Wildhood

It was a very good effort. In a world full of cliche films this one stands out for its nuances and emotion. It deals with difficult subjects in a non-superficial way. It was a tad long but that doesnt seem to detract from the film significantly. Highly recommended for people who are tired of the same old.

Continuity, dialogue, and acting are somewhat inconsistent. The young boy's gauze eye patch somehow survives a raucous swim to remain in place for days (with variable appearances from day to day). Some aspects of the script are excellent, but some exchanges are so cliched that actors struggle to stay genuinely in character. That's all easy to overlook because some aspects of the acting and some shots are powerfully real, AND the overall arc is meaningful. This movie tells a good story, and I can well imagine many sorts of young people enjoying it thoroughly and being anxious to discuss it afterwards. Reaching the end of my review, I realized.

I saw the trailer for this movie a while back on youtube and I got finally around to watching it. I'm so glad I finally got to watch it. It was just a masterpiece, from beginning to end. The acting was really great, the storyline was so touching, the dialogues were so meaningful and on top of that were the visuals breathtaking. It was so emotional but it was so worth it to go through all the feels. The themes were really well executed and the message definitely got across. I wouldn't want to change a single thing about this movie. I absolutely recommend watching this art piece. It is the best movie I have seen in 2022. Definitely in my top 5 of best movies I have ever seen.

Wildhood is more than just a road trip movie-it's a beautifully intimate exploration of self-discovery, culture, and love. As Link (Phillip Lewitski) and Pasmay (Joshua Odjick) navigate their journey, the film captures every moment with a quiet, poetic honesty that feels both raw and tender. Their chemistry is effortlessly natural, making their evolving bond feel deeply authentic. What stands out is how the film weaves Indigenous identity into the narrative without force-it's simply part of who they are, shaping their paths in ways that feel organic and deeply personal. It's a rare, heartfelt coming-of-age story that makes you feel like you're living it alongside them, every step of the way.

I wholeheartedly believe that everyone should have access to motion picture storytelling. Movies should be made for, and made BY, every culture on planet Earth.

The positive of this is we all get to explore similar themes from a different point of view. Here, we're getting a road trip of sorts with two brothers in search of something. Accompanying them is someone more plugged into the tribe that the older of the brothers shares. But make no mistake, he's an outcast all the same because he is openly gay. The relationship they build is uneven and feels a lot like yaoi, a subgenre of Japanese anime largely written for women by women about gay men. But at least it's pretty spicy. (Or lemony as they would say.)

Filmed with an eye towards beauty, it's also extremely deliberately focused on pace. Outbursts lead to quick cuts in action. Similarly, when there are moments of reflection -- of which there are many -- the camera does not waver.

Unfortunately, the negative side of the coin is that all the tropes are here as well. Hypermasculinity and paternal abuse being the most overexposed. There are also elements of both racism and tribalism as well, though this is amusingly shown in nearly identical scenes in different convenance stores.

I think ultimately there is enough here to appreciate though. While it is absolutely never good when a movie is written, directed, and produced by one person, at least in this case it's someone who is Two-Spirit, indigenous, and obviously knows what they're talking about.