Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

Charles Delacroix I liked but am not enthusiastic about this movie. How to describe it? Something of a Comedy of Manners, in the spirit of one of the old Cary Grant movies. Or something like that delightful movie with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye with Rosemary Clooney and Vera Allen, in the exquisite "White Christmas," set in a snowy Christmas lodge setting. In this movie, though, we have a snowy Christmas lodge setting with a distinctively Native American flavor and contemporary mores.The Native American setting was to me interesting and (as far as I know) authentic. I say "as far as I know" because, on the one hand, I have some Native American background myself, and live in Oklahoma, and have regular contact with folks who live within contemporary Native American culture ... yes, including bingo and tribal chief electioneering and tribal commercial enterprise and also genuine if fragile roots in Native American culture of the past ... language, song, hunting skills, spirituality of Nature, and more.I also say "as far as I know" because I can't claim the kind of depth of background indicated in the movie and have no experience at all of life on a "rez."The humorous sequences were just wonderful ... hilarious, artful, engaging, and full of contagious laughter. I think especially of the sequences at the opening and closing of the movie. The middle of the movie seemed to lag at times in terms of humor, as well as plot and dialog.Cinematography was excellent. There are some breathtaking scenes of fog and snow and mountain and tree.The script for the central romance seemed to me a little strained. The female lead (Marianna Tosca as Tina Little Hawk) was excellent, but her part in the scripted dialog often seemed lagging to me: she smiled brightly and winsomely and almost airheadedly ... yet we know from her first appearance and from subsequent sequences that she was nothing of the sort. The central conversation just didn't have anything like the pace or humor or crisp airy delight of the same kinds of scenes in the Cary Grant or Crosby/Hope flicks.Still Graham Greene as Earl the Chef was wonderfully humorous. His interactions with the Guests was hilarious. And the final sequences almost make up in quickness and focus and good humor and fun for the lagging middle sequences of the movie. Sam Vlahos as Joe Clouds on Fire was excellent; and Emmet Walsh as Stu turned in a fine performance; and the interactions between Joe and Stu were both the most touching and the most humorous of a movie full of good humor.

juniperland I cannot forget this comedy which I saw with an overflow crowd at a film festival in 2001. I never saw a review of it, so I went to see it because of word of mouth. I had no idea it would be so delightful. I liked it better than My Big Fat Greek Wedding and keep hoping it will get similar success. Charming, unique and yes - feel good - it has all the elements for a good date flick. An Indian tribe runs a ski lodge that desperately needs snow so that it can bring in customers to stay in business. The lodge manager also wants to impress a travel writer who will be staying incognito to write a review of their facilities. But mistaken identity leads to romance between the lodge manager and supposed travel writer, and a bit of slapstick ensues. In the end, more than one couple falls in love and of course -- it's a comedy -- it finally does snow like heaven.

goldenfeather2000 Be ready to laugh, cry and feel good when you see this film. The main characters are Native Americans, in a non-Native quandry. A freshly divorced, hunky, yuppie Native American hotel owner has to shape up his authority-resistant, rag-tag domestic staff for a make-or-break visit from a hot-shot hotelier guide book spy. The hotel owner's mischievious tribal Chief dad has been writing misleading love letters to a female pen pal on the opposite coast. Her curiosity gets the better of her and she decides to do some spying of her own. Nothing is what it seems. Both visits coincide and collide with the deepest desires of the hotel owner, his dad, the spy and the pen pal gal. Loaded with charm, naturalistically acted and beautifully cast with some familiar faces-some new faces-Graham Green [Dances With Wolves]is a standout as the passive-aggressive-vegetarian-activist Cordon Bleu chef. Tim Vahle is adorable as the yuppie Native, and MariAna Tosca is captivating as the unexpectedly lovely pen pal widow. 'Clouds has a modern day Capra-esque feel of mistaken identity, pure chemistry, fantasy and higher instincts refound. Shot in the new, gorgeous SUNDANCE lodge in Utah, it really makes you long for Christmas to come early. You can take your kids, the only nude scene is the turkey's.

abbielangford Saw this film at a screening in L.A. in early February 2002. The story is delightful, there are characters that appeal to all ages and the location is beautiful. Don't know if it has been rated, but believe it would receive a solid G rating (unless scenes of playful alcohol use would garner a PG rating) so maybe G movies are not thought to be profitable. Whatever the reason it has not been released to a wider audience, someone is missing the boat. This film would kick butt in the family film market. It's the kind of movie that families are seeking throughout the year - a funny (and sweet) story about mistaken identities and romance, with subplots woven through involving meddling but well-meaning friends. A healing between father and son, and father and daughter, and a happy ending all around is of course always desirable with a family film - and this one delivers with a rousing punch line. If it were playing somewhere I'd be sending my family members to see it as it would be on my "not to be missed" list for 2002.