Y Tu Mama Tambien (1 Viewer)

[Ted Todorov]

This would be the way to go from now on rather than getting a stigma for getting an NC-17 rating if filmmakers have to go in front of the ratings Board

The problem is that the option of releasing a film unrated is only open to distribs that are in no way related to the major studios -- only the true indies.

As MPAA signatories the major studios and their subsidiaries must submit all their releases for a rating.

Ted

 

[Brook K]

But unrated isn't a panacea. Requiem For A Dream was released unrated and did poorly at the boxoffice despite all the acclaim it received.

One of my favorite aspects of the film is how well it captures the feeling of just driving around with friends bullshitting. I have great memories of many nights spent driving around country backroads with a car full of friends and no where in particular to go.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Requiem For A Dream was released unrated and did poorly at the boxoffice despite all the acclaim it received.

Rated or unrated, Requiem was a hard sell because it was an unrelenting downer. I've had the DVD sitting on my shelf since it came out, and I've watched all the extras. But I can't bring myself to sit through the movie again.

Y Tu Mama Tambien is an equally serious film, but it has bright moments as well, and parts of it are genuinely funny. Add to that the frank sex scenes, and it's not hard to understand why it's attracting a broader audience.

M.

 

[Janna S]

This finally showed up here in Anchorage.

What an amazing combination of timelessness and immediacy; of the individual and the universal; of the then, the now, and the evermore. I was swept in first on fond memories, then held by memories of falsehoods and secrets and sorrow. It's bawdy, touching, fearless, and thoughtful. It was a wonder to watch real people do all the reckless, juicy, stupid things that we are these days warned away from by our dutiful self-awareness. It made me treasure all my mistakes.

 

[Dave Barth]

As MPAA signatories the major studios and their subsidiaries must submit all their releases for a rating.

This was true of the production code as well, and we all know how that eventually turned out... $$$ talks, and if the right film appears, the MPAA will either rate it R (like the compromised made by the production code offices) or it will be released unrated in lieu of the stigmatized NC-17.

On the other hand, I don't hold out hope that the right film will appear...so the question may be moot. It's not as though the studios bankroll this kind of fare for domestic production... For films like Y Tu Mama Tambien, it makes no sense for a Hollywood studio to buy the rights, because they have less value to the major studio than they do for the independent studio that can release the film unrated.

 

[Janna S]

I saw this again last night, partly because I wanted to watch it without having to pay so much attention to the subtitles. I wanted to focus on film techniques, and also on the theme of class distinctions, the "two Mexicos," as a reviewer put it. In thinking about that, I began to wonder if I am missing a level of meaning because I speak no Spanish.

Did language usage add another level of meaning to the film? For example, was Luisa's Spanish different than Julio's and Tenoch's? Aside from differences in maturity or gender, I mean. Did she speak as a Spaniard? (Is Spanish Spanish to Mexican Spanish as British English is to American English?)

Did the boys speak differently when they were in the presence of adults? Did the boys speak differently themselves - one as a child of wealth and privilege, one less so?

Did Chuy and other folks in the rural village scenes speak differently?

If anyone has any insight into this, or if anyone has read anything that addresses this, I'd appreciate the information.

 

[Rich Malloy]

Well, I'm late to the party, but so glad I came!

This is easily the best movie I've seen so far this year, and it'll be tough knocking it off that high perch. I guess it's also an extremely popular film, as the house was completely packed for the late, late Friday evening show. Unfortunately, we arrived only 15 minutes before screen-time and ended up with the worst seats in the theater. Still sorta lucky - the people who came in after us were either split up looking for single seats or standing throughout the whole film. Literally, standing!

I loved "Y Tu Mama Tambien", everything about it, from the opening scenes to the closing credits (which rolled over Zappa's "Watermelons in Easter Hay", a surprising yet perfect choice - I listened to all of "Joe's Garage" the next morning). So highly recommended that I just couldn't possibly recommend it any higher. It'll restore your faith in cinema as both a popular and relevant and vital artform.

 

[Chris_Richard]

I’m also getting to the party late. I saw this about a month ago and feel I’m about the only person who didn’t like this film.

The critics billed this as a fresh look teenage sexuality and something unseen in U.S. films. I couldn’t disagree more. I wonder if some people are being blinded by subtitles. Most of the U.S. teenage films are crap but the American Pie films, or even the first Porky’s, are a couple of examples are just as realistic teenage sexual films that were not critically loved. Also, as a road trip movie this film did little for me. It was not helped by having to suffer through the Beavis and Butthead twins’ endless supply of fart jokes.

