Kain Rivers: The Boy with Three Names

I’m sure there’s some perfectly logical reason this young Russian singer has used three different names in the last two years! I can’t find it.

Using his latest pseudonym, Kain Rivers, this mostly blond, slim young Russian boy has been posting photos and videos on VK.com, even showing us his apartment, which seems to have security alarms all over.

/update Sep.2020 – Kirill Dmitrievich Rogovets-Zakon, also known by his stage name Kain Rivers (Russian: Кирилл Дмитриевич Роговец-Закон; born 25 June 2004) is a Ukrainian-Russian singer/

But then maybe he’s Ukrainian, and the alarm sounds in his video are emanating from his mobile. He is one of a whole new Renaissance of young artists from Russia, although not from the Ecole group.

This teen has his own YouTube channel and has been adding material to it. He also seems to be involved in fashion. He’s on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, OK, and Telegram, many of which have been dormant for months.

So let’s work back from the present and discover who’s behind the charade.

After seemingly touring to the Rhein and Italy, Kain posted a rather fanciful video in which he is a small person in a giant, sometimes the upside-down world. This is fascinating to start, but the tune is fairly laid-back, and the visual gets repetitive. It’s fun, but a video using the images collected on the route, which I had expected, did not appear.

Following up a lead, I discovered Dmitry Zakon, who seems to have international connections. Is he the producer behind the recent Kain videos? And the reason the second Kain name (Kirill Rogovets) suddenly changed to “Rogovets-Zakon” in August? Mysterious.

An entirely different presentation of Kain can be seen published on August 17, 2017, in which a classical, pure white world houses Kain singing sweetly in an enchanting ‘choir boy’ trilling treble. The melodramatic moves and portraits focus only on Kain, but since the language is foreign to me, I can only wonder what this is about (as usual, no English explanations).

A song called Mope (pronounced more) is shown as a bright, joyful, carefree video with an open sea and much sun, with a fun Caribbean style.

In a live TV performance earlier in May 2017 at a benefit concert (1+1 TV), Kain, this time called Kyrylo Cherpita, sings White Horses, a song I much enjoyed. What I liked here is Kain’s flawless presentation and his stunning range changes — from very tender falsetto to a raunchy, blues-type voice. I love the confidence and courage here, on national TV, and in front of a vast audience, perfectly at ease delivering this.

But then performing seems to motivate him, as in the 2016 VOICE competition where he also appeared nationwide, reaching the semi-finals. Another amazing young Russian singer, Ivan Iastrebov, won it but appeared not to have followed up his success on social media.

Still, as Kyrylo Cherpita (Кирилл Черпита), Kain sings Chandelier, giving us the chance to compare him to the awesome Gregory. His natural voice is strong here. Indeed, only the important sustained falsetto parts are less impressive than Dolgolenko. The ability to act out a song is another plus for Kain, who presents this with different tonal passages.

When I hear this fairly diminutive young boy perform on stage, I am surprised by the power he can generate.

Appearing on My3 TV, Kain sings Impossible with style. But an even better example is Its a Man’s World (2-Oct-2016 – The Voice-Blind Audition), showing off his incredible ability to interpret and slip into different voices.

In July, Kain sang Mope’ again, live, at the VK FEST 2017, and once again, we see what a promising performer he has already become. Finally, you should see The VOICE trio singing Loshadi, from which Kain advanced to the semis (2.3 million views/October 2017).

By whatever name you call him (or he calls himself), he’s a kid to watch for in the future. I wish him luck.

/update – 26.04.2021 – All the clips have been removed from the official YouTube channel of Kain Rivers. We have replaced what we could with clips hosted elsewhere.

The Buddy System (1984)

The Buddy System (1984) is an American film that mixes elements of romance, drama, comedy, and rite-of-passage experiences in an alluring manner. While its story doesn’t shine with originality, most of the dialogue is funky and witty, making the film entertaining. So much so that some scenes just have to be seen more than once and appear even funnier with each consecutive watch.

