Today I saw The Motorcycle Diaries. This film is perhaps one of most beautiful, vivid, and emotionally powerful works of art to ever grace the silver screen. I knew nothing about this film before today -- it was a whim, at the suggestion of a very special person. I have seen hundreds of films -- and just about every significant foreign and independent film in the past several decades. This film is truly perfection in motion. It's a must-see.
Disclaimer: In case anyone takes issue with this film, or my review of it, let me just say that I personally know nothing about the life of Che Guevara, and the film does not delve into his politics or his later life as a revolutionary -- which I do not endorse or agree with. The film is really not very poltical in fact -- it is simply a great film about a road trip, the struggle to survive, and the strength of compassion. The cinematography, acting, writing, casting, direction and editing are amazing: That's why I like this film. It is a masterpiece of the medium. The film stands on its own as a great work of art and should be seen for what it is.
I know nothing about Che Guevara's politics. I am simply speaking of the film itself -- which franklyl does not go into his politics at all. It's simply an incredible film. I am not endorsing Che Guevara 's beliefs in any way -- and there's a good chance I would disagree with his methods and beliefs. Anyone willing to kill innocent people for any cause at all is not good in my book. But leaving that aside for the moment, the film itself is a work of art.
Posted by: Nova | October 31, 2004 at 05:39 PM
Whether or not The Motorcycle Diaries is a good film or not I can't say; I haven't seen it and I don't intend to either. The film helps to propel the unmerited iconic status of "El Che Guevara" forward. I'm not sure why the youth of America is intent on making the man into a symbol of freedom when he was anything but. He helped Fidel Castro establish a communist government in Cuba where people suffer to this day. He was also known to have have murdered and tortured between 500 - 1700 people in Cuba during his time there.
I suggest that anyone that thinks that El Che is a hero of freedom read the entry for Che Guevara in the Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_Guevara), the Slate article "The Cult of Che - Don't Applaud the Motorcycle Diaries" (http://slate.msn.com/id/2107100/) or go speak to a Cuban American that was alive during that time; they'll tell you what a great man he was.
Posted by: carlos | October 31, 2004 at 12:58 AM