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Reviews
La battaglia di Algeri (1966)
Battle of Algiers
The Battle of Algiers is a war film based upon occurrences in the eight-year Algerian War against French colonial rule in North Africa. There were many scenes that were a little hard to watch because of all the people that were killed in the bombings while living their everyday lives. It was interesting to see how many men and women join together to seek revenge against another group. The director cleverly uses imagery to make the viewers see the insight of a terrorist mind. The attacks and battles are insane among one another, accusations towards the innocent. It was an interesting film to watch if you enjoy battle and war films. I personally don't do well in sitting still in these type of films but I did understand what the director portrays. I only recommend this film if you enjoy learning about history and wars.
Once Were Warriors (1994)
Another low income family
The film we are Warriors, Jake is unemployed spends most of the day getting drunk at the local pub with friends. He often invites huge crowds of friends back from the bar to his home for crazy parties. While Jake seems to be an easy going man out for a good time, he has a vicious temper when drinking. His drinking problems provoke him to be a savage and attack his wife in front of their friends. There are particular films you can watch and understand the concept of each plot and setting. As I analyzed this film I was angry to see the acts of "The Muss" you see a man hit his wife and it hits you in the gut like you're being hit yourself. This is a great example of poverty, violence and anger that occurs in a low income family. Coming from poverty myself I have witnessed similar situations in Hispanic families that aggravate a person because they want to become better but feel like there is no better than what they already have. In this case, they happen to be Maoris living in New Zealand. The father dominates the family because he is so powerless in the other facets of his life. He's addicted to boozing and carousing and the only way he can really express himself is with his fists the wife fights back, but is beaten. But she's also allowed herself to be seduced by the fears of responsibility. The oldest daughter who is the only one who can communicate with all of her family. While the boys are completely distraught with rage inside of them. The youngest daughter is just too young to comprehend and clings to her sister. It takes a tragedy to allow some of these individuals to reach out for each other and try to re-create a form of family life. I thought this was a very powerful film that makes you realize that there are actually families living in this type of condition.
White Dog (1982)
White Dog Attack
In the film the White Dog Kristy drives through the Los Angeles hills late at night when she hits a white German Shepherd dog. She decides to adopt the dog since the chances of the dog being claimed within certain time frame is slim before he is put to sleep. One day the dog disappears the dog has made his way into town and while sniffing about is disturbed by a road cleaning truck. At the wheel a black man smoking a cigar, the Shepherd goes into the vehicle through the passenger window. The driver struggles against the ferocious dog, as it attacks viciously against him. In another scene the dog attacks a black actress on the set of one of Julie's jobs. Her boyfriend pleads to give up the dog. So she visits a professional animal training center to help her dog with these cruel behavior attacks. She meets Keys a black animal trainer who soon realizes... "that dog is not an attack dog...it's a white dog!" which means that it has been trained to attack black people on sight. The film then follows the attempts of the altruistic animal trainer in his quest to re-condition the ferocious white dog.
This film was different from any that I have seen. Many would have given up on that dog and put him down due to the attacks; Julie on the other hand had a soft spot for the "white dog" and tried to cure him. The director used a dog to illustrate hatred on black people through a white dog which is ironic. It was a racy film and interesting to see how the plots where set up.
Los olvidados (1950)
Suspense and Ironic
"Los Olvidados" was one of the best old films I have seen yet, it was was not your average teen bully film. This film brought two young teens together after being associated with the death of Julian who was brutally killed by Jaibo for "snitching". The death of Julian overwhelms Pedro a troubled teen who lacks love of his mother for being such a trouble maker. He has nightmares of Julian and tries to better his relationship with his mother by offering to work. Pedro who is in the road for redemption cannot seem to get away from Jaibo who blackmails him about the death of Julian. The acts of violence made by Jaibo are brutal and heartless who later kills Pedro and karma only brings him the same thing death. Pedro's mother who later is looking for her son Pedro is shouting his name in the streets of Mexico to only witness an empty street.
This film was witty and ironic, very suspenseful and kept you waiting on your toes for the next scene. I personally enjoyed this film as all of the characters were linked in some sense to create a criminal drama among each other.