Highway to Dhampus is lovely, inspiring and heart-breaking at the same time

Movie:    Highway to Dhampus

Rating:    PG

Grade:   A-

In a Nutshell:   This is not a fast-moving action flick, but a very sophisticated, simple journey of the soul.  It’s lovely and inspiring and heart-breaking all at the same time.

Written and directed by Utah filmmaker Rick McFarland, this indie film recently won several “Best Film” awards including the Madrid International Film Festival, the SoHo International Film Festival and the Heartland Film Festival.

When I asked Director Rick McFarland what inspired him to write this film, he told me "The characters and messages in the film are all based off of qualities that I want to have or wish I didn't, and experiences that I've had in my life--but I did't want to tell the story of me or my life. I wanted to transpose these things that were personal into a story that was more allegorical and less literal, more romantic and less pedestrian than my life could show. Living well, loving, giving, being kind and changing--all things I wish I knew how to do better."

This is the first indie feature film shot entirely in Nepal by a foreign director and crew.  It opens October 9^th in select theaters.  Check this web site to find out if it’s going to be playing in your neighborhood:  http://www.highwaytodhampus.com 

Uplifting Theme:

·         “It’s not really an effort to make a change in the big picture.” – Elizabeth James (played by Rachel Hurd-Wood)

·         We don’t serve to change the world.  We serve to change ourselves. - (me....Trina Boice...quick, somebody quote me!)

·         Namaste means please, thank you, and welcome. What a touching concept.
-    Love, kindness, charity, doing what's right

Things I liked:

·         The music in the film features a Bansuri flute.  It's a wooden flute that is a very typical native instrument in Nepal.  I asked McFarland about it and he said "We tried to also weave a very well known Nepali melody into the music--a folk tune called Himalayan Trekking Song." 
-    Laxmi is such a sweet character.  The lovely Suesha Rana plays her beautifully.  Her stirring reaction at the end of the movie brought me to tears.
-        I love learning other languages and so I noticed the term “Babu” mentioned several times. When I asked about it,  McFarland explained it as: "Babu is a term of endearment--it simply means "boy," but with the warmest familial connotations. I repeated it in the script a bunch between Laxmi and Prabhujee, in an effort to familiarize the viewer with the word. The hope was that as we heard Mahendra call Ajit babu in the third act, that we would get a subtle sense of the father-son relationship that they have." 

-  I loved seeing the bustling street scenes, landscapes from the plane,  and charming people of Nepal.

·         I liked how Colt (Gunner Wright) started up a friendship with Ajit (Raj Ballav Koirala) immediately.  Their relationship deepens and you get to experience growth in everyone in the movie in this true character study.

·         Elizabeth looked ridiculous in her fur coat sitting next to the poor orphans.  The contrast between how she physically looked in the beginning and end revealed her inner transformation as well.  She even lightens her hair to illustrate her illumination.

·         There are quite a few music montages with songs that range from instrumental to more modern ballads on the guitar.  They carry the feeling of the movie, although they also seem like lazy writing when there are so many of them.

·         I really loved how McFarland chose to finish the story.  It was powerful, simple, and understated, just like the entire movie.

·         Prabhujee is adorable.  He is played by Sayush Gurung Bajracharya.

·         Reincarnation is a common belief in Nepal.  I thought it was poignant when Ajit looked up and saw the bird flying in the sky over a cremation site.

·         The cinematography is beautiful.  I would have loved to see even more.

Things I didn’t like:

·         The subtitles flash so quickly that you don’t have time to read AND spend time really observing the faces of the characters as they speak.  Don't worry.  The entire film is not in a foreign language.

·         The air really is dirty there in the big city.  Ick.

·         Colt’s personality seems so uneven. One moment he’s playing tenderly with the children and the next moment he’s bad-mouthing them.  His unkind outburst to Elizabeth when she was reading a book to the orphans was odd coming from a guy who seemed so sensitive and easy-going earlier.  He crushes her spirit again in the car on the way to the airport after their second trip to Nepal.  I suppose it's meant to be ironic that he's criticizing her for being shallow when he is also.

·         There are a few strange edits and cuts that are distracting.
-     The movie needed more MONKEYS!
-     It's a bit slow-moving.

Funny lines:  

·         “Look at the mountain.  It’s ‘namaste-ing” to the whole world.  So, when you Namaste back to the mountain, it bestows you with peace, progress, and prosperity.” – AJ

“I’m the first one to do that, right?” = Colt

“Actually, I just made that up.” – AJ

·         “I bought this stuff.  I don’t even know what it is.” – Elizabeth

·         “I’ve heard that the girls like scars.” – Mahendra Sharma (played by Deshbhakra Khanal)

“Yeah, I’m really dreamy.” - Ajit

Things to look for:

·         The beginning of the movie starts with a poem: “As the little heart leaf of the bettle tree, grows my love for you.   Day and night.  Day and night.  Ebbing and swelling like the Marshyangdi it flows and flows.“   Marshyangdi is a mountain river in Nepal.  It's the perfect imagery to illustrate how two people in the movie come together, as that particular river starts from a confluence of two rivers.

Tips for Parents:

·         There is a scene where Elizabeth is taken to a sacred temple where people burn bodies of their loved ones who have died.  While Westerners are often frightened by such an image,  to those in Nepal, it is an honorable ceremony that demonstrates respect.
-   Young children may be a bit bored watching the story.
-    No profanity or sexual innuendos.  This is a family-friendly film.

