Sister Helen

Starring:Paul La Greca
Director: Rebecca Cammisa, Rob Fruchtman (II)
Studio: New Video Group
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Sister Helen offers a candid look at an unconventional nun. Tough-talking Sister Helen Travis is a recovered alcoholic who reinvented herself at age 56, after the loss of her husband and sons, by joining the Benedictine order in 1986. Two years later, she opened a recovery center for men in the rat-infested South Bronx (literally--the tenants battle several during the course of the film). As Sister Helen explains, "I try to do for other people's sons what I didn't do for my own. It's a second chance." Daughter Mary helps out at the center, but life mostly revolves around men like Major, an alcoholic, and Robert, a crack addict. They're everything to her and she to them--mother, counselor, warden. Her rules are strict (no female visitors, regular urine tests, community service), but her love and support is boundless. Sister Helen is a worthy testament to an unforgettable character. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Description
One of the most unanimously acclaimed documentaries in recent years and winner of the coveted Sundance Film Festival Directing Award, this emotionally compelling film is an inspirational and uplifting portrait of a truly colorful and most unusual New York character. Brash, foul-mouthed, and no-nonsense, Sister Helen Travis is not your typical saintly soul. A recovering alcoholic who lost her husband and sons to substance abuse, she single-handedly fights her own war on drugs as director of a halfway house for recovering addicts in NYC's South Bronx. Filmmakers Rob Fruchtman and Rebecca Cammisa put their fly-on-the-wall, cinema verité technique to expert use as they vividly capture the complex love/hate relationship between this tough-as-nails nun and the men who both fear her and rely on her to help them battle their own inner demons. Inspired by Sinatra's "my-way-or-the-highway" mantra, Sister Helen runs a tight ship in which everyone must obey her rules and the hand that writes them. For the residents who wish to permanently kick the habit, this sobering dose of tough love may be their last and only hope.

Average customer rating:

Sister Helen

Disgusting

recovery comes from those who care

I know what I am SUPPOSED to feel...

Well crafted documentary

Sister Helen
Starring: Paul La Greca
Director: Rebecca Cammisa , and Rob Fruchtman (II)
Manufacturer: New Video Group
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00061QJKI
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Amazon.com

Sister Helen offers a candid look at an unconventional nun. Tough-talking Sister Helen Travis is a recovered alcoholic who reinvented herself at age 56, after the loss of her husband and sons, by joining the Benedictine order in 1986. Two years later, she opened a recovery center for men in the rat-infested South Bronx (literally--the tenants battle several during the course of the film). As Sister Helen explains, "I try to do for other people's sons what I didn't do for my own. It's a second chance." Daughter Mary helps out at the center, but life mostly revolves around men like Major, an alcoholic, and Robert, a crack addict. They're everything to her and she to them--mother, counselor, warden. Her rules are strict (no female visitors, regular urine tests, community service), but her love and support is boundless. Sister Helen is a worthy testament to an unforgettable character. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

One of the most unanimously acclaimed documentaries in recent years and winner of the coveted Sundance Film Festival Directing Award, this emotionally compelling film is an inspirational and uplifting portrait of a truly colorful and most unusual New York character. Brash, foul-mouthed, and no-nonsense, Sister Helen Travis is not your typical saintly soul. A recovering alcoholic who lost her husband and sons to substance abuse, she single-handedly fights her own war on drugs as director of a halfway house for recovering addicts in NYC's South Bronx. Filmmakers Rob Fruchtman and Rebecca Cammisa put their fly-on-the-wall, cinema verité technique to expert use as they vividly capture the complex love/hate relationship between this tough-as-nails nun and the men who both fear her and rely on her to help them battle their own inner demons. Inspired by Sinatra's "my-way-or-the-highway" mantra, Sister Helen runs a tight ship in which everyone must obey her rules and the hand that writes them. For the residents who wish to permanently kick the habit, this sobering dose of tough love may be their last and only hope.

