Tag Archive for 'Gael García Bernal'

Babel

Published
by
Chalupa
on February 5, 2007
in Drama, Multiple story line and Thriller
. 0 Comments

I’m going to start off by saying I thought this movie was mediocre. I think there were some great performances, but overall, it wasn’t tied together well.

First off, this was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. He’s done some great stuff like 21 Grams and Amores Perros. I respect the guy. He does good work. Actors include Gael García Bernal, Adriana Barraza, Kôji Yakusho, Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt. These are all great actors.

The story - now here’s where I have the problems. My first impression, from the previews and the “buzz”, was that this was similar to Crash. Maybe I didn’t give this a fair shake, but let me know what you think. The film Crash was about a bunch of different people with different lives, of different races and of different socio-economic classes. All of them resided in the LA area and all of them were connected through one circumstance or another. All of them were important to the story and you got a peak into each one of their lives. The film Babel is centered around an American family and a few other people that are somewhat connected to them and/or the story. During and after the movie was over, I was left with a feeling of, “why did I need to care so much about them?” This wasn’t quite as extreme as in The Fountain when you never found out why it was so important Hugh Jackman’s wife lived, but there was nevertheless something lacking. You find out only a little bit about the American family through snippets of conversation but that’s it. The film is mainly based on the circumstances of what is happening. The circumstances were very important and quite dire, but at the same time I feel there is value to making the audience feel connected to the characters.

The story of the girl and her father in Japan felt very much like a “dangling shad” of a Florida election ballot to me in reference to the plot. The father is connected because of a weapon, but that’s it. His family is also messed up due to the death of his wife but if that whole part of the movie was cut, I don’t think the story would have changed much at all. Their story might have been fulfilling some stylistic element or something, but I think it could have been cut or beefed up in some way. If it had been cut though, I feel like the movie would have been even more lacking because then the story/plot isn’t very unique at all. I felt like there needed to be either something else connecting the Japanese family to the American family or another character and/or circumstance to add to the Japanese part.

As I said before, performances were great, but that doesn’t make the movie great. I think films like Monster and Ray are other examples of that. You may totally disagree with me here, and if you do give me a comment. I’d love to discuss this film with you. I think this this movie had a lot of potential, but it just fell short in my eyes.

The Science of Sleep

Published
by
Chalupa
on October 23, 2006
in Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Independent, Romance and Stop-motion
. 2 Comments

This is another one of those long-awaited movies. The Science of Sleep stars Gael Garcí­a Bernal (Motorcycle Diaries, La Mala Educación, Y tu mamá también, Amores Perros) and is directed by Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and many music videos). So if you’ve seen Eternal Sunshine or some of his music videos, you probably have an idea of the kind of off-the-wall genius and humor this man possesses.

Bernal plays Stéphane who has just been tricked into moving back home by his mother, who owns some apartments. He then meets his neighbor, Stéphanie, whom he almost immediately falls in love with. Meanwhile, his mother has hooked him up with a job at a calendar company where he’s supposed to be able to utilize his artistic abilities. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, however, his co-workers more than make up for it. Despite all of this excitement and drama, Stéphane has just one problem. He has problems seperating reality from his world of dreams.

I think my favorite parts of the movie are Stéphane’s dream sequences. In them, Stéphane is a host for a popular TV show where he performs music, has guests, talks about all kinds of intellectual things and has a time machine. His whole attitude is different, which makes the whole fantasy world that much more believable. He’s loose, he’s free, he says what he wants, he does what he wants. In this dream land, Stéphane can be the person he wants to be with nothing holding him back. It’s in this dream land where he can evaluate his relationships and work out the “real” problems he has. In the dream land, Stéphane is refined, articulate and intelligent. In the real world Stéphane is sometimes forgetful, says the wrong things and sometimes comes off as a little crazy.

I like to think this is the way we all are to one extreme or another. Everybody has had at least one experience in their life where they wish they could have said something else or done something else. I like to think, this is just a little to the extreme. Another aspect I really liked in this movie was the variance of language. It takes place in France, but throughout the film you hear the characters speak in English, French, and Spanish.

