Among Ravens (2014)

During the Fourth of July holiday, a group of people are staying in a lake house belonging to Ellis and Wendy. Ellis is "Provider Dad" to Joey, while Saul King is her Biological Dad and Wendy's ex. Saul wanted a boy so that explains Joey's name, but she's quite feminine. On the radio, Saul is described as a someone who left Wall Street and became an author whose debut novel reached the number one spot, something that had not happened since Fitzgerald. Saul's books have birds in the title but are not about birds, as quirky bird lover Chad discovered. Still, Chad enjoyed the books and wants to interview Saul. He is also a photographer (it's not clear to me whether he's a professional journalist, but I think he is). Chad seems to have mental problems but seems relatively normal.Saul is with Emma now, but their marriage may be in trouble. Ellis and Wendy are also on shaky ground. Ellis is kind of a wimp and Joey doesn't really respect him.Another couple in the group has this peaceful, spiritual attitude I can't stand. Saturn Moon is worse than her male partner (I can't remember his name), but I'm happy to say even she gets angry. And I enjoy it when he plays the ukulele.Everyone has some sort of relationship problem, if they are in fact in a relationship. Chad just has problems. After a while this gets tiring for me.In addition to the scenery, the fireworks show, and occasional comedy, the best thing for me about this movie is Joey, who occasionally narrates. Johnny Sequoyah does a great job for such a young actress, and she handles herself well among all the chaos.Don't be fooled, though. This is far from a family film. Occasionally the sound went out when I saw it, with a character's mouth blurred. This happens frequently later on, and the words likely spoken are just garbage. When was the last time you heard the F-word used the way it was intended? I believe it is used a lot here for that purpose.I don't know her name but the jewelry salesperson was so nice and did such a good job. But who sells a $250,000 ring in an ordinary store? Don't they sell those in fabulous places where the snooty British salesperson has his nose in the air?I thought of something else i liked. Bikinis!This is probably a good movie and there are some performances that are worth seeing. It just didn't do much for me.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I sat down to watch Among Ravens. I had seen the trailer and was intrigued by the idea of "Ravens" as a symbol of family and it had been quite some time since I had seen Amy Smart in a film. Let me just say, I was pleasantly surprised and thought the film was completely delightful. Filmed in the incredibly beautiful wilderness of Idaho, Among Ravens is a fun yet very emotionally compelling drama about family and human relationships. In some respects it reminded me of The Royal Tenenbaums with all its quirky characters, but with some of the seriousness and dramatic undertones of August Osage County. Overall, the performances were strong -- Amy Smart was wonderful and if you're a fan of Believe (which was sadly canceled) you will be blown away by Johnny Sequoyah's performance. If you're looking for something different, filled with real heartfelt emotion, then sit down and watch this movie.

A wonderful summer movie with complicated characters and beautiful scenery. The cinematography is breathtaking. Johnny Sequoyah and Will McCormack have a great chemistry together. The narrative that Joey (Johnny Sequoyah) does throughout the film is thought provoking and mindful. Anyone who comes from a dysfunctional family or a broken home will be able to identify with this film and the actions of the characters. The plot draws you in and you root for Chad and Joey, they each have a sweetness the exudes off of the screen. Be on the lookout for more from Johnny Sequoyah! She is on my watch list for up and coming young stars!

This is a great film filled with beauty, complex relationships, and emotions. In my opinion, the striking cinematography and Idaho nature is what separated this film from others about dysfunctional families. I also think the raven motif carries the plot along well, especially as the ravens are related to the characters and their relationships with one another. Johnny Sequoyah's character, Joey, really stands out! She is incredibly strong throughout the movie, and her narration keeps the storyline tied together nicely. Chad, played by Will McCormack, is the other character I was drawn to. His unexpected friendship with Joey is endearing, especially as we notice that they are both outsiders observing the family vacation. Tons of great performances, I definitely recommend this film. It really does avoid clichés, and the ending is not at all predictable.