Culture Representation: The documentary series “Fatal Destination” features a predominantly white group of people (with some Latin people, African Americans and Asians) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: Vacation trips in dreamy locations turn into real-life nightmares where people get murdered.
Culture Audience: “Fatal Destination” will appeal primarily to people who are interested in watching true crime documentaries about romances that became criminally dangerous.
Neither great nor terrible, “Fatal Destination” adequately presents true crime cases that took place in popular vacation cities. Jessica Biel is an executive producer and the off-camera narrator of this series. Her narration is somewhat generic.
“Fatal Destination” is produced for Investigation Discovery by Iron Ocean and Propagate Content. Each episode covers a separate case. Investigation Discovery did not make all episodes from the show’s first season available for review in advance of the series premiere, so this review will cover the first episode of “Fatal Destination,” titled “Baja Noir.” This series premiere episode (which has some language in Spanish) is about the brutal murder of an affluent 51-year-old American named Jake Merendino, who was found stabbed to death near a ravine about 15 miles from Rosarito, Mexico, on the night of May 2, 2015.
What was particularly gruesome about this murder was Merendino was nearly decapitated and he was disemboweled—his stomach was sliced open, and some of his intestines were discarded nearby. Merendino’s abandoned Range Rover was at the crime scene, with the car’s lights on. He was reportedly stabbed 24 times, which is an overkill stabbing that suggests the murder was committed for very personal reasons.
Merendino was an openly gay retiree who lived off of a few million dollars that he inherited when his mother died. He was an adopted only child who was originally from Texas, but Merendino owned a condominium in Rosarito, where he would vacation with his boyfriend David Enrique Meza, who was 23 at the time of Merendino’s death. At the time, Meza was a part-time fitness instructor who told the couple’s friends that he graduated from nursing school. That nursing school degree turned out to be a lie.
At the time of Merendino’s death, Merendino was staying at a hotel in Rosarito called Bobby’s by the Sea. It’s an indication that something must have happened for Merendino to be sleeping at a hotel instead of his own home. David Britton, a friend of Merendino’s, is interviewed in this episode and says that it was suspicious that Merendino’s Range Rover was found near Merendino’s body because Merendino didn’t like to drive at night. Britton and Lori Hinton (another Merendino friend who is interviewed) describe Merendino as a generous and loving person who liked to make people happy.
In the beginning of the investigation only clue that investigators had was an eyewitness account of a man on a motorcycle visiting Merendino at the hotel and leaving around 11 p.m. on the night of the murder. After the murder is believed to have happened, the man came back to the hotel to retrieve what he said were some of his own possessions. The man was identified as Meza, who owned a motorcycle and had no alibi for the time that Merendino was believed to be killed. Meza denied anything to do with the murder.
Meza owned a motorcycle and had no alibi for the time that Merendino was believed to have been killed. You know where all of this is going, especially when investigators found out that Meza tried to claim he was the sole heir of Merendino’s estate, based on a suspicious-looking hand-written statement on hotel stationery that Meza says was written by Merendino. The so-called “will” was dated December 2, 2014.
The “Baja Noir” episode then unfolds exactly like you think it will. Meza ended up having more secrets and lies that were eventually exposed, including a double life in San Diego with a fiancée named Taylor Langston, who was pregnant at the time of Merendino’s murder. Meza, who dabbled in sex work such as doing gay porn and escort work, didn’t seem to have a steady job and was living mainly off of Merendino’s money. The episode details the case’s outcome, including if Langston was somehow involved.
Other people interviewed in this episode are José Correa, a sergeant with Mexico’s Alfredo Corona Municipal Police, who was one of the investigators at the crime scene; FBI special agent Michelle Hart; and Alexandra Foster, assistant district attorney for the Southern District of California. Unlike many true crime documentaries, “Fatal Destination” does not have re-enactments. “Fatal Destination” is a series that sticks to a basic true crime format, without any frills or tabloid-like sensationalism. “Fatal Destination” is not a series that stands out from the pack, but it’s sufficient enough for any viewer looking for a true crime series covering murder cases that have gotten media coverage elsewhere but haven’t been overexposed.
Investigation Discovery premiered “Fatal Destination” on June 3, 2025.
Pictured from top to bottom: Farid Escalante Correa, Leonardo Cervantes and Mateo Ortega Casillas in “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” (Photo courtesy of Firebook Entertainment)
Culture Representation: Taking place in an unnamed city in Mexico, the horror film “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” features an all-Latin cast of characters representing the working-class and middle-class.
Culture Clash: During a zombie apocalypse, three underage brothers live in a house where they are hiding a big secret.
Culture Audience: “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” will appeal primarily to people who are interested in watching above-average zombie movies that do a very good job of balancing human storylines with realistic gore.
Mateo Ortega Casillas, Farid Escalante Correa and Leonardo Cervantes in “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” (Photo courtesy of Firebook Entertainment)
“Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” is a well-acted and haunting depiction of a family trying to survive during a zombie apocalypse. This gruesome movie tends to drag with slow pacing and repetitive scenarios. However, the story is not predictable. This unpredictability—along with some suspenseful and emotionally gripping scenes—make “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” worth watching for people who can tolerate watching zombie movies that has explicit bloody violence.
Written and directed by Isaac Ezban, “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” had its world premiere at the 2024 Fantasia Festival. (The word “párvulos” means “little ones” in Spanish.) The movie’s synopsis describes the story setting as “a dystopian future ravaged by a viral apocalypse.”
However, there’s a distinctly retro look to “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” because the technology and clothing shown in the movie suggest that this story could have taken place in the 1980s. There are vinyl record players and an illustration of a 1980s-styled computer in a book, but there is no mention or indication of cell phones or Internet technology. The movie’s cinematography is also drenched in a sepia and gray tone that’s reminiscent of old film footage.
“Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” takes place in an unnamed city in Mexico, where the movie was filmed on location. Like many zombie apocalypse movies, the terror happens in a remote and isolated area. Unlike many zombie apocalypse movies, the story is told from the perspectives of children who have no adult supervision. The events of the movie take place after much of the Earth’s population has died from a virus-spreading pandemic that turned people into zombie from the most recent vaccine. It’s mentioned later in the movie that there are only an estimated 144,000 people left on Earth.
The movie begins with a voiceover narration from a boy who is later revealed to be Oliver (played by Leonardo Cervantes), the middle of three underage brothers who are living in a two-story house in a remote wooded area. Oliver is about 12 or 13 years old and has a fearless and logical personality. The eldest brother is bossy and paranoid Salvador (played by Farid Escalante Correa), who is about 16 or 17 years old. The youngest brother is inquisitive and perceptive Benjamin (played by Mateo Ortega Casillas), who’s about 8 or 9 years old.
In the voiceover narration, Oliver talks about not remembering much about school except for the day he learned about natural constants in his natural history class. Oliver says he father (whom Oliver describes as “the smartest person I ever met”) wasn’t impressed with this academic lesson. Instead, Oliver’s father said that he believed in only two constants: family and change.
“I didn’t understand what he meant for a long time.” It’s later revealed that before the apocalypse. The brothers’ father (played by Horacio F. Lazo) was an engineer, and the brothers’ mother (played by Norma Flores) was a nurse. The names of the parents are not mentioned in the movie.
Salvador and Oliver have told Benjamin that their parents have gone missing. When Benjamin asks Salvador if their parent could have died from the virus, Salvador says no because the virus is from “the old world.” Salvador also explains that the pandemic’s Omega virus mutated faster than the vaccines that were available. There’s a possibility that another vaccine exists that could be a cure, but there is no mass communication to find out if this vaccine really exists.
Salvador is the leader of the brothers, who have to hunt for their own food. They communicate by walkie talkie. They also have a shotgun and bullets. Salvador’s left leg is amputated at the knee, but he uses a brace, crutches and a makeshift prosthetic leg to help with his mobility. The movie later shows how and why Salvador’s leg was amputated.
