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Reviews
Rubik, the Amazing Cube (1983)
Before there was Dora the Explorer...
There was Rubik's Cube. I am willing to bet this was the first U.S. English cartoon featuring a primarily Hispanic/Latino cast of characters. I don't remember much about the individual episodes but I knew that the people were Hispanic. The accents were sometimes annoying as heck, but the cartoon filled the time well, especially if the Smurfs were running a repeat story. Like any Toy gimmick cartoon it was three years past its freshness date and doomed to being cancelled after 13 episodes. Dora the Explorer seems to borrow a lot from Rubiks Cube, particularly because it relies on inanimate objects that will on occasion talk to people.
Drive by (2002)
Finally, a realistic portrayal of non-California Mexicans.
When I rented Drive By on a lark, I was aware of its Chicago setting but bracing for the worst in terms of tired stereotypes like all Mexican-Americans say "ese" and "homes" and look like California cholos. I was very pleased to find the high level of authenticity in the portrayal of its characters, the two-flat residential settings, and the more realistic wardrobe of the main characters (3/4 leather coats). As a resident of Chicago, I felt they had most of the addresses right and the neighborhood flavors down. This is one of the first movies made for a Mexican-American/chicano/Latino audience that I felt I could identify with.