CINESOL: The films reviewed

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"Mark'd"

Out of the many quirky scenes crammed together in "Mark'd," the best is easily the most bizarre. Maurice (Marcos Martinez), an effeminate weirdo in the Pat/Mr. Bean vein, is visiting a shooting range for the first time. Hilarity trying to shoot with the safety on ensues. Without dialogue or purpose, this scene, a fresh take on classic silent comedy, feels untethered from "Mark'd"‘s bewildering and ultimately pointless story, a schizophrenic plotline that strangles much of the movie's wacky charm.

The plot revolves around several eccentric assassins arguing over who actually killed the targeted title character (Mark ... ha). Things kick off with testimony from Rebecca (Madison Hardy), the femme fatale daughter of the mob boss the would-be hitmen are trying to win over.

The first 10 minutes of the movie feel like a porn version of "Clueless" as Rebecca and her less-hot friend go shopping and call each other "skank" while shady elevator music plays in the background. The film's weaknesses stand out like strobelights during this opening chapter - lifeless acting, an aimless narrative and dialogue that drops with a thud ("Pretty name ... for a pretty lady"). Once the hitvixen shuts her trap, things get more interesting.

Suddenly we're in an oddball world that looks like Tarantino's vision of the Valley, something like a Miami across from Reynosa. Then Maurice shows up. At first he sticks out like a sore thumb, a Pedro (as in Vote For) lookalike lost in a modern crime caper. Gradually I decided that this deceptively corny diversion was more compelling than the main story. Actor Marcos Martinez emits sparks of brilliance playing this strange character, and when writer/director Ali Naqva jives with him (as in the shooting range scene), the movie takes flight.

Unfortunately, it doesn't happen much. While I've never seen a super-indie film that's dazzled my eyes as much as "Mark'd" - its gaudy color scheme and superb staging really do deserve props -- this is another example of why a tight script is valuable above all else. "Mark'd" dashes like a bad dream through so many genres and moods, it's impossible to take seriously as anything but a young camera whiz's show-and-tell - even if a few of his moves look a lot like magic. TWO STARS ---Brandon Garcia

"Mason-Dixon"

If the Motion Picture Association of America had such a thing as an "L" rating, for low budget, no movie would be more deserving of it than "Mason-Dixon," directed by San Juan's Charlie Brenner.

Upon handing over a copy, even Brenner, who also penned the flick, gave a we-had-no-money disclaimer.

"Mason-Dixon" tells the story of two families, the Masons and the Dixons, who have a barrage of dark secrets and dirty dealings. The movie follows them as they battle for turf, money and revenge in a small town.

Its one part mafia movie, one part family drama and one part action flick. Unfortunately, it is all parts monetarily insufficient, suffering from the typical - like bad sound effects and awkward music. But no single factor killed the possible greatness of this film more than the acting.

Opening scene actors left a promising taste, with David Carren giving an eerie performance in his portrayal of one the lead character's in the future. But it was downhill from there.

Two of the most outlandish characters, Seth Mason and Joey Dixon, were severely overacted. To their credit, they had the material to do so. Pulling off such overwritten roles would have required actors with carefully honed finesse.

Fred Galvan Jr. and Jerrome Warden, who played Freddie Dixon and Chase Mason, respectively, were solid leads. However, their performances suffered because they were often paired with the weaker characters in scenes.

Half the work of making an independent film is making the audience care. At the end of "Mason-Dixon," most will care because it is a well-written script with a dark twist. But the audience will likely also sigh for the movie it could have been. If ever possible, this movie should be re-done with the actors and financial backing it deserves. -- Sandra Gonzalez

Ella es Toni Hudson

"Ella es Toni Hudson" documents the life and work of a semi-colorful artist who makes full-blown colorful paintings.Toni Hudson is a Mexican-born painter who lives in Brownsville. She grew up in a small Mexican town somewhat near Saltillo in the state of Coahuila. Over the years she's seen much of the border and Mexican culture. As such, these themes appear in her work. The documentary is well-shot and gets the story across. Hudson's work lends itself well to film, what with the plethora of bright colors. And she herself makes for an interesting subject. She talks about her work inspiring controversy among Catholics - she paints angels as women when the faith believes them to not have a gender. And she talks about how the green of the U.S. Border Patrol agency was so iconic to her as a child, and it shows up in her work. The movie lags a bit. At 19 minutes I believe it could have been cut down by at least five. Several shots hold on her work for a bit too long, and the director included some footage of the artist acclimating herself to being filmed, but overall it provides a solid look at an interesting border artist. --Zack Quaintance

