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Overrated

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

The moments, as I was settling in my seat at a local cinematic arts venue that screens mostly low-budget indie films, were gentle and I still had a lot of hope for Christmas in the Clouds. I had talked to my mom earlier that afternoon and told her I was on my way to see the film, which she'd already seen at a previous screening months before, during the annual NMAI Native Cinema Showcase held every year in Santa Fe, New Mexico during Indian Market. I hadn't had much interest in the film then. Naturally, there was not the buzz currently surrounding the film at that time. I opted to see 5th World, by Blackhorse Lowe instead.At first glance, "Clouds. . ." seemed "harmless enough". After settling in my seat, and after being introduced to the line-up of half-characters, engaged seemingly by their own affectedness, and not much else, my vague and creeping dis-ease slowly turned to manifestations, gestures, and certain facial expressions of consternation, horror and dismay at what I can only come close to describing as an American Indian circus on-screen. Too many clowns, all of them sad.The film is a farce. Devastatingly obvious in its gimmicks. The writing is bad, the cast is halfhearted, though pretty to look at, and those "reputable Indian actors and actresses" in the film could not save this film from the dredges of its own cultural, political, cinematic misery if they died trying. The most dangerous thing about this film: one cannot hope to take a poorly written, poorly manipulated offering (cinematic or literary) and throw it in an Indian setting and then offer it up. This film is being lauded as THE Indian film with the most "crossover potential", the film that's supposedly geared to hit the non-Indian market with some kind of force that previous films with almost all-native casts just did not possess. Disgusting. The film is not only a misrepresentation of Indian people and Indian culture, it is a parody of a parody, of a parody. Parodies of this nature, are misaligned, misguided and so bent on "parodying for the sake of parodying" and making certain parodies of themselves, that they somehow, come all the way back around to not parody the film itself, or even its subject, but to parody the very form, and all elements at work--cultural, political, and most sacred to Indian people-- the spiritual, and the sacredness of STORY. The "Indian parody" (especially one produced by a white filmmaker) is not justified nor is the public prepared for it. When an entire culture, abused and marred by history, has never been truly and thoroughly evaluated on its own terms and perceived by these terms-- it is thoroughly impossible and deplorable to parody the culture. The jokes fall flat. The people portraying the culture end up making a joke of the culture, and the cinematic art form itself. They end up making a joke of their audience, and themselves. Oprah has lauded this movie. And, now I'll never give Oprah as much credit ever again. On the slim chance that the makers of Christmas in the Clouds will ever come to read this review: thank you for making this movie. Every Indian, and perhaps every human too, with a vested interest in true and thorough cultural/political evaluation and dialogue should see this movie and do what they can to intellectually, critically, consciously and openly rip it apart for the contrived cinematic drivel and cultural degradation that it is.

I saw Christmas In The Clouds at The Galaxy Theatre in San Francisco (Nov. 2005) and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is so refreshing to watch a non-Hollywood movie at a big theatre house. The movie had a very European feel to it even though it is set in America and takes place among Native Americans.The whole film was beautifully paced, the script writing was spot on, and the humor was wonderful. I highly recommend going to this movie while it is showing at the theatres.Also worth noting (in these hard times for public education) is that all proceeds from the November screenings are apparently being donated to schools.

This film is worth every penny of the ticket price if you can get to see it anywhere. I have no idea why it still needs a distributor, unless the Native American setting is a concern to the money men? Shouldn't be. The humor and romance subplots cross all age groups, ethnic groups and class lines. The men I know who saw it at the film festival really liked it, so it's not just a chick or kid flick. It's more charming than You've Got Mail, more interesting than Whale Rider, funnier than Love, Actually, and it has more appeal for a wide audience than Something's Got to Give. Like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, it's the kind of story you'd send everybody you know to see (and this ensemble would make a better, less clichéd basis for a weekly TV sitcom). I'd buy the DVD in a heartbeat, plus buy more for my friends and family if they would just offer it for sale. The world needs more comedies like this!

How the Hollywood moguls missed this one is beyond me. Happily, I got to view this movie at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. It deserves to be picked up and put on top of everyone's Christmas Tree!