Latino movie reviews

SBC Staff

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2009/12/17 at 12:00am

Avatar (Movie Review)

12.17.2009 | By |

Avatar

Hace once años, el Titanic de James Cameron zarpó diciendo adiós al gran espectáculo de Hollywood. La epopeya de aquel barco fue como una despedida del cartón y piedra. En unos años, Peter Jackson unió por un momento el cartón de los decorados de antaño con la era digital. Las prótesis se mezclaban con las telas azules. Este universo, ha seguido mezclándose aunque cada vez con menos brillo – Robert Zemeckis ha ido dándose con la misma piedra desde hace seis años-, dejándose seducir más por lo azul que por lo real. Pero once años después de este barco, Cameron da por fin la gran bienvenida a esta era digital y del 3D. Avatar es un avatar del Hollywood de antes con el de ahora. El director le ha dado al cine de los grandes espectáculos pirotécnicos, un traje nuevo, hecho a medida y donde convergen estilos, ideas y nuevas tecnologías, todo ello envuelto en un tono muy cerca de ‘Dances with Wolves‘.

 

Avatar cuenta una historia clásica de un soldado en tierras extrañas y como por accidente termina involucrándose en la vida de los habitantes de ese lugar. Como en Dances with Wolves o The New World (la historia de Pocahontas contada por Terrence Malick), Avatar es un relato sobre las culturas extranjeras y desconocidas por el mundo occidental. Sabiendo esto, Cameron no trata de dar a la historia ningún matiz novedoso –algo que es criticable, y por el que lo criticará más de uno-, sino que centra su atención en el nuevo mundo que descubre su personaje principal. Es en este punto donde la película funciona a toda máquina, la curiosidad del personaje de Sam Worthington es el motor de la historia, y Cameron logra que sintamos lo que siente él. Los hermosos lugares, los matices de los personajes y la lograda ambientación son todo un triunfo en mayúsculas para su director. Lo que no ha logrado Zemeckis en tres películas, Cameron lo logra en una. Por primera vez, la tecnología 3D se justifica para entender todo lo que sucede a nuestro alrededor.

 

En estos dos años de intentos tridimensionales, Avatar es la reina absoluta al lograr imprimir imágenes inolvidables, con texturas impresionantes, y llena el vacío que hay entre la pantalla y los ojos del espectador. Cameron construye un nuevo mundo entero y ese es su acierto, sobrepasando los defectos de un film algo largo y pesado en su primer acto, y falto de originalidad. De estos defectos también destaca una música de James Horner que no acaba entrar en el oído como hacia en Titanic o Legends of the Fall, y la canción final es casi un despropósito artístico. Una pecata minuta que se olvida rápido gracias a la presencia de Sigourney Weaver y todos los guiños a Aliens.

 

A modo personal, Avatar me recuerda a esas películas de antes – y que ahora sólo saben hacer los señores de Pixar – que te invitaban a soñar y entender que Hollywood es la fábrica de sueños.

SBC Staff

By

2009/12/16 at 12:00am

Did You Hear About the Morgans? (Movie Review)

12.16.2009 | By |

Did You Hear About the Morgans?

“Did You Hear About the Morgans?†is better than it appears to be in the trailer, since many important aspects are not reveled to the audience. These include suspense, and what love means to Paul and Meryl Morgan. Although cultural differences may limit us from understanding Wyoming’s traditions, like the Morgans, we get accustomed to it throughout the movie. 

 

Due to the consequences of witnessing a crime, the Morgans must leave New York City and create a new temporary new identity in the countryside of Wyoming. In order to receive the best protection from the witness protection program it is best if they do not contact anyone that they may know. Additionally, the separated couple, Paul and Meryl Morgan, is played by the well known actress from “Sex and the City”, Sarah Jessica Parker, and the charismatic actor Hugh Grant. They represent a New Yorker’s point of view when visiting the country, although they tend exaggerate at times.

 

Meryl acts unreasonable at times, as if she does not know what is happening around her. In other words, she takes serious situations very calmly and vice versa. This can be a bit overwhelming, especially when she acts in a way that can bring terrible consequences. Moreover, very few activities occur in this town, which makes us see the same ongoing environment during these scenes. In addition, we may hope to see more animals in an environment like this, but they are only shown in very few occasions, which disappointed me.