An early scene in the movie shows how desperate the brothers are for food because they shoot a stray dog, which they later eat after butchering it and putting the dismembered parts in the freezer. The brothers also keep rats in a box. These rats are also used as food. One day, Benjamin finds out that the meal that Salvador served for them was their pet frog Manchitas. Benjamin gets very upset and starts crying. There are also indications of other death, because the brothers see three dead zombies hanging from a tree, early on in the movie.
The brothers have a big secret: There are growling sounds that are coming from the house’s basement. Salvador and Oliver know what’s causing these noises, but Salvador says that Benjmain can’t go inside the basement until he is 10 years old. It’s very easy to figure out who’s in the basement. The secret is revealed to Benjamin about in the first third of the movie.
“Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” also shows the brothers encountering various strangers in or near their house. One of these strangers is a feisty young woman named Valeria (played by Carla Adell), who presents the brothers with the option to stay where they are or to go with her to try to find the miracle vaccine. The brothers also encounter a man in the woods named Rogelio (played by Juan Carlos Remolina) in one scene that becomes a turning point in the story. And a religious fanatic named Enoch (played by Noé Hernández) shows up at the house with three sidekicks (played by Marco Rodríguez, Emilio Galván and Jason Luis Rodríguez), leading to one of the movie’s most intense sequences.
“Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” (which has a total running time of nearly two hours) could have used better editing in the first third of the film because it takes too long to reveal the “family secret” that’s easy to guess within the first 15 minutes of the movie. Still, the movie excels in other areas, such as showing some unexpected dark comedy with family dynamics after this secret is revealed. The comedy is a good counterbalance to other parts of the movie that are unquestionably brutal to watch.
The acting performances are convincing, with Cervantes showing a maturity that makes it believable when Oliver reveals he’s a lot more complex than he originally seemed. In addition to Rodrigo Sandoval’s compelling cinematography, “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” benefis from an effective music score composed by Edy Lan and Camilla Uboldi that give thrills and chills in all the right scenes. The movie has also proficient sound design that adds to the realistic gore.
“Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” also significantly depicts morality dilemmas in an environment where survival often means being cruel to other living beings. The movie also shows psychological trauma, as Salvador is shown frequently having nightmares, as he experiences the heavy responsibility of being the “father figure”/protector of his young brothers. But the movie also authentically shows that he’s a teenager who’s discovering his sexuality and doesn’t quite know to handle his raging hormones. Despite a few flaws in the story (such as not really explaining how the brothers can watch a movie on a film projector when there’s no electricity), “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” is a memorable zombie horror film that shows how family loyalty can be tested in a deadly “survival of the fittest” apocalypse.
Firebook Entertainment released “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” in select U.S. cinemas on April 4, 2025. The movie will be released on digital and VOD on June 17, 2025. “Párvulos: Children of the Apocalypse” was released in Mexico on November 7, 2024.
Culture Representation: Taking place in Mexico and in the United States, the comedy/drama film “Las Tres Sisters” features a predominantly Latin cast of characters (with some white people) representing the working-class and middle-class.
Culture Clash: Three Mexican American sisters go on a trek through Mexico in tribute to their deceased grandmother and have conflicts along the way.
Culture Audience: “Las Tres Sisters” will appeal primarily to people who are interested in watching an adult-oriented comedy/drama about sibling relationships.
Cristo Fernández and Valeria Maldonado in “Las Tres Sisters” (Photo courtesy of Myriad Pictures)
The comedy/drama “Las Tres Sisters” sometimes has an awkward mix of being sentimental and bawdy. However, this story about three squabbling sisters on a trek together in Mexico is engaging and heartfelt. This is the type of movie that covers a wide range of emotions and tackles issues such as secrets that family members keep from each other.
Directed by Mar Novo, “Las Tres Sisters” (“las tres” means “the three” in Spanish) was written by Marta Méndez Cross, Youssef Delara, Valeria Maldonado and Virginia Novello. Méndez Cross, Novello and Maldonado co-star as the movie’s title characters—sisters Maria, Sofia and Lucia—as adults. Camila Sahagún, Orianna Hernández and Mariela Corona have small roles in the film as, respectively, the childhood Maria, Sofia and Lucia,
The movie begins by showing a Mexican grandmother named Guadalupe (played by Laura Patalano) telling her three granddaughters (all sisters), who are all under the age of 8, the story of the traditional pilgrimage walk that she and others take through Mexico, especially if the travelers want a miracle. This trek, which has stops at several landmarks, is supposed to take place over six days and five nights. “Las Tres Sisters” is not a religious movie, but the story is about at least one of the main characters believing through religious faith that miracles can happen.
After this opening scene, the movie switches to Maria, Sofia and Lucia as adults, who are in their 30s and leading separate lives. They each have very different personalities. The three sisters all used to be very close to each other when they were younger. But something happened that damaged the relationship between the three sisters, who have been estranged from each other ever since.
Eldest sister Maria (played by Méndez Cross) is an open-minded homemaker who lives in Houston with her loving and devoted husband Harold Jacobs (played by Adam Mayfield), who is the type of spouse who leaves Post-It love notes around their home. Maria has two medical secrets: one that she keeps from Harold, and the other she keeps from her sisters. These secrets inevitably get revealed.
Middle sister Sofia (played by Novello) is a sexually free-spirited bachelorette who lives in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Sofia also has alcoholism. She is first seen in the movie having sex with a male sex worker, who later argues with her about the payment that he’s expecting.
Youngest sister Lucia (played by Maldonado) is a prim and proper attorney who lives in Los Angeles. Lucia is a bachelorette who is the caretaker for her disabled mother Patti (played by Pilar Ixquic Mata), who uses a wheelchair. Lucia has started to feel resentment that she is the only family member who takes care of Patti, who lives with Lucia.
It should come as no surprise that personality opposites Sofia and Lucia have the most conflicts with each other. Maria often gets caught in the middle. Lucia and Sofia have had a major falling out (the details are eventually revealed in the movie), and these two estranged siblings haven’t seen or spoken to each other in years. Sofia is the only one of the three sisters who is fluent in Spanish.
Maria wants to go on this pilgrimage trek through Mexico with her sisters because Maria thinks she needs a miracle to help her with her medical issues. Maria tricks Lucia and Sofia into meeting up with her in Mexico, by not telling Lucia and Sofia in advance that their “enemy” sister will be there at this reunion. Many conversations and scenarios ensue that seem to be inspired by “Sex and the City.”
During this excursion, the sisters meet various people, including an introverted botanist named Kin (played by Cristo Fernández) and an extroverted rancher named Manuel Lopez (played by Gonzalo Garcia Vivanco), who both help the sisters in different ways when they get lost or need transportation. Kin, who is a widower, takes a romantic interest in Lucia. Manuel, who is a bachelor, has a mutual lusty attraction to Sofia.
“Las Tres Sisters” has some predictability in how the plot unfolds, but the acting and movie’s direction are solidly entertaining. This is a movie is about family issues, but some of the subject matter is not meant for underage children or people who get easily offended by graphic sex talk or semi-explicit sex scenes. The last 20 minutes of “Las Tres Sisters” have the most impact in the movie’s message about making the most out of life before it’s too late.
Myriad Pictures released “Las Tres Sisters” in select U.S. cinemas on February 21, 2025.
The following is a press release from Four Seasons:
Get ready to board the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience for an exclusive opportunity to explore some of the iconic settings of the HBO® Original Series The White Lotus with a new World of Wellness journey. Building on the recently announced global partnership between Four Seasons and HBO, the unforgettable 20-day itinerary will be offered for one exclusive journey, touching down in Maui, Taormina and Koh Samui— filming locations of the first three seasons of acclaimed series—along with five additional intriguing destinations that will allow guests to create their very own memorable storylines.
“We’ve experienced firsthand how The White Lotus has fuelled the set-jetting trend, inspiring travellers to explore the breathtaking Four Seasons properties that served as backdrops for this beloved series,” says Marc Speichert, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Four Seasons. “Now, with the third season captivating audiences, we are thrilled to provide guests with the opportunity to experience their own version of The White Lotus aboard the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience, blending their love of the series with the bucket-list journeys we offer in the sky.”
