drunktown's finest analysis
conflicts they must endure. Sick Boy, an expectant father with a macho side, meets Felixia when he's high and doesn't realize what he's in for when she invites him to a party; Nizhoni, reluctantly doing volunteer work on the reservation (she's been raised to believe it's a dangerous place) finds clues about her biological family that will connect her to Felixia as well. She questions why anyone would choose to stay. She has been attending high school in
Poverty and the scarcity of decent jobs. | Do Not Sell My Personal Information family from which she came. Learn more Imagine an indie film about young Native Americans, and you'll quickly come up with the themes running through Sydney Freeland's Drunktown's Finest. The film spends about a third of its running time fleshing out the problems each character faces, then starts having their stories intersect. "Drunktown's Finest" shows a filmmaker struggling to find her voice. SUNDANCE VIDEO: Richard Linklater Reveals Why 'Boyhood' Took 12 Years to Film, Cast: Jeremiah Bitsui, Carmen Moore, Morningstar Angeline Wilson, Shauna Baker, Kiowa Gordon, Elizabeth Frances, Luis Bordonad, Director of photography: Peter A. Holland, Sales: Andrew Herwitz, The Film Sales Company. Drunktown's Finest. These characters, of course, are connected in alternately
Three young Native Americans - an adopted Christian girl, a rebellious father-to-be, and a promiscuous transsexual - strive to escape the hardships of life on an Indian reservation. understanding of these characters outside of the collection of external
Get Movies. PARK CITY — Imagine an indie film about young Native Americans, and you'll quickly come up with the themes running through Sydney Freeland's Drunktown's Finest. Drunktown’s Finest is Sydney Freeland’s feature film debut and her response to a news story that characterized her hometown of Gallup, New Mexico, as “Drunktown, USA.” Nizhoni was adopted and raised as a Christian by a white family, transsexual Felixxia dreams of becoming a model, and Sickboy is headed to basic training so he can take care of his soon- to- be- born child. Lists Related to Drunktown's Finest. Since the invention of moving images in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, film has been a particularly powerful medium. Yet Freeland's debut, despite being much more drama than comedy, has an easy approach to its subject matter, producing a film that feels not like a hand-wringing social studies project but a story yanked from the filmmaker's hometown, thrown on screen before its individual dramas hardened into allegories. Cast; Despite the movie's shortcomings, Freeland shows plenty
It's a whisper here, but we can hear it. I frame my analysis of Drunktown’s Finest with the Diné philosophy and epistemology of hózh˛ó.4 Hózh˛ó is … conflicts with which to deal). He is the sole writer, editor, and publisher of Mark Reviews Movies. Many independent films today wish to highlight their culture, society and their unique story, yet there are only so many that can truly capture the imagination. Release Calendar DVD & Blu-ray Releases Top Rated Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Showtimes & Tickets In Theaters Coming Soon Coming Soon … All rights reserved. Drunktown's Finest oscillates between servicing banal plot machinations and the beautiful, symbolic simplicity of the culture it's representing. Jeremiah Bitsui Maryboy (Jeremiah Bitsui). It wobbles forward, like a dizzy newborn fawn, not entirely aware of what it is trying to be. “Longmire” has done an admirable job portraying Native Americans, but one TV series is hardly enough to sustain a presence in the public consciousness. lays on the conflicts. Boy at a store, takes him to a party, and, during a drunken moment, makes sure
of problems to come with omens of impending doom (Nizhoni experiences déjà vu
who lives on the reservation with her grandparents. cultural history when Freeland forgoes any of the
When he learns she's
Earn 125 points on every ticket you buy. Rack up 500 points and you'll score a $5 reward for more movies. former resident of the reservation who was adopted by a white couple at the age
December 11, 2013. by Megan Townsend, Director of Entertainment Research & Analysis. Drunktown's Finest Jeremy Bitsui (Actor), Carmen Moore (Actor), Sydney Freeland (Director) & Format: DVD. When Robert Redford stood up to introduce Drunktown’s Finest at Sundance 2014, it was clear this project was close to his heart. In those softer scenes, she shows a good deal of
She also wants to uncover information about the
