by: Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
Title: Postmark Paradise
Featuring: Natalia Nazarova and Tantoo Cardinal
Format: DVD
Genre: Human Interest
Release Date: June 29, 2004
Film Maker: Entertainment Paradise Group /A Thompson Clay Film/Distributed by
Vanguard Cinema
Websites: http://www.natalianazarova.com/index2.htm / http://www.postmarkparadise.com
Actress Natalia Nazarova plays a charming and heart warming role as Viktoria, an unsuspecting mail order bride from Russia, in an independent film titled Postmark Paradise. Nazarova has been very busy woman. Besides filmmaking, the world of music has been blessed with her many talents via some fine jazz and pop vocal albums. This is her first American film role.
Natalia is charming in this film and anyone that watches it will surely fall in love with her character. The classic underdog theme makes a good storyline and is a sure-fire hook for those that like movies full of the emotion and the story of people’s lives. For her American debut, this is a fabulous effort. This young lady is star material and I would hope that someone influential in Hollywood will have sense enough to give her a chance as a leading lady in a major motion picture, I am sure she could handle it quite well. I became very engrossed in this picture and enjoyed it entirely. There was fine acting in this film; all of the characters were true to life, which made it easy to become a part of the story, as if you were right there living it.
The story of the film begins with a TV newscaster explaining how gorgeous and eligible Russian girls are looking for an opportunity to come to America and marry any willing American man, then the scene changes to the bar The Dirty Shame located in Paradise Michigan. A group of local men are in the bar feeling good and decide to check into the mail order bride phenomena. Chick (Randall Godwin) masterminds the execution of the mail order bride for their friend Jake (Vincent Angelini), who is doing time in jail for drunk driving. The expectant bride Viktoria, is delivered at his homecoming party at the bar.
When the big moment arrives, Jake comes strolling into the bar and Viktoria stands up an introduces herself with a big beautiful smile and Jake takes one look at her and shrugs his shoulders, sits at the bar, and starts drinking and telling stories. Jake has no clue what this is all about, he is taken home later in the evening falling down drunk, thinking that the girl is a present for the night from his drinking buddies. That night Viktoria leaves in distress and Reenie (multiple award winning actress Tantoo Cardinal), the only barmaid at The Dirty Shame, sees her walking down the road crying. Many more life situations and drama develop thereafter.
The film tells a unique version of the American dream in small town America, following several twists and turns, the story ends unexpectedly, which I found most pleasant and satisfying. Natalia performs several of the songs in both Russian and English on the film’s soundtrack. Look for it about June 29, on DVD and Video. Rated PG-13
© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck- http://www.muzikreviews.com
April 6, 2004
The Cast for Postmark Paradise
Reenie.....Tantoo Cardinal
Viktoria.....Natalia Nazarova
Jake.....Vincent Angelini
Chick.....Randall Godwin
Matt.....Dale Inghram
Bud.....Donald Phelan
Sweeney.....Bill Selzer
Merle.....Todd Lewis
Red Dog.....Elmer Cardinal