Friday, May 22, 2015

The Top Ten Mexican Movies in Hola Mexico 2015

José Alberto Hermosillo

Hola Mexico Film Festival 2015 hosted a big party in Los Angeles a few days ago, leaving us with a great impression. The audience, the press, the sponsors, and the talent were excited about the cinematic celebration.

 

All the shows started on time, and most of the directors attended the Q&As. The red carpets looked fantastic, and the after-parties were enjoyable.

The films were surprisingly good, and the LA LIVE Regal was a pleasant venue. 

Hola Mexico showcased 22 quality films from South of the Border in nine days, with a record attendance of 25,000 moviegoers. Some movies, such as “Gloria,” “La Dictadura Perfecta/The Perfect Dictatorship,” and “El Americano,” are completely sold out. 
El Americano: The Movie, LA Premiere. Photo José A. Hermosillo

Samuel Douek, founder and programmer of Hola, did a great job generating enough buzz to make the Mexican cinematic festival one of the top film festivals in Los Angeles.

Hola Mexico is expected to continue growing with more films, fans, events, and sponsors. The Mexican festival will keep enriching itself by providing subtitles for all English films. Before the festival, press screenings could help spread the word to audiences and US distributors, increasing the chances for Mexican films to reach theaters in the US sooner. 


Rico Rodriguez (“Modern Family”) plays Cuco in “El Americano: The Movie.” Photo: José A. Hermosillo.

Many films presented in Hola won awards at festivals around the world, including “Club Sandwich,” “Las horas contigo,” “México Bárbaro,” “La dictadura perfecta,” and others.

 

With mariachi, tequila, concerts, and special events, the 2015 edition of Hola Mexico has been the best.
The top ten Mexican films in Hola Mexico 2015 were:
☆
1. 
González, falsos profetas 
(Gonzalez, False Prophets). 
Original, poignant, superb!
A truly Neo-Noir genre film.  
A revelation for a first-time filmmaker.
Discloses the nature of the business of faith and religion.
The performances were absolutely marvelous. 
Harold Torres is magnificent, 
Carlos Bardem is a true genius in acting. 
Directed by Christian Diaz  Pardo.
☆☆
2. 
Las oscuras primaveras.
(The Obscure Springs). 
Hot, sexy, sensual, complex, intense.
 A wonderful surprise. 
A terrific cast.
José Maria Yazpik, Cecilia Suarez, and Irene Azuela
are explosive!!!
 Directed by Ernesto Contreras.
☆☆☆
3. 
Alicia en el País de María.
(Alice in Marialand).
A sophisticated, fast string to another dimension feature.
 Dreams and sexual obsessions blind the characters.
A case of mistaken identity invites us to follow it.
Starring two of the new divas of Mexican Cinema:
Barbara Mori and Stephani Sigman (the new Bond Girl). 

Directed by Jesús Magaña Vázquez.
 ☆☆☆☆
4. 
El Mas Buscado
(The Most Wanted).
Clever and twisted.
Based on the true story of a
famous mariachi by night and a bank robber by day. 
 
Directed by José Manuel Cravioto.
☆☆☆☆☆ 
5. 
East Side Sushi. 
An incredible story of a woman fighting for her dreams.
From the East Side of Sacramento, a woman gives up her fruit vending cart for a more steady job in a Japanese sushi place. 
She is so good with the knife that she quickly learns how to make sushi. 
The competition with the other male cooks will backfire on her.
HOLA MEXICO AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER
 Directed by Anthony Lucero.
☆☆☆☆☆☆
6. 
La dictadura perfecta
(The Perfect Dictatorship).
A powerful and scandalous film about the Media and Politics in Mexico.
 The fame of the director is due to his controversial and poignant films, such as: 
“La ley de Herodes/Herod’s Law,” “El Infierno/El Narco.”
Directed by Luis Estrada.
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
7. 
El Americano, The Movie.
 The 3D animation made a big splash with clever Spanglish dialogue and colorful characters. 
A very well-made story 
with deep feelings and excitement for adventure.
Directed by Ricardo Arnaíz.
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
8. 
Tiempos Felices
(Happy Times).
A serious comedy about a breaking out and a crazy agency that takes advantage of the naive people who hire their services.
Directed by Luis Javier M. Henaide. 
 ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
9. 
Eddie Reynolds and the Steel Angels
A great surprise, enjoyable.
 A musical for the middle-aged and youngsters, too.
 To all who love the rock en español.
 Directed by Gustavo Moheno.
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
10. 
Matria.
An eye-opening documentary about the Mexican Revolution of 1910, Masons, and an army of 100,000 Charros against a possible invasion of Nazis to Mexico during the 1940s.
Director and video artist Fernando Llanos unveils family secrets. This film about Fernando’s Grandfather made them uncomfortable with more than one member of his own family. 
A must-see! 
Directed by Fernando Llanos.

☆☆☆                      ☆☆☆                         ☆☆☆
Phill Roman, legendary animator and producer of The Simpsons, Garfield, Tom & Jerry, The Mask, and La Leyenda de la Nahuala. Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo.

Producer Michael Olmos. Photo: José A. Hermosillo.














Director Ricardo Arnaiz, El Americano: The Movie. Photo by José A. Hermosillo,





Raúl Méndez presenting Visitantes. Photo: José A. Hermosillo.
Actor Damian Alcazar: La dictadura perfecta, Eddie Reynolds.
Director Fernando Llanos, “Matria.” Photo: José A. Hermosillo.
LAS CAFETERAS CONCERT, DTLA.

Fernanda Ulibarri and DJ SANTI.

Nina Dioz Concert.

