Quinceanera
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Movie Reviews of Quinceanera
Movie Review: It grabbed me...
Summary: 4 Stars
I just finished watching this movie (with commercials) on a "geared to Latinos" station on cable. One interesting thing about this movie is that much of the dialogue is in Spanish (with English subtitles) but the characters switch back and forth from English to Spanish with ease (as is often the case with "real" Latinos).
It's a hard look at life in Echo Park, which really appears (at least in the movie) to be a beautiful part of L.A. - with great views. At first, one thing I didn't like was that the two gay (white) males turned out to be "bad guys", but then I realized that Herman, the boyfriend, was Hispanic and "straight" and the girl's father was also Hispanic and "straight" (AND very stait-laced!) and they weren't so nice either, so I suppose it was an equal opportunity for all as far as good and bad characters - and like real life, each character had its noble and not so noble aspects.
It did seem very real, and very entertaining, and very tear-causing in parts. I loved the "Tio" in the movie who, as Carlos put it at his funeral, was a saint (or the closet human counterpart there can be) - a nonjudgmental, generous soul, who was a friend to everyone he met.
Very good movie. I recommend it. In fact, I just now bought the DVD from Amazon and am looking forward to watching it without commercials and also seeing the "extras" (the making of the movie, etc.) Bravo, film makers and actors in this movie.
Movie Review: Appealing Alterna-Reality
Summary: 4 Stars
As a native-born Los Angeleno, I found this appealing film existed in a sort of fairy tale land. It somehow makes LA seem green and lush, with old school charm. The movie is populated with young Latino men who belie few signs of machismo. Instead, they are interested in soft words, art, and, well, each other. Go figure.
But the souce of Quinceañera's real charm is its teen protagonist, Emily Rios as Magdalena. She is a marvel as her character finds her tightlipped way through this film. Ms. Rios's portrayal is unexpectedly subtle and layered, which is interesting in that the DVD extras reveal that her approach to acting is extremely simplistic. Brava!
The DVD extras also show that the writer/director team and production staff for Quinceañera are overwhelming Anglo (and mostly gay). This outsider viewpoint is not a weakness for filmwatchers, but I would argue that it does detract from its verisimilitude. That said, kudos to the filmmakers for introducing the issue of neighborhood gentrification into their film, though it is not really resolved in any fashion. Perhaps that is just as well; this film is essentially a warmhearted character study, and on those terms, it succeeds.
Movie Review: Mild, Yet Tasty Enchillada
Summary: 4 Stars
Half in English, half in Spanish `Quincinera' is a coming-of-age story brimming with warmth and gentle humor. Significantly named, Magdalena (Emily Rios) is approaching her fifteenth birthday worthy of a debutante celebration. She is intimately dating Herman (J.R. Cruz) who is gentle and has aspirations for worldliness and the trappings a higher education can garner. Living with her is her cousin Carlos (Jesse Garcia) who is gay. Both treat each other alternately with scathing hostility and gentle regard. Polarizing the household are strict religious household head Ernesto (Jesus Castanos) and gentle great grand-uncle Tio Toma's (Chalo Gonzalez). In the meantime, Carlos, regarded as the black sheep of the family, has an affair with the nearby landlord, and both Magdalena and Carlos have to face conflicts involving betrayal and trust.
Much of the characterization and acting take away some of the soap-opera feel to the movie, especially with some solid writing and directing from Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland. 'Quincinera' is good for giving us a fine cross-section of Mexican-American life and a drama that wins our affection.
Movie Review: Captures who we are as a culture.
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie was well done, although I believe it was a little too short and could have explored a little more of the story lines. But if you are of the latino culture you will know exactly what this family experiences and I am sure you can relate to the whole Quinceanera experience. Jesse Garcia is a great actor in the film and I think it's his character that really makes the movie worth watching.Movie Review: Suprisingly good
Summary: 4 Stars
I admit I wasn't expecting much, I bought the movie used from Amazon because it looked interesting. It turned out to be a good story, very well acted. Glad I got it.