Y Tu Mama Tambien
Michael Kennedy

This film was by far the most entertaining we have screened. Very open in their discussions
about sex weren’t they? I don’t think you will find that “hot” (no pun intended-ok maybe a
little) climate type culture discussions among our young generation. These two youngsters
did not know what to do with themselves without their women around. These were two
spoiled young men who were brought up in rich families that we never really get to meet in
was an interesting aspect of the film. At times there would be information given to us about a
particular person or possibly an event that had nothing to do with the scene that we were
watching. I think this was the directors way for the audience to become more in tune with the
misc en scene. We learn different little aspects of the characters at different times throughout
the film. In this way we can get a mental picture of who this person really is underneath. We
learn that the three main characters all had their difficulties growing up. Tenoch was more or
less raised by a servant and he even calls her “mama” until the age of four. Where were his
parents? Even though we are two different cultures I think you find that the American and
Spanish rich kids are raised more or less in the same way. Parents are rarely around or are
Involved. Why is that? Why the nanny’s, chauffeurs, maids and servants? But I think you find
this in any culture wherever you go. It’s all a big game of who has more – bottom line is who
really cares. Funny how it doesn’t matter what culture each family more or less treat their kids
the same way. Julio and Tenoch were unaware of how to love someone. Cheating on each
other with each other’s girlfriends because they didn’t really respect the women or themselves
really. I believe they were searching for love but didn’t actually know “how” to love. Luisa
briefly became a void between Julio and Tenoch. There was jealousy, anger and mistrust. Luisa
made her own manifesto and the two teenagers had to oblige her if they were to get laid again.
Soon after they make-up, and well, make-out too. So I guess there are no more hard feelings
huh? I did not see that one coming. I guess the two were exploring their inhibitions a little
further than we expected. You have to wonder is all this sexual energy a normal thing among
the Hispanic hot climate culture for teenagers? Probably not but for teens who have no
parental supervision I would not doubt that sex is high on the list of extracurricular activities.
The narrator gives the audience an idea of what is was like living in Spain at the time. The
boys get a sense of what a family really is when they meet Esteban and his family. He graciously
takes then on a tour of the beaches and as it turns out there really “is” a Heaven’s Mouth
beach. Julio and Tenoch exchange a “you have to be kidding me” look at each other. Maybe this
was fate? If this really exists what else can we expect huh? We soon learn about Esteban and
his fate through the narrator. A big company moves in to build a large hotel where Esteban
fishes. He and his family are forced to move to a different location to fish and is squeezed out
by other larger fishing companies and he has to take a job he hates as a janitor back at the
hotel.
We learn that Luisa decides to stay behind with Esteban’s family – in paradise because she has
only a short time to live. She is happy with Esteban’s family, something she was unable to have
for herself so she was happy here. The boys go their own ways to attend school and eventually
meet up again to talk about their experience and talk about Luisa’s death. They say goodbye
and go their own way.

