Native Film Talk

Let's talk about Rezball! Produced by Lebron James and documents a story of the Chuska Warriors losing their star player to suicide. The team and community finds a way to rally around their culture, language, and each other to succeed. On paper this sounds fantastic, however I dive into some positives and negatives. In particular, the use of Native mascots, Navajo language spoken by non-Navajos, a...

I talk about why I stopped making podcast episodes. Short story is I didn't like the content that was coming out, despite the fact that there was seemingly a lot of it and it was received positivtely by Native audiences. I talk about Killers of the Flower Moon, Rezball, Yellowstone Series ending, and state of Native cinema.  Hope you all enjoy the return! I'll make another episode soon. Talk to yo...

Back again with a episode on Marvel's Echo. My friend Chris joins me to talk about Maya Lopez's journey back to her community in season 1 of Echo. We discuss why this is important for Native representation, specifically for women. I had a great time discussing how badass Alaqua Cox is as Maya and how much we are looking forward to another season.  There isn't much I didn't like about this show, it...

I had a wonderful chat with Joey Clift. He is a writer on Spirit Rangers, which just got renewed for season 2! Woot woot! Joey has also created amazing short films like My First Native American Boyfriend and How To Cope With Your Team Changing Its Native American Mascot.  We talk a bit about the Spirit Rangers premiere, in addition to how the show came to be. We also touch on the state of Native A...

Alrighty! We're back with the Rez Dogs takeover! Episodes 1 and 2 are essentially one long episode so I decided to combine them!  We're back with Bear, Elora, Cheese, and Willie Jack as they try to reverse curses, make it back to town, get a job, and try to not be a shitass in life. They get second, sometimes third chances, because there is good in them that needs room to flourish.  I loved this s...

Jon is most recently known for his work on Reservation Dogs, playing Willie Jack's dad Leon. However Jon has been in the acting business for a while and has many stories to share! What Hollywood was like when he started acting compared to now on Reservation Dogs. Also we discuss where people get it wrong about Native people when it comes to science, culture, sense of place, filmmaking.  I had fun...

We had an Auntie on the podcast! Nathalie Standingcloud who plays Natalie an Optometry Receptionist. Nathalie is a tatoo artist, stage actor, on-screen actor, and model. She has been in the spotlight recently in performance as one of the Aunties in Season 2 Episode 5 of Reservation Dogs, where a quartet of ladies journey to an IHS Conference.  In my chat with Nathalie we discuss the importance and...

Listen as I dive into season 1 of Dark Winds with my guest Majerle Lister, host of Wósdéé podcast and co-host of F*ckin Sick Podcast.  We do deep dive of how this compares to the previous PBS Hillerman films and general reception of the Hillerman novels among Navajo people. Additionally we discuss the impact of having an all native writers room for this series and including historically accurate e...

Directed by Dan Trachenburg, this feature film is the #1 film premier in the first three days on Hulu. Receiving praise from Jesse Ventura, Joe Rogan, Bill Duke, and rocking a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, this film has received positive acclaim.  This film dives into the world of Naru as she is trying to find her foothold as a warrior while challenging the traditional roles for women in her village. Wh...

I had a great chat with Caleb Abrams (Seneca) and discussed his work as a cultural consultant on Dexter New Blood. We also discuss the inclusion of MMIW in the show, his college educational experience, and what his community thought of Dexter New Blood. In addition, so much more.  Caleb is many things but he is most a great asset to Indian Country, it shows in what was present in Dexter. I'm happy...

This Dexter reboot that takes place 10 years after the questionable ending of the original show. Far from Miami, Dexter finds himself under the alias, Jim Lindsay, and is no longer killing. On top of not satisfying his urges, he is dating the Chief of Police Angela Bishop who is Seneca. A crime takes place on tribal land we are taken on a wild ride which eventually leads to Dexter meeting his demi...

This unfortunately came out in a year where we were graced with superior Native representation in television, Rutherford Falls and Reservation Dogs. Fortunately for us we know better now because of those shows. Grey's Anatomy having Natives, at face value sounds amazing. The actual product though, left much to be desired. I felt like I was watching someone's attempt at being respectful to Natives....

