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gkar2025
Reviews
Star Maps (1997)
This is a film, not a movie
I am amazed at the comments, as many of the commentators seem to want to watch a Hollywood movie, but were unaware that they were watching a film.
First off, yes, this movie is gritty. And it does have its flaws. I can tell, however, that few of the commentators carefully watched this film by a)the sole focus on the character Carlos, and b)the comment that this was an unhappy ending.
This is a story about a family, and it is not so much a docudrama about Mexican immigrants living in Los Angeles as it is an allegory about family life and the struggle to be happy. A key character in this film is the mother, Teresa. She is mentally ill (I believe schizophrenic, but it is never detailed) and she serves as the center for the family. Carlos and Maria want to leave, but stay because of their duty to take care of their mother. The brother (whose name I forget) withdraws, and does not want to face the reality of the family dynamics. But here is where I believe everyone is wrong. There is a happy ending, just not a completely resolved one.
When Teresa commits suicide, she is free from her world, and is free to be with Cantinflas, who accepts her without condition. She now frees Maria, who stayed only to take care of her, who has found love (look closely at the ending montage - her boyfriend is still with her). Pepe has no more power over Carlos, nor over Maria.
The allegory is about the trap that a dysfunctional family (being an allegory, we see a family being dysfunctional in the extreme) can become, and a stronger trap than we are often willing to admit to ourselves. Carlos stands up for himself in the end, not just against Pepe, but also against Jennifer, who merely wants to possess him in a different way. No, I thought the end was rather positive, and I applaud Arleta for not trapping the audience into a stereotypical "happy ending," but rather truly freeing these characters not only from their chains, but also from a pat, Hollywood ending. The scene with Cantinflas and Teresa at the end was quite beautiful. The futures of all of the characters are open, just as anyone else's in the real world.
Eyes on the Prize (1987)
Overall excellent film
This series (along with the sequel, "Eyes on the Prize II") is a classic documentary that, in many ways, pointed to the techniques later adapted by Ken Burns in his documentaries. Given the availability of film and first-person accounts, as well as photos, this is a far more moving and affecting film. Beginnings are difficult, and one might quibble with how the first part brings the viewer "up to speed" on African American history before the 1950's, the immediate attention to the story of Emmitt Till makes up for much of that missing narrative, by showing in graphic detail the status of African Americans in the United States, particularly the deep South. The rest of the series fills in a great amount of detail in the ensuing decade up to 1965 and the Voter-Rights act of that year.
Three things to point out in detail that made this a strong film. First, the framing of the narrative before Brown v. Board to emphasize that the Brown case did not come about in isolation, but as part of a broader strategy of the NAACP (if you are further interested in this, you should look at "The Road to Brown") led by Charles Houston and Thurgood Marshall. Second, the film did not solely rely on newsreel footage and interviews, but effectively used still photos to convey drama and set pacing. On that last issue, the third point (which may have been for cost and copyright reasons for all I know) was the minimal use of music in the film. Some of the most powerful moments in the film come from a long (4-5 seconds) shot of a dramatic photo with only silence.
Why only 9 stars and not 10? I would like to have seen a bit more in the lead up to the 1950's, and some emphasis on larger context of the Cold War and such -- particularly a bit more on radical African Americans who were targeted by the state for prosecution before the forties, as well as more on the legacies of W.E.B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington as backdrop for later debates within the movement. These are really historical concerns, and overall, the film is worth seeing. I hope that soon the copyright issues will be sorted out so that this can be released on DVD, as many video copies available now are showing their age after many viewings!
Mandela (1996)
Excellent, well-produced documentary
This is one of the better historical documentaries that I have seen in awhile covering any subject. Producing a documentary on Nelson Mandela is a rather formidable undertaking, and I believe that the filmmakers prove to be up to the task. The film portrays Mandela not as a saint, but as a human being -- yes sometimes egotistical, but steadfast throughout his struggle. One of the most memorable parts of the film (edited marvelously) for me was the section describing the Sharpeville massacre (including actual footage) and how this event was key in turning Mandela from non-violence to armed struggle. Also powerful is the coverage of Mandela's first trial on treason. Not only is footage woven in with interviews of key colleagues of Mandela, but one can see from the interview subjects that the fight against apartheid in South Africa was not merely a black versus white struggle. The struggle, in fact, encompassed a number of different ethnicities -- even Afrikkaners.
There is a fair share of South African music throughout the film, and I believe that it helps to punctuate the emotions of the time and bring the viewer closer to the subjects of the documentary.
If there is any criticism I have of the film, it is that I would have liked to see more on Mandela's interaction (or sometimes, lack of) with Bishop Desmond Tutu. Tutu stood for non-violence throughout, and may have been as important as Mandela and the ANC in forcing the issue of apartheid.
Overall, this film is far better than most historical documentaries (and I have seen my fair share of bad ones!).