Raúl Alejandro Mendoza

‘The Boy and the Heron’ Review

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Reviews

The Boy and the Heron is another crowning achievement from the returning Japanese auteur, Hayao Miyazaki.

9/10

It’s the tale as old as time, critically acclaimed artist “retires” and comes back with new work years later. It happens in almost every aspect of art but not everyone is Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki is one of the greatest storytellers of all time, especially in the medium of animated filmmaking. I was young when I watched my first Hayao Miyazaki movie. I remember it like it happened yesterday. It all goes back to the Toonami days of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Spirited Away played on Toonami from 2006 to 2007. I remember watching the film on one of those specific broadcasts. Spirited Away affected me in a way that I still can’t explain too much and I still recall it as a core memory in my cinema journey. I fell in love with Hayao Miyazaki’s world inside of his stunningly animated masterpiece filled with scrumptious food, compelling characters, and beautiful music. Now, I’m a 26 year old man who watched one of Miyazaki’s best films and celebrated the return of probably the greatest director to grace the medium of animation.

The Boy and the Heron marks the feature film return of writer and director, Hayao Miyazaki, after his 2013 film, The Wind Rises. Soma Santoki/Luca Padovan voice Mahito Maki a child who has lost their mother that moves out to rural Japan after his father (Takuya Kimura/Christian Bale) marries his late wife’s sister, Natsuko (Yoshino Kimura/Gemma Chan). After a pregnant Natsuko goes missing, Mahito embarks on a journey with a Grey Heron (Masaki Suda/Robert Pattinson) to bring Natsuko home. This journey is filled with twists and turns embraced by the exemplary Studio Ghibli animation that promotes every ounce of Miyazaki’s style throughout the whole film. Hayao Miyazaki’s thirteenth feature film is another charming entry into the legendary career of the Japanese auteur who reflects on his childhood and the world’s he has created along the way.

At this point, it may be the devastating loss of my mother that has made me look at films like The Boy and the Heron differently. I felt this film in the deepest corners of myself that made me grow a greater appreciation for Miyazaki. It’s so easy to say that Miyazaki is only discussing his childhood but beyond the surface of this compelling piece is a man seeking for the truths in the world’s he’s made. Someone must inherit these thirteen “blocks” that The Wizard asks Mahito to build a better world with. I think this is Miyazaki discussing that he’s not quite ready to let go of his career yet. The Boy and the Heron definitely feels like a swan song but it’s so hopeful about the future embracing those who have loved the work of Miyazaki and those close to him in his life. The film is expertly animated and paired with one of Joe Hisaishi’s best scores he’s ever made. The voice cast is spectacular but it’s Robert Pattinson as The Grey Heron who really blew me away with his dedicated and masterful performance.

This year both Martin Scorsese and Hayao Miyazaki released some of the best films they’ve made. Both directors discuss the world that they inhabit and reflect on the mediums they are creating in. We are lucky to be able to watch more films from such legendary directors. May this comeback bring more success to the late career of Miyazaki. Hayao Miyazaki does not end the film without turning the mirror back to the audience themselves. He asks us a simple question that Mahito answers throughout his journey. How do you live?

HCAF23: ‘Mami Wata’ Review

Posted on December 23, 2023December 22, 2023 by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Festival Coverage, Reviews

C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi’s Mami Wata is a gorgeously stylized and pensive retelling of the West African folklore story of the titular deity.

8/10

This year I’ve tried my best to expand my knowledge of some regions that go a bit underseen in world cinema. I can say confidently that I found myself watching more films from Asia this year as I watched films from directors like Satyajit Ray, Jafar Panahi, Chen Kaige, and more. Yet, the grand continent of Africa is one of those regions where I have only logged four films from there on my Letterboxd. I am really interested in the cinematic language and style of African cinema but lack of distribution to the United States kills any chances for me to watch these films. Thanks to the Houston Cinema Arts Festival I was able to watch Nigeria’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category at next year’s Oscars, Mami Wata. I found this to be an enriching experience and loved this film that highlights African folklore with a modern approach.

Mami Wata is written and directed by C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi (O-Town, Ojuju) as he brings the story of the mermaid African deity of the same name to life within a modern story filled with warlords, relationships, and family. The film is shot expertly in high contrast black and white cinematography by director photography, Lilis Soares. The film stars Evelyne Ily (Soloum), Uzoamaka Anuinoh (Diiche), Emeka Amakeze (Icheke Oku), Rita Edochie (Love Eternal), and Kelechi Udegbe (Collision). The film is nominated for the Best International Film at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. It made its premiere at this year’s edition of the Sundance Film Festival where it won the Grand Jury Prize and World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Lilis Soares’ cinematography. Tunde Jugede who worked in the music department for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever composes its rich score.