This is definitely one of those “art films” so if you’re not into those kinds of movies, maybe you won’t like this. I loved it, but this is a genre I enjoy. I’ve also seen numerous other works be Bernal and Gondry, so that helped influence me to see this as well. There is also some nudity/almost nudity and language that might offend some of you. Other than that, I gave this film 5 stars on netflix.

El Crimen del Padre Amaro

Published
by
Chalupa
on August 8, 2005
in Based on a novel, Drama, Foreign, Mexico, Religion and Romance
. 0 Comments

Another Gael García Bernal movie. I think this guy is quickly rising in ranks to be one of my favorite international actors…up there with Audrey Tautou. This one is about a recently ordained priest that comes to a town to find the Catholic church not as clean and scandal-free as he had always thought. The local bishop has earmarked him for greatness and so he comes as a sort-of Joseph in a ‘coat of many colors’ to work with a group of priests who are are all old enough to be his father. Eventually Padre Amaro becomes engulfed in a scandal of his own and tries hard to wiggle out of the consequences.

This is probably one of the better films to come out of Mexican cinema since Amores Perros and is filled with a strong cadre of actors and actresses. If you don’t mind subtitles you should definitely check this one out - just remember, it’s rated R for a reason in case you’re sensitive to that.

Amores perros

Published
by
Chalupa
on July 19, 2005
in Dogs, Drama, Foreign, Independent, Kidnapping, Mexico, Multiple story line and Thriller
. 0 Comments

Another decent movie with Gael Garcia Bernal. This is one of those movies where you have several stories and they’re all tied together somehow. It’s similar to Crash, Pulp Fiction or Sin City in that respect.

I really enjoyed the diversity portrayed in this film. It’s basically about love and it definitely showed many different aspects. You had the model going nuts over her dog trapped under the floor, a father and his daughter who didn’t know him, friends, a man and his dog, etc. In all cases one or more facets of this thing we call love was shown. Some were healthy and others not so. It’s really interesting how we use the word, ‘love’. Some are afraid to say it and others throw it around like last week’s lotto numbers. We may use it to describe that special someone, those cheese fries we get at our favorite restaurant, a close friend or a pet. Why are people so careless with words and feelings? Maybe this movie has a bit to that answer.

La Mala Educación: Second review

Published
by
Chalupa
on June 29, 2005
in Drama, Film Noir, Foreign and Thriller
. 1 Comment

Here’s one I’ve been interested in seeing for a while mainly because it was directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starred Gael García Bernal. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect here. This movie is about a Catholic priest who sexually abused a small boy. It’s also rated NC-17 so that will deter some people right away. I’d have to say the story was a bit interesting but I never really quite got into it. It’s like I was missing something. Maybe it’s because I’m not catholic or,  maybe more specifically, Latino and catholic. I’m not sure. I know a lot of times I watch foreign films and I know I’m missing something but just can’t put my finger on it because I’m not part of that culture. Oh to be more culturally aware.

Anyways, this is definitely a darker film. I wouldn’t say it’s disturbing, but (as I always seem to bring up) I’ve seen stuff like Irreversible and House of 1,000 Corpses among other films so I feel a bit un-shocked by a lot of things. I can think of a couple people right now who have probably seen this or might see this. I can also think of a lot that will probably stay far, far away from it. I’m not entirely sure why it’s rated what it is. I think there’s more explicit material in Boogie Nights and that’s only rated R. If you’re looking for a better insight to the more recently exposed scandals involving the Catholic church, this probably isn’t going to be extremely helpful to you. This is more of a movie about some people involved in something tragic and life-changing.

Bad Education

Published
by
Neville
on January 12, 2005
in Drama, Film Noir, Foreign and Thriller
. 0 Comments

The infamous Pedro Almodovar returns with this stunning, NC-17 homage to film noir flicks and previous Almodovar films such as “All About My Mother” and “Talk to Her” with the much anticipated “Bad Education.”

