**

Hola amigos, buenas vibras para todos.

Hello friends, good vibes to all.

Source!

Guillermo Del Toro has a very particular way of showing us things. He's a very visual, very artistic director, one who is concerned with every scene, every frame, every color, and every sensation it produces. Frankenstein confirms that the Mexican director follows a pattern, one we've already seen in Hellboy, The Shape of Water, and even Pan's Labyrinth. There are many connections between these four films, many commonalities that have become a kind of signature for the director, making his work truly spectacular. An example? Well, a scene could easily be described as a painting; that's how meticulous and crisp this film is.

This version is very different from the Frankenstein we know and that has become popular throughout history, beginning with the original version by its author, Mary Shelley. Basically, it all starts with the scientist Victor Frankenstein, who, in his desire to follow and even surpass his father's legacy, decides to do the impossible: defy death itself. At first, he was viewed and regarded with great respect and admiration, but this obsession gradually dragged him toward a dark side that ultimately drove him almost mad and filled him with an infinite ego. In the end, this creature achieves life through pieces of corpses, but Victor quickly despises it, considering it to lack the expected intelligence, to the point of deeming it a great mistake.

Source!

Source!

The first thing to mention is everything related to the visuals. Many of the things we see in this film were handcrafted, if not all of them. The ship in question, for example, was built from scratch, and this is because GDT wanted it to look as realistic as possible. The director opted for a very traditional approach, steering the production away from digital technology, AI, and CGI. This is commendable because nowadays few dare to do such a thing, and I think the final result is incredible. In addition to this, I must say that the cinematography is among the best I've seen this year. The photography in this film is spectacular; the colors and the solemnity with which several scenes are presented are truly unique.

The plot revolves around a search for identity. From the moment of its creation, this creature was constantly discovering what it was, what its purpose was; a constant questioning, even if it wasn't always obvious. It's a human Frankenstein who gradually develops a personality and, above all, an identity that allows it to break free from the physical and psychological control that Victor exerted over it. In the end, it achieves everything thanks to affection, the recognition of its existence as a human being, and the love and care given to it by two people. So, that's it: the story is based on the creature's evolution, but it also provides context for why Victor is the way he is. These are the parallel storylines.

Source!

Source!

As for the performances, they are all outstanding. Jacob Elordi's portrayal of the creature is breathtaking. His talent was already evident in Saltburn, but this role reaffirms it beyond measure. The level of complexity involved in bringing to life something that generally lacks a soul was significant, but here Elordi gifts it with a new identity, imbued with a new rational and emotional intelligence. Truly excellent work by this actor. Mia Goth is another who deserves much recognition; gothic horror and she were destined to be together forever. Everything about her is perfect; her aesthetic and stage presence are breathtaking. GDT's choice of her was the most inspired. And finally, Oscar Isaac as Victor was equally impressive, portraying the character with a truly masterful restraint. The life of this scientist is quite a journey.

In short, a great film that I personally enjoyed a lot. I give it a 9/10. As I said, it's gothic horror full of symbolism. It's not meant to be scary; I think it's more for enjoying, that's all. Don't expect jump scares or anything like that; just admire everything you see. I'll leave the trailer below.

Source!

Source!

***

Bueno mi gente por hoy es todo, espero que les haya gustado. ¡Un abrazo a todos, nos vemos en la próxima!

Well folks, that's all for today. I hope you enjoyed it. ¡Hugs to everyone, see you next time!

We finally got a stable internet connection in the temporary place, and all that's lacking is a working computer for me to work. Well, I can use my tablet in my personal classes, so I might try just that... but that's after I get over my colds and asthma.

I'm not used to going out anymore, but I had to do it especially when my father was still stranded in his homeland. And now that I'm able to relax somehow, the built-up fatigue started bugging me.

So today, to take my mind off things for a bit, I checked out my Amazon Prime app on my tablet. I get a free subscription every month, so might as well make use of it. And the movie that caught my attention was called "Totally Killer".

[IMAGE SOURCE](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11426232/mediaviewer/rm2529320193/)

In the town of Vernon, way back 1987, an infamous serial killing took place. Three 16-year-olds were brutally stabbed and murdered 16 times on their 16th birthday. And this was known as the Sweet 16 Killer.

