Author: Alton Williams

Spiritual Warriors, 2007 Dir: David Raynr

Spiritual Awareness you say with a confused look, marred with a scrunched up toffee face.
An adventure sci-fi film about spiritual awareness? A stream of rubbish thoughts link into your process, leaving nothing left to think apart from connecting the two words. ‘Crap’ and ‘Film’.

Here is the plot:
After escaping from a drugs deal gone wrong our savior, Finn (Jsu Garcia) runs into a creepy old fellow Roger who recognizes him somehow. As if they are spiritually aware of each other.
Good versus evil persists and stuff happens as Finn slowly changes his ways and believes the Roger character more. So much that they both head to Egypt for some spiritual quest for some reason. More good versus evil things happen when they return.

WATCH OUT! Beware of the devil in disguise. There is a final battle scene of good versus evil and that is the film. This all happens whilst helpful spiritual tips *in a cult like fashion* are fed at regular chapters of the film, just so you don’t forget the spiritual awareness factor.

The background of the film may help our understanding to the reason why. Why? Why?!

Background of the film: Co-written between Jsu Garcia and John Roger who created the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness group.

This peculiarity of the storyline is dull, uninteresting and generally annoying. Loaded of far too much unneeded special effects, it fails in capturing anyone’s imagination.

The old wise man Roger was a constant thorn in my side whilst watching as he shares acting common ground with a rocking horse. Wooden. I don’t care if he was a Klingon Judge in Star Trek. ‘Roger’ ends up being more creepy than he should be, with his mind-numbing accent that interchanges.

The amount of time Finn and Roger are onscreen is too long. This is an attempt squeeze story line details via weak dialogue all to allow the sinister message about spiritual awakening.

There was also no chemistry between Finn and love interest Claire (Shyla Marlin). No connections at all to assemble the importance of love and a connection between people.

Spiritual Warriors is the story of a misguided actor…my sentiments exactly. Watching Jsu Gacia in this film you can see he can do much more. Especially his Cuban roots in the likes of Che; Part One or any parts for the Cuban revival of recent times.

This Straight to DVD film is best avoided.

A cult film, meaning it could be shown at a cult Spiritual Awakening day out. Maybe on the spiritual awakening bus or something like that.

Cringe.

1.5 spiffles out of 10 wangatangas

Time To Die is outright great directing from Dorota Kedzierzawska whose attention to character detail, cinematic texture are all shown within rich Black and White composition.

This lovingly prepared Polish film captured my imagination as it is a study of an old lady who has nothing accept her grand house and lots of memories. The house is central to the theme as her uncaring lout of a son intends to make money off the house when she passes. It is a sure case of “Over my dead body” as she finds a brilliant alternative to the problem.

The story portrays Aniela (Danuta Szaflarska) as the clever, experienced heroine who has amasses great stories of wonder and bitterness over her life. In the middle of this mêlée is the family house. The main supporting central structure. The place that has history etched into the walls. The place where memories where made now empty remains.

The 93 years young Danura Szaflarska in the lead role is amazing to watch as you connect with the character who struggles to communicate with an ungrateful family. You see the life experience, wisdom and honesty in every scene. Her closes friend is Phila, her lovable dog. This is the best dog acting I have ever witnessed from Phila the dog who gently pushes the film on in parts. Like a Dame Helen Mirren of the dog acting world who fully deserves The Best Canine Performance Award at The Polish Film Awards.

This is a great film from a highly skilled director who carefully creates a situation where you are genuinely concerned about the final outcome.

Captain Abu Raed is impressive. This Jordanian piece which was the winner the World Cinema Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival last year and you can see why.

The first Jordanian feature film for 50 years encapsulated Love and Wisdom with our hero Abu Raed. Abu Raed is an experienced old man who works as a cleaner in the airport. He is humble and is extremely aware of his surroundings in the shanty towns of Jordan. After finding a pilots captain hat whilst cleaning this worldly character provides the local children with stories of his trips to lands far away. These stories are fictional, but are a tool used to inspire the children for a better life.

After Abu Raed (Nadim Sawalha) talks to pilot Nour (Rana Sultan) after her car breaks down, the two of them make a friendship and open up to each other, creating a bond. Nour is a high flying female pilot who lives within a rich family who support her, but want her to have her own children and husband. I would have wanted to see more of Rana Sultan. She is a strong female and this in itself is quite the rarity for such a film.

However, it is not all fun as a few of the children turn their back after finding that Abu Raed is telling tales. He takes it upon himself to try and help the troubled lads, one has an abusive father. Abu Raed helps this family out of the slums creating a wonderfully upbeat ending.

Amin Matalqu’s characters have the ability to win you over whilst watching against beautiful cinematography from another land, nay, another world of which we forget exists sometimes.

Viva Cuba is a colourful Cuban delight that is very pleasing on the eye. The engaging story shares its similarities with Romeo And Juliet as the two families despise each other.

The kids Malu and Jorgito have and inseparable friendship that takes them on an adventure down the Cuban coastline on a mission to find Malu’s father.

The story is centered around a family unit being broken, with an uncertainty of families ever being fixed again. The young pups try and stay together whilst on the run, with getting themselves out of tricky situations by relying on each other.

The film is friendly, free and easy with such a sweet story of them running to solve their problems, Cuban style. The political overtones are refreshing to see as Socialism reigns supreme with the image of the mighty Che ever present.

Wonderfully colourful and inoffensive to anyone to watch Viva Cuba lets you join the adventure.