Change Your Image
pcflyer-1
Reviews
Viva Cuba (2005)
Imaginative, Interesting and Innocent
I liked this film a lot. It is an easy-going, friendly creation -- not a lot of drama and nothing fearful or anxiety-producing, just a sweet story, which is great as far as I'm concerned. I think anyone would appreciate its genuine humanity. In particular, I loved its ingenuity -- this film is very different from standard Hollywood fare. The opening credits are extremely clever and the magical realism of Latin America was nicely evident. I thought some of the slapstick humor was a little too sophomoric, but there were also some extremely funny moments. The political overtones were occasionally heavy-handed, but the chance for an inside look at the Cuban people makes this film worth the price of admission. The two main actors were children and amazingly good. The filming of the Cuban countryside was first-rate. It is a gorgeous country. There were also a couple of very easy-on-the-eyes guys. (If you see this film, you'll know who I'm talking about!)
Madeinusa (2006)
Easter Weekend Never Seemed Quite So Awful
If only there were one redemption in this film, it would have made a better story. Every villager uses those few short hours from 3pm on Easter Friday to 6am Easter Sunday to commit at least one mortal sin under the guise that Christ/God can't see what is going on.
If only the filmmaker had offered some respite.. one good person... one soul where we could "hang our hat" and empathize.
Or... why not incorporate some Magical Realism to make this story a real fable and less a documentary on reasons NOT to go to Peru?
IMHO the film needed something more -- it felt incomplete. For example, why was the girl named Made In USA? What does the USA have to do with this? The structure is great -- the truck ride in and out... the moment of denouement when Madeinusa chimes in with her sister to denounce the Gringo is perfect... but in the end, I left the film unfulfilled and put off by a new and ugly window on Peru. Surely that is not what she wanted.
I give this film a five because I want to encourage South American filmmakers and there are some good things going on, but ultimately, not enough to raise this above average.