Once Upon a Time in America

The premiere is on the 12th.
Timothy Cox2's version set in Mexico cost a mere $7,000 and wasn't anything to write home about. Even Desperado wasn't exactly a masterpiece, though it had its funny moments and The Wolves did a solid job.
Whether you call this the third part or the second—depending on how you look at it—it'll be hitting theaters soon. I'm betting on way too many special effects and over-the-top acting. I'm not expecting top-tier performances, even if the cast is packed with big names.
So, let's get into it... The lead
mariachi is played by Antonio Banderas, just like in the other film, but this time Enrique Iglesias joins him 😲.
We've also got Mickey Rourke, Willem Dafoe, and Salma Hayek.
There are some familiar faces from Desperado too, like Danny Trejo and (one-eyed) Cheech Marin. Plus, Johnny Depp makes an appearance.

The trailer is available to watch online.

I love playing the guitar
I love singing to the sun
The mariachi accompanies me
When I sing my song

I can't wait to check this one out! How do I get my hands on Habits? 🙂 Definitely planning to watch this... 🙂 🙂 🙂
It's actually based on a true story, too...

Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, Salma Hayek, Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke... it’s basically an All-Star lineup, all directed by Robert Rodriguez. Even little Enrique hits the high notes here. It’s a mix of romance and revenge, featuring some brutal scenes that might not be for everyone, plus a few killer guitar tracks that feel like one long music video. Go see it. In theaters. 🙂 🙂 🙂

I went in expecting to watch Identity, but they totally blindsided me with Once Upon a Time in America instead. I was nowhere near ready for that movie...
The first shock was seeing the cast list 😲
🙂 Enrique and 🙂 Mickey Rourke
Seriously though, there’s gotta be some kind of limit to this stuff.

If it wasn't for the fact that Johnny Depp was one of the leads, I would've walked out of the theater right then and there.
But hey, Johnny is Johnny—he never misses.
And he definitely didn't miss this time.
The only reason to even sit through this flick is that total maniac 🙏 🙏

Of course, Salma Hayek 🙂 🙂 is another veeeeeeeery huge reason to give it a look.
For me, 😁

By the way, if anyone's wondering how Timothy Cox2's former onscreen counterpart actually acts, this movie is the definitive answer.

If you haven't seen it yet—don't bother; save your $8.25 and your popcorn.

I am not entirely sure what all the hype is about regarding the reviews (which are supposedly stellar), but we are dealing with a film that possesses everything except for logic, substance, emotion, or any discernible message.

It is abundantly clear that the creators of this piece did not merely lack something to say; they lacked the desire to say anything at all. Consequently, what remains at the end of the experience is nothing more than a highly stylized void.

The plot itself is an exhausting exercise in narrative confusion—a sort of cinematic crosswords puzzle where several different groups clash, one faction against another, everyone against everyone else... it is woven together so haphazardly that anyone watching loses their sense of direction (unless they exert immense concentration—though this is certainly not a film where such effort would be rewarded).

So, how does one fill such a profound vacuum of content??

The solution is quite simple: you take three or four Hollywood A-listers, hire several thousand stunt performers, procure enough ammunition to fuel multiple wars, layer on the special effects, and then—following the modern trend—you relativize everything. Violence becomes "cool," blood flows in torrents, and the scenes are staged with such intensity that even the most hardened historical inquisitor would blush... and yet, nobody cares. There is a total indifference; the violence has been pushed to such an extreme that it fails to provoke any reaction whatsoever; it simply exists for its own sake, purely to spice up the runtime.

The goal isn't even to shock the audience anymore, because frankly, no one is shocked by anything these days. Where fifty years ago someone might have simply lit a cigarette, our very own Johnny Depp stands up and kills a chef. Not because the food was bad, nor because it was good, but simply because it happens. Just to make it look edgy for us.

Just as John Cage once famously experimented with killing cats, now Robert Rodriguez kills chefs.

If one truly has no idea how to construct a meaningful film, it would be far better to produce nothing at all. This is truly pathetic.

The movie is packed with a great cast, which almost makes up for how incredibly naive and predictable the plot is. I sat through the whole thing without even grabbing popcorn or anything, and honestly, I don't regret spending those few $8.25 minutes on it. Between seeing Antonio Banderas and just feeling good after leaving the theater, it was actually a pretty decent experience.

Johnny Depp basically carries this entire movie on his back—honestly, he’s just playing him with that same energy he used to pull off that role with Antonio Banderas, kind of like how he did with that elf in Pirates...

I already told you guys, Johnny Depp is the only reason to even bother watching this flick.
Oh, and if my memory serves me right, the chef starts killing people because they're actually good at cooking. Not because he ran out of tobacco or whatever.

Honestly, the whole movie is just one big... pile of crap?