Customer Reviews:

Sister Helen.......2007-06-05

My SO grabbed this for me one night when we picked out movies for each other and considering my love for nuns and documentaries it was quite a good choice! Sister Helen was a nun living in the Bronx who ran a house to help recovering drug abusers. The film is a bit of biography about her life as an alcoholic, a mother, who turns into a tough loving nun as well as a story of a Catholic outreach program. Unfortunately, the DVD we picked up from the library was so scratched up it became a bit exasperating to watch the film but it is an intriguing documentary if you get the chance.

Disgusting.......2007-04-14

This is a disgusting "documentary". I was shocked and scandalized to see a woman consecrated to God using foul language and yelling obscentities.Also,I was amazed to see that the relationship between "Sister Helen" and the patients were almost a boyfriend/girlfriend type of relationship.They definitely did not have the normal relationship that sister has with those she is serving. I hated this documentary because it portrays religious sisters in such a poor light. I personally know Catholic sisters and I have NEVER EVER known one who would, or could(without being disciplined by superiors) behave in such a fould unmannerly way. There are many fine sisters who do amazing good work for society and the world at large. I think this film was designed to make them look bad, and I think it suceeded. While its true that not all religious are saints, it is also true that I have never met one that acted like she worked in a bar either. I only hope that anyone who watches this horrible film will also watch Malcolm Muggeridges "Something Beautiful For God". I think there is also a wonderful documentary called "Mother Teresa". I think the filmmakers definitely had an agenda in making this film, and I wonder that it was made since surely Sister's superiors would recognize how bad it would make them look.I do not recommend this trash to anyone.

recovery comes from those who care.......2007-03-12

I thought SISTER HELEN was the "Mother Theresa" of down and out addict, alcoholics, with the best example of " Tough Love " I've ever had the pleasure to witness. Yes, she was rough and raw, but her belief that "the parties over" said it all. Maybe A.A. is a softer gentler way, but Sister Helen provided sick unfortunates a place to stay and one on one guidance. You won't get that at any A.A. fellowship. See this story, you won't regret you did!! Anonymously Yours Louie G.

I know what I am SUPPOSED to feel..........2006-07-16

...but I don't.

It's clear that Sister Helen helped some people and that the clients we met in the film loved her.

However, as a recovering alcoholic who believes in AA, I was repelled by the anger, the screaming, and her use of guilt as a motivator. Even if the editing was unkind, she apparently subscribed to the school of browbeating and sarcasm--I don't.

I didn't see a woman I, personally, could like or support.

Well crafted documentary .......2006-06-06

Sister Helen (2002) won critical attention at Sundance for its fiery title protagonist, Sister Helen Travis, a sixty-nine year old Benedictine nun, who runs a transitional home for men seeking to stay clean and sober. Rebecca Camissa and Rob Fruchtman's documentary manages to capture in considerable detail the difficulties of running a facility for men who battle their demons.

What makes this documentary exceptional is that the founder, Sister Helen, has her own past with which she has to contend making her more than a `savior', but a fellow traveler who understands the trials the men face. Having lost her husband and two sons to the atrocities of drugs, alcohol, and in one case, murder, we can sympathize with Sister Helen's passion to assist others.

Her no-nonsense style will provoke viewers who believe that members of religious orders should avoid profanity, speak prettily, and invoke God in a particular pious way. Sister Helen reflects the world from which she came: hard-bitten, tough, and demanding. Her tough-love approach guides the men who would have her believe the various lies they tell from time to time but she remains committed to them no matter how often they falter.

Individuals who prefer their religious types similar to the folks in Sister Act and The Sound of Music would do well to avoid Sister Helen.

Average customer rating:

what
somebody stop the pain...
ANOTHER ONE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF "I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE"

Don't Mess With My Sister!
Starring: Joe Perce , Jeannine Lemay , Jack Gurci , Peter Sapienza , and Laura Lanfranchi
Director: Meir Zarchi
Manufacturer: ELITE ENTERTAINMENT
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

I Spit On Your Grave (Millennium Edition)
I Spit on Your Grave (Millennium Edition)
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ASIN: B00004RE2A
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Customer Reviews:

what.......2006-08-14

This movie is totally confusing. The plot is pretty easy to follow, no problems there, but you're left confused as to why any of it should be happening and especially who you should be empathizing with(the answer apparently: no one).

