Tango

I thought this was a weird movie. I could not really tie in how the Argentina military years worked its way in through out the movie. I only got the part at the end where the dancers performed the part of their act that depicted war and torture, other than that I am not sure. The lighting of the movie was definitely different and noticeable. The first part of the movie was shot in an orange glow and it looked like in the end the main background color was red. The background colors did a good job of putting the viewer in the mood for the scene that was playing out. If the seen was an emotional one, the background color was a light orange, if it was a dramatic seen the background color was a dark red. The movie shouted love, passion, and turmoil through the dancing and what little lines the actors had.
I thought it was weird how the main character in the beginning and the guy who owned part of the show said the exact same lines in the movie to a women. I bet that had some significance to the film but I cannot put a finger on it.

El Viaje de Carol

Right away I could tell that Carol was a "free spirit". She did what she wanted when she wanted and how she wanted to do it. She was not afraid to stand up for herself like when Tomiche stole her hat and she kicked him right in the groin. It seemed like Carol was always looking for adventure and a way to escape. She would not wear skirts and dresses like other girls but instead wore slacks and button down shirts like the boys.When Carol's mom passes away she is forced to live with her aunt. I think this is where Carol's rebellious ways really come out and we see who she truly is. Carol, being from New York was always up front with people and told them exactly how she felt. Being in a warm climate culture, Carol had trouble adapting to the culture. Through Tomiche, Carol was able to discover what was really going on in Spain at the time. She was shocked by the cruelty of the soldiers and how they would execute towns people for no real reason. In the end Carol, through hard times and struggle is able to mature into an adult and come into her own.

Volver

I believe that this movie is considered to be a tribute women and their resilience because it shows Raimunda, A strong independent woman, work through unspeakable circumstances.  Not only did she have to work several jobs to keep her "daughter" and her husband living at a comfortable status, she also had to cover up for her daughters  murder. It was amazing to see how well Raimunda stayed composed while so many terrible things where happening in her life. When she had her husband stashed in a freezer box and she found out that her aunt just died and all of these things, she still managed to put together a meal for 30 people.  The movie showed that it is not impossible to make it through some of life's roughest situations.
The first superstition i noticed in the movie was when the family was driving back to their home and Raimunda mentioned the Eastern Winds and how they make everyone crazy. Also during the funeral the one neighbor was talking about how a spirit told her to check on the Aunt because something was wrong.

Entre Nos

When Mariana's husband abandons the family the wife and kids are basically forced into survival mode. They have to work as a team, all contributing to the everyday needs to make it day to day. The first thing I noticed was that Gabi had to take over the role of provider, he did everything he could to keep his mother and sister in a happy mood even though they were in tough times. This leads me to believe that when the Dad left and whispered something into Gabi's ear he most likely said something along the lines of "You are the man now, you need to take care of your sister and Mom", that's why right away Gabi took over the role. It was amazing how well they did in America when Gabi was the only one who spoke some English.
I think that it was amazing how Mariana did not waste anytime when It came to figure out how to take care of herself and her children. She could of just lost control and cried for days or something because of her terrible situation but instead she kept her chin held high and pressed on doing everything she could to provide food, shelter and entertainment for her two kids.
I feel like it is not uncommon for the husband of a American family to just up and leave and have the mother's fend for themselves.
My favorite part of the movie was the end when Gabi stood up and told his class that this was his first summer in America, the class had no idea what he had bee-n through that summer.
-Daniel

The Official Story

I believe that Alicia will have no choice but ti reconcile her thoughts in regards to her daughter and where she came from. Throughout the movie I could clearly see how the situation just ate away at Alicia. Ever since her friend brought it up that one night it seemed to be the only thing running through her mind. The fact that she could have taken a child from a mother who did not want to give up her child was not something Alicia could deal with. Everyone else just wanted Alicia to leave the past alone and appreciate the fact that she had a child. At some point Alicia will have to learn some way to deal with the facts about Gaby. If she does not it will clearly consume her and destroy every relationship she has. The movie showed how the situation destroyed Alicia's relationship with her husband but on the other hand, it allowed her to reach common ground with her High school students.  This would be a terrible/horrible situation to be in. I could see how Alicia was torn when it came to wanting to let Gabby's possible Grandmother into her life but at the same time did not want that past to become part of her present/future.  The situation is very complex and most likely would take Alicia a long time to smooth out.
- Daniel