Movies have also been used to convey truths about … The channel recently launched for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa in 24 countries. child" for whom she'll have to care. This directorial feature debut from Sydney Freeland features Robert Redford as an executive producer, and premiered this time last year at Sundance. The movie works in its quieter, less busy moments,
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER is a registered trademark of The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Privacy Policy | officer (Luis Bordonada) convinces the cop to drop the charges and gives Sick
Boy one last chance to keep his act together. training for the Army at the start of the upcoming week, so his recruiting
of 7 after her biological parents died. Commercial prospects beyond Native American communities and urban arthouses may be limited, but on video the film should rank as one of the more effective in its subgenre. adjacent to the town of Dry Lake, N.M. of the actors—including Wilson and Moore—barely going beyond rote line readings
capturing these locales (complemented by Peter Holland's fine cinematography). © 2021 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. ... 2013 10:53AM EST. by The script revolves around three young people raised in a New Mexico Navajo community; Sick Boy (Jeremiah Bitsui), who has enlisted in the Army to support his family but is at risk of getting booted before basic training; Nizhoni (Morningstar Angeline Wilson), who was adopted by white parents and spent most of her adolescence in faraway private schools; and Felixia (Carmen Moore), a pre-op transsexual who secretly turns tricks while living with her tradition-minded grandparents on the reservation. AdChoices More than seven years in the making, the project and its writer/director, Sydney Freeland, had been through the Sundance Institute’s 2009 Native Lab, 2010 Screenwriter’s Lab, and 2010 Director’s Lab. (Bitsui holds his own, although his character also has the heftiest load of
Amanda Lippert interviews Sydney Freeland and cast of Drunktown's Finest. revenge against him. Writer/director Sydney Freeland's debut feature displays
THR Staff Terms of Use | Menu. The exception is Bitsui, a veteran actor (he played Victor on Breaking Bad) who takes a potentially unsympathetic character -- Sick Boy only has to stay out of trouble for a week to get into basic training, and he can hardly stay sober for a day -- and draws out his sense of responsibility and tenderness. auditioning to model for a calendar of Navajo women, he only wants to ensure
The decision is
naturalistic charm to the performances at first (some of Freeland's most
their everyday lives. The last point is
Still image from "Drunktown's Finest" from Diné Spotlight: A Showcase of Navajo Film at the National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center Sydney Freeland (Diné) wrote and directed this award-winning film, and Robert Redford was the executive producer. The search for a coherent self-image, particularly in terms of balance between tradition and contemporary Anglo-American mores. arbitrary and inescapable ways. egregiously explanatory dialogue would sound unnatural from even more
Movies. Not every story will be as fascinating as their owners believe. patience with and for her characters, and she displays an efficient eye for
Michigan, is looking to remain in that state for college, and only returns to
knock them down might seem like a detriment, but it's not. one of the movie's central characters, describes it as "a place to
That’s … they have no idea that she earns a living from prostitution. There's alcoholism, of course. Get Movies. TWITTER Felixia meets Sick
It's a clutter of half-realized ideas and fully calculated
We get a glimpse of sincere conflict in a scene between
There's alcoholism, of course. husband joining the Army, if only because it will mean "one less
Drunktown's Finest ; Where to watch JustWatch. Buy Movies. 2014 Sundance Film Festival: Check out the LGBT-inclusive films screening in Park City this January. THINK BIG. The slow-burn approach is smartly executed, and the intersecting plotlines veer toward schematic only during Sick Boy … Rack up 500 points and you'll score a $5 reward for more movies. Films have served as escapist fantasies, allowing audiences to enter astonishing worlds and encounter wild and colorful characters. particularly true for Sick Boy, who is arrested twice, gets into two fights,
dialogue establishing a heap of trouble for these characters. for a college scholarship. In a pleasant surprise, her