That was my big problem. I never knew who I should like or hate wholeheartedly. Everyone was always being awful with random moments of shining redemption that made me like them before they rushed off to get back into being awful. Is it wrong to ask that I at least have someone to root for(or entirely against) in a movie? Everyone was hateful and annoying and stupid and then occassionally they'd do something that was beautifully humane but of course it didn't fit. At all.

This movie is a mess. I got it in the two-pack with I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, so I'm not as upset as I would be, but yeah. If you ABSOLUTELY must have this movie get it with the two-pack. Otherwise, skip it, skip the two-pack, just get the nice version of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE.

somebody stop the pain..........2002-02-19

Irritating accents, implausible character motivation, and a script that is constantly pulling itself in opposite directions makes the viewer question how Meir Zarchi keeps a clear thought, let alone direct a 90-minute film... That's the feeling I got with "Don't Mess With My Sister!", a low-budget stinker that's riddled with bad writing, acting, direction, and just about everything else... Okay, Zarchi's previous (and only other) effort, "I Spit on Your Grave," was just as confused but more well-done on a technical level than this piece of junk. The exploitation elements are sadly missing (a single nude scene, and action so poorly directed it's laughable) and the film's self-important 'message' (forced marriages will make men snap and sleep with belly dancers!) will leave you groaning.

ANOTHER ONE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF "I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE".......2000-10-11

This is a very strange little film that will have glued to the television screen. Some may find it to be a little too off-beat for their tastes, but those folks who loved "I Spit on Your Grave" by the same director will become instant fans of this film. Now I don't believe in giving away too much of the story in a film review so all I'm going to tell you is that this movie is about a very disturbing forced marriage.

Average customer rating:

Sweet Revenge
Starring: Alec Baldwin , Savannah Smith Boucher , Richard Bradford , Merritt Butrick , and Dana Elcar
Director: David Green
Manufacturer: Trinity Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000FC2G50
Release Date: 2006-04-07

The Ultimate Revenge 2-Pack (I Spit on Your Grave / Don't Mess with My Sister)

Average customer rating:

Very 70's independant film
I Spit On Your Shoe
biggest disappointment EVER
Pitewww I spit on them too! They deserved it!
In a word HORRIFIC!

The Ultimate Revenge 2-Pack (I Spit on Your Grave / Don't Mess with My Sister)
Starring: Camille Keaton , Eron Tabor , Richard Pace , Anthony Nichols , and Gunter Kleemann
Director: Meir Zarchi
Manufacturer: Elite Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006IUH9
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Amazon.com

Writer-director Meir Zarchi's controversial story of rape and revenge has lost none of its ability to shock viewers since it first gained notoriety in the late '70s. Camille Keaton (grand-niece of Buster Keaton and, later, Zarchi's wife) stars as a young woman who is terrorized and then brutally assaulted by four men while on vacation. After slowly pulling herself together, she methodically tracks down and butchers each of the perpetrators. Zarchi's film has been consistently accused of celebrating violence against women, and while the rape scenes are graphic, they also lack the voyeuristic qualities that earmark other similarly plotted exploitation films. If anything, Zarchi is guilty of awkward scripting; the dialogue is leaden, and Keaton's transformation from victim to avenger is too swift. But to label him a pornographer is wrong, and while the film is challenging--perhaps more than most audiences can bear--its depiction of the psychology of violence is undeniably powerful. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews:

Very 70's independant film.......2007-04-24

about a subject that is just as horrific then as it is now. The four morons who raped her got what they deserved. Then as today, they would never be convicted, a few smooth words from an experienced lawyer, and they'd be out in about 2 hours. And she knew that and exacted her own justice. Although, it was far from a pleasant movie, I feel it would be beneficial for all woman to see it and discuss what they would do in her situtation.