El Viaje de Carol
Michael Kennedy


Even though I could not understand a damn word in this film I was still able to understand
the storyline. Carol is a young girl who is new to Spain, the birthplace of her mother, and to the
family members she does not know. We get a sense that she does not feel all that comfortable
in this situation. Her first encounter with Tomiche was not such a good one as she witnesses
him killing a bird and proceeds to throw something at him in disgust. I would have liked to have
known what they said to each other but I have a feeling the words said were most likely not so
friendly. Tomiche and his friends come across Carol by herself and Tomiche steals her hat only
to give it back to her at the gravesite. I think this was a kind gesture on his part given the
situation Carol was in now. Her father was away at war and her mother has just passed away.
She only had her grandfather that she could relate with and even that relationship was
jeopardized because Carol was forced to move in with who we would assume is her aunt.
She wasn’t the nicest of people and Carol was not very fond of her. Carol was scorned by her
aunt after coming home late and were sent to their room. Carol has a love interest, that being
Tomiche and she wanted to spend time with him and not her family so at every chance she was
away with him. Her attitude was basically to do as she pleased. Because of the lack of dialogue
in English I was not sure who was and wasn’t family as far as the men in the scenes goes. But I
do know one of them is was involved with the revolution that was taking place. Carol did what
she could to keep in contact with her father with the help of the village teacher Aurora. Just
getting the mail delivered was a chore in itself. You had to pay if you wanted your mail
delivered. There must not have been a very dependent postal system or the government was
quite restrictive to what could and couldn’t be sent via mail. Carol is at risk of getting in trouble
with the government if she gets caught. Carol’s father realizes that Carol is not happy with
the situation she is in. She writes him because she feels all alone in this country she does not
know. Her father takes the risk of being killed and goes AWOL from his unit. He has realized
that being with his daughter is what really matters now. His wife is dead and Carol only has
her grandfather to depend on. Carol’s father decides that being with his daughter is what is
most important. You could say that Carol maybe inspired her father to make his way back home
to her. This is where I think that her American background may have interfered with what was
going on at that time in Spain. “Yankees” were not very well liked for obvious reasons.
Carol’s distant family was unsure of her, at least that is how I saw it. It was almost like they
were afraid to show Carol an emotion or love. They seemed to have a certain “air” about them
as if Carol was not good enough to be part of their family. Maybe because she was an American
this caused some concern. Her father was an American so what kind of an American was Carol?
Could this interfere with the relationships, or the lack there of, between Carol and her
newfound Spanish family? Why are they so distant towards her? To make matters worse Carol’s
best friend Tomiche is murdered accidently. This causes an even bigger rift between Carol and
her family. We are to assume her father was captured after the incident and imprisoned. What
was to come of Carol then? How could her relationship grow with everything that has
happened? Her being an American makes it very hard to adapt to the new culture because of all
the events that have led to this point. I’m sure she is ready to return to the states after
everything that has happened.

Volver Michael Kennedy

Volver is a film that involves a family of women who have family issues that each woman
has to deal with their own way. There are some secrets that are made known that changes
each woman’s perspective. In the opening scene we see the family cleaning off the grave
stone of their departed family member Irene who was mother to Raimunda and Sole and aunt
to Raimunda’s daughter Paula. We see them working together closely at the gravesite assuming
all is well within the family. Being from a Hispanic culture families tend to be quite close. But as
in any family there can be tension. After the girls visit the gravesite they stop and see their Aunt
Paula. She seems to take to Raimunda but not Sole so much. There is tension between them
and we are not sure why. Being from a hot climate culture you would not think there would be
such tension. She only got a little smooch while the other received many. The body language
says it all in this scene and was somewhat comical. It isn’t till later we know why this is so.
Raimunda’s daughter goes through a traumatic event with her (who we assumed was) father.
He is found dead on the kitchen floor after attacking Paula and trying to rape her. Both women,
Raimunda and her daughter pull together and take care of the situation. Raimunda does what
she has too to protect her daughter. Raimunda eventually has other friends and family
unknowingly help her dispose of the body and bury him by the river.
Agustina continues to have doubts about what really happened to her hippie mother. She was
one to stand out in the crowd and for no one to know where she had gone was puzzling to her.
There was talk between the women that if there was something that needed to be done or
something that was too important to be dismissed that the dead could be seen by other family
members that were involved. Sole did not like this talk and it scared her to think of the ghostly
figures being in her presence. Agustina was a neighbor of Aunt Paula and she confessed to
Sole that she had heard Paula talking to the ghost of Sole’s mother Irene. Sole encounters the
ghost herself, and when she returns to Madrid, she discovers that the ghost has stowed away
in the trunk of her car and has brought luggage! Sole is somewhat frightened in the beginning
but soon becomes comfortable with her being there. Sole tries to determine why her mother
has returned to earth, asking her if there was anything she had left undone in her life. This is
when the story gets interesting. Irene does say that she has issues she needs to resolve relating
to the questions of why Raimunda hates her and why she is afraid to reveal herself.
After Agustina is diagnosed with cancer she is visited in the hospital by Raimunda and asked
if she had seen her dead mother’s ghost. She was hoping that the ghost would help her know
fate of her mother before she herself dies. Raimunda has not but soon the truth becomes
known of Agustina’s mother. When visiting Sole’s home Raimunda is made aware that her
mother’s ghost is in fact in the other room watching T.V. with her Paula her daughter. At first
she was angry, confused and a little frightened as she left her sister’s home but is soon
convinced by Paula to return and talk to her mother. Irene explained to Raimunda that she was
furious with herself when she found out what her father was doing to her. She also explained
that because of the abuse and the fact that he was having an affair with Agustina’s mother
she set fire to their hut killing them both.
Irene eventually reveals herself to Agustina, who believes her to be a ghost. Irene then pledges
to stay in the village and care for Agustina as her cancer worsens. She tells Raimunda that this
the least she could do after killing her mother.
Volver is a film that was able to show how family, and women in particular, are able to
rebound after adversity. There are actually two stories within this one family that are quite
similar. In the end both women prevail and both men end up dead. The women did what they
felt they had to do to survive even though what they did was wrong. This was their way of
getting retribution for what was done to them. In my opinion this would have to be one of the
real life aspects of the film. These women had to do what they felt they had too to survive even
though it may have been against the law.

