Chris Zuhdi's "Mexican Moon" is an inventive, at times surreal, meditation on the cartel drug-war along the US-Mexican border, with bits of "El Mariachi" and "No Country For Old Men" running through its veins. Chock-full of terse Eastwood-esque dialogue and splatters of blood, "Moon" is an unique entry into the genre for the sheer execution of its storytelling. Zuhdi, acting as his own DP, shoots dialogue scenes in a slightly disorienting center-punch, never cutting away to a wide or two-shot, which gives the film an almost stage-like feeling. The lighting is hard, as if the omniscient God in this fictional universe was shining a spotlight down on every character in the scene. Dark blues and blood reds run throughout, but Zuhdi keeps you engaged, with the twists and turns of the hundred-thousand dollar mcguffin that constantly switches hands. Also, and I mean this sincerely, was blown away by the use of Johnny Cash's "Thanks A Lot", which I'm sure from a licensing point of view, could not have been easy to obtain! If you're tired of the ultra-slick Hollywood recreations of the old western, check out this down and dirty little gem today.
Review of Mexican Moon
