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The Lost Child (2000)
Good film with some production problems
I enjoyed this film overall the story appealed to me personally since I'm adopted out as well but I had a lot of problems with the production and casting. Mercedes Ruehl is a fine actress but no way does she look Navaho. All the Navaho's I know are big round people at best Mercedes could past as some northern tribe Sioux or Chickasaw but never Navaho and certainly not from full-bloods, (is there not enough native actresses out there for this role) I thought the actress who played her eldest daughter was very good. She definitely had one of the funnies lines of the movie something like 'yes but the white half has to get more sleep' sorry you have to see it to understand, I though she acted very well and delivered the line well too but again she was about as much skin (meaning native) as she was black. So the movie suffered for me because I couldn't believe that they were any part Dine'.
The New World (2005)
Long and boring
I am so glad I didn't go to the premier, we were told by email about it coming out and I was excited to see it but instead ended up waiting and buying the DVD. Very disappointed, the pacing is really slow, the music doesn't fit at all (romantic piano) in the Virginia woods, is just hooky. The movie spends as much time if not more on dialog-less, long tracking shots of walks in the woods as it does on Pocahontos children being born or on her dying on the way back to America. In other words it wasted a lot of time on stuff that didn't matter. There were also jump cuts something I rarely see in any movie like a scene would suddenly go back then jump into another scene like a drop frame of something very disrupted to the flow of most movies but with this one it just a devise to wake you up. Not one of my favorite movies. My recommendation is don't waste your time on this one.
Naturally Native (1998)
Urban Indians in southern California a story of life away from a rez
I love this film. It's one of my favorites of native films it speaks to me as a native person more than smoke signals or pow-wow highway can because it's more true too life. Also it's based in Southern Calif. where I too live. So many of the people I know are like the people in this film. A lot of Skins were adopted out in the 50's and early 60's we are all now struggling with issues of identity, place, and belonging this film really talks to those issues. It's also at it's center offers something that everyone can relate too, how do we hold our family together when economic forces are placing pressure on us driving us apart, how do we find love and happiness and not lose ourself's in the process. I can certainly see why women would love this film all the central characters are strong women having to make difficult choices but in the end they manage to prosper and hold on too their dreams and to each other. It's a really good film. Never found a DVD version of it if someone can tell me how I can get one please email me the information thanks. (If you haven't seen it add it to your collection this is a keeper).
Trudell (2005)
Some people will not get it, can not understand what he is about what native people struggle is about etc. I get it
I'm blown away to see one of my top pictures given a rather low rating. Ever other movie I love and checked out on this board everyone seems to love as well. How could 47 people not love this movie? Maybe they are all former FBI counter-pro agents who knows. I get what he is talking about. Things he has to say are very important to our people's survival. He is a clear thoughtful great thinker. It's too bad for some that they are unable to see that but to each there own. This is a great American very under-appreciated in his time, a person of great personal and spiritual strength which is inspiring. You have to respect him and what he has given up for the native people. You have to respect him for what has been taken away from him for his beliefs. This is a excellent documentary of his life to date, I'm waiting for my copy to arrive in the mail soon. It will have a place of honor in my video/DVD collection.
Rocks with Wings (2001)
I love to watch and collect native American films this is one of the best out there
Excellent movie, wonderful use of Din'e traditional teachings interwoven into a contemporary plot. Just terrific how the director was able to get people, who are traditionally very shy and closed to outsiders to open up and give us such a rich nuianced view of their lives. On one level it's the best women's sports movie I ever seen, on another level it's a great look into the life of coach Jerry Richardson, it's a great look into the lives of the lady Chieften players and it's a spiritual journey a very uplifting movie. One of the few movies that always make me cry. A must see movie, I love to watch native American films, this one does not fit into any one category but I would place it near the top of my best love list. You can really appreciate how good this film is when compared against Chris Eyre Edge of America. I like Chris Eyre work normally so I guess you could say copying is a form of flattery. It's impossible to copy a masterpiece real life is much richer and more beautiful than anything Hollywood could create. This movie sticks with you the pacing is a little bit slower than what I normally like to watch but it's well worth the time to see.