The movie follows the story of Emily (Susan Sarandon), a single mother who forms an unlikely friendship with her son’s school security guard. Her son, Tim (played really well by Wil Wheaton, in his debut role in cinema), has no friends and has never seen his father. But Tim manages to impress and consequently befriend the security guard at his school, and his experiences are what provide the film with its Coming-of-Age overtones.

Tim (Wil Wheaton) in The Buddy System (1984)

One cannot deny that the film appears a bit dated, but the 80’s feel, costumes and props induce a nostalgic vibe that only enhances the story by capturing the innocence of the past. The film is well directed and never gets boring despite the rather slow development of its narrative.

Tim (Wil Wheaton) and his mother Emily (Susan Sarandon) in The Buddy System (1984). The 80`s spirit can felt in many of the film`s scenes — Tim (Wil Wheaton) and his mother Emily (Susan Sarandon) in The Buddy System (1984). The 80`s spirit can be felt in many of the film’s scenes

Unfortunately, its second part (which comes almost an hour into the film’s length of two hours) is more concerned with the adult characters trying to figure out their lives and selves, thus providing less screen time for Wil Wheaton. But then, if one subscribes to the notion of Coming-of-Age as a lifelong process, enjoyment still can be derived (everyone grows up – except one boy).

Fans of the Coming-of-Age genre will also enjoy seeing Wil Wheaton’s debut role in cinema. Most, of course, have undoubtedly seen Wil in the classic film adaptation of Stephen King’s short story The Body called Stand By Me, which was released two years after this film, in 1986.

The Buddy System explores the nature of love, friendship, and interpersonal relationships complicated nature. This is not a typical Coming-of-Age film, but it has strong rite-of-passage influences and a talented young actor in one of its central roles. A heartwarming, likable little film – well worth one’s attention.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087006/combined

The Buddy System (1984)

Conclusion

The Buddy System is a heartwarming, likable little film with Wil Wheaton in one of its central roles.

4

OUR RATING

Mommy’s Little Boy (2017 TV Movie)

Mommy’s Little Boy is a Canadian television movie which mixes in murder, bullying, violence, neglect and lost of innocence. The story revolves around Briana (Bree Williamson), a single mother, and her two sons Eric (Peter DaCunha) and his half-brother Max (Auden Larrat). Briana does not treat her sons equally and, when her favorite (for she clearly has a favorite) dies in a tragic accident, she falls into a state of madness (aided by booze and drugs) and commits a fatal crime…

The tension continues to build until the finale when the story becomes cliché ridden (both in terms of stereotypical characters and development) and predictable. But the film still manages to both intrigue and entertain its viewers.

Most of the enjoyment is derived from the acting performance of Peter DaCunha as Eric, who manages to portray, in a touching manner, the internal turmoil and confusion of a young boy who struggles for acceptance and approval. Eric is supposed to appear vulnerable in some scenes and decisive in others, with a touch of silent madness due to the rather unusual family dynamics at his home. DaCunha delivers the dialogue with an intriguing accent, which further boosts the adorableness of his character. It is almost guaranteed that most viewers will be able to either associate or care about Eric – and that’s an achievement on its own.

Peter DaCunha as Eric in Mommy’s Little Boy

Some television movies are made so well that “television” just becomes a label. But that’s not the case with Mommy’s Little Boy. Some of the editing (especially the rapid cuts) and camerawork give away that it was shot on a relatively limited budget. It is not something that could ruin one’s viewing experience per se, but it does affect the story believability at times and it’s definitely noticeable. Still, the overall strong Coming-of-Age nature of the story and Eric’s sympathetic and complex character makes the film well worth watching.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5769006/combined

Mommy’s Little Boy (2017 TV Movie)

In short

A made for TV movie that manages to both intrigue and entertain its viewers.

3

Our rating

Playground (2016)

The Polish film Playground (original title Plac zabaw) made it into the official selection of many festivals, such those in San Sebastian and Warsaw. Its trailer is intriguing enough to raise one’s interest. A European film with a story set in the present day, with some controversy mixed in, is the kind of movie I tend to enjoy and write rave reviews about. Yet, despite my high expectations, this film fails to truly engage.

