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The greatest movie ever made..!

hyped garbage

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

It's 1952 Havana, Cuba. Cesar (Armand Assante) moves to NYC taking younger brother Nestor Castillo (Antonio Banderas) after getting into a dispute over Maria (Talisa Soto). The brothers are amazed at the nightlife and Tito Puente. Cesar falls for brash cigarette girl Lanna Lake (Cathy Moriarty) while Nestor is still in love with Maria. The brothers work odd jobs and play in the clubs at night. Nestor falls for shy Delores (Maruschka Detmers). His song "Beautiful Maria of My Soul" catches Desi Arnaz who elevates the brothers to fame. However it is fleeting as they encounter tragedy.It's a relatively good historical drama. The music is happening. The two actors are terrific. Assante is all energy and Banderas is charming. However the drama isn't that compelling. The story is without surprises. Arne Glimcher is limited as a director. Quite frankly, he has access to great music but he doesn't use it in an interesting way. Moriarty matches Assante's energy but Detmers is a hollow beauty. This a functional music pic but it could be more.

There are many great movies that have been made over the past century; one of them is The Mambo Kings. In this film two brothers who are forced to leave their home land of Cuba in the early 1950's and head to America for a chance at embarking on a dream of becoming a musical powerhouse in the New York City dance hall craze. The brothers Nestor (Antonio Banderas) and Cesar (Armande Asante) Castillos form the Mambo Kings band and together become legends in their own time while facing a barrage of betrayal, lost love, success and death. This was a most opportune time for the Castillo brothers as during this time in Cuba the Batista regime was beginning to hinder down preceding the Castro dictatorship.A classic story about coming from nothing and rising to success, The Mambo Kings is one of the most beautiful stories ever written. It is an unusual movie because in that it does not stick to movie clichés or points of predictability. There were so many parts in the movie that leads one to believe that something drastic is about to occur, and then the exact opposite happens. That is what is best presented is that the story line stayed true to form as what would actually happen under the circumstances in real life.The characters in this film were played to perfection. The interaction between Cesar and Nestor seemed almost too real at times. On one end there is Cesar, has not a need for dreams in life but to be successful in his own manner by not succumbing to the temptations others present. On the other end there is the brother who is a dreamer, who wants to be successful just as his brother wants to be, but in his own way, by playing music for the sake of playing music that is from the soul. Their relationship is one of many siblings have experienced. The oldest, Cesar, is a protector, he possesses the knowledge of a wise and crafty man. While his brother, a young, naive person that could not see how things really were. It is because of these things Cesar assumes the leadership role in securing Nestor's position in life while at the same time, he is struggling to secure himself in this world in doing so.One great aspect featured was the use of cinematography. Most of the scenes were shot inside the dance halls that were very famous spots in the 50's and showed so many vibrant colors through out those scenes that one could not help but stay alert. Also, the transitions were executed quite nicely, such as the montage of Nestor and Cesar searching in the New York City streets for a club that would hire them. It really is quite remarkable.As far as the position between it being entertaining or educational is quite one sided. In my opinion this movie was more for entertainment value than it was for educational purposes. Granted it was a good depiction of the times, there were some problems with the story. While the events are true, some of the parts are a little bit inaccurate or may have been vaguely presented. One can be sure that because this film is less than two hours long, some important things may have been left out. For instance, they came to America in 1949, not 1952. This also could have been more useful historically if there were intimate details about the rest of the band that may have shifted the plot in some manner.In conclusion this is a wonderful and sad story of how if it were not for the music in our lives, many would be left with nothing. The foundation of music is in its creation is collaboration, or sharing rather, which comes from loving one another, if one cannot share the love, one is doomed. That is what was destined for the Castillos brother. All they did this in music; they could not do this for each other. Rating: 8

Cuban brothers arrive in America with a suitcase full of songs, hearts filled with passion and a desire to make it big in the promised land. One is a bit more passionate than the other, who likes the simple life a little more and continues to miss the girl who stayed back home, not realising that his brother was forced to leave with him in order to save his life. This tragic drama is one of the 90's most underrated gems. Full of energy and tragedy, good performances and great songs. Armand Assante gives the performance of his career and Antonio Banderas makes a solid American acting debut. At times the movie feels a bit rushed, it simply might have been even longer, giving more character development to the supporting actors, who are very good, Cathy Moriarty in particular. The era feels authentic enough and the recreation of the "I love Lucy show" is a real winner.An utterly charming film. Highly recommended.

What can I say about this gem? I cry every emotion each time I see it. Assante is compelling and heart-wrenching as the ambitious and devoted older brother, Banderas rounds the two out with innocence and struggle for independence. Also a most moving story of unrequited love.