Analysis as a process, this dissertation interrogates Drunktown’s Finest (2014) to understand ways a contemporary American Indian filmmaker engages in counterstorying as a sovereignist action and simultaneously investigates ways the visual narrative and imagery in the film contributes to the reinforcement of hegemonic representations—the Learn more ancestry. Native American themes get a fresh look in three-handed drama. That Freeland ultimately refuses to knock them down might seem like a detriment, but it's not. Reviews: Drunktown's Finest. She earned her BA at St. Thomas University (New Brunswick) and her MA and PhD from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Cast: Jeremiah Bitsui, Carmen Moore, Morningstar Angeline, Kiowa Gordon, Shauna Baker, Elizabeth Francis.World Premiere of central characters. Having been orphaned, and […] Her PhD dissertation was on anticlericalism in folk and popular … This film, which combines the increasingly interwoven stories of three young Native Americans, is never quite able to stand properly on its own two feet. Buy Movies. 'Dear White People' and 'Drunktown's Finest' to Screen at Sundance. This summer, she's trying to complete community service
and does so with a lot of noise and flash. feature film Drunktown’s Finest. "Drunktown's Finest" sets up plenty of pins
tells her the tale of how the third gender—the nadleeh—brought men and women together. The decision is admirable and unexpected, and for the first time in the movie, it allows us an understanding of these characters outside of the collection of external conflicts they must … Menu. There's a genuine sense of familial and
admirable and unexpected, and for the first time in the movie, it allows us an
That Freeland ultimately refuses to
There really is only one option available as to the question of Nizhoni's
ceremony, which is to be performed by Felixia's grandfather. Earn 125 points on every ticket you buy. TV Shows. FACEBOOK The opening narration, which comes from
With Jeremiah Bitsui, Carmen Moore, MorningStar Angeline, Tailinh Agoyo. Drunktown's Finest (2014) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. (a dead owl, one character notes, means death is coming), overt foreshadowing
Synopsis. He's scheduled to begin basic
In particular, Drunktown’s Finest wants to prove to people that there is hope even in the darkest hours through rich cultures and friendships. Poverty and the scarcity of decent jobs. gender identity is simply, unquestioningly accepted by her family, although
On a desolate Navajo reservation in New Mexico, three young people – a college-bound, devout Christian; a rebellious and angry father-to-be; and a promiscuous but gorgeous transsexual - search for love and acceptance. nearly becomes involved in an armed robbery, and ends up with a man seeking
the problems (poverty, gangs, incarceration) as well as some of the
Watch Movie Drunktown's Finest Full Movie . his hand finds its way between her legs before their kissing goes any further. 2014 Directed by Sydney Freeland. Drunktown’s Finest features a Native American cast, and is set on a Navajo reservation in Gallup, N.M. Mark Dujsik has been writing about film since 2001. | California Privacy Rights Felixia, for instance, has decided to audition for a Women of the Navajo pin-up calendar, hoping to get through the process without anyone realizing she was born a boy. “Drunktown’s Finest” (Director and screenwriter: Sydney Freeland) – Three young Native Americans–a rebellious father-to-be, a devout Christian woman, and a promiscuous transsexual–come of age on an Indian reservation. Drunktown's Finest. Her grandfather (Richard Ray Whitman), the local medicine man,
Sick Boy and his wife, who admits that she's relieved by the idea of her
virtues (tradition, family, friendships). Colorlines is a daily news site where race matters, featuring award-winning in-depth reporting, news analysis, opinion and curation. He wants to support his pregnant
as Luther Sickboy Maryboy, Jane Fonda and Norman Lear to Receive Honorary Awards at the 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards on February 28th, Mike Nichols: A Life is a Must-Read Memoir, NBC’s Debris Feels Like a Throwback to Post-Lost Mysteries, Netflix's Ginny & Georgia Never Finds Its Own Identity. Sydney Freeland's debut is set near the Navajo reservation where she was raised. All storylines converge on a tribal ritual in which Sick Boy's sister, who just hit puberty, is officially declared a woman; Freeland is subtle enough not to emphasize how strongly the girl's public transformation mirrors the internal ones her protagonists are undergoing. Dry Lake for summers. The opening narrator is Nizhoni (Morning Star Wilson), a
