Indian Horse

 

Indian Horse is a Canadian drama adapted from the fictional novel of the same name by Richard Wagamese. The story spans over three decades, from the 1950s until the 1970s, in Ontario Canada. It follows an Ojibwe boy, Saul Indian Horse, as he is torn from his family and forced into a residential school, where he is stripped of his culture and language. The only respite from the trauma he must endure is hockey. Will Saul be able to face his pain and forge his own path to the NHL or will he fall into a pattern of self-destruction?

Although the film is fictional, the subject matter regarding the abuses experienced by children at residential schools and the ongoing racism that those from the Indigenous community experienced as adults were all factual.

You could tell the budget for this film wasn’t much but the cinematographer did well with what was given. Some of the topics were hard to watch but were filmed in a way that was tasteful. You could see how distressing living in the residential schools could be and you could really empathize for those children.

The script moved well and kept me engaged throughout. Sometimes the writing was a bit corny but overall it was clear in its themes around family, culture, and mental health.

The acting from all of the people who played Saul, Sladen Peltier as a child, Forrest Goodluck as a teenager, and Ajuawak Kapashesit in his later years, was impressive. They were each able to showcase a good amount of range to really make you become invested in this character.

Overall, this was a well-made, educational film. For those unfamiliar with residential schools in Canada, I’d definitely recommend checking out this movie.

The Woman King

 

The Woman King is a historical drama by Love & Basketball director Gina Prince-Bythewood. Set in the 1820s, it follows the Agojie, an all-female warrior group sworn to protect the West African kingdom of Dahomey. The film stars Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, and John Boyega.

The costumes and hair stylings were beautiful and historically accurate. The showcase of South African culture with the dances and initiations was also amazing to see.

This casting was impeccable. Everyone brought their best to their roles. Viola Davis as Nanisca, the leader of the Agojie. She projected an unmatchable strength and poise. She stepped in and really dominated this leading role. Thuso Mbedu is someone I hadn’t seen in any roles prior. However, after seeing her portrayal of Nawi, I want to seek out more of her work. She brought such a great amount of range to this role. She was innocent yet still very strong-willed. Her unwillingness to bend to the undesirable wishes of others was also great to see. Lashana Lynch is such a talent. I’ve seen her in a number of big blockbusters, including No Time to Die and Captain Marvel, but she never got the amount of screen time she deserved. In the role of Izogie she was finally able to showcase her full talent. She was funny with a mothering nature and also an impressive fortitude. Sheila Atim was great in Bruised as Halle Berry’s coach and love interest, so I was excited to see her in the role of Amenza. She projected an unmatchable forte and loyalty to Nanisca. John Boyega was also great as King Ghezo. He did well in never outshining the women and his character was one that understood the importance of evolving. Hero Fiennes Tiffin was an unexpected casting choice as Santo Ferreira. I’m more used to seeing him in young adult, brooding roles, like the After franchise, so it was impressive to see him step outside of his typecast and portray a role that is completely different and to do it well.

Seeing strong women who are the line of defense for a nation was impactful. The Dora Milaje from Marvel’s Black Panther were inspired by this group of women. The fight choreography was done by the same people who contributed to Black Panther. You could see the influence in the crisp and clean Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. The difference for The Woman King was the way it was filmed and enacted in a more gritty and believable manner.

In the end, representation is so important. To see a primarily Black cast in a story where Africans are not only victims, but also the breaker of chains, was something that filled me with pride. The Woman King was a well written, confidence boosting, heart filling, and refreshing piece of cinema. This is history not often told but is one that everyone should see.

The Northman

 

The Northman is a historical, medieval, action-thriller. A Scandinavian tale of revenge that follows Amleth, a Viking Prince on a quest to avenge the murder of his father. The film stars and is produced by Alexander Skarsgård. Completing the ensemble are Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy and Ethan Hawke.

The script wasn’t always easy to understand; it was almost Shakespearian. The writing was an interesting choice as William Shakespeare's Prince Hamlet from Hamlet, Prince of Denmark was inspired by Amleth. Although the script was not always comprehensible, I did appreciate the usage of the Nordic language throughout. The plot was fast moving and had unexpected twists which I appreciated. I could also see how this story could have potentially even inspired other films like The Lion King, The Sword in the Stone or even Gladiator.

The lighting, cinematography and editing were artistic and creative. It reminded me of Denzel Washington’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, which I also criticized for its symbolism being too convoluted and at times not making sense.

