Reviews

‘Ema’: Dance The Pain Away or Fight Against It

Posted on by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Reviews

Pablo Larraín’s Ema transcends many fields to create a somber piece about the loss of control of one’s life.

CREDIT: Fabula

I have been long overdue my exploration into the filmography of Pablo Larraín since I am really excited about his upcoming film with Kristen Stewart, Spencer, based on the life of Princess Diana that has been making lots of noise at the film festivals so far. Of course, this film is very different from what I imagine Spencer is going to be. Before this Larraín had made his academy award nominated film based on the life of First Lady Jackie Kennedy, Jackie. By looking at the synopsis you can tell that this a very different type of film and it was well worth the watch.

Ema looks at a tumultuous relationship between Ema (Mariana Di Girolamo) and Gastón (Gael García Bernal) after having to return their adopted son because of his pyromaniac behavior. Ema is a reggaetón dancer along with her other colleagues, while Gastón is a director of a dance company that does not align itself with the reggaetón style. Both of these two are very different individuals and leads to them having a different outlook on life and how to raise their child. The film is expertly shot by Sergio Armstrong with some exquisite framing especially of the dance scenes. The film also has some very tasteful and interesting lighting setups that help set up the atmosphere that these dancers find themselves in. Ema also includes some incredible musical compositions from Chilean American musician Nicolás Jaar that really makes this film’s sound and feeling unique. It is very influenced by an unorthodox style of reggaetón that does not sound nothing like the first or new wave of the genre.

The movie is wonderfully performed by our main protagonists, but I don’t think this movie is concerning itself with telling a tightly knit story more so examining the environment and what it means for those who want a little more out of this life. Ema is not your “normal” protagonist, but she does want things that all of us humans want. We want to be appreciated, understood, and most importantly given the chance to love or be loved. Ema does not go about it the right way to achieve most of these things especially given the overall plot and how she plans to take her child back. Throughout all of this there are two things that she knows that she at least loves, those being her child (both Polo and the eventual one she will have) and dancing. Both of these allow her to feel like the person she is and no one can take that from her. I found Ema to be a very surprising film and cannot wait for what else this director can offer.

Ema is available to rent on most video purchasing sites.

Exilium Series: A Spoiler Free Review

Posted on by luigonword in Reviews

Exilium Series: A new Adventure for readers

Have you ever seen Extinction starring Michael Peña on Netflix? If you haven’t it tells the story of a man trying to save his family from an alien invasion only to find out a devastating truth about him, his world, and the said invaders.

This is what the Exilium comic series reminds me of with so much more, having the Earth have alien refugees, human allies and racists, invaders attacking Earth and truths unfolding to a surprise ending. Mr. Slabak and the others who helped envision this story that really brought out a new world and as a comic book geek I really enjoyed something new.

Now this is a short comic book series and as I was reading I kept forgetting so I was left wanting more at the end of every panel.

Now this will be a short and spoiler free review, as Exilium is working on a season 2.

As I mentioned I’m a big comic book geek and have my very own yet small collection, and it’s not very often I add items especially if i didn’t like them, but I hope that I one day find a collection book of these comics to add to my shelve. It’s an interesting story and although some lines were cliché or predictable, I still enjoy it to the fullest reading the entire series in one sitting. As I mentioned above it’s a short series that is pushing for a second “season” of books, so check out the trailer below to get glimpses of the story and the hope for the creator and his Kickstarter.

Overall

Overall I HIGHLY suggest this series if you are into aliens, allies, space travel, paradoxes, and so much more Sci-Fi stories. I am extremely grateful I got a chance to read and write about this series, as I don’t normally get many chances and rest assure that the story will keep you entertained as it did me.

If you get a chance you can find this story on Comixology, Coud9Comix and others and help the creator reach their kickstarter goal.

The Nerd Corps #446: ‘Malignant’ Review

Posted on by The Nerd Corps in Podcasts

The nerds are joined for another Saturday Morning Review as we look at the newest James Wan horror film, Malignant. Fellow writer for The Nerd Corps, Luis Angel Garcia, joins us for the review as we talk about this film. I have no idea how to tell y’all that you should listen to this but this was quite the film. Listen to find out about our thoughts on the film along with what people on Letterboxd are saying. Go check this one out!

