The 2013 Canadian drama Hold Fast, directed by Justin Simms, features a touching story that would appeal to some viewers, while others will be disappointed by the lack of suspense and plot twists. Essentially the focus lies on the rite-of-passage of 14-year-old Michael (Avery Ash) who loses both his parents in a car accident.
“The events of childhood do not pass, but repeat themselves like seasons of the year”Eleanor Farjeon
We will probably never have such friends as the ones we had in our childhood. The magical time of our youth – filled with innocence, discoveries and joys — is the central theme of the creative short film that Tomas Makovsky directed for the musical piece Interdependence by Adrian Corker.
We follow 12-year-old Jack, the central character, growing up in small-town Texas in the 1950s, struggling with conflicted feelings toward his mercurial father: love and dread, both.
Troubled youth, a popular young actor in the lead role – that about sums up all I knew about the 1999 Thierry Redler film La traversée du phare (Crossing the Lighthouse). With such a significant unawareness, it didn’t come as a surprise that this French made-for-TV film totally exceeded my expectations, ending up being one of the best Coming-of-Age films I have ever seen.
Cotolay, a 1966 movie by the Spanish film director and screenplay writer Jose Antonio Nieves Conde, meets the general characteristics of a Coming-of-Age story “emphasizing dialogue or internal monologue over action”. Yet due to its linear, slow paced plot development and hefty film length, the viewing experience is sub par.
As this is an English language blog, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that most of the artistic performances reviewed by TheSkyKid.com come from countries where English is the primary language. But we must never forget that young talent lives all over the world, so we are thrilled when we can review a quality film, stage show or concert in a language other than English.
In that vein, we would like to introduce the musical Остров Сокровищ (Treasure Island), based on the bestselling adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. The Russian production of the show is by the Circus and Theater Company “Aquamarine” and is wowing audiences in Moscow. Described as a “musical adventure about friendship and true evil, betrayal, courage and fearlessness, about unruly poems and a beautiful, alluring sense of freedom”, the musical premiered in 2012 and has been on stage ever since, receiving rave reviews. Outside of reading such reviews from people who attended the musical, my impressions of it are based on a promotional clip of a song from the show, Песня о свободе (A Song of Freedom).
Песня о свободе (A Song of Freedom)
http://youtu.be/hS5z4OLpu0Q
There are several factors that make a good musical – choreography, vocals and a strong dramatic plot line. The performance of the cast in A Song of Freedom is an attestation that the creative team behind Treasure Island managed to create a magical experience for the audience.
The adventures of the young Jim Hawkins is a wonderful example of a classic Coming-of-Age story. Young Jim narrates almost the entire story, which is why it comes as no surprise that the attention of the audience is focused on the young actor playing the role of Jim Hawkins. The website of the musical lists seven young performers who rotate in the role, unfortunately not giving any specific information about them, but mentioning that, despite their age (12-13 years old), they are all true professionals and winners of Russian and international vocal competitions.
A boyish romance, adventure, passion for freedom, adventurism, honesty, courage and nobility – it’s no surprise that Treasure Island is one of the most frequently dramatized novels.
As soon as you look at the cover artwork for Isabelle Doval‘s film, Un Chateau en Espagne (see picture at left), you will identify its central theme – friendship.
The protagonists of the film are Maxime (Jean Senejoux) and Esteban (Martin Jobert), two 11-year-old boys who have grown up together in Paris.
Though Scandinavians have produced some weird movies, they also make the most honest films about growing up. My Life as a Dog (1985), Barnens ö (1980), and Benny’s Gym (2007) are just some examples that come to mind when thinking about Scandinavian Coming-of-Age movies. Most of the films have been adaptations of children’s novels.
Such is the case for the Norwegian short film I have elected to review: Alexander Røsler’s Sommerjubel (Joy of Summer). Aimed at children, the film has received recognition at several international festivals: the Norwegian Short Film Festival of 1985, the Chicago International Festival of Children’s Film, and the Kinderfilmfest in Berlin, both in 1986. Like most Norwegian children’s films produced in the 80s, Sommerjubel is not a serious drama or a suspenseful thriller, but a comedy filled with little jokes and charming scenes – light entertainment at its best.
The storyline is quite simple – the summer adventures and discoveries of several 10-year-old kids. They go skinny dipping (isn’t it too cold for that in Norway?), play together, and discover the wonders and confusions of growing up and changes in how they perceive the opposite sex (girls are not that gross after all, are they?). As a separate plotline, we follow the father of a pair of brothers falling in love with their teacher. That provides a sweet but comic parallel about falling in love at any age (the confusion and red cheeks seem permanent throughout Life).