The casting did well in primarily choosing people of Nordic descent. The majority of the cast did a descent acting job and were able to master the accents. My only critiques were in the casting of Nicole Kidman and Ethan Hawke. Neither were particularly convincing as Scandinavian and just seemed oddly placed. Additionally, the character development was lacking, so I wasn’t necessarily drawn to any one person and therefore wasn’t fully invested in this story.

I had a feeling watching the previews that this movie wouldn’t be that great and in the end, that was confirmed. This is not a movie I would see again nor recommend for others to see. There is much better Vikings inspired content out there.

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is a comedy starring Jo Koy as Joe Valencia, a struggling actor and standup comedian, who begrudgingly sets off, with his son, to see his family during Easter Sunday.

The plot was engaging but a bit extreme at times. The script wasn't as funny as I hoped it would be, however there were a few jokes intertwined that did make me chuckle. I really enjoyed the themes around staying true to yourself, the importance of family and setting petty differences aside to come together. 

The casting was refreshing. I really appreciated seeing so many different Filipino actors represented. Some of which I had seen in other projects so it was great to see them again. This was the first time I’d seen Joy Koy in a lead role. I thought he did a pretty good job but for me it was the women that really stole the show. Lydia Gaston as his mother Susan and Tia Carrere as his aunt, Tita Teresa, were the stars for me. I loved their dynamic. It was so relatable and they played really well off of one another.

Overall this was a beautiful depiction of Filipino-American culture and shows, once again, how important it is to have diverse perspectives in film. It also showed, in some ways, how alike we all really are. 

Thor: Love and Thunder

 

Thor: Love and Thunder is the fourth instalment of the franchise and picks up after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Thor, still looking for a sense of contentment and trying to cope with the large amount loss he has stuffed at the hands of Thanos, must put his feelings aside to team up with Valkyrie, Korg and Jane Foster to try to defeat a new enemy, Gorr the God Butcher. A villain who will stop at nothing to make all Gods extinct.

Taika Waititi came back as the writer, director and cast member of this film. He did a great job picking up where he left off after Thor: Ragnarok, which were some big shoes to fill. Love and Thunder had more heart and depth than any of the previous Thor films. It was entertaining and more serious while including bits of comedy, which I thought was a great mix. The costumes, cinematography and action sequences were put together flawlessly. The themes around choosing love over destruction and figuring out who you are as a person were all prevalent throughout.

I enjoyed the conscious effort to bring back the cast from previous films. Not only did Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson and Taika Waititi reprise their roles as Thor, King Valkyrie and Korg respectively, but they also got Natalie Portman back as Jane Foster. I particularly enjoyed seeing Matt Damon and Luke Hemsworth again in their minor yet hilarious roles. The guest appearances of the Guardians of the Galaxy were hilarious, I wish we had more time with them. They all play so well off of each other, I could easily see an entire movie with them and Thor.

Regarding the main cast Christian Bale played a superb villain. He was someone that was complex and had a backstory you could empathize with. I thought Portman looked great in the role as a Mighty Thor. I criticized her role in prior Thor films but I must say I liked her so much more in this film. She gave great range, had strong chemistry with Hemsworth and Thompson and was likeable. Speaking of Tessa Thompson, she is my favorite, she can do no wrong in my book and was great, once again, as King Valkyrie. Her dry, deadpan sense of humor works so well off of Thor’s more childlike humor. Hemsworth brought the same energy and comedic timing to Thor that we now know and love. I also thought it was sweet that he had his daughter in this movie.

I am such a fan of this new direction of Thor, and I know Chris Hemsworth has been on record saying he’d do this role as long as Disney and the fans wanted him to, so I am on board for however much longer he and Taika want make these fun, character driven, action fantasies. 

Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist

 

Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist is a Netflix original documentary that follows how former NFL linebacker, Manti Te'o’s, life and career were altered. From a well-respected and highly sought out All-American Notre Dame linebacker to an internet meme.

This two part documentary did a great job of clearly playing out both sides of this complicated and rather sad story of two people who were lonely and looking for companionship. Unfortunately one of those people was not being truthful about who they were and it ended up causing a media firestorm.

I remember clearly when Manti Te'o entered the 2013 NFL draft and all the controversy surrounding his personal life. The jokes and memes were everywhere. What I didn’t know was just how bad things got for him. And how devastating it was, seeing everything played back. He really took the brunt of the criticism for being catfished. People were so obsessed with his sexuality and thinking he lied to get a better draft stock or attention, when in reality he was the victim. And sadly he still struggles with the trauma that caused ten years later.

What I took away from this documentary film was that we all as a people and the media we support need to be more thoughtful of how we talk about people. We really have no idea what is going on in other people's lives and should be more considerate of that.