[IMAGE SOURCE](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11426232/mediaviewer/rm4043788289/?ref_=ttmi_mi_36_1)

Fast forward Halloween night thirty five years later, Jamie, a 17-year-old lady, went to a concert with her friend on Halloween night despite her mom's warnings.

Her mom, Pam, was a friend to those three that were killed 35 years ago. And while handing out candy to kids who were trick or treating, she was attacked by the killer.

While still grieving, she helped her friend Amelia in her science fair project, which is a time machine. While talking with her friend, she got this idea of going back to the past to save the Sweet Sixteen victims.

While she was alone in the area, she was attacked by a the killer, and accidentally ended up time traveling.

[IMAGE SOURCE](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11426232/mediaviewer/rm2068598785/?ref_=tt_ph_sm)

There, with the help of her best friend's mom, tried to befriend her mother's group that were known to be bullies. They have two missions, one is to stop the killings, and two is to go back to the present.

This movie reminds me of Time Cut, a Netflix film with the same concept. They're both comedic slasher films which involves time travel, but I must say I like this one better.

It's interesting in a way because there were discrepancies in the information the main character has, making it more exciting. It's not that unpredictable, but it's entertaining.

I like the 80s vibes despite being born a few years later. And the thought of being the same age as your parents and seeing them do stupid things are both cringe and hilarious. It must have been tough for Jamie to see the teen versions of her parents.

It was a nice combination of Sci-Fi, comedy and teen slasher. I'd definitely want to watch it again with my cousins next time. It's going to be an addition to the slasher films that we enjoy watching.

Call us weird or strange, but there's just something oddly satisfying watching such films.

That's it for my post. If you're into this genre, I recommend you give this one a try. Thanks for reading and see you around!!!

The decline of film stars is one of the most intriguing, yet least discussed trends in 21st century Hollywood. Everyone, except the most die-hard fans, understands that the poster face today represents an increasingly insignificant reason why cinemas fill up. It is easy to imagine how ??Harry Potter would have been a hit even without Daniel Radcliffe, Twilight without Kristen Stewart, and Avatar without Sam Worthington. In some cases, the poster face can do more harm than good; Mission: Impossible III is often cited as an example, its relative commercial failure frequently attributed to Tom Cruise’s off-screen missteps, despite him previously being the undisputed face of the popular franchise. Cruise appears to have learned something from this, or at least that is the impression one can glean from the next instalment, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

At the very beginning of the film, Ethan Hunt (Cruise), the top operative of America’s super-secret IMF agency, languishes in a Moscow prison. He is rescued through a risky operation by two colleagues—the formidable Jane Carter (Pual Patton) and technician Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg). Hunt is freed solely because he alone can execute a dangerous intelligence-gathering mission within the Kremlin itself. However, this endeavour ends in catastrophic failure, culminating in a spectacular explosion for which the IMF team is blamed. To avoid nuclear war, the American government initiates the so-called “Ghost Protocol,” disavowing the IMF entirely. Hunt and his team, now joined by intelligence analyst Brandt (Jeremy Renner) through circumstance, strive to survive, unmask the villains who set them up, and prevent nuclear apocalypse.

Cruise, who served as producer on the franchise, concluded alongside his colleague J. J. Abrams that the fourth instalment required changes—ones that would both adapt to modern times and return to the roots, or rather the formula, of the original 1960s television series. The most intriguing and potentially risky move in this regard was hiring Brad Bird as director, a filmmaker who had built an enviable reputation but exclusively within the realm of animated films. His live-action debut, however, proves the risk was worthwhile; the action flows smoothly, and exotic locations are skilfully used to create a series of striking scenes.

The second, far more significant change compared to earlier films is that, as in the series, the IMF operates as a team rather than a “one-man show.” This means Cruise is nearly on equal footing with the rest of the cast, whether it be the formidable female agent Paula Patton, comedian Simon Pegg, or Jeremy Renner (who many speculate could eventually succeed Cruise as the franchise lead). The screenplay by André Nemec and Josh Applebaum also effectively utilises contemporary events to make the plot timely and certain scenes convincing. Furthermore, a strong balance is achieved between action, humour, and “serious” content, as well as between human characters and the various “cool” gadgets that could also be considered protagonists.

