Tortilla Heaven

José Zúñiga prevails in this cute comedy that shows the danger of avarice and greed. Taking place in this tiny New Mexico town that does not even have a paved road leading to it.

This movie has Miguel Sandoval from Clear and Present Danger and George Lopez who is nationally recognized now as a major star. There were a couple other recognizable faces from the Latino Hollywood working class that starred in this small budget project.

This movie, to me, does not have a good ending, perhaps only for people who loath capitalism. There was not any reason why some people could not profit off Jesus Christ's face appearing on a tortilla made in the town's small restaurant. This was the plot of this movie and how people would react with their unkown town quickly becoming internationally famous and popular. The mexican restaurant was not fancy but the cooking made me hungry just thinking about it. The tortillas and tacos looked incredibly delicious.

The Catholic church was not shown in a good light in this movie. The priest was as greedy as anyone else. People, or smart ones, can make the cake and eat it too. But selfishness and uncooperation caused long time friends to become enemies. Jose's character can cook the best salsa in the land but he was easily taken by an outside businessman whose grand ambitions were not evil but perhaps too hasty. Jose could have spread his cooking around New Mexico, but this town was overwhelmed by this quick acting and thinking character. They should have ran him out of town or atleast read what they signed. But how many careless folks across America signed papers to buy a home they could not afford? So this movie was not really exagerating that much in that regard. Miguel's character also pitted people against each other which brought the entire plan down, so he was not that bright either if he really wanted to make this work. He must have had a hidden deadline. It did not have to be this way but whoever made this movie was probably a leftist, perhaps Karl Marx's cousin. Or Al Frankens.

My family, atleast my mom's side would enjoy this movie since it takes place in small town New Mexico. That is where my mother was born, in Park View, which is a little bigger than the town which is the foundation of this movie. Besides tortillas which are making me hungry as I type this blog.

How the cities leaders could haul a teenage girl away from her mother and think locking her up in a cage is the right thing to do is just goofy? I can not say this is fantasy since what I have seen government decisions, from large metropolitan areas make real life decisions that are just as absurd. Releasing dangerous criminals onto our streets just being one example that instantly comes to mind.

The movie was deemed a comedy but actually more a economical or political satire. I am not sure I ever laughed real hard. At best, it was amusing. But the food just looked spectacular to me or anyone who just enjoys eating hand crafted tortillas and tacos made by someone who takes pride in what he does.

I allocate this movie one star. *