Mentioning to a friend that I recently signed up for free 30 days of Shudder, he did a post online asking people what the best exclusive films are on Shudder, and he told me that a Mexican one kept popping up at the top. Having had some fantastic Mexican Horror viewings last Halloween,I excitingly got set to meet the tigers.
View on the film:
Spending time rehearsing the largely non- professional cast in workshops and not showing any of the young cast a complete script, writer/director Issa Lopez presents magnificent performances, via keeping the camera level with the orphans, and also skilfully knowing when to hold the camera back,and allow Estrella's friendship with Shine room to breath.
For the first non-Comedy movie she has done, writer/ director Lopez & cinematographer Juan Jose Saravia seamlessly blend the wisely limited use of CGI bringing the kids supportive plush toys to shining life, with the horror of Mexico's drug cartels, which are opened in fantastic long corridor tracking shots staying next to the kids in the hidden back alleyways of the cartels turf.
Bringing magical realism into the air when Estrella's teacher passes over three pieces of chalk that will grant her three wishes as they lay on the floor avoiding drug war gun fire, the screenplay by Lopez refreshingly does not sugar coat the orphaned children's dialogue, chopped up roughly of pieces from their homeless streets living and daily fights to avoid being killed by cartel gang members.
Haunted by the disappearance of her mum, Estrella's friendship with Shine is built by Lopez on the harsh light their families have suffered as cartel victims, bound up by the help of plush toys opening the cages to freedom for these brave tigers.
View on the film:
Spending time rehearsing the largely non- professional cast in workshops and not showing any of the young cast a complete script, writer/director Issa Lopez presents magnificent performances, via keeping the camera level with the orphans, and also skilfully knowing when to hold the camera back,and allow Estrella's friendship with Shine room to breath.
For the first non-Comedy movie she has done, writer/ director Lopez & cinematographer Juan Jose Saravia seamlessly blend the wisely limited use of CGI bringing the kids supportive plush toys to shining life, with the horror of Mexico's drug cartels, which are opened in fantastic long corridor tracking shots staying next to the kids in the hidden back alleyways of the cartels turf.
Bringing magical realism into the air when Estrella's teacher passes over three pieces of chalk that will grant her three wishes as they lay on the floor avoiding drug war gun fire, the screenplay by Lopez refreshingly does not sugar coat the orphaned children's dialogue, chopped up roughly of pieces from their homeless streets living and daily fights to avoid being killed by cartel gang members.
Haunted by the disappearance of her mum, Estrella's friendship with Shine is built by Lopez on the harsh light their families have suffered as cartel victims, bound up by the help of plush toys opening the cages to freedom for these brave tigers.