Maldeamores/Mancora [Blu-ray]

Mancora is the primary reason I bough this disc. It is one of those movies you watch by yourself or with a couple friends but should be embarrassed to watch with your family--it's a little heavy on the sex and drugs.More importantly, it's one of those movies about an immature youth, who doesn't really come off as immature because he is a well-experienced cynic, coming into his own by the conclusion. It's an unusual formula for a bildungsroman in that it won't always interest those who expect all fictional young adults to either be young (and stupid, as in the title character of Thor) or an adult (and mature, like Hermione in the Harry Potter series). In this case, "coming into your own" means renouncing a worldly, cynical, crass view of the way society goes on with itself, and embracing an optimistic, more hopeful lifestyle. It contrasts with typical narratives of maturity in that, conventionally, naivete means innocence, and experience means learning the harsh reality of life; in Mancora, naivete means disillusionment and pessimism, and experience means learning to love--and pursuse--life in spite of it. In this way, it teaches a much more hopeful message to the angsty teenage crowd, who tend to get caught up in an egoistic kind of mistrust of everyone and everything, in that it acknowledges full well the reasons for that mistrust and teaches the value of nevertheless possessing an informed optimism.Despite the sex and drugs, this makes Mancora a vastly more moral movie than any Disney-like portrayal of good and evil, because in real life you can't tell good from evil; you can only learn and decide how to live the most positive life possible, in the face of endless adversity. Beyond that, Mancora portrays a very sensous, culturally-aware, mixed-emotions presentation that I personally find intoxicating.Maldeamores is a great match for the teenage angsty drama not just because it is also a Spanish-language film starting with the letter "M," but because it has a similar quality of sensuality and shifting emotions. Its roller-coaster of laughs, cries, and frights is constructed through a series of love-story vignettes, a la "Paris, Je T'Aime" or "Love, Actually." Like Mancora, Maldeamores tries to teach the value of loving life in spite of how unsatisfying life can be. (Some of the stories also moralize quite transparently on the dangers of not learning this lesson, and forging ahead blindly and stubbornly, as well as the dangers of just being an outright idiot. Those were some of the best laughs, of course!)I view this combo as a great drama accompanied by a great comedy--and not the other way around--mostly because I am one of those serious tightwads who would rather be fascinated than entertained. Either way you take this pairing, I have to say that I love both films and make as many of my friends watch them as possible.Ps. To evaluate the blu-ray itself, it's got no special features and not at all an exciting menu, but when you contrast that with the value of two movies placed on one disc, well, you begin to demand less in added perquisites. Buy this movie!

BEING A LATINA I COULD RELATE TO THE INTERTWINED LOVE STORIES IN THIS MOVIE.IT WAS AN HONEST LOOK AT LATIN CULTURE RE LOVE AT ANY AGE. THE OPENING STORY LINE OF THE COUPLE FIGHTING ABOUT NOTHING IS OH SO TRUE. BEEN THERE DONE THAT!!!THE STORYLINE OF INFIDELITY MAY HAVE BEEN FUNNY AS HELL, BUT TRUE TO LIFE AS IT CAN BE, WITH WANTING TO KICK SOMEONE'S BUTT DUE TO THE HURT AND BETRAYAL, WAS RIGHT ON!! BEEN THERE DONE THAT AS WELL.BUT THE OLDER GENERATION'S LOVE STORY WAS THE MOST ENDEARING OF ALL.I CAME AWAY FROM THIS MOVIE LOVING MY PEOPLE AND CULTURE MORE THAN EVER. I BOUGHT 5 COPIES OF THIS MOVIE TO THOSE I LOVE AND THEY IN TURN HAVE LOVED ME FOR IT.THE ESSENCE OF THE MOVIE IS UNIVERSAL BUT FOR ME WAS VERY PERSONAL. IT IS A GREAT MOVIE.

It is amazing how this stories show our real life. This movie is very close to daily situations that you can see in any singe day. No makeup, no beautiful phrases, not the classic love stories, not the most beautiful actress or handsome actors. It is about real life, with real daily living and real people with different kind of point of view about what life is about. Very interesting!!!!!

I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!! This movie has captured real life situations in many puertorrican families. It brought back so many memories from the island and our people.It's a true shame that Mr Miguel A. Alvarez & Chavito Marrero are no longer with us! They brought to life two great characters.On a brighter note... GREAT ACTING!! would watch it over and over again!

I don’t write reviews but just got this movie yesterday and I am so glad I did. A fun entertaining film with great actors with heart and passion. Only complaint I have the review on the cover from fox called it one of the best foreign films of the year and it’s not it was made in Puerto Rico they are Americans who speak another language like most Americans. But other than that give it a chance you won’t be disappointed

Love this movie ! The cost was a good price and shipping was on time .

One of my favorite movies ever! I couldn't stop laughing!!! I'm Puerto Rican so naturally I can identify with the characters but anyone can enjoy this movie as much as I did.

A great movie about the modern Puertorrican character, with all its quirks, humor, and melodrama. Plus the behind the scenes show how the movie was put together and reveals some cinematography tricks.