Where +Ghost Protocol+_ falters is in its insufficiently defined, or rather entirely characterless, villain. Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist, known to the wider public as the journalist in the original screen adaptation of Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, is utterly bland and unconvincing as the mastermind behind the diabolical plot. French model Lea Seydoux, despite the one-dimensionality and coldness of her role, proves somewhat more effective as a hired assassin. The best impression, however, is left by Indian actor Anil Kapoor (the TV host in Slumdog Millionaire) in a comedic role as a wealthy playboy.

Although Ghost Protocol is, at its core, merely a competently made Hollywood action film, in this era when the average quality of American films is constantly declining, this is more than sufficient. It can therefore be recommended even to those who are completely indifferent towards its star.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

(Note: The text in the original Croatian version is available here.)

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I wrote about Encino Man recently and noticed how much culture had shifted over the past few decades. That film featured Pauly Shore, who was once at the very height of MTV in its golden years, a Hollywood piece of gold that almost overnight turned into some common bronze. I've often read that Bio Dome was the very film that killed off his career, the true moment it was confirmed that his time was up and unlikely to return. The moment in which culture had yet again shifted, where Pauly Shore's family ties to the Comedy Store in Los Angeles couldn't revive his box office failures. Nor could it convince Hollywood to continue throwing him into films in hopes that people would stick around. The thing is, Shore had a specific 'thing'. A character. And naturally, people tend to consider them one-trick ponies which inevitably people grow tired of. Obviously Shore can't keep up the character to this day, there was a time and a place for it. It's no longer that time.

So how bad was Bio Dome? I have had this question for a while. It's rare that a single title can often kill off a career. Usually it's a gradual decline in interest that comes. Usually it's over-saturation as audiences want to see new characters and actors. I think of The Rock as a great example of this, where he himself has been considered box office poison for a long time, despite Hollywood's continued efforts to convince us otherwise, only for them to burn another hundred million dollars. It makes you think: at which point does that cultural shift take place? Can we pinpoint it based on the types of people that at one point are considered invincible and dominating the entertainment industry, only for their name to suddenly fade out of relevancy seemingly overnight? Perhaps that was the case here. Where audience fatigue had set in, and Shore was an unfortunate victim of cultural rejection and change.

After watching Bio Dome, I think there's a mixture of things that went wrong here. But also I feel some of that hate came a bit unwarranted. After all, it wasn't much later than a slew of even more terrible films with worse of attempts at comedy would appear; the wide range of mockery films of the earlier 2000s. The idiotic genre of comedy had a ton of terrible entries within it, but many managed to gain quite a cult following throughout the years, with tons of references and generally just less harsh words from critics. Dumb and Dumber found success, but was that perhaps because of Jim Carrey's luck? Now, none of this is to defend Bio Dome, it really is a hard watch. A film that takes its attempts at comedy to quite an obnoxious level. Where it needs to find its pacing and do something different but feels like the pacing never stops. It never gives itself a moment to really be normal. And that's where it gets tiresome, fast.

The story surrounds two total idiots that have girlfriends somehow, of which they love to spend their time trying to support good causes and the environment, whereas their boyfriends find stupid little lies to get out of joining them every time, only for their girlfriends to mock them and make them jealous with their own lie. This has the two driving through the wilderness only to find what they think is a mall, instead it's a bio dome which aims to put into practice a small year-long civilisation that tests how humans could live alongside nature. Something that would put research towards the concept of off-world colonies in which man must nurture an artificial landscape to maintain its support, leading to its own survival. The two idiots get stuck in it somehow, leading to them being used as a marketing tool rather than admitting on its opening (or closing) day that they already suffered contamination.

With its 1996 release, this is already the time in which Shore is on the way out. Where his Weasel character has already been a bit exhausted. This is where Shore is attempting as an actor to continue on the general idea, while still changing up his persona a bit. Particularly in the appearance. This is certainly a case of exhaustion. Where fatigue has set in. The story itself is something that holds some fruit to it. I could see the narrative holding promise, but with a more tamed set of protagonists. Not so in-your-face. But this really does reach into the territory of being insufferable, where it's hard to continue. And that's with a runtime of 90 minutes! While the film is full of other relatively big actors, and with 'career killing' types of films, it always brings the question of why it is mostly actors taking the fall for poor scripts, poor directing and generally just more risky releases. The world of cinema is a weird one.

