I really enjoyed this film. It brought out many emotions in myself, anger, frustration, love, hurt, pain, jealously, exasperation, giving up hope, settling, exhilaration, etc.
I have not heard of Magical Realism(MR) before this class, however, this film had several examples of it. I guess the one that stands out the most was in the first scene. Mama Elena is cutting up onions and crying, placenta breaks, Tita is born. From all of the tears there were ten pounds of salt left behind to be used for cooking. The tears also signify how Tita was to be "cursed with sadness" for the rest of her life. MaMa Elena has dedicated Tita's life to taking care of her in her old age and not to ever marry. Tita doesn't agree with it and thinks it's absurd.
Tita displays her true feelings in her cooking, mostly loneliness and a longing for love. While making Rosaura's wedding cake she hallucinates and cries into the batter and icing. Nacha takes samples to make sure the tears have not ruined it, she is found dead clutching a picture of her lost lover. At the wedding reception, people felt sad and heart sick from the cake(MR).
Tita must deliver Rosura's son Roberto because there wasn't a doctor available. During this, Nacha help to guide her in spirit(MR). Tita starts to produce breast milk to care for Roberto when Rosaura cannot (MR). Pedro brings roses to Tita for being the head cook for a year. While preparing dinner, Nacha coaches Tita on how to make Quail and a sauce with the rose petals. Tita cooks with sexuality and intense need for love for Pedro. During dinner Pedro feels what she put into it and calls it "The Nectar of the Gods". MaMa Elena calls it "too salty" so as not to agree. Gertrudis after eating takes off naked, jumps onto a horse with Juan, and makes out with him as they ride off to join the Mexican Revolution.(MR)
Pedro and Rosaura are forced to leave because MaMa Elena feels Pedro and Tita are becoming too close. She also doesn't like Tita caring so much for Roberto.
Word is sent that Roberto has died from lack of nutrition. Tita knows that it is because she could not breast feed him.
Tita then has a nervous breakdown and meets Dr. John Brown. He recovers her and have established a bond.They decide to marry even though Tita still loves Pedro. After learning there was an invasion of the ranch, Tita returns to care for her mother. MaMa Elena is downright evil to Tita and believes she is trying to kill her by poisoning the food. MaMa Elena takes an overdose of an emetic and dies. Tita believes she died from frustration of love, just like she is frustrated.
Rosaura births girl and wants to name it after Tita, she adamantly refuses. Rosaura also says that the baby, later named Esperanza, will have to take care of her in age due to tradition. Tita vows to not let it happen. Pedro and Tita make love after Pedro learns of her getting married. Tita believes she is pregnant. MaMa Elena's ghost appears and curses Tita for what she has done(MR).
Gertrudis comes home as a General. MaMa Elena appears again cursing Tita(MR).Tita finally stands up for herself and tells her mother to go away, and that she hates her. As her mother disappears she catches Pedro on fire(MR). Tita nurses Pedro back to health.
Tita tells John about losing her virginity and cancels the wedding. John still wants to marry her despite what happened.
22 years later Esperanza and Johns son, Alex, marry. Rosaura had died from G.I. problems. Tita and Pedro can finally be together without any complications. They make love and Pedro dies immediately from intense passion. Pedros' soul had returned to it's divine origin. Tita will not live without Pedro, so she eats matches and they spontaneously com bust consuming both of them. Their spirits are joined in a lighted tunnel, representing the eternity they will have together, finally. The ranch is destroyed completely, well almost. The daughter of Esperanza finds the recipe book with the story of their love.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Motorcycle Diaries
I really enjoyed this movie a lot, and I don’t understand why I’ve never heard of Ernesto “Che” Guevara. There are many scenes that display experiences that possibly shaped his personality as a future leader. You could tell immediately that Ernesto came from a very loving family. This may be why he was so emotional with the people he meets throughout the movie. Ernesto was one semester away from becoming a Dr. He and his friend, Alberto “Mial”Granado decide to go on a four month adventure to tour Latin America. Their main purpose of the adventure is tourism, but end up with intentions to work in a leper colony in Peru. The first stop along the way, they stay at Ernesto’s girlfriend’s house, Chechina, for eight days. Ernesto is very torn between his desires for her, and his calling to help the sick and poor. Chichina begs him to stay, and if so she will give her body to him. He gives her a puppy named Comeback, to remind her that he will be back. She gives him $15.00 to buy her some fancy panties. The men take off on “The Mighty One” that has many mechanical problems. The men, without any money sleep in barns along side of the help and in railway stations. Ernesto suffers his first asthma attack at the railway station. It is very severe and made me realize how terrible this disease is. I believe in the back of Ernesto’s head that this is one more reason to help the sick and impoverished. The men barely avoid many serious accidents as the travel along the coast of Chili. They see the poverty of the indigenous peasants. The movie starts to take a more serious note and the men now see very clearly the division in South America. The scene that stands out the most was the communist couple running from police for that reason. The couple has left their child with family to seek out work. Ernesto becomes very angry when the copper mine manager will not give the people water to drink. Another scene where Ernesto looks down onto a small boat, hitched to the back of a river ship with the poor. He observes and makes eye contact with the people. He is feeling saddened and angry for these impoverished people. Ernesto realizes there is a need for action. For three weeks Ernesto and Alberto work at the San Pablo leper colony. Ernesto sees the division of society. The staff lives on one side of the river and the 600 lepers live on the other. Ernesto, against the advice of a Doctor, refuses to wear gloves. He wants to be more personal with the lepers, and get a better understanding of their personality and illness. The men help the lepers build homes, garden, and tend to livestock. The lepers have formed their own community and Ernesto is taken by this coming together. He feels much compassion for them. Ernesto celebrates his 24th birthday and makes his 1st political speech! Despite another asthma attack, Ernesto decides to swim across the Amazon, which no one else has ever made to spend his last night with the lepers. He makes it and they celebrate. I believe this journey was a very important part of Ernesto’s life. He really got a true understanding of the diversion and injustice in Latin America, and the importance for a revolution. This conviction has given him something to fight for.
