Hector Gonzalez, Author at Minorities Report

13 Mar

Deadstream Review | SXSW2022

Hector Gonzalez0 CommentsSXSW2022Deadstream, Joseph Winter, SXSW, Vanessa Winter

The horror/social media crossovers in recent years haven’t been up to par. The most acclaimed horror film in recent years must be Rob Savage’s Host, which surprised many of us with its practical effects and genuine scares. Many other directors have tried to replicate what he did in the 2020 pandemic-adjacent horror flick to no avail. Even Savage wanted to outdo himself with a feature of a similar degree with DASHCAM, but it ended up being the most insufferable movie that screened at TIFF that year. Nevertheless, there is still potential to be found in these types of pictures. That’s…

13 Mar

32 Sounds Review | SXSW2022

Hector Gonzalez0 CommentsSXSW202232 Sounds, Sam Green, SXSW, SXSW2022

Academy Award-nominated documentarian Sam Green has always been curious about the role that sound plays in his life and the little details that come with it so he decided to make a documentary capturing the phenomenon of sound and its ability to cross borders and shape the perception of how we see (and hear) the world via thirty-two different sounds. It is an interesting concept that displays how sound affects, not only our daily lives, but our memories, as well. Sam Green also prompts the questions “Do sounds die?” and “How do recordings trigger the various emotions one experiences?”. The…

16 Feb

A Hero | Review

Hector Gonzalez0 CommentsReviewsA Hero, Asghar Farhadi

Asghar Farhadi’s latest work, A Hero, uses his usual whip-smart yet tough-as-nails approach to deliver a tale of secrets and lies via the entanglement of a simple act of “kindness”. Asghar Farhadi, one of the best international filmmakers working today, never ceases to amaze me. Not only are his films poignant discerning tales about the effects that truths, lies, and misbeliefs have on human behavior, but they also show us the different phases of how a person’s genuine desire, either good or bad, develops throughout hard-hearted or compassionate situations. From A Separation to The Past, Farhadi examines the various junctures…

20 Jan

Italian Studies | Review

Hector Gonzalez0 CommentsEnglish ReviewsAdam Leon, Italian Studies, Nicholas Brittel, Simon Brickner, Vanessa Kirby

Italian Studies might have the incredible Vanessa Kirby in the lead role and the talented Nicholas Britell as a composer, but that doesn’t make this “search for identity” narrative any more compelling–it’s a film that’s experimental just for the sake of it. While visiting New York City on a trip from her native London town, writer Alina Reynolds (Vanessa Kirby) inexplicably (a hard emphasis on this word) loses her memory. She doesn’t know where she is, what time it is, or even her own name; Alina is just wandering adrift the rowdy streets of Manhattan alone. Her awareness wanders left…

28 Dec

The Tragedy of Macbeth | Cinematic & Beautiful

Hector Gonzalez0 CommentsReviewsA24, Apple TV+, Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Joel Coen, Kathryn Hunter, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Joel Coen’s first directorial effort without his brother Ethan, The Tragedy of Macbeth, is unlike anything in their filmography. It contains the theatricality of the Shakespearean play while still being thoroughly cinematic and beautiful, making it an outstanding solo debut. Frances McDormand in “The Tragedy of Macbeth” Everybody has heard about the tale of Macbeth, either from your high school curriculum or elsewhere. There have been many adaptations of the Shakespearean tragedy, yet most of them haven’t clicked with me, including Justin Kurzel’s 2015 rendition. However, Joel Coen’s adaptation grabbed my attention not only because of the star talent attached…

22 Dec

The Novice | Cutthroat & Tension-Filled

Hector Gonzalez0 CommentsReviewsThe Novice, Tribeca

Eve though the Tribeca Film Festival hit, The Novice, has some problems regarding its narrative and pacing, Lauren Hadaway’s stylish directing and Isabelle Furhman’s great performance elevate it to create a cutthroat and tension-filled film about “ax to grind” compulsion. Alex Dall (Isabelle Furhman) is a queer college freshman who wants to join her university’s rowing team. When she hears about the chance of getting onto the varsity boat, Dall takes on an obsessive endurance test to make sure she gets what she wants no matter the cost. She pushes herself to the limit just to outperform her teammates and…

17 Dec

Red Rocket Review | Sean Baker’s Best!

Hector Gonzalez0 CommentsReviewsBree Elrod, Red Rocket, Sean Baker, Simon Rex, Suzanna Son

Red Rocket is a hilarious yet purposefully ill-mannered character study of a former pornstar that has both Sean Baker and Simon Rex delivering their best work to date. “It might sound crazy, but it ain't no lie baby, bye bye bye!” For some reason, most of Sean Baker’s works haven’t clicked with me. I haven’t figured out the exact reason why. The first film I saw of his was The Florida Project (2017), which left me a bit cold when the credits rolled, yet I admired the cinematography and performances, most notably Bria Vinaite. I then followed it up with…

09 Dec

Licorice Pizza | Review

Hector Gonzalez0 CommentsReviewsAlana Haim, Bradley Cooper, Cooper Hoffman, Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson, Skyler Gisondo, Tom Waits

With uproarious one-scene celebrity cameos, a revelatory magnetic lead duo, a great jukebox soundtrack, and a hilariously-sharp script that radiates nostalgia and warmth, Licorice Pizza is Paul Thomas Anderson’s most effervescent and quick-witted film since Punch Drunk Love. “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times...” The late 60s and early 70s were tumultuous times for the rough rowdy crowds, flower power, music revolution, cultural change, technological invention, the insurrection of cinema, and the multitude of aching crises. Many films have captured the lifestyles of those decades from different perspectives and social statuses, for example, Beyond…

29 Nov

The Beatles: Get Back | Review

Hector Gonzalez0 CommentsReviewsDisney Plus, Disney+, The Beatles

Where to start with The Beatles, the reputed best band of all time? The 1960s, or the decade of musical reinvention where some of the best artists of all time inaugurated their legendary careers: The Rolling Stones, Big Brother, and the Holding Company who later introduced the world to Janis Joplin, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Monkees, etc. However, one band stood out amongst them all. The visionary quartet of John, George, Paul, and Ringo: The Beatles. Every single record is a classic well-cherished by many music fans worldwide-- Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, A Hard Day’s Night,…

26 Nov

Double Walker | Review

Hector Gonzalez0 CommentsReviewsColin West, Double Walker

Colin West’s Double Walker uses the concept of a ghost story in a captivating way by blending the themes of revenge, resolution, and existentialism. Not every decision West makes gels with one another, and the script needs some fine-tuning, but it is an interesting concept to see on-screen. I like films that deal with the aspects of “ghosts” or “wraiths” because they can go in many different directions. For example, Amenábar’s way of treating spirits in The Others (2001) is far more divergent than how Bayona handled his chiller The Orphanage (2007). Nevertheless, more and more directors are approaching a…