Q'orianka Kilcher's Watchlist

"I love how Wong Kar Wai shows the changing emotion of these two characters that are falling in love but are trying to not be like their cheating spouses but the environment around them stays the same as their emotions begin to change. The story feels like it transcends borders and is a universal nostalgic feeling film. The music in this film evokes such a strong emotion that it transports you to reflect on events in your own life. The film has a voyeuristic tableaux style that feels unique to the directors own voice but also feels like hints of cinema over the last century. It’s a beautiful must see experience!"

"Avatar’s story is so powerful as it echoes and sheds light on the all too familiar story of the colonial world view. There are roughly 360 million indigenous peoples around the world and many still choose to live in voluntary isolation from the outside world. The fact that Jim (James Cameron) was able to accomplish this kind of story with the scope and commercial success was greatly impactful for indigenous communities everywhere, because for the first time, they had a mainstream worldwide platform to have their voices, plights, and stories heard. To me it was powerful to get a glimpse of experiencing the deeper message within the story of the importance of indigenous culture, the direct connection to nature and our environment, and the corporate structures within our world always looking to exploit land and people for resources and profits."

"This show really demonstrated the brutality that Black people alongside other minorities have faced all throughout the centuries since the founding of America. It left my jaw on the floor and moved me to deeply think that we should all strive to break the chains of racism and discrimination as well as eradicate the residue of it."

"Another Wong Kar Wai film makes the list! This film was impactful in many ways for me. I grew up studying martial arts, and have a second degree black belt in Wushu Kung Fu and have always loved Bruce Lee so to learn that he was taught by Wing Chun Master Ip Man was crazy! That training He learned from Master Ip was the fuel for Bruce Lee to be propelled into the spotlight and begin the representation for the Asian community within film and television. It’s the man behind the man so to speak, and Wong Kar Wai tells this story in such a beautiful and unique way."

"Tarsem’s The Fall was such a beautiful story with tributes to many different cultures woven together within the tapestry of a dream. It’s imagery is powerful, as if a painting. I heard this film was an immense labor of love for Tarsem where he financed the film with his own money and filmed over the course of a couple years. This film made me reflect that all cultures are part of the larger story of life and that we should respect different ideas and beliefs that different cultures hold."

"From The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, Geronimo, Avatar, The New World, all the way to Hostiles and beyond. Wes Studi has been a trailblazer for Indigenous people both on and off screen. Growing up watching all of Wes’s work, was so inspirational and showed me and so many indigenous youth that we as Native people are still here and accurate representation is so important and possible."

"Edward Zwick’s period piece chronicles an American family on the frontier. The film feels very novelistic, I sometimes feel as if I’m reading a book versus watching a movie. The direction is simplistic and not overly stylized but it somehow makes the film retain its epic quality. When I saw how Isabel Two and some of the other native characters were treated, it definitely stuck with me as a little girl."

"I loved how the filmmakers (Adam VillaSeñor and Reza Ghassemi) explored the story of two boxers from different worlds (Japan and USA) in a post war WWII setting. It really focused on the respect, honor, and integrity that the fighters maintain throughout their respective journeys. A singular line that spoke to me,” Everyone is lost in their own wilderness” against the visual metaphor for the fleeting cherry blossoms made for an introspective and beautiful viewing experience."

I’ve known Cary Fukunaga for many years and it’s been so beautiful to see his work as an artist and filmmaker blossom. Cary has always chosen to tell interesting, unique, and daring stories that take us into rich atmospheric worlds. Each film is distinct but you can still tell there is a consistency in quality and fidelity to each of his films. His daring debut, Sin Nombre, is the kind of film that we need more of in this industry as it takes us into a world that exists within our own but many people are unaware of.