The World of Wellness itinerary will take flight for one journey and is designed to celebrate the cultural phenomenon of The White Lotus and some of the iconic settings of its storylines, along with other compelling global destinations. With wellbeing playing its own role in the third series, guests aboard the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience can explore wellness their way, with fully personalized itineraries to enrich mind, body and soul as they travel from one captivating destination to the next. Whether indulging in a spa treatment, looking for an adrenaline rush, or simply lounging with a cocktail in hand, guests can dream up their own wellness itinerary suited to their wishes.
“The World of Wellness itinerary was crafted to meet the desire of guests, knowing that more and more, travellers are influenced by the locations they enjoy on their screens,” continues Speichert. “This new journey is perfectly curated to meet this demand, while personalizing offerings for each guest at every step of the way. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we can’t wait to take flight in 2026.”
Let Your Story Unfold: The White Lotus x The World of Wellness
The Four Seasons Private Jet Experience offers a seamless end-to-end journey aboard a custom-designed Airbus A321 with stops in some of the world’s most fascinating destinations, this time with a focus on personalized wellness. On the ground and in the air, guests will enjoy Four Seasons legendary service, access to local adventures and experiences, and personalized care from a dedicated team.
World of Wellness will take 48 guests to eight iconic destinations from May 7 to 26, 2026. Travelling aboard the custom-designed Four Seasons Private Jet, guests will take off from Singapore, before journeying onwards to Koh Samui, the Maldives, Taormina, Marrakech, Nevis, Mexico City, and completing the journey in Maui—all with stays exclusively at Four Seasons hotels and resorts.
Highlights include three nights at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui in Thailand, a backdrop in the recently premiered third season of The White Lotus. Guests will have the opportunity to snorkel with guidance from an expert marine biologist, take part in Muay Thai training at the property’s iconic boxing ring set in the hills with 240-degree views of the ocean and jungle, and enjoy spa treatments inspired by the Resort’s tropical surroundings and rooted in Thai traditions.
In Taormina, Sicily, which served as a setting in season two, guests will enjoy three nights at San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel, cycling to picturesque wineries around Mount Etna, morning yoga in the Belvedere Gardens, and creating one’s own TV-worthy scenes strolling through the pebble stone streets and back alleys of the historic town, enjoying the many culinary delights at every corner.
Along the way, each destination is ripe for discovery to suit each guest’s own needs, starting with a welcome dinner in Singapore, where guests will taste firsthand why the country is known as a culinary paradise. In the Maldives, discover the magic of a Night Spa ritual performed under the stars, snorkel the coral reef, and embark on a turtle safari, or spend the day lounging amid the turquoise waters surrounding the Resort. Spend a day discovering the cultural secrets of Marrakech amid the ancient medinas, followed by a relaxing private hammam bath experience with a clay scrub from the Atlas Mountains for full-body exfoliation and soothing. In Nevis, rejuvenate at the island’s natural hot springs, and in Mexico City, take part in a traditional temazcal (house of heat) ceremony, take in sunrise views from a hot-air balloon or enjoy a cocktail in the hotel’s world-renowned bar, Fifty Mils.
The trip will conclude where the The White Lotus began, with two nights at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, offering guests the opportunity to explore the coast on an outrigger canoe and unwind at the end of a memorable journey through the traditions of deep-rooted Hawaiian culture in a lomi lomi massage.
Beyond enjoying the wonders of the journey on the ground, travellers will jet-set between each location aboard the custom-designed Four Seasons Jet, featuring 48 handcrafted seats constructed of Italian leather and 6.5 feet (2 metres) of personal space including extended legroom and a plush ottoman. The Jet also features an interactive social space – the “lounge in the sky” – where guests can relax and connect with each other and learn from Four Seasons craftspeople on the brand’s exceptional artistic, wellness and culinary offerings.
The World of Wellness Jet Experience is one of many ways Four Seasons and Max have partnered to create immersive experiences and activations to celebrate The White Lotus around the globe. To learn more, please see here.
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About Four Seasons Four Seasons opened its first hotel in 1961 and since that time has become a global leader in luxury hospitality and branded residential, with a focus on genuine and unparalleled service experiences. Four Seasons currently operates 133 hotels and resorts and 55 residential properties in major city centres and resort destinations in 47 countries. The company continues to grow with a guest-centric mindset, including a global pipeline of more than 60 projects under planning or in development. In addition to its hotels and resorts, Four Seasons experiential offerings include more than 600 restaurants and bars globally, the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience, Four Seasons Drive Experience, and the upcoming Four Seasons Yachts. Four Seasons consistently ranks among the world’s best hotels, resorts, restaurants and bars, and most prestigious luxury hospitality brand in reader polls, traveller reviews and industry awards. For more information and reservations, visit fourseasons.com. For the latest news, visit press.fourseasons.com.
About the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience All Four Seasons Private Jet itineraries travel aboard the custom-configured Four Seasons Private Jet. Designed by the same team that conceives the style and character of our hotels and resorts, the reimagined Airbus A321neo-LR offers exceptional, multi-destination journeys for 48 globetrotting travellers. All Four Seasons Private Jet itineraries include accommodations in Four Seasons hotels and resorts or, in remote locations, in accommodations carefully selected by Four Seasons. Additionally, guests travel with an expert Four Seasons journey team and onboard concierge who handle all trip logistics. To learn more about the Four Seasons Private Jet Experience and to continue exploring the custom-designed Four Seasons Private Jet, click here. For those looking to travel in 2025 and earlier in 2026, more upcoming itineraries can be found here.
The Four Seasons Private Jet Experience is operated by TCS World Travel, dedicated to delivering immersive, worry-free travel experiences for the globally curious luxury traveller. The aircraft is operated by Titan Airways Limited. For more information from the industry leader in Private Jet Journeys, click here.
About Max Max is the premiere global streaming platform from Warner Bros. Discovery that delivers the most unique and captivating stories, ranging from the highest quality in scripted programming, movies, documentaries, true crime, adult animation, and live sports and news (where available). Max is the destination for prestigious entertainment brands such as HBO, Warner Bros., Max Originals, DC, Harry Potter, as well as iconic shows like Friends and The Big Bang Theory, all in one place.
About The White Lotus New episodes of HBO’s Emmy®-winning series The White Lotus, from Mike White, debuts new episodes every Sunday on HBO and Max and follows a new group of guests at another White Lotus property. The series is created, written and directed by Mike White and executive produced by White, David Bernad and Mark Kamine.
Culture Representation: The documentary series “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” features a predominantly Latin group of people (with some white people and African Americans) who are connected in some way to U.S. fugitives who have been accused of crimes and who have fled to Mexico.
Culture Clash: An elite squad of law enforcement officials in Mexico track down the fugitives, so that the fugitives can be extradited back to the United States to face criminal charges.
Culture Audience: “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of low-budget true crime docuseries that give an inside look at international crime fighting.
A scene from “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” (Photo courtesy of A&E)
“Fugitive Hunters Mexico” delivers exactly what the title of this no-frills docuseries promises, with expected outcomes in each episode segment about Mexican law enforcement capturing U.S. fugitives. The show capably gives insight into suspects’ motives. The fugitives are almost always people who were arrested and charged with at least one felony but they fled to Mexico to avoid court appearances.
“Fugitive Hunters Mexico” (whose showrunner is Penny Fearon) is produced by Lucky 8 for A&E and has multiple cases featured per episode. Only the show’s first episode, titled “Trouble in Paradise,” was available for review before the series premiere. “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” sticks to a specific formula where viewers can expect to see the hunted fugitives caught in the end.