Like Water for Chocolate

I would like to discuss the Magical realism depicted in the film Like Water for Chocolate. At first I could not really figure out how magical  realism would fit into this movie.  Then after Nacha dies she re-appears to tell Tita how to use the flowers that Pedro gave her to make a dish that is described as 'Nectar of the gods' by Pedro this is the first taste of Magic the viewer gets. Another scene were magical realism is shown is when Tita's love is put into her cooking which causes everyone to become unbearably horny, this happens again at her nieces wedding.  Then towards the end of the movie the mother dies and comes back to haunt Tita. The mother curses her own daughter and the unborn baby that she carries. Later the died mother comes back to haunt Tita again but Tita cast's her off by saying that she hates her. The mother then takes her evil out on Pedro by setting him on fire. The biggest portrayal of magical realism has to be where in the middle of the movie the Doctor talks about how everyone has matches inside them and these matches must be lit one at a time and can get damp and can dry out and blah blah but the main point emphasized was that the matches must never all be lit at one single moment of immense emotion.. but it turns out in the very last scene where Pedro and Tita finally get to have each other, Pedro dies after orgasm, symbolizing that all his matches went up in flame at the same time from having to wait so long for this moment, causing him to die. In an act of passion Tita chews up match ends causing her to burn alive from the inside and dieing along side her true love.
I thought this movie was great. It kept my attention the entire time and at one point i honestly forgot that I was watching a subtitled movie because I was so caught up in each scene.

Diarios de Motocicleta

Scenes that helped shape Ernesto's future include the one where he diagnosed the old man with a tumor on his neck. He could of just wrote it off as nothing since Ernesto knew it was in bad shape but instead he decided to be honest with the man and tell him the truth.  Then there was the sick woman who a young man wanted Ernesto to see. Ernesto realized that this woman was in her last days so he gave her some pills that I assumed would let her pass away more peacefully. He did not have to go see this woman and he did not have to treat her with any medicine but he did. Another scene is when "the mighty one" finally had its last day and broke down. The two men could have ended there journey right there and then and be defeated but instead Ernesto decided to take off on foot.  In a later scene the two men run into a couple in the dessert. The couple has no money or job so Ernesto gives them his American dollars that he was holding on to for another purpose. Then when Ernesto gets to the mine he sees how these people are treated and gets very upset. He tells the guards that the people are thirsty and need water, the guard gives him lip so he throws a rock at the mans truck knowing that he can't really do anything to help those people. In another scene Ernesto tells a Doctor what he really thinks about his new novel. He basically tells the man that it sucks straight out. Then Ernesto goes to San Pablo to help Lepers. This is a very powerful part of the movie and it finally pushes Ernesto to change for good. The entire journey/road trip as a whole changed Ernesto into the man he would become.  All of these scenes and situations showed Ernesto how much injustice there was in his country and he could not stand it. This was his drive to become a politician and make change.

As far as celebrations go, it seems like in South America you are required to dance at the parties. Dancing is the main theme at all of the parties and it is a public event. Everyone is invited and everyone is treated like family.

El Mariachi

There are a few Mexican Stereo types through out the movie. The first seen shows a tiny Mexican prison with only one guard and a few inmates. The scene depicts how easy it supposedly is to get out of a Mexican jail and just pay off the guard no questions asked. The movie made it seem like Mexico has a loose justice system and criminals go in and out as they see fit. Also the characters where typical Mexican stereo type casts with thick mustaches and dark skin. The characters also really seemed to enjoy beer , specifically Corona and they all just happened to own beater pick up trucks. The fact that they could walk out in the middle of the day and start a shoot out in public and just walk around with guns with no one having a care in the world was stereo typical to me.