Gracias por pasar, version en español abajo

And we continue with this month's free game festival, and this time we have a rather pleasant surprise, as today we're going to promote a platform that I usually feel is quite treacherous, but which is giving away some very interesting games today.

I'm talking about the Ubisoft platform, the one that many of us have surely heard of but have never in our lives even considered downloading a single file from its repository. In my opinion, this service was dead on arrival, and although I had the chance to try it once, I feel that it's really not worth spending what we would spend on a Netflix subscription on this.

But what is worthwhile is the free game that this platform is offering. Starting the week of November 13th, many probably don't know about it, but for me, it's a hidden gem with generally positive reviews on Steam and a world that's quite similar to The Legend of Zelda combined with God of War. I'm talking about Immortals Fenix ​​Rising.

It's quite similar to God of War in terms of gameplay, and it's also a Ubisoft IP that was rather underrated a few years ago. And although this installment has had moderate success with the public and in sales, I feel it has fallen quite short and hasn't been the massive success that Ubisoft has been trying to replicate for so long. years

It's curious because there was also speculation about a new AAA game from these franchises, but with this setback and sales not being positive enough to justify a new investment in this title, it has fallen quite far down Ubisoft's list of priorities. However, I think this gift they're giving us could be an indication that we'll see the franchise very soon in the AAA realm. a

So, if you're curious about how to claim it, you just need an account on the Ubisoft website and to go to the game's page to claim it completely free. You don't have to pay for any songs or stay in any of those treacherous programs that Ubisoft uses. The only thing is that to play it, you'll have to install its launcher, which is punishment enough to consider installing it, but this time we'll make an exception and I'll install it.

Again, it's a game that, although it received generally positive reviews... I feel that the gameplay is pretty average compared to what we're seeing these days. And if we add the fact that Yubi Sofi is one of the most important companies or studios in the industry and one of those with the biggest budgets, we can already see that this production doesn't resemble others that are a bit more polished.

But I think that at least for this time we'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Besides, we're talking about a completely free game, so we're not going to be too demanding of these guys. That's all for this post. If you like to know about more free games, you can follow this account, and I'll see you in the next one. Bye!

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Y seguimos con el festival de los juegos gratis de este mes y esta vez tenemos una sorpresa bastante agradable, ya que hoy vamos a promocionar una plataforma que normalmente siento que es bastante traicionera pero que hoy nos está regalando unos juegos bastante interesantes

Estoy hablando la plataforma de ubisoft, esa que seguramente muchos hemos escuchado hablar pero jamás en la vida nos hemos planteado descargar siquiera algún archivo de su repositorio, Y es que este servicio A mi parecer nació muerto y aunque tuve la chance de probarlo alguna vez siento que en verdad no vale la pena gastarse lo que gastaríamos en una suscripción de Netflix en esto

Pero lo que sí vale la pena es el juego gratis que está dando esta semana a partir del 13 de noviembre, mucho seguramente no lo conocen pero para mí siento que es una joya escondida con crítica generalmente positivas en steam y un mundo que se parece bastante a the legend of Zelda combinado con god of war, estoy hablando de Inmortals Fenix Risinf

Es bastante similar al god of war en cuanto a la jugabilidad y además es una IP de ubisoft que fue bastante menospreciada hace algunos años, Y aunque esta entrega ha tenido un éxito moderado entre el público y las ventas siento que se ha quedado bastante atrás y no ha sido ese éxito masivo que ha querido ubisoft replicar desde hace tantos años

Es curioso porque también de estas franquicias estaba especulando algún nuevo juego triple a, pero con este bache y las ventas no siendo tan positivas como para justificar una nueva inversión de juego para este título, se ha quedado bastante atrás en la lista de prioridades de ubisoft, pero creo que este regalo que nos están dando puede ser un indicativo de que vamos a ver la franquicia muy pronto en el entorno triple a

