Do you like fairy tales?  When you were a little girl, did you dream of Prince Charming coming and lifting you off your feet? Well, if you like fairy tales, Maid in Manhattan is the perfect movie for you. This film is the modern version of Cinderella with a “Hispanic Diva” Jennifer Lopez starring in the lead role as a “Puerto Rican” maid in a high class hotel who unwittingly finds herself being pursued by a charming, wealthy WHITE senatorial candidate.

In this film Jennifer Lopez portrays Marisa Ventura, a single mom to her bright son Ty and she also works as a maid in an expensive hotel in Manhattan. Ms. Ventura was assigned to look after the needs of a rich White woman “Caroline Lane” who will be occupying one of the most exclusive rooms in the hotel. While prepping the room Marisa and a fellow maid discover a $5,000 designer suit, which Marisa reluctantly tries on.  Her 10 year old son, Ty meets the White senator on the elevator when he is about to take out his dog for a walk and the boy then asks if he can join him in walking the dog… and soon they are headed upstairs to get permission from Ms. Ventura to go walk the dog. The senator sees Marisa in the $5000 suit and thinks she’s a wealthy socialite; not realizing he already saw her cleaning his bathroom earlier in the movie in a maids uniform.

Marisa and Ty, both end up accompanying Mr. Christopher Marshall at the park.  It is during this past time that Christopher begins to fall for Marisa.  Marisa knowing that she is in the wrong of leading him on to believe that she is someone she is not deep down enjoyed the attention she received from Christopher.  She also did not think much about continuing with this charades therefore she let him believe she was a wealthy woman.

But soon after, Marisa received bad news at her employment. The head management received a complaint and per video evidence showing that Marisa had taken/worn the $5,000 white designer suit and was fired. Besides being fired, Marisa then had to face her mother and hear her mother with an “I told you so” kind of sarcasm.  Her mother would always be putting Marisa down and reminding her of “her place” and not to go off dreaming of becoming a manager or to even think that she may have a chance with Christopher.  It took some time, but Marisa finally found the courage and stood up to her mother.

This movie has a traditional “fairy tale” ending such as Prince Charming finds his Cinderella and live happily ever after.  Ty makes an exceptional impression on the senatorial which awakens his wrong doing on prejudging or on his point of view and goes after Marisa Ventura.  Marisa and he find true love and their dreams which they had been working hard for come true. Marisa becomes a manager and Christopher Marshall becomes Senator.

This film touches some same issues such Anna in Real Women Have Curves. Marisa just like Anna is put down by her mother.  Marisa is reminded of her social class by her mother and Anna is told that she will never be anybody because of her weight and way of thinking.  Marisa and Anna’s dreams of succeeding come crashing down when they encounter their mothers, but they both stand up to their mothers and follow their dream.  Marisa continues to become and succeeds in getting Manager position and Anna accepts the offer to attend Columbia University.

This film is funny, romantic, and brings up social class. This film motivates the viewer to stand up for one’s dream, beliefs, and/or goals.  It teaches human value and self-worth and also promotes family unity, no matter how small the family may be.  There were several scenes where few words were said but had profound meaning.Two of my favorite quotes are as follows:

“To serve people takes dignity and intelligence.  But remember, they are only people with money.  And although we serve them, we are not their servants.”

and the other is…

“What we do does not define who we are.  What defines us is how well we rise after falling.”  – Lionel

IMDb  Link to Maid in Manhattan

When we lose a loved one, we are sad, depressed and at times want to be isolated.  Many times our children are taught by the way we as adults react towards certain circumstances, such as death.  This film, The Book of Life, shows a different aspect of how the Mexican culture celebrate the “Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead) on November 2nd with vibrant colors. This film is a nice way to show our children and remind ourselves as well, that those who have left us are with us and will not be forgotten.

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a 2 day celebration.  It commences on November 1st which is known as “All Saints Day.”  This day is when the souls of the children that have passed are welcomed. The celebration continues on November 2nd, known as “All Souls Day” which is the day when the souls of the adults are welcomed.  Many people celebrate these days by putting up altars decorated with candles, sugar skulls, food and clothes.

The film starts with a school bus arriving at a museum and the tour guide taking the children through a side entrance and teaching them about the Mexican culture of the Day of the Dead.  It is then, where the children learn about The Book of Life.  This book depicts about the two gods of the dead; La Muerte ruler of the land of the Remembered and Xibalba the ruler of the land of the Forgotten and the twist the lives of three childhood friends take after the two gods have a wager.  The story of the three childhood friends caught in a love triangle. There is Manolo a guitarista & matador (guitarist  & bullfighter), his bestfriend Joaquin a brave handsome town hero and Maria the girl they are both in love with.  Maria is a feisty, strong willed, and independent.

The wager comes in play because Xibalba is tired of being in the Land of the Forgotten and wants to trade with La Muerte.  Xibalba bets that Maria will marry Joaquin and La Muerte bets that Maria will marry Manolo.  At a young age all three go in separate ways, Maria is sent off to study abroad to learn how to become and behave like a proper lady. As years pass by, Joaquin joined the forces and becomes the town hero, and Manolo follows his family tradition of being a bullfighter, all while he tries to follow his heart in playing his guitar and become a musician.

On the day of Manolo’s first grand bullfighting, Joaquin arrives to town to wish him well but also because this was the same day Maria returned home. Both, Joaquin and Manolo began to try to win Maia’s love.  Maria is bitten by a snake and is assumed that she dead.   Manolo wishes to see Maria again and he too is bitten but by a two headed snake.  Manolo is then awaken in the Land of the Remembered. In the Land of the Remembered he is reunited with his mother and all his ancestors.  He soon finds out that Maria is not dead and makes a wager of his own with Xibalba for Manolo to regain his life again.  Manolo, ultimately wins the wager is returned to the world of the above, just in time to help the town against the towns bandidos and before Maria marries Joaquin.  Since it is the Day of the Dead, Manolo’s ancestors that have past came above and also helped fight the bandidos.  The bandidos were defeated and they retreated.  Manolo and Maria then marry and live happily ever after.

This movie not only depicts about Mexican culture, it also teaches self worth.  Such as the power of the female gender such as in Maria; she also learned how to defend herself. Manolo stood up for himself and in what he wanted to be, a musician.  Joaquin learned to do his best and be himself, not what everybody else think he is or should be.

Although this movie was well liked: it took Jorge Gutierrez, Mexican director, fourteen years to get this film made.  Jorge Gutierrez told USA Today, “I have been pitching the story and people have been saying, ‘This is cool, but you’re never going to get it made.” He further stated, “To other cultures it might seem dark, but the Day of the Dead is actually a very positive thing.  It’s about joyfully remembering the people no longer with us.”  He and Guillermo del Toro joined forces and brought Gutierrez vision to life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VUKy4AHzXs

IMDb link to The Book of Life