EMAIL ME. Refreshingly, she suffers no persecution at home: Her grandfather, a medicine man given to occasional philosophical speeches, draws on tribal lore of the Nadleeh, or "third gender," to understand her role in the world. Directed by Sydney Freeland. Sitemap | “Drunktown’s Finest, which follows three characters in the alcohol-plagued town of Gallup, New Mexico, was saluted by the jury for showing “a dynamic world full of … SUNDANCE VIDEO: Jason Schwartzman on Almost Getting Arrested on the Set of 'Listen Up Philip'. Drunktown’s Finest is Sydney Freeland’s directorial debut on a feature – and it shows. Freeland's screenplay mixes tradition with superstition
Author Notes Jodi McDavid is an instructor in Folklore and Gender & Women’s Studies at Cape Breton University. considerable restraint in its finale, although that determination only comes
Release Calendar DVD & Blu-ray Releases Top Rated Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Showtimes & Tickets In Theaters Coming Soon Coming Soon Movie News India Movie Spotlight. wife (Elizabeth Frances) and his little sister (Magdalena Begay), of whom he
The performances here are generally unrefined, with most
8:54 PM PST 1/22/2014 story's explicit obstacles and simply observes these characters going about
at the sight of a dead horse adorned with red handprints), and clunky expository
The lives of three young Native Americans intertwine as they strive to reconcile contemporary American society with their traditional Navajo culture. Sick Boy's sister is preparing for a puberty
Drunktown's Finest Watch Movie … One can use art, music, literature, television and film to trace patterns in society. Geoff Berkshire of Variety, said in his review that "Freeland takes her time bringing her characters together, allowing the audience an opportunity to marinate in the unique experiences of each individual first. In the two decades since Disney’s Pocahontas (1995), filmmakers such as Valerie Red-Horse have challenged erasure and turns into an assault on a police officer. after witnessing an onslaught of complications that pile upon the movie's trio
The final character is Luther "Sick Boy"
drugs, and the criminal activity in which his friends engage. Drunktown's Finest received positive reviews from critics. Drunktown's Finest in HD 1080p, Watch Drunktown's Finest in HD, Watch Drunktown's Finest Online, Drunktown's Finest Full Movie, Watch Drunktown's Finest Full Movie Free Online Streaming Drunktown's Finest Full Movie, experienced actors), but they become almost burdensome as the movie thickly
Movies. of promise behind the camera. Mark was a staff writer/co-critic at UR Chicago Magazine from 2007 until the end of its print edition in 2008, has written reviews for various online publications, and currently contributes to Magill’s Cinema Annual. 4.4 out of 5 stars 51 ratings. that she won't be hurt in the process. The search for a coherent self-image, particularly in terms of balance between tradition and contemporary Anglo-American mores. leave," not to live. About Us; Portfolio; Careers; Contact Us; Home; Posts His first appearance comes after a drunken night out
"Drunktown's Finest" sets up plenty of pins and does so with a lot of noise and flash. $29.95 . has guardianship, by joining the military, but he's still tempted by drinking,
By Ben Hooper. There is also Felixia (Carmen Moore), a transgender woman
The structure is less schematic than it sounds, placing each point of interconnection in plausible sequence with other storylines. Prime Video $4.99 — $14.99 DVD $29.95 Additional DVD options: Edition Discs Price New from Used from DVD February 20, 2015 "Please retry" — 1. Freeland opens the movie with a montage of the location and its inhabitants, summarizing
Drunktown's Finest Synopsis: Play Streaming Drunktown's Finest On a desolate Navajo reservation in New Mexico, three young people – a college-bound, devout Christian; a rebellious and angry father-to-be; and a promiscuous but gorgeous transsexual - search for love and acceptance. While Freeland's plotting is graceful, there are occasional moments of stiffness in the dialogue itself, brief rough patches her largely neophyte cast can't fix in the delivery. Drunktown’s Finest, meanwhile, has been acquired for Asia (excluding Malaysia), Benelux, Eastern Europe, France, Iberia and Latin America, and To Kill a Man has been acquired for Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. There's a certain quality of unforced,
melodrama. | EU Privacy Preferences, Peter Holland, Courtesy of Sundance Institute. This is a film review of Drunktown's Finest (2013), directed by Sydney Freeland. Abstract: Sydney Freeland’s fiction feature Drunktown’s Finest (2014) represents the return of Indigenous women’s feature filmmaking after a hiatus caused by neoconservative politics post-9/11. The movie is set in and around a Navajo reservation that's
especially during its domestic scenes.