Among Ravens (2014)

Very disappointing...

Boring

Better Late Then Never

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Well, it's been 15 minutes since the movie ended and I can not speak. Literally, my throat is closed. The writer(s), director(s), and actors all reached new territories I wager.I had no idea what the movie was about before watching it. The opening scene is breathtaking, however, diving into these peoples lives is breathtaking.What a surprise - WHAT a surprise, no - not any scene in the movie, the entire ride.The STRANGEST thing that happened to me watching this movie was I said to my wife about 1/2 way through when I started wondering where it's going, how things might turn out - I go "well honey, I just hope it doesn't turn out to be a Blair Witch" - no kidding, she looks up the actors and finds out one of the main actors? was from... Blair Witch.I mean WHAT ARE THE ODDS?I think the movie pivots around Joey and Chad in so many ways.However, there IS a scene with Saul and Chad - when Saul goes "You tell ME what it's about" heads interlocked, I found genuinely moving. random fact my wife looked up - Joey's REAL father in life ? IS Saul - he real father in this movie (no worry, that's not a spoiler, just an overlap from real life to this movie).I really do have to despise 'provider dad' but not to the point I will let his character interfere with his future endeavors - I look forward to more offerings from everyone in this movie.I will be watching it again, likely in a year or two or three just to revisit some of the delicate messages our Messiah Chad brings forth (again, that's no spoiler, I just chose to enshrine Chad in role of Messiah here - something unworldly about him - in a very good way).I STILL can't talk - it feels like I have a baseball in my throat.Do watch this when you have time to not think about a care in the world- no kidding, you will find EVERY care in the world by the time you are done. That way it will have full impact on you.I could say this movie placed Chad in a complex Messiah like role, however, I could also say this movie is a coming of age story...HOWEVER, I must be clear, it is a coming of age movie for anyone who sees it.I just wonder if Blair Witch guy hooks up with the Jeweler and does Saul hook up with - oh wait - nope - that's not gonna happen now is it - or ghost man leaves 'not gonna be that mans vessel' woman.I said to my wife is that Reese? Witherspoon, she goes no - remember Ratrace and I kept referring to her as my 5 bucks back lady.Names are not important to me - I respect every actor in this movie, this kind of movie comes along RARELY.I could only wish it was 3 hours long, instead of nearly 2, sure would have beat that Hobbit escapism trash that ran 3 hours, and how much of Sam and Bilbo can you really take with that pesky golemn.By the way- FAVORITE scene in this movie for me is 4th of July parade - Chad lets himself join this world in entirety for a few moments, and then - that damned bird shows up in the sky to take him back- high above - far away - far FAR away where he always was - looking down. Indeed Chad brings a strong Messiah element here.WATCH THIS MOVIE. heh. Be touched. Chad would want you to ! :)I could only suggest one improvement to this movie- similar to Jerzy Kosinski's 'Being There' - in the movie vs the book ? One of the two has 'Chance' end scene - WALKING on the water, EASILY the Messiah element - or otherwordly element is there. I could only wish that as all watched from shore - Chad would have gotten up and walked on the water.No real spoiler there, but I HAD to include that because it would have taken me over the top had it been in there.One MORE tidbit - just watched an interview with Johnny Redwood Tree - she said her parents wrote her a part INTO this movie - has to be a very unique family experience there heh. "My parents are taking me to get the roller-coaster park this summer - what are you parents doing? oh? My parents are making a movie and they put me in it" heh... Too much in a good way.Tim Miltz

At the time of my writing this there were 11 reviews (as opposed to just ratings). The average rating of these 11 reviews was 9. 9 out of a possible 10. Having now had this movie inflicted upon me, I cannot see how these ratings could even remotely be legitimate.This movie was terrible. Admittedly, movies full of ack-tors and path-oss and Deep Meaning are really not my usual first choice. But I figured, given all of these stellar reviews, how could I possibly go wrong? Very easily, I guess.Every single adult in this picture is entirely dysfunctional. The spectrum of dysfunctionality ranges from basic autism at the most forgivable end and goes across completely fraudulent, rank infidelity, BS artist, obsessively self preoccupied, and on throughout what seems to be every possible human failing. It is an ongoing human train wreck nestled in a beautiful natural environment and garnished with lovely music.In the middle of this waltz of jerks is a preternaturally pretty little girl of about 11 years old who's the only decent person amongst them. She's depicted as genuinely sweet, and an endless well of kindness and patience and apparently capable of forgiving the unvaryingly appalling behavior of everyone adult around her. It was actually quite disturbing to watch in horror as every adult repeatedly emotionally detonated around this poor little girl, leaving her blasted like a starling before the storm.And so naturally the only adult she even vaguely manages to connect with is the artistic one who, of course, is the one who dies, willy- nilly, at the end of the picture (basically out of nowhere) simply in order to serve some ridiculous notion of Symbolic Meaning.It is an appalling truth of daily human life that we, each of us, have to live with our own feet of clay and those of everyone around us. Why on earth does anyone want to go see a movie that reaches to demonstrate just how bad that can get? And just how emotionally squished kids can get in the process.Bleck.

My first film review. I attended a screening because the producers and directors were doing a live Q&A in the theater. Also, I wanted to meet their daughter - the amazing Johnny Sequoyah - who I had "discovered" in the TV show "Believe," (even though she wasn't there for the show I attended). While most of the characters dealt with their own issues in the story, it took me a while to figure out their connections with each other. Johnny's character "Joey" is mesmerizing in all her scenes, and endearing in her bond with "Chad" - even when the rest of the characters turned against him. The staring contest between Joey and "Saul" (her real-life dad Russell Friedenberg) left me wondering why their bond was broken. There were a couple humorous bits, but I would have liked more to break the tension in the plot. Nonetheless, I did like the film, the cinematography, and especially Johnny. I look forward to seeing more films from this talented family. Thanks for coming back to Boise.

It was a really surprising movie. the black humor, and the way how all the masks fell down, and all of them struggled to face the truth, in front of their noses. Also Joey's point of view, watching everything from above, like a bird. Her innocence in the middle of that sick environment, and finally she found someone who understands her, but judge by the others. Like ravens, no matter like a raven does, it will always be judge.It's like a lesson's life, if we live in a constant lie, trying to pretend something, that lie will catch us sooner or later, even when we try to fool other people, acting in front of them, but our life is a huge mess, anything will save us from that, the bomb explodes and no more lies.