Miguel Ehrenberg Movies

While Salvador wasn't Oliver Stone's first film (a pair of offbeat horror stories preceded it), it defined his style of fiercely dramatic, politically oriented filmmaking, staked out his territory as one of the major directors of the 1980s and 1990s, and remains one of his strongest works to date. Veteran photojournalist Richard Boyle (James Woods) has been taking his camera to the world's trouble spots for over 20 years; while he does good work, Boyle's fondness for booze and drugs, and his colossal arrogance, have given him a reputation that's left him practically unemployable. Broke and with no immediate prospects, Boyle and his buddy Doctor Rock (Jim Belushi), an out-of-work disc jockey, head to El Salvador, where Boyle is convinced that he can scare up some lucrative freelance work amidst the nation's political turmoil. However, when Boyle and Rock witness the execution of a student by government troops just as they enter the country, it becomes clear that this war is more serious than they were expecting. Increasingly convinced that El Salvador is a disaster starting to happen, Boyle eventually decides that it's time to get out; but he has fallen in love with a woman named Maria (Elpidia Carrillo), and he doesn't want to leave her behind. James Woods gives one of his best performances as Boyle; and the passion of Stone's message, aided by the power of its truth (the film is based on actual events), propels the film forward. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In this interesting musical documentary on the Argentine tango and its possible relationship to that country's history, director Humberto Rios has used the creative genius of some performers at a 1980 tango festival in Mexico as a starting point for his theories. He interviews two musicians and a singer and complements their statements with excerpts from their music and with clips of historical footage showing the climate in Argentina at the various times associated with these musical excerpts. The oldest of the musicians (Osvaldo Pugliese) illustrates a more peaceful moment in Argentine life, the middle musician (Astor Piazzola) represents the voice of innovation and creativity, and the youngest (Susana Rinaldi), the voice of protest. All three are Argentine exiles. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi