Motorcycle Diaries

Watched it in honor, in remembrance, of Alberto Granado, who passed away on 6 March. Subtitled were hard-coded, as it were, and could not be hidden. In fact, they helped, for some of the Argentinian spoken was difficult to comprehend. A beautiful movie, very well done.

These days communism is out of favor, and it is disdained as a failed ideology that caused nothing but harm and destruction. Yet taking a fresh look at one who became a communist, and embodies romanticism and idealism in his iconic figure is a reminder that Ernesto Guevara became a communist as a result of seeing misery and exploitation in his native continent, and searching for a solution. Ché remains frozen in time, his face an icon that is used to sell beer as much as to represent a romantic longing.


Ernesto was an idealist, an adventurer, and a doctor. One semester before graduating medical school he took a trip through western South America with his compañero Alberto Granado. What they saw changed them. This film depicts the motorcycle trip they took from Argentina, through Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. It is inspired film work.

Be careful what films you choose

This weekend I have seen three wonderful films. Alas, they are from Chile and Spain, and there is little escapism in any of them. What is it about Spanish and Latin American nations that needs to be tragic?

In the last two weeks I've read a good deal of a book that deals with just that: Forgotten Continent - the battle for Latin America's soul, by Michael Reid. The history and the heritage of Latin America includes much tragedy; it really matters little, in one sense, what the cause is: tragedy is simply a part of the history of Latin America.

These three films testify to, and demonstrate that. El Viaje de Carol (2002) is a story about a Spanish mother and daughter returning -- from New York -- to the mother's native village, somewhere in Spain, in 1938. The Spanish Civil War in nearing its end; Madrid is under siege, and may fall at any moment. Ay, Carmela (1990) takes place during the Spanish Civil War also. The protagonists are entertainers, Republican sympathizers, who happen to be fall into the hands of Fascists. Machuca (2004) takes place in pre-1973-coup Santiago de Chile.

There are deaths, tragedy, sadness. Next time, I wanna choose upbeat cinema.