Amores Perros
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Movie Reviews of Amores Perros
Movie Review: Catarsis Conspicua.
Summary: 5 Stars
Mexican Director, Alejandro Gonzales, tortures you in a complex threesome of existence, compelling the unbearable truth about the being into every day resistance against the Abyss of life (La soledad es la ulterior realidad de la existencia), inner self towards oblivious despair, you live to suffer, either your tragedy is because you have attained all your goals, or because you attained none. So sad their ways, one held by a prohibited love, she is caught in motion, and the last one is frozen in cold-blooded hands. Octavio falls in love with his brother's pregnant wife, a young woman much dismissed in emotions, entering an attempt to save the poor girl from her abusive husband. Slowly it turns into a moral inner truth. Is it the right thing to do, or not? He survives the meantime with profits by his fighting dog. Valeria is a breathtaking beauty, crowned in a seductive perfume advertisement, the kind of woman we men dream of. Once his little dog is lost in her house floor, she becomes trapped in a upraising impossibility, the dog becomes the analogy of her misery, interior self intolerance (No hay nada peor que haber permanecido en estado de gracia, solo para caer y no volver a levantarse). El Chivo (The Goat), hunts human targets, just for a bunch of dirty money, he doesn't care for anyone but him and his dogs, and so, when payback time comes, the price is much to high, slowly he rots, innards decay (Solo y aislado, como un perro callejero). The gathering comes in a brutal car crash, all shown in the most painful and tragic context, the point here is to put you into the misery of these three decadent humans (Tan decadente y sucio como una cloaca, donde hay de todo, y donde todo huele mal).
The film is more than images and words, it is a worthy Canvas of human entrails and putrid lost consciousness, Alejandro Gonzales directs with great delight and compassion the nexus between despair and emptiness, the result comes natural and honest towards the viewers eye, a jewel in the new Latin American Film movement, a landmark achievement an a testament of tragic ideals. The outstanding cast shines in every scene, Gael Garcia Bernal (Octavio), captivates his character with a keen exposure of emotions and roughness, along with touches of despair (Complejo). Spanish actress Goya Toledo, gives a intricate portrait of loneliness, sharp and raw in its manifestations, held in beautiful tears (Vulnerable). And Emilio Echevarria, fools the eye with a cold and emotional personality, tight up by a black humor to provide an ambiguous view of a lost man with some tenderness left in his soul (Contundente). The supporting cast does an equally fine job. Alejandro Gonzales, performs an excellent behind the camera work, his direction connects those hard images with the quantity and truth of the protagonist (a Tarantino influence can be perceived). The photography becomes the other character surrounding the viewer's eye into a world of frenzy and ulterior terror, an achievement that completes and enhances the whole effort, absolutely amazing (the new Mexican cinema).
Amores Perros is based in a very difficult and complex script by novelist Guillermo Arraiga, set perfectly into screen by Alejandro Gonzales , the intention is to show how the human conscience can be turn against it self for what ever reason, the result is a Inner struggle for unparallel obstacles, and the strength that comes and goes with it.
The film represented Mexico for Best Foreign Language Film in 2001 Academy Awards, unfortunately it didn't win, but the influence of the film has made a mark already in Latin American film industry, a much needed and deserved attention to our great movie artists. There are two DVD versions (in Region 1), the first one released by Lions Gate studio (February 18, 2003), witch comes with no extras at all, but only with an O.K. transferring of the film, and the second one, released by Studio Home Entertainment (September 25, 2003), that comes with a better transferring of the film (5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound), a nice production commentary track, music videos, etc. (this is the version to take home).
Shocking, extreme, and sad. Amores Perros is a fine piece of Marginal characters made up with enough strength to put the harsh truth into a trip of sight and sound (Exquisita y portentosa, verdadera referencia de lo mejor del cine Latino Americano).