For most of the film’s duration we are introduced to its protagonists: the 12-year-old boys Czarek (Przemyslaw Balinski) and Szymek (Nicolas Przygodaand) and a girl Gabrysia (Michalina Swistun). In separate sequences, opening with a title announcing their names, we are shown their daily lives – at school and at home. But this characterization falls short of really involving the viewer with any of them.

Czarek (Przemyslaw Balinski) and Szymek (Nicolas Przygodaand)

Another letdown was the familiarity of the story and, therefore its predictability. While the central theme of the film revolves around bullying in its first part, in the second the film’s focus shifts into not much more than a dramatization of the Jon Venables and Robert Thompson criminal case, as if completely lifted from the court records. If you happen to have heard of the case – you know what is going to happen.

A good dramatization of a criminal case involving youth is not necessarily a bad thing (for example, the Court TV drama The Interrogation of Michael Crowe is a real masterpiece). But in the case of Playground the filmmakers could not decide what to focus on, consequently failing to portray bullying well (unlike the 2010 film from Denmark, My Best Enemy) or to be a good adaptation of a real-life criminal case.

Admittedly the finale is distressing and the usage of art-house cinema techniques (such as the way the story is split into parts, the usage of metaphors and symbols and the alternate shooting style and editing) could appeal to some viewers, yet overall as a Coming-of-Age film Playground is neither here nor there.

Any event in the film is a reality and a reflection of reality, but an artistic one. What is there to argue about? But for artistry, you need an artist, an author. In Playground, he is not present.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6094760/combined

Playground (2016)

Conclusion

Playground follows a pre-teen girl, her crush, and his best friend as they go through their relatively uneventful lives. But it's a shocking, tumultuous finale that is the all the talk about this film.

2.5

OUR RATING

Available at :

Amazon

The Day Will Come (2016)

The fact that a film is based on real events does not necessarily change one’s perception of it, unless the story is told in such a poignant way that it becomes impossible to remain indifferent. Such is the case with the 2016 Danish drama The Day Will Come (original title: Der kommer en dag) written by Søren Sveistrup and directed by Jesper W. Nielsen.

It tells the tale of two young brothers, Elmer and Erik, and their experience at a reformatory orphanage in Denmark in the 1960s. Elmer (Harald Kaiser Hermann) has deformed feet, but is able to move around thanks to a metallic cast he wears all the time. Despite his condition, Elmer loves Space and dreams of becoming an astronaut when he grows up.

His older brother Erik (Albert Rudbeck Lindhardt) is mostly interested in what all teenage boys are interested in at that age. The boys are raised up by a single hard-working mother who, while trying to make ends meet, sometimes loses control over her sons who are typical of the maxim “boys will be boys”, getting into all sorts of mischief.

When a the boys’ mother falls ill, the authorities oblige her by sending her sons to a reformatory orphanage, which should both take care of them and make sure that their “unacceptable social behavior” is corrected.

The boys are forced to work in the fields as part of their “education”

Being a Scandinavian film, one could expect no less from The Day Will Come but a stark, ultra-realistic approach to storytelling, one that does not spare its viewers in portraying violence and horrors, exploring the vulnerabilities of the young protagonists and the sadistic cruelty or bland indifference of many of the adult characters.

The Day Will Come – Trailer

A beautifully arranged musical score greatly enriches and enhances the film’s scenes, highlighting their emotional intensity (especially the scenes of emotional suffering which cannot be conveyed by visual means alone). At the same time, it also provides a sense of time and place (one of the most exciting scenes of the film is set to the famous 60’s tune by The Trashmen – Surfin Bird).

Lars Mikkelsen is truly chilling in his role as the headmaster

The excellence of this film would have not have been impossible if not for the adept casting of the film – both the child actors (whose expressions, especially the eyes on which the camera focuses frequently and which reveal much about their inner worlds), and the adult actors, whose repulsive actions and authoritarian take on a life, will shock and disgust the viewer. The expressions, words and behavior of the adult cast displays a completely different emotional state than those of the kids, but in an equally competent manner. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself hating a character (such as the school director), because of his actions and beliefs. It would be surprising if you don’t.

