Viva Riva! - 1st film from Democratic Republic of Congo in almost 30yrs
05-23-11, 05:01 AM
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Viva Riva! - 1st film from Democratic Republic of Congo in almost 30yrs
ANYWAY it's their first film in a while. A crime film. This all all I got.
also won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography & Best Production Design at the 7th African Academy Awards (no offense to them but I didn't even know that existed)
<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/h8nREb-j72c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Riva is a small time operator who has just returned to his hometown of Kinshasa, Congo after a decade away with a major score: a fortune in hijacked gasoline. Wads of cash in hand and out for a good time, Riva is soon entranced by beautiful night club denizen Nora, the kept woman of a local gangster. Into the mix comes an Angolan crime lord relentlessly seeking the return of his stolen shipment of gasoline. Director Djo Tunda Wa Munga's Kinshasa is a seductively vibrant, lawless, fuel-starved sprawl of shantytowns, gated villas, bordellos and nightclubs and Riva is its perfect embodiment.
<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/h8nREb-j72c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
05-23-11, 12:08 PM
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Re: Viva Riva! - 1st film from Democratic Republic of Congo in almost 30yrs
We've got at least one review at twitch (not mine), but they seem to love it.
04-18-12, 04:43 PM
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Watched this and two other set-in-Africa crime films:
JERUSALEMA (2008) - set in South Africa
BLACK (2009) - set in Senegal
VIVA RIVA! (2010) - set in Congo
Since the thread is VIVA RIVA!, I guess I'll start with it. It certainly deserves goodwill just for the simple fact that it got made, and also it was a professional job in technical terms no doubt. However, in terms of story and characters, I thought it was the weakest of the three films listed above. First, I didn't develop any rooting interest for the lead couple...actually I just didn't sympathize with them at all...so the story didn't have much heart. There is actually a secondary female character that I would like to have seen elevated to the role of main protagonist...but I suppose she wasn't "pretty people" enough to sell the film. But her character is the one who had the most soulful story arc. Also, for this type of movie, and given that I didn't care for the main couple, maybe it could have used a dose of humor...maybe a little Guy Ritchie in style. Instead the movie is played serious all the way. So yeah, I give it praise for being made, but in terms of story and characters it is just "fair".
JERUSALEMA was a better time. It is your standard "rise and fall of a gangster" story, so I'd grade it out at "average", but I enjoyed it and found it involving and interesting.
BLACK was the most unique of the three, but still only "average". It starts of as your standard crime film (with some blaxploitaton vibe), but then the story gets a little trippy over the final third as the crime film aspect slips to the background a bit.
So I preferred JERUSALEMA of the three, with BLACK second, before a measurable drop-off to VIVA RIVA! in third. Still BLACK might be the preferred choice for some as it was the most unique.
I'm a crime film junkie so I did have a good enough time with all three films; I certainly appreciated and found quite interesting the less common African setting for each of the movies. If you're a big fan of crime films and perhaps interested in something a little different (due to the African setting), then maybe consider one or all for a viewing. Outside of that, most other viewers wouldn't really be missing out on anything essential.
Watched this and two other set-in-Africa crime films:
JERUSALEMA (2008) - set in South Africa
BLACK (2009) - set in Senegal
VIVA RIVA! (2010) - set in Congo
Since the thread is VIVA RIVA!, I guess I'll start with it. It certainly deserves goodwill just for the simple fact that it got made, and also it was a professional job in technical terms no doubt. However, in terms of story and characters, I thought it was the weakest of the three films listed above. First, I didn't develop any rooting interest for the lead couple...actually I just didn't sympathize with them at all...so the story didn't have much heart. There is actually a secondary female character that I would like to have seen elevated to the role of main protagonist...but I suppose she wasn't "pretty people" enough to sell the film. But her character is the one who had the most soulful story arc. Also, for this type of movie, and given that I didn't care for the main couple, maybe it could have used a dose of humor...maybe a little Guy Ritchie in style. Instead the movie is played serious all the way. So yeah, I give it praise for being made, but in terms of story and characters it is just "fair".
JERUSALEMA was a better time. It is your standard "rise and fall of a gangster" story, so I'd grade it out at "average", but I enjoyed it and found it involving and interesting.
BLACK was the most unique of the three, but still only "average". It starts of as your standard crime film (with some blaxploitaton vibe), but then the story gets a little trippy over the final third as the crime film aspect slips to the background a bit.
So I preferred JERUSALEMA of the three, with BLACK second, before a measurable drop-off to VIVA RIVA! in third. Still BLACK might be the preferred choice for some as it was the most unique.
I'm a crime film junkie so I did have a good enough time with all three films; I certainly appreciated and found quite interesting the less common African setting for each of the movies. If you're a big fan of crime films and perhaps interested in something a little different (due to the African setting), then maybe consider one or all for a viewing. Outside of that, most other viewers wouldn't really be missing out on anything essential.
