The Singing Forest (2003)

This is a fine example of independent film making. The director/writer is not bound by convention. Those critical of photography and other technical "flaws" miss the point. A film can be more than a technical achievement. Though Mr. Ameer does handle the technical aspects admirably and creatively considering resources which were clearly meager. I think the essence of independent film making lies more in a director following a vision. The story is daring and reflect a fearlessness in Mr. Ameers' approach. I have spent countless hours watching movies that I've forgotten the next day, but for it's flaws and successes and the conversation it has inspired I would recommend this film to anyone with an interest in film that goes deeper than big budget excitement and gloss.

if you like edgy films that have some very seedy story lines, you'll love Singing Forest. There are a lot of disturbing situations here that will put off most, yet I like the themes and the message. Father is attracted to soon to be son in law and is convinced son in law was his mate in a past life (original?)I think so. I did not quite get the ending but I believe its the reunification of old souls that brings both men together at the altar. There is of course the eye candy of Craig Pinkston at his best (birthday suit) that alone makes this title worth renting. The film could have been made a bit easier on the eye to watch, but I can understand budget constraint. The extras have some very funny and amusing shorts. I specially liked Misguided P.ss and My Straight Boyfriend. Obviously, Mr. Ameer has a very dark sense of humor and outlook for life which is what makes him stand out of the crowd. His cynicism about what most believe in shows and he delivers it in a very intelligent manner. I would have liked to see more back story of the lovers from the holocaust. But I give him a 10 for story.

Watching "The Singing Forest" is like reading a poem. It is very allegorical and experimental yet very artistic. There is deeper meaning to the naked eye which is what I like about this film. There is depth and an underlying sense of grief beneath the surface. I totally got the Destiny allegory. If in your mind, you were to take her out of the picture, it would seem like both men are interacting with one another therefore demonstrating the idea that Destiny "the spirit" is what brings both these two old souls together. There is an element of fairy tale happening here...a dark fairy tale. The message I got from this film is what reality is subjective and a product of our experiences. For those who spent the entire film focusing on the technical difficulties the film may have had, I think the message of the film has totally escaped you and therefore you obviously did not "get it". To those more open to artistic expression and looking into the deeper meaning behind this work, you will find a refreshing and original story. For those interested in the filmmakers earlier works, in the DVD extras there are several clever and astute shorts. I especially loved the music throughout the film.

There is nothing good to say about this. It is simply the worst movie I have ever seen. It simply feels like a project that was dreamed up, written, and shot in 10 days with the director's friends cast uncomfortably as actors.This isn't a "love to hate it" film like Ed Wood's wild weirdness. This is more on the level of a high school driver training safety film. It is a car wreck.Poor sound makes the dialogue almost unintelligible, poor lighting makes characters almost invisible. The 15 minutes worth of story in this hour-long film is a ghastly mess, and the ending is absolutely the most tasteless, stupid, and absurd I've seen in any movie, period.Schlock like this gives gay cinema a bad name.