English Title: Innocent Voices.
Synopsis: Chava is a boy of eleven, living in 1980's civil war-ridden El Salvador. His life is punctuated by the fear of the flying bullets from the conflicts between the National Army and the guerilla in the shantytown where he lives; also by the anxiety regarding his approaching twelfth birthday which will make him old enough for Army draft.
Appraisal: A well-structured screenplay is the main virtue of this film. Everything happens in the proper manner as to enlighten all the aspects of the story and get it going. Unfortunately, that is as far as the virtues of the film will go. The finer details of the screenplay, and what one would call 'direction' -- for the lack of a better word -- are badly mishandled. Character interplay and dialogue are of a primitive sort, lacking spontaneity and building the characters as no more than cardboard figures. Every possible effect -- slow motion, music, etc -- is crammed in whenever it is wished to enhance the emotion, thus producing the exact opposite effect and killing it. Of course the story has such shocking aspects that it is interesting by itself, but anybody expecting vigorous filmmaking will be sorely disappointed. The film does not place emphasis on the political aspect, preferring to focus on the personal level of things, but there is an unequivocal leftist slant in the way the story is told. Otherwise, why would the final caption make it a point to tell us the details of the U.S.A. financing of the Salvadoran government? Many reviewers pointed out that the recruitment of children, as well as the brutality of methods, was not exclusive of the pro-government side; they say that these were characteristics of the guerilla as well. Of course, the film is not obliged to show everything -- it is the story as told from the point of view of a little boy, who could not have experienced everything that was happening then. But I think that, in that case, the caption should have been used to even things out a little, instead of making them even more one-sided.
Rating: 49.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
"Forensic Files" Within a Hair (2002)
Synopsis (CONTAINS SPOILERS): The place is a town called South Bend in the state of Indiana; the year is, I think, 1996. After a series of rapes and burglaries, the police arrests a black man that was bicycling on the street. He is wrongfully convicted (by a jury of all whites, in a second trial, to a 70 year sentence) of some of those crimes after he is positively identified as the perpetrator by some of the victims and one victim's boyfriend, even though the pubic hair found at the scene of one crime couldn't be analyzed and the semen found at the scene of another didn't match his own. He serves in the worst convict status there is, that is, sex offender, risking being raped or murdered in prison. Five years later, a man is surprised by the police while robbing a house, then flees leaving a footprint and his car, replete with evidence. By then a new technique exists for analyzing pubic hair without root; the hair matches this man's (he is sentenced to 30 years); the semen doesn't; the semen matches that of a man already serving sentence. The innocent guy is released. (END OF SPOILERS)
Appraisal: I didn't plan to watch this; I happened to turn the TV on at the exact minute it was about to be aired, and it was tuned on the channel that airs it. I was positively impressed, and as a matter of fact have no negative criticism to make about it. I found it amazing how much I learned from it about (a) the American justice system; (b) the conditions of American prisons; (c) the state-of-the-art in forensic detection. Two final notes: (1) here in Brazil, it is aired under the title "Medical Detectives" (just like that, in English -- go figure...); (2) this news article on the internet dating from 2002 states that the guy who was wrongfully convicted "has filed a federal lawsuit against the city, its police department and 14 of its officers".
Appraisal: I didn't plan to watch this; I happened to turn the TV on at the exact minute it was about to be aired, and it was tuned on the channel that airs it. I was positively impressed, and as a matter of fact have no negative criticism to make about it. I found it amazing how much I learned from it about (a) the American justice system; (b) the conditions of American prisons; (c) the state-of-the-art in forensic detection. Two final notes: (1) here in Brazil, it is aired under the title "Medical Detectives" (just like that, in English -- go figure...); (2) this news article on the internet dating from 2002 states that the guy who was wrongfully convicted "has filed a federal lawsuit against the city, its police department and 14 of its officers".
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Ladies in Lavender. (2004)
Synopsis: It's the 1930's. A man is washed ashore on a small fishing village in England. Two old sisters, a widower and a spinster, rescue and shelter him.
