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Reviews
La otra conquista (1998)
A Powerfu, Moving Experience.
"The Other Conquest" remains the best, most engaging film yet made about the Spanish conquest of Mexico and the immense cultural, even religious changes that came about as a result. Director Salvador Carrasco has found a way to weave the history of the Conquest with a vastly entertaining, moving human story that bring characters and events to life with stunning clarity and impact. Carrasco's script is an interesting blend of analysis and questions, as he looks at the Conquest and asks universal questions about what happens when one culture imposes itself on another, or when faiths and religions clash. But for students of history and society, the most fascinating aspect of the film is how it shows the roots of what is today standard Catholic dogma in Mexico. How the particular church native to Mexico really came about as a hybrid fusion between the Catholicism brought over by the Spanish and the indigenous beliefs of the Aztec people, who found a way to keep their traditions alive while still adapting to the new forms of life forced on them by the invaders. "The Other Conquest" is also a cinematic gem in its execution. The cinematography is gorgeous, the sets and costumes fantastic, and the music by Jorge Reyes and Samuel Zyman hypnotic. The performances by the cast are also stellar and better than your average costume epic acting. "The Other Conquest" is a great alternative to Mel Gibson's bloody, shallow "Apocalypto," which had a more science fiction point of view, here the film vibrates with life and understanding, and a message just as important in the age of Iraq as ever.
David (1988)
Disturbing, Unforgettable.
Here is one of the most horrendous stories of child abuse ever put on film. "David" chronicles the horrific case of David Rothenberg, who's father Charles set him on fire in a California motel and was later sentenced to 13 years in prison (only to be released after 7). Few stories truly show the dark heart of people, especially someone cold enough to burn their child simply as a way of getting back at their spouse. The movie is unrestrained and shows us in clear detail the suffering and treatment David went through, in one heartbreaking scene the doctors show him a mirror to look at his face and he breaks down. First shown on TV in 1988, "David" has no doubt affected many. I was about 6 or 7 at the time and I remember the movie deeply affected me, to the point where I had nightmares. Be warned, this is strong material and not for the faint of heart. But these kinds of stories need to be told, because these are the kinds of movies and books that wake people up and maybe help new laws to be passed so men like Charles Rothenberg can face true justice for their hideous crimes. The performances in this film are excellent, they stick in the memory in a movie that is hard to shake away. Few TV movies have displayed such grim realism, but this is a disturbing story, and it deserves to be told without restraint. Maybe someday it will be made more widely available on DVD.