Movie Review: Amores Perros: The Not So Pretty Side of Love
Summary: 5 Stars
When it comes to movies (or sometimes even real life for that matter) many of us prefer to think of love in comic terms that make us laugh at the feel-good goofiness of a new romance. Or we may enjoy thinking of it as something heroic that enters our lives and rescues us from social obscurity or emotional banality. In AMORES PERROS, which translates into the English title "Love Is a Bitch," director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and writer Guillermo Arriaga Jordan explore with bold confidence and gruesome style the darker not-so-pretty sides of "this thing called love."
Amores Perros is three interwoven stories that add up to one extraordinary film. The first time I watched it, I was totally amazed by the sheer dramatic intensity of the relationships between the characters. They were at once extreme and yet highly believable. In the first segment, Gael Garcia Bernal is "Octavio," a young man who develops an obsession with his brother's battered wife. So relentless is his desire to claim her for his own that he plots to run away with her, tells lies to intrude upon intimate moments in attempts to seduce her himself, and hires thugs to beat his brother senseless.
In the second story of the film, "Daniel and Valeria," a successful magazine editor (Alvaro Guerrero) abandons his wife and family to begin his fantasy life with a beautiful model (Goya Toledo) only to watch the fantasy turn into a nightmare after an accident leaves the model maimed and bitter. The third tale, "El Chivo y Maru," shows us an estranged hit man (Emilio Echevvarria) who has a great passion for dogs but seemingly little for humans. Nevertheless, when hired by one step-brother to kill the other, he makes an unexpected choice that indicates he is not so damned that he is beyond redemption.
After watching Amores Perros for the second time, the three stories literally all came together with a huge bang. From the title of this engrossing masterwork, it's clear that director Gonzalez Inarritu recognizes love can sometimes be a torturous and soul-killing ordeal. Singer Julieta Venegas, in one of the bonus music videos on the DVD, put it this way: "Because your love's a bitch/ it's gonna kill me/ without having given me/ the least bit of happiness."
If this movie consisted of only the basic three interwoven storylines, it would still illustrate the director's point clearly enough. However, his cinematic artistry goes a lot further with canines providing a definitive metaphorical presence in each film segment. In one, a Rotweiler emerges as the hero who wins one dogfight after another to supply his master with the wealth needed to begin a new life. In another, an adored lap dog gets stuck under the boards of a floor and nearly drives its owners insane with its crying. And in the third, a lost soul of a man rescues a gun-shot dog from a horrible wreck and successfully nurses him back to life, but with some very disastrous consequences.
The relationships humans share with dogs in this film are often more loving and humane than those shared with other human beings. Although there are scenes of gruesome dog fights that make viewers cringe, we can forgive the animals because we understand their basic natures have been compromised by forced breeding and training to make them do what they do. What makes Amores Perros such a brilliantly unforgettable film--all 153 minutes of it-- is its unflinching condemnation of the abuses that people too often inflict upon each other and then blame on love without any sane reasons whatsoever.
by Author-Poet Aberjhani
author of Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World
and The American Poet Who Went Home Again
Movie Review: One of the strongest movies ever made bar none!
Summary: 5 Stars
I unfortunately missed this gem when it played in theatres, but in a way I am glad that I did as the DVD comes with an amazing production commentary track, deleted scenes, and allowed me to take out the subtitles which can be very distracting when you speak the language as you find yourself checking back and forth to check for translation "appropriateness".Back to the film itself, which was directed by a FIRST TIME director, which left me thinking that this man will be a force to reckon with.
I won't go into the plots as I don't like it when reviewers give too much away, but I can safely say that this movie captures the imagination in such a way that it's making me think that Mexico is the new center of true film makers. I had not felt such a rush after seeing a movie since "Y Tu Mama Tambien" (which also is also a Mexican production and stars the appealing and expressive Gael Garcia Bernal). I don't wan't to compare the two movies as they are both magical in their own manners, but point here is that Mexico appears to be as fertile as Spain was/is when it comes to getting right.