Guantanamera
Michael Kennedy

As the film opens we see Aunt Yoyita and Georgina riding in a car down the streets of
Guantanamo. Yoyita can’t believe how things have changed. The buildings all have a
“run-down” look to them. The town and its people do not seem to be doing very well. Times
appear rough for Guantanamo and all of Cuba for that matter during the 1990’s. Cuba’s belts
had to be tightened quite a bit after the fall of the Soviet Union. Cuba had relied heavily on
the Soviet Union for imported goods. This had sent Cuba into a major rapid depression. The
embargo on goods coming from the U.S. were restricted as well making the times even worse.
In the film we see the lack of food and the limited amount of gas that was allowed. There are
a few times we see Tony hiding away bananas to most likely eventually sell or give to family.
There is no shortage of rum, coffee or tea because at each stop all of these are being consumed
by the patrons. Cuba exports all of these items so they are in abundance as well are cigars. Food
on the other hand is rationed by the government. At one stop Aldolfo even asks “Do you have
Food?” Most places they stopped did not have anything to eat – only drinks. There was scene
where at a funeral a man complained that he did not get his “snack” as promised in the cost
of the funeral. There were others too wanting their snack as well. And before you knew it
people were grabbing what they could get a hold of to eat. This was the filmmaker’s way of
showing how bad things really were that people would fight over such a simple thing.
As we all know Aldolfo is trying to make himself known for organizing a system for transporting
corpses across the island as a means of saving petrol. At one point in the film we see people
bowing to a statue and Aldolfo imagines himself on top of the pedestal as people praise him.
It’s no doubt he seeks to be well recognized for his efforts and he gets all upset when his
convoy gets behind schedule. Aldolfo wants this system to work because in the governments
eyes he will be a hero because he is able to save petrol. As their little convoy reaches a new
destination we see many people lining the streets needing rides to different towns. This is a
sign of the times. Many people do not own a car and cannot get from place to place without
waiting on the side of the road for vehicles to pass that may offer them a ride. As it turns out
Mariano and his truck are on the same route as Aldolfo and Gina. As he stops too many people
climb into his truck to obtain a ride to whatever town may be on their route. Petrol and many
other items are not in abundance any longer and people are doing what they can to get by.
Mariano is a graduated engineer and is working as a truck driver because there are no jobs.
he apparently is doing well though making enough money to survive. Even though times were
bad people seemed to try and help one another. Being a hot climate culture this was what
they had to do to get by.
As each vehicle is en route music is usually on. The style of music is mostly mambo or salsa that
we can hear. In the film Candido had asked to turn off the music because it was not
appropriate to listen to “celebration” music at a time like this being it was a funeral procession.
As the film progresses we see glimpses of a little girl that was in a photo early on in the film.
Only Candido saw the girl at first. Who was this girl? At the end of the film we see her again at
the cemetery as Aldolfo stands upon a stone to give a speech for the deceased Candido and
Yoyita (well- it was supposed to be Yoyita anyway). We see the little girl walking up to the
crowd and then looks up and opens her umbrella. It then begins to pour down rain. Everyone
scatters and Aldolfo loses grip of the speech and starts to yell at everyone as they are leaving
that he was not done with his speech. Gina is seen meeting up with Mariano and them riding
off. I feel the little girl in the film represents Iku’. Everything is now in place. The deceased are
now at peace; Gina has left with the man who loves her; and Aldolfo is left standing alone
because he only really cared about himself in the first place.

