The actor has his best role in years and radiates charisma and infectiously upbeat energy in this heartwarmer about a pioneering openly gay Mexican wrestler
In the macho world of Mexican lucha libre wrestling, “exóticos” are male fighters who compete in drag. Mostly they are straight, but this heartfelt and sweet drama based on real events tells the story of Saúl Armendáriz, an openly gay wrestler who shot to fame as an exótico in the early 90s. It gives Gael García Bernal his best role in years: Saúl is funny, infectiously upbeat, sometimes heartbreakingly vulnerable. He radiates the kind of magnetism that made him a world cinema it-boy in the early 00s (notably in another cross-dressing role: Pedro Almodóvar’s Bad Education).
Bernal’s Saúl begins his wrestling career using a male alter ego, El Topo. As everyone knows, wrestling is rigged, and since Saúl is slightly built he is...
In the macho world of Mexican lucha libre wrestling, “exóticos” are male fighters who compete in drag. Mostly they are straight, but this heartfelt and sweet drama based on real events tells the story of Saúl Armendáriz, an openly gay wrestler who shot to fame as an exótico in the early 90s. It gives Gael García Bernal his best role in years: Saúl is funny, infectiously upbeat, sometimes heartbreakingly vulnerable. He radiates the kind of magnetism that made him a world cinema it-boy in the early 00s (notably in another cross-dressing role: Pedro Almodóvar’s Bad Education).
Bernal’s Saúl begins his wrestling career using a male alter ego, El Topo. As everyone knows, wrestling is rigged, and since Saúl is slightly built he is...
- 9/13/2023
- by Cath Clarke
- The Guardian - Film News
Welcome to this week’s Impact Wrestling review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have more action in Mexico, including the beginning of a Michael Elgin/Eddie Edwards Best Of 5 Series. Following last week’s phone call to Booker T, we have a statement from him now to address what was said:
Dear Suckas,
Nathan Favel is a punk-ass b—-! …call my house mother-f—– and you git got! I ain’t no twizzle-d— mother-f—– like potato-man Magee! Who da man? Booker T! Who da biotch? The Nathan-man sucka punk! Bet he look like a hard-boiled egg shoved up a baby-tractor ass. Faklkankumahakanamalama! Women shouldn’t be World Champions! Men is the fighters…women’s do the fighting with booby-people only. Ain’t no woman ever beat Booker T in a fight…that’s right! Run ‘em all over with da’ G.I. Bro-mobile! Any-Sucka-Way, I...
Dear Suckas,
Nathan Favel is a punk-ass b—-! …call my house mother-f—– and you git got! I ain’t no twizzle-d— mother-f—– like potato-man Magee! Who da man? Booker T! Who da biotch? The Nathan-man sucka punk! Bet he look like a hard-boiled egg shoved up a baby-tractor ass. Faklkankumahakanamalama! Women shouldn’t be World Champions! Men is the fighters…women’s do the fighting with booby-people only. Ain’t no woman ever beat Booker T in a fight…that’s right! Run ‘em all over with da’ G.I. Bro-mobile! Any-Sucka-Way, I...
- 1/29/2020
- by Nathan Favel
- Nerdly
Welcome to Aaa Invading NY, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and this is Aaa Wrestling’s first Madison Square Garden show, despite moving to a smaller location in the Hulu Theater. Impact Wrestling has their roster here as well, so that means Impact got to Madison Square garden as well. This is a big night, so let’s see how this goes.
Match #1: Mascarita Dorada & Chris Dickinson defeated Dave the Clown & Demus
My Opinion: 2.6 out of 5 – This had some nice action sequences, but it was a match that mostly felt like it was around to give Dorada some-thing to do.
Match #2: Team Impact defeated Team Aaa – Trios Match
My Opinion: 3.3 out of 5 – This was spot after spot of mayhem and it made for a very fun, psychotic way to spend a few minutes of the day.
Match #3: Daga defeated Puma King, Flamita and Aerostar...
Match #1: Mascarita Dorada & Chris Dickinson defeated Dave the Clown & Demus
My Opinion: 2.6 out of 5 – This had some nice action sequences, but it was a match that mostly felt like it was around to give Dorada some-thing to do.
Match #2: Team Impact defeated Team Aaa – Trios Match
My Opinion: 3.3 out of 5 – This was spot after spot of mayhem and it made for a very fun, psychotic way to spend a few minutes of the day.
Match #3: Daga defeated Puma King, Flamita and Aerostar...
