Pedro Páramo

Having read the book first, I'm a little torn on which I like better.

Some moments in the story hit better on paper. Overall, however, the movie is easier to follow. It's a very faithful adaptation in terms of what happens in the plot. The visuals & transitions between scenes do a great job of helping the viewer understand the cacophony of characters & the constant jumping around between places in the timeline. Simply being able to see which character's face is talking & how old they look makes it easier to fit all the pieces together-even if some vague aspects are left up to interpretation by the end.

They also do a good job of leaning into the horror elements. They don't simplify the plot to reduce it to a jump-scare thriller. It simply has some nice moments of creepy tension. Tenoch Huerta-Mejía performs well in these scenes.

Similarly, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo performs so believably as Pedro Páramo, being somehow sympathetic (you believe he's having the emotions he shows) despite all the horrible shit he does.

In the end, I have to give the slight edge to the movie. It works better.

Pedro Páramo follows Juan Preciado, who travels to the abandoned town of Comala to find his father, the ruthless landowner Pedro Páramo. In Comala, Juan encounters spirits who reveal the dark legacy of Páramo's cruelty and power.

The movie is an exceptional adaptation of the book of the same nam by Juan Rulfo. I think its stunning cinematography, set design, and costumes truly enhance the visual experience. The acting is also solid and well-executed.

Unlike some opinions, I didn't find the movie boring at all; on the contrary, it kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

However, it's not a movie for everyone, as it requires some mental effort to follow the shifts in time. But for those who enjoy narrative challenges, it's a fascinating experience.

I didn't know this was adapted from a novel until I read some of these reviews, but now that makes sense. There is a depth of pain and sorrow wrought from the passions and injustices of our human condition in every frame of this film, and I am guessing in every page of the novel, which I have not read. Some reviews seem to think it does not do justice to the book, but imo, as a film it is beautifully tragic. And very well filmed and acted. There are probably many cultural elements about the story I missed, like One Hundred Years Of Solitude, but also like that film it's a fabulous and deep work. My only complaint is I lost track of some of the characters, who they were and what time they represented. But it all came into focus later. 8/10.

Without telling me you know nothing about surrealism...

I understand that this kind of movies are not for everybody, but the scores of 1 or 2 stars just show the ignorance of the viewers.

If you have read the book, or know about surrealism in general or latinamerican magical realism in particular, you will greatly enjoy this movie!

Acting is great, photography is stunning, production is just beautiful and the original material (Juan Rulfo's work) is treated with respect.

The story telling will keep envolving you in this dreamy (or nightmarish?) fable, but If you want to see a hollywood linear blockbuster, better look somewhere else.

Juan Rulfo might be one of the most influencial Latin American writters of all time, and Pedro Paramo is without a doubt his masterpiece, so having to adapt it into any kind of work (a film, a tv series, a play) is a risk very few screenwriters, directors and producers can afford.

Four times Academy Award® nominee cinematographer - and now director - Rodrigo Prieto knows very well how to use all his resources and talent to create a flawless visually and technical stunning enviroment worthy of praise with the help of Academy Award® winner Eugenio Caballero in charge of the production design, and Academy Award® winner Gustavo Santaolalla in the music score.

The cast is amazing too, especially the supporting performances by Dolores Heredia, Roberto Sosa and Ilse Salas.

Goya® winner Mateo Gil does an impressive work adapting Rulfo's book, keeping in mind the narrative of the book is not lineal and might be difficult to follow, therefore this is a movie that needs to be watched while paying attention.