Latino movie reviews

Thor (Movie Review)

‘Thor,’ the first Marvel superhero film of the year, debuts this weekend to high expectations from cinephiles to film executives. This film adaptation is faithful to the mythology of the comic book hero, has a well blend of humor and drama, is visually stunning, but stumbles through the end, and although it recovers, it does not manage to have a place in the pantheon of superhero classics such as ‘Superman II’ and ‘The Dark Knight.’ However, the film, mostly, is great popcorn fun and is worth spending the money to see, especially in IMAX 3D. Read More

Water for Elephants (Movie Review)

‘Water for Elephants’ is one of the most beautiful films you’ll see this year. With the help of one of the greatest Mexican cinematographers in Rodrigo Prieto, director Francis Lawrence who helmed ‘I Am Legend’ and ‘Constantine,’ gives us a visually beautiful, colorful picture full of vibrancy and panache with love at its core. This is the theme that traverses the story at every level. You see it subtly, passionately, and in complex ways. A mixed bag of everything. Unfortunately, you need real chemistry to pull this off, not a modicum. ‘Water for Elephants’ has its great moments but it also possesses some mediocre mush that weighs it down. It is ultimately a fine film, but because it could’ve been perfect, it is measured at a different scale. The criticisms here are not of the negative kind, but would like them to be viewed as constructive, a ‘what could have been better’ analysis of the events.

The film, in essence, is the circus story version of 1997’s Titanic. It follows almost the same exact plot structure: old man narrates his story of a tragic event in the form of flashbacks when he was young, his romance with a woman that was out of his reach, and the memory of the tragedy that our narrator has never been able to forget. Robert Pattinson is Leonardo DiCaprio and Reese Witherspoon is Kate Winslet’s character, with a circus ambience. This structure is very successful, but I have already seen it and have seen it done better. I don’t think it’s nonsensical to say that many who watch the movie will feel like they’ve seen it before. It’ll be an involuntary and subconscious reaction, but one that will affect the viewer’s judgement of it.

Based on the book by Sara Gruen, ‘Water for Elephants’ swirls around the life of a veterinary student from the wrong side of the tracks, Jacob (Robert Pattinson), who meets and falls in love with Marlena (Reese Witherspoon), a star performer in a circus of a bygone era. They discover beauty amidst the world of the Big Top, and come together through their compassion for an elephant named Rosie. Both are faced with the challenge of her charismatic and dangerous husband August (Christopher Waltz), who seeks to keep his matrimony and the circus alive no matter the consequences.

Twilight heartthrob Robert Pattinson’s individual work here is the best I’ve seen him do. He’s photogenic, charming and definitely has the magic to attract a vast contingency of female cinephiles with that ‘aww shucks’ demeanor. Witherspoon is Witherspoon, nothing more, and Waltz channeled Col. Hans Landa. Very good, but again I’ve seen him perform this character better in Inglorious Basterds. I tip my hat and salute the performance of Hal Holbrook as the elderly Jacob. You almost choked up in most of the scenes he was in, especially at the end. There’s something to say about watching an elderly person be so fragile and vulnerable in a close up. It’s powerful stuff.

Pacing and dialogue play a big part in the reasons this film made one or more yawn a few times. The pace is at times uneven because the dialogue withers a bit in the middle and it felt slow and wearisome. It then picks back up only to wane again. It did this a few times until it moved consistently enough to engross you once and for all through the end. Lawrence should’ve cut some scenes and push the movie forward even if it risked cutting out his favorite scenes with Pattinson. During the fist hour I must’ve looked at my watch once or twice and a guy in the back let out a loud yawn. Is it entertaining? No, not in the Fast Five type of way, but it’s not supposed to. It is supposed to titillate my senses and crescendo into a rousing symphony of engagement for me. It never reached those heights, but it also didn’t ruin my experience. This is a delightful movie, not a preeminent one.

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Unknown (Movie Review)

‘Unknown,’ a “who the hell am I, who the hell are you” action thriller, is everything absurd thing you can imagine in a movie. Much of the movie is one ridiculous scene after another with plot contrivances that you just have to laugh at, but, the subject matter is so interesting, that you forgive the plausibilities of the story and give in to its over the top implausibilities. At the end of the day, you do want to entertain yourself, correct? This is one to have fun with and laugh at in disbelief. Oh, and did I mention the unbelievable plot twist at the end?

Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson), an American university professor in Berlin, goes to a biotechnology conference with his young wife, Elizabeth (January Jones). When a baggage mix-up necessitates a quick return to the airport, Martin departs without a word to his wife while she is checking into the hotel. His cab is involved in a serious accident. After he awakens at the hospital after 4 days, he discovers that his wife (January Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by assassins, he finds himself alone, tired, and on the run. On his own in a strange country, Martin seeks aid from an unlikely and reluctant source (Diane Kruger) as he plunges headlong into a deadly mystery that will force him to question his sanity, his identity, and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.

Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax, Orphan) captures well the foreign feeling that James Bond films do so well. The color filters he uses are appealing and the action scenes are top notch. Jaume keeps on getting better with each passing film, but I hope he doesn’t think in anyway that this is his best work. His previous thriller ‘Orphan’ could have been one of the best films of 2009, were not it for the twisted ending. 

Liam Neeson, a nominated Oscar performer, is becoming a top flight ‘Jason Statham like’ B actor. His movie Taken from 2008, was a hit and seems to be the visual basis for ‘Unknown’. They literally, look like the same film. Actress January Jones, known from her work in the TV series Mad Men, is just horrible. She’s stiff, uninvolved and deadpan.  Outside of her looks, Ms. Jones shouldn’t see the lens of a camera. I have no idea of how she got this far.

There are no real dull moments to endure with ‘Unknown’. This film definitely delivers all the thrills and action, along with a fantastic storyline worth sitting through… even if it is a bit too preposterous for ones taste.

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