NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Stellead Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Contentar Best movie of this year hands down!

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

noralee "Christmas in the Clouds" is a charming romantic, Native American take on "Fawlty Towers".Set at a Utah resort that's Indian tribal owned and operated (as was the production of the film), with a majority Indian cast, the plot entanglements and eventual resolution in debut writer/director Kate Montgomery's film are pretty obvious from the first ten minutes, but how the colorful characters get there is fun. The opening voice over narration is a bit awkward in setting up the situation for the mistaken identities, but the introduction of each eccentric character is quite entertaining. While the plot contrivance in romantic travails probably goes back further than Shakespeare, the dialog that keeps the mistakes going in double entendres is amusing (including her as a NY Mohawk "passing" as NY Italian by using her father's last name).Amidst the funny running joke about romance novels' depiction of a "savage" lover, Timothy Vahle as "Ray Clouds on Fire" and Mariana Tosca as "Tina Little Hawk" are staggeringly gorgeous, but they each bring a wariness and neediness to their characters that has you rooting for them more than for the vicarious thrill of watching beautiful people kiss on screen. We rarely see in films educated off-the-rez professionals like them back home, having returned to their families for emotional personal reasons (it's inferred that his ex was non-Indian). The parent/child relationships throughout are much warmer than any we've seen before in the few Indian films.There are jokes throughout on Indian stereotypes in image and language, and that's the term the characters use, not Native American. Here the alcoholic, alienated father is the white guy, M. Emmet Walsh, who is both comic and touching. But none of the whites are played for stereotypes (including a cute flirtation between a British guest and "Ray"s father, played by a solid Sam Vlahos). In another reverse, this may be Wes Studi's only comic performance, in a cameo as a guest bingo caller. Singer Rita Coolidge of the distinctive husky voice also has a brief cameo as "Tina"s mother. Graham Greene is very funny as a vegetarian chef with serious issues about his menu. There is some contemporary Native American music on the soundtrack and lovely performances of translated Chrismas carols.The tiny budget is obvious with some continuity errors and background shots with inconsistent snow/no snow, but the Utah scenery is lovely, and this is much more about the people up front than the details in the background. What a shame that I was the only one in the theater in NYC, when a broad stereotyped ethnic romantic comedy like "Big Fat Greek Wedding" was a hit. While I would enjoy following these characters in a continued life in a sit com, this sweet little film could have an extended life as a holiday staple on cable, like on the Hallmark Channel.

canaryx This film is worth every penny of the ticket price if you can get to see it anywhere. I have no idea why it still needs a distributor, unless the Native American setting is a concern to the money men? Shouldn't be. The humor and romance subplots cross all age groups, ethnic groups and class lines. The men I know who saw it at the film festival really liked it, so it's not just a chick or kid flick. It's more charming than You've Got Mail, more interesting than Whale Rider, funnier than Love, Actually, and it has more appeal for a wide audience than Something's Got to Give. Like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, it's the kind of story you'd send everybody you know to see (and this ensemble would make a better, less clichéd basis for a weekly TV sitcom). I'd buy the DVD in a heartbeat, plus buy more for my friends and family if they would just offer it for sale. The world needs more comedies like this!

goldenfeather2000 Be ready to laugh, cry and feel good when you see this film. The main characters are Native Americans, in a non-Native quandry. A freshly divorced, hunky, yuppie Native American hotel owner has to shape up his authority-resistant, rag-tag domestic staff for a make-or-break visit from a hot-shot hotelier guide book spy. The hotel owner's mischievious tribal Chief dad has been writing misleading love letters to a female pen pal on the opposite coast. Her curiosity gets the better of her and she decides to do some spying of her own. Nothing is what it seems. Both visits coincide and collide with the deepest desires of the hotel owner, his dad, the spy and the pen pal gal. Loaded with charm, naturalistically acted and beautifully cast with some familiar faces-some new faces-Graham Green [Dances With Wolves]is a standout as the passive-aggressive-vegetarian-activist Cordon Bleu chef. Tim Vahle is adorable as the yuppie Native, and MariAna Tosca is captivating as the unexpectedly lovely pen pal widow. 'Clouds has a modern day Capra-esque feel of mistaken identity, pure chemistry, fantasy and higher instincts refound. Shot in the new, gorgeous SUNDANCE lodge in Utah, it really makes you long for Christmas to come early. You can take your kids, the only nude scene is the turkey's.

abbielangford Saw this film at a screening in L.A. in early February 2002. The story is delightful, there are characters that appeal to all ages and the location is beautiful. Don't know if it has been rated, but believe it would receive a solid G rating (unless scenes of playful alcohol use would garner a PG rating) so maybe G movies are not thought to be profitable. Whatever the reason it has not been released to a wider audience, someone is missing the boat. This film would kick butt in the family film market. It's the kind of movie that families are seeking throughout the year - a funny (and sweet) story about mistaken identities and romance, with subplots woven through involving meddling but well-meaning friends. A healing between father and son, and father and daughter, and a happy ending all around is of course always desirable with a family film - and this one delivers with a rousing punch line. If it were playing somewhere I'd be sending my family members to see it as it would be on my "not to be missed" list for 2002.