Reviews

"White Dog" was a very interesting movie. The ending does definitely leave the viewer depressed and feeling somewhat betrayed. However, in my opinion, its tediousness and poor acting by Kristy McNichol took away from Paul Winfield's (Keys) determination to cure this dog of its disease. He felt so strongly about doing the right thing and reforming a beast, it made the audience feel that there was still a chance for the dog. It is obvious this is a complete 1980s movie. It's overpowering music and in-your-face type of cinema was a typical trait of the 80s. But absolutely, I do not see this as a racist movie. It is exposing the fact that there ARE racists out there and that there are some sick people who take advantage of a dog's ability to be trained to create monsters out of these unsuspecting creatures. This movie is not saying that all black people are bad. It's shedding light on the fact that some people see it this way and pry into the minds of dogs and program them to think the same way. Since dogs supposedly see in black and white, this is the easiest race between which to differentiate. In a dog's eyes, an Indian or very dark-skinned Hispanic could appear to be as dark as an African American. This movie overall was enjoyable to watch, yet somewhat predictable. The audience wants so badly for the dog to reform and sees hope in the dog after he makes progress, although there is always underlying tension which classifies it as a thriller/suspense. The audience never knows if he will snap or turn on his owners. Sadly, he loses his battle against becoming pure from an instinctual betrayal.

"Battle of Algiers" amazed me at how real everything was. Of course it was only but a few years after this whole revolution took place so the feelings and passion was still there. Not one person ever came out of character because they embodied those people so well (some even played themselves). It was really amazing to see so many people so passionate about a movie. I'm sure the actors didn't even care about the paycheck. They knew they were a part of something special and wanted to make it great. It's a shame it was banned in the United States, for it could have taught us a lot and maybe we wouldn't even have had so much support for the War in Iraq or Afghanistan. People would have seen similarities between the two. This film is universal because so many people have colonization in their heritages. Millions of people can relate to this film which is what makes it a must-see.

At first, a movie about the Spanish conquering the Aztecs in the 1500s was not very appealing to me. I thought I was done with history class! The first time I saw it in a screening with around 100 others, some of the imagery was hard for me to watch. Never once did I feel drawn away from the story. After the first screening it hadn't made that much of an impact on me. I feel this is a movie you need to see multiple times for it to finally sink in and for the viewer to make connections. Carrasco does a great job in still retelling historical events in a narrative way, allowing the viewer to travel with Topiltzin along his journey, instead of making a documentary film. "The Other Conquest" told it like it was, attempting to show both sides. I feel the story does that, but what it lacks, in my opinion, is giving more of the back story of what caused the Spaniards to go into what is now Mexico. How did they happen to end up in that exact village? All in all, "The Other Conquest" was an enjoyable movie and VERY relevant even in today's society. Every race, gender, and age (of age for an R rating) can relate to its story in some way whether it be in their background of being conquered or in their background of colonizing another nation. It gives insight into every nation's history; one that constantly repeats itself.

"Los Olvidados" was hard for me to relate to, seeing as I live in an upper-class, 90% white community. I'm used to seeing juniors in high school driving their Mercedes and BMWs to school, wearing their True Religion jeans, doing volunteer work and sports. I never see the kids who aren't involved, don't have supportive parents, and live on and off the streets. I don't see these types of things every day - just in the movies and on TV. Whenever I see movies or stories like this one, my heart aches for these children. This movie makes those of us who had such loving and supportive parents think of how fortunate we are. How lucky we were to have guidance and direction. It makes you think. It's black and white cinematography allows for extreme focus on the plot and the character depths. "Los Olvidados" or, "The Forgotten Ones" is a movie for all to see. It is a very valuable learning experience and is very humbling.