Hey folks, Harry here - I'm just getting started on my review of NACHO LIBRE, but the film is surprising on many levels... and I feel in a very good way. But I'll go more into that in my review, coming soon. Here ya go with Cheri Bomb's review!
NACHO LIBRE
As one of the many female readers of AICN, I thought I would write up my review of Nacho Libre after enjoying the awesome event put on tonight by AICN and the Alamo Drafthouse. My thanks to Tim and Harry for throwing another wonderful event!
The event kicked off with Lucha Libre, which my brother and nephew enjoyed from the front row. The first 2 wrestling matches were fun, but hilarity ensued when the midgets took the ring. Okay, so only one of the contenders actually appeared to be a midget. The other one looked like a short man. Yes, the moves were choreographed, but it didn't keep the crown from enjoying it. When all 6 of the wrestlers took the ring at the same time, bedlam broke out. The wrestlers didn't stay in the ring. They made sure the crowd got into it by coming out into the crowd. A stolen flip-flop quickly became a weapon. The larger midget, with assistance from a couple of men in the crowd, ended up face down in a trash can. It was raucous fun, and I didn't see anyone around me not laughing it up.
Now for the movie itself. First, let me say that I am a Jack Black fan. The man cracks me up, and the more goofy and stupid he acts, the more I laugh. Jack Black speaking with a Spanish accent? Hilarious. Jack Black was great in this role.
Hector Jimenez, who played Nacho's anorexic looking sidekick, was a perfect match. His cat-like movements balanced out Jack Black's clumsiness, in and out of the ring. Ana de la Reguera was wonderful as the nun whose beauty and sweet temperament makes even the most devout of the monks fight for time alone with her. The orphans are lovable.
The midget wrestlers in the movie were scary as hell, but you couldn't help laughing at their antics in and out of the ring. To me, they stole every scene that they were in! They were the highlight of the movie for me. The other wrestlers were funny, but not like these 2 who looked like creatures from Land of the Lost.
The movie itself is full of heart. The orphan who idolizes Jack Black is a heart-stealer. He makes you just want to hug him. He's very much like the young Nacho. He discovers Nacho's secret accidentally, and he keeps the secret safe. Nacho constantly tries to impress Sister Encarnacion, but fails miserably, much like everything he does. The underdog has to find his strength within himself. He just needs someone to believe in him. When an accident reveals Nacho's wrestling secret, he attempts to win a match that will match him against the best of La Luchadores, Ramses. He loses again. Does he ever overcome his weaknesses and prevail against the bad guys? You'll have to watch and find out.
However, much like Jared Hess's Napoleon Dynamite, I think people will either love this movie or hate it. Personally, I loved Napoleon, and I love Nacho. Hess seems to have a knack for taking characters that could be annoying or just plain stupid and making you care about them. If you hated Napoleon, then this movie probably isn't for you.
The jokes in the movie were trite, predictable, and corny, but I loved them. Jack Black's expressions can make a really dumb joke much funnier. All in all, I thought the movie was hilarious. My sides still hurt from laughing so hard. It's just a fun little romp that the entire family can enjoy together.
CheriBomb