Appraisal: This is an example of uninspired filmmaking lifted from complete dullness only by some of its performances -- in this case, all the female ones. The pace is very slow, but this does not translate into increased density or depth. There are two instances of very bad writing in this film: (1) the sequence at the beach, when he goes swimming and they watch, displays some preposterous, unbelievable behavior (I am not giving it away, although God knows what I would be spoiling here); (2) at the painter's cottage, her reaction to a certain behavior by Andrea is unexplained and inconsistent with her previous and subsequent behavior. Another point that reveals bad writing: not only we never get to know what accident happened to Andrea that caused him to be washed ashore, but nobody in the film seems very interested in finding that out. Also, shouldn't his name be Andrzej instead of Andrea, since he is Polish? A strange coincidence for me is that this is the second film -- the first one being 'Les félins' -- that I have seen within the past few days that bears a strong plot resemblance with 'The Beguiled'.
Rating: 33
Appraisal: This is an example of uninspired filmmaking lifted from complete dullness only by some of its performances -- in this case, all the female ones. The pace is very slow, but this does not translate into increased density or depth. There are two instances of very bad writing in this film: (1) the sequence at the beach, when he goes swimming and they watch, displays some preposterous, unbelievable behavior (I am not giving it away, although God knows what I would be spoiling here); (2) at the painter's cottage, her reaction to a certain behavior by Andrea is unexplained and inconsistent with her previous and subsequent behavior. Another point that reveals bad writing: not only we never get to know what accident happened to Andrea that caused him to be washed ashore, but nobody in the film seems very interested in finding that out. Also, shouldn't his name be Andrzej instead of Andrea, since he is Polish? A strange coincidence for me is that this is the second film -- the first one being 'Les félins' -- that I have seen within the past few days that bears a strong plot resemblance with 'The Beguiled'.
Rating: 33
Saturday, October 28, 2006
A Rage in Harlem (1991)
Synopsis: It's 1956. A gangster's woman flees Mississippi for New York City with a trunk full of stolen gold. There, she shacks up with a naive man. Soon, her ex-boyfriend will come looking for the gold.
Appraisal: This film has a good premise and builds a reasonable ambiance. The story develops with a certain coherence, but also without being very funny or exciting, except for a certain recurring joke about two portraits; moreover, the script gets irritatingly idiotic at one particular instance when the two reunited brothers interrupt their urgent proceedings -- the result of which might get them killed -- to have one of them bicker about the other not having attended their mother's funeral. The camerawork is rather elementary and unimaginative -- at least it appeared so in my pan-and-scan copy. While I didn't find any of the performances particularly remarkable, one has to admit that the leading actress manages to exude a compelling sexiness in the more seductive sequences. As a curiosity, I add that one of the scenes reproduces the title of another novel by Himes, 'Blind Man with a Pistol'.
Rating: 44
Appraisal: This film has a good premise and builds a reasonable ambiance. The story develops with a certain coherence, but also without being very funny or exciting, except for a certain recurring joke about two portraits; moreover, the script gets irritatingly idiotic at one particular instance when the two reunited brothers interrupt their urgent proceedings -- the result of which might get them killed -- to have one of them bicker about the other not having attended their mother's funeral. The camerawork is rather elementary and unimaginative -- at least it appeared so in my pan-and-scan copy. While I didn't find any of the performances particularly remarkable, one has to admit that the leading actress manages to exude a compelling sexiness in the more seductive sequences. As a curiosity, I add that one of the scenes reproduces the title of another novel by Himes, 'Blind Man with a Pistol'.
Rating: 44
In the Navy (1941)
Synopsis: A famous crooner is tired of being famous and decides to enlist in the Navy under his real name. A photographer tracks him down and sneaks into his ship, with the purpose of taking pictures of him that she will sell to a magazine.
Appraisal: This is a comedy starring a comic duo where one is a tall lean guy and the other is a short chubby guy. The tall one enjoys putting the chubby one in situations of trouble, generally by encouraging him to do silly things. The film has many humorous set-pieces that rely almost invariably on visual humor. They are amusing but some are a little crude. The comic duo displays genuine talent, especially the chubby guy: his sense of timing is impeccable. The film has many musical numbers, some of them featuring the 'famous crooner' character, who is a good singer, and others featuring a trio of female singers, who are good singers too. I am not so sure I can be a good judge of the quality of the songs, but having heard them once I found them average. The premise of the plot dismisses the myth (it's not a widespread myth, I think; a lot of people are aware of the truth) that the phenomenon of female mass hysteria over popular singers began in the late fifties with rock-and-roll. The development of the plot is plodding and repetitive; the subplots are generally uninteresting. The film is marred by military songs and marches.
