The Wooden Camera

This film is amazing, while not perfect by Hollywood standards it encompasses a gentle look at the wide divide between rich and poor, black and white that is true in many parts of the world. It handles the audience with kid gloves while delivering a truthful look at societal problems. The children are beautiful, take special note of the young man who plays Sipho. The friendships that develop are universally true, anyone can relate to the choices these young people have to make. The influence of adults is interesting - it appears to be taken from real life experiences as there are snip-its of conversations and interactions-much like a child would remember experiencing. I would highly recommend this film.

One should not be too critical about the director's second feature.

I really like the camera work of Madiba. As Mr. Shawn pointed out, he had a unique way of looking at things.

However, howcome a 14 year old boy shoot such beautiful images? Remember he has not got any education of any sort. I don't think english is the common tongue in Cape Town ghettos. Worse still, Madiba looks even smaller than his supposed age of 14.

Any way, if you overcome above-mentioned peculiarities, you can watch the film and still enjoy it because of nice camera work.

First of all I am white. I lived in Observatory and I swear that the music teacher's house is right next my old house on Perth Rd. I worked in Khayelitsha in 1992 and for the skeptics out there, the film was very true to life. I never saw the "beach" where Sipho lived, but the shacks, Shabines, and drunken life was a reality. Many sweet kids like Madiba lived in Khayelitcha when I was there in 1992. The limits of their social mobility as portrayed were very real. I think Ntshavhen must have simply taken a camera (hidden) into the township and filmed. It was that realistic. Believe me, I have been there, spent five days a week 7 hours a day there. Very Real and Madiba is small because many black children are small in ZA.

Okay, I'm not too good reviewing movies but I think there should be more movies like this one. It's gonna be a blockbuster or rated too high on or become a cult but it's a simple man's movie. Cause it won't make you thrilled or keep you thinking but there is a sense of innocence and the characters are natural. The actors have done a great job especially the actors in the role of Sipho and Estelle.

The ending of the films is really good. I always thought if there can be such care-free move in the movie and they did it. Maybe, it's possible.

I don't get to see such kinda movies a lot. The only one I remember is 'Bluebird' that I recommend to all who liked this movie.

This movie is not at all like City of God, you might get the same feeling but it isn't, there's no intense shooting nor intense drug scenes, you get the idea. If you ask me I think this film was a waste of time, there are a lot of other films which gives 100 times better meaning and teaching than "Wooden Camera". Yes I might be the only one to give a negative comment for this film but it's only in my opinion. It's one of those films where I can get the feeling that I'll be blown away but when the credits start to role my friends and I all gave mutual looks, and we all laughed at how ridiculous this movie was. So to conclude this matter, I advise not to watch it.

Personal note - Making Africans talk English was a big mistake. In City of God they used their native language which gave the film much more power and reality.