It took me some time to determine the identity of the narrator, since the events and characters are often introduced by a person who is relating his own experience to those of the brothers, while addressing the film’s audience. This little enigma provides a challenge that enriches the storytelling in an intriguing way.

Although the story told in The Day Will Come is unique on its own, I was reminded of several equally heart wrenching films from other regions of the world – such as Aisling Walsh‘s 2003 Irish Drama Song for a Raggy Boy, the Canadian 1992 television miniseries The Boys of St. Vincent, the 1996 American legal crime drama Sleepers, The Hungarian Torzok (also known as Abandoned), the Russian Lessons at the End of Spring … and many others.

All of those films are based on real life events and people, and take their toll on the viewer’s emotions, familiarize the audience with their young protagonists, make them care deeply about them and portray the loss of their innocence in distressing, upsetting and moving ways. Each and every one of the films mentioned above is a masterpiece of the Coming-of-Age cinema and focuses on the struggle for human dignity against a dehumanizing force, system, institution, or attitude.

The Day Will Come is no exception, a serious well–shot film that won’t entertain you, but will deliver an emotional cinematic experience you are unlikely to easily forget.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4659056/combined

You can find the movie on NetFlix ( subject to regional availibility )

The Day Will Come (2016)

Conclusion

ultra-realistic

beautifully arranged musical score

adept casting

Familiar story

4.8

Our rating

Grand Hotel (2016)

You don’t get a second chance with the important things ….

Or do you?

To find out the non-definitive answer to this question, you will have to watch Arild Fröhlich’s 2016 film Grand Hotel, coming straight from Norway. Not a Coming-of-Age movie per se, it does feature many rite-of-passage nuances, life truths, and valuable observations affecting the life of its lead protagonists.

Håkon Bøhmer and Atle Antonsen in Grand Hotel

They happen to be Axel Farstad (Atle Antonsen), a self-assured, snobby, and arrogant best-selling author who has a serious life-threatening issue with alcohol and the charming ten-year-old Noah (Håkon Bøhmer) whose Tourette’s Syndrome (repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics) and ADHD make a perfect target for the school bullies.

The first encounter between Alex and Noah (one of the funniest scenes in the film, which also reveals a lot about their characters from the get-go) takes place in the lobby of the city’s Grand Hotel. Noah’s mother (Vera Vitali) works as a receptionist in the hotel while Alex is checking in. Alex is trying to return to his former glory as a prosperous author …in the days before alcohol took control.

Håkon Bøhmer in Grand Hotel — Håkon Bøhmer’s expressions make his character

Alex is often grumpy and fond of saying what’s on his mind straightforwardly, even when speaking to a youngster:

You aren’t cute just because you are a kid.

Some circumstances and turns of events make Alex responsible for Noah – and it is their interaction that provides the most significant coming-of-age nuances in the film. Of course, the story of an intergenerational friendship between a grumpy man and a young inquisitive kid has often been addressed in the Coming-of-Age cinema (Clint Eastwood’s 1982 film Honkytonk Man or more recently Theodore Melfi’s 2014 film St. Vincent, starring Bill Murray and Jaeden Lieberher, are just two examples). But the Norwegian Grand Hotel offers a unique twist, thanks to the strong social subplots and the variety of themes it addresses: single moms and their peculiarities, the importance of being oneself, how to be a jerk, how to be a friend, alcoholism, and, last but not least, second chances or the lack of them.

Most of the film’s characterization is done through dialogue, while the conflicts are predominately internal, with the characters struggling for dignity against the human weaknesses present in their own personalities. Both Atle Antonsen and the young Håkon Bøhmer are extremely convincing in their roles of troubled adult and troubled kid, and one is able to observe how their interactions alter their personalities.