Rating: 47
Appraisal: This is a comedy starring a comic duo where one is a tall lean guy and the other is a short chubby guy. The tall one enjoys putting the chubby one in situations of trouble, generally by encouraging him to do silly things. The film has many humorous set-pieces that rely almost invariably on visual humor. They are amusing but some are a little crude. The comic duo displays genuine talent, especially the chubby guy: his sense of timing is impeccable. The film has many musical numbers, some of them featuring the 'famous crooner' character, who is a good singer, and others featuring a trio of female singers, who are good singers too. I am not so sure I can be a good judge of the quality of the songs, but having heard them once I found them average. The premise of the plot dismisses the myth (it's not a widespread myth, I think; a lot of people are aware of the truth) that the phenomenon of female mass hysteria over popular singers began in the late fifties with rock-and-roll. The development of the plot is plodding and repetitive; the subplots are generally uninteresting. The film is marred by military songs and marches.
Rating: 47
Thursday, October 26, 2006
The High and the Mighty (1954)
Synopsis: A flight from Honolulu to San Francisco has engine trouble.
Appraisal: This film is so stupid that at times it almost comes across as a parody in the style of 'Airplane'. It's almost an insult to our intelligence to make characters behave so absurdly, and utter lines so unbelievably corny. What's even more amazing is that everything is made with such an energy and enthusiasm as to endow the film with a certain camp value. Not much, though; just enough to lift it from complete worthlessness.
Rating: 12
Appraisal: This film is so stupid that at times it almost comes across as a parody in the style of 'Airplane'. It's almost an insult to our intelligence to make characters behave so absurdly, and utter lines so unbelievably corny. What's even more amazing is that everything is made with such an energy and enthusiasm as to endow the film with a certain camp value. Not much, though; just enough to lift it from complete worthlessness.
Rating: 12
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Les félins (1964)
U.S. Title: Joy House.
U.K. Title: The Love Cage.
Synopsis: Marc is on the run from some gangsters and takes refuge in the mansion of beautiful widow Barbara and her cousin Melinda. They allegedly need his services as a chauffeur, but maybe they haven't been completely on the level with him.
Appraisal: This is an average thriller, with noirish elements, shot in black and white Cinemascope (unusually, I have watched it with an aspect ratio very close to the original), and bearing excellent camerawork and cinematography. The score, although excellent in itself, is quite mismatched to the film's contents and tone -- I would prefer something darker, less 'mission: impossible'-ish. The plot has more than its share of far-fetchedness but is interesting nonetheless. The film bears thematic resemblance to 'The Beguiled'. One scene anticipates 'Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia". One performance stands out ('Melinda').
Rating: 51
U.K. Title: The Love Cage.
Synopsis: Marc is on the run from some gangsters and takes refuge in the mansion of beautiful widow Barbara and her cousin Melinda. They allegedly need his services as a chauffeur, but maybe they haven't been completely on the level with him.
Appraisal: This is an average thriller, with noirish elements, shot in black and white Cinemascope (unusually, I have watched it with an aspect ratio very close to the original), and bearing excellent camerawork and cinematography. The score, although excellent in itself, is quite mismatched to the film's contents and tone -- I would prefer something darker, less 'mission: impossible'-ish. The plot has more than its share of far-fetchedness but is interesting nonetheless. The film bears thematic resemblance to 'The Beguiled'. One scene anticipates 'Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia". One performance stands out ('Melinda').
Rating: 51
Monday, October 23, 2006
Engraçadinha (1981)
Synopsis:
*This synopsis contains spoilers and also the depiction of extremely disturbing or unpleasant situations or events*
Engraçadinha is engaged to Zózimo but loves her cousin Sílvio, who is in turn engaged to Letícia. Engraçadinha seduces Sílvio and then fakes a pregnancy. Letícia reacts with surprising abnegation to the news of the alleged pregnancy, even supporting the idea of the marriage of Engraçadinha and Sílvio. Sílvio, on the other hand, is upset with the whole situation and nurtures a mix of lust and hatred towards Engraçadinha. When Engraçadinha tells her father (name Arnaldo) about her "condition", he gets alarmed, and reveals that Sílvio is in reality not her cousin, but her brother. He arranges for her to see an abortionist, who will also perform a surgical restoration of Engraçadinha's virginity. Meanwhile, Letícia confesses to Engraçadinha that she is in love with her, a feeling she has been hiding since when both were children and played together. Engraçadinha rejects Letícia, calling her a pervert. Engraçadinha meets with her father and reveals to him that her pregnancy is faked; her father keeps the appointment with the doctor anyway, to see that her virginity is restored. He tells Letícia to accompany Engraçadinha to the doctor on the following day, and to sleep with her that night. Engraçadinha offers the bed to Letícia and sleeps on the floor. During the night, Sílvio comes to the bedroom and has sex with Letícia thinking that she is Engraçadinha; the latter lays silent on the floor, watching them. In the following day, they go see the doctor, but we never get to know whether Engraçadinha really went through with the operation, since the doctor gave her the option to back out on it. Later, Engraçadinha reveals to Sílvio that he actually made love to Letícia the night before. Sílvio proposes to meet the two of them again that night, to which they agree. Once he enters the bedroom where both are, Sílvio proposes to go down to the library alone with Engraçadinha. There, Engraçadinha reveals to him that they are brother and sister. They decide to make love anyway. In the morning, Sílvio picks up a razor and cuts off his own penis, and then is taken by Arnaldo to a hospital, in the hope of a reimplant. After he learns this is impossible, Arnaldo returns to his house and commits suicide.
