And I don't understand why.  Over this past year, I've seen several movies trashed, IMHO unfairly.

And I don't understand why.  Over this past year, I've seen several movies trashed, IMHO unfairly.

Thanks Curmudgeon.  Yes my post was _partly_ "self-promotion" but on the other hand for AV Club etc expect that we rewrite everything that we think of a film on their glorious website would seem a bit arrogant as well ;-).  I actually _liked_ both of the aspects that most of the "top critics" have complained about in…

"The Words" deserves a D- (!!)?  Dios mio, And the AV Club gave Will Farrell's shlock "Casa de Mi Padre" a B?  I'm honestly depressed.  http://frdennismoviereviews…

"The Words" deserves a D- (!!)?  Dios mio, And the AV Club gave Will Farrell's shlock "Casa de Mi Padre" a B?  I'm honestly depressed.  http://frdennismoviereviews…

I agree with Tobias, the film follows the lead of Sofia Copolla's take on Marie Antoinette, stressing her youth — she was only 14 when she got married, 19 when she became queen and 38 when she was beheaded.  Farewell My Queen focuses on the week following the storming of the Bastille Prison when Marie Antoinette was…

I agree with Tobias, the film follows the lead of Sofia Copolla's take on Marie Antoinette, stressing her youth — she was only 14 when she got married, 19 when she became queen and 38 when she was beheaded.  Farewell My Queen focuses on the week following the storming of the Bastille Prison when Marie Antoinette was…

I'm surprised that the film got such a low "community rating."  Yes, I had to slog through Tess of the D'Urbervilles in English Lit in high school as well.  But to be honest, I've come to appreciate that I did.  It is a classic Victorian novel, both saying much with very little words (Part I - Entitled "The Maiden"…

I'm surprised that the film got such a low "community rating."  Yes, I had to slog through Tess of the D'Urbervilles in English Lit in high school as well.  But to be honest, I've come to appreciate that I did.  It is a classic Victorian novel, both saying much with very little words (Part I - Entitled "The Maiden"…

Folks, most of you here are fairly young.  You have the ability to make decisions about your lives that people like me (middle aged) have already made and therefore must live with.  I do sincerely think that this movie is better than reviewed here.  I do think it is fundamentally about values.  And I do believe that…

Actually I was wondering, what happened to Appalachia's (er District 12's) Christians/Catholics?  If there was a major flaw in the scenario it would be their absence.

Well "good for you."  I just hope that critics won't declare SB2 a "nuanced guide on parenting" like they declared "Casa" to be some kind of an introduction to Spanish language telenovelas.

Dear Panic, would you say the same about American daytime soaps (that they are aesthetically if not substantively porn)?  I would further suggest that there is almost always far more story/plot in a typical telenovela than in the typical American daytime soap.  Consider simply the telenovela "Una Maid en Manhattan"…

But wouldn't an homage be accurate?  It would seem to me that the films closest to "Casa de mi Padre" were films staring Mexican ranchera singers like Vicente Fernandez (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm… http://en.wikipedia.org/wik… ) and Antonio Aguilar (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm… http://en.wikipedia.org/wik… ) and…

Now here's the plot of an actual telenovela playing currently on Telemundo (Una Maid en Manhattan — http://en.wikipedia.org/wik… ).  Yes its morality isn't exactly the best but IMHO it does have actually some redeeming values. And how would this telenovela be somehow worse than the average American soap and therefore…

Obviously, I honestly don't think so.

There were films by ranchera singers like Vicente Fernandez and Antonio Aguilar, but these were utterly cute _family fare_ intended to be self-deprecating/funny with titles like "El Hijo del Pueblo" or "Como Mexico No Hay Dos."   There'd be no need/point to parody those films … _except_ to be mean.

Or perhaps a black face minstrel show … 

Hmm, would you call the sitcom "Ugly Betty" (produced by Salma Hayek) that was basically the wildly and internationally successful "Yo soy Betty la Fea" telenovela translated into English "porn with the sex scenes removed"?? ;-).  How about Terra Nostra (about an Italian immigrant family coming to Sao Paulo in the…

Hi Xora, Yes, I am white but I've worked for the last 10 years in two predominantly Hispanic parishes.  More to the point, I've actually watched telenovelas.  The telenovelas playing EVERY EVENING on Telemundo / Univision look far more like 91210 or Gossip Girl than any 3rd rate "Spaghetti Western."  Don't believe…