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Reviews
Doubt (2008)
Excellent Acting and a Great Story
I really enjoyed this film. I saw it at the Opening night of the AFI FEST 2008. They (AFI) added this film 8 days before the opening, after they lost the original selected film (The Soloist) when the studio decided to move its release for March 2009, but without any doubts, it was a better choice to have this film instead. Not only me, but the audience were very amazed with the film. I think it's time to give another Oscar to that monster called MERYL STREEP, no more nominations. Every detail of her acting is outstanding, and believe me she did a job that glued your eyes to the screen. Also Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis deserve a nomination for those excellent jobs. A very strong film, well directed and excellently acted. Great adaptation of the theater play that I have saw in Broadway. The production designer did an excellent job as well as the photographer. Personally I congratulated the director for a great masterwork. DOUBT..no doubts that will be a great contender for the industry awards. You will see.
Cansada de besar sapos (2005)
I really enjoyed this film a lot
It's a very nice Latino romantic comedy, fun, enjoyable, and touchy. (And believe me, I never liked romantic comedies before done by Mexican filmmakers) but this one is fresh, great acting, charming, very well directed and the production values are excellent. Never heard about this director before but it's obvious that his background is from advertising. Never saw an Mexico City so beautiful. I really enjoyed it and also it's fresh...I am tired of Latino films about drugs, gangs, thieves, rapes, immigration ... Latinos have ten thousands more positive stories, and this is one of them. (Especially that it makes fun of the macho men).
A Mighty Heart (2007)
A very good film and Angelina Jolie is an actress
I just saw this film and I really liked. The story is very well told from the point of view of a professional journalist who has to experience with integrity and courage the whole process of losing her husband. I think Angelina Jolie makes AN EXCELLENT JOB. Many times I forgot was the sexy actress, and reminded me several great parts she have achieved in her career, including an Academy award. There is not any importance or relevance that she is a white woman developing an African woman... She is an actress. Until when we are going to play with racial issue. In many countries Hamlet is not from Denmark or Othello is not always a black actor, or Don Giovanni is not an Italian. The directing and several acting in this film are great. And the development of the film showing constantly the misery of this country to understand better their political situation and fanaticism.
It;s very comfortable to enjoy this film and going out in cities where we have so much comforts. I connected with Marianne Pearl, I felt I was with her watching her experience.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
The Worst Film I Have Seen in Years
I heard it was bad, but how much bad could be when number 2 was better than number one? It was what I thought.
Exactly, filmmakers discovered that #2 was successful because we were in the human side of the characters at the same time with the hero and superhero story experience. They (producers, filmmakers, writers, etc) were too far trying to play with #2 formula and they got a Very Unbelievable film.."Tacky", "Corny" and "A Real Latino Soap-opera":
* Spider Black, a new character that is so clever and acting like a "bad guy". Funny. And as a Peter, with that new hair style and punky-make up...trying to walk like Travolta (saturday night fever) with the wrong song, and "shooting pistols with hands" to girls in the street...Even them did run away. "hahahaha". But at least, he got that Venom (Topher) got fired.
We need a smarter writer.
* Oh my gush, Tobey is dancing 2 "coreographies" (Xanadu) in the film....because a touch of musicals never is bad in today's Hollywood films. He is terrible (talented actor, terrible dancer)...Give me a break.
* Now Peter is Sally Field @ the Oscars?: "They love me, They really love me" Nooo Please !!!!
* Spider Red kissing and saving the life of Cromwell's daughter for the drama of "jeaulosy" of Mary Jane. (The writer watch too much Latino Telenovelas (soap-operas) (I am Latino, I know what I am talking about).
* Mary Jane...she never was so needy girl before. Where did her ovaries go?. Her doubts between Harry or Peter. Oh please she didn't get amnesia...It was Harry the cuckoo.
* The New Goblin that gets amnesia in the right moment to confuse Mary Jane. Before he could remember his revenge, and at the end, he is coming to help and die for his hated pal. Please.
* A SandMan, that is not so bad, the man is always in the wrong place in the wrong time, even Peter/Spidey believed that he is his uncle killer...Come on !!! Etc etc etc
Sorry guys but the audience in the theater was bored at the middle of the film. Looking around the theater. Watching their watch.
I swear stop following the franchise...$14 did cost me the ticket. Spider Man 4 I won't see you. I promise,
Spider Man 3 is Absolutely the worst film of the summer. I can't believe how much money is doing nationwide and around the planet.
MORAL: Hollywood packs "sh...." and audience buy it. I went to have 2 hours of fun. Instead of staying in home and watching Univision or Telemundo drama series. At least, they are less unbelievably bad.
My fears: Shrek 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean 3 are bad too???? Heeeeelp!!!
Peaceful Warrior (2006)
It Didn't Achieve My Expectations. I am talking about the production, not the content
The first time I heard about this film was on a life-improvement-spiritual Website and got very interested in seeing it then. Maybe looking for a couple of hours of inspiration, but I found a film that bothered me many times during the screening and made me feel uncomfortable for the production development values. We are in 2006, we have seen many of this kind of films, where human miracles are overwhelming. Many of them had disappeared from our minds, maybe too much common developments.
The content of this film is beautiful, (and I will buy the book that inspired it), but I got disappointed with the flat directing job; poor acting; the constantly choreography of the Director of Photography, when he was catching the characters' acting, others' reactions; playing a lot with "showing off" camera movements; poor editing; weak and predictable screenplay; the unnecessary repetition of sounds effects and "triumphal" music scores highlighting the emotional moments...that pulled me out of the film instead get the objective...it didn't touch me
and as I wrote before
poor directing work.
It looked more like a "cheesy" Sunday TV film. Sorry to give these comments to this film, but we're talking about a film here. Watching it on cable or rent it is much better. Believe me.
I gave 4 points just for the message.
A Paixão de Jacobina (2002)
A predictable drama with the worst structure and lack of veracity.
"Jacobina" is a boring film about religious, obsessions, sin and forgiveness that make you feel embarrassed as a spectator. It's obvious that this director had been under the influence of the traditional ingredients of the low production of Latino television soap-opera. A boring script, awful acting, terrible editing and the worst directing I have seen in the last years, with all the ingredients of a awful film about the story of the woman who convinced her follower that she was a Jesus apostle in 1870s in a little town of Brazil. The production values are totally cheap, lacking research and authenticity. I don't know why I didn't leave the screening room in the first 15 minutes when was obvious the product I will see at the end.
Vengo (2000)
an excellent spectacle that merges music and image
A simple story of gossip and revenge in a Spaniard little town is the core of a great flamenco/gitano musical film, where you can see the Today's best artist of this musical genre. With a non-conventional camera that catch your senses in every story moment, great narration, music-video clip quality editing and all of that is combined with the rhythm of every song. The tragedy is exposed from the beginning but director address you there until the last second of the last image. Recommended for those with passion running in their bloods.