José Alberto Hermosillo and “The “Don Chente Girls.”
☆☆☆
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Sunday, May 17, 2015

Güeros: A Lyrical Love Letter to Mexico City

By José Alberto Hermosillo

AFI FEST REVIEW: Radiant and bold. “Güeros” is a gem crafted by the new and promising generation of Mexican filmmakers.

 

“Güeros” is a portrait of a confrontational generation we are unaware of, but it allows us to see their existence and purpose in time.


Alonso Ruizpalacios, AFI FEST 2014. Photo by Jose Hermosillo, COPYRIGHTS Festival in LA

Director Alonso Ruizpalacios aimed to create a larger-than-life film that reflects the soul, music, culture, and vibrant youth of Mexico City in the form of a poetic love letter.

 

“Güeros” shares the style of “Y tú mamá también” and has the fresh look of “Lake Tahoe.”

 

This unapologetic coming-of-age, hyper-realistic urban road movie has delighted audiences at festivals worldwide, winning Best First Feature at the 2014 Berlin International Film Festival, the New Auteurs Audience Award at AFI FEST 2014 in Los Angeles, and the Havana Film Festival Grand Coral for Best First Work.

 

“Güeros” has received 12 nominations for the Ariel Awards by the Mexican Academy, winning Best Picture.

 

The film pays tribute to Truffaut’s “Jules and Jim,” Godard’s “Band of Outsiders,” and Hellman’s “Two-Lane Blacktop.”

 

The director’s main inspiration was “Los Caifanes/The Outsiders” by Juan Ibañez (1966), one of the greatest independent films in Mexico’s history.

 

 

Set in 1999, a fair-skinned teenager named Tomás is sent by his weary, widowed mother from Veracruz to live with his dark-skinned older brother Sombra, played by Tenoch Huerta (“Deficit,” “Days of Grace”), in Mexico City. Sombra struggles with depression and panic attacks. Ironically, the doctor (director’s cameo) suggests a vacation in Veracruz.



Sombra’s roommate, Santos (Leonardo Ortizgris), is also light-skinned and hates being called “güero.”

 

One of Mexico’s ongoing conflicts is the struggle between “güeros” and “morenos” (light-skinned vs. dark-skinned), a theme discussed in Carlos Reygadas’s “Post Tenebras Lux” and many other Mexican films. The difference is that “Güeros” is more subtle.

 

Sombra and Santos are students at U.N.A.M. (National Autonomous University of Mexico). The university is closed due to a student strike. 



As “outsiders,” they question the movement’s ideology, which conflicts with their own ideas, goals, economy, and the country’s future.

 

As they witness the chaos on campus, nostalgia is felt for their “Ama Mater.”

 

The only memory little Tomás has of his father is an audiotape of folk-rock singer Epigmenio Cruz, which he listens to obsessively on his Walkman.

 

The urban legend says: “Once Epigmenio Cruz made Bob Dylan cry.”

 

In their quest to find the legendary and mythical singer, a series of unfortunate events pushes them to travel from their old apartment building north of the city to the south, facing the dangers and paranoia of a hostile environment—nothing that a giant bottle of cerveza “Caguama” can’t fix.

 

At the chaotic university, they meet Ana (Ilse Salas). She is the leader of the student movement and a radio personality at the rebel underground radio station—the same station the guys were listening to earlier in their car.

 

She needs a break from the conflict and joins them in their search for Epigmenio. The quartet keeps going, traveling from the south of the city to the Chapultepec Zoo to gather more clues. Then, they head to the Zocalo (Mexico City’s downtown), where they experience their “La Dolce Vita” moment at an upscale pool party, where they get into trouble again.

 

They go from the Centro to their final destination, a cantina in the eastern neighborhood of Texcoco. Inside, the TV plays Juan Gabriel singing “Hasta que te conocí/Until I Met You,” which sets the scene’s climax.

The charismatic actress Ilse Salas delivers a commanding performance. Her fresh looks and big eyes bring to mind Italian actress Giulietta Masina (“Juliet of the Spirits,” “The Nights of Cabiria,” “La Strada”).


Ana fights against misogynistic, macho men shouting at her, insisting they want to see her breasts instead of her leadership.

 

Young Tomás is played by talented new actor Sebastian Aguirre. He has the strength and heart that allow the audience to see the world through his eyes.

On the other hand, the character of Sombra takes too long to accept the reality of the plot. One can understand his depression and traumas, but a couple of strong speeches are not enough to unlock his full potential.

 

By cutting a few unnecessary shots, this film could move at a faster pace while maintaining its already artistic black-and-white look.

 

“Güeros” is a rare Mexican film with global reach, universal emotions, and likable characters. The nostalgic film’s music, poetry, and lyrics hold a deeper meaning behind the story.

 

The well-written script explores brotherhood, friendship, and the mysterious Ciudad de Mexico, connecting these themes with “Youth in Revolt.”

 

“Güeros” is not a political statement. It does not support either the left or the right wing. Existentialism is present in the lives of these four compelling characters. They are focused on surviving and finding emotional fulfillment in a vibrant city full of contrasts.

 

“Güeros” is part of a new wave of diverse Mexican cinema seeking a global audience. Mexico’s film production has increased from 12 to 120 movies a year over the past twelve years—a 100% growth.

 

Thanks to awards at festivals worldwide and Oscars won by Mexican directors known as the “Three Amigos” in recent years, some publications have stated, “Hollywood loves Mexican directors, but hates Mexican movies.” This is one of the main reasons why many Mexican films are not widely distributed in the U.S. In the spirit of fair play, things could change if we aim to develop a market where diversity and inclusion are the ultimate goals.   

Film critic Jose Hermosillo and director Alonso Ruizpalacios at AFI FEST 2014. 
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