I did find Luisa to be the one bright point in the film. I found her role and what she was doing on this trip very intriguing. The ending does a great job of tying all this together and is a better ending than this film deserves. It brings the political class differences into perspective. Previously, throwaway political statements were followed by a comment such as “left-wing girls are so hot.” The ending also shows that Julio and Tenoch had grown more into adults. Yet this film shows none of that growth.

To be fair, I also had the misfortune to have a terrible theater experience. The same thing happened with Amores Perros. The Spanish radio station that sponsors the pre-showing really gets the world out and Hispanic families show up in droves. So I had to sit through the nude scenes with numerous people giggling, not just the grade school kids, but their parents.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

I can't wait to see this one again. But only a few days left as it will be part of a Latino film festival to be held in accordance with week-long Cinco de Mayo celebration.
~Edwin

 

[Ray Suarez]

Chris,
Your movie theater did a poor job. This movie was not rated and known to have sexually explicit scenes therefore it was up to the proprietors of that venue to ensure age-appropriate moviegoers were entering their theater (not that this would have kept their parents from giggling).
Landmark Century Cinema in Chicago required ID to prove age >18 before you were sold a ticket. I watched this movie in Lincoln Park and guess what Chris, the "white" families also showed up in droves and giggled at the sex scenes, which is fine because some of the scenes were meant for comedic effect.
:rolleyes

 

[Chris_Richard]

Roy - I'm sorry if I offended you by my comments.

This was also at a Landmark theater. Next time I will make sure I complain to the manager and get them kicked out before the movie starts. At this screening the annoying family was right behing me.

BTW - I can't understand how families got into your screening if your theater did such a good job of checking ids?

 

[ChrisMatson]

I'm looking forward to seeing this one. It is coming to DC this weekend.

 

[Ray Suarez]

Chris,

I was using the term "family" loosely to describe husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, brother/sister, cousins etc. No grade school children or young teens were sold tickets or allowed to enter without proof of age.

Ray - not Roy

 

[Rich Malloy]

I also wanted to mention how much I enjoyed Gael García Bernal's performance as Julio. He was also my very favorite thing about last year's "Amores Perros". While I didn't like that movie (as a whole) nearly as much as "Y Tu Mama Tambien", I thought the first story was every bit as good as "Y Tu Mama" and Bernal's portrayal of Octavio was easily my favorite part.
This kid is frickin' riveting on screen. As much as anything, I'll remember his face, screwed up in frustration and more than a touch of rage, peering over the steering wheel way out into the dusty horizon. The kid who played Tenoch was really good, too, but it's Bernal that I remember most.
(Well, OK, Luisa too...)

 

[oscar_merkx]

I saw this last week and was completely blown away by the acting of the two best friends and how they interacted with each other. Brutally honest and yet you really felt for them as they were in search of the perfect beach.
What I also really enjoyed was the narration which gave the movie a fantastic backstory to complement the story onscreen.
Oscar Merkx

 

[Ryan Peter]

I'm not a native speaker (I'm proficient, not quite fluent) but my wife is...

Did language usage add another level of meaning to the film?

Absolutely.

For example, was Luisa's Spanish different than Julio's and Tenoch's?

Yes it was different. She spoke with a thick Madrid accent. I don't think that really added any meaning. I mean allegorically you could maybe see something as her as a nuetral party observing a clash of two classes, but I'd say that's thinking too deeply.

Aside from differences in maturity or gender, I mean. Did she speak as a Spaniard? (Is Spanish Spanish to Mexican Spanish as British English is to American English?)

Around each other they called each "buey" (it means castrated bull in Spanish, it's a widely used idiom in Mexico) and say dirty things, less so around adults, but around Luisa they talked like they do around each other.

Did the boys speak differently themselves - one as a child of wealth and privilege, one less so?

No, we decided they spoke the same.

Did Chuy and other folks in the rural village scenes speak differently?

Just in the way they didn't constantly swear like the guys.

I loved the movie. Great, great, great.... Very good stuff. It took me back to Mexico and aroused my excellent memories. I didn't find it to be all that critical of society or the country like others. Or at least the very somber messages narrated when the sound stopped, it gave me a message that people can live very normal and happy lives even though they live in a country that isn't perfect. Luisa spoke of how full of life the country is, and I think the film is sincere on that point. It points out the good and the bad, it simply observes. Notice however some of the bad is a result of tourism (mainly from the US), at least Chuy no longer being a fisherman.

Great film though, made me very happy, even the the ending is somewhat sad.