The Official Story

Michael Kennedy

The year was 1983 and Argentina was again under civilian rule after a brutal rule by the
state. In the 1970’s there was what was called the Dirty War going on. Leftists were more or
less at war with the state and during this time many people were persecuted against. The term
“Dirty” meant just that. As a means to deter people who were against the state, tactics were
used to strike fear into those who did not abide by the states laws. People were raped and
tortured as a means of keeping social order. We learn this first hand when Alicia and Anna are
reminiscing while having a few adult beverages. At one point Anna describes to Alicia that she
tortured by the state because she lived with whom the state deemed a “subversive” man.
Anna said that she would have raped too but there was one military person who wanted her all
for himself. Luckily for her that day never came. Anna states that when she heard screams she
was unsure if it was her or someone else screaming. I would have to think that Anna felt like
her situation was hopeless. Many other women were being persecuted against as well.
Alicia, as well as other members of the Argentinean middle class, were not aware of how much
killing and suffering has gone on in the country until her students began to complain that the
“government approved” History books that were given to them were not exactly correct. As
Alicia starts to investigate further the validity of what her friend Anna had told her about the
persecution of thousands of people who are now missing. Alicia goes downtown and sees
people protesting against the state wanting to know where their loved ones are. For these
family members there may have been hope – the hope of seeing their loved ones again. We
see many pictures on signs of those who are missing. Alicia befriends a woman in a hospital as
she was trying to find evidence/documentation of her adopted child’s birth. But no one is of
any help. So they decide to help each other in their quest to find information about their loved
ones. They are both hopeful that with each other’s help they will find what they are looking for.
But as time goes on Alicia’s friend becomes suspicious of her and we see her and two other
friends watching Alicia picking up Gaby from school. Alicia has to be thinking “What is going on
here?” Why are they looking at me like that? Now that Alicia knows that many women had
babies and were never seen again. Alicia wants to know “who” this child’s birth mother was and
where is she? Alicia is forced to confront her husband Roberto about how this child
was obtained. Roberto avoids Alicia’s attempts to know what exactly happened the day Gaby
came home. Alicia at this point becomes very worried that something is not right.
Alicia had met a woman in a café who might possibly be Gaby’s maternal grandmother. The
timeline of the woman’s daughter gone missing and Gaby’s birth coincide. Alicia begins to cry
because she knows now that Gaby was most likely taken from her mother and then murdered.
Feelings of hopelessness come over Alicia at this point. She is in fear of losing her adopted
daughter because she knows the truth. This becomes most evident when Roberto meets the
woman who is most likely Gaby’s grandmother and he wants her out of the house. Soon after
Roberto learns Gaby is not in her room. He wants to know where she is. As a lesson to Roberto
Alicia says to Roberto “How do you like not knowing where your child is?” He becomes violent
and starts to bang Alicia’s head into the door frame and crushes her hand in the door. His true
colors are now known. Alicia knows now that Roberto had brought home a child from one
whom was persecuted against. Roberto is the one now who is feeling hopeless. Not only is
he going to lose Gaby but probably Alicia too.
The ending of the film has some irony to it. When Alicia was a child she lost her parents to
a car accident unbeknownst to her because her grandparents never told her. But every day she
would sit on the porch and sit in a rocking chair waiting for them to arrive. They never came.
We have to wonder, “who” is Gaby waiting for as she rocks in her chair on the porch? I feel
There is hope for Gaby because no matter where she ends up she will have loving family to
take care of her. But there has to be feelings of hopelessness on the women’s part too because
one of them will be without Gaby.