Así que si tienen curiosidad de cómo reclamarlo solo necesitan tener una cuenta en la página de ubisoft, e ir a la página del juego para poder reclamarlo de forma completamente gratis, capacidad de pagarme ninguna canción ni de permanecer en ningún programa de esos traicioneros que tiene ubisoft, lo único que para poder jugarlo vas a tener que instalarte su launcher lo cual es suficiente castigo como para considerarlo instalarlo pero por esta vez vamos a hacer una excepción y lo voy a instalar

De nuevo es un juego que aunque tuvo unas críticas generalmente positivas siento que al ver la jugabilidad está bastante promedio a lo que conseguimos estos días, Y si agregamos el hecho de que yubi Sofi es una de las compañías o estudios más importantes de la industria y uno de los que más tienen presupuesto pues ya vamos a poder notar que esta producción no se asemeja a otras que sí están un poco más trabajadas

Pero creo que al menos por esta ocasión vamos a otorgarle el beneficio de la duda, además que estamos hablando de un juego completamente gratis por lo que no vamos a hacer demasiado exigentes con estos muchachos, eso es todo por este post si te gusta saber sobre más juegos gratis puedes seguir esta cuenta y nos vemos en el siguiente chao

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22898462/
• Platform: AppleTV+

Rottentomatoes Rating

The movie starts back in 1964 with young Ed and Lorraine Warren checking out this antique shop because the owners father killed himself after he said something was following him around. Right away Lorraine who is very pregnant with Judy feels this presence coming from this creepy mirror and she decides she was gonna help whatever is trapped inside it, witch seems pretty condescending if you ask me like telling a demon you are gonna help it is probably not the smartest move but hey they were young I guess. The thing gets pissed off, the mirror cracks and it throws Lorraine into early labor right there in the basement while Ed is nowhere to be found because he just left her alone down there with a damn demon. The hospital scene is actually pretty horrifying because the baby comes out stillborn with the cord wrapped around her neck and you can see this demon crawling on the walls watching everything happen, I hope they were most specific to identify that specific demon as they have done before with Valak, it takes a full minute for the baby to start breathing and Lorraines begging God to bring her back but you gotta wonder if it was God or the demon that actually made that baby come back to life, sounds creepy to posses a newborn I KNOW I KNOW!!!. After that we get this long montage of Judy growing up and shes got the same psychic abilities as her mom but maybe even worse because she is constantly seeing visions and they keep trying to block them out with this stupid nursery rhyme, I have to say it felt cringe every time she show up repeating it over and over, weird we have seen Judy on other movies but I dont recall she saying this rhymes.

Father Gordon from the first movie shows up to help the Smurl family because the church wont do anything and Ed and Lorraine are semi retired because of Eds heart problems. He goes to the house and starts blessing it with holy water and everything seems fine until he gets to the basement and the holy water starts burning on the stairs witch means shits about to get real bad. But then the movie does him so dirty because while he is waiting at the church to talk to some elders about getting official help the demon attacks him, the cables in the hallway start moving and the woman he was talking to just disappears and then his crucifix catches on fire and the demon makes him hang himself. I was like really they killing Father Gordon in the final movie??, I really thought things would ramp up after that but nope we gotta slow it back down and watch Ed give Tony a tour of the artifact room and have them play ping pong. That whole birthday party scene feels like its from a completely different movie and it just kills all the momentum, keeps creating this gaps between the getting to know family aspect to the horror part of the movie, on a horror movie you either get the audience trying to figure out the dark psychology behind it or just keep them scare but dont give me that much room to breath and turn on the lights. The artifact room scene is stupid too because Ed keeps telling everyone not to touch anything but then we know how that went couple of movies ago, if these objects are so dangerous then maybe keep that room locked up and secret instead of giving tours during your birthday party, keep them on a secure house something like that, secret place.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #conjuring, #horror, #warren, #demon, #haunting, #possession, #mirror, #ghost, #exorcism, #scary, #supernatural, #spirit, #evil, #priest, #church, #family, #curse, #terror, #paranormal, #investigation, #annabelle, #judy, #smurl, #lorraine, #sequel