·     After you see the movie, you and your family will want to do more to help others who are suffering in the world.  FiftyFilms and Highway to Dhampus have partnered with Mind the Gap Worldwide to help raise money to send to Nepal.  You can learn more at www.mindthegapworldwide.com

Everest features stunning cinematography

Movie  Everest

Rating: PG-13, 2 hours 1 minutes

Grade:   B

In a Nutshell:    This is an impressive movie to watch on IMAX and in 3D.  The cinematography and sound design will surely win some awards.   While the dialogue isn’t stellar, the cast is.  This true story is a memorial to all of those who climb mountains in their life, whether literally or figuratively.

The movie begins with some sobering information: “Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first mountain climbers to get to the top of Mount Everest.  During the next 40 years, mountain climbers attempted the same feat.  One in every four died.”   It’s not called the Death Zone for nothing. 

Uplifting Theme:

·         Friendship, loyalty, determination, hope.

·         Why climb Everest?  As the characters in the movie say, “Because it’s there!”  Dream the impossible.

Things I liked:

·         You get to see stunning images of Mount Everest and beautiful Nepal.  Some of the shooting was also done in the gorgeous Italian Alps.

·         The film does a good job of explaining the risks as the movie goes along, usually by way of a trail guide or the doctor who is teaching the climbers.

·         The cast is very good: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin.  I’ve loved Robin Wright ever since I first saw her in The Princess Bride .  She doesn’t quite look herself in this film, but it’s always a pleasure to see her.  Sam Worthington from Avatar gets to use his real Australian accent in the flick.  You get to hear Kiera Knightly with a New Zealand accent.

·         Every movie I’ve ever seen about Mount Everest includes terrible deaths, so this one wasn’t any different.  As beautiful as Mount Everest is, I have absolutely no desire to summit.  I am kind of fond of breathing.  Not on the old Bucket List.  Nope.  But I admit I’m fascinated with people who do want to climb it.  Director Baltasar Kormakur does a good job showing that it’s a different breed of person who dreams of Everest.

Things I didn’t like:

·         There are some stormy night scenes where it’s hard to tell what’s going on.

·         You pretty much know people are going to die, so the only surprise is who.

·         It’s a little bit hard to keep the characters straight once they’re covered in snow and dying off.  I would have liked more character development so that I could cry when they died.  I mean, I was sad, just not heart-broken, ya know?

·         It’s hard to imagine how the climbers must have felt.  They should blast the air conditioning in the theaters that play this movie so that you start to shiver.  Right?!

Interesting lines:

·         “It’s one thing to make it on top, but you pay me to bring you down safely.  Remember that.” – Rob Hall (played by Jason Clarke)

·         “We don’t need competition between the people.  There is already competition with the mountain.  The last word always belongs to the mountain.” – Ed Viesturs (played by Clive Standen)

·         “It’s not the altitude, it’s the attitude.” –  Doug Hansen (played by John Hawkes)

Tips for Parents:

·         Young children may get bored.

·         I’m assuming the facts mentioned in the film about Everest are true.   Nature lovers of all ages will be mesmerized by the beauty.

·         Some profanity, dead bodies, intense peril.

Want to see the original Everest with the awesome Liam Neeson? Check this out!

 

Want to learn more about Mount Everest?  You can start with these:

Meet the Mormons now on DVD

While the movie came out in the Fall at limited theaters, it is now on DVD TODAY for everyone to see. 


Movie:  Meet the Mormons

PG, 1 hour 18 minutes

Grade: A-

In a Nutshell:

Have you seen the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon ? While entertaining, it's not exactly accurate.  It's a perfect example of how the book is better than the show.

This is an uplifting film about REAL Mormons, people who have found faith to carry them through each day.  They said "We found something that helps us meet the daily challenges of life.  It's the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Meet the Mormons examines the very diverse lives of six devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Filmed on location and across the globe, Meet the Mormons takes viewers on a journey into the day-to-day realities of individuals living in the United States, Costa Rica, Nepal, and beyond. From their individual passions to their daily struggles, each story paints a picture as rich and unique as the next while challenging the stereotypes that surround the Mormon faith.

Uplifting Theme:
 * The Berlin Candy Bomber shared that "Service is the bottom line for happiness and fulfillment."  He motivated me to look at the world's problems differently and find a way to make a positive difference.
 * Bishnu Adhikari in Nepal explains "There is no fear.  There is, rather, love."  I was so impressed with his 
    humility and service that I immediately "friended" him on Facebook.
 * The profile that brought tears to my eyes was the mother at the end of the movie who experienced true heartache and was saying good-bye to her missionary son.  I was so touched when she exclaimed "My love is real."  
* The Mormon church presented "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" two decades ago which teaches families how to be happy even still today.  Click on the video below to watch American Idol star (and Mormon) David Archuleta sing the theme song from the movie.



Things I Liked:
* The movie doesn't preach, but simply shows elements that enrich Mormon life.
*  If you're not Mormon, you'll learn that Mormons are normal, nice people who probably live in your neighborhood.  If you are Mormon, you'll want to be a better one.
*  There are a few funny moments that let you know Mormons and the church have a sense of humor.
*  It's about goodness, hope, service, faith, change.  People of any religion should be able to take away those
    uplifting messages.
*  There are millions of Mormons out there and millions of inspiring stories that could be told.  I left the movie inspired to live a better story of my own.

Things I Didn't Like:
* The film doesn't include the history of the church or some of its doctrine that a lot of people are curious about.  In fact,  the movie is less about the Mormon church, but more about the everyday people in it and how the gospel of Jesus Christ makes their lives better and more meaningful.
*  If you're not Mormon, it might feel a bit like an infomercial.  





Tips for Parents:  This is a safe movie for all ages.  Watching it together might result in an interesting family discussion about religion, but it will definitely inspire you to do more and be more.

If you want to learn more about the church, the end of the film invites you to talk to one of your Mormon neighbors or contact one of the 88,000 full-time missionaries.  One of them is my son!