Like Water for Chocolate
Michael Kennedy

This is a story about a young woman who wants to be loved by the man who loves her but cannot because of a De Le Garza family tradition. The youngest daughter, who is Tita in this case, is not allowed to marry and has to stay and take care of her mother till she dies. Tita feels this tradition is "silly" and does not agree with it at all. She has fallen in love with Pedro and Pedro with her and wants to marry Tita but Elena forbade this because of the family tradition. So Pedro rationalizes and decides to marry Rosaura so he could be close to Tita.
As a Mexican culture food is an important component of family traditions. Recipes are passed down from generation to generation. Food plays a big role in this film and is being used to express a range of human emotions. Tita is an incredible cook and she literally pours her heart and sole into everything she makes. Since Tita cannot seduce her love interest physically she does this through her cooking. But this effects everyone who eats her food and not just Pedro. Tita made her recipes with such love that it affected the people who ate her meals. This caused people who ate her food to become sexually aroused. This happened in two instances. The first time Tita made a "rose sauce" from the flowers Pedro had given her. Elena had told Tita to throw them out but in spite of her mother she made the sauce as a way of pouring her "feelings" of love for Pedro into the recipe. As each family member consumed the meal you could see they were all affected by their physical reactions. Gertrudis had such a strong reaction she rushes to the bathhouse to take care of her urges. The second time this happens is after Elena's funeral. I personally think Tita did what she did to spite her mother yet again even though she was dead. After eating what appears to be stuffed peppers we see everyone becoming sexually aroused yet again. We even see the priest running off with a woman. Tita was loving every minute of too.
Like Water for Chocolate I think had a double meaning for this film. In some Latin American countries hot chocolate is made with water and not milk. Chocolate will not melt until water reaches its boiling point. In my opinion this was used as a metaphor in two ways. In the beginning of the film Tita has the burring passion to be with Pedro and Pedro with her. We can see that it is obvious the two are attracted to one another. There was sexual tension in the air but neither one of them could do anything about it because Pedro was not allowed to marry Tita. Now, this is where I think the the other meaning of the title comes in. Tita was told by her mother you will never marry because it is our family tradition the youngest daughter is to take care of me till I die. Tita was treated poorly by her mother all the time. This made Tita "boiling mad" and was quite upset that she could not do as she pleased. Tita eventually "told off" her mother's spirit and made her feelings known.
Magical realism was used throughout the film. As mentioned above Tita's food was able to make people become increasingly aroused and have them act on their emotions. This is something you don't see every day. The ability to cook something to make one have really bad breathe and flatulent continuously as was the case for her sister because she took her man. Also when Rosaura became quite ill and dying from a nasty smelling bowel dysfunction. Maybe a way of saying "screw you for taking up mother's ways" beacuse Tita wasn't going to have what happened to her happen to Esperanza. Tita was able to breastfeed when never having been pregnant. The incredibly long quilt that Tita had knitted was a little far-fetched too. Gertrudis becoming a general for the Mexican forces (not to say that it couldn't happen) was little out there. These magical realisms made the film somewhat comedic at times. The storymaker wanted us to "feel" what he was trying to portray his meaning onscreen in an obviously unrealistic way. But that is what draws us in and gains our attention to detail making us, the audience, think for ourselves the reason it is that way it is.

