Boys Gone Wild
MICHAEL ACUNA | Southern California United States | 07/03/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"What's better than being 14, not quite interested in girls, able to eat huge quantities of junk food without gaining an ounce and having your mother and father gone for the whole day? Well for one thing having your best friend over and money enough to buy a large Mushroom and Salami Pizza and full access to the television so you can play video games until your head explodes.
Flama (Daniel Miranda) and Moko (Diego Catano) find themselves in this enviable position until the pizza guy Ulises (Enrique Areola) arrives along with a girl, Rita (Danny Perea) looking to borrow Flama's oven to bake a cake..."for just fifteen minutes," she says.
Nothing much happens in "Duck Season" except a pizza is devoured, a pan of brownies is baked, two of the group make out a bit and the house takes a beating. But it's the process here, the journey not the destination.
Wise, funny, real as in thoughtful and insightful, "Duck Season" is another entry in emerging journal of the revolutionary new Mexican cinema.
"
Poignant Nostalgic
A-Train | Denver, CO United States | 08/27/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"To say that this is a movie about nothing is to largely misunderstand the picture. Disguised as the (un)adventures of two 14-year old friends on a Sunday afternoon, this movie is really about beginnings and endings. The 2 boys are on the very cusp of adulthood. Still free of the weight of adult responsibility and accountability. No financial worries. Love has yet to leave them jaded.
Their lives are nicely contrasted against the two supporting players. The 16-year old female neighbor is barely a few years older than the boys, but she's already been let down by the adults in her life. Her family has forgotten her birthday. An experiment with drugs helps to dull the oncoming pains of early adulthood. The 30-something Pizza Delivery Man has lost hope on his future and feels the heavy financial burden in his life. Care for a sickly Aunt is keeping him from truly doing what he wants to do, but he has crafted a meticulous, albeit sad plan to get him out of his situation.
'Duck Season' is a beautifully crafted movie of life's time and place. Meloncholy, yet hopeful...this is one of the year's very best movies.
I was sad to see the DVD had no special features. It does have a few trailers for upcoming dvd releases, and the outstanding trailer for the movie itself. The DVD's B&W picture is very sharp, with only a few grainy scenes intended for the flashback sequences. The Audio is mainly front-channel as the movie itself is dialogue-heavy with little need for your surrounding speakers."
Fantastic Movie
Caleb Dirks | Hillsboro, KS | 12/21/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you want to see a movie with an original visual style, great acting, hilarious interactions, and is also deeply meaningful... Duck Season is certainly the movie for you. It is an absolute gem and a must see."