Latinx Lens

Two proud Latinas discuss Latinx representation in film and television through their lens.

83. Jennifer Lopez 07/21/2022

82. Moon Knight 06/15/2022

81. Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey: A New Era 06/13/2022

80. Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick 06/09/2022

79. Lucrecia Martel 06/01/2022

78. The Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman 05/04/2022

77. SXSW 2022: Interview with The Daniels, Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu 04/27/2022

76. SXSW 2022: DMZ, Halo, WeCrashed 04/20/2022

75. SXSW 2022: Everything Everywhere All At Once, Cha Cha Real Smooth, Still Working 9 to 5, A Vanishing Fog 03/31/2022

74. Diego Luna 03/24/2022

73. Turning Red 03/09/2022

72. The Batman, Lucy and Desi, Cyrano 02/28/2022

71. Moonfall, Uncharted, Dog, The Cursed 02/23/2022

71. Moonfall, Uncharted, Dog, The Cursed In this Latinx Lens review episode, Rosa and Cat review four films. *Spoiler warning* "Moonfall" (2022) Dir. Roland Emmerich The world stands on the brink of annihilation when a mysterious force knocks the moon from its orbit and sends it hurtling toward a collision course with Earth. With only weeks before impact, NASA executive Jocinda "Jo" Fowler teams up with a man from her past and a conspiracy theorist for an impossible mission into space to save humanity. "Uncharted" (2022) Dir. Ruben Fleischer Treasure hunter Victor "Sully" Sullivan recruits street-smart Nathan Drake to help him recover a 500-year-old lost fortune amassed by explorer Ferdinand Magellan. What starts out as a heist soon becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Santiago Moncada can get his hands on it. If Sully and Nate can decipher the clues and solve one of the world's oldest mysteries, they stand to find $5 billion in treasure but only if they can learn to work together. "Dog" (2022) Dir. Channing Tatum & Reid Carolin With a dog named Lulu by his side, Army Ranger Briggs races down the Pacific Coast to make it to a soldier's funeral on time. Along the way, Briggs and Lulu drive each other completely crazy, break a handful of laws, narrowly evade death, and learn to let down their guards to have a fighting chance of finding happiness. "The Cursed" (2022) Dir. Sean Ellis In 19th century France, a man arrives in a remote country village to investigate an attack by a wild animal. However, he soon discovers a much deeper and sinister force that has the manor and the townspeople in its grip. Support us on Please Rate, Review & Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @latinxlens Follow Catherine on Twitter and Instagram: @thingscatloves Follow Rosa on Twitter and Instagram: @rosasreviews Theme Music by David Rosen /episode/index/show/latinxlens/id/22246727

70. Oscars 2022 Nominations, Kimi, I Want You Back, Marry Me 02/16/2022

69. Lin-Manuel Miranda 02/10/2022

68. Sundance Film Festival 2022: Our Top 10 Films 02/10/2022

67. Sundance Film Festival 2022: Aftershock, Free Chol Soo Lee, Huella, Stranger Than Rotterdam with Sara Driver, The Worst Person in the World 02/10/2022

67. Sundance Film Festival 2022: Aftershock, Free Chol Soo Lee, Huella, Stranger Than Rotterdam with Sara Driver, The Worst Person in the World Our last 2022 Sundance Film Festival review episode is here! Rosa and Cat review: "Aftershock" Dir. Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee Follows two bereaved fathers who galvanize activists, birth-workers and physicians to reckon with the U.S. maternal health crisis after losing their partners due to preventable childbirth complications. "Free Chol Soo Lee" Dir. Julie Ha and Eugene Yi In 1973, 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee is racially profiled and arrested in a gang-related murder in San Francisco's Chinatown. After a trial hinging on questionable accounts from white tourists, Lee is convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He spends years fighting to survive until investigative journalist K.W. Lee takes a special interest in his case, igniting an unprecedented social justice movement that would unite Asian Americans and inspire a new generation of activists. "Huella" Dir. Gabriela Ortega When the death of her grandmother unleashes a generational curse, a disenchanted flamenco dancer resigned to a desk job is forced to experience the five stages of grief through a visit from her female ancestors, pushing her to finally break the cycle. "Stranger than Rotterdam with Sara Driver" Dir. Lewie Kloster and Noah Kloster The completion of Jim Jarmusch's film 'Stranger Than Paradise' depended on producer Sara Driver's willingness and ability to smuggle one of the world's weirdest and most controversial films across the Atlantic Ocean. "The Worst Person in the World" Dir. Joachim Trier A young woman battles indecisiveness as she traverses the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path. Support us on Please Rate, Review & Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @latinxlens Follow Catherine on Twitter and Instagram: @thingscatloves Follow Rosa on Twitter and Instagram: @rosasreviews Theme Music by David Rosen /episode/index/show/latinxlens/id/22085108