Diarios de Motocicleta
Michael Kennedy

Ernesto was a young man who was in school to become a doctor. He wanted to help people and particularly people that have leprosy. That alone is a sign that he cared for people as a whole. As the two young men were moving from place to place they did what they could to seek shelter and acquire a free meal as often as possible. Ernesto was the gentleman when it came to talking to strangers – and he did this with ease. He always seemed calm and confident no matter what the situation. Soon into their journey they came upon an older couple’s home in San Martin de los Andes, Argentina. The old man had learned that the two were doctors and had them look at his neck. Ernesto, being the honest one, told the man that he may have a tumor and not a sebaceous cyst as Alberto had stated. Ernesto gave up a free meal and a place to stay to be the “Doctor” and not the weary traveler. He put aside his own needs and was looking out for a stranger’s best interest. This was an act of selflessness, as he put someone else before himself. To be a true leader this one trait a person must have.
Ernesto again put aside his own desires to help another stranger in need. While in Los Angeles, Chile. He and Alberto had met two local girls and were on their way out to have some fun (or so we are to assume) when a local man asks Ernesto to come see a sick family member. His compassion and sympathy for the woman outweighs what fun he could have had with a girl. His decision was simple, take care of those in need. It was obvious that Ernesto was a caring person to have done something like this for someone who he didn’t even know. Everywhere he goes he kind to everyone he meets. Ernesto is a very approachable person. This is a huge asset when it comes to being able to talk to individuals and earning their trust. Ernesto did not have problem with people trusting him. You could tell right away people were comfortable around him.
Everywhere Ernesto went he was always talking to the locals taking in what was around him. I think he was trying to learn as much as he could wherever went. When they arrived in Cuzco Peru he noticed there was there was something wrong. After talking to one of the local men Ernesto learned What Fulgencio Batista was doing to their country. He wanted to know everything that was being done them. The politics involved here gave Ernesto an idea of what a leader should not be doing to his own people.
Throughout the film Alberto was always trying to get Ernesto to give him the $15.00 he possessed to use it for one thing or another. Ernesto always said no to Alberto. After boarding the boat that was taking them too San Pablo, Peru Alberto met a hooker and he wanted to be with her so he asked Ernesto again for the money only come to find out that he gave it to a couple in Peru because they had nothing. Ernesto was such a giving person to do such a thing. It seems that when a situation comes up, and Ernesto can help in some way, he does.
When in San Pablo the doctors informed Ernesto and Alberto of the head Nun’s rules. If you are to have contact with the patient’s you must wear gloves. Ernesto questioned this because leprosy is not contagious so why the need for gloves? Ernesto took it upon himself to not discriminate the people he was going to treat, so he made the choice not to wear gloves as did Alberto. Another rule was that if you wanted to eat you had to attend mass. Ernesto and Alberto did not so they were unable to get food from the Madre. But because he had made such an impression on the people he was treating they brought the food to him, knowing they were breaking the rules as well. Ernesto had people that trusted him. Earning one’s trust can spread too many people trusting you.
Ernesto had all the qualities a person could have to become a great leader. He was a good listener and communicator. He was an honest, caring, sympathetic, compassionate, trustworthy individual who really cared about people around him.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Michael Kennedy

How are Spanish speaking women interactions with men within the same culture?
It seemed to me that both the men and women in the film were very comfortable with each other. Even though some of them are strangers to one another they seemed to interact as if they knew each other. I guess it’s kind of a hard thing to describe but easier just to observe. I would assume that it is just the culture that we are seeing in the film. Carlos starts to kiss Candela as if it was no big deal. In a America he would have been lucky to have been able to walk out of the apartment. It’s not like she welcomed him kissing her but she wasn’t all that upset either.
As far as feelings of the characters go I think they were right on. Again it was their culture that came through on screen. From the discussion in class the other day I would have to say that Spain is definitely a “Hot Climate” country and the interaction between the characters would be expected I think.

Do you find any differences between women in the film and today’s American women?

