Michelle St. John Movies
Shot on digital video and taking its title from his 1992 book of poetry, Sherman Alexie's The Business of Fancydancing is a portrait of the conflicted relationship between two Native American men. Aristotle Joseph (Gene Tagaban) and Seymour Polatkin (Evan Adams) had long been best friends by the time they left their Spokane reservation to attend college in Seattle. But while Seymour flourished in Seattle as a gay writer, Aristotle endured nothing but bad luck that led to growing resentment, both against white society and his best friend. Although Aristotle returned to the reservation, Seymour remained in Seattle. Now, 15 years later, the sudden death of their mutual childhood friend brings Seymour back to the reservation -- without his white boyfriend -- where he must cope with his status as the de facto mouthpiece for his people and his estranged relationship with both Aristotle, who seems to be growing more violent by the day, and also Agnes (Michelle St. John), his one-time college girlfriend. The Business of Fancydancing was screened at the 2002 Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Evan Adams, Michelle St. John, (more)
This dramatic feature was written, directed, and co-produced by Native Americans. Native American writer Sherman Alexie scripted this adaptation of his 1993 short story collection The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Director Chris Eyre's previous short Someone Kept Saying Powwow is incorporated into the 88-minute feature. Developed at the Sundance Lab in 1995, the film was a winner of both the Audience Award and the Filmmakers' Trophy at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. In 1976, an infant survives a fire that kills his parents. In a flash forward to the present day, the infant has grown up to become the skinny, nerdy adult Thomas (Evan Adams). At Idaho's desolate Coeur d'Alene Indian reservation, the overeager youth is mostly ignored by others, including stoic athletic Victor Joseph (Adam Beach), even though it was Victor's father, alcoholic Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer), who saved the infant Thomas' life in the fire. A drunken Arnold later abandoned his family, and Victor hasn't seen his father in a decade. When Victor learns of Arnold's death in Phoenix, Thomas offers to pay for the trip to Phoenix if he can accompany Victor. They make an odd couple since Victor is embarrassed by Thomas' geekiness. In Phoenix, they find that Arnold lived in a small trailer in the desert, and they meet Arnold's friend Suzy Song (Irene Bedard), who provides disturbing truths about Arnold that impact on Victor. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adam Beach, Evan Adams, (more)
History gets the Disney kiddie treatment and a politically correct interpretation in the studio's 33rd feature-length animated movie, the first to be based on actual events and people. Pocahontas (Irene Bedard) is the daughter of Algonquin chief Powhatan (Russell Means), who promises her in marriage to Kocoum, a brave whom she doesn't love. Pocahontas would rather be paddling in her canoe or wandering in the forest, communing with nature and her animal pals, Meeko, a raccoon, and the hummingbird Flit. When European settlers arrive, she becomes enamored of handsome John Smith (Mel Gibson). Their attraction is encouraged by Grandmother Willow (Linda Hunt), a talking tree. The situation between their peoples is tense, however, as the settlers, led by Governor Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers) desperately want the gold that they're sure the natives are concealing. When a dutiful sentry, Thomas (Christian Bale) follows Smith into the woods on one of his secret meetings with Pocahontas, a tragic mistake leads both groups to the brink of war. Only the love of Pocahontas and Smith can prevent bloodshed. Pocahontas (1995) was awarded two Oscars, for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score and Best Original Song for "Colors of the Wind." ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Irene Bedard, Mel Gibson, (more)
- 1995
Insisting upon taking a traffic ticket to court, Murphy (Candice Bergen) intends to fight for her rights all by herself--and without invoking any special celebrity privileges. But when a news story leaks out suggesting that the judge will be lenient for no other reason than Murphy is a TV star, the circumstances alter drastically. As a result ,the network provides our heroine with a "dream team" of expensive lawyers...and before long, the dream turns into a nightmare. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
A community is quick to condemn a father after his 11-year-old daughter claims he molested her, but during the ensuing courtroom trial, serious questions about the child's story and her motivation for telling it arise. This drama is based on a famous Canadian trial. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Art Hindle, Rosemary Dunsmore, (more)
A teenage Ojibway boy, who has been in foster homes for ten years, is placed back on his family's reservation with his grandfather. While the tribe tries to make his return happy, the boy's resentments and family tragedies get in the way. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Herbie Barnes, Gordon Tootoosis, (more)
- 1993
Geronimo is a made-for-cable dramatization of the violent life and times of the legendary Apache warrior. Geronimo is one of the most accurate and balanced accounts of the Indian leader's life. The video release of the film included 10 extra minutes of footage. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joseph Running Fox, August Schellenberg, (more)
- 1992
When two Canadian teenagers discover the tomb of a Nordic warrior, they unleash a spirit bent on revenge and a dangerous archaeologist. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1991
First shown on Canadian television in 1991, the two-part A Conspiracy of Silence premiered in America in the Summer of 1992. In 1971, a Cree woman is murdered in a small Manitoba community. Protecting their "own", the white townsfolk choose to close ranks around the four killers and protect them with a cloak of silence. Only after 16 years have passed and the case is reopened by young constable Stephen Ouimette are the witnesses to the murder emboldened enough to speak out. The cast of Conspirary of Silence is dotted with some of Canada's finest character actors, including leading man Ouimette, Jonathan Potts, Neil Munro, Dawn Greenhaigh and Maury Chaykin. Part one was telecast over the CBS network on July 26, 1992; Part two followed on July 28. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Ouimette, Michael Mahonen, (more)
- 1989
The Canadian Where the Spirit Lives begins on a sombre note, as several Native American children are forcibly rounded up by the government and placed in orphanages. As sparse as life was on the reservation, it is even worse in these government-supported institutions. The latest arrival is Michelle St. John, a girl possessed with more than the usual quotient of feistiness. Refusing to buckle under the system, Michelle attempts daring escape. Despite its grim trappings, Where the Spirit Lives is an ultimately uplifting experience. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clayton Julian
