Older Than America (2008)

This is the clearest and most direct version of the abuses that boarding schools perpetrated against Native Americans in the United States and Canada. I disagree strongly with those who claim the film is inaccurate. In fact, the rapes, physical abuse, and neglect leading to murder of children are accurate according to the records boarding school survivors recount. Most films which depict Native American struggles fear to "go there," to truly face the more hideous abuses that Native American children continued to endure until mere decades ago. The passing of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978 finally ended this pattern of kidnapping and horrifying deprivation, but the legacy lives on.Georgina Lightning did a fantastic, masterful job directing and writing this film. She has created a heartbreaking testament to the spirit of survival which many Native American women over the years have embodied.The film furthermore links racist abuse with cultural genocide and the manner in which white doctors turned trauma into a pathology. Women of Color have been diagnosed as mentally ill and institutionalized historically for reasons similar to the protagonist in this film. Few films truly reflect this reality.In other words, this is a brave, cutting-edge look at a tragic portion of U.S. history whose legacy continues today.

A native American horror movie? "older than America" Is a native American thriller/ drama/ horror based on an Indian reservation. In the beginning the movie follows a geologist that has come to the reservation to investigate an earthquake that is uncommon in those parts. That story is kinda of a parallel story that never merges with the main story of the move. The main story centers around a school that was abusive to native American kids. It also follows the main character rain and her problems with seeing things that aren't really there. After looking at how the movie has two stories that never merge, how it is poorly directed, and by how it does not have an interesting story line I say that this is a bad quality movie.*As someone who enjoys a good thriller/ drama/ horror movie I thought the director Did not do a good job directing the movie. The two stories never really merge which leads me to come to the conclusion that the first story was just a filler for time Or they just wanted to add a famous face to the mix, Bradley cooper. interestingly The director was actually in the movie and though i understand it is hard to find Native American actors she should have spent more time actually directing the movie and the acting seemed mediocre at best.. The camera angles were subpar and I thought that the lighting was also not quality as it is hard to see some parts.The abuse of native American children during that time is a real and serious issue. The plot of this movie did not really do that serious part of history justice. The serious truths were cluttered by flashbacks, scenes of electroshock therapy, people building resorts on sacred land, and a deranged priest, Only to show small flashbacks of a boarding school that should have been mentioned a great deal more. At the end the movie gives some pretty gruesome facts about native American children in boarding school which implies it wants to get across a serious message. It simply does not.To a person who is interested in watching poor quality movies, this is A great movie for you to watch. Many elements of the story clutter what should be the actual intention of the movie, The directing is subpar, and it is simply not an interesting story. The movie was originally released in 2008 under the title of " older than America" and was re- released in 2012 under the title "american Evil". This movie also went straight to DVD. These fact show that No one really ever wanted to watch it and i'm not even sure it was intended to be a quality movie that people wanted to watch.

The story told in this movie made me feel so connected to the intensity of the pain caused to Rain and her family and the children, by those who tried to destroy their way of life in all past, present and future. Rain and all the characters were forced into the dark secrets of the past because it had found their way into their lives and inescapable. I enjoyed how the movie was thought out, visually, conceptually, and with some sit on the edge of your seat suspense. Further more I applaud the development of the characters continuously going deeper and watching them change on the screen, to accomplish all those angles so timely makes it like another world to look into with all the players both in Rain's life and on the reservation, feeling like I get to see the big picture. The fluidity of the many circles and connections seen in the film make the final story such a great accomplishment, and a great conversational piece.

Government worker Luke Patterson (Bradley Cooper) goes to a small Native American reservation to find out about a mild earthquake there. He becomes friends with the Indian Chief of Police (Adam Beach) and finds an abandoned school building where the earthquake took place. It seems some very mysterious and horrifying events took place there years ago--but the church and some local officials are covering it up. But things are starting to happen and the building may be haunted by creepy dead children.**DEFINITE SPOILERS!** This is based on true events. It seems up until the early 70s, Indian children were taken from their parents and forced to attend a Catholic school. There they were told to speak English only and worship God. If they disobeyed they were punished severely. This works into the story and it's downright horrifying. I knew nothing about this and, it seems, it's STILL not talked about. Filmmaker Georgina Lightning was very brave to get funding for this and get it released. ""END SPOILERS**Totally engrossing. I was never bored for one minute. I saw it at a film festival and the audience got so caught up in it they were actually gasping and saying "no" when the villain went after the good guys. Cooper's (who's excellent) story gets sidetracked completely after the first 30 minutes. Then it throws you head first into a story involving murders, ghosts, child abuse (VERY disturbing), visions, electro shock treatments--this movie doesn't hold back. It is difficult to watch but I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Disturbing and difficult but always fascinating. A 10 all the way.