And what can be more innocent than the way an eight-year-old thinks about the meaning of the expression “sexually mature”:
“What does sexually mature mean? Maybe it’s like apples and pears. When they are mature, they fall.”
I have to admit that some humor was lost on me (like the horse sounds when the father starts up his favorite Volkswagen). But then again, Scandinavians always embed some surprising abstract element in their films (like fantasy scenes) that make them seem weird yet unique in a special way.
Though you should not approach the viewing of Sommerjubel with big expectations, it’s a film that will probably remind you of moments from your own childhood, which is one of the reasons many people enjoy Coming-of-Age films in the first place. The humor may be lost on adults, but I suspect it will be caught and enjoyed by younger audiences. Overall, Sommerjibel is a cute film focusing on childhood innocence, curiosity, and exploration.
A short clip from the movie :
http://youtu.be/Q_bQHPshXiw
When one resides in Germany, it’s only natural to express interest in the local talent. Yet the first musical formation I discovered, Die Choirjungen (literally The Choirboys), evoked memories of the English boy band The Choirboys, a group of cathedral choristers that was active from 2005 to 2007.
The Book Thief is an internationally bestselling book. Yet, when I decided to see the 2013 movie adaptation directed by Brian Percival, I hardly knew anything more about its story other than the action is set in Nazi Germany. More often than not, films about wars with children in the lead role turn out to be heart-wrenching dramas, which is why my expectation was set in that direction. Unfortunately, while there are a lot of things that I liked about the film (especially the intriguing voice-over narrative), it failed to involve me as deeply as some of the other films with similar themes: The Island on Bird Street (1997), The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008), or 4 Days in May (2011).
Not having read Markus Zusak‘s novel, I could only speculate about its qualities. But I find the common belief to be true — that usually books deliver much more captivating and emotional experiences than their movie adaptations. The Book Thief’s adaptation feels more like a fairy tale at times than a serious, realistic drama. Such an approach to storytelling has its advantages. A lot of attention has been paid to the visual design of the production. Sets and costumes convincingly recreate the period of history in which the action is set. Yet, somehow the settings and the vibrant cinematography of the film upstaged the actors.
And speaking of acting, The Book Thief is one of those films in which an actor in a supporting role outperforms the lead actor. Despite less screen time for Nico Liersch as the faithful friend of Liesel (Sophie Nelisse), a young girl from whose viewpoint is largely told, Nico manages to fill his character with authenticity and impulsiveness. In comparison to his performance – the acting of Sophie Nelisse feels a bit stilted – even timid, so much so that I found it impossible to identify with her character’s emotions. I’ve found that identifying with the lead character is one of the essential requisites if one is truly to appreciate the Coming-of-Age nuances in any story. I was also not impressed with any of the members of the adult cast, including Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush.
The objective point of view that director Brian Percival utilized ensured continuity of the narrative but effectively resulted in boredom after the first hour. Keeping in mind that the suspense amount in the story is minimal, I find the screen duration to be unnecessarily stretched – over 130 minutes.
I honestly enjoyed some of the scenes, mostly those that portrayed the development of the relationship and trust between Nico Liersch and Sophie Nelisse’s characters. Those scenes with a humour hint provided a welcomed relief from the otherwise pretty straightforward and chronological storytelling.
For those who enjoy a fairy tale manner of narration, Brian Percival’s adaptation of The Book Thief would fit in perfectly on a lazy Sunday afternoon. But if you’re like me and prefer more realistic and emotional portrayals of the undoubtedly dramatic events that took place in Germany during World War II, you will be better off looking elsewhere.
The Book Thief (2013) Trailer
Film title: The Book Thief
Release year: 2013
Director: Brian Percival
Cast: Roger Allam, Sophie Nélisse, Nico Liersch, Heike Makatsch, Julian Lehmann, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and others
IMDb Page
Can a seven-minute-long movie evoke multiple feelings? Ruben Pracas proves it can with his heartwarming short film Revive. What’s more, true to the maxim that cinema is a visual art, he has achieved the evocation of a range of emotions without using a single line of dialogue, in what I found to be a very inspiring film.
Most Coming-of-Age films have their narratives set in the past. That is why I am always intrigued when I hear about a film with a story line set in the present time. George Tillman Jr.`s 2013 drama The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete really impressed me with its wonderful portrayal of contemporary urban childhood.