Carmen

I did not know much about this film before I went but I hoped it may be like the Saura Carmen which was largely flamenco, paralleling the Carmen story and was terrific. As well as cinema, I enjoy flamenco, some modern dance and opera. Well, there was some good flamenco at the start by the mother but not much more. The dance was then sort of modern ballet like a young girl might do, waving their arms around, not particularly engaging or exciting. This is Carmen! I was more impressed by the choreography in Barbie (unexpected). Matter of taste maybe. I gather the story was modelled more on Carmen Jones than the opera. There were some symbolic moments; washing of feet - refugees- but even they were not very emotive. The whole thing should have excited more than it did. Mescal and Miss Barrera were ok, but not much to work with given the uninspiring dialogue. It may have been somewhat "stylized" and that does not always work for me. Paul is a talented actor but needs better scripts than he has recently received (this & Aftersun). I woke up at one stage thinking I was in an Almodovar as the redoubtable Rossy de Palma peered down from the screen, but even she could not save this. I agree, disappointing.

Predictable and quite basic storyline. Yet, the movie is beautifully done! If you are into action movies, or dramas - you will find yourself scratching your head a little.. but take it as a new type of presentation.. After all, aren't you already tired of the same gangster, mob stories with racing cars and heavy shootings? (I am! All of the action movies are the same: no real plot line just chasings and gory images.. ) For me, Carmen was like a realistic play that we watch on stages: dialogues are mingled with dance and music to express feelings more than mere images, at times alternating the past and the present, the cause and the effect, the reality and the imaginary.. It's 'almost' an art movie because the image was not spectacular.. Instead, the soundtrack was. Among others, Paul Mescal (I had no idea who he was) sang a song amazingly, reminding me I wanted to learn how to play the guitar..

IN A NUTSHELL: Congratulations to dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied in his directorial debut. He reimagines the famous French opera Carmen into a modern dreamscape with original songs and musical score. Writing credits go to Loic Barrere, Alexander Dinelaris, and Lisa Loomer. THINGS I LIKED: I'm such a fan of Melissa Barrera. As soon as I saw she was in this, I was all in. She gets better and better with each of her films. She can sing, dance, and act like a pro. Beyond that, she looks a lot like my son's girlfriend from Cuba! The haunting musical score by Nicholas Britell is excellent. When I lived in Spain, I went to Flamenco dance lessons! It was fun and interesting to see that element embedded into the story. The woman at the beginning of the movie was really great. The movie is supposed to take place around the Mexican/US border somewhere, but the movie was actually filmed in Oz, Australia. There's an interesting scene where one character washes another's feet and rubs them with oil, reminiscent of Jesus Christ anointing the feet of His disciples. The fight scene was cleverly done in dance form. All of the choreography is just beautiful to watch. Dancers will love that element of the movie. It's fun to watch how the story moves forward with what we learn in the dance sequences, as well as how things are "said" through dance. THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: The first 11 minutes are in Spanish. We hear accents and voices from Mexico mostly, but also from Spain. Those who are unfamiliar with the French opera, Carmen, won't have a clue what's going on in the beginning or how it relates to the opera. It would have been nice to have some singing at the beginning of the film. We don't hear a song until 15 minutes into the movie. This is definitely an artsy-fartsy film that won't be everyone's cup of tea. I hated seeing Melissa Barrera smoke and go topless. (Yep, that's the protective mother in me.) TIPS FOR PARENTS: Kids will be extremely bored. We see a one-legged man in a wheelchair Racist names for Mexicans A lot of Spanish is spoken without subtitles We see an unmarried couple take off their clothes (pants on) To see my full review, check my YouTube channel called Movie Review Mom.

It uses the short story of Prosper Merimee, the opera by Georges Bizet as pretext for an impressive show. This is the first feeling seeing it and it is not just wrong; only not enough. It is a large puzzle the border immigration, the old myths, music and, especialy dance, the lights are used almost with volupty. Nice job of Melissa Barrera, fair work of Paul Mescal ( one of main motives, for me, to see the film ) and useful performance of Rossy de Palma. A provocative remind of essential pieces defining life, from tradition, love, freedom to sacrifice offering staight to each of them. The sin - the powerful feeling , to the second part of it, to be only an inconsistent improvisation, the dialogue using, too easy, pathetic cliches, the dance being the only matter thing, the sensation to see a puzzle with pieces from many others. In essence, for me, entire film can be reduced at the dance of Marina Tamayo, reminding more Garcia Lorca than Prosper Merimee or Georges Bizet. For this dance, indeed, Carmen deserves to be seen. So, a two hours ( almost ) film being just beautiful for only three minutes. And this is all.

It uses the short story of Prosper Merimee, the opera by Georges Bizet as pretext for an impressive show. This is the first feeling seeing it and it is not just wrong; only not enough. It is an experiment, a large puzzle where the border immigratio, the old myths, traditional music and dance, the significances of light are used almost with volupty. Nice job of Melissa Barrera, fair work of Paul Mescal ( one of main motives, for me, to see the film ) and fascinating performance of Rossy de Palma. Not exactly a modern adaptation ( the opera directors are perfect for offer something in this sense ) but a provocative remind of essential pieces defining life, from tradition, love, freedom to sacrifice offering staight to each of them. In short, just beautiful sounds as fair definition of this Carmen.

