El presidente

Although the movie had some individual not bad elements such as acting, music/atmosphere, photography, the total turned to be really boring and without a central meaning/direction, having mixed a very weak political case with a stronger -but again weak- psychological issue of the president's daughter. You were always waiting for something excited, which never came. Either the script was very poor or the director made it so. Perhaps they should have worked with the film a few weeks more...

Every year at least during the last decade, Argentinian cinema comes up with a single film that is superlative in many ways. Just back to 2014 we had Relatos Salvajes (Wild tales, Foreign film Academy Award nominee), The Clan (2015, this one to a lesser extent), El ciudadano ilustre (The distinguished citizen, 2016), and this year La cordillera, by Santiago Mitre. Mitre, still really young, is on his path to claim his spot beside the greatest contemporary Argentinian filmmakers such as Juan Jose Campanella and Damian Szifron.

This was Mitre's first super-production and he succeeded in coming up with something absolutely ambitious. The fact of the film's scale, it's remarkable cast (best national actors by far- Ricardo Darin, Erica Rivas, Gerardo Romano- and great foreign ones- Christian Slater, Elena Anaya) made it highly expected by the big commercial audience, but Mitre has surprised everyone with something so big in it's universal themes (power, greed, corruption) but yet subtle, full of metaphors

and without a closure to the story, which is what the average cinema goer expects. Hence the mixed reviews, popular reaction and the widely spread notion that the film stays half way or that's slow and boring. It can be a really uncomfortable film for some people, it makes one think and in general people go to the cinema just for entertainment.

The pace of the film it's perfect. Neither too slow nor to fast, it allows one to keep thinking about what's there or what's not. I guess it's more enjoyable if someone has interest and knowledge in politics but as I said above what really matters is the universality of the themes that are dealt with throughout the movie.

The only weakness I can find is the inclusion of President Blanco's daughter played by Dolores Fonzi. Even though then I realised this was merely with the purpose of exploring more in depth Blanco's personality and morality, I hardly find Dolores Fonzi credible (I can only recall 2013 "El critico" as an exception). In the long run and after figuring out the reason of her inclusion it didn't really matter. Everyone who's more thoughtful than the average can have a different interpretation of the events or possible outcomes.

It blew my mind.

This was one of those movies I have to read a lot after watching to try and figure out what happened. Some times, you miss little things while watching and one and the other and another person see little details and between all of them you form your opinion about what you've just seen. The "open ending" was quite confusing for me, but after reading different opinions and points of view I realised the movie is about the main character, Hernán Blanco, and nothing else. Everything points to show how and what he is. Everything that happens is about him, and after the movie ends, you will know what he is. The thing is, it looked like there was something bigger going on, and I lost focus on the character, thinking that some twist was going to happen any time. I do appreciate how good is the cinematography, the acting and the music on this movie, everyone does a great job on their roles, and there's a very well accomplished atmosphere of mystery from beginning to end, but it was a bit messy and inconsistent in what it was pointing at, and made me expect something else. Or maybe not messy, but a lot of little details that will make sense and add up better when you finished the movie and understood what was about. Maybe a second watch would be good. Still, besides it was somehow disappointing, is a quality film in many aspects and I did enjoy watching it.

I really liked La Cordillera (The summit). Political thriller is not the most usual subject in Argentina's filming. Just for this, this deserves a lot of recognition. The script is intense, very touching. Maybe some viewers will feel as if there were some minutes missing...but whenever you think about the film, this grows. I enjoyed the director so much...the "Cordillera de los Andes" that gives the film a name...is a silent Main protagonist. Beautiful, fascinating, incredible. In the middle of nowhere, some crucial meeting among south American presidents is being held. Darin is superb as usual, as the Argentina's President. for the reluctant, I suggest you to give The Summit a chance.

Potent political and personal challenges merge for Hernan Blanco, newly elected President of Argentina, at a regional summit in Chile. A self-proclaimed representative of the people, Hernan deals with shadowy figures, pursues secret agendas with other Latin American leaders and leads a double life that surprises even his daughter Marina. The growing distance between Marina and her father resembles the divide between leader and country, and between Hernan and the image of himself. In one of my favorite Hawthorne stories, the Birthmark, a man with good intentions convinces his wife to drink a tonic that he claims will improve her appearance as well as their relationship. She drinks it only because she loves him. The potion works, but it removes her real essence and proves, alas, he did not love her in return. "Were I weaker and blinder" she says, "it might be happiness." So too with Hernan, Marina and the people of Argentina. Hernan is pushing potions and illusions for others to swallow. Many people try to cast such spells, not just politicians like Hernan, and this film sheds some light on the practice of deception. The theme is intriguing. As a traveler to Brazil and possessor of political science and law degrees, I thought I could easily understand and appreciate the political trash talk and allusions but forward by the Latin American leaders. I was wrong. It is more difficult than I imagined. The matter is further complicated because I do not know Spanish and had to follow the captions at the bottom of the screen. Ricardo Darin (Hernan) does a wonderful job portraying the dignity, posture, arrogance and measured, calculating voice of a world leader. The mountain views of Chile are fantastic but limited. The film did not go into as much depth as I prefer, but overall it is a plausible, compelling glimpse into what goes on at the top levels of power. Seen at the Miami Film Festival.