Every single peformance is masterful, the script is unique and quite rich in its scope, and the directing, ah the directing, is one of the BEST (if not the best) first efforts that I've ever seen and I would extend that perception to put this movie next to ANY the best efforts by directors in Hollywood (Spielberg, Scorcese, Oliver Stone (at one time, but I am always hoping for him to come back with a good movie) et al) and my feeling is that this movie is as "good" as any other. I hate to compare movies and choosing the "best" is a disservice to art in general, but this movie is so spectacular that it made me think of movies that I have enjoyed more or had impacted me more, and there were few I could compare it to.
The title "Amores Perros" is perfect as although the movie involves love at all levels and dogs in every tale, these elements serve to bring to life three linked stories that are so different yet indicative of universal emotions. Some had called this the Mexican "Pulp Fiction" and I think that this is a disservice to two great movies. Although the narrative in "Amores Perros" is not linear and the mvies did have that in common, the three stories here could not have been told with the same visceral and emotional scope had they been shown in more conventional form.
I can't wait to see this movie again, and if you speak Spanish, you are truly in for a treat, as many nuances (both in terms of dialogue and social commentary) are missed even if you not Mexican, which I am not. Watching it on DVD allows you to go back to something that you may have not heard/understood (lots of slang) or want to see again, and the joint commentary by the writer and director is truly a "bonus" and not just filler. They tell you what they had in mind and some of the challenges that they encountered in making this virtuoso film, including clarifying an extremely important plot development that was probably missunderstood due to a casting oversight which had very similar looking actors who could have been confused for one another and that was not at all the intention of the director.
Ultimately the film is enriched by the commentary and the deleted scenes portion is great for any storyteller or movie fan to see in that final cut is 153 minutes (which fly by) and the deleted scenes show some of what constitutes what was initially a movie that started out being 193 minutes. To me what was extracted actually helped the movie and seeing some scenes made me see how sometimes there is such a thing as overkill or elements that are not essential to the story.
This is certainly a movie for adults so keep that in mind when the buy, rent, or find some way to see it. It is a must and carries my highest recommendation.
Movie Review: Unparalleled. One of the greatest films I have ever seen
Summary: 5 Stars
It's that simple. I was completely blown away the first time I watched this dazzling film, and the second time around, it was even better. This is a modern classic, no less. Those who have seen it will never forget it. There is no other like it.
This film really screwed me up, mentally. So multi-dimensional, so profound. so sad and brilliant and full of life. So real. So. So. Real. You don't know what to feel once this movie is finished. Is it sad? Truly, it is. Is it violent? Most certainly. Is it vicious? For sure. Is it life-affirming? In subtle ways, yes. In 2 and a half hours, this movie enlightens on the human spirit unlike countless lectures that have failed to do so. When a film can enlighten you on your own existence and shake your perceptions, that is when you know for sure that true art has been conceived.
Three different plotlines are connected by a fatal car crash:
Octavio and Susanna: Octavio (Gael Garcia Bernal) is a poor young man living with his mother, his violent criminal brother Ramiro, and his brother's young wife Susanna and their baby. Octavio falls for Susanna, and in order to convince her to run away with him, enrolls Ramiro's rotweiller pooch into the bloody underworld of dogfighting. Money comes in fast, and Susanna agrees to run away with Octavio.
I will leave it at that, adding simply that Octavio's plan blows up in his face.
Valeria and Daniel: Valeria is an up and coming model who has just moved in with her boyfriend Daniel. Daniel has left his wife and daughters for Valeria, and the two have just purchased their new home. Everything seems to be a dream at first, until Valeria becomes a victim of the story's fatal car crash. Along with her deteriorating health, Valeria's beloved little dog falls into a crack in the floorboards, which propels the relationship of Daniel and Valeria over the edge.
El Chivo: El Chivo (Emilio Echevarria) is an old bum/part-time hitman. He roams the streets with his beloved pack of dogs, his only true friends. The love he feels for them is overwhelming. It is soon revealed that El Chivo is a former guerilla who abandoned an admirable career, a wife, and a baby daughter to serve his cause. El Chivo ended up serving 20 years in prison, and he and his wife agreed that their daughter would be raised to assume that her father was dead. But memories come back to haunt El Chivo, and he strives to seek whatever small redemption he can acquire over the course of his story.
