El_Chango

This is not an easy film to sit through. Its violent, harsh and sometimes too real. The characters in this movie are not nice, and their actions are mostly painful to follow. That's probably the only problem I have with this film: this decadent and depressing Mexico has been the focus of many movies, and most of them haven't done a good job, interested more on the shock and the morbid side of things than in telling a good story or exploring important issues. But 'Espinas' manages to avoid dwelling on the decadence and manages to get it's message across.

'Espinas' was a real surprise for me; it's Julio Cesar Estrada's first film, and it was made on a shoestring budget, but the story is solid, it has some great images and the 'guerrilla style' with which it was shot works for the story. It also has some great performances, especially from Guillermo Gil and Magdalena Cataño. The photography by Arturo de la Rosa is beautiful; it really gives Mexico City an eerie and decadent atmosphere that really adds to the story.

'Espinas' will be shown in the festival circuit, and will be distributed by Videocine in Mexico later this year. Go see it if you have the chance.

SIN NOTICIAS DE DIOS is Agustin Diaz Yañez's second film as a director, and it shows. But the flaws of the director do not make this a bad film. A good script, great ensemble cast and solid ideas are enough to get this film off the ground. Penelope Cruz and Victoria Abril have a great on screen chemistry, and do not overshadow each other. Demian Bichir (the third corner on this triangle) is also great, completely trasformed for his role as a mexican boxer on the edge. The cast is filled with cameos and special appearances by great actors (Bruno Bichir, Emilio Gutierrez Caba, a great Cristina Marcos, etc.) but the most notable are the young Gael Garcia Bernal who get to share a couple of scenes with the beautiful -and talented- Fanny Ardant and holds his own.

I just saw this film and I've got to recommend it to all horror film lovers. It's very intense, even if it is quiet and very discreet. It's not splashy or gorey... but it has the public on it's toes for the whole thing, and just when you think it's all over... it just getting started. Now I just have one question: where can I get this on video or DVD (and the sequel)?