So why is this movie not really about attacking the Roman Catholic Church? And why is it not simply about transexuals, homosexuals, and drag queens? And why the oh-so-uncomfortable material dealing with child molestation and other similar abusive attacks on the Church? So many questions, so little answers.

Yes, the movie makes you uneasy but it also makes you intrigued. From the opening credits that mimic “Psycho” in its score, however, even more intensified with the credits acting as pieces of blood-stained colorful paper, ripping crossward and upward up off of the screen, to the final end melodramatic “ah-ha” that’s so reminiscent of many 50s and 60s films within the film noir tradition (”Double Indemnity”, “Dead Ringer,” to name just two of the many great ones), “Bad Education” is the kind of film you leave either loving movies all over again OR hating and disgusted with what you’ve just seen. To the latter people, they probably won’t be able to handle or enjoy watching all the sexually charged drama that is constantly unfolding here, but to the former (if you’re a true film buff) you won’t be able to deny the movie’s bantering on greatness and (dare I say it) what might be called a cinematic masterpiece. But the film, essentially, is not about a bunch of gay guys who secretly want each other or about the way the Catholic church might have been largely at fault in creating some of the most significant personal and social problems of our time, but it’s about the crave and struggle for power, in every facet of life. Gael Garcia Bernal, who gave one of the most moving performances of the year in “The Motorcycle Diaries” gives another, possibly even richer performance here that is so different and unique, he may have just unconsciously self-declared himself the most monumental force working in the film industry abroad today.

I know many will hate me when I do this (especially those who end up watching it) but “Bad Education” is going on my top ten list. See it, if you dare.

The Motorcycle Diaries

Published
by
Neville
on October 7, 2004
in Adventure, Based on a book, Biography, Drama, Foreign and Road Trip
. 1 Comment

This newly released foreign film starring Gael Garcia Bernal (from “Y Tu Mama Tambien” and “The Crime of Father Amarro”) is one that reminded me of the photography of David Dobson. Director Walter Salles takes part of the life story of Che Guavara (a leader of the Cuban revolution) and tells not of his revolutionary days but rather (more importantly I might add), tells us his story before his revolutionary days begin. What lead up to his strong beliefs in social injustice and his love for the poor, and physically wounded members can be found like a beautiful photograph of early 1950’s Peru.

The film begins with two guys—one a doctor and the other a biochemist—on a journey across South America in hopes of seeing the bigger world outside of their hometown. Bernal plays Ernesto (Che) with such conviction and commitment, I’d be surprised if Oscar voters didn’t at least consider him for a Best Actor contender. This is the breakthrough performance of his career that could make him the American movie star icon he so desperately deserves to be. Nonetheless, Ernesto is one of those rare movie characters (yes, he’s based on a real person but still, the fact that a movie portrays a man with such personal convictions is admirable) who believes honesty, compassion, honor and human touch (love?) are the things the world is missing. Pretty noble for a 23-year-old aspiring physician wouldn’t you say?

The two friend’s motorcycle adventures are at first, seemingly harmless, as one-after-another-breakdown keeps preventing them from their final destination. But in this slowing down of their trip, they’re forced to see the world, for the first time. As the movie progresses, you can see and feel Ernesto’s heart expanding, as injustice after injustice stares him straight in the face town after town. But thankfully, the movie doesn’t fall into propaganda and cries of idealist thoughts but rather, takes these images and uses them to help change the actions of Ernesto (what better thing could one ask for?).

Without saying anything more about the plot, the movie felt like a mission trip to me in a way…where the age-old truth of ‘learning more from the poor than you’re able to help the poor on your mission’ stood out. By the time the movie ended, the audience was cheering and I at the same time was shocked to see a movie playing on a random Tuesday night in Pasadena could stir up so much emotion and move so many watchers and listeners. Enough said, go see the movie! You won’t regret it. (Especially Liz! You like David Dobson’s photography right??)