25th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival [2018] - Pt 1

Of the films that recently played at the 25th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival [2018], I was able to view and review the following:

Humboldt en México. La mirada del explorador [2018] (directed by Ana Cruz) is a documentary about Alexander von Humboldt [en.wikip] [es.wikip]*[de.wikip]* a late 18th-early 19th century German (Prussian) naturalist / ethnographer / explorer traveled extensively in Latin America including spending two years 1803-04 in Mexico (then New Spain), writing about it, its landscape and its people for the first time in a scientific manner -- in a style that would remind Viewers of the writing and illustrative style (now photographic style) of the articles of National Geographic Magazine.  So impressed were subsequent government officials of Mexico, that when Mexico won its independence, they gave Humboldt honorary Mexican citizenship, even though later in the aftermath of the Mexican American War, he was accused of having been a Gringo spy.  That rather odd accusation -- said war took place 45 years after Humboldt's time in Mexico -- was born of the fact that his writings were considered so good / accurate, that the U.S. Army used them as background information (notably his maps ...) to plan the invasion of Mexico during the War! ;-).  However, beside the reminder that all sorts of writings could end up being used in all sorts of unexpected ways, the film gently presents a beautiful report of how Humboldt saw the people of Mexico (then still New Spain) across the whole spectrum of its classes and ethnicities, and it reminds us of the perennial value of such "snap-shots" of cultures in time, helping us all to appreciate who we are and where we came from -- 3 1/2 Stars

Broche de Oro: Comienzos [2017] (written and directed by Rául Marchand Sánchez) is a LOVELY second volume (a prequel) to the (already largely) DELIGHTFUL Puertorican family comedy Broche de Oro [2012].  I saw the original at the 29th Chicago Latino Film Festival [2013], when I was still stationed in Chicago, and have to say though I already largely liked the first one, I liked this second film even better.

Now why have I liked these films?  And why did I like this film even better than the first?

Well, as I mentioned, these films are family comedies, and interestingly enough FOCUSED HERE PRIMARILY ON THE GRANDPARENTS.  The films take place in the context of a Senior living community / nursing home operated, since the series takes place in Puerto Rico, by a local congregation of Catholic Religious Sisters.  In the first film, the Religious Sisters were portrayed perhaps a bit too harshly / stereotypically.  In the current film, their portrayal has been softened and even deepened significantly resulting in a much more recommendable film on my part.

Then, the initial relationship focused on in the series has been that between a grandfather named Rafael (and played wonderfully by Jacobo Morales) and his quite guapo/surfing but still learning his way through life grandson Carlos (played by Luis Omar O'Farrill).  The value of grandparents is shown beautifully in this film.  Then in the current film, many of the _other_ characters at the senior living community / nursing home are much more developed.  What's presented in this film is a _lovely community of life_ present _even in_ "a senior living community / nursing home" AND ONE CAN NOT BUT APPLAUD THIS!   Viewers may be reminded of the even then highly successful American-TV series The Golden Girls [1985-1992] but even in a more serious (yet FUN) / realistic way.

There will be some Catholic Viewers who may find problems with ONE (or possibly two) scenes in the film, both of which come near its end (and for this reason, I'm not giving this film a flat-out 4+ Star rating (yes, the film is THAT GOOD AND THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY POIGNANT / FUNNY).  But as I wrote in reviews before, in a Free Country, Artists have the right to use their Art to express the opinions that they hold.  We may not like them, and may respond accordingly, but they certainly have the right to express them.  Further, GENERALLY SPEAKING (as is _certainly_ the case here), noting that many Catholics / Christians would have some problems with some of the film's resolutions, there is SO MUCH ELSE THAT IS EXCELLENT IN THIS FILM that it'd simply be unfair to judge the film on its few problems.

So overall, A SIMPLY EXCELLENT PORTRAYAL OF "LIFE AMONG SENIORS" and I wish the director and the cast all the best in the world.  This was a story / film WORTHY OF BEING MADE, and I hope that there will be more like this in the future -- despite aforementioned reservations (but mentioned in a vague / non-spoiler alerty way ;-) ... 4 Stars.

Road to Mars (orig. Camino a Marte) [2017] (directed and cowritten by Humberto Hinojosa Ozcariz along with Anton Goenechea) is a simple/low budget Mexican young adult oriented sci-fi film of the Twilight Zone [wikip] [IMDb] tradition -- I've seen several similar films of this style coming out of Mexico in recent years, including The Incident (orig. El Incidente) [2014], and The Similars (orig. Los Parecideos) [2015]) -- though a film that does "move the ball" a bit.

For one, this is a film where the main protagonists are two young 20-something women Violeta (played by Camila Soli) and Emilia (played by Tessa Ia).  With one, Violeta, dying of cancer, after escaping the hospital, the two go on a Themla & Louise [1991] like road-trip down the Baja California coast.  Along the way they encounter a young man (played by Luis Gerardo Méndez) who appeared to really need some help.  Apparently unable to speak, and wearing what appeared to be a beat-up motor-cycle helmet, it initially seemed to them that he had had some sort of a terrible motorcycle accident resulting in him having amnesia.  HOWEVER ... (not much of a spoiler alert) he turns out to be an extra-terrestrial and one on a very specific and quite somber mission.  All this takes place in the context of a massive hurricane, named Mark, approaching the coast from the Pacific Ocean (Note that the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere was Hurricane Patricia which barreled down on the Mexican coast from the Pacific Ocean in 2015).

Well much of course ensues.  I did find the film fascinating for being simultaneously a sci-fi themed film and one oriented above all to young women.  There are some aspects of this film, notably involving sexuality, that would certainly make the film unsuitable for minors, and more generally put-off many/most adult Catholics.  Still, bearing these criticisms in mind, for the college-aged / 20-something crowd, this would make for a thought provoking film, and one that brings to mind some of the themes of the pre-flood chapters of the Book of Genesis. -- 3 Stars


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