The film’s central message is believing in oneself and others, giving people a chance, and receiving them yourself. It offers a lot of room for interpretation, but depending on one’s preferences, it can also be enjoyed on a superficial level.

As an added extra, by the end of the film, you will likely know one swear word in Norwegian, which could be an advantage depending on one’s viewpoint. And, if you get into trouble, you can always blame it on the Tourette’s Syndrome.

Nothing disappointed me in how the story was told, not even the ending. Overall, Grand Hotel exceeded all of my expectations (which are often high, especially in the Scandinavian cinema). This is a pleasant cinematic experience well worth one’s time. Grand Hotel is a must-see.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5195390/combined

Grand Hotel (2016)

Conclusion

A pleasant cinematic experience well worth one's time, Grand Hotel is a must see.

5

Our rating

Canada’s René Simard: The Early Years

René Claude Simard was born in 1961 in Chicoutimi, Quebec, one of seven children. He started singing in a church choir where his father taught all his kids to sing. Later René sang some tunes with his younger sister Nathalie.

he sold more records by age 14 in Canada than Elton John, Anne Murray, Gordon Lightfoot or The Rolling Stones

But the first thing you should know about René, who is now 56 (2017), is that he sold more records by age 14 in Canada than Elton John, Anne Murray, Gordon Lightfoot or The Rolling Stones! And this is back in the vinyl age, the time people really went to a music store to buy a record.

Even after his boyhood voice had changed, René remained popular with a charming, rich, and mature voice which reminds me somewhat of Andy Williams. In the Canadian province of Quebec, René sold more albums than Elvis Presley or The Beatles.

René was discovered and managed by Guy Cloutier (now 77). His first album was produced by René Angelil, the same man who later managed and eventually married Celine Dion.

René Simard – L’oiseau

In Quebec ‘le p’tit Simard’ first appeared to viewers in a 1971 Laura Secord pudding commercial. There is a documentary film called Un enfant comme les autres about him from 1972. At age nine, René sang on a talent search show called Les Decouvertes de Jen Roger on CFTM TV in Montreal.

René started by singing traditional and church songs, later many ballads and pop songs. His first album sold nearly 200,000 times, produced by Cloutier’s label Nobel.

But his international breakthrough came in 1974, at the Tokyo Music Festival representing Canada. He won the Grand Prix, which was awarded by Frank Sinatra, and started down the road to becoming a Japanese idol singer. René actually learned the Japanese lyrics to many of these songs (Respect).

René Simard sings Sayonara 1974

Listen to Sayonara (1974), Haiko no Hato, Chilisana Inochi and Midori ro No yana, which René presented in concert with stunning clear stylish notes. Also at this time (1974), two films appeared: René Simard au Japon and J’ai mon voyage. In 1975 René sang Mizo iru (Blue Angel) and his young Nippon fans loved it.

Rene Simard Chiisana Inochi/Boku No Kuni E Oide

Having conquered Quebec and Japan, young Simard set out to impress the American audience. — a big task because teen singers like Michael Jackson, Donny Osmond and David Cassidy were already popular at that time. René was learning English and soon had a use for it, making TV guest appearances on shows headlined by international stars: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Liza Minnelli, Andy Williams and Liberace all had him on, just to name a few. Later there were two nationwide “lives” from Disneyworld, in Florida and California. He also appeared on the Jerry Lewis MDS Telethon from Las Vegas.

René Simard – Ma mère est un ange

http://youtu.be/xd-inzxQxLc

During these years, he sang some of the most stunning ballads, in my opinion — songs that have an almost mystic quality, songs that ring out to eternity like a fabulous boy chime under a crystal dome. They were songs like Ma Mere est un Ange, Les Dimanches Apres Midi (1974), Maman,Laisse-moi sortir ce soir (1975), Bebe Bleu (1975) and Non…pleure pas (1974).

In 1976, René Simard sang the Olympic theme song Bienvenue at Montreal.

There was no internet then, instead a whole gaggle of bright teeny bop magazines like Teen Beat, Tiger Beat, Sixteen and Super Teen spread news for fans. Today there are many more good quality recordings preserved on various media sites.

