espartaco

If it wasn`t for "After party", this would easily be the worst movie in history. Jaw-droppingly bad in every aspect, from writing (in case they did write something before filming), to acting, to directing, to the appallingly fake stages, oh, kill me now. "Quién paga el pato" is perhaps the most respectable of the three, but it still is a confusing, underachieved and pretentious beyond belief failure. "Zapping" is woeful, Basile's sense of humor falls flat every time and is irritating after ten minutes, and also it's sad to see such good actors shaming themselves in dumb roles like the ones they`re given. I sincerely hope Basile never grabs a camera again in this millenia. And don't get me started on "La Venus", wich is perhaps the worst piece of garbage ever to be filmed. You have to see it to believe it, folks. This guys make Ed Wood look like Orson Welles.

At last colombian filmmakers decide to tackle the difficult subject of the recent history of violence and forced displacement Colombia is facing, and do it with respect for the dignity and humanity of their subjects. Unlike the recent fiascoes of the Trianas, which made fun of their caracthers and turned them into dumb sketches in order to make the audience laugh, Restrepo tells the story of two peasants forced to move to the city with respect and honesty. Surprisingly good performaces by all of the cast, especially Carriazo, Méndez and Lizarazo, allow the story to be heartfelt and moving, if not too cold. Sadly, the pace is very contrived and it makes this 80-minute film feel like a two-and-a-half hour movie, and Restrepo's direction shows too much influence from his work in television, hence making everything look a little phony. It's not a perfect movie, it has very visible flaws and weaknesses, but it's a step up in the recent display of crap colombian filmmakers have been handing out. Let's try to keep this up, shall we?

The Trianas are like a plague to Colombian cinema. Jorge Alí has made almost unbearable pieces of crap on Tv, stage and film, and now (uh, oh) comes his son, Rodrigo, with this once again irresponsible film about how the poor people of Colombia are nothing but savages, uncapable of dealing with something so simple as having electric power on their neighborhood. This one is a mean-spirited movie, wich makes fun and turns into a comedy the difficulties that the lower classes of Colombia have to deal with in their daily life. All of the characters lack any dignity, spirit or, for that fact, anything good: They're all reduced to cliches and sketches in order to amuse the audience, with no thought whatsoever given by Triana to make them three-dimensional, dignified, troubled human beings. ¡¡It even has a role for "Betty la fea" in there!! On a narrative and technichal level, the movie does represent an improvement on most colombian cinema, but it's a pity that this goods service such a morally bankrupt and corrupt movie, made by the upper class as a school assignment on the lower class: just like looking at frogs and going "Ewww... look how this savages kill each other". Shame on Mr. Triana.