Welcome to CineMonday! This is my new weekly feature where I highlight and review a movie that I have either recently seen or an old favorite that I recommend you see. I will be reviewing movies of all kinds, so hopefully you will be inspired to watch movies outside of your proverbial “box.” There will be romantic comedies, yes, but I will also review documentaries, foreign films, horror, drama, and pretty much anything else that happens to come my way.
Every once in awhile, I will post a “U-Pick CineMonday” opportunity, where you will advise me which movie to watch and review. This is your chance to direct me to something that maybe you would like to see but haven’t yet, or perhaps one of your all-time favorites.
The first movie in the CineMonday series is Born into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids, a documentary. This film won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2005. This movie is rated R.
The story takes place in Calcutta, India, where a young woman is teaching photography to a group of children who live in the brothels of the Red Light District. The film brings you right into the brothels themselves, and while it is fascinating, it ain’t pretty.
Warning: This is definitely not a movie to watch with your children, as there is profanity, sex and drug references.
I found Born into Brothels very interesting and especially touching, especially when you see the beautiful pictures that the children take of their surroundings.
Puja, by Manik. Photo from Kids With Cameras
I recommend this movie–I give it four stars out of five.
Visit http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/home/ for a curriculum guide and information, as well as updates on the children themselves.
Please leave me a comment if you’ve seen the movie or, if you plan to see it, come back and let me know what you thought. Happy viewing!
Sounds like a great Monday blog idea!
And the movie sounds great, we will have to watch it. I’d heard of it.
Here’s one for your lists – we just watched War Dance, which we’d seen a preview of before watching some other movie. It was intense, but good.
I saw the movie and loved it. I mean, it was exactly what I needed to see at the time.
Remind me to send you a list of a couple films you might like (if you haven’t already seen them)
Susan: Thanks for the compliment. I’m actually pretty excited about doing the reviews each week. At least it gives me something to write about each week without fail. And thanks for the movie suggestion. I’ll have to start my list!
Joanie: Yay! I’m glad that you’ve seen it. I kind of stumbled across it awhile back and added it to my Netflix queue. It finally arrived and both my husband and I really found it interesting. My book club happens to be reading A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, which is set in India, so it was an opportunity for me to see what it’s really like for real people who live in that part of the country.
Great idea. I can’t wait to read more reviews.
I really want to see this movie, but since I’ve had kids, these films disturb me and I find it hard to watch.
What a great idea for a themed Monday post! We’ve seen this movie and it was really great. Very touching and tugged at our heart strings.
Deb- I know what you mean about being disturbed by movies such as this. I kept thinking, what if that was my child? I think it’s one to see, though, since the kids in the film are really quite strong, even though they don’t have a lot of guidance from their parents. Their personalities shine through and you really can tell that they are going to make it.
Sits- Thanks! I’m glad you posted. I agree, it is very touching. I found myself rooting for the kids to live up to their potential. I hope you come back to check next week’s review!
Erin, if you haven’t seen the following, you should: Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, The Station Agent, Local Hero, and an older, but great movie, A Little Romance. Both Local Hero and A Little Romance are from the 80s. Still, they’re sort of timeless in their appeal. Another one like that? My Bodyguard.
I’ll add to the list over time. I’m just dead dog tired and need to sleep.
Hi, Erin. Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. How did you find it?
I heard about this movie and the cameras project last year, but never got around to finding the movie. Thanks for posting about it, for now I might actually follow through. It is amazing what horrible beginnings people are able to not only survive, but overcome.
Garden Wife: I can’t remember how I got to you! I was just surfing around last night and stumbled across it. It might have been through a comment you left on someone else’s blog. It was late.
Anyway, thanks for the office prank video. That made my night. I sent it to my husband, who then sent it to some of his friends, and so on…
Goddess: Thanks for the movie tips! I will definitely check them out. Oh, My Bodyguard- one of my favorites from childhood. Love that.