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Bless Me, Ultima

  • 20122012
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
A drama set in New Mexico during WWII, centered on the relationship between a young man and an elderly medicine woman who helps him contend with the battle between good and evil that rages in his village.
Play trailer2:05
1 Video
24 Photos
  • Biography
  • Drama
  • History
A drama set in New Mexico during WWII, centered on the relationship between a young man and an elderly medicine woman who helps him contend with the battle between good and evil that rages i... Read allA drama set in New Mexico during WWII, centered on the relationship between a young man and an elderly medicine woman who helps him contend with the battle between good and evil that rages in his village.A drama set in New Mexico during WWII, centered on the relationship between a young man and an elderly medicine woman who helps him contend with the battle between good and evil that rages in his village.
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Carl Franklin
  • Writers
    • Rudolfo Anaya(based on the novel by)
    • Carl Franklin(written for the screen by)
  • Stars
    • Luke Ganalon
    • Joseph Garcia
    • Miriam Colon
Top credits
  • Director
    • Carl Franklin
  • Writers
    • Rudolfo Anaya(based on the novel by)
    • Carl Franklin(written for the screen by)
  • Stars
    • Luke Ganalon
    • Joseph Garcia
    • Miriam Colon
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 39User reviews
    • 37Critic reviews
    • 65Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins

    Videos1

    Theatrical Version
    Trailer 2:05
    Theatrical Version

    Photos24

    Dolores Heredia in Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Castulo Guerra in Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Miriam Colon and Luke Ganalon in Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Miriam Colon, Castulo Guerra, and Luke Ganalon in Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Miriam Colon and Luke Ganalon in Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Luke Ganalon in Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Lora Martinez-Cunningham in Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Miriam Colon and Luke Ganalon in Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Christian Traeumer, Gabriel Solis, and Luke Ganalon in Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Joseph Garcia, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luis Bordonada, and Luke Ganalon in Bless Me, Ultima (2012)
    Bless Me, Ultima (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Luke Ganalon
    Luke Ganalon
    • Antonioas Antonio
    Joseph Garcia
    Joseph Garcia
    • Uncle Mateoas Uncle Mateo
    Miriam Colon
    Miriam Colon
    • Ultimaas Ultima
    Benito Martinez
    Benito Martinez
    • Gabrielas Gabriel
    Dolores Heredia
    Dolores Heredia
    • Mariaas Maria
    Castulo Guerra
    Castulo Guerra
    • Tenorioas Tenorio
    Joaquín Cosio
    Joaquín Cosio
    • Narcisoas Narciso
    Manuel Garcia-Rulfo
    Manuel Garcia-Rulfo
    • Uncle Pedroas Uncle Pedro
    Reko Moreno
    Reko Moreno
    • Uncle Lucasas Uncle Lucas
    Luis Bordonada
    Luis Bordonada
    • Uncle Juanas Uncle Juan
    James Victor
    James Victor
    • Antonio's Grandfatheras Antonio's Grandfather
    Raúl Castillo
    Raúl Castillo
    • Andrewas Andrew
    Miguel Gomez
    Miguel Gomez
    • Eugeneas Eugene
    • (as Miguel Gómez)
    Alex Cacho
    Alex Cacho
    • Leonas Leon
    • (as Alejandro Cabrera)
    Diego Miró
    Diego Miró
    • Florenceas Florence
    • (as Diego Miró-Rivera)
    Kevin Ruiz
    • Horseas Horse
    Juan Martinez
    Juan Martinez
    • Ernieas Ernie
    Gabriel Solis
    • Abelas Abel
    • Director
      • Carl Franklin
    • Writers
      • Rudolfo Anaya(based on the novel by)
      • Carl Franklin(written for the screen by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Author of the original novel Rudolfo Anaya was a frequent visitor to the set and was treated like royalty by cast and crew, because a majority of both were natives of New Mexico and grew up on the novel.
    • Quotes

      Antonio: Bless me, Ultima.

      Ultima: I bless you in the name of all that is good and strong and beautiful.

    • Connections
      Featured in Maltin on Movies: Jack the Giant Slayer (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      Mal Hombre
      (uncredited)

      Written by Lydia Mendoza

      Performed by Lydia Mendoza

      Published by San Antonio Music Publishers, Inc.

    User reviews39

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Overly familiar coming-of-age tale
    Based on the 1972 novel by Rudolfo Anaya (a favorite among high school English teachers), "Bless Me, Ultima" is an autobiographical coming-of-age tale set in 1940s New Mexico. The story is narrated by a now-adult Antonio reflecting back on the events that happened to him and his family when he was a little boy. This includes the arrival of Ultima (Miriam Colon), a sort of cultural shaman, who has come to live out her final days with his family. Weather-beaten and leather-skinned, Ultima is filled with old person wisdom and the power to both heal and cast out evil spirits. It is the latter, in particular, that ends up causing trouble with some of the people in the village, who suspect her of being a "bruja."

    Written and directed by Carl Franklin, "Bless Me, Ultima" is what "To Kill a Mockingbird" might have been like had Harper Lee seen fit to imbue it with generous touches of Magic Realism (in that version Boo Radley probably would have been an actual ghost). As befits the genre that also brought us "Like Water for Chocolate," "Bless Me, Ultima" comes replete with incantations, magic spells and a Significant Owl that passively observes all the human activity, then swoops in at keys moments of the story to make its presence felt. Antonio is surrounded by adults who are steeped in religious superstition, and he is forced to bear witness to some pretty horrendous actions arising from that fact. But he also learns from Ultima that, while evil may indeed exist in the world, one can overcome it by becoming one with nature and the spirits that inhabit it.

    The structure of "Bless Me, Ultima" tends to be episodic and choppy, a situation that leaves a number of plot lines under-served and a number of characters (Antonio's older brothers, for instance) underdeveloped. On the other hand, the wide-eyed Luke Ganalon makes for an appealing and charming Antonio, and Benito Martinez ("The Shield," "Sons of Anarchy") scores as the dad who dreams of one day moving his family to California.

    Despite all the supernatural and preternatural touches, "Bless Me, Ultima" feels overall pretty familiar as coming-of-age tales go, but the unusual setting and Ganalon's performance earn it a mild recommendation.
    helpful•4
    2
    • Buddy-51
    • Oct 1, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 17, 2012 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Bendíceme, última
    • Filming locations
      • Abiquiu, New Mexico, USA
    • Production companies
      • Gran Via Productions
      • Monarch Pictures
      • Monkey Hill Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,561,962
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $470,109
      • Feb 24, 2013
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,561,962
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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