66. Sundance Film Festival 2022: God's Country, Downfall, After Yang, Dos Estaciones 02/06/2022

65: Sundance Film Festival 2022: Interview with René G. Boscio 02/04/2022

64. Sundance Film Festival 2022: Interview with Isabel Castro and Doris Muñoz 01/28/2022

63. Sundance Film Festival 2022: Call Jane, Marte Um, Emergency, Brian and Charles 01/25/2022

63. Sundance Film Festival 2022: Call Jane, Marte Um, Emergency, Brian and Charles Sundance Film Festival 2022 coverage continues for Rosa and Cat. In this episode, they review four films from the festival: "Call Jane" Dir. Phyllis Nagy Chicago, 1968. As a city and the nation are poised on the brink of violent political upheaval, suburban housewife Joy leads an ordinary life with her husband and daughter. When Joy’s pregnancy leads to a life-threatening condition, she must navigate a medical establishment unwilling to help. Her journey to find a solution to an impossible situation leads her to the “Janes,” a clandestine organization of women who provide Joy with a safer alternative — and in the process, change her life. "Marte Um (Mars One)" Dir. Gabriel Martin The Martins family are optimistic dreamers, quietly leading their lives in the margins of a major Brazilian city following the disappointing inauguration of a far-right extremist president. A lower-middle-class Black family, they feel the strain of their new reality as the political dust settles. Tércia, the mother, reinterprets her world after an unexpected encounter leaves her wondering if she’s cursed. Her husband, Wellington, puts all of his hopes into the soccer career of their son, Deivinho, who reluctantly follows his father’s ambitions despite secretly aspiring to study astrophysics and colonize Mars. Meanwhile, their older daughter, Eunice, falls in love with a free-spirited young woman and ponders whether it’s time to leave home. "Emergency" Dir. Carey Williams Straight-A college student Kunle and his laid-back best friend, Sean, are about to have the most epic night of their lives. Determined to be the first Black students to complete their school’s frat party legendary tour, the friends strap in for their ultimate assignment, Solo cups in hand. But a quick pit stop at home alters their plans when they find a white girl passed out on the living room floor. Faced with the risks of calling the police under life-threatening optics, Kunle, Sean, and their Latino roommate, Carlos, must find a way to de-escalate the situation before it’s too late. "Brian and Charles" Dir. Jim Archer An endearing outlier, Brian lives alone in a Welsh valley, inventing oddball contraptions that seldom work. After finding a discarded mannequin head, Brian gets an idea. Three days, a washing machine, and sundry spare parts later, he’s invented Charles, an artificially intelligent robot who learns English from a dictionary and proves a charming, cheeky companion. Before long, however, Charles also develops autonomy. Intrigued by the wider world — or whatever lies beyond the cottage where Brian has hidden him away — Charles craves adventure. Support us on Please Rate, Review & Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @latinxlens Follow Catherine on Twitter and Instagram: @thingscatloves Follow Rosa on Twitter and Instagram: @rosasreviews Theme Music by David Rosen /episode/index/show/latinxlens/id/21885875

62. Sundance Film Festival 2022: Long Line of Ladies, Bestia, Watcher, The Princess 01/23/2022

62. Sundance Film Festival 2022: Long Line of Ladies, Bestia, Watcher, The Princess Sundance Film Festival 2022 coverage continues for Rosa and Cat. In this episode, they review two short films and two feature films: "Long Line of Ladies" Dir. Rayka Zehtabchi & Shaandiin Tome A girl and her community prepare for her Ihuk, the once dormant coming-of-age ceremony of the Karuk tribe of northern California. "Bestia" Dir. Hugo Covarrubias "Bestia" portrays the life of a secret police agent during the Chilean military dictatorship. Her relationship with her dog, her body, her fears, and frustrations all reveal grim fractures in her mind and in the country. "Watcher" Dir. Chloe Okuno Julia joins her husband when he relocates to his family’s native Romania for a new job. Having recently abandoned her acting career, she finds herself frequently alone and unoccupied. One night, people-watching from her picture window, she spots a vague figure in an adjacent building, who seems to be looking back at her. Soon after, while alone at a local movie theater, Julia’s sense of being watched intensifies, and she becomes certain she’s being followed — could it be the same unknown neighbor? Meanwhile, a serial killer known as The Spider stalks the city. "The Princess" Dir. Ed Perkins Decades after her untimely death, Princess Diana continues to evoke mystery, glamour, and the quintessential modern fairy tale gone wrong. As a symbol of both the widening fissures weakening the British monarchy and the destructive machinery of the press, the Princess of Wales navigated an unparalleled rise to fame and the corrosive challenges that came alongside it. Crafted entirely from immersive archival footage and free from the distraction of retrospective voices, this hypnotic and audaciously revealing documentary takes a distinctive formal approach, allowing the story of the People’s Princess to unfold before us like never before. Support us on Please Rate, Review & Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @latinxlens Follow Catherine on Twitter and Instagram: @thingscatloves Follow Rosa on Twitter and Instagram: @rosasreviews Theme Music by David Rosen /episode/index/show/latinxlens/id/21860852