It’s interesting to compare voices, because René also sang some of Heintje‘s songs, converted to French — high notes sailing out clearly and controlled, without falsetto, both singers sounding exceptional. To me, the difference is that Heintje’s voice is stronger, more complete; René’s slightly thinner. But both singers outstanding talents in different languages.

Pourquoi La Guerre (Deine Tränen sind auch Meine) 1973 all

Le vieux Bateau (Kleine Kinder,Kleine Sorgen)

L’orphelin (Ich sing ein Lied für dich)

René Simard – Non…pleure pas

René’s first huge song was L’oiseau, a sugar sweet ballad that displays his ability to hit and hold high notes, almost without effort. But I prefer Non…pleure pas (1974) with which he won Best Song at the Tokyo Music Festival. This enchanting ballad reveals the full range of his voice in a “solo chanson” style. A different style showing René’s jazzy, night-club voice is heard in Maman, laisse-moi sortir ce soir, which i really enjoyed. Of course, he was not singing at any night clubs back then.

To get some idea of what a clever young entertainer René was, watch a lampoon duet René Simard and Denise Filiatrault on Youtube, with some comic dialogue and cameos.

http://youtu.be/8Kmdt345Kds

Simard was maturing and, in 1977, he returned to do a Quebec tour of 25 towns. Shortly afterwards he hosted The Rene Simard Show on CBC Vancouver, produced by Alan Thicke, which ran for two years.

Later Years

Since this is not a life biography but a review of his early music, I will touch only briefly on René’s later years.

In the 1980’s, his image changed to that of “a seductive young man”. He married in 1987 and later had two children, both born “deaf”, a dysfunction which was later corrected with implants.

In 1988, he promoted songs in French on a CBC TV show Laser 33-45. In 1984, he won a Felix Award for Comment ca va, and other awards followed.

the brilliance of this treble,or boy soprano,leaves a lasting impression.

But for this article, the brilliance of this treble, or boy soprano, leaves a lasting impression. He ranks among the best, and would be a huge sensation in today’s social media age. It’s very curious to me that many Canadians and others have never heard him.

In 2014, René Simard was named a member of The Order of Canada.

Kisses (2017)

Sean U’Ren‘s 2017 film Kisses is a shocking and impactful attempt to embed Coming-of-Age experiences in a horror film narrative. Surprising twists and smart visual metaphors of growing up and adolescent sexuality make the film intriguing and worth watching despite its duration of fewer than four minutes.

Kisses is well-acted and directed while the music score highlights the tension. Some scenes may disturb the viewer, but it’s nothing outside of what one expects to see in a horror-themed flick.

https://vimeo.com/401444444

[imdb]https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6130832/reference[/imdb]

Kisses (2017)

In short

A shocking and impactful film that attempts to embed Coming-of-Age experiences in a horror film narrative.

3.8

Our rating

Heartstone (2016)

Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson‘s 2016 film Heartstone for me was one of my most anticipated films – reading about it, watching other films by the director, and watching the trailer over and over were just some of the activities that warmed me up to the cinematic experience of actually watching it.

Now that I have seen it, admittedly, its story turned out to be different from what the trailer led me to believe it would be about. Yet, my extremely high expectations about the quality of the production and the storytelling were met and exceeded.

A Coming-of-Age film set in a remote fishing village in Iceland, Heartstone is about the close friendship between two adolescent boys: Thor (Baldur Einarsson) and Kristian (Blær Hinriksson) and the challenges they face as they struggle to comprehend their feelings towards girls and each other.

Cinematographically, the film is a true masterpiece, utilizing a predominately subjective cinematic point of view, with extreme close-up shots that stress intimacy between the characters (in some scenes, the dampness on the protagonist’s forehead caused a palpable warm feeling and uneasiness in me). Other scenes are barely lit, as the filmmakers rely on sound and the viewer’s imagination to fill in the details.

