PodBill Just what I expected

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

gutierrezgiselle The film opens with a melancholy and haunting song as a young student walks in what seems like a totally different country. As she walks, she reaches what looks like a school hall and the screams of young Latino students as they run past the girl break the somber peace set by the soundtrack. The camera pans to show what the students run from: police violently beating the students who can't run fast enough. This is not a different country, after all. The movie helpfully clarifies: this is "Lincoln High school. Los Angeles 1968." This is a movie about the Latino struggle.Walkout is a film from 2006 directed by Edward James Olmos. Olmos also directed American Me (1992), a story about a Mexican-American mafia kingpin in Southern California, so it's clear Olmos is interested in his Mexican descent and his birthplace, Los Angeles. With the producer, Moctesuma Esparza, who was one of the people who took part in the walkout of 1968, on which the film is based, Walkout promises to be an exploration of Mexican-American struggle in Los Angeles made by people who truly care. The walkout of 1968, for those who don't already know, was an organized student protest against the bad conditions in their school. High school students in Los Angeles left the school before attendance was taken. Since public schools are funded based on attendance numbers, this was a way to force the school board to listen to the students and some staff by pushing against them financially. The students met with physical violence by police, and some protesters were arrested.The documentary-like drama follows the previously mentioned history with main character Paula Crisostomo, played by Alex Vega. Paula inspires her poorly treated classmates to walkout with her to try and start a reform. Fighting against both her father, who believes it is better not to cause waves, the oppression of the police and school board and the indifferent media, who at first chooses not to cover the police attacks on the students, Paula takes on the heavy burden of leading the students and her community to fight for the change they deserve.Having seen this movie in high school, Paula was a true inspiration for me. Both strong and brave, she is human, she occasionally falters and questions her choices when things turn out badly. The film depicts her as one of the forces behind uniting the Latino community and inspiring them to use their voice. She is not only a great young female character but a great character in general. I am willing to bet that anyone who watches this movie will find him- or herself rooting for Paula.During her struggle, through her dad's reactions, it is clear that the Latino community before her was divided. Similar stories are told in the book Harvest of Empire by Juan Gonzalez, where Gonzalez recounts the mistreatment of Latin American immigrant children, who are stripped of their mother tongue and whose immigrant parents do not want to make waves. The story of Walkout, on the other hand is about making waves, the children of immigrants fighting for their heritage and language in ways those before them feared to do. The moment, which may at first strike the viewer as a little clichéd, when Paula's dad, Panfilo Crisostomo, played by Yancey Arias, finally joins his daughter's side and roots for her, goes deeper than just the older generation not understanding the new generation. It can be seen as symbolizing the intergenerational union of the Latino community and the change from the assimilationist tradition of throwing out one's culture to be allowed to be a true American to a proud community fighting for multiculturalism's place in America.I love the movie and would recommend it to anyone interested in movies about minority struggles or Latino history in America. It is a compelling retelling of an important turning point in Latino treatment in America. Having a movie willing to represent Latino voices, using the story of young students no less, is an inspiration to many people who still face problems of discrimination in America today. With people like Donald Trump treating Mexican Americans and other minorities with such disrespect, this movie is a good reminder that fighting for your rights as a community is the only way America listens to its people. It is not a perfect movie– the sort of romance Paula had with one of the characters wasn't great, for example. But overall, the movie was entertaining, dramatic, inspiring and also includes a good soundtrack. I would recommend this movie to just about anyone: you won't regret the decision to watch it.

annevejb With DVDs and such, the valley of the LA is noticeable and stories relating to it can be rather relevant. Walkout is, to me, extremely relevant.Modern days, DVDs and Blu-rays are a cultural norm. But recent disks can be very difficult to play on a computer unless one has purchased a full price, recent model, software player. Play on the player that is one's normal choice then the experience might be no go or very uncomfortable indeed. Cross cultural stuff as a problem too. A lot of that seems to come from how the USA and Japan understand good ways and they will not be impressed that I consider Walkout to be relevant in the here and now world. So, it does not point to a solution but it does hint about some qualities that a worthwhile solution might have.The valley of the LA as a place of extremes. Extreme riches and extreme poverty. Extreme freedom and extreme lack of freedom. Chunks of peace and extreme violence. Lots of ways to get messed up by crime. Lots of ways to get messed up by the law.East L.A. is somewhere that I had not heard about before getting a Blu-ray of From Prada To Nada. So, my tourist guide of the La suggested that East LA was one of the three areas to stay clear of. From Prada To Nada shows a fascinating district, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico masquerading as the USA, and Walkout shows very different aspects, some of its history. Both talk about a place in the valley of the LA that some can love.This shows young people in a land that says that their people are free and with a certain equality, yet their day to day experience in their neighbourhood and even at school says other. They try to face that in a way that incidentally says something positive about their country.Their solution is very 1968. But it is also in harmony with what their country then said that it is about, it is not in harmony with what their country actually was. I find that to be inspirational. I find this to be a story that is helpful for trying to face the modern world. So, these days, what does England say that it believes in? Things have changed since 1968.On a deeper level, the Mexican Americans faced a particular set of trouble, some still do. This even explains why Miranda Sanchez of Lizzie McGuire does not speak Spanish. But there are other minorities facing different problems and I am assuming that they will share some common allergy reactions to the modern dominant culture. As far as the real value of this story is concerned, this is just looking at the tip of an iceberg. I think of these as cursed individuals and modern times shows some managing to break free from some of their chains. For me, the bad guy is the dominant belief system of today.

btalex1990 This movie is right. When something isn't right we need to protest. We have every right to protest. Just because some policeman don't like it doesn't mean we should stay quiet and get tortured/beaten/raped. I think a Walkout is the best way. Alexa Vega thank you for staring in such a good film. You have brought a vision back to America. Anytime we believe something is immoral, or wrong we should stand up and protest. I give this movie a 10/10. It made me think that we don't just fight, We fight for a cause. An inspiring film. I believe this film should get a Grammy Award and a Nobel Piece Prize. The best film I ever saw. It wasn't about cowboys shooting, not about Cops and robbers, It's about Our rights and how we should be treated. We should be treated with love not hate.

JFEstrada Just saw the replay this past Sunday AM. This was not EJO's best, and may rank as one of his worsts. The script was sub standard. Predictable dialogue. Cinematography was good, but I thought the production design infused way too much color. Should have emphasized the brown a bit more, if you know what I mean. I did like Yancey's Filipino accent. I can't believe it took 3-4 writers to get the script film ready. That's usually one sign of problems.Many reviewers and posters rank the significance of the Walkouts and its depiction by this HBO film as more important than the cinematic execution of the story and the characters. I feel such thinking is limited. I also wonder had this Chicnao activism never taken place, had there been no Walkouts... I wonder if reviewers would really see the cinematic weaknesses of this film. I think HBO should have made a documentary.