In one respect maybe and that being the woman seemed to be in more control. Pepa was the one pursuing and was running the show. Actually female character had a certain – how can I put this – hardness to them I guess. An in your face attitude at times. They seemed to be the ones pursuing instead of being pursued.

What could have been different in the film if the context was in the U.S.?

Not much different I think except for some of the culture differences. The characters would have had different personalities due to the culture differences. The men would have been not as forward and the women more reserved I think.
My impressions of the film plot – Well as comedy film I think it was a little slow. And maybe because I am from a different culture that could be the reason I saw it this way. This was the first “comedy” film of a different culture that I have ever seen so it is hard to critique the plot at this time. I did like the movie but it was too slow for me as a comedy goes.

Do you think there is a difference among women from Spanish America and women from Spanish Europe?

Yes I think there would be a little bit of a difference because I think the Spanish American women would adopt American cultures at some point. They would not forget where they came from but they would change how they do certain things – culturally speaking.

Machuca: Socialism vs. Militarism in S. America

1). When Gonzalo and Pedro met for the first time in class you saw them looking at each other intently. Neither one of them said anything - just looking at each other most likely thinking "Who is this person and what are they like?". We know that the newer kids in class were probably going to have a hard time fitting in because they were from the other side of the tracks so to speak. Integrating them into the "rich kids" school. Gonzalo appears to be the quiet and one who doesn't say too much He gets teased often by the other kids in his school but he doesn't seem to mind. Pedro on the other hand doesn't take any crap from any of them. So this kind of gives us an idea of each characters personality early on in the film. Gonzalo earned Pedro's friendship in the schoolyard when he Gonzalo knocked the other kids off Pedro. At this point Pedro knew he could trust Gonzalo and I believe this was the beginning of their friendship. As time went on Gonzalo spent much time with Pedro and his friends. He even went to demonstrations to pass out flags to help earn money for their families who were barely getting by as it was. Gonzalo got to see first hand how Pedro lived. Pedro even hesitated at first to invite Gonzalo to his home most likely because he was embarrassed. This was a crucial time for Gonzalo because for the first time he really saw how different their lifestyles really were. Politics played no role in their friendship whatsoever. But that changed shortly after General Pinochet took over and the military was moving in to remove everyone from the "shantytown" as it was called. Gonzalo was riding his bike through all the mayhem when he came to Pedro's house and saw what was happening. One of the guards even grabbed Gonzalo to take him into custody as "one of them" until he said "Just look at me". This was as if he was saying "I am in no way like any of them". Pedro had heard him say this and at that point it was clear there was now a void between them. The social classes were put into perspective by that comment. Gonzalo and Pedro's eyes met and you could see that Pedro was thinking "How could you say something like that". This would be the last time they would see each other. There must have been some guilt that Gonzalo was experiencing because he went back to the site of Pedro's "Shantytown" but - everything was gone. So was his friend Pedro. Could he have helped Pedro somehow?
2). Distinguishing the differences between the two classes was easy. We can see who has the money and who doesn't by how each class dresses. There was a scene when Pedro was at Gonzalo's house and he was looking at all of his things intently. He even commented on Gonzalo's closet asking "Are all those yours!?" As if asking Gonzalo if he had to share any of those clothes with anyone else. A comment like this leads us to believe that Pedro must not have very much at all as far as tangible items goes. Gonzalo gave Pedro a pair of sneakers and Pedro was on cloud nine running in place with excitement. Tangible items were far and few for Pedro.
Because the country was more or less falling apart at this time and there were more and more strikes everyday necessities could only be bought on the black market. Well, the rich did not have any problems getting what they needed because they had the money but since there was no work and therefore no money coming in it was much more difficult for the blue collared people to make ends meet. In this case Pedro had to hit the streets selling flags and cigarettes for money along with others from his community to gather as much cash as they could to survive.
3). I think one of the messages the film is trying to portray here is "Why can't we all just get along?" It is easier said than done though. There was a scene where a young woman stated that "No matter what happened to the animals it was always my fathers fault". It seems to be much easier to blame others when things go wrong rather than trying to work things out. Yes we come from different backgrounds and yes some of us have more money than others but why does that have to mean anything? Unfortunately since the dawn of man this is how it has been - but why? You would think we would have learned from our mistakes by now and changed how we live in this world. You see innocent young children who are "taught" how to think about other people and cultures rather than letting them decide for themselves what to think. Gonzalo was neutral in this regard and was open to making friends with Pedro even though he was not in the same "class" as Pedro. It appeared he did not care from what background Pedro came, he just saw another child who he thought needed a friend. Maybe Gonzalo felt sorry for Pedro? He was an outsider that was in an unfamiliar situation and he offered his friendship to ease the transition. Fr. McEnroe was reaching out as well hoping maybe that the community would be behind him in what he was trying to do. This obviously did not work. The rich did not want to budge. Little did they know it was their own children causing the problems, & not the other way around.
Another message from this film would be that it only takes one man in power to ruin a country. Allende's socialist and communistic ways drove the country into the ground causing a major depression. People were losing their jobs and basic needs were unattainable because of what Allende had caused. As in any country though disaster could strike. It only takes one person to convince many that they know what is right for the country - or is it?
4). I find it disheartening that a country could discriminate its own people. Although it happens every day everywhere we look. We are to assume at the end of the film Pedro's people are being persecuted for a reason. What reason? Are they a threat to their country? Hardly. They are being discriminated against because their views may be a little different. As a culture though they are all pretty much the same - aren't they? I could really see no difference between Gonzalo and Pedro except for their clothes and lifestyles. They spoke the same language - had similar interests. Discrimination is what kills. As a country and as an individual. Who is the government to judge people the way they do. Every country has its problems but it is the smaller countries who have been literally getting away with murder. I just find it so hard to believe that a country can kill its own - and get away with it. The end of the film is a good example of this. An innocent girl is trying to defend a man she calls "Dad" as he is kicked and beaten. She is of no real threat the the military men but she is shot anyway. Was this justified - No! But will anything come it - No! This is no way to run a country.