61. Sundance Film Festival 2022: Mija, Riotsville, USA, Nothing Compares and Fire of Love 01/22/2022

61. Sundance Film Festival 2022: Mija, Riotsville, USA, Nothing Compares and Fire of Love Sundance Film Festival 2022 coverage continues for Rosa and Cat. In this episode, they review four films: "Mija" Dir. Isabel Castro Doris Muñoz desperately longed for better representation in the indie music she listened to as a teenager. At 23, she took matters into her own hands and began a career in music talent management, passionately advocating for rising Latinx artists. Her swift success transformed her into a pillar for a community of first- and second-generation Americans seeking collective acceptance and healing through song. When Doris receives news that forces her to reconsider working in music, she finds Jacks Haupt, an auspicious young singer eager to break out of her parent’s home in Dallas, Texas. Beyond the sweet moments of joy, glitter, and hope, Doris and Jacks share the ever-present guilt of being the first American-born members of their undocumented families. For them, the pressure of financial success is heightened because it facilitates green card processing and family reunification. "Riotsville, USA" Dir. Sierra Pettengill A a poetic and furious reflection on the reaction of a nation’s citizens and institutions to the rebellions of the late 1960s. This artful, riveting documentary consists entirely of archival footage that was shot by the United States military or appeared on broadcast television. "Nothing Compares" Dir. Kathryn Ferguson Since the beginning of her career, Sinéad O’Connor has used her powerful voice to challenge the narratives she was surrounded by while growing up in predominantly Roman Catholic Ireland. Despite her agency, depth, and perspective, O’Connor’s unflinching refusal to conform means that she has often been patronized and unfairly dismissed as an attention-seeking pop star. "Fire of Love" Dir. Sara Dosa Katia and Maurice Krafft loved two things — each other and volcanoes. For two decades, the daring French volcanologist couple were seduced by the thrill and danger of this elemental love triangle. They roamed the planet, chasing eruptions and their aftermath, documenting their discoveries in stunning photographs and breathtaking film to share with an increasingly curious public in media appearances and lecture tours. Ultimately, Katia and Maurice would lose their lives during a 1991 volcanic explosion on Japan’s Mount Unzen, but they would leave a legacy that would forever enrich our knowledge of the natural world. Support us on Please Rate, Review & Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @latinxlens Follow Catherine on Twitter and Instagram: @thingscatloves Follow Rosa on Twitter and Instagram: @rosasreviews Theme Music by David Rosen /episode/index/show/latinxlens/id/21857888

60. Sundance Film Festival 2022: La Guerra Civil, Tantura 01/21/2022

60. Sundance Film Festival 2022: La Guerra Civil, Tantura Latinx Lens is attending the virtual Sundance Film Festival 2022! The festival runs January 20 to January 30. In this episode, Rosa and Cat dive into two documentaries premiering at the festival: "La Guerra Civil" Dir. Eva Longoria Bastón In 1996, Oscar De La Hoya, the charismatic golden boy from East LA, challenged Mexican-born boxing legend Julio César Chávez in what was billed as the “ultimate glory” fight. Mexicans on both sides of the border were forced to choose their favorite champ: the record-holding immigrant from humble beginnings, or the younger and more marketable Olympian born in the U.S. These rivals felt the pressure to prove their athletic superiority, while the fans’ choice of champion revealed the type of Mexican they aspired to be. The film features detailed archival footage and enthusiastic interviews with Chávez and De La Hoya to illuminate a story that transcends language, heritage, and interests. "Tantura" Dir. Alon Schwarz The tape-recorded words “erase it” take on new weight in the context of history and war. When the state of Israel was established in 1948, war broke out and hundreds of Palestinian villages were depopulated in its aftermath. Israelis know this as the War of Independence. Palestinians call it “Nakba” (the Catastrophe). In the late 1990s, graduate student Teddy Katz conducted research into a large-scale massacre that had allegedly occurred in the village of Tantura in 1948. His work later came under attack and his reputation was ruined, but 140 hours of audio testimonies remain. The now elderly ex-soldiers recall unsettling acts of war while disquietly pausing at points they either don’t remember or won’t speak of. Audio from Katz’s 20-year-old interviews cuts through the silence of self-preservation and exposes the ways in which power, silencing, and protected narratives can sculpt history. Support us on Please Rate, Review & Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @latinxlens Follow Catherine on Twitter and Instagram: @thingscatloves Follow Rosa on Twitter and Instagram: @rosasreviews Theme Music by David Rosen /episode/index/show/latinxlens/id/21843356

59. Clara Sola, Blanco en Blanco, Prayers for the Stolen, Deserto Particular 01/20/2022

58. Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Matrix Resurrections, Don't Look Up 01/12/2022

57. Anya Taylor-Joy 01/05/2022

56. 2021 Year in Review 12/31/2021

55. Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts 12/31/2021

54. West Side Story, Being the Ricardos, Nightmare Alley 12/30/2021

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