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The international illegal drug trade remains one of cinema’s most persistently mined, yet frustratingly narrow, veins. All too often, narratives fixate solely on the triumvirate of law enforcement heroes, the flamboyant criminal overlords chasing illusory empires, or the tragic addicts and their shattered families – the trade’s ultimate, visible casualties. Rarely does the lens descend to capture the vast, faceless multitude of ordinary individuals who constitute the very sinews of this global machine: the exploited labourers, the coerced couriers, the desperate souls whose participation is born of crushing necessity. While sprawling epics like the 1989 British miniseries Traffik or HBO’s The Wire occasionally offer broader socio-economic canvases, intimate, ground-level perspectives from the lowest rungs remain scarce. Joshua Marston’s 2004 US-Colombian co-production, Maria Full of Grace, stands as a vital, rare exception. This unflinching drama thrusts the viewer into the suffocating reality of the drug mule, offering a perspective defined not by glamour or moral grandstanding, but by the raw, grinding desperation of survival.

Marston introduces us to Maria Álvarez (Catalina Sandino Moreno), a fiercely independent 17-year-old suffering the soul-crushing monotony of a Colombian flower plantation. Her world is one of exploitative labour, where demanding a bathroom break results in immediate dismissal – a decision with catastrophic consequences for her extended family, utterly dependent on her meagre wages. This precariousness is compounded by the revelation of an unwanted pregnancy by her earnest but unloved boyfriend, Juan (Víctor José Gómez). Maria’s refusal to conform to societal expectations of marriage, despite the financial security it might offer, underscores her rebellious spirit and desire for autonomy, even as it deepens her vulnerability. It is into this vortex of despair that Franklin (John Álex Toro), a seemingly benevolent figure on a motorcycle, appears, offering a lifeline: a substantial sum of money in exchange for transporting narcotics to New York. Maria, with little choice and less hope, accepts. Under the watchful, pragmatic eye of cartel handler Javier (Jaime Osorio Gómez), she joins a group of four women preparing for the perilous journey. Crucially, she forms a tentative bond with Lucy Díaz (Guilied López), a veteran mule on her third trip, motivated solely by the chance to reunite with her sister in the US.

The film’s power resides in its meticulous, nerve-shredding depiction of the mule’s ordeal. The process – swallowing dozens of drug pellets, enduring the flight, dealing with US Customs – is rendered with horrifying, clinical detail. The inherent fragility of this existence is immediately exposed: Lucy falls ill mid-journey; another woman is apprehended at JFK; Maria herself only evades detection due to the protective shield of her pregnancy, which exempts her from X-rays. Reaching the squalid motel room designated for the agonising, days-long process of excreting the cargo, the situation deteriorates further. Lucy’s condition worsens alarmingly, and her subsequent removal by cartel operatives – carrying terrifying implications – forces Maria and the pragmatic Blanca (Yenny Paola Vega) to flee. Seeking refuge with Lucy’s sister, they are haunted by the news of a woman’s body, presumed Lucy’s, found with her stomach surgically opened. The chilling reality of their expendability is laid bare. Blanca’s retention of some pellets becomes their only bargaining chip for payment, a stark transaction highlighting their utter commodification. Maria’s decision to stay, unlike Blanca who returns, is not a triumphant embrace of the American Dream, but a pragmatic, fearful grasp at the lesser of two hells.

Viewed through the lens of contemporary geopolitics, Maria Full of Grace acquires an even more disturbing resonance. Maria Álvarez embodies precisely the kind of individual the current US administration and its vocal supporters would likely demonise as irredeemably vile, a target potentially deemed worthy of extrajudicial assassination via drone strike, broadcast brazenly to the world as a spectacle of punitive justice. This represents a stark and deeply unsettling contrast to the George W. Bush era, during which Maria Full of Grace was made. For all Bush’s profound flaws and the covert horrors of his War on Terror, practices like targeted killings were conducted in the shadows, shrouded in secrecy and legal obfuscation, not paraded as policy.

