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Que Horas Ela Volta? (2015)
Fantastic Movie!
The Second Mother is a wonderful film that really emphasizes many topics that we really do not get to cover in other films. Even if we do cover them directly, the audience would feel attacked and would not want to see the film. This film covers these various topics in an indirect way, by making the audience empathize with the protagonist, Val. Through the use of emphasizing the audience would not have to feel attacked and can learn about the wrongs in the film in their own way.
The film covers topics such as social class, race, and gender. We see Val in the movie as a nanny, taking care of a child who is rich and comes from a mostly white family. Val, is a woman of color that is also one of the main servants in the family's home. She is shown as "knowing her place", because of her knowing that she poor and is supposed to be in the shadows when serving the family. If one researches the history of Brazil we learn more about slavery in Brazil and the abuse that the slaves went through. One of the many roles the slaves had to got through was to be a servant in the master's house, so we see that in Val's case. There is also the topic of gender and the woman's role in which we see with the patriarch of the family towards the daughter and in Val's case. Val's case was supposed to take care of her daughter, but instead she took care of the family's son and her daughter comes by and reiterates to her what her original role was. There are many more topics that the film covers, such as intergenerational mobility and more.
I describe the movie as a serious film, and it is not. It is an enjoyable film with many scenes that made me laugh. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone who wants to wants to know more about Brazil and to pass time. I promise you, it is not boring.
Liz en Septiembre (2014)
Fantastic Movie!
Liz in September is a such a sentimental film. It shows a raw human element that we sometimes cannot see in other movies. The entire movie is an ode to life. Through the use of camera movements and angles, the use of color and just about everything else really captures that human emotion. We feel that emotion by empathizing with the protagonist, Liz. Throughout the movie we see the weakening of the strong character. We do not notice it at first because of that strength and independence that she has. The strength, like all strength, has to come from somewhere and hers comes from a very sad reason; she is dying. All of her jokes and mannerisms hide the sad truth. She alienates some of her friends from this secret, scared of what they would do, but more specifically what she would feel. She puts a front and carries on.
The human element of this all, is Liz's outlook on her life, knowing that she is going to die. We see the loving support of her friends and of her lover. It is this sense of togetherness and warmth that we see in the film that helps her understand that it is going to be okay, that her death will not be as bad as she thinks it will be. She believes that her life gave no legacy and that it was wasted.
I am fond of this movie due to the fact that we do see the death of a beloved character in the movie and we celebrate her life rather than continuing to mourn for her. We see that she does have a legacy in a child that will be brought up like Liz. We see Liz's friends talking about how great she was. In the end, it is a film that celebrates Liz's life, although short, full of love and care that defined a woman who was strong physically and mentally. I definitely recommend this movie.
Yo, la peor de todas (1990)
Nice Introduction to the life of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz
I, the Worst of All is now one of my favorite movies. I had always admired Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. She is on the 200 Mexican peso bill. I used to go around Mexico with the bill in hand always staring at her on the bill. She seemed so mysterious on the bill. She was like a Mexican Mona Lisa to me. I actually thought that there was no good movie or television show about her, (Not that I actively looked for one). There is now a show on Netflix now. It is pretty good.
This movie is just an introduction to her, it is not a full biography of her life, but a mere slice of it. It actually does no full justice to her. We do see only a sliver of her personality and some interpretations of her. In her time, she was a deviant yearning to learn more than what a normal woman of her time would learn. She wanted to read more and have more books and the only way to achieve that was to be a nun. She gave up basically her life to learn. It is quite admirable.
Overall, I enjoyed seeing this person on the silver screen. I learned just a bit about her, although the movie is based on the book, Sor Juana: Or, the Traps of Faith, by Octavio Paz. In general, I would recommend this movie to people wanting to know more about Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, people who want to know more about gender inequalities, and feminism. One can really see the injustices toward her just because she was a woman. She is actually very witty about it in the movie. There are several scenes that she basically just screams girl power.
Of course this movie does not cover her beginnings, which would have been nice to see, but we do get to see a mature side of her. A side of her that is aware of her surroundings and is quick thinking to not only respect herself in times of humiliation, but to also win over her audience.
La otra conquista (1998)
Great movie for an indigenous perspective on colonization!
La Otra Conquista is a good film to watch particularly if one is interested in 1. Mexica people and their culture, and 2. the colonization process of normalizing the Mexicas in ways that dehumanize them by destroying their culture and them.
This movie is a good movie to kind of know the language of the Mexica, Nahuatl. We hear this language throughout the film. We also get to kind of see some of their religion, but there is no elaboration it. This is one of the few movies that shows the downfall of the Mexica, through the perspective of one man, Topiltzin.
One hears of how indigenous people are suffering and one does not know why or how it even started. One hears of colonization, studies it for a bit and goes on in life. This movie gives a good representation of one indigenous group, the Mexicas. Now everyone knows how the Mexicas were conquered, but not everyone knows exactly how they were conquered. This movie shows that the colonizing process was very traumatizing for the Mexica. The Spanish came through, ravaged their land and women. They destroyed buildings and idols, but for what exactly? This can be described as a physical type of torment as well as beatings, tortures and killings of their own people.
The Spanish wanted their gold and at the same time God had sent the Spanish to help these poor savages. So, the Spanish did all they could to replace their gods with God. They destroyed, but to no avail, not unless they beat them down spiritually and mentally.
This movie shows a few of the atrocities that the Spanish did to the Mexicas. It shows them degrading them and making them stop speaking Nahuatl. They normalize them into Spanish society, by making them wear Spanish clothing, speaking Spanish, at times eating Spanish food, keeping them away from other indigenous people, and their homeland.
In conclusion, I recommend this movie to anyone that wants to know more about the colonization of indigenous people. I do not say Mexicas, because this is what has happened to the rest of the indigenous groups in all of the Americas. This film alone is a small introduction to only one group of Indigenous groups that has been colonized for a greater good.
Danzón (1991)
Beautiful story
This movie reminded me of the movie Sube y Baja with Cantinflas. I have always liked movies that have an ocean setting. It seems as if one can just put reality on hold and just live a little. Danzón is one of those movies that has that type of story. We see the everyday life of a woman, Julia, and how a visit to the beach can really make a person feel alive. This movie really emphasizes that even if you do not seek a vacation, it is really needed to fully value what you have or what you need have.
The music, the dancing, and sense of community in the film gives the audience the setting that they are there in Veracruz. The choice of music is lovely, from Augustin Lara to Julio Jaramillo. They sing such romantic songs that adds beautifully to the movie. The instrumental beach music makes it so hard not to dance to.
Overall, it is a movie that stepping out of your circle may not be so bad. You might meet nice people, see beautiful sights, and just enjoy who you really are. You even might set out on a path and end up on another to self understanding. One is never too young to have fun and it is never too late to set out on an adventure. This is a movie that makes me want to fall in love.
I would recommend this movie to anyone who has a broken heart, or feels as if they are going nowhere in life. I would recommend this movie to anyone who feels suffocated in this point and time in their life. I believe that this movie would put a smile on anyone's face.
Also, make sure to understand all of the names of the boats, they will make you laugh.