On this page: A COP MOVIE | MIGUEL'S WAR | THE VELVET UNDERGROUND

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Teresa speaks about having a cop for a father who took a long time to recognise her abilities. Her stronger moments include one in which she has to tell a woman in the final throes of labour that she had no medical training at the academy. Inspired to join the force by his cool brother, Montoya talks about two shootouts he's experienced and the astonishing adrenaline rush in moments of panic. He also recalls meeting a childhood friend who grew up to be a criminal.

Ruizpalacios maintains a disarmingly light tone, mixing steely cliches from TV police shows with Teresa and Montoya's offhanded honesty about things like the shockingly inadequate medical support. The sequence in which the handsome Montoya gets a lot of attention at the Pride parade is hilarious. And in the film's second half, Del Carmen and Briones record their experiences at the academy on their own phones, adding a telling, resonant angle to the story and asking some much bigger questions.

themes, language, violence, sexuality

21.Oct.21

Casting sessions for key people in Miguel's life are witty and revealing. Amusingly, he and Eliane are unable to find the right actress to play his mother, so Miguel has to take the role himself. This brings up his entangled feelings about his Syrian heritage, as both Syria and Lebanon have been engulfed in violence over recent years. He's also forced to confront the buried truth about his military service. And he digs deeply into the concept of the man he has always held up as his true love.

While telling this very specific story in such an imaginative way, the film taps into universal feelings that echo among LGBTQ+ young people around the world, most notably the longing to escape harshly restrictive communities for a place where they can be who they are. The imagery is relentlessly eye-catching, challenging the audience with fiercely creative juxtapositions. And it's Miguel's personal journey through the making of this film that carries the strongest kick.

themes, language, imagery

31.Oct.21 rff

Because the anecdotes are recounted firsthand, they're vivid and riveting, adding to the eye-catching collection of images to build texture into the bigger story. Best of all is how the interviews properly probe beneath the surface, meaningfully exploring the darker sides of these people, including depression and drug use. And the film also touches on how Reed dealt with his homosexuality, even as he married three women. Through all of this, there's a real sense of the connection between the bandmates, especially in the words of surviving members Cale and Tucker.

Running along with the narrative is the tension between art and publicity, notably seen in the period when the Velvet Underground made music with European actress-singer Nico. Their connections with Warhol caused both huge fame and underlying tensions, exacerbated of course by drug use. Fellow musicians talk about how no two performances by the band were ever the same, because they followed their instincts. And they generously mentored and showcased young musicians, so their influence is still growing.

themes, language, imagery

19.Oct.21