Carol's Journey

Carol showed herself to be a very strong,determined young girl.She fought against conventional,ideas in her time by bring herself.  Her dress pants,her hair short and her outspoken conversation.   She was the daughter of a Spanish woman who moved to America,not just any place but in New York, the pace where self determinism probably started.         Maybe she gained her fighting spirit from her father .  He was a soldier, an airman who was brave in the face of war.    She was brave when her mother died writing letters to her father and persuading her grandpa not to tell him of her mother's  death.   She made friends with the outcasts in her town,and began teaching the help to read and write,this was frowned on by those in power the Franco regime.  She also had a free spirit found in her mother.  She was able to leave Spain and go to America,and have her child,even marrying an American.  In the face of loss war and change Carol came through as an example of personal independence, and fearlessness.                                                                                        

volver

Volver was a film filled with the comings and goings of its characters.  Starting out with a ordinary visit to a elderly aunt ending in a return to that home stronger for  the journey they made.   The aunt was being watched by a neighbor.  Was the neighbor being a good friend or was there a reason.    When Raimunda returned home  she was greeted by a husband who was drinking,maybe trying to forget he was fired today.  He shows designs on his teen daughter,you know this is about to turn out bad!   The teen fights him off when he doesn't quit she defends herself with a kitchen knife.   Her mother fnds her alone shaken on a street waiting for her.  Well, something has to be done, so mom cleans up and rolls him up in a blanket only later to place him in a freezer, in a restaurant next door.  The owner just happened to be gone.  What no calling the police?    If that seems strange a call comes saying her aunt passes, and the village people start seeing Raimunda's dead mother around the house.  Because of the little problem at hom she canot go to the funeral.  Her sister comes home with some articles from the aunt's house and a nice surprise.  Her mother is not dead, only has been hiding.  Seems she had a wandering husband as well .Yes ,the women in this film are  resilient and able to "take care of things."  Men are cast as  lazy, and cheating unwilling to support their family.   Women work hard find a way to get through tough times,andsmile at the end.

Entre nos

I found this movie to be very moving.  I could not believe Maria's husband left her and never intented to have her come with him, and not feel guilty about his family.   Did he  ever wonder what happened to them?     I kept wondering all through the movie why she didn't she go to someone for help.  I know the answer was because she wanted to stay in the U.S.  She felt like she would be sent back to Columbia.  Was that bad?  If her family was wealthy why not go back?    People in America all want to go to South America .  It seems a romantic place to go.  But not being raised in that country,we haven't known its hardships.   Her children were real troopers to go through these hard times.  Her son was so helpful ,kind andloving to her.  The children did not understand why their father would leave them, and their mother.  At the end I was heartened at the end of he story that the children grew up to have educations and have the ambition to work  hard to achieve their dreams and goals.  Also Andrea honored her mom by making a movie to tell this story, in hopes others would be helped through the film.

The Official Story

Watching this film made me glad to live in a country where We haven't had any military coups taking place.   It was heartbreaking to watch this Professor slowly realize  her daughter (adopted) is really the daughter, of a murdered couple.  Her husband was involved in the situation and when things fell apart, had to face the fact he had lost his little girl as well as his wife  and home.      When her college friend came home with her and told her of her abuse by the military, that was the first time She gave thought something was amiss with the adoption.   Even the priest was unable to come clean probably out of fear of the military.   Her class was impossible to her because of their thoughts about the happenings in their country.  It seemed even her world was  crumbling  down as well.                                        

Like Water for Chocolate

 This Film used Magical Realism in several ways.  This story was about two people .who  first noticed each other when Tita was young.Pedro was in love seemingly at first sight of Tita.   She was a good cook.
She learned cooking from the family cook, Nacha,who was always there for standing between her and the sterness of Maria Elena, her  mother.  Because her mother forbade her to Marry, stating it was a  family tradition, that the youngest daughter caredfor te mother until her death.   From then on Tia poured all the love she could not give to Pedro  into her cooking.  She did ths so much that when people ate her cooking they seemed to burn with love toware their mate or lover. this happened several times.  This account for Magical Realism used ,to tell this story.  Tita stood by as her sister was given to her love, Pedro.  Those who ate at the Wedding fell victim to the "love" Tita had put into the wedding dinner,thus shortening the wedding dinner.    Tita was able to care for her nephew, because her sister was unable to because of a difficult birth.  With her nursing the child he florished,but when her mother forced Pedro and her sister to go to Texas, without Tita the child died.  Her siter and Pedro had a second child she was named Esperanza, which can be translated  hope.    It seems that this  name was a  beginning of new hope for Tita to have a good outcome for future love.

motorcycle diaries

I could't tell too much abot the landscape  because of the contrast being dark.  I know from pictures I have seen,that South America is a beautiful country.   Two friends set out to travel across South America on a Motorcycle,called "The Mighty One."  After traveling on backroads "The Mighty One" turned out to be not so mighty.  Many breakdowns caused them to make stops in unexpected places to get the motorcycle repaired.   This may seem unfortunate, but it probably turned out to be a good one .  This is one reason that Che may have started to feel something in his life was taking a turn.  They met different people that had experienced a life much different than himself.  Many people had been thrown off their land,where they had supported themselves with crops and livestock of their own.  They had to beg for help, for a place to sleep and for food.  Some folks readily helped, others did not.  They came inro rouch with Pervian Indians, whose land also was taken by the the Spanish.  The Incas also disapeared from their land.  Finally the Lepers were on an island in the Amazon.They were banished .
All these things Che saw as injustices that had to be righted.

El Mariachi

El Mariachi,was a film with more than a few stereotypes.  Macho men first entered, as a drug gang.  They used their guns to do their talking for them.  They also had moustaches, drank beer, and gambled.   El Mariachi,came along as the Hero,with a guitar.  His family had a tradition of these performers,starting with his grandfather.  This man also was a man who liked women.  (Latin Lover)     
this film also used sound effects to tell its story.  Loud walking, loud phones ringing,with loud guns.  Whenever El Mariachi talked it was soft,calm, which went along with his music,on his guitar.  I am so glad he survived.  Good won  over bad behavior.