Espiral

"Espiral" is the kind of movie that entices strong emotions from the audience. I found myself thoroughly invested in the story due to my anger towards the male characters. This film showed me just how different gender roles are in the U.S. compared to Mexico, and I was impressed just how much this movie affected me. However, as good as this film is, I cannot give it a perfect rating. The cinematography and overall quality is on the low side, but that isn't uncommon for a movie made in 2008. All in all, "Espiral" is one of the best foreign films I've ever watched.

"Espiral" lives up to it's name in the way that the plot twists and turns throughout the past and present, all in the effort to reach the ultimate conclusion that will leave any viewer in a state of shock and awe. The film depicts the stories of two families and mothers, both struggling against the almost cursed-nature that resonates around them. In this small town, it felt like tragedy when the men abandoned their families 15 years ago to go North; however, the ending of this film will make everyone wish that they had simply never returned. Watching this movie is an experience like no other!

This movie was incredibly interesting, especially to a non-native Spanish student like myself. I was so captivated by the acting and the emotions that the actors and actresses portrayed. I think the movie gave an accurate portrayal of one way life in Mexico. The plot of the movie was fascinating, and there were great plot twists. The viewers can love and hate the characters, but each one has depth and dimension. I thought the way that the story moved from the past to the present gave the viewer a broader understanding of the stories behind the characters which was great work on the filmmakers' part. I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes a thrilling and entertaining drama movie.

This movie is pretty fantastic, jumping between timelines and dramatic stories to portray an "edge of your seat" feel. Focusing on ideas such as poverty, single motherhood, and immigration, this movie still holds up today. If you cannot speak Spanish, English subtitles are provided, which is also helpful if you are a native English speaker trying to learn Spanish. Overall, this movie is a twist filled diamond in the rough.

This movie is incredibly underrated. The shots that include the mirrors to symbolize the relation of mother and daughter are unlike anything I've seen in even domestic films. The themes of poverty, motherhood, and immigration all manage to blend together perfectly despite being vastly different. Being bilingual, I was able to understand much of the movie without english subtitles, however the subtitles were incredibly helpful for my monolingual friends. It begins with a light-hearted feel and ends on two drunk men smoking swishers and crying. The emotional roller coaster of all the twists and turns take one on a journey of highs and lows. I would recommend this movie to both bilinguals and monolinguals alike.