south america

1

Ratas, Ratones, y Rateros (Ecuador) – Crime-Filled Fun in Quito

Ratas, Ratones, y Rateros Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

If you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced crime-thriller from South America, Ratas, Ratones, y Rateros is the film to watch. You’ll try and evade the law with crazy ex-con Angel and his amateur thief cousin Salvador, accompanied by his teenage friends. It’s probably the closest you’ll get to the style of Trainspotting or Run Lola Run from South America. Plus it’s available to watch with subtitles below (thanks to Vimeo).

Why Watch Ratas, Ratones, y Rateros
  • See one of the best opening action scenes!
  • To meet one of the craziest characters – the bleached blond haired Angel
  • If you like Run Lola Run, Kung Fu Hustle, or Layer Cake– this is another fast-paced stylised action film
  • For a grimy rock music soundtrack typical of the late 1990s
The Breakdown

The film starts with a close up of a Angel’s face upside-down. He opens one eye and the camera zooms out to show him lying upside down, hanging off a bed, lying beside a woman. The camera starts fast-cutting between Angel, as he starts rolling a cigarette, and the bedroom door, which he keeps looking at.

It’s obvious he’s uneasy. The woman tries to reassure him that “no one saw him coming in”.

All of a sudden the door busts open and two armed men run in. Angel manages to escape the room and jump across a few tin roofed houses as the two men chase after him. The grimy rock music kicks in at this point as if to cheer on Angel vs. the chasers.

The chasers lose him in a large cemetery until Angel ambushes them and knocks dead one of the men chasing him to end a adrenaline-filled opening scene. (As words can’t accurately capture the feeling of the opening, I recommend checking out the opening here or in the embedded video above).

What happens after the awesome opening?

Quite a lot. We meet Salvador and his friends back in Quito. Salvador is Angel’s cousin, and he’s excited to hear that his cousin will be returning to the capital to see him. Salvador and his friends are all amateur thieves of their own, but when Angel arrives, he’s looking to take them to the next level.

Without giving too much away, he has some enemies in the capital, and Salvador also has some rich friends.

Conclusion and What to Watch Next

All action or crime thriller fans will enjoy this film. It looks and feels like a great Hollywood indie film so it will be familiar to all Hollywood film fans. Check it out here on Vimeo.

If you’re after something similar (another stylised action thriller) I strongly recommend checking out the German thriller Run Lola Run. You could also check out Kung Fu Hustle or Layer Cake, two more films full of style that will keep you entertained throughout.

Otherwise for more South American thrillers, check out The Secret in their Eyes (just make sure it’s the Argentinian original). It’s one of the best foreign language films to start your world cinema journey with.

2

Anina (Uruguay) – A Whimsical Animation With A Unique School Punishment

Anina Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Do you miss the animations and story books you used to read as a kid? Anina will bring back your childhood with whimsical animation and a heart-warming story. If you have young ones or you’re young at heart, this one’s for you.

Why Watch Anina?
  • For anyone with kids, or your young at heart
  • To see it’s unique style which may remind you of a storybook
  • To hear the ‘worst names’ from Uruguay (Anina hates her name which is read the same forwards and backwards)
  • It’s here on YouTube (if you can understand Spanish)
The Breakdown

Anina starts at the end of a school day. Some parents are crowding round the entrance of the school waiting for their kids under their umbrellas. Some of the other kids are waiting at a bus stop nearby. It’s obvious who the protagonist is as she’s the only one with hair that stands out against the palette of grey, beige, and brown. Her hair is red and sticks out from her head. She’s Anina, our 10 year old protagonist.

You’ll notice the look of this animation is different to the Disney and Pixar films you’ve become used to. Firstly it’s 2D rather than the 3D used in most modern animation. Secondly, it’s uses a flat colour palette with no vibrant colours. As a result, Anina looks more like a children’s storybook rather than a vibrant Pixar film. This made it feel more whimsical and endearing.

One of my favourite stylistic moments occurs when she has a childhood memory. In the memory, the animation becomes even more basic than in the present: her facial expressions are less detailed and the background is plainer. It reflects the memories we all have, in which the detail is eroded by time.

Image result for anina

Conclusion

Like the best family films, Anina combines humour with a beautiful message about the family and friends. In addition, it’s unique animation evokes a nostalgia for children’s storybooks. If you’ve got young kids, or you still feel like a kid inside, Anina is worth a watch.

For more whimsical animation check out Song of the Sea by Tomm Moore. Also, no matter what age you are, watch Princess Mononoke by Hayao Miyazaki.