"Carmen" is a film based on the opera of the same name and whose script is masterfully adapted to the current era. Carmen must leave her native Mexico to escape some criminals and illegally crosses the border into the United States, meeting a racist subject and another with a lot of humanity. Aidan is the young man full of humanity who understands between justice and injustice and becomes the model of the liberal American who gives Carmen security. The theme of the problem of traffickers in the border cities of Mexico and the racism of closed-minded US border cities is well achieved, giving the characters of Carmen and Aidan the best of both countries, in addition the script touches elements of magical realism that manage to stand out. The cinematography full of chiaroscuro is a visual delight, the choreographies together with the songs are tremendous. For her part, Melissa Barrera plays Carmen with passion, demonstrating once again that in addition to being a scream queen, she is prepared for deep dramas, she also dances and sings beautifully. Paul Mescal is extraordinary as Aidan, showing his acting talent and Rossy de Palma is fabulous in her performance. A wonderful film that demonstrates the beauty of art cinema.

Carmen is a film that's difficult to pigeonhole. It skillfully combines genres, including a captivating love story, a mythical narrative, a musical extravaganza, and a modern interpretation of a timeless opera. Under the guidance of Benjamin Millepied, a dancer and choreographer, we are taken on a journey to the rugged landscapes of the U. S.-Mexico border, where passion, violence and beauty intersect and intertwine. The central character, played by Melissa Barrera, infuses Carmen with life. After witnessing her mother's demise at the hands of a drug cartel in Mexico, Carmen manages to escape. Along her journey, she encounters Aidan (portrayed by Paul Mescal), a former Marine who has become a vigilante patrolling the border. Despite their backgrounds, they discover love amidst the chaos and uncertainty. On their quest to evade capture and stay ahead of the cartel and the authorities, they cross paths with individuals like Masilda (brought to life by Rossy de Palma), a friend of Carmen's mother who runs a dance club in Los Angeles. Carmen doesn't adhere to Bizet's opera; it deviates from its songs and music. Nicholas Britell has crafted a score that seamlessly blends flamenco and pop influences. The dance sequences are mesmerising, showcasing Millepied's choreography and Barrera's talent as a dancer. One aspect that stands out in the movie is its cinematography, skillfully executed by Jörg Widmer. He magnificently captures the essence of the desert, the city, and the night sky, creating visuals that possess a dreamlike mythical quality with a touch of reality. The film delves into thought-provoking themes such as immigration, identity and freedom, handling them subtly without preaching or oversimplification. Some areas could be improved - moments of confusion in the plot, elements that stretch believability in the third act, and the characters could have been fully developed and their motivations clearer. Some of the dialogue occasionally leans towards clichés and melodrama making it challenging for the film to find its tone as it shifts between romance, action, comedy and tragedy. Carmen ambitiously tackles a range of subjects. But it doesn't always succeed in doing so. Nevertheless, it remains a beautiful film that captivated me despite its shortcomings. However, others may not connect with it on such a level. Regardless Carmen deserves recognition for its originality and vision despite some flaws in execution and overall coherence. I liked watching it, although I didn't fall in love with it.

source: Carmen

Benjamin Millepied is a Filmaker. The three lead characters are fabulous. Melissa Barrera, she can sing, she can dance and she's able to embody a character. Paul mescal in a different kind of character we used to know him : a TOUGH guy (soldier)... I'm glad a director was visionnary enough, to explore the captivating charisma of Rossy de Palma. The dance sequences are fascinating, i love seeing the differents slow-motion used during the whole movie to bring a unique tone to this picture... Marvelous i am pleasantly surprised, and for the future i want to see more pictures signed by Benjamin Millepied.

Carmen (2022) directed by Benjamin Millepied, retakes the original 1845 French novel plus references 1954 Carmen Jones film, and not the opera narrative. Dance forms becomes the centrepiece of an unsure love story. It takes liberty to reinterpret the original setting to the U. S./Mexico border, supposed to be set in the Northern Mexican states. Actually it's Oz, the Australian landscape passing for Mexican desert scenery. Although the film's intent to depict borderlands culture via Oz's landscape, there's odd cultural references like a repeated image of the Chilean Virgin Mary (Lady of Grace), in place of the Mexican Virgen de Guadalupe icon. Carmen, helmed by Mexican actor, Melissa Barrera and Aidan helmed by Irish actor, Paul Mescal meet under certain circumstances: undocumented crossings (Carmen entering the U. S.) and paramilitary border patrolling (Aidan, retired Marine as a patrol volunteer). Their climatic interaction begins there as they flee together to "ciudad de los angeles" (L. A.). Many scenes can suggest magical realism or surreal situations. There's some weak writing, with a contribution by Broadway's Alexander Dinelaris, but its strength is the dancing. Millepied's background as a dancer, support the beautiful choreography that's a lot superior than the noted film, "La La Land". Unlike the prior, Carmen references the social reality of U. S. immigration policies and urban decay. Dance scenes are breathtaking and employ Iberian and Latin American traditions from Flamenco to Tango. There's even a nod to L. A. contemporary urban dance forms like "Crumping". The presence of Rossy de Palma, from Spanish cinematic royalty, cements a mystical creature as Carmen's aunt. She is a storyteller, recording Carmen's struggles as well as her love for Aidan. At the end of the film, viewers navigate through muddled, slow burning action but it's worth it for the dancing and de Palma's acting. Its soundtrack has original compositions by Mexican musicians like Julieta Venegas and historic borderland ballads by Lydia Mendoza!