I also liked how music was used to help tell the story. It helped set the scene and also showed a different mode of resilience. It was interesting how Chava would walk around with the rebel radio playing in front of the government's soldiers. It seems like a very bold move. I think the movie did a good job of showing the horrible situation in El Salvador during its civil war and the struggles of its citizens. Overall I would give it ⅘ stars.
Cidade de Deus (2002)
Crazy good but intense movie
This movie shocked and disturbed me, made me laugh, and even made me cry. Throughout the film, I felt a roller-coaster of emotions because it was packed with such complex human interactions and feelings. I hated all the violence, but I understand why it was necessary to be a part of the movie. The 60s and 70s in Rio and its slums were a crazy time full of violence and serious gang issues. The violence shown in the film added to the raw reality of the film, showed the craziness of the time period, and also helped to created empathy for some of the characters. I loved all the techniques that the director used to tell the story like the quick frames, split screens, photo lens, and backtracking. It really made the visual aspect of the movie very interesting and added a new layer to it. My favorite character by far was Rocket because he was a good kid who tried to stay out of the violence. All he really wanted to do was to take pictures, and I like how he used his unfortunate situation to help progress his future photography career. I would highly recommend this movie mostly because of the amazing story it tells and the artistry with which it is told.
Hermano (2010)
Inspirational movie about the bonds of brotherhood
Hermano is an intense yet heartfelt film about the bonds of brotherhood and family. I really liked the characters in this film because they were real and imperfect. I feel like American films sometimes leave out the rawness and imperfections of their characters. What I really didn't like about this film was the intense violence. I have seen many violent Latin American movies in the past few weeks; however, the violence in this movie felt more personal because I could relate to the two teenage boys, and it seemed more graphic. I think it was very honorable that Daniel (and Julio) were using their soccer skills to improve their lives and get out of the cycle of poverty. After their mom was killed, Julio became very angry and seemed to resort to the gang lifestyle, but Daniel used his influence to get himself and Julio a possible contract with FC Caracas, the national professional soccer club. The two boys helped balance each other out personality wise, and I found their love and loyalty, especially that of Daniel, to be inspirational and endearing. Overall, Hermano was a good movie, but I would only give it 3.5/5 stars because of the graphic violence.
Una noche (2012)
Amazing film
I absolutely loved everything about this film! The characters all had so much depth and complexity, the story line kept you wondering what was going to happen, and the film shots were all very interesting. I have been to Havana, Cuba myself so it was cool to see the story play out there. I think that the director did an amazing job of portraying the hardships and tough decisions that the people of Cuba have to make every day in order to survive. My favorite characters were Lila and Raul. Lila was so much tougher than she seemed in the end, and I felt that she had a lot of respect for herself and for other women despite the fact that she was bullied. I was fascinated by Raul's character and how he developed from a pretty selfish boy to a caring man in a short amount of time. While I loved this movie, there were definitely some scenes that I was not used to seeing at all like the various sex scenes. In American films, sex scenes tend to be more for viewers, and they are much more romanticized; however, in this film the sex scenes were all essential to the plot and none of them were very romantic. Overall, I love this movie and would give it 5/5 stars.
También la lluvia (2010)
Excellent movie - my 2 favorite aspects
When I first started watching this film, I had no idea what to expect; however, as soon as the first few scenes ended, I already knew that I liked it. As the crew filmed the movie about the arrival of Columbus and his treatment of the natives, the parallels between that ancient oppression and the current oppression of the Bolivian natives by the government became strikingly clear. I thought it was such clever, creative way to really show the extent of the current oppression. While many people may think that the way that the Spanish treated the natives doesn't happen anymore, this film showed that it still happens. Another important aspect of this film was the character development that occurred throughout. In the beginning, Costa, the producer/crew manager, and Sébastien, the director, have differing views on the film. Costa just wants to make the film and seems to care more about it than the problems of the natives while Sébastien expresses more concern over the natives and doesn't worry about the film as much. As the movie continues and things get more complicated with Daniel, a feisty native with an important part in the film within the film, Costa finds himself caring more about the troubles of the natives, specifically Daniel's daughter, Bélen. At the same time, Sébastien is willing to put his crew in serious risk to finish the film and insists on continuing until the very last moment when the crew decides to head home. Overall, I really loved this film and all that it stood for. I would give it 5/5 stars.
Sin nombre (2009)
Very good but dark film
This film is definitely not an American film as you will soon realize once you begin watching it. It is dark and violent and, unlike most American films, there is no happy ending. The directing was very well done, and I really enjoyed all the different camera angles that really gave you a sense of the perspectives of each character. I think this film captured the unfortunate reality of the Mexican gang life as well as the danger of trying to travel from Central America to the American border. The main characters seemed quite complex and very realistic which I appreciated because it made the movie more real. Do not watch this film if gunshots, violence, and/or blood make you squeamish because there is definitely a lot of that. Overall, I thought Sin Nombre was a captivating, sometimes uncomfortable film that did a very good job of portraying a side of certain realities in Central America while getting a message across. I'd give it 4.5 stars out of 5.