Canary

This movie takes us back to the bad old days of the early 80s when being gay filled boys with terror and self loathing. Not very promising as story lines go. What makes it watchable is the setting, which is in a christian choir group in the South African army in the apartheid era. The teenage boys are Bible carrying innocents, constantly bullied by typically horrible army sergeant. They tour the country, bringing solace and cheer to families whose sons are in the army. They're hosted by local families wherever they go, which gives the film a chance to present various facets of South African society. Johan, the main protagonist is redeemed by the music of Culture Club, but he agonises over the fact that Boy George doesn't come out as gay, though his friend Wolfgang assures him he is! Johan and Wolfgang spend nights together but go no further than kissing. And so it goes, on and on.

The male canary is known for its song, a lyrical and happy sound that can end suddenly in a poisonous environment, hence its use in coal mines of the past to detect danger from toxic fumes. Take us then to South Africa in the 1980's, and begin a story told in Afrikaans that is at times bizarre, occasionally jolly but at its heart historically portentous of evil. The main character of the story is a closeted small town boy learning, after his conscription, how to be true to himself while under the control of a military state just a decade shy of its dissolution. To be sure, this is not a political screed. There is only one scene overtly connected to the evil of racism. Yet that evil lies constantly beneath the surface as the narrative peels back one prejudice after another in Afrikaner society, using Johan's own life parable contrasted with frequent biblical references and lines from pop tunes as context. It is a tale of opposites clashing even as they move inexorably closer together into historical destiny. As a student of a broader history, I appreciate small things like one character saying to another. "your grandparents put my grandparents in concentration camps" to the one English-speaking recruit, a reminder of a time a hundred years earlier when South Africa was engaged in a violent civil war. For an audience in the 21st century unfamiliar with South African history, those kinds of comments should send people running to their Wikipedia. So this funny little movie in an oddly strange yet familiar language can be an opening to more than just an afternoon at the local cinema.

The beauty in independent films is shown when the entire cast and crew believes in the project. Overall, I gave this film two thumbs up because it kept my attention engaged and there weren't dull moments involved in anyway I for one I'm looking forward to some of the other projects that this Director has in store. I mean in all honesty it is not the best but it isn't half bad either and it's definitely worth the watch. Once this movie gets to it and it does have a bit of a slow start but once you get to the plot, it really begins to all unfold in a timely manner and all the pieces begin to come together there's some great shots some really good cinematic storyline, and the film in its entirety really gets the message across.

Kudos to the cast and crew, job well done and I would definitely recommend this film to this who are junkies of the horror genre.

"Before soon he is drafted, but because of his music talent, he joins the SADF Choir and Concert group, known as the 'Canaries', hence the title in Afrikaans. What happens after is a rite-of-passage that eventually makes him ascertain and come to terms with his sexuality, the emotional spectrum ranges from confusion, struggle, anguish to defiance, ebullience and solidarity, interspersed with beatific choir melodies and other philharmonic interludes."

read my full review on my blog: Cinema Omnivore, thanks.

When a bird scares from you, you can feel the uneasiness... the fear surround its body and sound to protect itself. This movie is all about an unrest soul which has doubt about its identity. You may watch a lot of movie about self-discovering but this is a masterpiece. I am not only talking about the script or dialogue but the way that director shows contrast is clever. The one shot technique helps to bring all the dilemma and confusion with great acting but also I love how he exposes the audience by bringing them into the scene by leading actor's great look.

This movie can explain you how a gay struggling in a racist army. However while world moves apart you can only find the creation of a new world surrounded by beautiful songs, Canary's song.