Joe is the father I want to be, the creator I want to be, the role model I want to be...everything. Joe Yates runs Alaskan Films , his own video production and photography company. He also is a writer on Molly Of Denali , works on the upcoming show Life Below Zero: The First Alaskans , and is a Haida man trying his best to teach his kids the language.  He is a wonderful filmmaker and his work is a...

Give that man an Ax!  What a way to end the season, Elora is the only one that ends up leaving?! And she ends up leaving with Jackie?! From the sworn rival gang the NDN Mafia?! Definitely some curveballs in this season finale but it was a great way to leave us wanting more for season 2. I wrap up my miniseries on the Reservation Dogs season 1 and hope that everyone enjoyed it!  In addition to wrap...

What a great episode! Unfortunately this is what accurate Native representation looks like sometimes, suicide. While it dealt with an issue that we commonly see in our communities, it did it in a way that informs us of the circumstances that cultivate those high rates. Addiction, lack of opportunity, language loss, culture loss, poor access to adequate health care, etc. This show demonstrates that...

This is the Willie Jack episode we've all been waiting for...it's not quite what we expected but over delivered in my opinion.  Willie Jack and her dad set out to hunt the deer that has eluded them, Chunk. While out and about Leon shares with Willie Jack his encounter of Tallman and they discuss the circumstances around Daniel's death.  This is a wonderful episode that touches on religion, belongi...

As seen on Natives React Rez Dogs episode!  I had the pleasure of having Elias Gold come onto the show, he is the creator behind the YouTube channel Native Media Theory.  This chat discussed Reservation Dogs, how we came to be enamored with Native representation and advocating for accurate representation, the state of Native representation in film & television, also where we go from here.  I had a...

This episode is my favorite of the season. It has Kiowa Gordon singing Midnight Rider, Big's origin story, learning more about Cheese, and Native suspense/horror like I've never seen it done before...so beautifully. Also Wes Studi is in this episode, man what a show! Deer Lady is right behind William Knifeman aka Spirit as my favorite character in the show. I have never seen Native lore captured s...

This episode was real...like very real and strange. Absent father, people who have a weird Native fetish, phallic beaded jewelry, and of course frybread at diabetes awareness fairs.  I discuss the anti-black criticism surround this show, specifically targeted around this particular episode. I also talk about some of the great topics raised, like sexualization of Native women. How Native women are...

Writer, actor, artist, comedian...what can this guy not do?!  I had the pleasure of sitting down with Bobby to talk about his work on Rutherford Falls and Reservation Dogs. Keeping the spirit of making my show a mini-series about Reservation Dogs I thought it was fitting that we invite someone that writes for the show!  We talked a lot about his career. How he got to the point where he is writing...

Let's run away together and live off the land...let's get some Sonics!  Episode 3 brought us talk about shapeshifters, bad medicine, Sonics, legendary knockout stories, and reconnecting with our kin.  Listen as I discuss the show's subtle humor it brings, so hard. Also how I'm worried this is going to be stolen by other people who see how much attention this show is getting. Last, hear me wrap up...

Hi there everybody!  Episode 2 brings us to the IHS clinic, of all places. I discuss how this is something I didn't know I needed, real life interactions at the clinic. It's such a random place where you can meet elders, family members, and maybe find love.  Reservation Dogs continue to set the bar on Native representation in TV and the hits keep coming with each episode.  Let me know what you thi...

Aho Young Warrior!  I decided to do a mini season the show. The next eight episodes will be dedicated to the show. All other work feels like table scraps right now. I can't help but find myself only consuming this show and I want to talk about it.  I love this show, the representation is so authentic it should have it's own enrollment card. I can't believe this show exists, so I had to take the ti...

Not a spoiler alert!  I give a quick reaction to the first two episodes of Reservation Dogs being dropped on Hulu! It was so good, I discuss how next level it is and why I'm so excited for the rest of the season to air! Can't wait. I also bring up happenings with Spirit Rangers (Netflix), Dexter: New Blood, Rezball being produced by Lebron James, Avatar: The Last Airbender live action TV Show, Dar...

I had a wonderful chat with Angelique Midthunder and Stacey Rice, both of whom work for Midthunder Casting. A casting agency that has a particular eye for Native talent. A primary focus of their work is casting Native actors so naturally we talk about how hard it is to find Native talent, is it hard to spot a Pretendian, what is the outlook like for Native film/TV?  Also we discuss Angelique's jou...