*End of spoilers and of disturbing and unpleasant situations and events*
Appraisal: This film is based on a trashy serial that was published in a Brazilian newspaper from 1959 to 1960 for the consumption of people with very low literary demands, and decades later was given an art status simply because it was written by Brazil's most respected playwright -- actually he did it merely as a source of extra income. On top of its ludicrously nonsensical plot, the direction is virtually inexistent -- the decoupage is moronic; the framings are ugly; there is no momentum to the narrative. The cast does a heroically decent job, considering the poor material in its hands.
Rating: 8
*This synopsis contains spoilers and also the depiction of extremely disturbing or unpleasant situations or events*
Engraçadinha is engaged to Zózimo but loves her cousin Sílvio, who is in turn engaged to Letícia. Engraçadinha seduces Sílvio and then fakes a pregnancy. Letícia reacts with surprising abnegation to the news of the alleged pregnancy, even supporting the idea of the marriage of Engraçadinha and Sílvio. Sílvio, on the other hand, is upset with the whole situation and nurtures a mix of lust and hatred towards Engraçadinha. When Engraçadinha tells her father (name Arnaldo) about her "condition", he gets alarmed, and reveals that Sílvio is in reality not her cousin, but her brother. He arranges for her to see an abortionist, who will also perform a surgical restoration of Engraçadinha's virginity. Meanwhile, Letícia confesses to Engraçadinha that she is in love with her, a feeling she has been hiding since when both were children and played together. Engraçadinha rejects Letícia, calling her a pervert. Engraçadinha meets with her father and reveals to him that her pregnancy is faked; her father keeps the appointment with the doctor anyway, to see that her virginity is restored. He tells Letícia to accompany Engraçadinha to the doctor on the following day, and to sleep with her that night. Engraçadinha offers the bed to Letícia and sleeps on the floor. During the night, Sílvio comes to the bedroom and has sex with Letícia thinking that she is Engraçadinha; the latter lays silent on the floor, watching them. In the following day, they go see the doctor, but we never get to know whether Engraçadinha really went through with the operation, since the doctor gave her the option to back out on it. Later, Engraçadinha reveals to Sílvio that he actually made love to Letícia the night before. Sílvio proposes to meet the two of them again that night, to which they agree. Once he enters the bedroom where both are, Sílvio proposes to go down to the library alone with Engraçadinha. There, Engraçadinha reveals to him that they are brother and sister. They decide to make love anyway. In the morning, Sílvio picks up a razor and cuts off his own penis, and then is taken by Arnaldo to a hospital, in the hope of a reimplant. After he learns this is impossible, Arnaldo returns to his house and commits suicide.
*End of spoilers and of disturbing and unpleasant situations and events*
Appraisal: This film is based on a trashy serial that was published in a Brazilian newspaper from 1959 to 1960 for the consumption of people with very low literary demands, and decades later was given an art status simply because it was written by Brazil's most respected playwright -- actually he did it merely as a source of extra income. On top of its ludicrously nonsensical plot, the direction is virtually inexistent -- the decoupage is moronic; the framings are ugly; there is no momentum to the narrative. The cast does a heroically decent job, considering the poor material in its hands.
Rating: 8
Ellie Parker (2005)
Synopsis: Ellie is a young woman pursuing an acting career in Los Angeles.