What will keep viewers interested in watching is seeing how these suspects are caught and how they were living Mexico while they were fugitives from the law. The Mexican law enforcement agents featured in the series are identified by their first names only. They include Jesús, Hector, Santiago and Victoria. The agents in Mexico work with U.S. agents, such as U.S. Marshals, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Agency (the U.S. agents aren’t featured in the show) in helping catch these accused criminals.
“Fugitive Hunters Mexico” is slickly produced, with plenty of drone camera shots that highlight much of Mexico’s natural beauty, as well as urban decay, depending on which part of Mexico is being filmed. “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” has a professional-sounding narrator (Armando Valdes-Kennedy), who has a narration style/tone that’s similar to “The First 48” narrator Dion Graham. The narration for “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” tends to get a bit repetitive by re-stating something that was shown just a few minutes earlier.
In the “Trouble in Paradise” episode (which was filmed in 2024), three fugitives are featured in three separate segments.
Jeffrey Leonard, a fugitive from Las Vegas, had been on the run from the law since 2021. He was wanted for charges of battery by strangulation because he was arrested for assaulting the roommate of his girlfriend at the time. It’s mentioned that Leonard is a registered sex offender, who was convicted of coercion and enticement of a minor in 2014. The hunt for Leonard takes the agents to Tijuana, where law enforcement received a tip that Leonard was living at a resort.
Adam Pittman, a 34-year-old suspected meth dealer, was in hiding from law enforcement since 2022. The agents track him down in the city of La Esperanza. Two of the agents go undercover, pretending to be a couple interested in buying a sofa from Pittman’s live-in girlfriend. Because the agents don’t have a warrant to enter the house where Pittman lives, they come up with a logical idea to lure him out of the house.
Jesse Frias—a 37-year-old from Prescott, Arizona—was running away from charges of kidnapping, assault and domestic violence of his wife. Frias had been a fugitive since 2021. Ironically, his wife was the first person he called after he gets caught in the city of Mexicali.
All of the show’s field agents and translators are professional and very watchable, but the first episode of “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” doesn’t show any agents with personalities that particularly stand out. What stands out are some of the crime confessions that these fugitives willingly make on camera after they’re caught. In interviews with the arresting agents, the fugitives also talk about how they like life in Mexico more than they like life the United States because they think Mexico has a more “freeing” lifestyle.
The fugitives have different reactions when caught. Leonard is genuinely surprised and initially denies knowing why he is being arrested. Pittman is the most agitated and angry about his arrest. Frias is the calmest and seems to know it was a matter of time before he was apprehended. What all three of these fugitives have in common is that they had previous criminal convictions and fled their more recent charges because they didn’t want to go back to prison.
Leonard and Pittman were living with women at the time of their arrest. The women (whose faces are not shown on camera) seemingly did not know until the arrests that their lovers were fugitives. Frias is another story because he hints that his wife knew where he was all along. It goes without saying that being a fugitive requires help from other people, who might or might not be knowing accomplices.
Most of the outcomes of the fugitives’ cases are not revealed in the episode, except for Frias, who gets an epilogue that gives an update of what happened after he was extradited back to Arizona. “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” has the usual disclaimer stating that suspects are innocent until proven guilty, and charges could be reduced or dropped. Regardless of the outcomes of these arrests, “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” offers a brief but fascinating glimpse at what happens when the law catches up to fugitives hiding in Mexico.
A&E premiered “Fugitive Hunters Mexico” on January 2, 2025.
Culture Representation: Taking place in Mexico, from 1988 to 1993, the dramatic film “Cassandro” (based on a true story) features a predominantly Latin cast of characters (with some white people) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: Openly gay wrestler Saúl Armendáriz changes his name to Cassandro, and he becomes a wrestling star, but he faces challenges inside and outside the ring because of his sexuality.
Culture Audience: “Cassandro” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of star Gael García Bernal and anyone interested in unique stories about wrestlers.
Gael García Bernal and Perla De La Rosa in “Cassandro” (Photo by Alejandro Lopez Pineda/Amazon Content Services)
The dramatic film “Cassandro” isn’t a comprehensive biopic because it only focuses on a period time when luchador Cassandro (whose real name is Saúl Armendáriz) had a career that was on the rise. Even though Gael García Bernal doesn’t look like the real Cassandro, he does a pretty good job of embodying his essence. This lucha libre biopic isn’t as interesting as the documentary “Cassandro, the Exotico!,” but it’s a fairly compelling drama.
Directed by Roger Ross Williams (who co-wrote the “Cassandro” screenplay with David Teague) “Cassandro” glosses over or leaves out some things that were in the 2019 documentary “Cassandro, the Exotico!,” which told much more of Cassandro’s life story. The dramatic film “Cassandro” (which had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival) is more like a few chapters in a biography. Bernal’s performance is the main reason to watch, because some of the movie gets repetitive.
The real Cassandro was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. As an adult, he relocated to Mexico, where he made his name as a luchador. His birth year was 1970, and the “Cassandro” movie takes place from 1988 to approximately 1993, when he was in his late teens and early 20s. Bernal was born in 1978, which means that he was in his early 40s when he made “Cassandro” but portraying someone who is supposed to be in his late teens and early 20s. Bernal is also much thinner than the stocky Cassandro, and their faces have no resemblance to each other.
Despite these discrepancies in physical appearance and age, Bernal immerses himself in the character of Cassandro. People who know what the real Cassandro looks like might not be able to get past how different Bernal looks from the real Cassandro. However, for those who can appreciate seeing a wrestling movie with good acting, there’s plenty to like about “Cassandro.”
The movie is told in chronological order and begins in a dressing room before a wrestling match. Cassandro, whose wrestling persona at the time was wearing a mask, is being taunted by the wrestler who will be his opponent in the ring: a brute named Gigántico (played by real-life wrestler Murder Clown), who is nearly twice the size of Cassandro.
“Do you like digging holes, or do you like getting your hole dug?” Gigántico asks Cassandro. Cassandro then places a photo of his mother Yocasta (played by Perla De La Rosa) on his dressing room table. Gigántico then tells Cassandro: “You should take off your mask and become an exotico.” (An exotico is a luchador who dresses in drag or wears heavy makeup un wrestling matches and does exaggerated moves that are meant to depict someone who is a flamboyant gay man.)
Gigántico continues to needle Cassandro: “What’s with the shitty moustache?” Cassandro answers, “I grew it for you, honey. I heard you like the way it tickles.” Cassandro loses the match against Gigántico. And then, Cassandro is even more disappointed when he hears he has to fight Gigántico again in Cassandro’s next match.
At the time, Cassandro is on the low end of the professional wrestling hierarchy. Like most athletes, he wants to become a champion. As luck would have it, Cassandro finds the trainer he needs. She’s a wrestler named Sabrina (played by Roberta Colindrez), who uses the wrestler name Lady Anarquía.
Sabrina has been observing Cassandro for a while and has become an admirer who thinks Cassandro has a lot of potential. When she offers to train Cassandro, he tells her he won’t be able to afford what she charges. Sabrina replies, “Don’t worry about it.”
Saúl/Cassandro is very close to his mother Yocasta and is unapologetic about being a “mama’s boy.” Yocasta, who works as a housekeeper/maid, is accepting of Saúl/Cassandro being openly gay. The movie shows that Yocasta gets some prejudice from two maid co-workers who make derogatory remarks about Yocasta being a single mother of an illegitimate son.
Saúl/Cassandro is estranged from his religious father Eduardo (played by Robert Salas), who does not accept Saúl/Cassandro being gay. Saúl/Cassandro and Eduardo have not seen each other since Saúl/Cassandro came out as gay when he was 15 years old. Eduardo and Saúl/Cassandro later have a conversation, which is one of the best scenes in the movie.
The movie alternates between showing Cassandro’s rise as an exotico in the lucha libre circuit and showing things that happen in his personal life. He starts using cocaine with a drug buddy named Felipe (played by Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, also known as music star Bad Bunny), who seems to be sexually attracted to Cassandro, but Felipe (who has a girlfriend) presents himself to the world as being heterosexual.
