Amores Perros

 

Summary

The film takes place in Mexico and revolves around three stories that interconnect, one is the story Octavio and Susana. Susana is married to Octavio’s brother Ramiro, Octavio is in love with Susana. He forms a plan to run away with her and her son his nephew. He enters the world of dog fighting, he makes a lot of money, but because of jealousy that he’s dog is so good it’s killed during a fight, which lead to Octavio stabbing his dogs killer in front of his gang, which leads to a car chase that ends in disaster.  Ramiro is later killed while trying to Rob a bank, at his funeral Octavio tries to get Susana to run away with him but she turns him down.

The second story is Daniel and Valeria, both work together, Daniel publishes a magazine and Valeria is a supermodel. Daniel leaves his wife for Valeria; he gets an apartment where they’ll both move in into shortly. Valeria is injured in a car accident of which Octavio is responsible; she shatters her leg and shortly after it’s amputated. Her career as a model is now over, and she is left depressed.

The final story is about El Chivo a Hitman that once was a guerrilla solider. He is hired to kill a man stepbrother, while on this mission El Chivo tries to reconnect with his daughter whom he abandoned years earlier, who thinks he’s dead. He also has a collection of stray dogs, which follow him almost everywhere. One day he sees an accident, Octavios’ and Valeria, and rescues a dog in the back of Octavios’ car. That dog later kills all his other dogs, but he himself can’t kill the dog instead he keeps him as a pet.   

   

 

Theme

Desperation is a major theme in the film all the characters are trying to escape their current situation, but just end up making things mush worst, also poverty plays a role in one of the stories Octavio’s, where its that poverty that leads him to dog fighting, so he can take Susana out of that life. Family is also another El Chivo wants his back but because of what he’s done he can’t ever have it back.

Reaction

This film draws many comparisons to Pulp Fiction, many stories that interconnect in the end. While all the stories have something to offer to anybody one of a rich and beautiful women, the other a young man trying to escape poverty, and finally the anti-hero El Chivo. Though they at the start don’t seem to have anything in common beside the dogs, they actually deal with people trying to find their place in the world. I’ve seen this film many times and it never gets boring. It’s one of the few films from Latin America that actually known in the USA.

Eat Drink Man Woman

Summary

The film deals with a father who is a chef, who has three daughters. All three still live with him at home, the mother seems to have passed away years earlier. The dinners at the house are beautiful. While the meals are amazing there is little joy during dinner, in fact most are very quite. Throughout the film the lives of the three daughters are reveled one is a teacher, the other work fast food, and final one is a businesswoman. Each have men in their lives except the teacher, who stills lives in a fantasy were she is still together with her college sweet heart. In an odd twist of fate the business daughter, falls for a man, who appears the teacher ex college sweet heart. It finally revealed that she was making the whole thing up, while he did know who she was in college they never dated. Either way the teacher falls in love with a volleyball couch, and marries him and reveals everything at dinner. Then suddenly the fast food daughter also moves out with her boy friend. Now the business daughter is left with her father and is given a chance to work in Holland by her company. But she is reluctant to go because she doesn't want to leave her father, but later during dinner, the Father reveals he is also moving out with the neighbor, who has a child. The film ends with the business daughter cooking in a modern apartment and it's implied she took the job in Holland.

Theme

Love is a major theme all the women want it in their lives but at the start of the film don’t have it but eventually do take a chance and final obtain it. Each woman has to try and find her place in the world, everything is always revealed when it’s dinnertime. Food seems to represent, the need for more, there is always a lot of food on the table but too much for any one to eat. As the film progress there is more and more left over’s but when the women all start to find the men, suddenly the table doesn’t look so over crowned with food as there are more mouth to feed. In fact food is what brings the father closer to the neighbor who ends up being his new wife in the end.

Reaction

This film was very enjoyable but will make you hungry. It’s seems every few minutes there is a banquet of food on the dinner table that not only looks good but must taste amazing. Also the story is very entertaining, watching how each woman gets their man by any means, and when they reveal to their father their leaving the nest makes for very funny moments. It is a nice movie to watch together with that special someone as it has something for everyone to enjoy, it filled with laughter and drama.

The Unknown Woman

La sconosciuta

Summary

Irena is a Ukrainian hooker who is on the run because of her terrible secret. She finds refuge in Italy, but finds that the country is not so open to immigrants and has to do terrible things to just survive. She finds work cleaning in an apartment complex, but has to share her pay with the manger their just to stay employed. One day she befriends Gina, a nanny for one of the family that resides in the complex. Gina is crippled in an accident, which was caused by Irena, though if it was on purpose or not is not really made clear. Either way Irena fills in for Gina permanently, which leads to Irena thinking that the families’ daughter Thea, is really her daughter.