That's another thing, the movie speaks to living life to its fullest in the face of death. Or basically flaunting death and releasing all inhibitions. Luisa lived a wonderful last few months, she broke free from a horrible relationship and made the most of the little time she had. Just like people do in 3rd world countries who live in stark realities but that doesn't mean they have to go through life miserable. Just look at the how the compesinos are portayed in the film and I'd say very accurately.

 

[frank h]

spoiler


I really liked this movie! I'm glad they didn't hack it up to get a rating. This is my first post here. But people in other forums I've read/posted-in have also raved about Y Tu Mama Tambien.

It's more than a formulaic coming of age picture. Unlike many, "After that summer, the world changed" movies, Y Tu Mama gets its power from what in the social landscape HASN"T changed.

I don't know how much the boys have grown up at the end of the movie. Perhaps homphobia drove them apart. It's an open question.

Peter & Brian, I also saw it at a Landmark theater in Minneapolis.

Much as I liked Y Tu Mama Tambien, I think it's a bit over-hyped. At the risk of repeating what I've said eleswhere:

SPOILER ALERT: The film gets a lot of mileage out of some superficial political observations. Are we surprised to see security forces detaining peasants? Are we surprised to see multiple bodyguards? Are we surprised to see that a boy knows the town his live-in housekeeper comes from but little else about her history? Are we surprised that the girls go to Europe to learn history while the Aztec namesake gets wasted?

Somehow I didn't feel much was at risk. Perhaps it was the presence of the omniscient narrator. (It's interesting learning what the boys conceal from each other, but some of the mystery is lost also..)

But I still enjoyed learning the fate of the pigs. The three most touching voice-overs for me were the explanation of the crosses from a traffic accident, the fate of janitor in the exclusive hotel, and the fate of the stuffed bear. But none of these surprised or rocked me.

IMO the Cuban movie "Memories of Underdevelopment" is a better, more ambitious examination of how sex & class intersect in Latin America.

Y Tu Mama Tambien reminds me more of Bull Durham (wise old sex pot teaches males how to direct their testosterone for pleasure & then some.) It also reminded me of The Summer of 42: beautiful woman gets bad news, sleeps with teen age boy. Perhaps the most political question I had was: "Is it Mexican craftsmanship that enables those buttons to hold that impossibly tight blouse together? Mind you, I love sexuality in movies, but her outfit (all she was missing was high heels) looked uncomfortable for a road trip.

I assume there was some cultural import to the soccer hero the janitor picked. Anyone know?

END SPOILERS Hopefully I did the spoiler thing right.; It's my first post here.

 

[Peter Kim]

Welcome, Frank H! Wonderful to hear from you (and to learn of another film buff here in the TC).

I'm only pointing out the obvious when I say that every film resonates within an individual to varying degrees. For me, Y Tu Mama Tambien brought back memories of my reckless, yet contemplative youth (the only Korean kid growing up smack dab in the middle of rural Wisconsin).

As a result of some of the storyline, I found myself engrossed in this film to the highest degree. Additionally, the atmosphere of this film was more in sync with my zeitgeist - for me, it was very hypnotic.

Look forward to hearing from you again, Frank H. Your analysis was thoughtful. BTW, I think you alerted us to the spoilers just fine. Otherwise, you can use the VB tags to black out the spoiler text.

 

[ChrisMatson]

I caught this last night. I'll keep my review short and sweet. I loved it. I feel that the film captures a true-to-life existential view of the journey through late adolescence.

frank h:

FYI--Jorge Campos is a former Mexican National Team goalkeeper. Many people were put off by his flamboyant style, but just as many loved him for it.

Spoilers are like this {SPOILER}...TEXT...{/SPOILER} but replace [] for {}.

 

[frank h]

Thank you for the warm welcome! I may make an error with the spoiler alerts. (I am Captain Low Tech.) But the instructions are clear. Thanks!

Peter, I'm delighted to met a Minnesotan/Wisconsinite here. Y Tu Mama Tambien resonated with me, even if it resembles only the fantasies I had growing up in the Midwest.

I think sexuality is a wild-card dimension, like humor. Either there's magic up there on the silver screen or there isn't. It's hard for a big brained critic to persuade me that my funny bone is wrong.

spoiler
SPOILER ALERT: Not to belabor the point, but a friend asserts the director could have used a voice-over to reveal how the Nanny viewed the boy's sexual mores. Did she tell her own children to behave that way? Or maybe she was forced to give up a child due to poverty and/or religion when she was young. END SPOILER

Chris: Thanks for the info on the goalie! I assumed he was from the lower classes. "Existential" is a hard subject/tone to pull off in a flick. IMO Y Tu Mama nails it.