In select theaters September 15 and streaming globally on Prime Video September 22 is the upcoming film CASSANDRO.
Saúl Armendáriz, a gay amateur wrestler from El Paso, rises to international stardom after he creates the character ‘Cassandro,’ the “Liberace of Lucha Libre.” In the process, he upends not just the macho wrestling world, but also his own life. Based on a true story. Directed by Academy Award® winner Roger Ross Williams.
The film stars Gael García Bernal, Roberta Colindrez, Perla De La Rosa, Joaquín Cosío, and Raúl Castillo with special appearances from El Hijo del Santo and Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio.
The film sits at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. It screened, and was one of the most buzzed about movies, earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.
In their review, The Daily Beast says “Led by a phenomenal performance by Gael García Bernal, Cassandro is a wild and entertaining story.”
Disney’s animated films have always been entertaining with their heroic stories and whimsical characters. However, they don’t typically save lives off screen. But that’s what happened with the Suskind family. Owen was a young child when he mentally slipped from this world and began to suffer from severe autism. His parents thought they lost him for good when he stopped speaking, and yet, it was through the magic of film that Owen began communicating with his family.
Director Roger Ross Williams doesn’t try to hide the progress Owen has made and make it into a big reveal. Instead, he intercuts his parents’ anecdotes of the early years and old home videos with current interviews with Owen so that audiences can appreciate his progress right from the onset. It’s through the stories that his parents retell where extraordinary and emotional moments are revealed; like when Owen speaks for the first time after speaking incoherently for so long or how Owen’s father starts a conversation with his son through the help of a familiar character.
LIFE, ANIMATED is filled with so many heartwarming moments that it’s like a fairy tale come to life. You would think that on the surface that the film sounds like an advertisement for Disney, but that’s hardly the case. The film stands on its own with real drama and real people, while the animated Disney clips only accent the journey that is at the center of the film. Williams repeatedly makes points to show that these films aren’t so much of an escape from reality for Owen, but more that they serve as a way for Owen to understand basic emotions like love and pain and the trials and tribulations of life. Even the most cynical critics of the Disney enterprise might find their frozen hearts melting at Owen’s connection with ALADDIN, THE LION KING, and THE LITTLE MERMAID.
Beautifully rendered scenes created for LIFE, ANIMATED depict what might be going on in Owen’s head. We hear how he has trouble navigating through the real world and the constant confusion he feels when dealing with change. This animated world begins as black and white but is eventually shown in color when a story that Owen had written comes to life – creating the ultimate Disney character team-up, which will, no doubt, bring a smile to your face.
Incorporating dazzling animated sequences, interviews with Owen and his family, and footage from the lovable Disney films that helped this amazing boy soar in life, director Roger Ross Williams has delivered a film overflowing with heart and absolute joy. LIFE, ANIMATED is a magical crowd-pleaser that illustrates an incredible man overcoming obstacles in his life, while also celebrating the power and importance of film and art in our world.
Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5
LIFE, ANIMATED opens at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema in St. Louis on Friday, July 29
From Academy Award® winning director Roger Ross Williams, LIFE, ANIMATED is the inspirational story of Owen Suskind, a young man who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films. This emotional coming-of-age story follows Owen as he graduates to adulthood and takes his first steps toward independence.
The subject of his father Ron Suskind’s New York Times bestseller, Owen was a thriving three year old who suddenly and inexplicably went silent – and for years after remained unable to connect with other people or to convey his thoughts, feelings or desires. Over time, through repeated viewings of Disney classics like THE LITTLE MERMAID and THE LION KING, Owen found useful tools to help him to understand complex social cues and to re-connect with the world around him. LIFE, ANIMATED evocatively interweaves classic Disney sequences with verite scenes from Owen’s life in order to explore how his identification and empathy for characters like Simba, Jafar, and Ariel gave him a means to understand his feelings and allowed him to interpret reality. Beautiful, original animations offer rich insights into Owen’s fruitful dialogue with the Disney oeuvre as he imagines himself heroically facing adversity as a member in a tribe of sidekicks.
Owen’s story is a moving testament to the many ways in which stories can serve as a means of persevering through the dark times, leading us all toward the light.
LIFE, ANIMATED OPENS IN ST. LOUIS ON FRIDAY, JULY 29TH AT LANDMARK’S PLAZA FRONTENAC.
WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of LIFE, ANIMATEDon July 27 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.