Here is where the story changes, and the viewer understand all the flashbacks that have occurred since the star of the film. Irena was a hooker who was forced to have children that were later sold on the black market. The viewer learns that Irena fell in love and got pregnant from a man whom she loved, but her pimp wouldn’t have it , and kills her lover and took the child that resulted that was a girls and sold her on the black market. Irena is told the name of the family that bought the child, but it’s later revealed that this was just a lie to keep her from asking to many question at the brothel, and thus causing trouble.

Irena later discover the body of her dead lover in garbage dump and kill her pimps or so the viewer is lead to believe but he reappears later in the film. He wants the money she stole from him, in return he won’t kill. In the end she finally kills her pimp, but also gets the adopted mother of Thea killed in the process, and she sent to jail, where she finds out that Thea is not her real daughter, but that doesn’t change that fact that she loves Thea unconditionally.

Theme

Fear is a major player in moving the film forward and making it so suspenseful. All throughout the film, Irene is worried her old life will catch up to her, and it seems it almost does, early in the film with the beating she takes with the Santas’. Loneliness also play a role, Irene loses the love of her life, and then finds him in the dump, and losing her connection to him in the form of the daughter she had taken from her by her pimp. Violence also is big, in most of the flashbacks Irene is beaten, raped, and she herself fights back killing her pimp twice, only the second was successful.

 

Reaction

This is not the first film by Giuseppe Tornatore, which I have seen, that was Cinema Paradiso. This is a completely different film, dealing with a different topic then Paradiso, was a coming of age story. This was a very engaging film to watch. Even if the subtitles weren’t on, you were still able to tell what was going on in the film because the visually storytelling was amazing. The director did a fantastic job of making the audience feel, the fear Irena felt in her everyday life, by having to look over her shoulder for the rest of her life. Also he did a fanatics job of making the audience believe she had something to live for in seeing Thea grow up even though she finds out she is not her biological mother. All in all I would love to recommend this film, to even the most causal film fan, it’s one of those films that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Bombay

Summary

 Is the story of two lovers Shekhar and Shailaboth of whom live in the India, one is Hindu the other Muslim, which is major problem in India.  The two lovers decide to run-off together, since it will be impossible for them to be together in the native villages. So both run off to Bombay, which today is Mumbai, there they star a new life together including having two boys. There is a lot of tension on the city all-religious, due to the demolition of the Babri Mosque, of which there is a short montage of the event that lead to rioting in the film. One day both fathers of Shekhar and Shailaboth show up after years of absence; both men begin to get along and save one another from what appears to be certain death, all for the love of the grandchildren. During the riots the two boys a separated from their families, and have to survive in a place where they are not accepted because they are neither Muslim nor Hindu. In the end they are nearly killed by an anger mob but are saved by their father but suffer haunting memories their experiences.

Theme

Religion is the major them in this movie. This is always a big topic in any culture; in this film it is a big problem. It such a big problem that people want to kill each other over the smallest things like the movement of building materials; in fact the Hindu grandfather in nearly killed when confronted buy a group of Muslims. Another theme is family and how no matter how much tension there is still important both grandfathers eventually coming looking for their children, and ask for forgiveness for the pasty behavior, especially when they learn they have grand children.

Reaction

This was not the first Bollywood film I have seen, but it was my favorite. Though there was the classic sinning that occurs in an Indian film, it did not distract from the main topic in the film, which was really serious. I was fascinated about how religion is taken so serious in other cultures; growing up in the United Sates religion sometimes gets lost especially amongst first generation Americans. Yet with all the bad things that occurred in the film, it was a love story that did everything to keep me into the film. Enough drama and a happy ending, it’s also important to note that this film is hard to get on DVD since it’s out of print, and if given the chance to see it you shouldn’t turn it down.

