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nataliercurtiss
Reviews
Yo, la peor de todas (1990)
Slow but brilliant
Yo, la peor de todas is a long, slow movie set inside of a convent. It is almost entirely shot in dull colors and small spaces. In fact, there is very little visual interest throughout, with the exception of the costumes of the Spanish visitors. However, this does not detract from the plot or the emotion and the intensity of the situation. Sor Juana is kind of an enigma. To someone who is unfamiliar with Mexican history or the time period in which the movie takes place, it unclear why she is in the convent in the first place. This is later revealed, of course, in her conversation with her mother, in which she states that it was her only option other than getting married. We then know that she chose not to marry a man, at a great expense. What we don't know is whether she would prefer to be with a woman. The scenes of her and the Virreina are emotionally intense; the is an implication of great intimacy, and the poetry that Sor Juana writes to her appears to be of a romantic nature. However, the director in this case was careful to avoid explicitly representing Sor Juana's romantic attraction to the Virreina. While we do see the Virreina's feelings for Sor Juana when she kisses her, there is no reciprocation. However, this too is ambiguous. It could be that Juana does not feel the same way, or it could be that she has sufficient respect for her position as a nun that she chooses not to engage physically in the relationship. Either way, the audience sees intense (platonic bordering on romantic) emotional intimacy between women, which is a common (even essential) aspect of womanhood that is sadly underrepresented in movies and TV. Broad City is another good example of a show that portrays this intensity of friendship, but it is one of few. While Yo, la peor de todas is slow to the point of being boring, it is definitely worth watching.
XXY (2007)
Hard to watch, but worth your time
XXY is a difficult movie to watch. It is violent and intrusive and strange and uncomfortable. The bleak seashores and small, cramped house, coupled with low, blue-green lighting and dirty windows and mirrors make the viewer feel as though they should not be there. We are seeing into the secretive life of a small family that has intentionally separated itself from the busyness of Buenos Aires in order to gain a sense of privacy. This is part of what makes it so interesting; it feels very intimate. There are a number of scenes in which Alex, an underage teenager, is naked from the waist up. While this seems inappropriate and uncomfortable initially, I think that it makes the audience question why we feel the need to sexualize and censor a teenager's body in the first place. The ambiguity of Alex's sex and gender lead us to another question: would we be uncomfortable if Alex looked more masculine? What combination of age, nudity, and gender makes us feel as though their body should not be seen? The film does not answer these questions. It also leaves a number of other ambiguities. Alex''s gender, for instance, is not conclusively stated. At the end, they decide that there is "nada que elegir" - nothing to choose. Although it is clear that they will not grow to "be a woman", Alex doesn't choose to "become a man" either. What is determined is that they are done trying to be something they're not. They are done taking pills, getting operations, and moving around the country to find some unachievable fresh start. What is determined is that Alex's parents will be there to support them no matter what they choose. This is the message of the movie. Life is uncomfortable, ambiguous, and hard to place. Gender is complex. Family is complex. Identities change. What we can all do is to simply be ourselves, respect others, and protect our loved ones.
XXY is a highly intricate look into a seemingly unusual situation. It is not a feel-good movie; instead, it makes us think.
Ixcanul (2015)
Highly relatable
Ixcanul is an astonishingly visually beautiful movie. The sweeping landscapes and colorful clothing take an urban American audience into another world entirely. Although the characters speak Kaqchikel and their lifestyles appear very different from my own, I found them instantly relatable. Maria, the protagonist, is a perfectly normal teenager. She is helpful to her parents, except when she doesn't want to be. She has a crush on a boy who isn't good for her. She wants to leave home. All of Maria's desires are the same as those of an American teenager; the physical and cultural setting is the only difference. This is part of what makes Ixcanul so important. It does a very good job of both showing difference and making it feel natural. Although we see a world that is different from the one we are used to, it does not feel alien.
