Days of Cinema

La Santa Muerte (2007)
Country: Mexico
Director: Paco del Toro

I can't believe we're making films so empty and pretentious. In my last review I highlighted the 'fresh' factor of Begne's "Dos Abrazos" (Two Love Stories), a film that did not follow the tradition implied by Guillermo Arriaga of interconnecting stories. Well guess what? Paco Del Toro seems to have noticed that too. In La Santa Muerte, his third and worst film yet, he tells three stories in which the characters' faith is placed on a particular Mexican saint, the saint death. Del Toro really knows how to manipulate not only its actors, but also its distributors. I understand why Niñas Mal and Kilometro 31 get hundreds of copies into theatres, but how can this film possibly get almost 300 theatres? It is an ugly film; it tries to be depressing and gives sermon after sermon, something very typical with this director. I would love to be given the opportunity of making this idea into a fiction film; I think it is such an interesting character. As I was looking around me, I noticed that the theatre was almost full (ugh), and I was shocked to see that some people were even shocked and emotional. I seriously don't get this director, and it is not because of his religious beliefs (my parents are both Christian), is just that he is the kind of storyteller that starts digging and digging until he gets to the areas of discrimination and stupidity.