Libramedi Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

GarnettTeenage The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

Helloturia I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

Hayleigh Joseph This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

Babur Shaikh EPIC. Thats right. It really is epic at least when you consider the length. 190 minutes of drama which encompasses 13 years and many twists and turns. It was like seeing a movie twice over. And its pretty hard for me to sit and do the same thing that long. But thank god it was nice or i would have been lying on the bed all day with a headache. And it amazes me that I sat through a movie that long without much fuss. It was pretty nice. The LA which many outsiders never see or hear about. The east LA, the gang wars, the drugs, inmates running the prisons and rape attempt on a white prisoner. And thirteen years of twist and turns in the fortune of the three brothers and their familias as tragedy and happiness went hand in hand of a community which just wanted to live and work with dignity as some of their own went the wrong way and destroyed their careers and lives. And with much of the second half happening in the prison it needed a good genuine drama which thankfully is delivered. The prison and the stories feel real. And you feel destroyed as you see criminals getting criminalized in an institution made to reform them. Gay cooks and prisoners and racially segregated groups which ran their business from the inside in lieu of money. Attacks being planned and committed on fellow prisoners. Its all there as it takes a lot out of you to watch and absorb all this and more for more three hours. But all said and done it engrosses you for most the time and its only in the middle when not much is happening when you look at the time remaining. But as the plotting and action starts you again get absorbed. I got out with a real good knowledge of the people and a side of one of my favorite cities I never knew about. For that I am happy that I watched this.Read more at: http://hightensionmovies.blogspot.in/

mcotto8 For 3 years, my wife wanted me to watch this movie and i hesitated. It sounded like just another gang movie and i wasn't interested in watching another movie like that. Then when i was sick one day it came on cable and i decided to watch it. As soon as the first 1/2 hour passed, I was sorry I didn't watch it sooner. This movie was well done! A very good depiction of street and prison gangs..(the fact that some of the actors and crew either were involved in gangs or had done time in jail helped make some of the roles more believable).The saddest character in the movie is the main protagonist Miklo Velka. despite his mother being a brown-eyed, blk haired Mexican, his white father's features constantly make him an outsider in his own community and his willingness to do whatever it takes to be accepted by his own people ends up having disastrous consequences for all involved in his life in the 12 years that the film takes place.One other thing I saw in the movie that really surprised me is when Popeye tells Miklo that he cannot get mad at another Latino in jail because they were both from rival gangs. In prison, they have to unite if they want to survive. I saw that as a unity born out of need to protect themselves.If you are Latin, regardless of type (cuban, Puerto-Rican,Peruvian,Mexican etc) see this movie.

jayleshd I enjoy the crime/thriller genre and this really hit the spot. It had action, moral dilemmas, suspense, twists and drama. There is even emotion in this movie and not just a typical gangster movie.After watching this, It opened up my eyes to the life of Spanish/Mexican gangs and the troublesome lives they live. It is a story of innocence, revenge and betrayal. It is also a story of coming of age and learning. Most importantly it is a movie that can deliver powerful messages to the audience whom feels gangsterism is a symbol or status.I applaud the writer, the director and all the actors for producing such a accomplished piece of cinema. The acting is very genuine and all actors feel comfortable in their roles and helps the movies progression. The authenticity is also there and much research has gone into this. Although this is a lengthy film, over 2 hours long, it is well worth the time to watch the story unfold as it would in the real world. Viewers of the movie should be aware some scenes are not for the faint hearted and may cause you to gasp in shock. At one point I even shouted at the screen, but I wont divulge which scene this was.Please watch this movie, if you are thirsty for something different and not commercial, this is the pick.

philcold2-614-250707 I've read several comments about this movie and I agree with most of them that give an excellent note to this film. For my part, I'd like to tell to everyone who likes movie scores that Bill Conti has made a fantastic job in this one. The music of Blood In Blood Out is amazing. It serves really well the ambiance and the spirit of the movie and I don't understand why this score has been so ignored by music amateurs. I dare to compare the chemistry which arose from this collaboration between the images of Taylor Hackford and the music of Bill Conti to the one who was born in the sixties between Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone. Great job Mr. Conti. Thank you for your talent.