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Reviews
Real Women Have Curves (2002)
When it is Actual Humor..!!
Immigration has been always an issue for Mexican's of low and middle class. Real Women Have Curves is a comedy film that was published in 2002 directed by Patricia Cardoso, produced by George LaVoo and written by Josefina Lopez. In addition, this film got seven awards from different organizations. Ana Garcia as America Ferrera is the protagonist of the film. Lupe Ontiveros as Carmen is Ana's mother who plays a major role in Ana's social life. Estela as Ingrid Oliu who is Ana's sister takes part in Ana's career life. Ana's high school teacher Mr. Guzman as George Lopez also participates strongly in Ana's academic life. Finally, Ana's father Raul Garcia as Jorge Cervera Jr does not cooperate effectively like Carmen in Ana's life.
Ana lived in a poor Mexican American family in Los Angeles. Therefore, this encouraged Ana to provide more efforts in her academic career. Nevertheless, Ana is a smart senior Beverly Hills high school student, which is considered as one of the best high schools in California. Ana's efforts made her a good student at high school. However, Ana was around to graduate and her family decided to let her work with her sister Estela at her dress factory. This depressed Ana a lot since she had excellent grades in high school. Yet, Ana worked at her sister factory while she was trying to convince her family to let her complete her academic career. Nevertheless, Ana get supported by her teacher in high school Mr. Guzman who was impressed from Ana due to her academic performance.
Acting in a flexible way was one obvious aspect in Real Women Have Curves film. The actors were seeking a film that represents the Latin impact on this group of people who live in the United States. Thus, Ana's family was outgoing people who are seeking joy through their daily activities. A clear illustration for that is when the actors show how they act normally in their social life and in their jobs. For instance, when Estela, Ana and the other women who works in the factory start dancing wearing bikinis and work at the same time. Another essential aspect of the film is playing the music with the scenes in different languages depending on the speaking language. The director Patricia Cardoso was succeeding in placing every scene with the appropriate music. Moreover, choosing Spanish music provides a Latin face of the film. A clear image for the previous point is when Ana's family suddenly starts speaking by Spanish depending on the events that are happening. For example, Carmen was famous by changing her language in an unexpected way, which makes the director play a Spanish kind of music when she is talking.
In conclusion, Real Women Have Curves is one of the best movies that I have ever seen since I moved to the United States. This is because the film was Comedy in a different way in terms of the reality and the way of acting. As a result, I would give it 4.5 out of five that is because all of the film staff were not famous before this movies.
Smoke Signals (1998)
A Truthful, Challenging, and Dramatic Lifetime
Smoke Signals, film directed by Chris Eyre, is one of the greatest drama productions. The film, first presented in 1998, represents the current life of the Native Americans. The actors of this drama effectively embodied the different characters. For instance, Evan Adams as Thomas has inimitable ambiance and a great sense of humor which lids him to play a key role in the film. On the other hand, Adam Beach as Victor is one of the film stars who play the opposing character of Thomas, a serious and formal man. Smoke Signals is the first Native American film production, including actors, writer, and director. In addition, the film received several awards between 1998 and 1999 from different organizations. The film mainly focuses on Thomas and Victor, who are the key characters of the movie, and their life in a Native American reservation in Idaho. Victor is a basketball player and Thomas is a storyteller. Both of them are linked with Gary Farmer as Arnold who is Victor's father. In the beginning of the film, Arnold rescues Thomas when he was a baby from a house fire that killed his parents. After that, Thomas start treating Arnold as a father or a role model, but Victor and his mother were suffering from Arnold since he was alcoholic and he treated them violently. As a result, Arnold leaves his house and the reservation to go to Phoenix and complete the rest of his life there. A couple of years later, Arnold dies and leaves his properties in Phoenix. Therefore, Victor headed Phoenix in order to get his father's possessions and Thomas asked him to be his travel meet. At this trip Victor and Thomas faced many adventure events which make them closer than their childhood. Victor started to convince Thomas in order to change his appearance to be more as Native American and Thomas accepted. When they arrived to Phoenix, Thomas and Victor met Suzie who was Arnold's friend. Suzie tried to change Arnold image in Victor's mind by telling him the truth about the fire that Arnold made when he was drunk which caused the death of Thomas's parents. The film Smoke Signals is highly qualified production in all aspects. One of those great aspects is the film main story. The film was written by Sherman Alexei who writes the story in a logical way that makes it greatly reliable and simple. The well linked events of the story serve to a greater understanding of the Native American issues. A good example of these issues is the trouble relationship between father and son. Although this movie was filmed in the late nineties, the effects are quite surprising. Another interesting aspect of the movie is the cast. The cast were not Hollywood stars, but they preformed their parts well. Instead of hiring regular actors, the director chose to hire Native Americans to play the role or to simply to be themselves. Smoke Signals is a great film since it has carries a message, something which current movies lack. I believe that Native Americans are living in sort of limitation since they are living on a reservation that is under developed comparing it with other American civilization. The movie reflects a different kind of life style with a mix of values which shows us that people with different values can still live together and perhaps the differences are makes us more united. Considering the date of production and that it is the first movie made by Native Americans, I believe they did an overall good work that is why I would rate it with 4 stars.