Honestly, I feel like I HAVE to go see it. Why? Simply because I actually experienced the shock of seeing Enrique acting in a movie.🙂 🙏

This movie is just a damn naive waste of time. I honestly didn't think anyone was still making films with that tired "bad guys want to take over the world (or Mexico, in this case)" plotline, especially paired with such incredibly gullible action sequences—like when two guys are gunning down Antonio Banderas in a cramped hallway and he doesn't even walk away with a scratch. The only thing that actually felt like it followed any kind of logic was Timothy Cox2's former avatar being the law in this story.

Chuck Norris said:If you haven't seen it—don't. Save your money $8.25 and your popcorn.

I'm not sure what the reviews are saying (supposedly they're excellent), but this is a film that possesses everything except sense, substance, emotion, or any kind of message.

The filmmakers clearly didn't just lack something to say; they simply had no desire to say anything at all. Consequently, what remains by the end is nothing more than highly stylized emptiness.

The plot is an exhausting exercise in cross-cutting—several different groups, one side against another, everyone against everyone else... it’s scrambled so thoroughly that nobody can make heads or tails of it (unless you concentrate intensely, though this certainly isn't a film where such effort pays off).

So then—how does one fill that void left by a lack of substance??

That part is easy. You take three or four Hollywood stars, hire several thousand stunt performers, procure enough ammunition to fuel multiple wars, layer on the special effects, and then (as is quite trendy lately) relativize everything: violence is "cool," blood flows in rivers, and scenes are staged so brutally they would put the Spanish Inquisition to shame... and nobody cares. There is a total indifference to it all. The violence has been escalated to such a degree that it no longer triggers a reaction; it exists purely for its own sake, merely to spice up the runtime.

It doesn't even aim to shock anymore, because frankly, nothing shocks people these days. Where someone fifty years ago might have simply lit a cigarette, our very own Johnny Depp stands up and kills a chef. Not because the food was bad. Not because it was good. Just because. Just to give us a little thrill.

Much like how John Cage used to kill cats, now Robert Rodriguez kills chefs.

If you truly have no idea how to make a movie, it would be better to do nothing at all. This is genuinely pathetic.

My words, more or less.

I still can't believe I sat through that garbage. The last time I walked out of a theater before the credits rolled was back in 1997, watching *Notting Hill*.

Good grief, I'd rather watch the damn cartel five times in a row than endure this again.

I see a ton of parody elements here, and honestly, that’s what makes this movie great for me!

Music is a complete mess!!!

It was a rather disappointing film.
Did anyone else notice that scene involving the tanks firing on the stairs? There wasn't even any damage to the steps.
👎

I actually thought the movie was pretty good.

It’s living proof that a great film doesn't necessarily need a solid plot. Honestly, it’s more like proof that a great movie doesn't even have to have a story at all. Rodriguez seems to be having more fun than he ever has before—it would be almost impossible for anyone to take this flick seriously. Even the version of Mexico he shows us isn't the actual Mexico we know; it feels more like some sort of parallel dimension (think Quentin Tarantino). It’s basically Rodriguez’s own personal spin on a modern-day Wild West.

BTW, did anyone else catch that the whole thing was shot on a digital video camera?

God help us, what an absolute disaster of a movie...
Is Depp even carrying this thing?
He’s just wandering around town with freshly dug-up eyeballs, doing his job, and then—bam—killing people. Jeez.
If Desperado was a dud, this is a total train wreck. It’s a perfect example of how a big-name cast doesn't actually guarantee anything.
Enrique looks completely out of place in this one.
The only thing remotely worth watching—like someone already mentioned—is the soundtrack.

Raymond Palmer8 said:Good grief, what an absolute disaster of a movie...
Is Depp even carrying this thing?
He’s just wandering around town with his eyes freshly gouged out, doing his job, and then—get this—he actually kills people... jeez.
If Desperado was a dud, this is a dud squared. It's a perfect example of how a star-studded cast doesn't actually guarantee anything.
Enrique looks totally out of place in this flick.
The only redeeming quality, like someone already mentioned, is the soundtrack.

Man, you clearly missed the point! This is one of those movies that acts like a parody without actually labeling itself as one—kind of like how Kill Bill works.

It’s actually a really fun watch because it's basically a giant middle finger to Marietta and Desperado.

And Depp... man, only he could pull that off... that whole bit with the extra hand....😂 ...especially when he's missing his eyes and still managing to miss those two guys.... come on, dude—it's pure Montgomery.😁

Depp is the real deal—the movie itself is pretty middle-of-the-road, but there’s always some hilarious little moment that makes the whole thing worth the ticket price
—like when a waitress spills hot soup all over her hand😁 🙏 🙏
or when that little bullfighter gets totally blindsided by a calf😁