museumofdave These droll, whimsical and offbeat ninety minutes may drive many viewers to distraction--first strike: the film is in black and white; second--it's a foreign film and there are subtitles; third, sex and violence are almost non-existent, unless kids shooting at plates count.I found the film a quiet delight, an afternoon spent with two kids who discover that when the electricity goes out and the game-boy no longer operates, there are other ways to spend the time, and the other ways involve other human beings. And the human beings lead to some important connections. If you are action/plot oriented, don't even bother; if you appreciate different ways of looking at a commonplace world, you just might have as much fun as I did.

nycritic Imagine the most unremarkable series of events taking place any given day of your life. Then imagine that within those trivial moments in which you life your life, something new is added -- the sneaky, near-invisible element of human baggage and quiet awakenings -- and you have yourself the story that unfolds in TEMPORADA DE PATOS (DUCK SEASON).A mother leaves her fourteen-year old son Flama (Daniel Miranda) alone in the tenement apartment where she lives in Mexico City to go visit her sister. He's with his best buddy Moko (Diego Catano), and they both pass time playing violent video games. A neighbor, an older girl named Rita (Danny Perea) pops in to use the oven because hers isn't working and she's baking a cake. Bored and hungry, the boys order pizza.Its late arrival (which the delivery man, Ulises (Enrique Arreola), vehemently denies) is the fulcrum of the events that build up the story's thin plot. The boys feel they shouldn't have to pay, to which Ulises decides he won't leave without his payment. First he sits rather menacingly at the door, but the boys decide maybe it's best to play a video game with Ulises. If they win, their pizza is free; if they lose, they must pay.Meanwhile, Rita continues making her cake, making little appearances here and there. She seems lonely and tries to insinuate herself into the threesome... and when the power goes out, her asking Moko for help in finishing making her cake hints that she's there for a little more than just borrowing their kitchen for the afternoon.The boys lose to Ulises. Flama reluctantly pays up, insulting Ulises with an ugly smooch. Ulises' frustration finally makes its appearance as he hits (and cuts) Flama, but to make up for his horrible yet brief moment of violence makes him retreat his steps, and his tragic story unfolds...Watching TEMPORADA DE PATOS made me feel of those short, unassuming stories I used to read in high school that in their brevity managed to say a whole lot more than a grandiose novel. The way the foursome's inner motives play against and with each other comes in the most unexpected ways, and Fernando Eimbecke's approach is that of an almost improvised movie that unfolds its treasures in minute yet poignant ways. I thought it was impressive, because the initial appearance of Ulises seems to warrant a creepiness that I did not open myself to; however, the longer he stayed in the story, the deeper it became. This becomes true due to the fact that while all of them acknowledge the presence of the most invisible picture in the living room -- the type of picture prevalent in many Hispanic homes, depicting pastoral scenes -- Ulises is the one who really comes to realize its significance.TEMPORADA DE PATOS is a rarity that people tired with the norm should pay attention to. It's funny, but not in the way one would expect (and check that last scene after the end credits!). It's sad, because of the hinted isolation in which all of the characters are caught in. It's hopeful and uplifting, and I loved it for its honesty.

noralee "Duck Season (Temporada de patos)" answers the question what do 14 - 16 year olds in a Mexico City housing development do on a lazy Sunday afternoon when their mother and the electric power is out? Turns out, not much else than the kids in the Wisconsin basement did in "That'70's Show" or in Dr. Seuss's "The Cat in the Hat". It is a relief to know these latchkey friends aren't like Larry Clark's "Kids" on NYC's Lower East Side or those in the banlieus we've seen lately in French films, as instead we have a series of amusing vignettes, with the humor emphasized by co-writer/director Fernando Eimbcke's camera angles. The audience frequently takes the position of the oven, video game, painting, etc. that the adorable youngsters stare at intensely in various degrees of sobriety. Danny Perea as literally the girl next door is marvelous. The boys' friendship is very naturally portrayed. This is the second little movie I've seen this year where a pizza delivery guy gets caught up in his customers lives (as in "Pizza") and it is a cute gimmick, even if we don't really learn much about the guy other than that he's fed up.We only learn much about one of the kids, as the minor revelations are let out gradually in incongruous ways. Surprisingly, any of the self-discovery or lessons learned are really just a taking off point for humorous actions. It's just a series of funny looking scenes, one slowly after another, usually based on the kids' naiveté and misunderstandings. (The trailer is very misleading as to the pacing of the film.)The final scene is after all the credits so you can see, among many thanks, acknowledgments to Yasujiro Ozu, probably for the domestic focus and camera angles, and James Jarmusch, as this black and white film does have a lot in common with the look and interactions in "Coffee and Cigarettes", among other of his films.There are only a couple of cool song selections we hear them playing, with some classical pieces for juxtapositional humor. The English subtitles are always legible and easy to read.

bersarhin Temporada de Patos is my favorite Mexican film. I am Mexican and personally don't like my country's films. 70% of Mexican films involve violence, kidnapping, murders or sex. Temporada de Patos is one of the first actual Mexican films that tells a story without needing to present blood-baths or sex scenes.Temporada de Patos or Duck Season can be considered a Teen Movie, the difference is that it is an INTELLIGENT teen movie. Yes, it shows the sexual awakening of Moko and Flama, but in a classy, intelligent way not as American teen movies (eg. American Pie).The screenplay of Temporada de Patos was one of the best of 2004, but not only the screenplay. The directing is superb, just as the B&W cinematography. We can't say it had an impressive production design since the only set is a middle-class apartment and there were no visual effects (luckily...:P). The performances by Diego Catano (Moko), Enrique Arreola (Ulises, the pizza guy) and Danny Perea (Rita), one of the most beautiful Latin actresses there are now, are outstanding. Daniel Miranda's performance as Flama isn't excellent, but it's good. It's incredible how Eimbcke was able to include so many subjects that concern us teenagers in 1 1/2 hours: Sexuality, drugs, parents, etc.SIMPLY OUTSTANDING!