Appraisal: This film tries to be a portrayal of the psychological afflictions of an aspiring actress, who is subjected to an abnormal amount of stress and frustration, while at the same time risking to lose her identity because of the demands of her profession. The main flaw that I see in this film is that some dull bits (day off to see the apes in the zoo? get real...) could have been cut out without upsetting anyone (it wouldn't even make the editing room dirty, since it's made in digital video...). The main actress is excellent, and this gives a film a hell of a leverage. I guess the main virtue of this film is that it succeeds, in its better bits, in being realistic and funny at the same time.
Rating: 56
Appraisal: This film tries to be a portrayal of the psychological afflictions of an aspiring actress, who is subjected to an abnormal amount of stress and frustration, while at the same time risking to lose her identity because of the demands of her profession. The main flaw that I see in this film is that some dull bits (day off to see the apes in the zoo? get real...) could have been cut out without upsetting anyone (it wouldn't even make the editing room dirty, since it's made in digital video...). The main actress is excellent, and this gives a film a hell of a leverage. I guess the main virtue of this film is that it succeeds, in its better bits, in being realistic and funny at the same time.
Rating: 56
Appointment with Death (1988)
Synopsis: A recently widowed woman goes on a trip to Europe and the Middle East with her daughter, 2 stepsons, stepdaughter, and daughter-in-law, who all want to free themselves from her.
Appraisal: Very moderately entertaining whodunit, with a story that is definitely unengaging, despite being based on a novel by Agatha Christie, a master of the genre. Either this was not one of her best books, or they didn't do a good job in the adaptation (or maybe this is not the kind of story that adapts well into a movie). The film has authentic settings in Italy and Israel, which makes it scenically interesting, at least.
Rating: 36
Appraisal: Very moderately entertaining whodunit, with a story that is definitely unengaging, despite being based on a novel by Agatha Christie, a master of the genre. Either this was not one of her best books, or they didn't do a good job in the adaptation (or maybe this is not the kind of story that adapts well into a movie). The film has authentic settings in Italy and Israel, which makes it scenically interesting, at least.
Rating: 36
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Être et avoir (2002)
English Title: To Be and to Have
Description: This is a documentary about a rural elementary school in France. There is only one teacher in the film, who appears to be the only teacher in that school.
Appraisal: I was almost bored to death by this film. Some of the sequences are incredibly repetitive (kids performing arithmetic operations, etc.), others are simply uneventful (trees being shaken by the wind, etc.). There is no narration, and the film is much less informative than it could have been. I am totally sure that if its length were cut down to one fourth and they had some narration added, it would still retain the significant bits and be a nicer experience for the viewer. To be fair, the film apparently succeeds in achieving one of the most coveted characteristics in a documentary, namely, camera-unawareness by people who are being filmed. In this case, I mean only the children -- and to be honest I am sure about the smaller ones only, since some of the older ones looked suspiciously aware to me -- the teacher, and the other adults, are obviously aware of it all the time. Summing up my judgment on this film, it lacks selective and intelligent editing, and provocative and stimulating ideas.
Rating: 26
Description: This is a documentary about a rural elementary school in France. There is only one teacher in the film, who appears to be the only teacher in that school.
Appraisal: I was almost bored to death by this film. Some of the sequences are incredibly repetitive (kids performing arithmetic operations, etc.), others are simply uneventful (trees being shaken by the wind, etc.). There is no narration, and the film is much less informative than it could have been. I am totally sure that if its length were cut down to one fourth and they had some narration added, it would still retain the significant bits and be a nicer experience for the viewer. To be fair, the film apparently succeeds in achieving one of the most coveted characteristics in a documentary, namely, camera-unawareness by people who are being filmed. In this case, I mean only the children -- and to be honest I am sure about the smaller ones only, since some of the older ones looked suspiciously aware to me -- the teacher, and the other adults, are obviously aware of it all the time. Summing up my judgment on this film, it lacks selective and intelligent editing, and provocative and stimulating ideas.
Rating: 26
Witness to Murder (1954)
Synopsis: A woman witnesses a murder in the building next to hers, through her apartment's window, but the murderer conceals the body before the police arrives, so nobody believes her.
Appraisal: Almost nothing makes much sense in this half-baked suspense story. Also, the musical score is so annoyingly intrusive that it appears that they are trying to take the viewer's attention away from the inane plot. The highlight of the film is a sequence inside a mental institution. It's not much of a highlight though, and the rest of the film is just too bad, so don't waste your time with it.