I Spit On Your Shoe.......2006-09-22

I spit on your grave is a fun film for fans of Wes Craven's "Last House On The Left" and other "Rape/Revenge" classics, There are some elements of this film that are genuinely gruesome, and others that are practically laughable, either way, it's not a bad way to spend 100 minutes of your life, not if your like me anyway. Joe Bob Brigg's commentary on this film is a great treat for anyone who has heard about this picture because of it's controversy, because he does a great job of explaining all of that, and also if your just a big movie buff and want to hear interesting facts about the movie, because that track is chock full of info that is a great addition and Joe bob is pretty entertaining anyway, Meir Zarchi also has a commentary track on this DVD witch is interesting because i had heard that he had kept pretty quiet about this picture since making it, but frankly i was ready to fall asleep about 40 seconds into his track so i can't really say i found it that interesting, all in all "I spit on your grave" is a fun midnight movie for hardcore buffs, and curious horror fans alike.

biggest disappointment EVER.......2006-02-12

If you are looking for something shocking, don't bother with this movie.
rape scene: why doesn't she run???? why doesn't she fight??? how come there's all this blood on her all of a sudden??? where did that come from???? stupid. revenge scenes: first of all, i wasn't upset enough to thirst for revenge. second of all, the murder scenes were even weaker than the rape scene.
what you've basically got here is a movie hollywood could remake, scene for scene, including every gratuitous moment. and it would get made. it would show in theaters. and lots of annoying people would think it was horrifying. go rent "irreversible" it's much better at this sort of thing.

Pitewww I spit on them too! They deserved it!.......2006-02-01

A novelist goes on a vacation to write a book,she gets raped by some town hicks..then it's on!
I will admit this was a guilty pleasure. The acting was bad especially the autistic dude (Matthew)with the receding hairline comb-over do...I just wanted to slapp him silly!

I first saw this as a kid in the 80s by accident..just now figured out after all these years that they captured this woman for the Autistic dude! He was too scared,So they figure "Can't let it go to waste" and then "Choo-Choo.." it was time to run that "Train".

This movie is unnecessarily long,there isn't really THAT much dialogue, The Tripod never moves. there are scenes that don't contribute much. It's very dated in the visuals as well. Even though it is digitally remastered for DVD it still looks washed out and could've done another filter through for better quality.

The Raping scene..my god! is one to remember though!
Very graphic..the screaming too..very disturbing.
The 2nd dude with the suspenders that raped her was
OVERACTING big time with that scene...it was VERY laughable..
in fact I had to rewind it and kept laughing at the scene.
I still can't believe that the gas station guy REALLY thought she came back for HIM...in lust. Gosh what an idiot!!!
He deserved what he got, they all did. I spit on them too.

In a word HORRIFIC!.......2006-01-18

As a woman, I honestly don't know how to rate this movie. I gave it only 3 stars because, even though it was well done, I found it to be truly shocking in it's portrayal of female degradation. If this movie was meant to shock, it did a really good job. If you take the chance I strongly recommend an adult only audience.

I'm not going to bore you with the story line as it's in all the other reviews. What I will tell you is this movie stirred up a plethora of emotions in me; some I didn't even know existed. I was stupefied, horrified, angered, and it scared the hell out of me, all at the same time. The degradation, humiliation, and assault endured by the key character in this movie are beyond comprehension. The revenge she takes on her assailants is equally disturbing.

On the flip-side of the coin (human psychological instead of physical male/female), if I were to review this movie solely on the message behind it all, from my perception any way, I would probably give it 5 stars. Survival and revenge...inherently human characteristics...and...whether you admit it or not, we all have them! You have to stand in awe of the absolute strength of the key character's resolve to survive and exact revenge. It speaks volumes about us and our ability to endure. While I don't advocate ever taking the law into one's own hands, this movie certainly made me think about my own breaking point and capabilities

Average customer rating:

what
somebody stop the pain...
ANOTHER ONE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF "I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE"

Don't Mess with My Sister
Starring: Joe Perce , Jeannine Lemay , Jack Gurci , Peter Sapienza , and Laura Lanfranchi
Director: Meir Zarchi
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

I Spit On Your Grave (Millennium Edition)
I Spit on Your Grave (Millennium Edition)
Night of the Comet
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ASIN: B00009PA5X

Customer Reviews:

what.......2006-08-14

somebody stop the pain..........2002-02-19

ANOTHER ONE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF "I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE".......2000-10-11

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