Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Havana Dreams

Author(s): Alfredo
Location: NY

"Havana Dreams"

Directed by James Mangold
Written by Jose Rivera
Produced by Cathy Konrad
Cinematography by Eric Gautier
Film Edited by Michael McCusker
Costume Design by Arianne Phillips
Original Score by Gustavo Santaolalla
Original Songs by Alejandro Sanz

Main Cast
Alexis Bledel - Arianna Santiago
Santiago Cabrera - Alejandro Cruz
Rita Moreno - Rosa Gonzalez
Esai Morales - Ernesto Cruz
Ian Somerhalder - James Brody

Tagline: "Dreaming of a better tomorrow. Dreaming of Love"

Synopsis: The palm trees sway in the warm summer breeze. The smell of food is carried with it. You hear the splashing of the Caribbean Sea hitting the beach. All around children are playing in the white sand. These children are the offspring of the elite, wealthy and powerful. They are growing up not knowing the word "no". It is the summer of 1958, Cuba. Havana has become the playground of the upperclass Cubans and wealthy Americans. This is the world Arianna (Bledel) is living in. This is the only world she has known. Arianna has been living with her grandmother, Rosa (Moreno), since she was five years old. Her parents died in a plane crash. Despite her grandmother's vast wealth, Arianna was her most prized possession. This is due to the fact that Arianna has pale white skin and eyes as blue as the sky. Features that her grandmother claims she was blessed with thanks to her direct European ancestry. Arianna's blue eyes and pales skin give Rosa status that her dark eyes and complexion could not. This being the case, Rosa has carefully mapped out Arianna's entire life; including her wedding to James Brody (Somerhalder), a wealthy American from Florida. Arianna never complained because she was grateful for the life her grandmother has given her. Protesting about her engagement to James would be her first act of rebellion.In stark contrast, the world Alejandro Cruz (Cabrera) lived in with his brother Ernesto Cruz (Morales) was filled with poverty. The people in the Cruz's neighborhood worked from sun up to sun down just to be able to eat for one day. Cuba's leader had failed the masses. Alejandro was raised by his older brother Ernesto. Like Arianna, their parents had died when he was very young as well, leaving Ernesto to take care of his sibling. Ernesto was extremely hard working and passionate about everything he does. Alejandro loved and admired his brother and would follow him to the ends of the earth. Something that Ernesto took advantage of when rumblings of a revolution led by a Cuban lawyer and an Argentinian doctor started spreading through the slums that they lived in. Ernesto put all his energy into starting the revolution in his neighborhood. He recruited many other young men and they started secretly planning on ways to aid the revolutionaries hiding in the mountains. Ernesto passion would soon blind him to everything including the love affair his brother Alejandro is having with a wealthy young woman from Havana...Alejandro and Arianna met one day after Arianna had a fight with her grandmother about James. James as it turns out isn't such a sweet guy that he made Arianna's grandmother believe. He was an opportunist. His family has long ago lost their fortune. All they had going for them was their name. James' plan was to marry Arianna and gain her fortune. Arianna was upset and walking along the beach when she ran into Alejandro. The two hit it off instantly. Their love affair would set off a chain of events that include a plot to murder Alejandro, lies and betrayal from their families. From Rosa because she will not let her grand daughter go out with a nobody like Alejandro and ruin everything that she has worked hard to maintain and from Ernesto because he's worked to hard for the revolution to let his little brother's affair get in the way. Ultimately their love affair would leave one in Florida married to a man she does not love and another trying to escape the tryanny of the dictatorship that was not promised and on a journey across a sea to find the one he truly loves.

What the Press would say:
The versatile director James Mangold ("3:10 to Yuma", "Walk the Line") hits us with yet another classic story of betrayal, revolution and love in "Havana Dreams". The screenplay was written by Jose Rivera ("The Motorcycle Diaries"). On the surface this film is about two star crossed lovers but the wonderful thing about the screenplay is that it is layered. It is not only about forbidden love but about social classes in a country where the government is corrupt and given up on its poor. Its also about revolution and how change is welcomed but then we see that we got more than we bargained for or received nothing that was promised. This is the journey that the two leads, played magnificently by Alexis Bledel (TVs "Gilmore Girls") and Santiago Cabrero (of "Heroes" fame) go through. Alexis Bledel plays a compliant grand daughter. She is part of the elite and wealthy class in Havana. She is wonderful in this role. Many people will be surprised to learn that Alexis speaks fluent spanish. She is afterall of Mexican and Argentinian descent. Newcomer Santiago Cabrera has the right amount of brood and emotion to nail the character of Alejandro. This is the kind of breakthrough role that has earned many first time leading men Oscar nominations. The supporting characters of Rosa, Ernesto and James are of Oscar caliber. Rita Morena shines as the cold calculating grandmother. Esai Morales is downright scary as the older brother who loves his family but loves his country more and Ian Somerhalder is revalation as the scheming socialite. This film will be a major force come Oscar time.

Best Picture
Best Director - James Mangold
Best Original Screenplay - Jose Rivera
Best Actress - Alexis Bledel
Best Actor - Santiago Cabrera
Best Supporting Actress - Rita Moreno
Best Supporting Actor - Esai Morales
Best Supporting Actor - Ian Somerhalder
Best Cinematography
Best Film Editing
Best Costume Design
Best Original Score - Gustavo Santaolalla
Best Original Song - "La Primera Vez" (The First Time) by Alejandro Sanz
Best Orginal Song - "Solo Para Amarte" (Only to Love You) by Alejandro Sanz

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