Cassandro has a more emotional connection to a fellow wrestler named Gerardo (played by Raúl Castillo), who is married to a woman and has two underage kids with her. Cassandro briefly met Gerardo’s wife and kids when he and Yocasta were at a diner and happened to see Gerado and his family at a nearby table. Soon after Cassandro and Gerardo meet each other, they have a secretive romance. But considering that Gerardo is deeply closeted and has no intention of leaving his wife, it’s easy to predict what will happen to the affair that he’s having with Cassandro.
“Cassandro” shows glimpses of the business wheeling and dealing that takes place in lucha libra industry. Cassandro’s agent/booker is Lorenzo (played by Joaquín Cosío), who introduced Felipe to Cassandro. Lorenzo’s ethics are very murky, since he knows and almost encourages Felipe to supply Cassandro with cocaine. Cassandro experiences a lot of homophobia from people in the wrestling industry and in the general public, but Lorenzo doesn’t seem to care too much, as long as Cassandro is making money for Lorenzo.
Because “Cassandro” takes place over an approximate five-year period, which consists of Cassandro’s earliest years as a pro wrestler, it’s not depicted in the movie how Cassandro’s cocaine addiction escalates and nearly ruins his life and career. This part of Cassandro’s life story is in “Cassandro the Exotico!” documentary. Perhaps the filmmakers of “Cassandro” didn’t want to do a typical “rise-fall-comeback” story arc that is often used in celebrity biopics, but it still feels like the movie doesn’t have a realistic portrayal of the down sides of Cassandro’s cocaine addiction.
“Cassandro” has some areas that come across as a bit dull and too talkative. The wrestling scenes are entertaining, but the movie’s most emotionally resonant moments happen outside the ring. The mother/son relationship that Cassandro and Yocasta have is enjoyable to watch. However, the character of Sabrina seems underdeveloped in the movie, which makes her dialogue quite generic. Even when the movie has some weak moments of banality, Bernal carries the movie with emotional authenticity and charisma.
Amazon Studios released “Cassandro” in select U.S. cinemas on September 15, 2023. Prime Video premiered the movie on September 22, 2023.
Culture Representation: Taking place in Mexico City and the ficitional city of La Prosperidad, Mexico, the comedy film “¡Que Viva México!” features a predominantly Latino cast of characters (with some white people) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: An upper-middle-class factory manager, who wants to forget that he came from a poor family, goes back to his hometown with his wife, two children and maid, after his paternal grandfather dies and leaves an inheritance of valuable gold that starts a family feud.
Culture Audience: “¡Que Viva México!” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of the movie’s headliners and like watching long-winded, unimaginative and tacky comedies.
Pictured in front row, from left to right: Damián Alcázar, Angelína Peláez, Alfonso Herrera and Ana de la Reguera in “¡Que Viva México!” (Photo by Juan Rosas/Sony Pictures International Productions)
What’s worse than a crude, repetitive, unfunny comedy that has nothing interesting to say? A crude, repetitive, unfunny comedy that has nothing interesting to say and drags on for 191 minutes. In other words, avoid this garbage movie at all costs. Yes, you read that correctly: the time-wasting “¡Que Viva México!” is three hours and 11 minutes long, which is annoyingly too long for a movie that is this stupid.
Directed by Luis Estrada (who co-wrote the movie’s terrible screenplay with Jaime Sampietro), “¡Que Viva México!” (which means “Hurray, Mexico!” in Spanish) was originally supposed to be a Netflix movie with a release date of November 16, 2022, the same date that the movie was scheduled for release in cinemas and on Netflix. But something went wrong with this distribution deal. Estrada (who is also the movie’s producer) has given interviews saying that he signed a deal with Sony Pictures International Productions for the theatrical release of “¡Que Viva México!” Netflix still retains streaming rights for the movie.
In the beginning of “¡Que Viva México!,” arrogant and selfish Pancho Reyes (played by Alfonso Herrera) is a senior general manager at a textile company’s main factory in Mexico City, where he oversees several workers. He is feared but not respected by his subordinates. In order to cut costs, Pancho has been firing employees, and the employees who remain must take on a heaver workload. Pancho takes delight in deciding how many people will be part of the layoffs because he likes having that power.
Pancho’s boss Jaime Sampaolo (played by José Sefami), who owns the company, is even more egotistical and ruthless than Pancho. The politically conservative Jamie hates unions, paying fair living wages, and liberal politicians. Jamie is also a misogynistic jerk who expects female employees to be nothing more than sexual playthings for their male bosses. Needless to say, Jaime hates the #MeToo movement, as he complains about it in a rant to Pancho.
One day, Jaime calls Pancho into Jaime’s office and praises Pancho on achieving high productivity for the company. Jaime doesn’t care how many employees were laid off by Pancho, as long as the company’s profits keep increasing. Jaime tells Pancho that Pancho is on track to be promoted to general corporate manager.
Throughout “¡Que Viva México!,” Pancho has nightmares that are phony scenes made to look like they are really happening to Pancho at the time, but then the scenes are revealed to be Pancho having a bad dream. These “nightmare” scenes are very gimmicky and quickly grow tiresome. These “nightmare” scenes are also lazy and unimaginative ways of stretching the total running time for the movie.
“¡Que Viva México!” opens with one such nightmare scenario, where Pancho and his snobby wife Maria Elena, nicknamed Mari (played by Ana de la Reguera), are having a black-tie dinner with other guests at what looks like a country club or high-end resort. Jaime congratulates Pancho for being a senior general manager at the company, despite coming from a shady background. One of the movie’s main themes is that Pancho is ashamed of his working-class family whom he left behind in his hometown of the fictional La Prosperidad, Mexico. Pancho thinks these family members are trashy.
Suddenly, this stuffy party is interrupted by two elderly men carrying rifles and pointing these guns at the guests. These intruders are Pancho’s father Rosendo Reyes (played by Damián Alcázar) and Rosendo’s father Francisco (played by Joaquín Cosio), who both say that they don’t want any money. Pancho’s father and paternal grandfather say that they just want revenge for Pancho being so ungrateful for their sacrifices, such as paying for Pancho’s college education. Just as it looks like Pancho will be shot, he wakes up from this nightmare.
Mari knows about Pancho’s nightmares, and she keeps telling him to go see a therapist. In response, Pancho yells at her and says that she shouldn’t judge him because he knows all about how her “white trash family” got their money. Mari’s nationality is Mexican, but there are several mentions in the movie that she identifies her race as white, because her family is descended from white Europeans.
Mari is a hollow stereotype of a self-absorbed and materialistic “trophy wife.” Mari is also very rude to the family’s maid Lupita (played by Sonia Couoh), who has a kind and easygoing personality. For example, when Lupita makes a harmless comment about something in the household, Mari tells Pancho in a mean-spirited hushed tone that Lupita is being difficult. “She thinks she’s one of us,” hisses Mari.
Pancho and Mari have two children: son Tony (played by Raphael Camarena) and daughter Cati (played by Mayte Fernández), who look like they might be twins, although the movie doesn’t really say for sure. The children are about 7 or 8 years old. These kids are also the only characters in the movie who aren’t made to look foolish or awful. All of the other cast members play into how their characters were written: as bad parodies.
One day, Pancho gets several calls at home and at work from his father Rosendo. Pancho keeps deliberately avoiding these calls because he doesn’t want to talk to his father. In fact, he doesn’t really want anything to do with his family members who still live in shabby living conditions in La Prosperidad, including his mother Dolores (played by Ana Martin). Pancho hasn’t had contact with these relatives in many years. He hasn’t even met most of them yet.
However, Pancho eventually takes Rosendo’s call and finds out that Rosendo’s father Francisco died a few days earlier. Francisco was a miner, and the family has found out that Francisco had a secret will. There is speculation that Francisco, who was always looking for gold treasure, might have hidden gold that will be passed on to someone in the family through an inheritance.
