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17 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Beautiful insight into family life in '70 Bangladesh, 9 September 2002 Author: Chris Jamieson (chris_jamieson@yahoo.co.uk) from Edinburgh, Scotland
This was one of my surprise favourites of the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2002. It painted a rich picture of life in Bangladesh during the revolutionary period of the 1970's with all it's highs and lows. It is filmed in a very documentary style (the director is a seasoned documentary film maker) with all the facts carefully shown to allow the viewer to make up their own mind on things. The visuals are very clean and colourful (again very documentary-esque) with beautiful shots of the fantastic Bangladeshi landscape. The music used in the film seems to be traditional (not that I know much about traditional Bangladeshi music!) and is very touching.What is truly remarkable about this film is the way all it's points are well balanced, not showing anything to be absolutely right nor wrong. It's portrayal of Islam is fascinating and I learned more about the religion than I'd known before.Another astonishing point I got from the film was it painted such a good picture of humanity, warts and all. I was watching this pictures of a normal family who's lives are supposed to be so much different than mine, different culture, politics, religion, who live on the other side of the world and yet then seemed so natural and so familiar, not that different at all really.It's a film I will never forget and I truly recommend that anybody who gets the chance to see it should.
15 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Not just a story, 12 November 2003 Author: Camille Mallat from Montreal
Matir Moina does not only offer a story. Films in general do not need to offer just a story. Any book, play, storyteller, TV series and other media can do that. Being interested in Hindi, Punjabi, Pakistani and Bengali films, music(s), religions and cultures, I was marvelled at Matir Moina for its richness and subtleties on all levels. Bringing forth the complex currents of religious and political movements, showing how each react to one another, and how illusions can be shattered. The beautiful hope of Islam, as being a religion of the heart and not the sword. The post-colonial ebb and flow in cultural identity: people's reactions to British or western thought turns into a sterile regression.The photography is marvelous, rendering rich textures of age-old village houses, walls and heaven-like gardens in an honest and aesthetic mastery.The spectator is not taken for granted or for a fool, actors speak Urdu, Hindi, Arabic and Farsi when they have to, and seem more to "be" than to "act". No two-dimensional stereotype is used, as in the classical Hindi "lover", "hater", "gorgeous-bachelor-husband-to-be" and the "beautiful-single-virgin-singer/dancer-lover". Only true faces, true types, true clothes and true singing. The music. If you search for original Hindi/Urdu devotional or not songs and music, this film is packed with it. And unlike other films, you do not feel that actor/singers are faking it, there are not fake instruments that are just there for the looks but don't actually sound on the score. What you see is what you hear. The voices are breathtaking; the lyrics do not revolve around "flat-love" and "depthless-poetry", making it a treasure for the ear as well for the curious eye. This is a gem. The whole film unfolds slowly and steadily around many characters, showing how each develops under harsh social changes and instability.It is not action-packed and fast-paced. It is not pink-tinted and kitschy love oriented. It is not over the top overdone musical. This is a serious art film, beautiful in its silences and in its screams. Human in its depiction of its characters. Respectful in its dealing with religion. Credible in it acting. A must, for an internal view of what happened to Bangladesh in particular, and to the vast region in general.Can't wait to see it again.
8 out of 9 people found the following review useful: A movie worthwhile for the music alone., 30 March 2006 Author: bengaligravy from United States
The Clay Bird, or "Matir Moina" succeeds in reminding Bangladeshis that we have long ignored the basis of our religious beliefs and cultural practices. The spread of Islam was not brought about by the sword alone, but by mystics and Sufis who believed that the love of self and the love of mankind was a spiritual journey in itself. I thoroughly enjoyed the musical score, consisting of a handful of Bangladeshi folk-"Baoul"- songs, performed by skillful musicians. The acting was not exaggerated, although some expressions of emotion in certain scenes seemed a bit contrived. Generally, it was a commendable job all around, a well put on show by ordinary, everyday people who were given a sudden chance to act in an independent movie about extraordinary events in the lives of ordinary, everyday people. The use of unsure, self-doubting, often confused characters, instead of black and white caricatures with clear-cut agendas, infuses this film with life and allows, even invites, Bangladeshis to identify with the sub plot. This movie is worthwhile watching for the musical score alone.
9 out of 11 people found the following review useful: One masterpiece to rule!!!!!!!, 6 November 2002 Author: I Rasul from Dhaka
Tareq Masud excels as the director of "Matir Moina". His early works on the glorious liberation war "Muktir Gaan" & "Muktir Kotha" - his other masterpieces clearly shows the rise of an world class director.Here he ables himself to portray the beginning of the revolution before the 1971 war with a cool picture of a village where religious strictness & openness both coexists and puts Anu - the central character with a different view. This is the real picture of a moderate muslim country like Bangladesh - where some people are regularly trying to shatter the image of the nice country. This movie will clear the views of the worldwide viewers about Bangladesh.It can be said that this should be a tough contender in the Oscars. Good luck Tareq Masud!!!!!!!!!!!!
