El Mariachi

    The Film "El Mariachi" was a very intense, yet laid back type of film. I know it sounds like an oxymoron to use those two descriptions, but it is true. You have a character like Mariachi who is very much a laid back type of fellow who only wants to sing and make an honest earning while doing so. Then, you have characters such as Azul and the other villain (his name escapes me right now) who were intense and angry individuals who wanted to cause havoc and mayhem.
     Throughout the film, I seem some, but not many stereotypes of Mexicans. I seen the stereotype of the angry drug lord and killers that have been portrayed as of lately with the Mexican culture. Another stereotype I seen was stereotype of Mexicans being happy go lucky people in the character of Mariachi, also him being hard working and trying to make an honest peso. The stereotype of the Mexican drug lords played a pivotal role in the film, because it showed the Bandido (Gangster) violence that is seen lately in the Mexican culture. I also realized that even with the hotel attendant and the bar owner, the violence is in ways excepted in the town and culture.
    The Mariachi just wants to sing and live out his family's tradition in being a mariachi. He is a guitarist and singer and all he wants to do is be great at his craft and make wages in many different towns. The role of his music is very important to the film, because it was used to identify characters and intense parts of the film. Overall, the film was good and it showed a two very much different sides of the Mexican culture, but also how these two sides are very much accepted and meshes.

Under the Moon

The main reasons for the mom (rosario) to leave her son (Carlos)  with his granmdmother was so that he can have a better life with the money that she sent and so she can save for him to come to thte United States legally. After his father left, it seemed as if Rosario felt that leaving him with his grandmother and sneaking into the states was the best and most positive thing to do for her child. For Rosario, this was definitely a difficult decision that she had to indure. Whenever she talked or thought about her son, you can see the paim and hurt in her face. Also, the phone call with her son in the beginning of the film, you can see the hurt from both of them when they were on the phone on sunday and she explained her surroundings. In the film, you can definitely see the the problems that carlos faced in Mexico. Carlos faced the issues of his grandmother passing away and the fact that he was taking care of  his grandmother and being rushed to mature relatively quick. I can see any mother doing the same for their children! I can see a woman doing this in the United States, but i feel as if it would be harder due to lack of extended family relationships.