Movies

 

Several people have asked me what my favorite movie is, but I never have an answer. There is no way I can pinpoint the best out of all of them. I usually have to list movies, then I start dividing them up into genres. But recently the movie that I seem to can't get enough of is Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (Romance/Drama).

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This movie definitely has you dancing in your seat. I've been inspired to take up salsa classes or something! Sadly, I must reminds myself that I can't dance to Latin beats very well. I also wanted to get a twirly dress for homecoming, but that didn't work out. :(

The movie is set in the 1950s when Batista was in power in Cuba. Castro was leading rebels in a revolution. Katey Miller moves to Havana with her parents in November 1958. Her parents expect her to move within their well-to-do circles, but she defies their wishes when she falls in love with Javier, a waiter who also happens to be a very cute and fantastic dancer. Secretly meeting in a Havana nightclub, the pair practice their dance steps in preparation for a prestigious national dance competition. But the coming revolution may spell trouble for the pair's plans.

Pic from my FAVORITE scene. The dance contest semifinals.

Facts that interested me (I am easily amused): Diego Luna (Javier) is MEXICAN! lol. He isn't even Cuban. Everyone knew this already. I was fooled. Oh well. He did an awesome job. hehe

Romola Garai (Katey Miller) - she's BRITISH! she totally hid her British accent during the movie. coolness.

Neither Garai nor Luna had any professional dance training. Before production began, the actors spent 10 weeks in Puerto Rico, training for eight hours a day with Jansen and four additional dancer/choreographers.

OK...now the GRAND FINALE....THE MOVIE IS BASED ON A TRUE STORY. The plot is loosely based on the life story of producer JoAnn Jansen, who moved to Cuba with her family in 1958. Thus, the "Based on True Events" title. She's in the movie too! She's person dancing with Patrick Swazey!