Good concept, poorly executed.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Danzón is a fantastic movie which through its exploration of love, lust, and the female experience brings the viewer to laugh and cry and think deeply about the realities of everyday life.I absolutely adored this movie. I am not usually one for romantic movies. I often find them to be too similar plot-wise to hold my interest for very long, and as a gay man I really do get tired of the lack of representation in movies, or even worse, representation that only furthers homonegative stereotypes. Danzón, however was original in its plot and explored themes of gender and sexuality which are often ignored or barely touched upon in movies. I think the most enjoyable part of the film for me was the degree to which I was able to immerse myself in Julia's experience. From her uncomfortable impromptu "date" in the restaurant, to her fling with a man she didn't really feel much for, to her touching reunion with her dancing partner, I found myself cheering Julia on, hoping she succeeded and lived a happy life. The part of the film I most appreciated, however, was the character Susy. While this depiction of a gay drag queen was not the most perfect thing I've ever seen, it was still fantastically done. Rather than feeling like a comic relief and an accessory to Julia, Susy struck me as a three-dimensional person, full of life and complex emotion. One of the important themes which I found fascinating was the exploration of life as a woman. Oftentimes in this still mostly male-centric world movies focus on male experience and the only aspects of female experience are those which benefit and highlight male experience. In Danzón I felt like I was actually getting a glimpse into what it's like to be a woman. I saw the sexual harassment, the disregard for female feelings and experiences, the use of women for male sexual pleasure. However, none of it felt like it was a plot device meant to further Julia's quest for her love. It felt like the director and writer were actually trying to make the viewer understand intimately the female experience. Overall I give this movie ten stars. I found it just absolutely wonderful, and deserving of the highest praise I can award.

The film Danzón, directed by Maria Novaro, was an interesting film. The film is about Julia, a telephone operator, who devotes her time to her little girl, her work, and to dancing. In the movie she dances with Carmelo, someone who she has never met but they always dance together. One day Carmelo does not come to dance and Julia leaves her daughter and her job to go find this man whom she never knew. In the end she returns to her house because she can not find him and in the room where they dance, she finds Carmelo. I liked the idea of ​​the movie but it was a bit confusing in parts. It was not a very realistic film but with what they were trying to do I do not think there was a realistic way to do it. It's an adventure movie about following your heart. She felt something so strong, with Carmelo, that she left her little girl behind to look for him. I'm not sure if that's love or being a bad mother. They were trying to say that love is one of the most important things in life and you should never let it go. With that in mind, I think they did a good job in conveying that message. It was also a very advanced film. I say that because of their use of an actor who was a transvestite. Especially given that in the Latin American culture the transvestites do not play a big part. Using a transvestite opens the dialogue to the LGBTQ group. With dialogue you can advance the knowledge of these people and the argument they have. Danzón was an exceptional movie with a message that many people need to hear. I liked the movie a lot and recommend it to everyone who likes adventure and romantic movies.

DANZON (dir.María Novaro) Julia is a long distance telephone operator in Mexico City who has a passion for the official dance of Cuba, The Danzon. When her partner disappears, she travels to Veracruz to try and discover what happened to him. The film becomes a tender and affectionate journey of self-discovery which leads to a reaffirmation of her sexuality. The various colorful and quirky characters that she meets change her life in subtle, yet fundamental ways. This is not exactly a 'Chick Flic', but Maria Novaro has crafted a film in which femininity is celebrated and revered in an honest and creative manner. A color saturated 35mm print makes this a delight to see-the absolute antithesis of the stark and clinical look of digital photography. Winner of numerous awards.

It felt as I were slogging through the first four-fifths of the movie because I couldn't dismiss a feeling of anxiousness caused by not being able to figure out what the conflict was that was being resolved. It wasn't until the very end, when Julia returned from Vera Cruz that I accepted that the slog (Julia's journey of discovery and my sitting through it) was worthwhile. Ostensibly looking for Carmelo, the dancing partner that abandoned her, Julia becomes despondent in Mexico City so she takes a leave of absence from her job as a telephone operator, finds someone to look after her teenage daughter, and goes to Vera Cruz to chase down a sketchy lead. In Vera Cruz she stays in a harbor-side flop house among prostitutes and a disinterested but doting innkeeper, is befriended by a helpful transvestite and finally succumbs to the beauty of a younger tug boat captain. She returns to Mexico City having found herself instead of Carmelo.