- 9/25/2019
- by Nathan Favel
- Nerdly
Welcome to this review of Aaa’s TripleMania Pay Per View, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have the biggest Aaa card of the year, with some of All Elite Wrestling’s biggest stars on the card as well. All right, let’s kick some ass…wait, I’m a #@$$?. Okay, let’s get to it.
Match #1: Astrolux, Dragon Bane and Arkangel Divino defeated Aramis, Toxin and Arez
My Opinion: 3 out of 5 – This was fast and furious lucha libre action that opened the card at the right speed. It sounds like I work at a race track. There was plenty of wild moves that were fired off on after another. This was a fine way to start this whole thing off.
Match #2: Lady Maravilla & Villano III Jr. defeated Big Mami & Nino Hamburgeresa, Scarlett Bordeaux & Sammy Guevara and Australian Suicide & Vanilla – Aaa Mixed Tag Team...
Match #1: Astrolux, Dragon Bane and Arkangel Divino defeated Aramis, Toxin and Arez
My Opinion: 3 out of 5 – This was fast and furious lucha libre action that opened the card at the right speed. It sounds like I work at a race track. There was plenty of wild moves that were fired off on after another. This was a fine way to start this whole thing off.
Match #2: Lady Maravilla & Villano III Jr. defeated Big Mami & Nino Hamburgeresa, Scarlett Bordeaux & Sammy Guevara and Australian Suicide & Vanilla – Aaa Mixed Tag Team...
- 8/5/2019
- by Nathan Favel
- Nerdly
Welcome to this week’s Impact Wrestling review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Phil and let’s just jump into this!
Match #1: Matt Sydal defeated Rich Swann The following is courtesy of ImpactWrestling.com:
At the opening of the match Sydal makes one last attempt to get Swann to follow him. They shake hands but Swann isn’t having it! Swann launches himself off the apron, crashing into Sydal on the outside. Sydal climbs underneath the ring. Swann goes after him, allowing Sydal to hit Swann with an unknown weapon from under the ring! Sydal attempts a Hurricanrana off the top but Swann lands on his feet and connects with a superkick! Swann goes for a Hurricanrana of his own but this time, Sydal counters into a powerbomb! A mystery man attacks Swann, allowing Sydal to connect with a unique finishing move to pick up the victory. The...
Match #1: Matt Sydal defeated Rich Swann The following is courtesy of ImpactWrestling.com:
At the opening of the match Sydal makes one last attempt to get Swann to follow him. They shake hands but Swann isn’t having it! Swann launches himself off the apron, crashing into Sydal on the outside. Sydal climbs underneath the ring. Swann goes after him, allowing Sydal to hit Swann with an unknown weapon from under the ring! Sydal attempts a Hurricanrana off the top but Swann lands on his feet and connects with a superkick! Swann goes for a Hurricanrana of his own but this time, Sydal counters into a powerbomb! A mystery man attacks Swann, allowing Sydal to connect with a unique finishing move to pick up the victory. The...
- 10/5/2018
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Welcome to the Aaa Triplemania 2018 review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have lots to cover so let’s get to it… before we are another week late on this.
Match #1: Dragon Bane, Astrolux and Freelance beat Draztik Boy, Latigo and Aramis – Trios Match
This was a thrilling stunt show with one death-defying risk after another. Any one of these guys could be a big star in the future.
Match #2: Sammy Guevera beat Ach, Australian Suicide and Shane Strickland – Aaa World Cruiserweight Championship Match
This was another wild match that was a thrill a second. I always worry about the risks that luchadors put themselves through with the style, but they are gonna do it despite themselves. This match had a lot of hard work in it and will really get your blood pumping.
Match #3: Nino Hamburguesa and Big Mami beat El Hijo del Vikingo and Vanilla,...
Match #1: Dragon Bane, Astrolux and Freelance beat Draztik Boy, Latigo and Aramis – Trios Match
This was a thrilling stunt show with one death-defying risk after another. Any one of these guys could be a big star in the future.
Match #2: Sammy Guevera beat Ach, Australian Suicide and Shane Strickland – Aaa World Cruiserweight Championship Match
This was another wild match that was a thrill a second. I always worry about the risks that luchadors put themselves through with the style, but they are gonna do it despite themselves. This match had a lot of hard work in it and will really get your blood pumping.
Match #3: Nino Hamburguesa and Big Mami beat El Hijo del Vikingo and Vanilla,...
- 9/1/2018
- by Nathan Favel
- Nerdly
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