Sisoycsar96

HONEY AND SUGAR. A SWEET AND CHARMING CHRONICLE OF A FANTASTIC AND ATYPICAL TEENAGE ROMANCE.

Talking or telling stories about this feature film will always be a source of enthusiasm for me, because it's not just any film. It's not something you see every day. And that's just the beginning.

We have a plot typical of any modern film: kids falling in love, almost-adult teenagers having their first romantic experiences. But the point here is that it's not your typical modern teen romance. It's a turning point.

Spectacular performances! This film was the big-screen debut of both its director and several actors (especially its lead actor). What a way to show complex and intense feelings within the context of a blind person! The way his character handles it, how he interacts with others, and how he develops it down to the smallest detail is spectacular. You can tell he immersed himself in his character at such a young age! Bonus points for him. It's not something you see every day.

One of the criticisms I saw is that it's a kind of "short film extension," and yes, it is, but it has its reasons for being so. Daniel Riveiro, its director, most likely had in mind a film to explain what a short film falls short of, excuse the redundancy. And that's its strange and enigmatic magic; a matter of experimental cinema that many won't understand.

A couple of years ago, I saw this film for the first time, and it evokes the same feelings. Memorable and highly recommended. It's one of those films that stays etched in your mind for various reasons, one of them being the obvious sweetness and intellect displayed without taboos or censorship. The least of these is because we're talking about young people who were almost adults in real life at the time, playing characters who were so adult but at the same time so youthful and refreshing.

While its script is good, like any film, it has its flaws. The lack of depth in certain characters (sometimes bordering on the superficial, like many modern American films that tackle similar plots) can instantly confuse you. Even more so if you haven't seen the short film, the root of this film. However, the epic performances, modest but fantastic photography, and a script that championed tenderness and sweetness in the silent (and even obvious in some cases) protagonists almost perfectly overshadow these shortcomings.

In short, it's a great film to enjoy on those weekend nights if you want the sweetness, charm, and gentle, comforting plot of a teenage romance without the tragic twists and turns of today's films and without those exaggerated and even annoying stereotypes that add little or nothing to the global independent scene.

Once again, Brazil demonstrates why they are among the leaders of Latin American independent cinema, along with Argentina. They are the masters of good independent cinema in Latin America. And here is an example of good cinema. Despite a simple, sweet, and tender plot, it never ceases to surprise, for better or worse. It depends on how you view it. Although you won't see a film as good, made with state funds, that's good at showing what it wanted to show. The thing is, Brazilians don't understand the complexities and exaggerated censorship that Americans do, who might see this as a sort of "cheap soap opera." But that's my LATAM, and it's a good thing it is.

The title of my review was taken from the song "No Sabes Cuánto Me Gustas" by Nenito Vargas.

A HARSH, HARD-HANDED, AND SAVING CHRONICLE OF A FORBIDDEN ROMANCE IN THE FACE OF CROSSFIRE.

To talk about this medium-length film is to talk about a one-of-a-kind production. It's speaking in capital letters. It's something that stays in your mind, and in a good way.

While we have the already well-addressed plot of teenage romances, here you won't find a dramatic melodrama (excuse the redundancy) nor a film with stereotypes and clichés already known in independent cinema worldwide. You've been warned because the proposal of its director, the then-novice Oliver Lallart, is not easy to digest.

The performances were sublime. Especially the lead, the newcomer Paul Gomireiux. A fantastic way of portraying his character, in a superb way! It reminded me a lot of the Latin American soap operas of the 2000s, so popular here in Latin America. His dedication to the character was unique and unrepeatable. I think he was the one who took the medium-length film to a higher level than it already had, because his script is as sharp as a knife and makes few, if any, concessions.

Although it seems to have been taken from a feature film (due to the nature of time), he paved the way for his characters to break away from any script or "how-to-act" manual. This is because, behind the scenes, it was revealed that the protagonist, in a crucial scene in the film, experienced something known as a "natural scene" or "natural acting." It was so intense that it was faithfully captured. You really see that scene and realize that Goumereiux gave everything (or almost everything) to the staging. And that's a lot to appreciate from this guy, proving that a great performance can make a difference even if the film doesn't have a huge budget, like Hollywood.

What complaint could there be about something so good? Well, its length. You reach a point where you realize that its length is playing a trick on it. But it's a tiny bit of a stretch when you see the final result: a masterful work about the collapse of myths/stigmas and prejudices in a society around the world, which applauds the unheard of but rebukes what they consider incorrect. Hypocritically, as always.

Anyway, we have this French gem, which I hope will have a wider exposure in the future. Because it deserves it. Everything here was almost perfect, but while there were classic errors due to tight budgets, the cinematography, direction, acting, and production do their job perfectly. And they don't hold back in showing (with what they have) a wonderful work, in a modern time, even if some may not like the director's risky and intrepid approach. But the thing is, in France, things are done differently than on this side of the pond. Always have been. For better or worse.

The title of my review is taken from the song "Nuestro Romance" by Victorio Vergara.

A MAGNIFICENT AND HARSH CHRONICLE OF A HARD LOVE, IN DRY AND BITTER TIMES

This is one of those feature films that feels like a guilty pleasure to me. One of those films I love to watch... but at the same time avoid. You'll see why.

We have the classic and already thoroughly addressed (to the point of exhaustion) plot of first loves, which we all come to have in our adolescence (or young adulthood since the characters are approaching the age of majority) but the way the film approaches it, how they handle the situations and how the circumstances turn, make it a film different from everything else, so trite and wasted today.

I have to praise the acting. 11/10!! Spectacular way of portraying the characters; natural actors, with virtually no film experience, with a natural ability to express themselves in a sublime way! They don't feel pressured (although the protagonist, in some scenes, is incredibly uncomfortable at times), but above all, you feel that at some point, they enjoyed and experienced their performances firsthand. You get to see the great chemistry the main couple had. These kids, back then, were practically the same age as their characters. This is rare to see today, and it gives it an extremely valid and refreshing edge.

While the plot can be somewhat harsh and raw, it doesn't neglect the human and sensitive side of the circumstances, as if its director (then a feature film novice, Maikel Rueda) wanted to show us, out loud and with almost no taboos (since we're talking about minors), a romance beyond the stereotypes or clichés that abound in these plots today.

The similarities with the work of controversial director Larry Clark were obvious to me. I could clearly see his much-criticized social explicitness. Although, of course, its director, Rueda, had to show self-censorship. The necessary amount of time to keep his work from becoming bogged down and even forgotten. I could also see some parallels with the much harsher and raw "Shank" (UK - 2009).

While not perfect, the script conveyed the dynamic plot with enough empathy and even tenderness, yet it was slow enough to emphasize a romance that breaks down barriers... even those between countries.

In short, 11 years after its release, it has brought tears to my eyes. And I'm not one to cry often. But I've always liked these kinds of complex films. They go off on a tangent without being radical. It proves that good cinema can be made without exaggerating clichés or stereotypes, or simply eliminating them and showing us the reality of things in the most honest and sincere way possible. Even if we have to go to the marginalized neighborhoods of any country, as shown here.

The title of my review was taken from the song "Otra Canción De Amor" by Rubén Blades.