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EL VELADOR (THE NIGHT WATCHMAN)Movie Reviews
Spanish language documentary about the effects of Mexico's drug war from the perspective of the cemetery that houses its victims. Cast:Natalia AlmadaDirector:Natalia AlmadaRelease Date:June 14, 2012DVD Release: TBD From:Icarus FilmsLength:1 hr 12 min
El Velador (The Night Watchman), Very Good Reviews (Doc) Limited
El Velador (The Night Watchman) played in limited release to very good reviews. • Melissa Anderson wrote in the Village Voice, "...sharply conveys what life is like in a traumatized nation... Complementing the film's sound design is Almada's eye for the pungent detail within her static compositions." • And Stan Hall wrote in the Portland Oregonian, "...very unsettling stuff." More Reviews Below...
El Velador (The Night Watchman) Positive Reviews (8 Reviews, reviews below)
Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The Mexican drug cartels have inspired countless films, but never one as final as Natalia Almada's documentary 'El Velador.' "(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 420 words, 07/27/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (3 Reviews)
Stephen Holden, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...eloquent... The cries of grieving survivors are occasionally heard, but their faces are not seen, and Ms. Almada shows no corpses or burial rites.... a nonviolent film about violence."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 504 words, 06/14/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The Mexican drug cartels have inspired countless films, but never one as final as Natalia Almada's documentary 'El Velador.' "(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 420 words, 07/27/12
Melissa Anderson, Village Voice: VERY GOOD "...sharply conveys what life is like in a traumatized nation... Complementing the film's sound design is Almada's eye for the pungent detail within her static compositions."(See all of Melissa Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 384 words, 06/13/12
KEY CITIES (1 Review)
Stan Hall, Portland Oregonian: VERY GOOD(cg) "Natalia Almada's haunting, largely dialogue-free documentary gives witness to an uncomfortable fact of Mexico's drug war.... It's very unsettling stuff."(See all of Stan Hall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 106 words, 07/06/12
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (3 Reviews)
Melissa Anderson, Village Voice: VERY GOOD "...sharply conveys what life is like in a traumatized nation... Complementing the film's sound design is Almada's eye for the pungent detail within her static compositions."(See all of Melissa Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 384 words, 06/13/12
Cynthia Fuchs, Pop Matters: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...superb... images of the dead reveal -- again and again -- that they're young.... The effect of these accumulating images is gradual, stunning.... The rain is pounding."(See all of Cynthia Fuchs's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,008 words, 06/14/12
Nick Schager, Slant: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...doesn't pass judgment or manipulate emotionally, instead choosing simply to consider the arduousness of survival in a land wracked by slaughter."(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 567 words, 03/25/11
HIGHBROW PRESS (1 Review)
Stephen Holden, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...eloquent... The cries of grieving survivors are occasionally heard, but their faces are not seen, and Ms. Almada shows no corpses or burial rites.... a nonviolent film about violence."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 504 words, 06/14/12
MOVIE INDUSTRY (3 Reviews)
Ronnie Scheib, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "...an exquisite study of a rapidly expanding cemetery at the center of Mexico's drug wars.... Almada homes in on visual details detached from narrative meaning..."(See all of Ronnie Scheib's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 325 words, 03/27/11
Jordan Mintzer, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...aesthetically impressive but rather trying.... uses arresting visuals and layered sound to reveal the drug trade's tragic remains.... nearly dialogue-free..."(See all of Jordan Mintzer's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 334 words, 05/11/11
Stephen Holden, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...eloquent... The cries of grieving survivors are occasionally heard, but their faces are not seen, and Ms. Almada shows no corpses or burial rites.... a nonviolent film about violence."(See all of Stephen Holden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 504 words, 06/14/12
13.9 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
El Velador (The Night Watchman)'s reviews are separated by an average 13.9 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
El Velador (The Night Watchman) (8 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:El Velador (The Night Watchman)'s reviews cover 9.5% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 3,648 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 456 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
El Velador (The Night Watchman) Coverage, Volume & Length (8 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 47 Days Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
El Velador (The Night Watchman)'s reviews on average broke 47 days before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is El Velador (The Night Watchman)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
El Velador (The Night Watchman) (8 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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