DVD Mini Review - August Evening
I just want to say a few words about this little gem of a film. I got a DVD copy of it when I was a member of IFP (Independent Feature Project) and voting in the Spirit awards. This film arrived to late for me to vote for it. And I hadn't seen any of the other films in its category - for the John Cassavetes awards for films made for under $500,000. But this film won (and its lead Pedro Castaneda was nominated for Best Actor) and it is easy to see why. It is a wonderful little film.
Undocumented immigrant Jaime (Castaneda) lives in a rural Texas town with his wife Maria (Raquel Gavia) and his daughter in law Lupe (Veronica Loren). Veronica was married to Jaime and Maria's son Manuel who died in an accident. Jaime works in an egg production farm. When Maria dies suddenly their lives are thrown into a tailspin. In addition, Jaime loses his job because he is getting too old to do it.
They both head for San Antonio which is where Jaime's son Victor (Abel Becerra) and daughter Alice (Sandra Rios) live (I should say that we already met them at their mother's funeral). But Jaime does not get the kind of welcome he was hoping for from his children. While living in San Antonio Lupe meets Luis (Walter Peres), a young man who fall for her.
I won't say much else about the film. It is about ordinary day to day things that happen to ordinary people. Chris Eska wrote, directed and edited the film all by himself for about $40,000. Now that is quite an achievement for a first time filmmaker. The cinematography by Yasu Tanida is amazing. And the whole cast is wonderful. This is a film of emotions, feelings, quiet moments. It takes its unfolding. If you only like fast paced action films then this is not a film for you.
But I would take this film over every superhero movie out there.
The film is in very limited release right now so if you can't see it in the theater then make sure you catch on DVD.
Undocumented immigrant Jaime (Castaneda) lives in a rural Texas town with his wife Maria (Raquel Gavia) and his daughter in law Lupe (Veronica Loren). Veronica was married to Jaime and Maria's son Manuel who died in an accident. Jaime works in an egg production farm. When Maria dies suddenly their lives are thrown into a tailspin. In addition, Jaime loses his job because he is getting too old to do it.
They both head for San Antonio which is where Jaime's son Victor (Abel Becerra) and daughter Alice (Sandra Rios) live (I should say that we already met them at their mother's funeral). But Jaime does not get the kind of welcome he was hoping for from his children. While living in San Antonio Lupe meets Luis (Walter Peres), a young man who fall for her.
I won't say much else about the film. It is about ordinary day to day things that happen to ordinary people. Chris Eska wrote, directed and edited the film all by himself for about $40,000. Now that is quite an achievement for a first time filmmaker. The cinematography by Yasu Tanida is amazing. And the whole cast is wonderful. This is a film of emotions, feelings, quiet moments. It takes its unfolding. If you only like fast paced action films then this is not a film for you.
But I would take this film over every superhero movie out there.
The film is in very limited release right now so if you can't see it in the theater then make sure you catch on DVD.
posted by Film Fanatic | 8:36 PM
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