Children of Heaven

بچه‌های آسمان

Summary 

          The film is the work of Majid Majidi, the film revolves around Ali who one day loses his little sister shoes. Instead of telling his father of what happened, he asks his sister Zahra not to tell until he fixes the problem. Later while in school Zahra sees her shoes on another little girl, and through an odd twist of faith ends up being friend. The come up with a solution they’ll share his shoes. This leads to a whole new set of problems Ali is always late to school and is almost punished for his tardiness. He is told by the principle to comeback with his father, this would unravel his whole plan; his professor saves him because he is such a good student he is saved. Alis’ father takes him one day to work in the rich part of town to garden in hopes of making some extra money, they do and Ali sees an opportunity to tell his farther Zahra needs new shoes, he says sure but on their way home they get into and accident that appears to derail that idea. One day there is a contest the fastest runner from different schools will compete for prizes, one them is a new pair of shoes, Ali plans on coming in third which will when him the shoes. In the end, he wins the race, thus letting down his sister. All is good in the end, as it’s implied that the father bought a new pair of shoes for his daughter, with the money he earned for gardening with Ali.

Theme

Poverty plays a major role in the film, how people hold on to everything they own like shoes, and when they are worn out they trade it and they a passed on to someone else. Unlike the other films vied the term, while these one took place in the slums, it did not show violence. Instead the film revolved around family, the brother and sister working together to keep the lost shoes a secret, the father and son working together to make money, the family taking care of the pregnant mother. Furthermore that people make due with what they have and barely complain. One strong example is when Zahra is wearing her brothers’ shoes and is in gym and smiles as her turn approaches because she is wearing the right shoes to make the jump. The film also shows that winning isn’t always everything, family comes first Ali won the race in the end but felt like a failure because he let his little sister down.

Reaction

      This was like many films this semester, my first introduction into a new cultural of film, this time from Iran. I have to say that I real did enjoy this film; I was amazed at how the simplest thing like losing a pair of shoes could create such a compelling story. Even though this film was shot in the late 90’s and was shot with out of date technology, it proves that a master storyteller doesn’t need anymore then a good story, a camera, and actors to create an Academy Award nominated film.

Three Colors: Blue

Trois Couleurs: Bleu

Summary

Julia is a woman who just lost her family in a car accident. She is the wife of a famous French composer who was commissioned to write a piece of music for the unification of Europe after the cold war. Suddenly she wants to escape her old life and runs of to Paris taking nothing with and trying to start a new life. Her family friend Oliver, who is really in love with Julie, wants her to finish her late husbands work that really appears to be Julies work. She refuses but Oliver continues and tries to finish the work himself. While this is happening Julie finds out her husband had a mistress, and that she is also pregnant. Julie actually goes and tries to help her, including letting her live in the home, she use to live with her husband and daughter before their accident. The film ends with Julie finishing the music and her finally mourning for her lost family something she had not done the whole film.

Theme

Freedom is one of the major themes in the film; Julie as we come to find out becomes depressed after her accident and lost of her family. She decides to leave her old life behind, she moves out of her home, sleeps with another man, and finally doesn’t finish the music, which she was writing for her husband. But she can’t run away forever and her life catches up with her the music haunts her every time she has time to think. Also Oliver the man she slept with tracks her down in Paris, and also encourages her to finish her husbands’ late work. Another strong example is earlier in the film, while in the hospital she wants to kill herself with an overdose, thus being set free of her current situation

  Reaction

 This film was very difficult to watch for the causal movie fan, but is one that should be seen by those who study film. It the first part of a work of art, the film shows the lost and re-awaking of a woman who was tied down by a family. To enjoy this film on e really has to see all three movies. A lot of the story is told throw the music that follows Julie when she closes her eyes, yet the viewer always has a sense of what she is going through. I can’t say that I enjoyed this film, the first time I saw it, because it really doesn’t follow the pattern most Hollywood movies do. Upon watching it two to three times, then the other two films that follow it, you truly understand what the director was going for. One really has to be open minded to enjoy these films otherwise they are horribly boring.

TSOTSI

Summary

Is Gavin Hood 2005 Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film, set in Johannesburg, South Africa. The film is about the life of a young South African Gangster named Tsotsi. Who one night steals a car and finds that he has also stolen an infant. There is a moment, where he almost leaves the child, but comes back and takes him with him to the slums. Tsotsi is now torn, with the responsibility he took when he took the infant, and his life of crime. Tsotsi has what seems to be a complete transformation, were he question his choices. He leaves his life of crime behind, and almost relives his childhood through the infant, taking him on a tour of his own childhood. There is also a paralyzed man in the film, which appears three times all at different point in Tsotsi story. The man, who plays a role in his mentality, the film finishes with Tsotsi giving the infant back and giving him a chance at a good life something Tsotsi never had.

Theme

Poverty and violence are among the biggest theme in the film, in almost every scene of the film; the viewer is reminded that they are in the slums of Johannesburg . Among the most powerful scene are the flash backs to Tsotsi childhood which are shown all throughout the film. They flashbacks really help get as sense of what made Tsotsi the man he is in the film. Another theme is loneliness, this can be seen with the cinematography many of the shots are of Tsotsi alone and the vast emptiness around him.

