Alfonso Cuaron's Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001) is one of my favorite films of the 2000s, so I was happy to see it finally get the Criterion treatment. I haven't seen the film in more than 10 years,but re-watching it more than stands the test of time. I was struck by two things on my recent viewing: 1) the political/sociological subtext of the film feels much more prominent than my initial viewing and 2) the cinematography stands out more-perhaps i have learned to appreciate it more in recent times, but Emmanuel Luzbezki's stunning cinematography adds visual poetry to the film. I don't remember the somber narration that draws attention to the transitory nature of life and places. Furthermore, much of the action that takes places as the car drives by represents a commentary on Mexico itself in the early 2000s as a nation in transition that mirrors the transition of the two teenage boys, Julio (Gabriela Garcia Bernal) and Tenoch ( Diego Luna), who move from adolescence into adulthood. For Luisa (Maribel Verdu) the transition is from life to death. On the surface it is a teenage road film about he rites of passage into adulthood, but it is much more on several different levels. The Criterion extras include: New, restored 2K digital film transfer, supervised by director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki and approved by director Alfonso Cuarón, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray / Two new pieces on the making of the film, featuring interviews, recorded at the time of production and in 2014, with actors Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, and Maribel Verdú; Alfonso Cuarón; cowriter Carlos Cuarón; and Lubezki / New interview with philosopher Slavoj Žižek about the film’s social and political aspects / On-set documentary from 2001 / Deleted scenes / You Owe Me One (2002), a short film by Carlos Cuarón / Trailers / New English subtitle translation / PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Charles Taylor and reprinted character biographies by Carlos Cuarón and Alfonso Cuarón.
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