6 out of 7 people found the following review useful: A Beautifully Haunting Film, 23 May 2004 Author: lckt13 from Marin county California USA
I don't know why the person from Newcastle UK had a problem in following this wonderful storyline and characters of which there were but a few. Perhaps it was too engaging and not of the Monty Python genre!I found the film beautifully directed, filmed, and acted. the history of this forsaken country is well known with tribal and governmental conflicts over many centuries. the depiction of the religious conflicts and family matters was masterfully rendered.the zealotry of the father eventually destroyed everything worthwhile in his life - daughter, son, wife and brother. one could see the demise progress throughout the film. a lesson worth remembering which i believe was the focus and intent of the makers of the film.
One of the best movies of Bangladesh, 29 May 2007 Author: adnan tanvir (adnan_reza_bd@yahoo.com) from Bangladesh
When I began to watch this film for the first time, I knew that it was a good film and was in the limelight that time. At first I was little bit bored because the film was going little slow. But as the film continued, my boredom turned into excitement and by the time the film finished, I was fully contented. Casting, acting , plot everything was great and perfect. It may be called an art film but as entertaining as well. Those who are familiar with Bangladeshi culture would realize the demand of such kind of a film. It tells the story of superstitious and conservative culture of the then East Pakistan. Some parts of the culture are alive in the villages till now. So this film has a great social significance. Its director Tareque Masud said that he made this film based on his childhood memories. That's one of the main reason of its success. Its based on reality. It represents our traditional cultural structure. Looking forward to watch more great films like this.
Dormant message through lives of 70s, 28 May 2007 Author: cfhasib from Canada
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Very beautifully captured the lives of the late 60s and early 70 of Bangladesh. From a cinematography stand point, it is one of the higher quality films that has been produced in the context of the Indian subcontinent.The message is bit quite powerful and sarcastic that essentially focus on the core fundamentalism and Islamic exaggeration in the day to day social life.Few flaws are visible in the film, specially some of the unprofessional acting are evident but it is nominal as it is obscured by the powerful story line.Not sure if Tarek used Tarkovoski's sculpting in time concept, but some of the shots are quite long and do take us to the time where the story is happening.I would give a 7.5 or 8 (kinda confused)for this movie. A must see film specially for the Bangladeshi film lovers.
2 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Rich story, casting and direction., 23 May 2006 Author: Manik Ratan (exdeznation@gmail.com) from Bangladesh
"""""0 out of 3 people found the following comment useful:- Too many characters and too little story., 13 October 2003 Author: Meejoir from Newcastle, EnglandI was very disappointed with The Clay Bird.I found that the story chopped and changed from one character to another all to frequently, failing to stay long enough on one part of the story for you to really care what was happening.Yes, some of it was beautifully shot, but I have said this before with other films, is it possible to not to have glorious scenery in a place as geographically beautiful as Bangladesh?I would rather the story concentrated on 2 or perhaps 3 of the characters, giving a far more detailed account of life in this traumatic part of Bangladesh's history.""""------------------------------To Meejoir from Newcastle, England, Don't think this story from the perspective of your culture. You said"Too many characters and too little story." but it based on a great history of Bangladesh and the different mentality of our people.. This movie is simply rich in its story, casting and direction. TWO THUMBS UP !!!
0 out of 1 people found the following review useful: Dreary yet valiant effort..., 16 April 2009 Author: dwpollar from Bothell, Washington
1st watched 4/14/2009 – 5 out of 10 (Dir-Tareque Masud): Dreary yet valiant effort at portraying Pakastani Muslim life thru the eyes of a village in the late 60's during a time right before the country gained it's independence. The story is really more about the village and a specific family then it is about the politically-charged culture of the time but it does eventually affect the village. The family's devout Muslim father sends his son to an Islam school at the beginning of the movie to keep him away from Hindu influences from other villagers. The boy's school life is really the main storyline thru most of the movie as he begins a friendship with another boy who has his own difficulties and he learns the Muslim ways. He returns home occasionally to see the family crumbling under the strict father's rules. The father is a holistic medicine man who refuses certain medications and basically causes his daughter to die and his wife separate emotionally from him. This attitude never does him much good, but he never learns from it. The movie is slow moving but interesting mainly because it's neat to learn about other cultures. The village converse about the goings-ons in the bigger cities but that's really all we see about the political issues.(I guess the movie makers didn't want to show the violence but it might have helped move the story along better.) The movie overall is just not quite good enough for me to recommend due to the slow moving aspect and the fact that they left some characters lost without telling us what happened to them. It is nice though hearing from a country that we don't hear from often in the movies.
0 out of 1 people found the following review useful: A great art film., 14 September 2007 Author: nhr238 from Bangladesh
I have marked it excellent and it can be defined by only one word 'ART'. It is rare @Bangladesh to produce ART films Caz these are not commercially benefited.Tareque masud And Catherine Masud have proved that From Bangladesh It is make world class film. Matir moina have a nice combination of simple pictures and a frustrating culture of lower middle class. They have a dark world governed by Religious Dogma. And they don't like to break their narrow life. But nature effects on them. And truth rises. And I have seen here The so-called 'Allah' couldn't save that believer's daughter. A girl was dead. But I question To Tareque Masud did he want to show the crippled culture of Islam or just wished to be liberal to religion and project light to a the direction where religions will go parallel.
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