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La otra conquista (1998)
Aztec Time Trek
Admittedly, I had no substantial knowledge of the Spanish Conquest before seeing "La Otra Conquista," or, really, of the Aztec people. But, fortunately, by the end of the film, not only had any prejudices lurking in my sub-conscious mind about Indian (specifically, Aztec) culture changed, but it had opened my eyes to the historical realities that played so significant a role in shaping Mexican political and religious culture today. That means two things: One-it had a powerful emotional and intellectual impact on me, and, two- it brought awareness to the fact that I had unknowingly succumbed to many regrettable but widespread stereotypes regarding Indians. The film succeeds, in my eyes, on those counts alone.
The soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful and carefully matched with each frame. Damian Delgado's performance as Topiltzin is raw and stoic. Truly, the entire cast succeeds at breathing life into their characters. Carrasco's deliberate use of such elements as magical realism and symbolism to relate the account of the Conquest made the story that much more intriguing. There is a scene in the film where the Aztecs perform a ritual. The music, camera movement, and actors are all in such perfect harmony; I remember sitting in the theater almost holding my breath. I felt as if I were there, about to witness it myself. There were other scenes that evoked similarly profound sensations, such that not only my mind but my very soul was opened to the powerful reality of La Otra Conquista. In other words, the film succeeded in transporting me through time and space to the year 1520
Not an easy feat for many filmmakers.
Idi i smotri (1985)
Come and See; You May Hide Your Eyes
I've seen my fair share of films about the first and second World Wars, but none quite like "Come and See." This film tells the story of a boy of fourteen years, Florya , who joins the Russian army in their efforts to defeat the Nazis. His excitement at going to war in the beginning of the film is enough to make you want to get out of your chair, somehow penetrate the screen, and slap him into realizing what he's about to have to witness—and worse—do.
Florya's excitement, however, doesn't last long. Over the remaining two hours, we (the viewers) watch as the hands of war reach inside his very core to steal what's left of his innocent soul. With every image of Florya's perpetually aging face, we are reminded that he is just one of thousands of young boys who faced the same fate—fighting to survive.
Klimov's film only depicts the fate of one Byelorussian town—there were six hundred in total! Truthfully, after watching the film, I was speechless. I didn't want to talk to anyone and I didn't want to think. I wanted to go home, crawl into my bed and hope that the ruthless brutality that had played out in the film wouldn't terrorize me in my dreams.
Intense, I know.
This film is a must-see. Although very difficult to watch at times, it's important that we expose ourselves to that which makes us uncomfortable; to that which we sometimes just want to forget.
Le fantôme de la liberté (1974)
Is your perception your reality?
Before seeing this film, I had no previous exposure to "Surrealist" cinema, or even heard of Luis Buñuel. "Phantom of Liberty" is comprised of several tableaux each linked together by the underlying idea of freedom. It addresses the absurdity of social conventions, questions cultural taboos like monogamy, and exposes the innuendos and criticisms of the Catholic school system—to name a few.
It's incredible how a film can bring to your consciousness so much that lay within your subconscious. In the beginning of the film, a middle- aged man gives two young girls some photographs. Instinctively, I thought, 'He's a pedophile,' when in actuality he had given them postcards of French architecture. Bunuel addresses what we have all been conditioned to feel as a result of our societal and cultural influences.
I enjoyed this movie mainly because of the surrealistic elements. The direction, the acting, and the stories were all meaningful, I was entertained throughout. See it!
Dom za vesanje (1988)
A beautiful tale about the loss of innocence..
"Time of the Gypsies" is a story about the loss of innocence, told within the realm of magical realism. It begins with light-heartedness, but ends with such surprise. For me, this film was such a joy to watch. The protagonist, Perhan, is human in every capacity, but has telekinetic powers. The story made me think about how there are people in this world who seem to have some type of "other-worldliness" about them, whether it be because of their profession or their accomplishments, or what they've seen and done in their lives, but in the end, they are still just human.
We make mistakes, we feel loss, we act impulsively when we are angry or hurt, because we are human. And despite Perhan's "other-worldly" or "super-human" telekinetic powers, in my eyes, he was still just a boy who got lost on his way to trying to do right by his family.
This story has it all: love, loss, family, friendship, betrayal, loss of innocence. Kusturica created an honest, noteworthy film that reminds us how easy it is to be seduced by temptations in life that could ultimately make us forget who we are. But just as he shows us one side, he shows the other: the opportunity that we have when we have loved ones to remind us of the important things in life.