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The Whole Shootin' Match, a regional film set in Texas and the inspiration for the creation of the Sundance Film Festival, is a wonderful example of the power of a simple story when told by regional actors. Truly, that is the draw of this film; the fact that a viewer from Boston or New York could enjoy it is a testament to the power that regional differences hold when it comes to cinema.

The film's narrative, is very simply and has almost no major events to break it up; it almost feels like art cinema in the way that the film is not plot driven, but character driven.

The cinematography of the film is excellent, with shots that have a documentary feel to them and do not distract from the feeling that the viewer is simply viewing what some folks in Texas during the 70's were like.

While some argue that the main characters in the film are evil, or 1 dimensional, the characters are just good ole boys that are trying to make their way in life, though often failing in these attempts.

Overall, a great film, though particularly good if you are from Texas.

Tsotsi, a South African film following several days in the life of a gang leader, is an excellent example of world film. While containing some elements of regional cinema, Tsotsi is different by offering elements that speak to it's geophysical location, such as its commitment to using the original language and actors of the area.

The story is simple enough, but it is the introspection of the main character, Tsotsi, that occurs that makes this film so great. His pain and struggles are easily identifiable and relate-able as an audience member and make for a story that doesn't just focus on a series of events, but rather, larger problems that can cause permanent change in the lives of people.

Overall, a good film that is easy and fun to watch while also containing enormous amounts of character depth and development.

Days of Heaven is a beautiful art film made in America during a period in Hollywood in which a new breed of directors began making films that competed with their European art-film counter parts. The film has a simple narrative that is quite easy to follow, and executed well, but, overall, the films biggest flaw is that, quite frankly, it is very boring. I have seen many films that use classical pastoral imagery to tell a story, but the execution here seems to have been botched slightly.

The cinematography is the film's strong point, with beautiful shots of wheat fields and an overall feeling of careless summer draped over the whole feature. In setting this atmosphere, there were many times where I said to myself, "that scene was absolutely, and completely too long/unnecessarily." It seems that in trying to convey this imagery, the film showed many disjointed shots that did little to aid in the overall imagery, but, instead, distracted me from actually enjoying the film. I know many people disagree with me, but similar films have executed this style with much better results, and for this reason, the film is mediocre at best in my mind.

Overall, a fun, beautiful film, but take a caffeine pill beforehand if you're not planning on falling asleep.