The Oscars were just awarded last weekend and my marathon
viewing of Best Picture nominees is finally over. I didn’t quite get to see
them all, but it is a good motivation to see the movies getting most of the
buzz. Typically, it is difficult to see any of the Best Foreign Film nominated
movies before the Oscars because in most places in the U.S., they aren’t in the
theaters. We have to wait until they come out on DVD.
In this blog, I have written about bad movies on buses in Latin America
before (see this post). I have also suggested seeing movies, from the U.S. or
elsewhere, when traveling in other countries (check this post). But today, I am
going to suggest a few movies that you can view without your passport or an airline ticket.
The Motorcycle Diaries
This is a road trip movie, a road trip where a young man
explores new and amazing places. It is the story of Ernesto “Che” Guevara before he
became a revolutionary and pop culture icon. But the part that interests me the
most is how traveling changed the way he viewed the world. He saw injustices
and suffering people, and he didn’t just take a snap shot of them to take home
and show his friends and family. He immersed himself in an effort to help people and make a difference. It was inspiring to see this young and altruistic Che, as opposed to the way he is often depicted: comrade of Fidel
Castro and enemy of the CIA. Plus, the scenery and music are divine.
Here is the movie trailer:
Sin Nombre and Un Pasaje de Ida
Immigration reform is one of the hot topics in the U.S.
right now and there are plenty of people on both sides of the issue. Some folks
call undocumented immigrants “illegals,” but I really hate that term. It sounds
so inhumane. And the truth of the matter is people who come to the United States,
legally or not, are looking for a better life. And they will do anything to
find that better life, even putting themselves in extreme danger.
The following are two movies that demonstrate what people go
through to get to the American dream. Think about how difficult their lives
must be in their home countries to risk it all in these ways.
Here is the trailer for Sin Nombre, a movie that along with crossing borders, also
delves into the world of the Mexican gang world. Some people make the journey to start a new life. Others do so to escape the past.
Here is a link to the movie Un Pasaje de Ida, in its entirety. This is a Dominican film from 1989
and the quality here is very poor. Nevertheless, it is worth seeing. We forget
that not all people seek their dreams by land. And not everyone makes it to the
other side.
Guatanamera
Most everyone has heard the song, “Guantanamera” (if not, it is
at the beginning of the film link below), but here is a movie by the same name.
Guantanamera means “woman from Guantánamo,” and no! I don’t mean the U.S.
military detention and interrogation camp. I mean the province in Cuba where
actual Cuban people live their lives -- people like those depicted in this
movie. It’s another road trip film (I am the Wandering Güera afterall), this
time with a group trying to get a deceased loved one to Havana, with touching and comical trials and tribulations along the way. It is one of the
many charming Cuban films I have come to love.
I tried to find a trailer, but instead found the entire
movie here:
There are so many amazing foreign films out there, from all
over the world. They have a special flavor to them that is different than
U.S. movies. I love many movies from the U.S. But seeing films about other
countries and cultures that are made by people in those countries and cultures
is another wonderful way to see the world when you cannot cross any borders
yourself. So pop some of your own
poporopos, get comfy on the couch, and escape to another world.