Reaction

I enjoyed watching this film, being the only other South African film I had seen to date was District 9.This film explores a common topic in films, poverty, but in this case it takes place in another culture yet the problems are the same. The feeling if desperation, also that awful things happen to good people, as is the case of the mother who ended up in a wheel chair for just trying to get home. The story explores another subject, Tsotsi was made into the monster he was because of circumstances, but he showed that even with the people who are considered the scum of society; there is still some good, Tsotsi showed that with the paralyzed man and giving back the baby unharmed.

Hable con ella

Summary

Talk To Her the 2002 Pedro Almodovar award-winning film set in Spain. Describes the lives of two different men joined by together by a twist of fate. Benigno a nurse has fallen in love with Alicia a beautiful dance student that frequents the studio in front of his home. Where Benigno watches he without her knowledge, one day she drops her wallet and he sees an opening to talk to her which he does and finds out where she lives. Later he finds out she is the daughter of a psychiatrist and sees this as an opening to be in her home. Benigno makes an appointment with her father the doctor; this session gains him access to Alice room. Sadly Alice sees Benigno and is frighten by him, shortly after it’s assumed that Alice has her accident that left her in the coma.

Marco a journalist, witness and interview of Lydia a female bullfighter on television and want to interview her.  Lydia has just been dumped by the famous bullfighter and is vulnerable. Later Marco meets her in a restaurant after she has a fight with her ex-lover. He asks for an interview, she agrees only because it will make her former lover jealous, if he sees them leave the bar together. But in a twist of fate, Marco kills a snake at Lydia home this bring them together, after a short time become lovers. Unfortunately this love is cut short when she is mauled by a bull and put into a coma.

Benigno and Marco meet again at the hospital, where Benigno comforts Marco. Who doesn’t know how to cope with Lydia condition, he can’t even help turn her around in bed. Benigno teaches Marco how to care for Lydia; from this point on Marco becomes aware of Benigno unhealthy obsession with Alice. Marco cares for Benigno and warns him to not let anyone else know of this obsession. Unfortunately Benigno goes to far and has sex with Alice while still in the coma. Benigno is accused of rape and is sent to prison to await trial, during which Marco become aware of what happen to him and visited him, when he reads of Lydia’s death. Marco left Lydia’s side because her ex-lover returned and told him they had been together right before her accident. Marco has a terrible secret and is torn between telling Benigno because it may drive him insane, Alice is awake. Benigno can’t take being apart from Alice and in a failed attempt to put himself in a coma accidently kills himself. In the last scène during a dance performance at the same theater where Benigno and Marco sat next to each other which is seen in the beginning of the film, Marco connect with Alice and the movie ends.

Theme

            Communication or lack there of, is a major theme. All the characters even the minor ones suffer from being unable to communicate their feelings. Benigno struggles with his love for Alice both when she is awake, and then in the coma, even after she awakes again he still can’t talk to her. Marco and Lydia still have trouble with their relationship, as is later shown in the film while she is in the coma, he finds she was back together with her ex lover while with him. Even the minor characters have trouble, the scene where Marco first arrives at the prison to visit Benigno. He can’t understand the guard when she is talking; though this time it’s a physical barrier between them the message is not lost.

            Another theme is loneliness, Marco talks about his ex-wife and how long it took to get over her. Lydia herself has just ended her relationship, but still has feelings for de Valencia.  In an earlier scène El Nino is seen commenting that she only puts herself in danger for him, meaning that like anyone in love she will do anything to stay in love, including putting herself in danger to impress him. Benigno, who is portrayed as a shy and caring young man, tells how he took care of his mother, waiting on her hand and foot. Never really having a life of his own, only observing the world from his window just him and his dreams of Alice.

Reaction

This film though at times slow, this was needed to build up the characters, if the film would have moved to fast, sympathy might have been lost for Benigno. Though the films deal with issue that everyone deals with more then once in their lives, it was done in clever ways that made it entertaining which is what a film should accomplish. To watch the film, causes response whether it’s shock or compassion for the characters; the director in not telling the story in a liner fashion achieves. Another interesting aspect of the film is flashbacks, which are actually described before they happened. An example is when Benigno tells Marco of how he first saw Alice shortly after the viewer sees the flash back. This helps the viewer to understand that that moment is very important to the film and should be remembered. Its understandable why this film has won so many awards and very favorable reviews by critics.