Secret World (1969) is an exquisitely shot French film directed by Paul Feyder and Robert Freeman. It focuses on the intense feelings and fascination of 11-year-old Francois (Jean-Francois Vlerick) towards a much older woman.
Secret World (1969)
Introducing Keanrah
Singers coming from countries in which English is not a primary language generally face more challenges on the way to international popularity than from those countries where it is. Of course, every rule has its exceptions – like the South Korean singer Psy. Thirteen-year-old (03/05/2001) Keanrah, who is from Achern, Germany, found a great ally in tackling the challenge of showcasing his singing (and dancing) abilities in the German DJ and producer/promoter Vichy Ratey.
Yes, as in the same Vichy Ratey who was briefly introduced in an article promoting another young talented performer titled: Mike Singer: A Year Under the Spotlight. In fact his presentation of Keanrah shares some of the same ingredients as Mike’s – namely upbeat vibes, colorful and vibrant video clips and, of course, a singer who genuinely enjoys his time under the spotlight (in front of the camera).
Sadly, as is the case with Mike Singer, one can hardly find information about Keranrah in the English speaking blogosphere. Yet, seemingly, Keanrah has a significant Russian following based on the number of small bits about him posted on the VK.com (which is like the Russian Facebook).
A possible explanation for that – his mother is of Russian origin, which makes one wonder if we could witness a song from him sung in Russian one day. Apparently not long ago, long hair preceded his trendy haircut, which has become a kind of trademark for him (similar to Justin Biber’s haircut that caused so many teenage boys to get the same one – even while some were openly criticizing his music at the time).
Apparently he owns a Wii and is a Minecraft fanatic (doesn’t come as a surprise at his age).
Admittedly, at first I was a bit skeptical when I saw Keanrah’s first video clip, but then noted a significant progression in his musical skills and a confidence boost, which every young performer has to have.
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You can find more about Keanrah on his fan page at Vk.Com, and on YouTube
Toyland (2007)
Nazi Germany and a young Jewish boy… shades of Mark Herman’s 2008 masterpiece The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Such a combination can only bring gloomy expectations for the outcome of any story about them.
The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone (2009)
On the streets of Philadelphia an ex-convict and former boxer is released from prison, trying to get his life back on track. He forges an unlikely friendship with a 14-year-old Puerto Rican boy from an abusive household, after witnessing him getting beat up by bullies on the street. A chance to mentor and for redemption, but it all comes at a price.
The story in The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone follows the classic three-act structure yet, unfortunately, the dramatic final scenes do not fully compensate for the slow paced exposition and development of the story.
If you have seen any of the Karate Kid movies, you will find a lot of similarities in the plot: a bullied kid, a surrogate father figure…etc. The 1976 sport drama Rocky and the 1992 film starring Edward Furlong, American Heart, also share similar motifs with The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone.
While the production value of Director James Quattrochi is somewhat inferior to the films mentioned above (mostly due to some issues with casting and directing), the film’s story manages to evoke strong emotions while illustrating the impact a positive influence and true friendship can have on the development of a young person.
The benefits of learning from one another in an inter-generational friendship, from inspiring self-confidence to discovering a way to redemption for mistakes of the past, is emphasized in The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone, making the film inspirational and entertaining at the same time.
At times, the dialogue comes across as stilted – almost as if it were over-rehearsed. While this may cause an annoyance for some viewers, I was willing to dismiss it due to the enthusiasm with which newcomer Paul Orrantia played the role of the 14-year-old Jesus.
A classic tale of redemption, the narrative in the film also suffers from predictability, to a significant extent. But somehow one feels satisfied that expectations are met, rather than feeling annoyed and, in the final scene, one is left with the feeling that the film is well worth seeing despite its shortcomings.
The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone Trailer
Bastard (2011)
“…Sometimes a bad past is better than none…”
Discovering who we really are — that’s a challenge that some people never complete. Carsten Unger’s 2011 film Bastard offers a distinctive exploration of human nature in a disturbing and effective manner
Jerrycan (2008)
No one’s life is truly mundane, even if at times it may appear that this is the case. Julius Avery‘s 2008 film Jerrycan (also known as Benzinkanister) focuses on the Coming-of-Age experience of its protagonist Nathan (Tristan Burke) told in a melancholic, true-to-life manner.
The setting of Jerrycan plays an important role in the character development of its protagonist – a small Australian town and its outskirts. It’s a rough environment, emphasized further by the choice of music in the film’s soundtrack: three great songs performed by Australian rock bands – from energetic progressive rock to folk (nearly country sounding). There is even a nod to Capcom’s classical arcade game Street Fighter, which is used to establish the time period and refer to the age of the film’s heroes.
Variable selective focusing techniques, hand held cameras and natural lighting are the most notable features of the film’s cinematography.
The actors deliver convincing performances, which somewhat surprised me as they are not professional actors. This was their first experience in front of a camera. They came across very naturally, probably close to who they really are in everyday life. Which served the film very well as it aims to emulate the everyday life of teenagers. The film’s message, a lamenting cry of hope and building up the strength to stand one’s own ground, comes across without any pompous development of its narrative.
The tone of the film is a bit unusual for it being an Australian short film. Most often such films tend to be uplifting, cute and funny ( Tommy The Kid , Monkey Bar Mafia,Marry Me to name but a few titles). Yet Jerrycan delivers an intriguing viewing experience by challenging the viewer to perceive the world through the eyes of a kid who is yet to form his character.
Jerrycan won AACTA Award for Best Short Fiction Film and the Jury Prize at the 61st Cannes Film Festival.
Jerrycan Trailer
http://youtu.be/4rJWzg51_Kc
The Wooden Gun (1979)
Reading the synopsis of Ilan Moshenson’s 1979 film The Wooden Gun (original title: Roveh Huliot) can convince the reader that the film is filled with ideology. That’s probably why I was initially skeptical about the Israeli film. Yet I decided to give it a chance – and discovered that The Wooden Gun is much more a Coming-of-Age tale than a political fable.
Sole a catinelle (2013)
If you like uplifting films, you can’t go wrong viewing Gennaro Nunziante‘s 2013 comedy Sole a catinelle (Sun in Buckets). Unlike most Italian films, Sole a catinelle is the antithesis of Italian Neorealism. While you may have to forgo your sense of disbelief, doing so is guaranteed to give you 87 minutes of pure fun.
A Children’s Story (2004)
“… mistakes can also be a remedy, if one has guts…”
I have grown up with the Italian Mafia themed series The Octopus (La Piovra) and know that for crime drama one can’t go wrong by choosing an Italian film. A Children’s Story (Italian: Certi bambini) promises
Introducing Will Homewood
Will Homewood, now aged 14, goes to a boarding school in Oxfordshire England called Sibford School.
I had almost forgotten what an important nurturing place a school can be until I discovered my high school in Canada had burned down last year! The stage and auditorium were magic portals for me back then at the same age of 14.
Tom und Hacke (2012)
Adaptations based on classic novels do not always inspire enthusiasm to be seen on the big screen. More often than not, such films fail to capture the essence of the works they are based on. The different medias, the cinematic potential of the original work, length and depth are just some of the challenges that are faced by the filmmaker.
Director Norbert Lechner manages to address all of those challenges in his 2012 film Tom und Hacke, loosely based on Mark Twain‘s novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Oliver! at Trinity Rep: A Review
When it was first suggested to me that I write a review of the production of Oliver! by the Providence (Rhode Island) Trinity Repertory Company (Trinity Rep), my first reaction was that maybe there wouldn’t be enough interest in the show to warrant me publishing a review of it on this site.