Therefore, Pancho agrees to go to La Prosperidad out of greed, not out of grief. He decides to ask for a three-week leave of absence from his job. Mari, Tony, Cati and Lupita are also on this trip. Pancho’s relatives live in an isolated, underdeveloped area. And you know what that means.
Because this moronic movie is very phony-looking and illogical, “¡Que Viva México!” contrives the story around Pancho and his family entourage being “forced” to live in squalid conditions in the family compound, where there are no indoor toilets, no cell phone service and no Internet service. Viewers are supposed to believe that Pancho and Mari can’t figure out a way to find a comfortable hotel.
The Reyes family in La Prosperidad is a large, boisterous and argumentative clan. All these extra characters are mainly in the movie to have several people yell at each other in conflicts that mostly go nowhere. It’s yet another way that “¡Que Viva México!” wastes a lot of time. Pancho sees most of these relatives for the first time in several years when he goes to La Prosperidad for Francisco’s funeral and to see what he can get from whatever inheritance was left for Pancho. A corrupt priest named Father Ambrosio (also played by Alcázar) plays a big role in what happens in the story.
The members of this La Prosperidad family include Pancho’s six siblings: brother Rosendo Jr., nicknamed Rosendito (also played by Cosio), who grabs Pancho by Pancho’s genitals when Pancho and Rosendito see each other for the first time in years; sister Socorro (played by Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez), who is described as a “religious prude” by her father; brother Hilario (played by Luis Fernando Peña), who is called “the artist of the family”; brother Rufino (played by Álex Perea), who is described as “the black sheep of the family” and who immediately grabs Mari in a sexually suggestive manner; transgender sister Jacinta (played by Cuauhtli Jiménez), whose former name was Jacinto; and pregnant, unmarried sister Bartola (played by Vico Escorcia), who has six other children. All of Bartola’s children have different deadbeat fathers.
The significant others of Pancho’s siblings include Socorro’s “poet” husband Cruz (played by Enrique Arreola), who uses crutches and who used to be a teacher; Hilario’s wife Pánfila (played by Natalia Quiroz), who is so forgettable that Rosendo Sr. can’t remember her name; Rufino’s promiscuous girlfriend Gloria López (played by Mayra Hermosillo), who immediately flirts with Pancho; and Jacinta’s husband Guadalupe “El Lupe” Flores (played by Fermín Martínez), who pretends to be a loving partner but is actually abusive. Rounding out this dysfunctional family are Francisco’s widow Pascuala (played by Angelina Peláez); Rosendo’s brother Regino (also played by Alcázar); and Regino’s son Reginito (also played by Cosio), who is very competitive with his cousins.
“¡Que Viva México!” has a lot of sexist and tacky scenes where any woman under the age of 50 is treated as a target for sexual harassment, or depicted as existing only to give sexual pleasure to men. Pancho has no qualms about cheating on Mari, but when he finds out that she might be tempted to cheat on him, he goes ballistic with jealousy and rage. Mari’s decisions on whether or not to cheat on Pancho are always made when she’s drunk, so the movie has a loathsome scenarios where certain people try to shame, embarrass, or take advantage of Mari while her judgment is impaired by alcohol.
“¡Que Viva México!” also has several crass scenarios involving bodily functions. A low point is when someone defecates on Francisco’s grave, and the movie shows the graphic details, with no discreet editing. What that person does to Francisco’s grave is like what“¡Que Viva México!” does to any viewer’s hope that “¡Que Viva México!” could actually turn into a good movie.
Sony Pictures International Productions released “¡Que Viva México!” in select U.S. cinemas on March 24, 2023. The movie was released in Mexico on March 23, 2023. Netflix will premiere “¡Que Viva México!” on May 11, 2023.
Culture Representation: Taking place in Mexico, the horror film “Huesera: The Bone Woman” features a Latino cast of characters representing the working-class and middle-class.
Culture Clash: A woman’s pregnancy and her sanity are threatened when she keeps having nightmarish visions of her bones breaking and women who can contort their limbs and seem to be agents of death.
Culture Audience: “Huesera: The Bone Woman” will appeal primarily to people who are interested in seeing bizarre horror movies with intriguing stories and striking visuals.
Natalia Solián in “Huesera: The Bone Woman” (Photo courtesy of XYZ Films)
“Huesera: The Bone Woman” delivers plenty of creepy images and convincing acting performances. Just don’t expect a clear and complete explanation for all of the disturbing incidents in this effective horror movie. The movie’s sound effects are just as terrifying as the visuals.
“Huesera: The Bone Woman” is the feature-film debut of director Michelle Garza Cervera, who co-wrote the movie’s screenplay with Abia Castillo. The movie had its world premiere at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, where Garza Cervera won the awards for Best New Narrative Director and the Nora Ephron Prize, an award given to emerging female filmmakers. Garza Cervera is certainly a talent to watch, since “Huesera: The Bone Woman” is the type of movie that will immediately hook viewers into the story and won’t let go.
The beginning of “Huesera: The Bone Woman” (which takes place in an unnamed city in Mexico) has a stunning visual of people gathered at the feet of La Virgen de Guadalupe (a giant gold statue of the Virgin Mary), somewhere in wooded area in Mexico. This statue (which is about 100 feet tall) doesn’t exist in real life, but it was created through visual effects for the movie. Religion and motherhood are major themes throughout “Huesera: The Bone Woman.”
The movie’s protagonist is a woman in her 30s named Valeria Hernandez (played by Natalia Solián), who has been married to her mild-mannered husband Raúl (played by Alfonso Dosal) for an untold number of years. Valeria (who makes furniture in her home shop) and Raúl (who works in advertising) seem to be happily married. But soon, viewers find out that the only strain in their marriage is that Valeria and Raúl have been trying unsuccessfully for a long time to have a child.
That disappointment is about to change when Valeria visits her gynecologist (played by Emilram Cossío) for a medical exam because she’s fairly certain that she’s pregnant. The doctor confirms that she’s three months pregnant. Valeria and Raúl are ecstatic about this happy news and start making plans for their first child. Valeria wants to make a crib for the baby, even though her doctor advises her to temporarily stop doing any furniture-making work while she’s pregnant.
Not everyone is thrilled about Valeria’s pregnancy. One day, Valeria and Raúl go to visit Valeria’s parents Luis (played by Enoc Leaño) and Maricarmen (played by Aida López), who are excited to hear that Valeria is going to become a parent. However, Valeria’s older sister Vero (played by Sonia Couoh), a single mother who lives in her parents’ household with Vero’s two kids, is skeptical that Valeria will be a good mother. Also in the household is Maricarmen’s sister Isabel (played by Mercedes Hernández), who has never been married and has no children.
Vero makes snide and sarcastic comments every time Valeria talks about the pregnancy, such as saying that she thought Valeria would never get pregnant because Valeria was getting to be “too old” to conceive a child. Vero also says that she wouldn’t trust Valeria to babysit or be alone with Vero’s two children: Jorge (played by Luciano Martí), who’s about 10 or 11 years old and Paola (played by Camila Leoneé), who’s about 9 or 10 years old. Why is so Vero so uptight and hostile about Valeria being around children?
When the family is gathered for a meal at the dining room table, Vero tells Raúl why she thinks Valeria won’t have good parenting skills: When Valeria was younger (perhaps when she was an adolescent), she was asked to babysit an infant, but Valeria dropped the child on the ground. An embarrassed Valeria tells Raúl that the baby wasn’t injured, but viewers later find out that it’s a lie.
After this uncomfortable family gathering, Raúl and Valeria are driving back to their home when a woman stops the car to talk to them. Her name is Octavia (played by Mayra Batalla), who was close to Valeria when they were in high school together. Octavia and Valeria haven’t seen or spoken to each other in years. They make small talk, as Valeria introduces Raúl to Valeria.
Octavia looks at Raúl suspiciously and immediately gives off “jealous ex-girlfriend” vibes. And sure enough, later in the movie, it’s revealed that Valeria and Octavia were lovers when they were teenagers. Raúl doesn’t know, and neither does Valeria’s family. It’s implied that Valeria has been keeping her queer identity a secret from most people in her life.
