5/5 Simply beautiful
  by Shekinah Aquino (Buffalo, New York)
I bought the documentary simply because I own all 3 music cd's and I thought this would be an outstanding addition. The documentary was simply brilliant. Rene Perez proves, that he is a little more than just a trend (Daddy Yankee and Don Omar should sit and take notes). This boy and his siblings took me through little known secrets of what makes Latin America simply beautiful and its music a treasure to cherish by all of us. I am Puertorican but extremely proud of my heritage. it is refreshing to see that this group is using its influence for the better. Letting the world know that the music genre he is representing does have a conscience that goes beyond singing about getting high and women shaking their booty. Watching the documentary gave me a better insight on the second album. I highly recommend this to anyone to watch. By the way, the making of La perla video was a nice treat, it is always good to see Ruben Blades.

Arriba Latinoamerica!!!!!!!

5/5 Better than expected.
  by L. Soto (New Jersey, USA)
I have to be honest, even though I am a huge fan of Calle 13's music I was a bit worried about the quality of this documentary when I first heard about it. I am glad to say that the long wait for the release was worth it, as this is a much better film than I could have hoped for. If you have ever heard a Calle 13 album before then you have a good idea of what to expect from this film in terms of sense of humor, but trust me when I tell you that this is a heart felt look at several Latin American countries. From visiting a gold mining town in Peru, to indigenous Indians in Columbia, we get a nice (and somewhat intimate) look at Latin America that is often overlooked by most of us. My biggest complaint is the length of the film (90 min., not 60 min. as listed by amazon). I truly wish this was longer, as time goes by so quickly as you are watching it, and you end up with a feeling of wanting to see more. I imagine there was a lot of footage shot to make this documentary, it would have been nice to have gotten some of that footage as extras, but sadly no such luck. In any event, if your a fan of Calle 13 or are Latin (and even if your not) this is definitely worth checking out. 4.5 stars and lets hope we see more films from Calle 13 in the future.

5/5 A Modern Day Motorcycle Diary
  by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez (Nueva York)
I had the privilege of watching "Calle 13 Sin Mapa" at HBO's New York International Latino Film Festival. It was a premiere event screening and Rene and Eduardo (Residente y Visitante) were present to speak on behalf of this film. This documentary was less about the group as musicians and more about them as human beings. Their approach to filmmaking gives the viewer an inside look at various communities in Latin America. From a gold mining community, to self-sufficient potato farmers we learn of the Latino diaspora. The group takes us on their personal exploration of Venezuela, Peru and Colombia to show us the beautiful culture that exists in these towns that are not on the map, thus the name of this documentary. We hear from the indigenous communities what it means to truly be an environmentalist and we learn the true foundation of music from a free town in Colombia. On a side note, watch out for a performance by an Afro-Latino as he puts the solar system to song!

All in all, this is a great film that I've already ordered to add to my personal collection. Not only did I learn more about Latin America, but I learned more about myself. This story is about Latin America today, and its a valuable lesson in the environmental sciences, sociology and political science.

Finally, I'd like to add that I had the chance to speak with Eduardo after the screening and he shared with me that this is only the first of a series of documentaries that they are looking to produce about Latin America. He mentioned to me that the footage of Mexico alone is something to look forward to, and I will.