Every frame of Mami Wata drew me more and more into the atmosphere of this film. Its textured and beautiful high contrast cinematography highlights every detail within the frames of the film. I loved especially any time we were near or on the beach. The way that the black and white captures that is gorgeous to replay in my head. Evelyne Ily is downright jaw dropping in her performance as the deity. Every second we spent with her I grew a multitude of appreciation for the intricacies of her character. I loved the music as well as it really sets the mood up against the cinematography to really create this authentic West African landscape in Mami Wata.

Obasi’s Mami Wata sadly did not make The Academy’s shortlist for the Best International Feature Film but i wish it all the luck at the Spirit Awards. Mami Wata is unlike anything I’ve ever seen and one of the best films of the year. I can’t wait to watch whatever C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi has in store for his career. I am eagerly and patiently waiting to see this very impressive filmmaker continue to tell his stories. Make sure to watch Mami Wata when it makes its way to a screen near you.

HCAF23: ‘Q’ Review

Posted on December 22, 2023 by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Festival Coverage, Reviews

Jude Chehab’s Q is a breathtakingly complex documentary that looks at the intricacies of a matriarchal religious order in the lives of three generations of women.

8/10

Documentaries are an essential part of any film festival I have covered whether it was films like A House Made of Splinters, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, or Clean Slate. These are some of the best documentaries I’ve had the pleasure of watching at festivals like Nashville Film Festival, Sundance, and of course, Houston Cinema Arts Festival. I love watching documentaries because they provide a different outlook than narrative filmmaking. Now, there are some that are not as impactful as others but I think it is truly special when a documentary can blend narrative and documentary to create something truly remarkable. That’s what films like The Eternal Memory did for me this year and I am proud to say that Q does that and more.

Q is directed by Jude Chehab in her documentary feature film debut. Jude Chehab centers the film around the effects this matriarchal religious organization had on her mother, grandmother, and of course herself. It’s an examination of these three generations of women and what especially the head of the organization meant for them. Now, I need to be completely honest here because I feel like this is a very important thing to bring up before I continue on with my review. I do not mean to single out Q at all with this because I genuinely do think this is an incredible film that everyone should watch. As many of you know, I am visually impaired which hinders my ability to be able to read subtitles but I don’t let this ruin how many films I watch. I love international films but most of the time, I have to consume these films at home as it’s easier to read subtitles when they’re right in front of your face. I’ve long noticed this problem surrounding accessibility and it is not in any way exclusive to Q. At this point, I am begging filmmakers and distributors to please make your subtitles more accessible. I could not see a good amount of these subtitles because the white font with no stroke/border around it would blend in with colors and lighting in the film. This affected the way I experienced this film especially when it came to understanding what is happening in the film. I had the pleasure of exchanging some messages with Jude Chehab and she assured me that she would be changing this in the next DCP file, so thank you so much to Jude Chehab for listening to my concerns. Disabled moviegoers have long been ignored by the industry and I want to make sure everyone is able to consume the films they watch.

Nonetheless, Q is an incredible documentary and I fell completely in love with various aspects of the film. I loved the visual language that made the film feel very nostalgic. Every frame is crafted with so much consideration. Chehab uses a lot of archival footage of her childhood which helped me understand more of what the organization was like. Everyone is given the same amount of time to discuss the topic at hand. Of course, I was very drawn to the mother’s point of view but also including the father’s opinions presented an interesting outlook. Jude Chehab’s Q asks many questions that are worth noting. What does it mean to be devoted to your faith? How does unrequited love make us feel? I’m not sure we will ever have the answers to these questions but Q reminds us that we have to find them together as a community. I am interested to see what Chehab makes next. Q is one of the best films of the year and easily one of my favorite documentaries of this year. Make sure to watch this film whenever it makes its way to a screen near you.

‘Concrete Utopia’ Review

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Reviews

Concrete Utopia is a thrilling dystopian drama that observes the complexities of class warfare and those who aim to manipulate it.

8/10

South Korea is a country whose cinema has been steadily delivering some of the best films of the last couple of years. Who can forget the iconic moment hearing Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite announced as the winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 92nd Academy Awards? Last year we saw the release of Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave which made my best of 2023 list. As always I make it a mission to watch as many submissions for the Best International Feature Film category at next year’s Oscars Ceremony. Well, that’s where Concrete Utopia stumbled upon my radar and instantly its premise reeled my curiosity in. The film is a well crafted dystopian drama that examines the relationship between social classes as they are put against each other after a devastating earthquake destroys their city.

