Blood Brother

Even though I'm only blogging about this for the triple blog credits, I really enjoyed the documentary shown in the MCA on Thursday. It was definitely a tear-jerker, but it made me think about a few things.

I think that the main message of the movie is to go forth and do something outside of your comfort zone. We should not fear uncertainty because we can never predict the benefits of putting ourselves out there, doing good, and being the change that we would like to see in the world. I, like Rocky, would never think about living at a home in India for HIV positive women and children in India. However, the movie showed me that sometimes opportunities present themselves when we least expect them and we should not hesitate to take them. They may be difficult at times, but they're ultimately more rewarding that we could have ever known.

From a technical standpoint, I thought "Blood Brothers" was well made. I liked how Rocky wasn't portrayed as a perfect hero, but instead a human being with his own flaws. The story was well paced, the composition was beautiful, and I really felt an attachment to the subjects. It was also really interesting to learn firsthand about the culture in rural India.

Blood Brother

       

        I went to go see Blood Brother it was a good documentary. I felt sad about what was going on at India. I think India isn’t the only that is struggling with disease. It is everywhere in the world, because we are all struggling with money, health, and anything else that can be thought of. All the price are increasing in stores and everywhere you go to buy things.  The Government is making it hard for us to pay the medical bills, house payments, rental payments, and anything else that can be thought of paying. It was hard for Rocky of trying to go to India and help the kids, teens, and the adult.

            I thought that we were here to help each other on this beautiful earth that our God made for us. I mean some of us do help each other with things like when a bad storm comes and destroy people houses. Or what happen when 9/11 came and they destroy the twin towers everyone help. Why can’t we be like Blood Brother were we can help people that has disease or something that people have struggle with. I would love to help people with thing like that if I do help people like that.

I do it because it will change their life and my life forever.  I know it the right thing to help people that are in need.  I have health problems but I’m not going to put on this blog. But I can tell you this I have been to Riley Hospital and Payton Hospital for a medical reason. I thank god for that he got that disease out of me. So what are you thankful that god did in your life? I also thank god for the people that help people that are in need, and the guys from blood brother. Because god is good all the time and all the time god is good.

Blood Brother

This blog is on 'Blood Brother' that showed Thursday. One of the things I found interesting about Rocky ministry service at the HIV orphanage, is how it affected him. The living conditions in India is horrible, the people there is judgmental towards him, passing all the blame of their tragedies and misfortune on him, and all the work that goes into protecting and taking care of the kids were hard, but the love those kids gave him is far greater than any love he got in the US or anywhere else. At the beginning of the film, Rocky sister reflects back during their childhood, about how hard Rocky worked to get his father's love and approval to little or no avail, but now when he goes to the HIV orphanage, those kids overwhelm him with it. It's no wonder he calls his time over there, the best days of his life, despite all his hardships. The scene that was most powerful to me was when Rocky was in the US and he gets a call about one of the boys in the home who contracted a deadly virus and is near death. Rocky rushes back to India to be by his side only to find him looking like ground hamburger. The boy appears to be already dead, not responding to anything, but just a few minutes with Rocky and he starts to come alive again. It seems almost surreal the power family has on a person. Everyone who had that virus, died in that hospital except the little boy with Aids. The kids at the home needs Rocky but I think he needs them even more.

Blood Brothers

     First off I gotta make a shout out to Shawn for being amazing. It makes me feel really cool to have you cartooning here, too!! It's funny because I usually draw myself with a black t-shirt and jeans as well when I'm not making it for the blog P: Seriously y'all, if you haven't seen Shawn's blog scroll down RIGHT NOW and read it. It's a very awesome tale of procrastination :3 

I feel so special ;u; <3

     So anyways, Blood Brothers! What an excellent and moving film. I cried. Seriously. It was so emotional, and I really didn't know what to expect when I walked in to see it. I think it was really cool to see the story of this one guy and how he came to love the missions field and India. It really moved my heart, and I feel the same way about Guatemala (I've been down there on family mission trips for the past two summers), and I really can't wait to go back this coming summer!

     I also love the companionship between the guy that moved and his friend, and how he went over to India with him to see what it was like and to experience it with him and to film. It was really incredible to see the work they did and how much of an impact they had on the community and on the children they interacted with.

     The film really captured loss well, and it made me feel like I was right there experiencing it alongside the two as they lost the little girl and mourned. I'm glad they showed it and advertised it as much as they did and I was surprised at the turnout! I wish we could do that with other films as well (maybe not the Kurosawa... Haha they're good and all, but I can only handle so much black and white drawn out movies that screen late at night) so that way we could get more of the campus involved with the DMA department!!

     Have fun at fall work day, y'all P:

Blood Brothers: Rocky, the hero with a pure heart!

