This is How Movies Should Be Made

Admirable film.

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

This is my first post-WINGS OF DESIRE Wenders movie, and despite all the hype around it at the time, my first experience with the music of the Buena Vista Social Club. The music itself is fantastic, featuring memorable and rich songs with accomplished musicianship and great passion. It was a pleasure to spend time with the players and learn a little bit (unfortunately, not a whole lot) about their lives and careers. However, the cinematography is simply awful. Undoubtedly there are limitations involved with filming in Cuba, but the use of early digital video cameras gives the movie a cheap, amateurish, washed-out look. It's very unpleasant to behold, especially with the shaky camera-work. It feels like it was all done rather haphazardly with little thought. You're probably better off just buying the CD.

Most people don't seem to have seen the movie from the very beginning. Cooder and Wenders were in Cuba to film with some Japanese Musicans who had problems with their visas or whatever and didn't make it in time, so they just went to look for some local musicians in order not to waste their time in Cuba. The revelation and worldwide success of these oldtimers was by pure chance and not by design. In my eyes that makes it more 'documentary' than any preconceived plans that other such movies had. They called off the artists from whatever jobs or duties they were doing at that exact time. Ibrahim Ferrer for example was shining shoes at that time and didn't even get the time to shower before they recorded the album.Give the guys a break!

Wim Wenders' documentary seems to have been made as a companion to the best selling CD. Ry Cooder was responsible for resurrecting these old Cuban musicians from oblivion. We saw this film in its debut day at the Angelika and remember the emotional response by many people in the audience as the documentary unfolded. Having seen the DVD recently, it brought back memories about that June day.Actually, all praise has been directed at Mr. Cooder, who is the man who had the clout to bring this group into the attention of the world, first with the recording, and then with this film. However, no one gives credit to Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, the man responsible for getting all these forgotten musicians together. It's because this man's love for that type of music that one is able to appreciate the men one sees in the film.The tremendously talented Cuban musicians are finally given the tribute they were due because their contribution to the kind of music that will always be heard because the way it resonates with the listener. As far as the document go, the Cooders, both Ry and Joaquin, are given a special treatment, but then again, without them, who would have even heard of the Buena Vista Social Club?: No one!Ibrahim Ferrer, Eliades Ochoa, Ruben Gonzalez, Pio Leiva, Guajiro Mirabal, Compay Segundo, Cachaito Lopez, Omara Portuondo, and the rest of the players are shown with great respect by Mr. Wenders, who seems to be enjoying directing these all timers doing what they do best.One can only cry for what the regime in that unhappy island did to this great musicians for such a long time until the powers that be in Cuba found out how much money they could make by exporting the same people they had chosen to forget.

I would like to start off by saying how angry and distressed i was to read the foul narrow minded commentary by whichever person wrote the review stating that it is the worst documentary and a complete hash in fact i don't blame him/her that much because we are all in titled to our own opinions but IMDb should not have put that as the main page of this movie's commentary. The person who wrote this commentary is obviously incapable of watching and giving credit to anything apart from big budget Hollywood American stereotype films. therefore do not take it as a exact review.Unless you are not a musician it is quite hard to not like this movie. why? because (i have actually forgotten all of their names so if you bare with me)these ageing Cubans don't read music they don't have the best instruments, all except one have not had a musical education they don't have the money to muck around with these things they have been gifted with the basic. An instrument and they go on from there so having taken all of this into account they produce an emotional salsa with beautiful lyrics and sound ,not frankly giving a damn about their badly made instruments they embraced what they had and sheer determination and musical talent and a drop of luck brought them to the prestigious Carnegie hall in new york. most of them hadn't even stepped a foot out of heir own town let alone a different country.And to see their faces when the crowd started applauding is unbelievable you can read their minds they just can not believe that they are there. so as they are walking round New York streets admiring each figure in every glass window they seem like children lost in Disney land but once they have been given their microphone or piano or guitar they come to their own and you give them fully credited respect and they look in control.By America cutting them off from advanced technology of the day all of there cars in the streets are some old Reno's and Beatles paint drying of the city walls bumpy roads the burning sun the public bus made out of old cars and trucks painted pink and their simple humble homes beautiful men and women. and children who are still children not dressing over their age or acting like twenty year old women its almost impossible to not fall under charm of the Cuban people.Yes this documentary was filmed badly with rubbish cameras but doesn't that add to the whole thing? i think so. So if you have actually kept on reading to this point you must have at least some interest in the film then give it a go if you are different and not American glazed then i guarantee you will love it. it is by far the best documentary i have ever seen.