Concrete Utopia is directed by Tae-hwa Eom (Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned) and written by Tae-hwa and Lee Shin-ji. The film stars Park Seo-joon (Parasite), Lee Byung-hun (Joint Security Area, I Saw the Devil, Squid Game), Park Bo-young (The Silenced), Kim Sun-young (Broker), and Park Ji-hu (House of Hummingbird). The film is being distributed worldwide by Lotte Entertainment and is currently undergoing a theatrical release in the United States. The film made its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and made its premiere in the US at the Chicago International Film Festival.

I will admit that Concrete Utopia starts off slow and with its 130 minute runtime it feels a lot longer than it should. Yet, I found myself completely engaged in the film as we navigate this dystopia our characters are bound to. We primarily follow Min-sung (Park Seo-joon) and Myung-hwa (Park Bo-young), a couple who live in an apartment complex where after a devastating earthquake is the hotspot for shelter. When the people of the complex select Yeong-tak (Lee Byung-hun) to be their delegate they begin to keep “outsiders” out of the complex. Yeong-tak is not the person he seems at first and thus begins this journey of manipulation, classism, and loyalty in the midst of a harsh winter claiming innocent lives without anywhere to sleep or eat.

The cast and crew of Concrete Utopia are the strongest aspects of the film. The film’s visual effects are not perfect but are polished enough to create the necessary atmosphere of this dystopia. Tae-hwa Eom and Lee Shin-ji’s writing is so cleverly crafted with some intense scenes. I couldn’t help but feel that what holds this film from being great is its pacing and if the film was edited down a bit there would be a great film in here. That’s not to say that what we have isn’t good. I thought that the second half of the film is riveting and takes you through so many twists and turns that you’re anxiously awaiting the conclusion of Concrete Utopia. The film’s ending leaves you with a look into what the other side of this conflict thinks of those in the complex. It’s a reminder that we’re not different at all. We are fed information about others but it is up to us to help each other. We are humans after all and we need each other to survive. Though I am not completely in love with this film, I still recommend you all watch it at your local cinema if it’s playing. I hope to see this get some love in the category at next year’s Oscars or at least make the shortlist.

HCAF23: ‘The Herricanes’ Review

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Festival Coverage, Reviews

Olivia Kuan’s The Herricanes is a brilliant documentary on the first Houston full tackle women’s football league.

8/10

There’s nothing that’s more loved in the state of Texas than American football. You see some of the stadiums that these high schools and would think that they are playing in the NFL. I mean American football is huge, it’s almost a religion that Texans follow to their coffin. I have committed one of the deadliest acts in this state and choose not to root for any of the Texas teams in the NFL (though I hope the Houston Texans always have a great season because I live in H Town). I’m a New York Giants fan which means I’ve been depressed since our last Super Bowl win in 2012. Yet, I have my team I root for but I don’t really follow the sport religiously like everyone else in this state does. Nonetheless, this documentary caught my eye because it may be about football but this is about the first Houston tackle football women’s team known as the Houston Herricanes. I didn’t know anything about this team but after watching this documentary I found a new love for the resiliency of these ladies. It’s hard to not admire the awe-inspiring spirit of these women on and off the football field.

Before the Houston Energy, the Houston Herricanes were the first tackle football league in the city of Houston, Texas. The documentary does a great job of detailing the beginning of the team’s journey. The film’s director Olivia Kuan uses a lot of archival footage to her advantage by displaying past games and pictures of the team. She is also the daughter of one of the past players of the team. Now, the film isn’t a straight up recounting of the history of this legendary team. The documentary intertwines the fight for Title IX as a way of showcasing just how big of a deal an all tackle football team/league was.

Olivia Kuan’s documentary works well and it helped a lot that I was surrounded by passionate Houston Herricanes’ fans. The film has a way of blending the past with the present that feels so seamless. You never really feel a hindrance on the runtime that makes the pace feel too slow or too fast. Some aspects of the film can feel a bit redundant, but what always brings you back is the team of the Houston Herricanes. Each person who was involved in the team shines brightly with their own charm. Throughout the film, their tenacity and dedication not just to the team but each other is shown through their words. I loved the reunion scene, you could tell that each and every one of them was so happy to see each other. You may not know it at the time, but at that reunion it solidifies that these ladies were part of something larger than themselves.

Even though the Houston Herricanes didn’t last long enough their legacy is felt in the world of sports. Olivia Kuan’s film is a highlight of sports documentaries and aims the spotlight at this very important part of not just the world of sports but the fight for gender equality. Make sure to watch The Herricanes when it eventually makes its way out to a cinema or screen near you.