Demption

This movie looks great and the production is incredible. That said, the dialogue and plot falls back on many crime movie clichés. Our main character is a drug attic in a bit of trouble with his dealer. He owes him $10,000 or so. The movie goes on, shots are fired, the cops get involved and we reach the twist at the end. The story telling is incredibly well done, with lots of jump cuts and out of sequence bits. It's a complex device to use, and the director pulls it off well. The audience, while forced to pay close attention, should definitely follow the story's progression. And the pacing is great, grabbing our interest, maintaining it and running with it. The story itself, however, is wrought with clichés and overdone scenes. The dealer that relentlessly criticizes his junky customer. The cop that knows his target on a first name basis. And more. But to the director's credit, the film and concept were incredibly ambitious and he pulled it off well. If Demption toned down the clichés and strived for realism a bit more, it'd work far better. --Zack Quaintance

"Ugly Me (Pretendiendo)"

In this is the first major effort from Chilean director, an attractive, young architect finds herself unhappy with the direction of her life. After an unfortunate event involving a cheating husband, an un-loyal best friend and a shot gun, she leaves town with one important change: she's hit herself with an ugly stick. Now, movie ugly is not like real ugly, but nonetheless this Spanish film with English subtitles is an interesting watch and very well made for a low budget. The writing is a little novice: -1. The acting is excellent: +1. One beef: The male leads could have been better looking. I've never seen uglier lotharios. THREE AND A HALF STARS
--Sandra Gonzalez

 "August Evening"

 Writer Chris Eska, a Texas native, follows an undocumented farm worker named Jaime, who after losing his wife of many years had lost much of the fire that once drove him. The frayed ties he has with his children don't help as he gets through the tough time, but support his widowed daughter-in-law Lupe, played by McAllen actress Veronica Loren, help him get through. This slow movie, while at the heart is a touching tale, can't get off it's legs fast enough to keep your attention. The director has an appreciation for scene setting, which can make for lengthy shot sequences that are gorgeous, but have little purpose. TWO STARS
--Sandra Gonzalez

• Have a chance to meet "August Evening" star and Valley native Veronica Loren tonight at the festival's opening at Cine El Rey in McAllen.

"Drug Wars: The Colombianization of Mexico"  by Sandra Gonzalez

This documentary from director Gary A. Fleming Jr. attempts to highlight the drug cartel violence. The beginning of this documentary opens more like an episode of a poorly made TNT series about drugs, but the inside of this package is a History Channel-worthy (uhm...that's a good thing) piece. It's gritty and has pictures that might be disturbing to some, but it's well cut. To some Valleyites - especially those who have followed this subject - a lot of this information will not come as a surprise, but the film warrants a watch. Among the featured interviewees are: Rep. Henry Cuellar, D- Laredo, FBI officials and some anonymous cartel members. THREE STARS --Sandra Gonzalez

El Taxista

El Taxista is a 15-minute film that is one of many entries for your viewing pleasure at this year's Cinesol Film Festival. The film begins with a pair of long legs in high-heeled boots and then we meet our first character, Norma, who enters a taxi driven by Ricardo. A few tears and a sad story later Ricardo becomes involved with Norma's life in more ways than he can imagine, and the taxi is running the meter along the way. The film is entirely in black and white but the actors use the shadows in an effective way like a Rembrandt painting; what is important is what is highlighted. The acting is not bad, even though Ricardo is sometimes a bit like Freddie Rodriguez. The story is a tad predictable with the obligatory sex scene but it is not boring. In fact, the film's 15 minutes may be best for the story and setting, but more films based on the adventures of el taxista may be a promising indie series. On an interesting note this is the first film made by McAllen native Luis Robledo who also stars as el taxista Ricardo. When I say he made this film I am not exaggerating, Robledo was also the director/editor/writer/executive producer/production designer and sound editor. It is the little facts like this that make an indie film more desirable.While this is not a trail blazing indie film it has the makings of a cult film. All I can say is not bad for a first attempt. --- Jasel Cantu