The relationship between Maria and her mother, Juana, is one of the key elements of this movie that makes it so warm and familiar. While they tend to interact casually, there are several moments in which the depth of their relationship is palpable. The scene in the bath in which Maria's mother discovers her pregnancy, for instance, feels very realistic. Juana scolds her daughter for not "counting her moons", but there is no anger in her voice. Only love and concern. Her father's reaction, with near equal skill, shows the more authoritarian relationship that he has with his daughter. The small family unit is beautifully and convincingly created.
This small, close-knit family is contrasted with an immense landscape. The side of the volcano on which they live allows for wide shots of footpaths criss-crossing through a rocky, jungley terrain. Although they are not far from the town of Solola, they appear to be in a separate world with a delicate social ecosystem. This makes the plot feel even more realistic, because we are left little to compare it to until this isolation becomes an obstacle towards the end of the movie. Overall, it is an interesting, emotional movie. I highly recommend it.
Pelo malo (2013)
Good movie, very subtle and interesting
Pelo Malo is a subtle, touching movie. The dynamics between the characters are complex and realistic. It is sad, difficult and, for an American audience, appears to be a very extreme situation, but it never crosses the line into feeling melodramatic or overly exaggerated.
The messages of the movie were primarily expressed through movement and imagery. The language, of course, was relevant and told the story, but the interactions between the characters were often indirect, expressed through facial expressions and body movements. The mother, Marta, in particular, expressed her feelings toward Junior in a mostly nonverbal way. However, her dislike of him is made very clear when she avoids him on the bus, when she makes faces at him, and especially when she pretends to be asleep when he is holding her. Though she never says so, it is implied that these negative feelings come both from concern for his well-being and concern for her own reputation. The subtlety with which this is expressed is very impressive. The lack of very direct language regarding her feelings towards him is both a reflection of culture and the family dynamic, and serves to emphasize Samantha Castillo's acting.
The visual environment of the movie is simple. There is a limited color palette and the homes and streets are not glamorous. The buses are crowded with average people. It is clear that the family is struggling and Junior does not appear to have an escape from this community. His dreams of being a singer are his chance to not only live somewhere else, but to be another person; in essence, it is not his family he wishes to escape, but some element of himself. His obsession with his hair is representative of a childlike concreteness of thought. His frustration with his race and upbringing is taken out on one symbolic feature.
All in all, this movie was entertaining, sweet, and sad. The clips of the child singing during the credits helped to lighten what would have otherwise been a pretty heartbreaking movie, without distracting from the message. The acting was excellent, even in the children. It gives a really interesting look at the realities of childhood in Venezuela, and tells a very complete story of one summer in the life of Junior.
Y tu mamá también (2001)
Excellent in part
Y tu mama también is an interesting film that fully embodies the classic, if stereotypical, coming-of-age tale. The road trip setting allows for a great variety of locations, which show several different parts of Mexico and several different subcultures, from busy urban Mexico City to an old woman alone on the side of the road, grieving the death of her great granddaughter. The narration, too, interrupts the story at appropriate times to broaden the audience's perspective and give more depth not only to the characters' personal histories, but to the political and social climate of the country. This is not a distraction from the present antics and drama of the protagonists; rather, it helps to give their relatively inconsequential story more meaning. For much of the movie, this is effective rather than melodramatic.
Towards the end of the movie, these little narrated pieces start to feel excessively sad, even if they are realistic. The grim future of the fishing family from the beach is revealed: within a few years they will be trapped in the city, having lost their fishing business pursuing a bigger dream which was ultimately unsuccessful. After their trip ends, the rest of the movie is equally sad. Luisa's death feels pointless; the fact that the audience hears about it secondhand reduces her role in the movie from protagonist to adventure catalyst. The narrator reveals that Tenoch and Julio lose touch as well, although it is not explained why or what happened. The audience is meant to interpret this turn of events without much of a basis for it, as the rest of the movie is spent building their relationship, revealing flaws, and repairing them. The last scene of the movie is one in which Julio and Tenoch run into each other in the street and decide to stop for a cup of coffee. They part ways and never see each other again. This is an unsatisfying ending to an intense, emotionally charged story.
The individual moments and narrated pauses in time in Y tu mama también were charming and intriguing, and were generally more satisfying than the movie as a whole.