10 Philippine Showbiz Today
10 Philippine Showbiz Today
March 8 - 21 , 2017 Jan . 22-Feb . 7 , 2015
Bitter Harvest ( PG ) ***
Brute Force !
Oppression is bad wherever it occurs . Bad Bear Russia lays siege to a region of innocents in Bitter Harvest . Here for a change , we get a glimpse into a tragedy long forgotten by too many . Based on true events this high stakes drama from D Films wills definitely open many eyes at The International Village Cinemas .
Today , Ukraine is not far from news headlines . But in 1931- 1932 , this remote region of then Mother Russia was one of the great bread baskets of the world . Ever willing to increase his power , Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was determined to take the grain . Produced by the farmers of the Ukraine . Along the way , innocent peasants were brutalized beyond belief .
One young lad with artistic talents and a military pedigree of sorts seems the most unlikely of all people to take on the brutal overseers in Stalin ’ s jaded jingoistic policies . Enter handsome baby-faced Yuri . More a lover than a fighter , Yuri comes of age in a hurry as evil thugs decide to make an example of the regions ’ peasant population . Standing tall as the conflicted commoner is Max Irons who must call on inner strength and sheer resolve to stay loyal to the cause and somehow manage to win the babe in the process ,
Just as forceful as a woman in waiting with attitude and those oh-so bewitching eyes is Olena . Under the rather compelling and captivating spell of Lucy Brown it ’ s a joy to see how a potential romance develops under the mist trying circumstances . Full marks go to the vivid recreations of the battles and the sheer determination of a community to come together to survive . How they do in their finest hour is a thing movies are made of . ●
Window Horses ( G ) ****
Poetic Justice !
Canada is known far and wide for a lot of good things . Apart from our breathtaking natural beauty and welcoming attitude to others , our citizens are known for being tolerant and accepting of others . Among our most precious assets is the National Film Board of Canada . Feel the warmth of this crowd-pleaser at The International Village Theatre on March 10 .
Inspirational directing from writer Ann Marie Fleming shows the plight of a young Chinese girl living in North Vancouver with her grandparents . Deep down inside our Miss Ming dreams of Paris and becoming a poet . Against all odds she wins the right to appear at a poetry conference in Iran , of all places . At first her grandparents are bemused and shocked but ultimately cave in to their charges desires .
Left with no parents for guidance the determined lass heads off to Shiraz , Iran ’ s fifth largest city . Once inside this once thought of as a hostile region , Window Horses opens our eyes to see how plain people , talking and interacting with one another can in fact bridge political gaps .
Elements of Iranian and Chinese history are gently interwoven into this special story of a little girl lost trying to find her identity . All in all the film works flawlessly with gentle humour and an open approach that plays no favourites , takes no sides and just comments on how people can like and approve of one another despite political leaders who may want to keep their electorate down .
Wonderful creative animation with vivid colours and a calming attitude makes Window Horses a delight for all ages to experience . It ’ s whimsical , it ’ s charming and having the voices of Ellen Page and Nancy Kwan makes the story all the more special . ●