I am currently doing a case study into Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's work and its influence in the rise of the Mexican Film Industry.

I would be really grateful for any comments or answers/opinions to my questions.

First off, has anyone seen Amores Perros, 21 Grams and/or Babel?
If so what did you think of the three?
Which one did you like best?
How do you think his work has changed throughout the three films?
And do you think he has effected the Mexican Film Industry and how people view it?
Do you think that he is a Mexican Film maker, making films in Hollywood or a Hollywood director that is simply Mexican?

Thank you for any help its all much appreciated!!

This is probably not one of those responses you would want, but I've seen 21 Grams and Babel. I can't really remember much about21 Grams except that I was disappointed. As for Babel, it appeared to me overly ambitious and typical of a relatively new director - the movie included one to many subplots - leaving the entire movie underdeveloped in terms of character and a plot. I didn't get much in the way of Mexican flavor - except for a good focus on the third world perspective, a big plus for how Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's work is helping to influence the developed world's view of global issues.

I find all of Alejandro González Iñárritu's films to be structurally similar. He cannot, as of yet, tell a straightforward, single-stranded narrative. I thought that Amores perros was by far his most powerful film. It lives and breathes truth, even while it tries to undercut itself with cinematic tricks. 21 Grams and Babel seem to both be more exercises in style and an attempt to get your attention because you didn't notice him enough for Amores perros. Now, I don't want to say that the latter two flicks were failures, but they did seem to follow the first film's pattern while being far more pretentious. I honestly believe he needs to find a film with just one story and far fewer directorial gimmicks. If he made a straightforward drama with one central set of chaacters, I might revisit some of his other films and cut them some more slack. However, his recent Oscar nomination may just lead him to continue to follow his own Muse, and I'd love that, if it worked to his and the audience's advantage.

However, he is an exquisite visual stylist, and occasionally knows how to edit his films together for maximum impact. I think this causes him to overreach though. He really needs to find a scriptwriter with a strong plot to hook up with him, and then we'll see what he can really do. After all, he's only been around for the 2000s.

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