La Misma Luna

1) Rosario made her way to the United States on her own for a few reasons. First of all it would have been unsafe to take her son with her because of the risk of losing him or worse having him taken away. Rosario had a plan and that plan was to go to the America’s and make as much money as she could so that she could bring Carlitos to the United States to be with her. At the same time she would be able to help take care of her ailing mother by finding work wherever she could to send money each month. If Carlitos was with her she would not have been able to work and take care of her son at the same time.
2) Rosario knew what she had to do to make life better for her and Carlitos. Life in Mexico was not what she wanted for herself or her son. She wanted out and to do this she had to make one of the most extreme sacrifices any parent could ever face. Being separated from one’s child for as long as Rosario is heartbreaking and we see this each time she talks to Carlitos every Sunday when she calls him. So the decision was extremely difficult because she knew she would be separated from her family but she also knew what she could do to make things much better for them and that is why she chose to leave.
3) As time went on Carlitos became more and more worried that he would never see his mother again. He even says this while sitting at the table with his Grandmother as he starts to cry. Carlitos was more or less taking care of his Grandmother and had no one else to rely on and was becoming more and more lonely. He was even confronted with an aunt and uncle he never knew. I think he felt like the world was crashing in around him without his mother there especially after his grandmother passed away. I know this is why he set out to find his mother.
Rosario was having the same problem Carlitos was - that being away from her son. They were both yearning for each other’s company. I think Rosario felt helpless, guilty and sad that she was without her son and was even having second thoughts wondering if she had made the right decision and was ready to return back to Mexico.
4) I don’t think it would matter where a mother lived in this world I think they would do whatever it took to do right by their children. Making life the best for our children is what all parents strive for or what they should strive for anyway. Parents go to extreme measures to make life good so they can take this with them when they have their own children.