Product Details

• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Format: NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish

Customer Reviews

Star Maps is filled with the promise of dreams
I saw Star Maps twice in the theaters, and still can't get it out of my mind. I keep checking to see when the sell-through VHS will be available (at an affordable price). The film's music is top-notch. This may be a so-called Indie film, but it's performances, especially from Douglas Spain as Carlos, the young man with a dream, are believable. This a gritty, realistic picture about people struggling to stay focused and to survive. Carlos wants to be an actor; he sells maps to the stars homes in Beverly Hills. He believes that all he needs is one chance at the acting brass ring. To earn more money he is forced to hustle, but he knows that what he deeply wants is to be an actor. A touching, poignant movie. There is nudity and adult situations, and even some comedy, but this is a strong film and well worth viewing.

Touching , Heartbreaking story
To understand this film you should understand whats its like to be from a family like this. Themovie played out like a home movie for me. The first reviewer from Mexico, is typical in his narrow mindedness about how "chicanos" live. How do you clearly represent a culture? This young boy was not "abused" by his father, he was ABUSED by his father. THis happenes a lot, in Mexico and America. The use of Cantinflas was not to link the characters to their Mexican roots,it was used by the mentally ill Mother as her escape from her painful existence. I don't know how the first reviewer lives or if he ever visited LA,and i don't mean the tourist locations, the real Barrios with real Chicanos, but, some lives are aggresive and crude. Everything in this movie has substance. It is not sexy though. You care so much about Carlito, that it is stomach churning watching him be voilated. Sure life is not this difficult for everyone, but this is what its like when you are f-up by your parents, and unless you stop the cycle yourself you end up being f-ed by everyone else too. This is fact, ive seen it with my own eyes. Why esle do Street childern exist? Besides all,that the music rocks in this film and makes it unique. All the musical interludes are so appropriate for each seen. Miguel Arteta is genuis.

Breaks the Latin Mold
Most reviewers have missed that Star Maps steps out from the Latino film routine of re-establishing the father as the rightful patriarch (Selena, La Familia, Rooster, ad nauseum). This is more than just another gay boy/prostitute movie; in narrative terms, it's a revolution.