I really enjoyed this movie a lot, and I don’t understand why I’ve never heard of Ernesto “Che” Guevara. There are many scenes that display experiences that possibly shaped his personality as a future leader. You could tell immediately that Ernesto came from a very loving family. This may be why he was so emotional with the people he meets throughout the movie. Ernesto was one semester away from becoming a Dr. He and his friend, Alberto “Mial”Granado decide to go on a four month adventure to tour Latin America. Their main purpose of the adventure is tourism, but end up with intentions to work in a leper colony in Peru. The first stop along the way, they stay at Ernesto’s girlfriend’s house, Chechina, for eight days. Ernesto is very torn between his desires for her, and his calling to help the sick and poor. Chichina begs him to stay, and if so she will give her body to him. He gives her a puppy named Comeback, to remind her that he will be back. She gives him $15.00 to buy her some fancy panties. The men take off on “The Mighty One” that has many mechanical problems. The men, without any money sleep in barns along side of the help and in railway stations. Ernesto suffers his first asthma attack at the railway station. It is very severe and made me realize how terrible this disease is. I believe in the back of Ernesto’s head that this is one more reason to help the sick and impoverished. The men barely avoid many serious accidents as the travel along the coast of Chili. They see the poverty of the indigenous peasants. The movie starts to take a more serious note and the men now see very clearly the division in South America. The scene that stands out the most was the communist couple running from police for that reason. The couple has left their child with family to seek out work. Ernesto becomes very angry when the copper mine manager will not give the people water to drink. Another scene where Ernesto looks down onto a small boat, hitched to the back of a river ship with the poor. He observes and makes eye contact with the people. He is feeling saddened and angry for these impoverished people. Ernesto realizes there is a need for action. For three weeks Ernesto and Alberto work at the San Pablo leper colony. Ernesto sees the division of society. The staff lives on one side of the river and the 600 lepers live on the other. Ernesto, against the advice of a Doctor, refuses to wear gloves. He wants to be more personal with the lepers, and get a better understanding of their personality and illness. The men help the lepers build homes, garden, and tend to livestock. The lepers have formed their own community and Ernesto is taken by this coming together. He feels much compassion for them. Ernesto celebrates his 24th birthday and makes his 1st political speech! Despite another asthma attack, Ernesto decides to swim across the Amazon, which no one else has ever made to spend his last night with the lepers. He makes it and they celebrate. I believe this journey was a very important part of Ernesto’s life. He really got a true understanding of the diversion and injustice in Latin America, and the importance for a revolution. This conviction has given him something to fight for.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Spanish speaking women interactions with men in the same culture are no different than here in America. There will always be the women that wants to hang onto her man no matter what. In this situation Pepa was involved with a married man. Who was she to think that Ivan would not do the same thing to her. Karma! Trying to make Ivan love her only make her drug addictions worse than what they were already. I'm not sure if the fainting was an act, pill popping, or her pregnancy. I think that her desperation and failed attempts to make him love her, had finally worn her out. Pepa reminded me of the movie Fatal Attraction. Ivan on the other hand was a Macho man, or THOUGHT he was. Women may have been attracted to him because he was already involved in a relationship. If able to take him away from the other women would mean that he really truly loves her the most. Something to think about.
Differences between women in the film and today's women would be an over-reaction for most normal people; However, a woman's obsession it not to be dealt with lightly. The over reaction to the missed phone calls, the missed Ivan, calling Ivan's other women was just embarrassing. Now Candella would believe whatever a man would say to her for the affection in return. She really messed up with this lifestyle when she got involved with a Shiite. The attempted suicide convinced me that these women were all nut cases. I couldn't grasp what Marissa was all about because she was unintentionally drugged and slept. If the context of this film were in the US there may have been more physical violence. Women in the us listen to music that flatters ruining peoples cars or personal property. Have you heard of "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood?
I was not very entertained by this film, I guess I was expecting more from a comedy. How do you compete with The Hangover?
The difference between Spanish American and Spanish European women is the sophistication in Europe. The women there seem more advanced than in America and more self-centered. I think that there are higher family morals in America.
Differences between women in the film and today's women would be an over-reaction for most normal people; However, a woman's obsession it not to be dealt with lightly. The over reaction to the missed phone calls, the missed Ivan, calling Ivan's other women was just embarrassing. Now Candella would believe whatever a man would say to her for the affection in return. She really messed up with this lifestyle when she got involved with a Shiite. The attempted suicide convinced me that these women were all nut cases. I couldn't grasp what Marissa was all about because she was unintentionally drugged and slept. If the context of this film were in the US there may have been more physical violence. Women in the us listen to music that flatters ruining peoples cars or personal property. Have you heard of "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood?
I was not very entertained by this film, I guess I was expecting more from a comedy. How do you compete with The Hangover?
The difference between Spanish American and Spanish European women is the sophistication in Europe. The women there seem more advanced than in America and more self-centered. I think that there are higher family morals in America.
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