Flashbacks in the movie show that teenage Valeria (played by Gabriela Velarde) and teenage Octavia (played by Isabel Luna) were both in a rebelllious, hard-partying clique that included other queer people. Valeria and Octavia even made plans to move away together after they graduated from high school. However, Valeria changed her mind, and that’s what ended her relationship with Octavia, who seems to still be heartbroken and bitter over this breakup. Valeria later finds out that Octavia, who still has a hard-partying lifestyle, lives by herself and is not dating anyone special.
Because “Huesera: The Bone Woman” is a horror movie, it doesn’t take long for some frightening things to happen. Valeria begins to imagine that bones in parts of her body (such as a foot) suddenly break. She also sees faceless women who contort their bodies in grotesque ways and seem to be coming after Valeria to attack her or do something violent.
There’s a scene where Valeria is looking at the apartment building that’s directly across from the apartment building where Valeria and Raúl live. Valeria is horrified to see a faceless young woman contort her body, climb on the balcony, and jump to her death. Valeria even sees the bloodied and mangled corpse on the ground. But when Valeria rushes to tell Raúl about what she saw, and they both go to investigate, there’s nothing there.
“Huesera: The Bone Woman” can get a little repetitive with the over-used horror narrative of a woman seeing terrifying visions that no one else can see, and then people start to think that she’s mentally ill. However, many of the images in “Huesera: The Bone Woman” are truly unique, particularly in the movie’s last 15 minutes. Fire and water are both used effectively in some of the film’s best scenes, by tapping into fears of drowning or burning to death.
And get used to the sound of bones being contorted or fractured. Not only does Valeria have a habit of cracking her knuckles, the visions that haunt her almost always include the sounds of bones breaking. It might be too nauseating for some viewers, but the movie’s sound design and sound mixing are top-notch for achieving the intended horror. The cinematography by Nur Rubio Sherwell is also noteworthy for how it creates a foreboding atmosphere, amid what is supposed to be domestic bliss for a new mother.
“Huesera: The Bone Woman” blurs the lines between what is religion and what is pagan witchcraft. More than once, Valeria visits a spiritualist named Ursula (played by Martha Claudia Moreno) for guidance and some rituals. Valeria’s Aunt Isabel, who is treated like a weirdo in the family, because Isabel never got married and has no children, becomes more important to troubled Valeria, as Valeria starts to question her own life choices.
All of the cast members play their parts well, but “Huesera: The Bone Woman” would not be as memorable without the stellar lead performance of Solián. Even when the story gets a little muddled, and viewers will begin to wonder why it’s taking so long to explain why Valeria is experiencing all this terror, Solián maintains an authenticity to her character throughout the movie. Valeria is not a typical “damsel in nightmarish distress” from horror movies, which often care more about the murdered body count than the interior lives of the protagonists.
Is there a bone woman named Huesera in the movie? In real life, there is a fairly obscure Mexican folk tale about an elderly woman named Huesera, who collected bones and brought these bones back to life, but don’t expect that to be part of the movie’s story. “Huesera: The Bone Woman” could have done the most obvious thing and made the movie into a ghost story, with Huesera haunting Valeria. However, by the end of the film, viewers can understand the intended message: Sometimes, what can haunt people the most is when they try to hide from their true selves.
XYZ Films released “Huesera: The Bone Woman” in select U.S. cinemas on February 10, 2023. Shudder premiered the movie on February 16, 2023. “Huesera: The Bone Woman” was released on digital and VOD on February 17, 2023.
Culture Representation: Taking place in Mexico, the dramatic film “The Box” features a Latino cast of characters representing the working-class and middle-class.
Culture Clash: After a 13-year-old boy travels from Mexico City to get the cremated remains of his long-lost father, he meets a factory worker who looks like the boy’s father, but with a different name, and they form an uneasy father-son type of relationship.
Culture Audience: “The Box” will appeal primarily to people who want to see compelling stories about family identities and worker exploitation.
Hatzín Navarrete in “The Box” (Photo courtesy of MUBI)
“The Box” is a “slow burn” movie that starts off a little sluggishly, but the story gets more compelling toward the last half of the film. It’s a solid and well-acted drama that can hold viewers’ interest, even when the movie drags on for a little too long, and a family secret is too easy to predict before it’s revealed. “The Box” has familiar themes in coming-of-age stories about the loss of innocence while trying to define one’s own self-identity.
Directed by Lorenzo Vigas, “The Box” had its world premiere at the 2021 Venice International Film Festival. Vigas co-wrote the movie’s screenplay with Paula Markovitch and Laura Santullo. “The Box” was Venezuela’s official entry for the 2023 Academy Awards for the category of Best International Feature Film. (The movie didn’t an an Oscar nomination.) Even though “The Box” takes place in Mexico, it’s considered a Venezuelan movie for awards eligibility, because Vigas is Venezuelan, and the movie was financed by Venezuelan production companies.
In the beginning of “The Box,” a 13-year-old boy named Hatzín (played by Hatzín Navarrete) travels alone by bus from his hometown of Mexico City to an unnamed city in Mexico. The purpose of this trip is so he can claim the cremated remains of a person he is told is his long-lost father, who was found in a mass grave. Mass graves of murdered people (many of whom remain unidentified and unclaimed) have become a big social problem in Mexico, which “The Box” acknowledges in ways that serves as a menacing backdrop for the story.
Hatzín’s father, whose name is Esteban Espinosa Leyva, disappeared from the family when Hatzín was too young to remember. Hatzín (who is an only child) is being raised by Hatzín’s maternal grandmother, who has diabetes and is unable to travel. Hatzín’s mother is deceased.
Hatzín is a quiet and introverted child who has mixed feelings about this trip. On the one hand, he is sad that there’s no chance that his father will reunite with the family. On the other hand, he’s relieved to be out of his household, since he isn’t very happy there. His grandmother isn’t neglectful or abusive, but the movie repeatedly drops hints that Hatzín is lonely and doesn’t feel complete without having a father figure in his life.
Hatzín has a letter of authorization from his grandmother to have the cremated remains released to Hatzín. When he arrives at the center where unclaimed bodies are being kept, Hatzín gets the cremated remains in a metal box (which looks like a pet-sized coffin), as well as his father’s photo ID, which he is told was found with his father’s body. Because Hatzín doesn’t really remember what his father looks like, he assumes that everything on the ID is correct.
Hatzín is about take a bus to go back home when, by sheer coincidence, he sees a man walking on a street who looks exactly like the man on the photo ID of his father. Hatzín approaches the man and asks him if his name is Esteban Espinosa Leyva. The stranger (played by Hernán Mendoza) is friendly and says that his name is Mario Enderle. Mario tells Hatzín that this is a case of mistaken identity.
Hatzín insists that there is no mistake, while Mario says there is. Mario looks amused and then slightly uncomfortable when Hatzín follows Mario into a shop. Hatzín tells Mario there is no mistake, because he remembers interacting with Mario when Hatzín was younger. Mario tells Hatzín to go away. But Hatzín can’t let go of the feeling that something isn’t quite right about what he’s been told about his father being dead.
Hatzín then decides to act like a private detective. He secretly follows Mario to a factory where Mario works, and then he follows Mario to a few other places. After asking some questions to factory employees and doing some more snooping around, Hatzín finds out that Mario spends a lot of his time recruiting people to work in the factory.
Hatzín confronts Mario again. And this time, he’s brought the photo ID as proof. Mario says it must be a fake ID using a stolen photograph. Hatzín explains that if his father is still alive, he wants to find him, but Mario in unmoved by this sob story. Mario is so annoyed by Hatzín, he drives Hatzín to the nearest bus station and tells Hatzín to go home.
But Hatzín won’t go home. The next day, Mario finds Hatzín asleep in Mario’s truck. “Didn’t I tell you to leave?” Mario yells at Hatzín. In response, Hatzín says that he doesn’t want to go home. Mario says to Hatzín: “You crazy fucker.” And so, these two strangers begin a tension-filled rapport that starts to turn into a father-son type of relationship.
