Film Review: "Cry Freedom"

1.- Who was your favorite character from the film? Why?

I liked a lot Steve Biko. He is a character you can really feel and cheer for him. He was very clever and his speeches were really interesting, he had a kind of "wise aura" that felt similar to Mandela's. I also liked the character of Donald Woods, cause I think it's interesting watch how they put in the movies the perspective of the "white men", and I think this version it's a more balanced one.

2.- What was your favorite scen from the film? Why?

I think my favorite scene was the trial. It felt like a deja vu, of Mandela's trial in "Long Walk To Freedom", and as in that movie, it felt enormous emotional and touching. Because when they're defending themselves, they are also defending their causes and showing the judge (and therefore the south african people) all what's wrong with the apartheid. I think when revolutionaries are  ready to die for their ideals, the struggle appears stronger than ever.

3.- How does the film differ from the other films? Use the article from The Guardian to help you.

It was a relieve not to see much of the ANC in this movie hahaha, It's not that I didn't like their purpose, but it was only one side of the revolutionaries. In this film we get to know more of other parties we didn't see (much) in the other films. As the article says: "The ANC government has been criticised for claiming too much credit for South Africa's struggle history and neglecting figures such as Biko". It's really interesting to know more about the apartheid struggle and realize that the ANC wasn't the only party fighting back and that Mandela wasn't the only leader who planted inspiration in the people.

Film Review: "Catch a Fire"

1.- In general, what did you like and dislike about the film?

To be honest, I didnt like much this film. I like the Patrick Chamusso's story, but I dont think this film was good enough to tell us that story. I think that  the script was over simplified, worried to tell us the story step by step, but dont try to surprise us. I didn't like the cinematography, it felt a little disorganized, and I think the film was over musicalized. And what more upseted me, was the film editing. It was to weird, almost randomly.


2.-Who was the character you like the most and the character you liked the least in the film?

The character I liked the most was Chamusso. I really like his story, I just feel the movie didn't do a great job portraying it. Chamusso had a great character development, and show us the change of mentality of many south africans who joined the fight against the apartheid. He's not a fighter, he becomes one. And that the interesting in the movie, the transofrmation into something that helps this revolution. And I dont know if there is a character I liked the least, but besides the actors behind Chamusso and NIc Vos, I didnt like much the performance of the other characters.


3.- What was the rolf of Samor Machel, the FRELIMO, and revolutionary mozambique in the struggle against the South African apartheid? Use examples of the film and the biography of Samora Machel.

Machel and the FRELIMO were a big support to the South African revolution, because they landed a hand to the south african revolutionaries, even trained some of them, in order to form better revolutionaries focus and fight back the racism in his country. The war against the apartheid needed allies, and they were some of them.