Small Axe (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Purchased as gift and was well liked by recipient

These are great little stories about the Caribbean experience in the U.K. Got this as a gift for my father. A lot of his siblings went to England after the 2nd World War to help rebuild and stayed there and built a life for themselves. Highly recommended.

HAD 2RETURN ABOVE SAID DVD; DUE TO IT’s NON-FUNCTIONING [ WILL ONLY PLAY in REGION 2 an areaENCOMPASSINGthe UK & it’s TERRITORIES ] I LIVE in the US [ AMERICA WHICH PLAYS ONLY DVDs fromREGION 1 ]. AM HOPEFUL THIS DVD WILL IN THE NEAR FUTURE BECOME AVAILABLE TO PLAT ( VIEW ) on DVDs in REGION 1; THANKS RAREWAVES.

I really wanted to see Small Axe, but since I don't have the equipment in my home to do live streams via a tv, I bought the DVD instead. The 5 films are outstanding: the acting is great, and the content really draws you in and makes you think. The morals/messages are powerful and profound, transmitted through the actors and the circumstances they find themselves in. As you watch each film, you learn about a different aspect of the Caribbean experience in England (the so-called Windrush generation). As a fourth-generation descendent of Europeans immigrants residing in the US, I found it enlightening and educational. Small axe fall big tree! Highly recommended, and the seller is also great (Rarewaves in the UK).

Steve McQueen is one of the most visible contemporary artists working on questions of colonisation/decolonisation, power struggles, domination, racism and alterity. Small Axe concentrates on the Jamaican community in Britain during the 70s onwards. His highlighting of the injustices entailed by the community are necessary for the understanding of British culture. Asking the question « What is British ? ». « « « Mangrove 9 » is similar to « Twelve Angry Men » by the great film director Sidney Lumet or the more recent  « The Trial of the Chicago Seven » by Aaron Sorkin in which the cards of prejudice, racism and the colonial dominating mindset are laid on the table. « Mangrove 9 » is a game-changer employing humour and facts to bring about an understanding on a level of profundity. Steve McQueen uses real time filming as a way to access deep emotions, slowing down and laying bare what is it means to be a minority, dominated by the ignorant and the powerful. Dialogue and communication reveal sensitive issues to enable a point of view to open up with an idea of spreading light on what up till now has been obscured.

This DVD collection of five films by Steve McQueen are thought -provoking and inspirational. 'Axe'-actly the qualities I look for in real- life movies.So glad to have this in my movie collection.

10 out 10! To Mr Mcqueen for bringing toLife the Black British experience! From the last 60years truly amazing! Every episodeBreathtaking and true reminder of how things were and still remain in a lot aspect s, covering racism, music evolution and way of life for the post Windrush generation!!!

Honest portrayal of true events.

I bought this for a friend who lives abroad. She loves it, as it’s full of times when she was young. Brilliantly written & filmed, great acting. Shocking, hard to watch at some points, every emotion gone through.Steve McQueen is a genius; the actors did him proud.