Beyond Paradise

I loved "To End All Wars", and I really wanted to see this, since it was David Cunningham's first movie. I finally got a chance to see it a couple weeks ago, and... Well, it shows that this is his first, because it is very rough...

I'm sure a lot of the crew came from his Film production school and other students at the University of the Nations (even used it in the movie!)I'm just wondering if the actors are from his school, too... The acting isn't the best...

Still, this is a very entertaining movie, and even got darker than I expected it to. The big event at the end was a bit surprising to me. The story was very good, and it was supposedly very loosely based on Cunningham's experiences growing up in Hawaii. I would be interested in finding out the extent of the movie that was true, which brings me to my last point.

The movie was mostly good when you accept it for what it is, but the DVD is unforgivable... No documentary stuff, no subtitles, few chapter breaks, and no other special features... This may have been a first generation DVD, because a DVD made now should never be so bare that there isn't even a subtitle track! There was a lot they could have put on this DVD, considering it was considered a promotional thing for Hawaii...

I saw BP at AFI Fest 98 in Santa Monica. It was a sold out showing and the crowd responded enthusiastically. I think it deals with cross cultural relationships in a very subtle but profound way. It is beautifully filmed and has a lot of great moments.

I saw this movie because some people I know are in it. This movie is so true to how Hawaii really is on the Big Island. With the exception there is no where to race at Pine trees.

It shows how all the locals always want to fight and how the teenage girls are always knocked up, and the drug and alcohol problems that exists here in Hawaii.

I shows the racism against whites (Haoles) but really doesn't show the racism to every single other race.

The story is all but to true. Acting not so good, story good..

If you don't want to take my word for it watch the movie, come to Hawaii and check out how life is here. Don't go to Oahu to see how real Hawaii is because there is to much military and that just isn't how real Hawaii is. Go to Kauai, or the Big Island.

Maui is starting to be more Haole now so outer island are best to see how true this movie is.

I may be a bit biased, since I've worked with some of the actors in this film.

Nah, they no care what I say. And David Cunningham charged us for the lunch we 'treated' my colleagues to, but that's another story.

Suffice to say, I hated the first third of the film. Tired stereotypes of local boys bullying the poor haole guy.

And then something happened.

As soon as the jellyfish stung Roy, (not a great actor, but I stuck with it), the plot took another turn.

These local boys became real. This is where the movie should have started. Even the local girls become more interesting. The characters lived the world of this film. If only Kalani and Roy were the central characters focusing on their church life.

Kalani made up for Roy's shorcomings as an actor and was far more believable.

Props also to Daryll Bonilla, Lorenzo Callendar and Garret Sato, all friends and colleagues who cut their teeth in this production. They are the real stars of this film, and I'm sure everyone in Hawaii agrees.

I've seen this movie 4 times since it opened in theatres here in Hawaii in April of this year and I still enjoy this movie. It is one of the most beautifully shot films I've seen. And it is superbly acted. Lorenzo Callender and Daryl Bonilla are gems. Both have great charisma on-screen and I can't wait to see them in other film. The rest of the cast did a good job. This movie is something special and I'm waiting for the video(or the sequel). *** out of ****.