Change Your Image
rexcine
Reviews
Sophiiiie! (2002)
Wish I could see it again
I saw it at Cinequest film festival in 2003. I don't usually do this, but I saw it three times then. I have since been hoping to see it again somewhere, or better yet, to buy it on DVD. I even tried to send some emails asking about it, and check for it from time to time.
It's a thrill ride that affected me and stays in my mind. In many ways, the story seems unbelievable, yet no more than many other films, I guess. Maybe it even reminds me of a few drunk and dangerous nights in my own life.
At one level it may be a parable about the dangers if women act too much like men. I can't find the right words for exactly why I like it, but I do.
Hank Williams First Nation (2005)
Expected fun, got great
This is mostly a movie about people and their most sincere levels of connection. Don't be confused by the title. Hank Williams is only the nail to hang this story from. In fact, although almost all of it centers on a town of Cree Indians in Alberta, it is a universal story of people going through their lives, living with family, and working to make or deal with connections. Funny at the start, interesting in the middle, moving in the last. A well filmed, well crafted story, that leads you along a simple path that will eventually fill your heart with more than you expected.
I think if there were any flaws, they were budget related. For instance, there was no actual Hank Williams music in the film, but I'm sure that was only due to the cost and complexity of arranging to use his music. At this lower-budget level, it works anyway. The script is great, actors feel real, and the filming looks good.
I expected a small light-hearted movie. It is that, in part. It is also a great story that slowly pulls you in, gets you involved, and then draws you to an experience that should resonate deeply if you have a heart. It seems simple but weaves that simplicity into something more. In the end I was choking back emotions. I walked out feeling myself taken to a place that makes me glad I keep looking for these film experiences -- sometimes because someone told me, sometimes unexpected.