It isn’t long before Mario makes Hatzín his apprentice. Hatzín is eager and willing to impress Mario, who says his dream is to have his own factory. Mario says that if he ever gets his own factory, he will hire Hatzín to work there. Hatzín likes this idea, because he has no intention of going back to Mexico City. Hatzín occasionally calls his worried grandmother, but he tells her that he’s found a job, and he’s not coming back home.
Hatzín is a dutiful and loyal protégé to Mario, but Hatzín is curious to find out more about Mario, who does not have an identifiable Mexican accent. Hatzín asks a factory worker if Mario is really from Mexico. The worker says yes, while also mentioning that Mario is from the city of Chihuahua. Hatzín also hears the workers talk about Mario’s generosity. For example, one of the workers says that Mario helped the worker’s mother (who has intestinal problems) go to a hospital.
Mario started off trying to get rid of Hatzín when they first met, but Mario soon comes to rely on Hatzín for many things that go beyond what a kid should be doing. For example, there’s a scene where Mario is shortchanged on his commission, and he orders an obedient Hatzín to go back to the office and get the money that Mario is owed. It’s a salary dispute that Mario should have handled himself, and not put the burden on Hatzín.
Viewers with enough life experience can see the movie’s several indications that Mario isn’t all that he first appears to be. The way that Mario handled the commission dispute, by ordering Hatzín to get the money, is really Mario’s way of testing Hatzín to see how loyal Hatzín will be to Mario. Because “The Box” is told from Hatzín’s perspective (which is a very naïve perspective at first), it takes quite a while before Hatzín starts to see who the real Mario is.
It should come as no surprise that Hatzín finds out that the recruitment of factory workers isn’t as straightforward as it seems to be. One of the things that Hatzín discovers is that many of these workers are deliberately exploited by not getting the payment that is owed to them. There are other shady things about the factory that are eventually revealed in the movie, which has some obvious foreshadowing of these revelations.
“The Box” has several cast members, but the movie’s only real character development is for Hatzín and Mario. “The Box” shows Hatzín’s almost desperate willingness to find his identity in whatever father figure pays enough attention to him. The cremation box is a symbol of not only the past that Hatzín wants to leave behind but also a past that he wants more answers to in his motivations to find out more about his father.
Navarrete makes his feature-film debut as Hatzín, a character he portrays with a lot of naturalism and credibility. Mendoza also gives an impressive performance as Mario, a character with many layers to his personality. Mario easily displays some of those layers to the world, while keeping other layers well-hidden. “The Box” is ultimately a cautionary tale about giving other people or things too much power in defining who you are, when that definition should really come from within yourself.
MUBI released “The Box” in New York City on November 4, 2022. The movie premiered on MUBI on November 11, 2022.
Eva Longoria (pictured at left) in “Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico” (Photo courtesy of CNN)
The following is a press release from CNN:
CNN Original Series will premiere Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico on Sunday, March 26, 2023, at 10pm ET/PT on CNN. Produced by RAW, the film and television company behind the two-time Emmy® Award-winning Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, the six-part series follows award-winning actress, producer, director and activist Eva Longoria across the many vibrant regions of Mexico, revealing its unique and colorful cuisines.
“I am so excited for viewers to tune in and see firsthand what I love so much about Mexico – the food, the people, the cultures,” said Eva Longoria, Host and Executive Producer. “This journey allowed me to further appreciate and fall in love with my roots and I feel so honored that CNN entrusted me with this unforgettable, once in a lifetime, experience.”
Executive produced by Stanley Tucci, Searching for Mexico invites audiences to journey with Longoria across the lands of her ancestors as she explores how Mexico’s rich culture, landscape, and history have helped shape its cuisine, loved the world over. This season, Longoria surveys the cutting-edge gastronomic fare of Mexico City; discovers Mayan influences in Yucatan cuisine, including the slow-cooked cochinita pibil; and ventures to the home of Latin America’s chocolate trade, Oaxaca, where she samples the velvety chocolate mole. As Longoria enjoys a festive carne asada in Nuevo Leon, traditional birria stew in Jalisco, and walks in the footsteps of her own ancestor, Lorenzo Longoria, in the exact spot in Veracruz where he arrived 400 years ago, she unlocks the secrets behind Mexico’s most treasured and sometimes surprising dishes. Searching for Mexico will regularly air Sundays at 9pm ET/PT.
“CNN Original Series have transported us around the globe and our viewers are always eager for a journey, especially when it involves food,” said Amy Entelis, Executive Vice President for Talent & Content Development, CNN Worldwide. “We are honored to partner with the multi-talented Eva Longoria on her first hosted non-fiction series, introducing CNN audiences to new dishes and flavors – and a new side of Eva – as she explores the many of wonders of Mexico.”
Executive Producers for Searching for Mexico are Eva Longoria, Ben Spector and Stanley Tucci with RAW’s Shauna Minoprio, Eve Kay and Jess Orr. Amy Entelis, Lyle Gamm and Jon Adler are the Executive Producers for CNN Original Series.
Searching for Mexico will stream live for pay TV subscribers via CNN.com and CNN OTT and mobile apps under “TV Channels” or CNNgo where available. The series will also be available On Demand the day after the broadcast premiere to pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN apps, and Cable Operator Platforms. Ahead of the broadcast premiere and beginning March 17, the “Jalisco’ episode of Searching for Mexico will be available On Demand to pay TV subscribers via the CNN app and Cable Operator Platforms.
Images of food feautured on “Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico” (Photo courtesy of CNN)
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About CNN Original Series The CNN Original Series group develops and produces unscripted programming for television. Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and content development, oversees CNN Original Series and CNN Films for CNN Worldwide. Lyle Gamm, senior vice president of current programming, supervises production of CNN Original Series. Since 2012, the team has produced over 45 CNN Original Series, including Peabody Award winning and 13-time Emmy® Award-winning Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, five-time Emmy® Award-winning United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell, two-time Emmy® Award-winning Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, and critically acclaimed series including This is Life with Lisa Ling, First Ladies, the “Decades” series, American Dynasties: The Kennedys, The Windsors: Inside the Royal Dynasty, The History of Comedy, Race for the White House, and many others. CNN Original Series can be found on CNN, the CNN Originals hub on discovery+, HBO Max, and for pay TV subscription via CNN.com, CNN apps and cable operator platforms. For more information about CNN Original Series, please follow @CNNOriginals via Twitter, and join Keep Watching, an exclusive, members-only community that enables fans to stay engaged with their favorite CNN Original Series & Films https://cnn.it/3qOXGNz.
About RAW
RAW is the global producer of premium documentaries and docuseries including the recent Netflix hits The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker, Vatican Girl,The Tinder Swindler, Train Wreck: Woodstock 99, The Most Hated Man on The Internet, The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman, Catching Killers and Don’t F**K With Cats, as well as the award-winning feature films Three Identical Strangers, American Animals and The Imposter. RAW, an All3Media company, produces Discovery’s highest-rated show Gold Rush; for CNN, RAW has also produced the Emmy winning series Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, feature doc The Lost Sons and the doc series Reframed: Marilyn Monroe. RAW’s most recent U.K. TV credits include BBC docs Parole, Head On: Rugby, Dementia and Meand ITV’s Heathrow: Britain’s Busiest Airport.
About Warner Bros. Discovery Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates and distributes the world’s most differentiated and complete portfolio of content and brands across television, film, and streaming. Available in more than 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Warner Bros. Discovery inspires, informs and entertains audiences worldwide through its iconic brands and products including: Discovery Channel, discovery+, CNN, DC, Eurosport, HBO, HBO Max, HGTV, Food Network, OWN, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Magnolia Network, TNT, TBS, truTV, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Television, WB Games, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, Discovery en Español, Hogar de HGTV, and others. For more information, please visit www.wbd.com.
