Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Nochebuena’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Tanairi Sade Vazquez and Rene Rosaso as Jennifer and Junior in Adam Lopez’s NOCHEBUENA. (Photo Courtesy of aspireTV.)

If there is one particular type of movie that we all love watching this time of year, it’s the holiday movie. Simply because, they do indeed add to the wonder of the season, courtesy of stories that celebrate the wonder of love, and giving, and they all deeply explore what togetherness, and kindness can do for us during the season. All of which lifts our spirits up and brings us joy. But while we do enjoy these movies, they do come with their own set of drawbacks. After all, they are in essence, peak escapism storytelling and truly ignore some of the realities of the season. Which while helpful in some respects, can be of concern for others.
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Because we also turn to entertainment to inspire guidance, to reaffirm and feel seen, and since the holidays are in fact, just another period in our lives with pretty decorations, more and more… audiences are demanding that we see the season in a more realistic light. So that these movies offer up just a touch more meaning than they have in recent years, and perhaps do a better job with representation since they tend to feature predominantly white casts, and well… the industry is answering. For we are starting to see holiday films that do indeed reflect real life and offer up beautiful messages beyond, everyone needs love during the season, and it just so happens that aspireTV is now home to one that absolutely needs to be celebrated. For Nochebuena is one of the most refreshing holiday films to hit the airwaves in years.

A feat this film accomplishes through its story. For this particular tale introduces us to a man named Junior who is seemingly living his best life. After all, he’s living in the big city, he has an amazing job where he is treated with respect and valued, and it is Christmastime. Wherein he will get to return home and see his old childhood friends Jennifer and Mel and spend time with them and just enjoy a low-key holiday. But the return home proves to anything but relaxing. Mainly because, a return home also means reflection. Reflection upon the mother he lost not too long ago, and reflection upon paths not taken. Since he and Jennifer have always enjoyed incredible chemistry but never committed to one another, and that means this holiday season… Junior will have to face his past and his emotions at a time when so much is going on around him.

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Which is… the perfect way to offer up a different kind of holiday feature. Because this one, is deeply grounded in reality. Since it explores how the holidays are a time of reflection where we don’t just look at our wins and think ahead, but where we think about… everything. Our wins, our failures, the people we’ve lost along the way and whether or not we are on the right path. Not to mention, it properly reflects how this can be a difficult time emotionally when we have lost someone we love dearly and of course… how difficult a time it is, period. Courtesy of moments that we can all relate to, such as Junior’s struggles with grief and his struggles with his romantic feelings toward Jennifer, and the best part is, it uses the best aspects of these films, to help us find guidance on how to resolve them in our own lives.
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Since we are treated to lessons that speak to how we make peace with loss, how we claim that which we’ve always wanted and so much more. For this is a story designed to explore… how we give ourselves… the gift of happiness. Which is what we are all searching for during the season, and that makes for a satisfying story that inspires and also… offers up representation like never before. Because this does focus on Latino/Latinx culture as well, if the title did not clue one in, and that makes for some magnificent moments as well. The kind that showcases how Latin Americans celebrate the holidays, and more importantly, it puts Latin Americans on screen, via characters that do indeed reflect the world and also feel real since they aren’t written as stereotypes or jokes, and that’s wonderful to see take place here.

Because that’s how people from all walks of life should be presented in film and television, because we are just people that celebrate the holidays slightly differently but go through many of the same things and that makes this… a holiday masterpiece, really. For this film really is that next generation of holiday features. One that presents the holiday in a far more realistic and relatable light than other features and that’s courtesy of Director Adam Lopez’s magnificent vision, and the cast’s fine work in selling the moments we all deal with in some capacity during the holidays, and that’s what we really need from these features. A world where we can escape… but can also work out what we need to, alongside people that either reflect us or reflect our lives.   

Watch ‘Nochebuena’ on aspireTV during the following dates:

12/24/24 12:00 PM ET       
12/25/24 6:00 PM ET       
12/26/24 4:00 PM ET       
12/26/24 10:00 PM ET       
12/29/24 4:00 PM ET 

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