Kino on Video presents

Times and Winds (2007)

“I pray every night. For him to die.”- Omer (Özkan Özen)

Stars: Özkan Özen, Ali Bey Kayali, Elit Iscan
Other Stars: Bulent Emin Yarar, Taner Birsel, Yigit Ozsener, Selma Ergeç
Director: Reha Erdem

MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (adult situations)
Run Time: 01h:51m:35s
Release Date: 2008-07-15
Genre: foreign

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
A	A	A-	B	D+

 

DVD Review

When I hear that a movie is “slow,” or “takes a while to get going,” I often fear the worst. I can usually stick with a film, regardless of its pacing, but when word gets out that it’s a chore to sit through, there’s virtually no way that a wide, mainstream audience will give such a project a chance. Well, the Turkish 2007 piece, Times and Winds is certainly a languidly paced picture, but if even the most discriminating moviegoers give it an inkling of a chance, they will be greatly rewarded.

Omer (Özkan Özen) is a teenage boy that isn’t happy with his parents, but totally despises his father (Bulent Emin Yarar). While Omer is plotting to kill his father, his friend, Yakup (Ali Bey Kayali), is constantly thinking about sex, dreaming non-stop about his teacher (Selma Ergeç). The third member of this circle of friends is young girl, Yildiz (Elit Iscan), who has been burdened with babysitting her infant brother when she isn’t overhearing what her parents are doing in their bedroom at night. These three youngsters must cope with their problems while living in a poor Turkish mountain village, among a society that is well-behind the times and struggling in more ways than one.

This is the kind of film that will likely have most audiences giving up on it about 10 minutes in. There’s no opening action sequence to instantly grab our attention and our first impressions of the characters aren’t ones that instantly endear us to them or, better yet, make them appealing villains. Yet, it’s this slow, momentum-building approach employed by director Reha Erdem that is a major part of the movie’s magic. She also uses symbolism quite liberally, with a prime example being the three friends’ witnessing of a pair of mating animals. This is the most primal occasion of her overriding themes of teenagers blossoming into adults, but it’s a recurring subject throughout. Such subtleties as Omer and Yakup not realizing right away that the female Yildiz is witnessing this mating, and their subsequent reaction to the realization of her presence, are extremely powerful.

Everything is kept believable and compelling throughout thanks to some truly incredible performances. Three young, untrained actors are asked to carry an entire drama with mostly adult subject matter, and Özen, Kayali, and Ergeç pull it off like consummate professionals. Of the three, Özen gets the slight edge in screen time but Iscan practically steals the movie during a pivotal scene involving an accident with Yildiz and her infant brother. As this unfolds, we’re left to stare at the screen in shock, but it’s her reaction at the end of the scene that is both heartbreaking and incredibly natural. The adult actors are also good, but this is the kids’ show and they handle themselves quite well.

Erdem really gives us the total package though, as the look of the film is simply breathtaking at times. Florent Henry’s cinematography is as good as it gets, capturing the mountainous Turkish landscape in all of its splendor. Arvo Part’s score is also a key component, practically breathing life into some of the slower-moving sequences. The music is never overbearing, fitting perfectly into every scene in the most realistic way. All of these aspects come together perfectly for Reha Erdem, in this, a true gem.

Rating for Style: A
Rating for Substance: A

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	2.35:1 - Widescreen
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	yes

Image Transfer Review: The film is presented in anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen, and Florent Henry’s cinematography is the big winner thanks to this great transfer. The images of the Turkish landscape are a sight to behold, and there are plenty of sharp, detailed things to look at. Colors are bright and vivid, with natural fleshtones.

Image Transfer Grade: A-
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	Turkish	no

Audio Transfer Review: The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio is nothing exemplary, but it is a solid, well-mixed track that does allow the surrounds to spring to life at times. The dialogue is always crystal clear, and, most importantly, well-integrated into the overall mix.

Audio Transfer Grade: B 

Disc Extras

Full Motion menu with music
Scene Access with 18 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English with remote access
Packaging: Keep Case
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: dual

Extra Extras:

1. Stills Gallery

Extras Review: The only extra feature is a stills gallery.

Extras Grade: D+
 

Final Comments

Turkish film Times and Winds is a borderline masterpiece. On the surface, it might not be for every audience, but there is, in fact, something here for everyone. Kino’s fine disc only helps the film.

Chuck Aliaga 2008-07-14