    In Blood Brother, Robin Braat, The main guy of this documentary, was born in the United States, and like me, he had Special Education throughout his K-12 years of school. He was renamed Rocky by his Grandfather, because Rocky's grandfather had a good reason, "Robin is a girl's name" that he said. even though he was born in the U.S., his heart lived in India. so when he lived his live in India, he had volunteer in a Orphan with the kid who had HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, he did not care about the virus or if he will get it, all he cared was the kids and all of the people of India, but mostly the kids. As well he didn't live as the people in the United states, who has pluming or air conditioning, even though he could buy those but instead he bought the kids medical care and even Papa John's pizza. he had been a family to the kids even if he was not related and how he cry in one of kids funeral, he couldn't take it he even try to save the kid to take her to the hospital but she didn't make it. But then one boy who was I believe was the closest to him and the cameraman(Rocky's Best Friend in the US), was very ill and had 10% of survival, Rocky was crying over the phone call, and even stayed with the boy because he asked Rocky to be with him, and then one day it was a miracle,he survive, but was the only one of all to live in one of hospital's pods or what ever they are called. when the movie ended after Rocky's marriage, all I saw was not a mere man but a Hero.  

Dont eat that! It's not rat chocolate...

Blood Brother….I was not expecting a documentary. It looked like it could be a retelling, but I was not expecting what we got, that is for sure.

 I was amazed at Rocky’s transformation, he didn’t even want to work with kids at the beginning of the trip, yet he stayed, in what we would call horrible conditions, to basically love on these kids. Something I noticed, we also got to see (Steven, was it?... I’m calling him that) go through his own struggles and what he thought of the situations. Here he is, watching his best friend clean the filth out of wounds on people who are considered in most cultures unclean. And he doesn’t know how to feel about it, he doesn’t want to be disgusted, but let’s face it, cleaning puss out wounds is pretty nasty in and of itself, add this disease to it… you get the picture, it’s considered unclean. He wanted to help and not be afraid though, and I think he got more than what he expected from this trip to India, both of them did.

I was also wondering through the whole movie, if Rocky was a believer. I don’t think we ever get a definite answer to this question. I kind of viewed it like the story of Esther or Ruth, while God is never mentioned, his work and hand can be seen woven throughout. 

Random side note ( I should just make this a habit ) This is the only documentary I had a favorite line in...any guess as to what it was?

Blood Brothers Reflection

Tonight I felt emotionally moved after seeing the joy on the kid's faces: knowing how happy it makes them to see others. It makes me think of how fortunate we are and to take so much for granted. I find it amazing how Rocky had such a drive and passion to sell everything he had to go make a difference in India. That is a huge commitment. I liked how the camera man was his best friend. All hand held and no tripod. It made it more of a personal experience; The camera shots got right up to the kids faces and captured all the expressions. I loved how calm and open Rocky was towards the children. He hardly lost his temper or got agitated. I felt bad for the girl who died due to lack of care. The father thought praying to some god would work, but ten days of that proved useless. At least their other child with the same disease was able to get care and lived. It is awesome how much of a impact one life can make upon tons of other lives. I would recommend this film to anyone who is planning on going into the missionary field.

Is it right?

Blood Brothers was a documentary of Rocky going to India. After watching the movie, you have to wander how well doing video taping your life would look as a movie. Seriously, during the movie I was like, "I could do this," then I was like, "wait no, I have a boring life." But that brings up one of the things that I want to talk about. Do you NEED an interesting life to become famous for you life?

There are those who make vlogs, while others write books. Some become famous and others don't, why is this? I think in this day and age, it is not so much about how interesting your life is, as apposed to a entertaining life. You can have as much drama in your life as you want, but if you don't have either humor, explosions, awesome job, or a crazy person you see every once in a while: noone will care.

On a completely other note. If you remember, Rocky was getting pizza for the kids, and one of his friends was feeling bad about this because all the other people who were having such a hard time in the department of food. Was it right for him to do that to others? For me I think it wasn't right. I think that it was interesting that they put this in the movie, because it really doesn't have a definite answer. The viewer is the only one who gets to decide their opinion.

Over all great movie.

Blood Brother

     So tonight the film "Blood Brother" was shown in the MCA as everyone already knows. If I hadn't have seen the preview in last weeks chapel, I'm not sure if I would've went. When I hear "documentary" I cringe because a majority of docs I've seen have been those mind-numbingly boring ones where a person sits in a chair with a dark backdrop talking to a camera with cut-in footage that may or may not even be the real thing. I am very happy to announce that this was anything but that.
     Yes, I brought tissues but surprisingly I didn't cry at all. Not that it wasn't a moving film, it was beautiful and really puts my mind into thinking. The camera shots and angles were gorgeous. I just kept thinking "Oh that's awesome" or "the sun reflects beautifully there". And seeing as it was all shot by hand-held cameras by like one guy (I think I saw another camera guy in one shot though).
     I have to admit though that some of the medical parts I got super squeamish. I can't handle blood or any medical procedures without my mind going all "oh hey, let me make you think you're feeling pain too" so I couldn't watch that.  Kinda like when your sitting in the dentist chair and you hear a drill then suddenly your teeth hurt even though nothings happening to you. No? Well, maybe that's just me. lolz
     The kids were so adorable. And that's weird for me because I don't like kids. But these kids were so humble and yeah, they had outbursts occasionally but they are nothing like kids here with all their "I want" whining and whatnot. Oh oh! The Indian wedding was beautiful too! I love the outfits and the way it was conducted.
     All in all this was a great movie and I'm very glad I went to see it. c:

Oh, and this slightly bugged me but the label should be Blood Brother. Singular. Without the "s". Just a bit of OCD, don't mind me. lolz xD

Blood Brother

        Blood Brother is a documentary film that follows Rocky Braat as he goes through the high and lows of life while living in India volunteering at a HIV orphanage over the course of a few years.

The film shows the struggles that Rocky has to go through while having to take care of many Indian children as they get sick and go though troubles in their lives’. Rocky is very emotional about what he does and it makes for a very emotional and impactful film. 

As documentary style films go Blood Brother is very unique as it was shot by Rocky’s good friend Steven. This made it feel more personal as Steven would ask Rocky questions behind the camera and it felt like Rocky was talking to you personally. Being there as the camera also felt so much more natural as it was like we were seeing Rocky’s life through Steven’s eyes as he was visiting his friend. I truly enjoyed this documentary as the visuals truly interacted with the story and boosted the whole experience of the film. 

Just over the past few documentaries I have seen I have come to appreciate the art so much more than ever before. I now want to say that I think that documentaries have to be one of the most labor intensive filming jobs as you have to spend months if not years filming just to create a short hour and a half film that probably wont do the story you are covering its full justice. They would have to be so dedicated to stick with it for so long and I truly appreciated the work done for this film. 

For those of you who did not go to the showing in the MCA, shame on you (not really) but if you didn’t go you should try and somehow watch it. It is an amazing story and a wonderful film. So yeah, watch it!

 

Blood Brother

     In some ways, I feel that this movie is similar to The Man Who Planted Trees. It is a story told from a third person's perspective about a simple man who is greatly impacting lives while more or less going unappreciated for it, but what makes Blood Brother more impactful is that it's actually real. One thing I will say about the movie that I didn't like though was the note that it ended on. Just as they say in the movie itself, people always like stories to end happily, but that's rarely how it goes in real life; even less so in in the world that Rocky is living in, and yet they just couldn't resist ending on a happy note in this film...Don't get me wrong it's certainly not like I wished Surya had died. FAR FROM IT, these are real people we are talking about here; not just characters in a film! But the unfortunate truth is that his recovery is only a reprieve from the inevitable. HIV has no cure and it just feels unjust to me for the movie to simply gloss over this fact. That being said, I really liked how they used the story about the cat at the beginning as foreshadowing. That was also a well animated sequence, just say'n. I really don't want to go too far into an analysis of that sort for this film though. I feel like going into a discussion about artistic technique in a film with such an all-too-real message is not entirely appropriate.
     It's always humbling to watch films with subject matter like this. It makes you ashamed that you ever thought you had your own problems. To watch Rocky as he pours out his heart and soul to these kids and treats them as equals when no one else will is truly inspiring. I honestly don't think I have it me to do that kind of work, and that saddens me, but let's not forget that this story would not have been possible without the help of film-makers like us. Our job is important too, and we should not feel like lesser people for having a different calling.

SuSuSurya

Tonight I watched Blood Brothers, a documentary about a man’s connection with India and a community of HIV infected children. This stunning documentary, take you on a journey through the trenches alongside a young man named Rocky. He shows us the life these kids experience daily. As the film progresses, we witness tragedies that surround their lives.

            Rocky is a very down to earth young man who takes these children under his wing as they refer to him as big brother.  At first we are introduced to these children as though they are regular children, so we can love them without bias. Later on we are shown the true horror of their disease.

            Personally I could not picture myself doing the things he has done. While I don’t see myself as callous or uncaring, I’m not sure I’d have the guts to live in these conditions. To take the risk of subjecting myself to the disease would be crazy.

            What particularly touched me was the story of Surya. He succumbed to HIV, having his flesh fall from his face and organs riddled with sores. The doctors claimed he had less than 10% chance of surviving. Rocky took it upon himself to stay by Surya and serve his in whatever way he could. Days and nights passed and Surya slowly came out of it. Rocky praises God for Saving Surya, but the Doctors claim it was Rocky that saved his life. The bible tells us to reflect God’s love into the earth. This is all I could think about during the closing minutes of the Documentary.