Yet, in its own time (2004), the film’s ideological thrust aligned firmly with progressive, liberal perspectives, particularly concerning women’s bodily autonomy and the complexities of migration. While unflinching in depicting Colombian poverty – the fertile, toxic ground from which narco-trafficking recruits its foot soldiers – Marston refuses to reduce Maria to a mere victim. She is portrayed as fiercely individualistic, rejecting societal pressure to marry Juan or submit to male authority, her choices driven by self-preservation and a nascent desire for self-determination. Crucially, America, even under Bush, is presented not as a flawless paradise, but as a tangible, albeit fraught, improvement over the corruption, underdevelopment, and lack of opportunity that defines Maria’s Colombia. Access to basic healthcare (for her pregnancy) and the existence of communities like "Little Colombia," offering precarious sanctuary (embodied by Lucy’s sister), represent flickers of hope within the immigrant experience – a nuanced portrayal far removed from simplistic "good vs. evil" national narratives.

Marston’s commitment to authenticity is the film’s bedrock. Inspired by a conversation with a real drug mule, his research was exhaustive, involving customs officials, prisoners, factory workers, and Colombian immigrants. This dedication yields profound dividends, particularly in the casting of Orlando Tobón, the revered "mayor of Little Colombia" known for his philanthropy within the immigrant community. Tobón appears as Don Fernando, a character directly based on himself, providing crucial assistance to Maria – a moment where reality seamlessly bleeds into fiction, enhancing the narrative’s credibility. The film is impeccably directed and written, extracting maximum impact from its modest resources. Sandino Moreno’s performance is a revelation – raw, unsentimental, and utterly compelling, earning her a Silver Bear at Berlin and an Oscar nomination, launching her international career. The supporting cast, largely featuring non-professionals or lesser-known actors, delivers equally authentic work.

However, the film’s resolution warrants scrutiny. Maria’s ultimate escape into a new life in America, while emotionally satisfying, risks veering into convenient optimism. The systemic forces that propelled her into the mule’s role – global economic inequality, exploitative labour practices, the insatiable demand for drugs in the US – remain largely unchallenged. Her individual survival story, however hard-won, doesn’t dismantle the machine. This "happy ending" feels somewhat grafted onto the otherwise unrelenting realism, potentially softening the film’s most potent socio-economic critique for wider Western audiences. Nevertheless, for the vast majority of its runtime, Maria Full of Grace operates with remarkable, almost documentary-like power. It transcends the typical Hollywood drug narrative, refusing simplistic morality tales. Instead, it educates with visceral force, forcing viewers to confront the human cost borne by the invisible cogs in the vast, grinding machinery of the global narcotics trade. Its initial Sundance success and subsequent theatrical release, bypassing its planned HBO slot, were testament to its undeniable power – a power that continues to disturb and enlighten long after the credits roll.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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Hello movie fans! I watched a lot of horror movies this year. Earlier I posted reviews on Black Phone 2, Weapons, Him and Sinners. In today's post, I'll share my thoughts on 28 Years Later.

Summary

some scenes remind me of The Last of Us

28 Years Later is the third movie of the series. In the last movie we saw the zombie outbreak spread out to the rest of the world. 28 years later, it's somehow contained in the UK and they are cut off from the rest of the world. We now follow the story of Spike, a young kid among a group of survivors living in an island. He lives with his dad, (Kraven the Hunter) and his sick mom. He joins his dad for the first time to gather resources from the mainland as a sort of initiation to adulthood. There, he saw a trail of smoke that's supposed to be made by a mad doctor. They came back safely after being hunted by an alpha zombie (an evolved version that's smarter and stronger). Later on, he decided to travel to the mainland with his mom and look for the doctor to cure her. Their adventures on the mainland follows the rest of the movie.

My Take on the Movie

Too bad vandals cut off this sycamore tree. I saw it in other movies like Robinhood, Prince of Thieves.

I like and followed the previous 28 movies and I expected a lot from this new sequel. For the zombie scares, it didn't disappoint. There's still the fast, agile zombies including the new alpha version. Funnily though, there are fat and slow versions too. The movie is not just about zombies. It shows an isolated community that seems to be shunned by the rest of the world. I can't imagine living in a "normal" world while there's a community out there suffering from a plague that could also infect the rest of the world. The doctor, he's not so mad or maybe he is, not just the evil kind. He built a monument made of skulls to honor the dead. It could be seen to be morbid by some but it's to dignify death. The movie blends zombie scares, family drama and thought provoking ideas about death and being quarantined. I recommend this film to fans of the 28 series and to zombie movie fans in general.

Photos were from imdb