 

Lastly, this film is interesting and different from other romantic movies. Throughout this movie we witness an enormous suspense about what will happen to the murderer trying to get in contact with the Morgans. Also, I can assure you, you will encounter many funny situations which will come in perfect during those moments of suspense. Overall, this romantic comedy is more than just a romance.

SBC Staff

By

2009/12/16 at 12:00am

Crazy Heart (Movie Review)

12.16.2009 | By |

Crazy Heart is an underdog story—and an underdog story a few decades overdue, to be exact—about a fifty-seven year-old country singer, Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges). Blake is broke, has a twenty-eight year-old son he hasn’t seen since he was a toddler, and has a severe drinking problem. Read More

Terry Kim

By

2009/12/11 at 12:00am

A Single Man (Movie Review)

12.11.2009 | By |

Since Tom Ford was such a successful designer—he is credited for reviving Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent—it was a surprise to many when he left Gucci Group in 2004. It was all the more surprising, therefore, when he started a film production company. A Single Man is his first feature, and one that shows potential for more good films to come. Read More

Jack Rico

By

2009/12/10 at 12:00am

The Princess and the Frog (Movie Review)

12.10.2009 | By |

The Princess and the Frog

“The Princess and The Frog” is an historic moment for Disney, but it also represents a step forward in the entertainment industry to diversifying its films to reflect today’s current social landscape. Perhaps a long anticipated Latina on the horizon? Cinematically speaking, the film is an entertaining and amusing throwback to the classic Disney cartoons of old, but doesn’t really hold its own compared to the classics. The same formula is used with a twist, but its missing originality.

This animated romantic comedy set in the great city of New Orleans in the 1920’s features a beautiful girl named Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again, and a fateful kiss that leads them both on an adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana.

The voices are top notch across the board. The music is not at the height of previous efforts and feels like producers just picked up some songs from the Disney archive catalog. The production quality of the animation though is a pleasure to behold. In a time when CG, 3D and even stop-motion animation are all the rage, this seems like an old friend coming back to visit.

Kids and parents will have a good time with it and sing along with the crocs and bugs, but is it a classic? No, but it is historic enough that it must be seen.

Jack Rico

By

2009/12/09 at 12:00am

SBC Staff

By

2009/12/05 at 12:00am

SBC Staff

By

2009/12/01 at 12:00am

Jack Rico

By

2009/11/29 at 12:00am

SBC Staff

By

2009/11/24 at 12:00am

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (Movie Review)

11.24.2009 | By |

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

This is definitely a chick flick for smart viewers; the drama which drags most chick flicks is taken lightly and sprinkled with unsuspected moments of hilarity. I didn’t know exactly what to expect of it but I came out glad to have gone through Pippa’s journeys along with her.
 
The film by director Rebecca Miller explores the life of Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn) a suburban housewife who seems to have it all together and be leading the perfect life. Her husband (Alan Arkin) an accomplished publisher who is 30 years older than her decides to move them out of NYC to a retirement community in Connecticut. Pippa as the perfect wife follows willingly, although we get a sense there’s something stirring within her that’s about to explode. She begins the narration of the life she has led up to the point where she met her current husband. We start seeing Pippa’s troubled past and wonder how she is so together in her present, but a series of weird occurrences take place which make everything fall in place. As her retired husband decides he can’t live in complete retirement she fills her time with activities and meets a younger man (Keanu Reeves), they begin to help each other through their paths of self-discovery.
 
Blake Lively from ‘Gossip Girl’ plays the younger version of Pippa Lee, her character’s fun, sensual personality combined with her innocence makes us want to help her out of the hole she digs herself into. Younger Pippa loves her mother (Maria Bello) but as she grows up she realizes her household is not what she thought it was, her mother’s addiction to drugs and her father’s (a priest) indifference takes her life for a spin.  
 
These great actors are part of a puzzle that forms a beautifully imperfect picture. All the funny moments make the dramatic plot easy to watch without feeling overwhelmed or sad. Seeing how Pippa’s life turns out despite the complicated “lives” she’s led is delightful, seeing her come in to her own and finally realizing that there was no need to make a perfect persona but that accepting herself and the fact that life is full of surprises was the answer, gives us an uplifting conclusion.

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