 I do believe that bandido violence is commonly associated with Mexican culture. There are constant drug wars going on in the country and the movie played into that with basically the whole movie revolving around two drug dealers who had a money issue.
The statement " all he wants is to be a Mariachi" is ironic to me because no matter how hard the guy tried he was always pushed away from becoming a Mariachi. In the end his ability to play a guitar was taken away from him and he was finally forced to give it up for good.
The Mariachi is a man who wants to be like his ancestors and become one of the greatest Mariachi Mexico has ever seen.  The role of music is very important in this film. It not only gives the characters a sense of good and bad but also was the connection between the Mariachi and his family.

"MACHUCA"

These two boys meet through forced circumstances. Gonzalo goes to Saint Patrick's private school for boys and it is unknown where Pedro comes from or even if he went to school before his transfer to Saint Patrick's. Pedro and Gonzalo become friends after Pedro repeatedly sticks up for Gonzalo when a blond haired boy continues to pick on him. I think that because Pedro helped Gonzalo out in this way before they were even friends it really helped define what there relationship would eventually become which was buddies. I do not feel that either boy was hesitant to befriend one another because of the social and economical status difference in the beginning but I do think that they both started to become more aware of it as the film went on and in the end they both realized the different positions they were in. Being kids they both just wanted a pal to hang out with and did not think too much about there family background, skin color and economic status,I believe this is why it hit Gonzalo and Pedro so hard in the end when they realize that it's not as simple to be friends with some one in the upper class when you are lower class and vice versa.
The differences between the rich and the poor in Chile was clearly laid out in the film. The poor lived in huts while the rich lived in stylish apartments. The rich did not have to worry about where their next meal was coming from. The rich did not have as much to lose from the government change as the poor did. The rich had more time for leasure and less worries in general. The rich had a future to look forward to and the poor had no way of knowing if they would live to see the next year.
The main idea of this film was to give viewers an inside look at what went on in Chile during the 70's. It portrayed not only political struggle but also human struggle in regards to friendship and coming of age.  The message I took from it was that it is through struggle where one learns what they are truly capable of.
I enjoyed watching this movie, it was hard to screen the movie because I just wanted to sit back and watch it and actually take it in. I like how this movie looked at the political situation through the eyes of kids because most of the time the kids know right from wrong better then the adults do.

Question 4 for "under te same Moon"

I mother is a mother no matter where they come from. A mother has a natural instinct to always do whats best or her child. I think a mother in the U.S. would generally do the same thing for there child that Rosario did for hers. If a mother can do better for her child she will most likely do what ever it takes to make it happen no matter the race/background or culture.

Question 3 for "Under the same Moon"

Carlitos was always missing his mom. He was not a happy child. He also had an Aunt and uncle who wanted to take him from his Grandma so they would receive the monthly $300 that Rosario sent him. Rosario was also always sad and worried about her son. She had trouble making new relationships and being an illegal, always had to be on the look out for the I.N.S. and had to take hard labor jobs at a low pay. They also had no way of knowing what exactly was going on in each others lives because they only talked once a week.

Question 2 for "Under the Same Moon"

Rosario had to make the difficult decision to immigrate to the U.S.A  alone because she knew the chances of one person making it across was a lot greater than trying to smuggle in an entire family. I believe that this was a very difficult decision for the mother to make. She had no idea what the outcome would be and weather or not she would even make it across in the first place. She risked a lot and had to deal with the guilt of leaving behind her family on a daily basis. Some scenes that show how Rosario is having difficulty coping is when she writes her son's name in the soap while she is cleaning a stove top. Also there are scene's where Rosario's friend wants her to find a man and start a relationship but you can tell that she really does not want anything to do with letting new people into her life. Also the fact that Rosario and Carlitos did not know exactly what was going on in each others lives. Carlitos did not know that his mother was struggling with depression and having trouble at work and Rosario did not know that her mother was dieing and that Carlitos had an Aunt and Uncle who wanted to take him from his Grandma.

Question 1 for "Under the Same Moon"

I think that the mother Rosario left her son Carlitos in Mexico because she knew that she could make more money in the U.S.A and provide herself and her son with a better life and possibly better opportunities. By making more money in the U.S.A. Rosario most likely could afford her Mother's medication and possibly help her Mother see better Doctors.