Every little thing about this movie is perfect, sublime, incredibly moving. The acting isnt acting. All the actors become the people to the extent that you feel as though these characters are your neighbors, your friends, people you know. Emilio Ecvevarria delivers a performance on par with the likes of Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson. This actor should be a modern legend. But alas, in Hollywood, there is no place for him. Well, screw Hollywood, because I don't remember the last time that I saw Hollywood deliver a film on par, or even CLOSE to the heights of Amores Perros. The definition of a great actor is someone whose presence alone is captivating enough to take over the screen. Echevarria fits into this category by miles and miles. His performance is astounding, and his character will wrench you and haunt you for the rest of your days.
The stories and the themes, that love, in one way or another destroys, that humans and dogs share multiple parallels are all presented with vicious eloquence, if such a thing is possible, and I believe it is. The music sets the hauntingly beautiful atmosphere. Every shot serves a purpose, and the camera moves with the fierce passion of its characters.
A masterpiece. A film for the ages.
Movie Review: What is love?
Summary: 5 Stars
It never fails that a director's worst film is what gets him that coveted `Best Director' Oscar nomination. Just ask David Fincher and Danny Boyle about that. You can also ask Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. In my opinion, `Babel' is not a bad film (it is certainly better than `Slumdog Millionaire' and `The Curious Case of Benjamin Button') but it is the weakest link in the trifecta that is Inarritu's career. His first film, `Amores Perros', was nominated for `Best Foreign Language Film' at the Oscars, and it lost to `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'. I understand that (even if I don't wholeheartedly agree). Regardless of the loss, the film itself is a brilliant testament to Inarritu's talent and is a sterling example of his vision.
I still consider this is best film to date.
The film is told in three interconnecting parts that tell of all facets of `love'. No, this is not a prelude to `Crash' and all comparisons should stop being made since they insult the power of this film.
The first segment concerns Octavio, a young man living with his brother and sister-in-law. His brother Ramiro is abusive and cruel and treats his wife, Susana, like she was nothing to him. This leads Octavio to make advances towards Susana, which turns into a full blown affair. In order to put away enough money to support Susana and her child, Octavio turns to fighting his dog for money. The second segment tells of Daniel, a television producer who throws his life away (wife, kids) so that he can shack up with a supermodel named Valeria. When Valeria is seriously injured in a car accident (yes, the car accident is the connective tissue between these three stories) their lives are turned upside down as their relationship is strained to the breaking point. The third segment (and personally the most moving) concerns El Chivo, a homeless man who makes his living as a hitman. He is hired to kill a certain man that turns out to be his brother. This allows him to teach some lessons to all involved, as well as to himself (which is the most important lesson learned).
It is true that you either love Inarritu's style (the constant jumping from one plot point to another) or you hate it. Some director's have attempted to work within this style and have failed miserably, but for me Inarritu has it down pat. He weaves an intricate and elaborate tale here that is only exemplified by his directorial choices. There is a lot of style here, but he never once substituted style for substance. Instead, he balances the two beautifully.
And yes, the dogs play a pivotal role in truly understanding these characters.
I also have to commend the acting here. Inarritu has a way with actors. He has proven this in his other work as well. Naomi Watts, Benicio Del Toro, Rinko Kikuchi and Adriana Barraza all have received Oscar nominations for their work in his films. Emilio Echevarria (and arguably Gael Garcia Bernal) should also be on that list. The work in this film (especially by those two) is outstanding. The character of El Chivo has so much depth, and this is all thanks to the beautiful way in which Emilio weaves him together.
That phone call scene alone warranted a nomination.
Breaks my heart.
In the end I totally recommend this film. It is a stunning character study that delves deep and delivers the goods. It is moving and breathtaking and sincere, and the heart of this film comes at you in the most unexpected of ways, leaving you with cleansed feeling despite the obvious gritty atmosphere.