#1 - THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES
Stars - Gael Garcia Bernal, Rodrigo de la Serna
Director - Walter Salles
Memorable Quote - 'You gotta fight for every breath and tell death to go to hell.'
Review - This film is actually really great in the way it treats its subject matter. As a dramatisation of real events, part biopic and part autobiography (taken from Che's own diaries), you might expect it to be very bold about the fact that we are dealing with Che Guevara's life. But instead it is wonderfully subtle: only when a girl nicknames him 'Che' for the first time, and when he makes an empassioned speech at the hospital, do we really see any sign of the man history knows. Because, in fact, this is not a film about Che Guevara: it is a film about Ernesto Guevara. It is touching to see the young man at the leper colony, the same young man who gives money away to the poor when he himself is in dire need of it. This is a story of compassion, not of revolution, and it is charmingly done. One cannot help but fall in love with Bernal, and feel for him as his own illness all but incapacitates him, even as he continues to care for others. Well acted and well directed, a great idea that has been pulled off even better. 4.5/5
#2 - DEFICIT
Stars - Gael Garcia Bernal
Director - Gael Garcia Bernal
Memorable Quote - ???
Review - No memorable quote simply because I can neither actually remember anything nor find anything online. Anyway, this film kind of has two sides to it - the side that we see, as in the actual physical storyline, and the meaning behind it. Nothing of any real note happens during the movie: it essentially centres around a party at rich boy Cristobal's house, where his sister is pressured into an overdose by her older boyfriend and the servants are generally looked down upon as the bottom of the food chain. No one here is perfect or even a good person, except for perhaps Dolores, a newcomer to the group from Argentina who Cristobal promptly decides he must sleep with by the end of the night. When it all falls apart and everyone leaves, Cristobal feels sorry only for himself as he stares out of the window, alone. If this was the only side to the film I would not rate it very highly at all; however, the meaning behind it is very clear - those who act like Cristobal will end up alone, and should. Why should any nice person (Dolores) want anything to do with a selfish, racist, snobbish brat like him? This film entreats you to look to your own life, and alter it accordingly. 3/5
#3 - WATERLILIES (Naissance des Pieuvres)
Stars - Pauline Acquart, Louise Blachere, Adele Haenel
Director - Celine Sciamma
Memorable Quote - also ???, besides I think in this movie it's really about the silences and what is not said
Review - A French film now, and nothing to do with Bernal at all, you'll be pleased to know. This coming-of-age story is often hard to watch, given that these are young children discovering their sexual identities for the first time. Marie is the character we emphathise with most: young and confused, she has no way of knowing whether what she feels is romantic love or simply the adoration of an idol figure. Throughout it is her pain that we follow most, feeling her every disappointment and confusion as if it was our own. Floriane, on the other hand, it is hard to feel sorry for, even though she claims she hates the way everyone thinks of her. It is a mess that she has got herself into, and indeed must have thought it was a good idea at some point. She is cruel to Marie, obviously understanding how much she idolises her and taking advantage throughout, particularly in the two scenes where their relationship crosses the boundary. Anne is also quite painful to watch - whether we were that girl or simply watched one, we all knew one as we were growing up: overweight, unnattractive, and completely obssessed with a boy who will never stoop to their level - except for the fact that, in this case, Francois does. Although she is perhaps used by Francois since he is not truly attracted to her, by the end of the film it seems that Anne has taken control of herself and her own identity, and is growing into a strong and confident young woman. It is this confidence that is the only hope for Marie if she is to survive her friendship with Floriane, and as they float together in the end we as an audience can perhaps grasp that as the light at the end of the tunnel for her. The poignancy of it comes from the authentic performances by these three young actresses, for even when they are simply staring into the distance there is a wealth of emotion to be read. 4/5
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