magonzalez_co Reviews

Civil War (2024)

A Scathing Critique of War Journalism

[10/10 · 21 April 2024]

A powerful and explicit film. I give it a 10/10.

The film "Civil War" is a masterpiece that relentlessly denounces journalism and "war" journalists. It unflinchingly portrays the icy Machiavellian mentality of those who seek to obtain a photo or a testimony at any cost, driven solely by their ego and thirst for "glory".

I don't intend to give spoilers of the film, but I believe it should be mandatory viewing. It's not just a film that shows the rawness of war and acts of warfare, but it forces us, as citizens, to question the journalism we consume and support.

Killing should be as condemnable as having the possibility to help someone and yet letting them die out of negligence, all for the sake of getting a photo or a video.

The film leaves profound questions about whom journalists really serve. Is it just a perverse vanity that drives them?

But it's not only journalists who are questioned. So are those content creators for social media who ruthlessly bury small animals only to stage a supposed "rescue" and be hailed as messiahs and saviours.

"Civil War" is a film that invites us to consider that, perhaps, being in a bubble and not "consuming" news can be a responsible, honourable, and courageous decision.

The Smiling Lombana (2018)

What a movie! Very well documented powerful family story

[9/10 · 21 January 2019]

Enjoy every minute of this movie. The words chosen to tell the story to the director's own voice were particularly a delicacy. I was impressed with the research work to build the story, the collection of materials, and how voices are evoked memories that touch the soul. I read of several people in social networks that this movie has the power to connect us to Colombians/Latin Americans. I do not know if all, but me, the film connected me with the movie, with the story. I felt in the film love, forgiveness, nostalgia, resentment, gratitude, vindication, identification, illusion, and also hatred. Congratulations to Daniela Abad Lombana.

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Entertaining, but nothing fascinatingly novel

[7/10 · 17 May 2017]

What can we say about Alien: Covenant? Very few new things in plastic art. Absolutely faithful to the pieces of sculpture and design of the Swiss artist H.R. Gigier. As for the Covenant ship, the very same hibernation capsules of all the films of potential settlers on distant planets. Beautiful things, the landscapes of New Zealand where it was filmed, and some concepts of evolution of civilizations and relation with artificial intelligence. The other, if you have been or have dreamed of going to Gruyeres in Switzerland to the Alien bar or the museum of Gigier, you're probably going to find the movie very exciting. Hold on and it's very entertaining

Another Forever (2016)

Highly recommended movie.

[9/10 · 24 March 2017]

"Another Forever." A film that touches one on the skin, and the film to feel and to feel oneself. The film was designed to touch a deep side of the human soul. Another Forever offers the possibility of instants to identifying ourselves with: loss, silence, wondering, travel, lightness, sadness, illusion, friendship, depression, instants, places, discover, grays, reflections, the past ...

Saluda al diablo de mi parte (2011)

The greatest Colombian movie

[9/10 · 10 August 2011]

This movie is to the fullest degree the best Colombian movie I've ever watched. It undeniably has a truly exciting plot. The director (Juan Felipe Orozco) ensures the audience maintains mental and emotional strains the entire film. From minute one the film engage spectators into an endless drama into the mind and circumstances of a former guerrilla member enrolled in voluntary demilitarisation programme. This movie offers an important critic to the Colombian government policy "Justice and Peace" that aims to compensate victims of guerrillas' attacks for life lost and damages. It portrays the political implications of psychological tensions of those who have been affected by the armed conflict in Colombia. Although, it is a movie about the extent of the consequences of a violent reality in the South American country, it is presented as a genius thriller on the psychological damages and the limitless extent of revenge. The acting of all the main characters is genuinely remarkable, it is specially astonishing the acting of Colombian actress Carolina Gomez.

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

A great oeniric film: Fears, metaphors and mysticism

[8/10 · 7 January 2007]

Due the psychoanalytic components, and it metaphoric design of this move, this could give space but an enormous deals with profound universal fears of adults unresolved in the childhood. The film is dark as the nightmares of childhood. It depicts the capacity of children to invocate fantasy as only mechanism of control of reality.

Every character of the film has defined psychological features, which helps the audience to clearly understand the behaviour of each of them.

The historical and political elements included on it are well integrated.

Even thought this movie has unexpected levels of violence. It has conciliatory elements.

One criticism I would give is its translation of its name into English. A direct translation as "Faun's Labyrinth" could have represented a more substantial mysticism!

Apocalypto (2006)

An unsophisticated and one-dimensional representation of the Maya Empire

[3/10 · 7 January 2007]

This film is an unsophisticated and one-dimensional representation of the Maya Empire. It definitely portrays the Mayas as humanoids driven exclusively by instinctual aggression, destroyers of earth and humanity, who needed to be saved by Europeans otherwise they would have shattered the entire universe. The film totally avoids showing any evidence of civilization in an empire which had written language, sophisticated knowledge of architecture, mathematics and astronomy; and with a rich cultural and social system. The story of the film, is chronological linear, and everything occurs within 48 hours.

Nevertheless, it has to be admitted that Mel Gibson achieves to maintain the levels of tension of the audience throughout the entire movie. Doubtless it is a good chase action movie, in which Jaguar Paw is persecuted by fear, nightmares, Mayas, jaguars, arrows, and rain.

If you are looking for a bloody action movie go to watch it, you won't be disappointed. But if you are interested in the Maya civilization, don't even bother!!

Maria Full of Grace (2004)

three alternative approaches to describe "Maria Full of Grace"

[7/10 · 31 March 2006]

Even though this film is sociologically based on a reality faced and associated to Colombians it does not necessary reflect the current situation of Colombia.

I will like briefly to propose three different alternatives to describe it.

First, I would say that the film portrays a case study of the American Dream focused particularly on Colombians. And the issue drugs smuggling was introduced since it has been associated to Colombians. This film illustrates anthropological issues of migration, such as social networks connections, ethnicity associate to particular trade, etc.

Second, this is a film on transnational illegal markets. This film describes and provides a human face to the logistics of cocaine trafficking.

Third, this film could be also illustrates some of the negative consequences of globalization on labour conditions to individuals and communities in producing countries specifically in the cut flower industry.

Goldfish Memory (2003)

Love, amnesia, intensity and instantaneousness

[9/10 · 27 May 2005]

I watched this movie about a year ago, and it was totally unexpected movie (in the good sense!). I didn't know what the film was about, and I wasn't sure what to expect about this film, probably I never had the DVD cover on my hands, or had the change to see the film release posters; and nobody recommended it . It deals with unusual facades of the most human demand: LOVE. The film is actually similar to "love actually", although this movie doesn't lose its Irishness. The film is full of interesting dialogs and lovely shots. The film normalizes non-heterosexual relationships, and problematize the condition of humans as love needed. This movie separates the characters from the sexual lives, to assume their social lives. It is an interesting approach!!

It is a funny, beautiful and sensible portray of post-modern relationships, full of amnesia, intensity, sophistication, and need of instantaneousness!!!