Friendship Thor (Baldur Einarsson) and Kristian (Blær Hinriksson) — Friendship: Thor (Baldur Einarsson) and Kristian (Blær Hinriksson)

Iceland’s natural beauty has not been forgotten and is well captured in the stunning panoramic shots that enhance the overall impact of the picture. Undoubtedly the notion that the film speaks the language of the senses is well validated in Heartstone.

While reviewing another film, produced and directed by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, (namely the short film Ártún) I made a note of how Scandinavian Coming-of-Age films and, in particular those originating in Iceland, portray the rites-of-passage of their young protagonists in a daring, true-to-life manner and Heartstone is no exception.

Heartstone Trailer

The portrayal of youthful sexuality, from self-exploration to jokes and tenderness (again, the comparisons with Barnens ö and World Wide Woven Bodies come to mind), may cause unease in the most conservative viewers of the film. Yet it’s shot in a non-exploitive, poignant and intimate manner that demonstrates that, as in “real” life, sexuality is not all that peoples’ lives revolve around, but that it’s an integral part of one’s identity and provides an invaluable insight into the characters’ personalities. In all fairness, Heartstone’s main theme is the friendship between Thor and Kristian, but there are a variety of subplots and happenings that add nuances to it (sexuality being one of them).

The two young leads are phenomenal in their roles, and they contribute significantly to the portrayal of boyhood and Coming-of-Age per se. The characters of Thor and Kristian are, at times, confused, strong, weak, smart, silly, mischievous, rough or tender …and Baldur Einarsson and Blær Hinriksson have somehow managed to portray that vast spectrum of emotions in a very effective way, ensuring that one can associate with them and care about their fate. Many of their experiences are universal and, when watching the film, one’s mind is guaranteed to evoke long-forgotten yet precious sentiments about past loves and friendships.

Visually beautiful and well-acted, Heartstone is a poignant film that earns my highest recommendation.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4613254/combined

The two young actors who played the leads jointly won the Blue Angel award for Best Male Performance at the 2017 Art Film Festival and the film itself won several different awards for Best Feature Film that year.

Heartstone (2016)

Summary

Visually beautiful and well-acted, Heartstone is a poignant film that earns the highest recommendation.

4.8

Our Rating

Available at :

Amazon Prime

The Color of Milk (2004)

It’s not often that I get to enjoy a well-made Coming-of-Age story whose main protagonist is female. While such films do exist, discovering them is a real challenge. I often point out that associating with the feelings and experiences of female characters is not as easy for me as recalling them from my boyhood days. Yet I seem to forget that girls are constantly interacting with the world around them – teachers, relatives…and, yes, boys.

Boys…they are peculiar creatures. Yet not paying attention to them is a challenge all its own, as the 12-year-old Selma (Julia Krohn) and her friends Ingun (Marie Kinge) and Elin (Maria Elisabeth A. Hansen) discover. The three young Norwegian girls deal with peer pressure and expectations of “normality” in the 2004 film The Color of Milk(The Color of Milk (aka Neither Naked nor Dressed, Selma and Andy, original title Ikke naken), written and directed by Torun Lian (who has a serious reputation in Norway as an author of youth-oriented stories).

The Color of Milk is a typical character-based Coming-of-Age drama with romance nuances. In it, we experience the world through the eyes and mind of its young protagonist – in this case, a highly intelligent 12-year-old girl – who refuses to obey forced gender roles and expectations and struggles to make her own path in life. She does this, whenever possible, while avoiding boys and their “disgusting” manners and behavior toward young girls like her.

Unfortunately, Selma’s best friends give in to expectations, temptation, curiosity, or some weird mixture of all of those. This leaves her alone in her quest to make intelligent choices, instead of relying on instincts that the human race has inherited from reptiles (that’s Selma’s theory, not mine).

To complicate things further, Selma notices some weird feelings of her own, feelings that fail to fit her scientifically proven life analysis. She finds she has these feelings, especially regarding a visiting university student from Sweden, and with Andy (Bernhard Naglestad), a young boy who has shown interest in her and even in her scientific analysis of life and death.

