Reviews

This movie teaches us a lot of useful things. First: making good movies about political issues is possible. Second: You can make a good chilean movie about chilean aspects of chilean life (many chilean directors want to do French, Italian, or New York look-like movies, ashamed of their own roots). Third: You can a good movie about political issues, about Chilean stuff and have success in both theaters and critic. A very human and poetic love story during the Pinochet's dictatorship is shown in La Frontera, when oppositors were sent to little villages far away from everything and a series of strange relations start. With great performances of and Patricio Contreras and Gloria Laso. The scene in the bar when the men are dancing between them is just memorable. Hector Rios' cinematography is superb. If you can see this movie, I recommend it.

Presented as "the first chilean horror movie", this film is not only the first in this way. Is the first successful attempt to do a movie for entertainment. Until now usually chilean directors tried to do "auteur" films with different results. So, Angel Negro is not a deep or very artistic film but keeps you in your seat all the way. I worked as cameraman there and was a tough work. We struggle with serious budget problems but fortunately all this misery didn't brought a B-series movie. Andrea Freund's performance and Arnaldo Rodríguez cinematography are, in my humble opinion, the highest points.

This is a very good movie made by one of most important and consistent chilean filmmaker. Silvio Caoizzi show us all the decadence of chilean aristocracy in the early 1900s, but, as Andalu said, some things have barely changed in Chile. The love that Julio feels for a local prostitute is destroyed by the raw, classy and decadent reality he must live. This movie was voted as "Chilean film of the century" for local public. The sepia colour, some characters and all its unique atmosphere are the best in this movie. Above all of that, it was made in a period when no one were filming movies in Chile, and that is a big merit.

This is a movie that depicts with no moralizing realism the life of a group of youngs dealing with drugs and unemployment. Shows too the skepticism of young people about the new Chilean democracy. The image of the boys taking a sunbath in the middle of nowhere(when Niki asks "what time is it?" and other replies "do you have something to do?"), maybe is the picture of the 90s Chilean cinema. Some of the scenes you can't forget, and sometimes bother reminding us that Chile has a lot of people in problems about drugs and unemployment. Niki's and Myriam Palacios performance, and Gaston Roca's cinematography are the best of this movie. The line "La droga es lo peor" (Drug is the worst) was a popular quote in early 90s, because this movie had a good audience in theaters, video and TV.

Maybe the best Chilean film of the year, "El chacotero..." shows us the public and private life of the common people in Chile. The mixture between drama and comedy is superb, and the acting has no low points. For me, the best story is the first; but you must see the movie and decide. The director, Cristian Galaz comes from video clips and advertisement, so the movie has this kind of treatment in some parts. I guess it would be appreciated better in TV format. Anyway is a very, very good film. In Chile was a blockbuster in theaters.

Andrés Wood (no relation with Ed Wood!) shows with humour how the soccer is present in the Chile's everyday life. More than a movie about soccer is about the people who is around it. Daniel Muñoz performance, the burp contest in Calama and the Gustavo Moscoso's goal are the highlights of this movie. In the screen Chile ties with Germany 1-1. Actually, this match was played in 1982 world cup and we lost 4-1! This movie was a success in Chile and one of the best in the second half of the 90s.

We, the chileans, are always looking to another countries and forget our essence; we are ashamed to be chileans. There are a lot of chilean movies pretending to be french, german or american ones. So, the good idea of Gringuito is to look at Chile from inside and outside at same time. Another good thing in this movie is the fact that is not an "adult" movie. Until Gringuito, all the chilean movies were with scenes of violence, nudity and/or raw language. Sergio Castilla maybe thought in family and, very important, in kids. A nice movie, showing us the possibility of reconciliation in our divided country. The performing of Mateo Iribarren (El Flaco) is the better of this movie.

Maybe the best Chilean movie, El Chacal de Nahueltoro lets me thinking about it many years since I saw at first time. This raw picture about Chile shows us a lot of topics: poverty that leds to violence, the system that improve a human being and finally kills him, the death penalty, etc. The images of this movie are impossible to forget. The work of Héctor Ríos (cinematography) and Pedro Chaskel (editing) is superb. The performing of Nelson Villagra is one of the best I've never seen in all movies (chileans and foreigns). Miguel Littin was unable to repeat such a success in his other movies.

When "Palomita Blanca" was shown in Chilean theaters, a lot of people felt disappointed because this movie has "no story". Anyway, this movie is a fresh and humoristic portrait of Chilean society in the 70s. A lot of situations depicted with humour become, I think, part of the best of Chilean cinematography, making fun about political dogmas and social differences (Chile is a very class-distinction country). "Palomita Blanca" was shot in 1973, but the military strike stopped the editing process. It was shown at first time in Chile in the beginning of the 90s.

The Pacific War (1879-1883) put the Chileans against the allied of Perú and Bolivia. Nowadays, this subject still divides our countries (I´m Chilean). "Caliche Sangriento" shows us the adventure of a group of Chilean soldiers lost in the Atacama's desert. During this journey, the Captain (Duvauchelle) and the Lieutenant (Vadell) argue about the real reasons who led Chile into the war. It was not homeland´s defense, but economical interest. This point of view made quite an impression in Chile, and this movie was intended to be forbidden. More than a war movie, this is more like a western one. We have desert, great spaces, tough guys, honour conflict and some bullets. "Caliche Sangriento" is one of the best Chilean films.

This is a very interesting movie. It shows us some ancient traditions from Chile and a social portraits where the problems (poverty, violence, prostitution) are still the same. Being a social film, it is not a sad one. Largo Viaje is full of tenderness and the humour is always present between all the drama. I recommend this movie for those who wants to know about the way the Chileans are.

This movie was a success when released in 1968. Watching it with the 90's eye, it appears to be "demodé", but "Lunes 1°, Domingo 7" still has a charme and naivite that makes it a lovable film.

"El húsar de la Muerte" is quite one of the best Chilean movies. It depicts in a clear and nice way all the struggle of Manuel Rodríguez for Chile's independence. Depicts, too, all the honour and courage of that romantic period (aprox. 1812). Very low budget, but very high quality. Huacho Pelao is very good in his supporting role.