Whale Rider – 2 stars (average)
“Whale Rider” is the story of an 11-year-old Maori girl who must overcome her grandfather’s prejudices and tribal tradition in order to fulfill her destiny and become the leader of her ancient Aboriginal tribe on the North Island of New Zealand.
Only the eldest son becomes the designated heir to carry the timeless knowledge from one generation to the next, but “Pai” (Paikea played by Keisha Castle-Hughes) is determined to do so despite the odds.
Pai’s twin brother, who was supposed to fulfill the role of the next tribal leader, dies at birth with his mother. His father is so distraught that he leaves the island and the tradition, leaving it to his grandfather Koro (Rawiri Paratene) and his grandmother (Vicky Houghton) to raise Pai. His grandfather Koro’s belief system will not allow him to compromise centuries of tradition.
On New Zealand’s east coast, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized on shore on the back of a whale.
It was not just a movie, but a real tradition. Because Pai was doing traditional Maori things that women are not supposed to do, the cast and film crew performed special Maori chants to ward off any bad luck that might arise.
Whale Rider will challenge your composition, melt your heart and make you want to scream. Child actress Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for her incredible performance (won by Charlize Theron in “Monster”). Whale Rider garnered a further 29 award winners and a further 28 nominations.
The whales in the film were rendered using a combination of images of actual whales, life-size models with humans creating movement, and some computer-aided assistance. Castle-Hughes said the key whale cavalcade scene took place 15 to 20 miles offshore and was terrifying.
This movie should get a good rating rather than an average rating (the story line is THAT good), but it suffers from terrible sound management that makes it hard to follow at times. I would watch this movie again, which is saying something when I rate a movie average.
Gloria – 2 stars (average)
“Glory” showcases the bravery of the American Civil War’s first company of black volunteer soldiers as they fight against the prejudice of both their own Union army and their enemy, the Confederates.
The 54th Massachusetts is trained and led into battle by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), a young idealist and abolitionist from a wealthy family. Gould, like the 54th, is practically hanged by everyone involved. He is supported by Sergeant Major John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman), the highest-ranking African-American soldier, and Private Trip (Denzel Washington), a runaway slave.
Washington won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe for his performance. Glory also won Oscars for Best Cinematography and Sound, Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction and Film Editing, and Golden Globe nominations for Best Director (Edward Zwick), Best Soundtrack (James Horner) and Best Screenplay (Kevin jug).
Glory is long overdue. America is full of people who want to take credit for things they didn’t do; it’s good to see credit and recognition given to Americans who bravely did something honorable.
Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker – 2 stars (average)
This is a classic stand-up comedy routine at the famous Apollo Theater in New York City from America’s Top Comedian of 1999, Chris Rock. Advertised only as a comedian, Rock actually delivers social information and relationship truths wrapped up in the word “fk” in what felt like 1,000 reps in 65 minutes onstage.
Chris Rock offers his insightful insights and the truth of his time into the cultural vulgarity that is common ghetto talk in the African-American communities of the metro area. He cuts the language (he ignores the delivery method) and Chris Rock is very impressive as a comedian and social observer in 1999.
Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley
