Movie time: Waste Land

Movie time. How I've missed you. Recently, I snuck in a late night viewing while my household slept. It was worth the missed zzz's.

The film was Waste Land, a documentary by Lucy Walker set (mostly) at Jardim Gramacho, the world's largest garbage landfill just outside of Rio de Janeiro. Visual artist, Vic Muniz, travels back to his birth country to work collaboratively with a handful of trash pickers at the landfill to create art - art from trash. I was struck by the truly collaborative process behind the art as well as by the absence of exploitation of his "outsider" subjects.

Clearly, the experience of working with Muniz was transformative for his subjects. I would venture to say that watching the film was transformative for me. Universal themes, beautiful people, time well-spent.

Worth a viewing: This Way of life (film)

I've not yet seen This Way of Life, but I concur with Elsa May that this movie is a must-see. Coincidentally, my last movie mention, Whale Rider, is about a Maori family as well. I envision a Friday night viewing with the family - complete with my husband's fabulous pizza - in my future.

Worth a viewing: Whale Rider

Over the weekend, I watched a movie with my husband and daughters from start to finish. A full movie viewing has proven a rare occurrence for me over the past couple of years. I first saw Whale Rider when it came out it 2003 and LOVED it. Caps required to adequately express this sentiment. I would tell my husband that we would name our child Paikea, and call her Pai, in honor of the tenacity of this character. The short of it, we didn't go with Paikea for either of our kids. But, back to the movie.

It's not a film I would let the kids watch alone for the first time. I found it to be just as engrossing this time as I recall it being 8 years ago. My girls were both enrapt in the storyline. Pai, her grandfather, her grandmother and the relationships among them make for good discussion with the kids. In our household, a rich legend paired with girl power tends to make for captivating viewing. So kick back with some popcorn this weekend, or whenever you might find two spare hours, and watch Whale Rider. There will be tears.