IMDb Synopsis: “Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities.”

‘Identifying Features’: The Harrowing Realities of the Borderlands

Posted on by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Reviews

Fernanda Valadez shocks with her quiet and petrifying feature directorial debut look at the dangers of crossing the U.S. Mexico Border.

CREDIT: Kino Lorber

I won’t lie, it has been difficult to put pen to paper when it comes to what I thought about this film. Fernanda Valadez’s Identifying Features is incredible and that is a complete understatement. What she is able to accomplish is so moving and harrowing at the same time. I kind of hate myself for waiting so long to finally watch this. This is not just a film about unconditional love but the absolute terrifying reality of crossing the border. This is a story that is known all too well, I mean there are a lot of movies that have done this story before like Babel, Desierto, Under The Same Moon, and others that have discussed the pain and dangers of trying to gain a better life by crossing to a neighboring country. Valadez constructs this masterpiece by engrossing the viewer in a journey that absolutely never lets go of you or maybe you just can’t help but keep looking.

Identifying Features is a pretty simple movie on paper, a mother goes looking for her child after he goes missing when he and his friend embark on a journey to cross the Arizona/Mexico border. The cast includes actual mothers who are still looking for their missing children today like our main actress Mercedes Hernandez. This is already something that impressed me because I am a fan of non professional actors’ performances. There is something about someone who is not experienced in the art of acting that can come on and express themselves artistically without ever having acted on stage or in front of the camera. In regards to this film though you have people who know from experience these hardships. They are able to bring another level of experience and knowledge that any other actor could bring to it. The film is expertly shot by Claudia Berrecil Bulos who captures natural lighting in some beautiful external shots. My jaw was on the floor throughout the third act with all of its rich visuals accompanied by an exquisite color palette. The music adds to the hypnotic and mesmerizing nature of the film that creates this very uneasy atmosphere. Throughout it all, the strongest part of this film is the script and beautiful direction from Fernanda Valadez.

It is really hard to approach these stories for me living on the border and being a son of immigrants. Part of me wants to scream to the industry that we don’t need more and more of trauma stories being the only stories about Latinos on the screen, but also we fail to understand that these are our stories whether we like them or not. These are the stories of our ancestors and we have to make sure to not let these stories die off. We have to point the mirror to society and show them exactly what is happening because then they will never understand the immigrant experience. Every single time Mercedes Hernandez is on screen I am heartbroken. I want to reach over the screen and hug her because this is a reality that is too well known in Latin America but especially on the border. Valadez is hoping that if we cannot understand the immigrant experience we can at least begin to empathize with the immigrant experience. Sadly, I know there are still people who will watch this and say, “well they should have stayed in their country.” I think this film perfectly tells you that we wish it was that easy. I just hope anyone who is still going through this can watch this and find a sense of community of grief knowing that they are not alone in their experience.

Fernanda Valadez has a great career ahead of her. Her directorial knowledge shines bright throughout the whole film. The way she chooses shots, lingers on looks, and is able to get these performances out of first time actresses is groundbreaking for her upcoming career. She has a very patient approach to her thematic characteristics being discussed. She is an impeccable artist who will make more wonders like this in her lifetime. I know I am really excited to see what else she will make.

You can buy or rent Identifying Features on most purchasing sites like Amazon Prime Video.

The Nerd Corps #445: ‘Y tu mamá también’ Review

Posted on by The Nerd Corps in Podcasts

Raul and Brad are joined by member of The Nerd Corps, Alex Flores, for their second review of International Film Month. Today, they are discussing the Mexican classic directed by legendary filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón, Y tu mamá también. They discuss the ins and outs and what it meant to watch this film now compared to as when they were younger. Want to find out what they individually thought? Listen and find out on today’s episode of The Nerd Corps Podcast!

IMDb Synospsis: “In Mexico, two teenage boys and an attractive older woman embark on a road trip and learn a thing or two about life, friendship, sex, and each other.”