CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Desperado (Special Edition)

starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Almeida, Cheech Marin, Steve Buscemi
directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Release Date August 26, 2003
The Good Things
*Lots of good action scenes.
*Very excellent, solid filming style and quality. A vast improvement over its predecessor "El Mariachi."
*Not a bad story.
*It's well written.
*Not bad characters. Maybe not as good or memorable as "El Mariachi," but they are fun.
*Good music.

The Bad Things
*Ummm...

The Questionable Things
*A fair amount of absurdity. Some may like it, others won't.

This sequel to is a tremendous improvement over "El Mariachi" in terms of style, action, cameramanship, and overall quality. Only the story and characters seem superior in the predecessor, but are still fun in "Desperado." Anybody who enjoys action films should ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Robert Rodriguez Mexico Trilogy (El Mariachi / Desperado / Once Upon A Time In Mexico)

starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Almeida, Cheech Marin, Steve Buscemi
directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Release Date November 01, 2005
*El Mariachi (4 stars out of 5)
For a very low-budget film, this is very well-made. Even though it has very grainy picture quality, the filming style is very excellent. It is a simple but great story filled with great action scenes and great characters. It is entirely in Spanish with English subtitles, and includes a commentary track, a short film, and a making-of featurette.

*Desperado (4 stars out of 5)
With a higher budget, this film surpasses its predessor both in quality and in style. It has excellent image and sound quality. There are loads of slick action scenes. The story is not bad, and has some excellent characters. It is well-written. Music was good. It is mostly in English with subtitles for Spanish ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

El Mariachi (Special Edition)

starring: Carlos Gallardo, Consuelo Gómez, Jaime de Hoyos, Peter Marquardt, Reinol Martinez
directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Release Date August 26, 2003
The Good Things
*Lots of exciting action scenes.
*Some bloody violence for those who enjoy it.
*Some funny parts too.
*Excellent filming style. Lots of unique camera angles. Camera shakes around a little, but not irritatingly so. It's a rough style reminiscent of older 70s films.
*Storyline is simple but engaging.
*Characters are excellent. Good acting and writing.
*Good music.

The Bad Things
*Maybe a little too grainy and gritty. It could use some restoration (on the other hand, the grittiness accentuates the rough style).

For such a low-budget movie, this is quite an excellent and exciting (and sometimes humorous) piece of work. It could have been total garbage, but ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Not Love Just Frenzy

starring: Nancho Novo, Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, Ingrid Rubio, Beatriz Santiago, Gustavo Salmerón
directed by: Alfonso Albacete, Miguel Bardem, David Menkes

Release Date April 09, 2002
Very sweet, Almodovar's style movie about Spanish club life, drugs, homo- and hetero sex affairs and crime. Lots of music, stylish drugqueens and emotional dialogs - all that stuff which we love in Spanish cinema.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

El Mariachi/Desperado

starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Almeida, Cheech Marin, Steve Buscemi
directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Release Date March 09, 1999
I bought these movies after reading Robert Rodriguez's book and listening to El Mariachi's commentary. It became a must have in my library because of the high level of instruction both commentaries give.

If you are an indie film maker, pick these up without thinking twice.

If you dig action movies, they are pretty good for that as well. =)

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Almost a Woman

starring: Wanda De Jesus, Miriam Colon, Cliff De Young, Francesco Quinn, Luis Garcia
directed by: Betty Kaplan

Release Date June 20, 2006
Weather you're an Esmeralda Santiago fan or not, you've read her biography or not, and you're Puerto Rican or not- This movie will capture your heart and touch your inner most feelings. It is brilliantly made- with carefully chosen actors to play the parts, and with beautiful and well chosen images of rural Puerto Rico, including a captivating rhythmic soundtrack of some of our most talented musicians. Although the movie is based on Puerto Rican Author, Esmeralda Santiago's biography part 2, "Almost a Woman", you do not need to be Puerto Rican to be brought back into memory lane and be reminded of your traditions, your culture, and the strong family ties that prevail against all odds. The movie is short and sweet. You will not be disappointed with it. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Desperado [UMD for PSP]

starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Almeida, Cheech Marin, Steve Buscemi
directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Release Date June 06, 2006
The Good Things
*Lots of good action scenes.
*Very excellent, solid filming style and quality. A vast improvement over its predecessor "El Mariachi."
*Not a bad story.
*It's well written.
*Not bad characters. Maybe not as good or memorable as "El Mariachi," but they are fun.
*Good music.

The Bad Things
*Ummm...

The Questionable Things
*A fair amount of absurdity. Some may like it, others won't.

This sequel to is a tremendous improvement over "El Mariachi" in terms of style, action, cameramanship, and overall quality. Only the story and characters seem superior in the predecessor, but are still fun in "Desperado." Anybody who enjoys action films should enjoy this.
Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

The Turandot Project

starring: Audrey Stottler, Lando Bartolini, Giovanna Casolla, Cristina Gallardo Domas, Yimou Zhang
directed by: Allan Miller (II)

Release Date May 28, 2002
It's difficult to do opera even poorly, and nearly impossible to do it well. The art form is staggeringly collaborative, and --- unlike cinema --- is utterly dependent on all factors combining in the right way at each unrepeatable, uneditable moment. So... take Puccini's swan song, TURANDOT, his grandest, if not his greatest, opera; now, present it in a city that has never produced western opera but that is the fictional/historical setting for its plot; make certain that your thousands of collaborators and artistic leadership do not speak the same language; and finally, add the less-than-creative tension of a totalitarian government determined that the entire enterprise should reflect well on both current leaders and the ancient culture. No wonder this film ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Desperado / El Mariachi (Special Editions)

starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Almeida, Cheech Marin, Steve Buscemi
directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Release Date August 26, 2003
I bought these movies after reading Robert Rodriguez's book and listening to El Mariachi's commentary. It became a must have in my library because of the high level of instruction both commentaries give.

If you are an indie film maker, pick these up without thinking twice.

If you dig action movies, they are pretty good for that as well. =)

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Desperado

starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Almeida, Cheech Marin, Steve Buscemi
directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Release Date June 25, 1997
The Good Things
*Lots of good action scenes.
*Very excellent, solid filming style and quality. A vast improvement over its predecessor "El Mariachi."
*Not a bad story.
*It's well written.
*Not bad characters. Maybe not as good or memorable as "El Mariachi," but they are fun.
*Good music.

The Bad Things
*Ummm...

The Questionable Things
*A fair amount of absurdity. Some may like it, others won't.

This sequel to is a tremendous improvement over "El Mariachi" in terms of style, action, cameramanship, and overall quality. Only the story and characters seem superior in the predecessor, but are still fun in "Desperado." Anybody who enjoys action films should enjoy this.
... Read More: