‘Selena y Los Dinos’ Review: 30 Years After Her Death, the Mexican-American Icon Shines Bright in a Sweet but Overly Slick Doc Tribute

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Experiencing old videos of stars in their youth can be quite enjoyable, especially when you recognize the adults they would transform into. For instance, watch a home movie of young Selena Quintanilla performing “Feelings” and notice the same powerful voice, bright smile, and playful laughter, even the same fringe hairstyle that fans came to associate with the pop star Selena. The captivating historical footage like this is undoubtedly the highlight and soul of the documentary Selena y Los Dinos, offering a delightful exploration of her musical career and cultural impact.

Selena, a third-generation Mexican-American from Texas, rose to fame in the Tejano music scene blended with pop. Her journey was tragically cut short in 1995 at the age of 23 when she was fatally shot by a former employee. However, her legacy lives on and continues to inspire many within the Latinx community. Notably, Selena’s story served as the foundation for Jennifer Lopez’s breakout role in the 1997 biopic titled Selena.

Selena’s immediate family, including her parents, brother, and sister, have granted director Isabel Castro access to a vast collection of previously unseen archival material for the 2022 documentary Mija. This trove includes home videos, early-career interviews, and numerous photos and footage hours. Director Castro and her editor, Carolina Siraqyan, have skillfully arranged this material into a sequential narrative of Selena’s career, punctuated with family interviews. As executive producers, the siblings contribute to a particularly optimistic portrayal in Selena y Los Dinos.

In the movie, it’s Abraham Quintanilla, Selena’s father, who tells many of the stories – this makes sense because he was the one who set the family on their musical journey. At the age of six, he discovered his youngest child’s exceptional talent, which was none other than Selena. Her brother, often referred to as AB, and a future songwriter for Selena, had already been teaching himself guitar playing. Suzette, their sister, remembers that their father encouraged her to learn drums to complete the band he envisioned. This group eventually became known as Selena y Los Dinos, named after a band their father was once part of called Los Dinos.

The home-grown band commenced their performances across Corpus Christi, Texas, and from those early days, a youthful Selena can be seen on video being playful yet gifted, chuckling and brimming with energy backstage. The majority of the footage was intended for public consumption, and in local broadcasts she comes off as an innocent but self-assured teenager, candid about her ongoing learning of Spanish to allow her to sing and conduct interviews fluently in that language.

Back in ’94, when I was deeply immersed in the world of music, it was crystal clear that Selena was destined to shine solo. That year, she took home a Grammy for the album “Selena Live!“, which was named Best Mexican-American Album. Flashes from that time period, such as her electrifying performance at the Houston Astrodome filled with thousands of cheering fans, showcased her mesmerizing allure. She had perfected her stage presence and embodied the ’90s style with big hair, bold lipstick, and shimmering rhinestone-encrusted bustiers. Her voice was heartfelt in hits like “Como la Flor,” a song that captured the essence of a lost love and became synonymous with her. On stage, she danced, captivated audiences, and simply shone.

The portrayal of Selena’s personal life by Selena y Los Dino is less detailed. Chris Perez, who later became her bandmate as a guitarist, mentioned that they hid their relationship for as long as possible, understanding that Abraham would not approve. At the age of 20, they secretly got married. The situation was undeniably fraught with more tension than any film suggests.

In this scene of the movie, the identical sentiment is conveyed regarding her murder. The documentary encompasses a 911 call detailing the shooting incident, as well as Abraham at a press conference announcing that his daughter Selena was shot by an upset employee who had been discovered stealing funds. Emotional reactions from Selena’s siblings about her passing are portrayed, yet even in such sorrowful circumstances, Suzette expresses gratitude that Selena experienced love and became a wife before she died. The focus on the positive aspects is evidently Castro’s decision, but at this stage in the film, swiftly moving past the tragedy and opting for an optimistic tone feels disconnected from the gravity of the situation. (It should be noted that the perpetrator, Yolanda Salivar, was found guilty and is currently serving a life sentence. Recently, she petitioned for parole, and a hearing is scheduled.)

The film concludes at the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, where young girls express their inspiration by her. While the emotion is genuine, the movie suggests her cultural significance without actually showing it. Selena y Los Dinos is a well-produced documentary that will likely resonate with her followers.

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2025-01-27 09:26