Admittedly, the plot does not shine with originality, but the young actors are incredibly talented and natural in front of the camera, which by itself guarantees that both girl and boy viewers (even the grown-up ones) will be able to associate with them and their experiences. I could not help but remember how I once ditched my friends on a soccer field to be with the girl I had a crush on. I’m not sure that’s something to boast about , but … that memory was clearly invoked by this film’s narrative.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3-S5A0Yg18

The loving gaze and facial expressions of the young Bernhard Naglestad as Andy in the scenes he shares with Selma are so acute that I feel that the boy might have had a crush on Julia Krohn who portrays Selma. Whether this is true or not, (and we may never find out) the fact that one wonders about it is telling on its own.

Norwegian filmmaking style in portraying youth stories is present in The Color of Milk: brightly lit scenes, an abundance of close-ups, vivid colors, and an intriguing way of portraying childhood in a manner that is simply pretty to look at. The perception of the romance in some scenes is boosted by quiet piano music, which characterizes the film’s musical score.

While the film is not the kind that would affect you strongly emotionally, or one that is memorable on its own, watching it is a pleasant nostalgia-infused experience that would perfectly fit a lazy Sunday afternoon of viewing.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425125/combined

The Color of Milk (2004)

Summary

Three young Norwegian girls deal with peer pressure and expectations of "normality", in The Color of Milk, a typical character based Coming-of-Age drama with romance nuances.

4

Our Rating

The Big Dam (2015)

A co-production of Switzerland and the United States, the 2015 short film The Big Dam (Original title: Le barrage) has won many awards at international festivals. It tells the story of a father-son outing to Europe’s biggest dam, a trip that ends up putting their relationship to the test.

The central theme of The Big Dam (2015) is family dynamics and how events in the past shape one’s present. In order to better understand the character’s backgrounds, the film relies on dialogue, in which what is being said is as important as how it is being said.

That’s how one starts to notice the internal conflict in the mind of the father, who wants to spend some quality time with his son, yet can’t completely relinquish the past. The Coming-of-Age experiences of the young protagonist are intertwined with the anger that is harbored deeply inside the mind of his father.

To emphasize the present emotional state of the characters, some scenes are shot with an intentionally shaky camera. Initially, I was not fond of the way the film ended but, after giving it some thought, I realized that the ending is essentially complex in its simplicity – accurately portraying the inner turmoil and drama in the minds of the film’s protagonists.

Recommended.

The Big Dam (2015)

Summary

A young boy is forced to grow up when a weekend getaway with his father puts their relationship to a test.

3.5

Our Rating

More about the film

IMDB

Boogaloo and Graham (2014)

Have you ever owned a pet chicken?

Whatever the answer, you would likely want to get one as soon as you watch the charming Irish short film Boogaloo and Graham. Directed by Michael Lennox, it’s the story of two adolescent brothers, Jamesy (Riley Hamilton) and Malachy (Aaron Lynch), and of Boogaloo and Graham, their adorable pet chickens. (Everyone’s got a dog, but a chicken…. now that’s something else).

A Coming-of-Age experience, remembered and narrated by the grown-up boys themselves, the film offers a nostalgic peek into their childhoods, complete with a 70s music score and a lot of humorous dialogue and events. True, the accents are sometimes hard to grasp, but they also boost the overall heartwarming feel of the story.

Boogaloo and Graham proves that if one juxtapositions the innocence of youth and the harsh realities of adulthood, then adds some delightful young actors and even a surprising plot twist, the result will be a “feel good” Irish movie that is sure to put a smile on your face.

It doesn’t come as surprise that Boogaloo and Graham was nominated for an Oscar in 2015 and won the BAFTA award for Best British Short Film in the same year.

Highly recommended!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3612232/combined

Boogaloo and Graham (2014)

In short

A Coming-of-Age narrative, Boogaloo and Graham is a "feel good" Irish movie that is sure to put a smile on your face.

5

OUR RATING

TheSkyKid.com

TheSKyKid.com

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The Color of Milk (2004)

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Boogaloo and Graham (2014)