Rating: 9
Appraisal: Almost nothing makes much sense in this half-baked suspense story. Also, the musical score is so annoyingly intrusive that it appears that they are trying to take the viewer's attention away from the inane plot. The highlight of the film is a sequence inside a mental institution. It's not much of a highlight though, and the rest of the film is just too bad, so don't waste your time with it.
Rating: 9
Friday, October 20, 2006
Gegen die Wand (2004)
English Title: Head-On.
Synopsis: Two suicidal patients in a German clinic agree to get married so that the woman can move out of her oppressive family's house. A relationship between them gradually develops.
Appraisal: The characters's motivations in this drama are a bit flimsy at the start (why does she have to marry him to leave home; why does he agree). Otherwise their behavior is convincing enough. Also, several pieces seem to be missing (how exactly was the girl's life in her family's house; what happened between the guy and his first wife; what went on from the point when the girl is beaten up and left for dead until when the guy travels to Turkey to see her), a fact which may be explained by the original 4 hour length being cut down to 2 hours (alas, my copy was even shorter at 116 minutes -- go ask Brazilian channel Telecine if you want to know why, maybe they have the answer...). Basically what this movie seems to be about is how sometimes two seemingly doomed individuals provide strength to each other that helps them find a reason to live. The ending provides another poignant lesson that qualifies the first one, but I am not willing to spoil it for those who haven't watched it. It is clear, in the case of the girl, that the unbearably repressive Turkish family values, in contrast with the society in which she lives, is the prime responsible for her self-destructiveness; in the case of the man, the reasons for his behavior are not as clear, but it is interesting to think that the stress associated to belonging to a minority group helped shape his psyche. All in all, an interesting film about people on the edge, helped by two great central performances. I am willing to bet that it would be more engaging and powerful in its complete, unreleased, version.
Rating: 58
Synopsis: Two suicidal patients in a German clinic agree to get married so that the woman can move out of her oppressive family's house. A relationship between them gradually develops.
Appraisal: The characters's motivations in this drama are a bit flimsy at the start (why does she have to marry him to leave home; why does he agree). Otherwise their behavior is convincing enough. Also, several pieces seem to be missing (how exactly was the girl's life in her family's house; what happened between the guy and his first wife; what went on from the point when the girl is beaten up and left for dead until when the guy travels to Turkey to see her), a fact which may be explained by the original 4 hour length being cut down to 2 hours (alas, my copy was even shorter at 116 minutes -- go ask Brazilian channel Telecine if you want to know why, maybe they have the answer...). Basically what this movie seems to be about is how sometimes two seemingly doomed individuals provide strength to each other that helps them find a reason to live. The ending provides another poignant lesson that qualifies the first one, but I am not willing to spoil it for those who haven't watched it. It is clear, in the case of the girl, that the unbearably repressive Turkish family values, in contrast with the society in which she lives, is the prime responsible for her self-destructiveness; in the case of the man, the reasons for his behavior are not as clear, but it is interesting to think that the stress associated to belonging to a minority group helped shape his psyche. All in all, an interesting film about people on the edge, helped by two great central performances. I am willing to bet that it would be more engaging and powerful in its complete, unreleased, version.
Rating: 58
27 Missing Kisses (2000)
Synopsis: A 14 year old girl spends the summer in a small town where she falls in love with a 41 year old widower and is doted upon by his 14 year old son.
Appraisal: This film belongs to what I define as the "those quirky villagers" subgenre. Historically this subgenre used to be practically universal and one could find films from almost any country that featured a small town with a population of free-spirited oddballs. However, lately it has apparently become more and more restricted to Eastern European countries, and my theory is that these are the only places that haven't been homogenized and sterilized by American Mass Culture or by any local Religious Fundamentalist regime. Of course, I don't really know whether the real people in Eastern Europe are really captivatingly odd or this is a fabricated image that has been carefully cultivated for cinematic consumption. Having concluded this brief sociological analysis, let's return to the film in review. It is a frustrating film, because it has so many potentially interesting ideas yet systematically refuses to explore them, jumping from one merely sketched situation to the next. It looks like they had only a draft script and decided to shoot it anyway. It would be better perhaps if the director had decided to cut down on a few superfluous subplots and added a few more inches of depth to the more significant ones. This film may be odd but is certainly anything but captivating.
Rating: 44
Appraisal: This film belongs to what I define as the "those quirky villagers" subgenre. Historically this subgenre used to be practically universal and one could find films from almost any country that featured a small town with a population of free-spirited oddballs. However, lately it has apparently become more and more restricted to Eastern European countries, and my theory is that these are the only places that haven't been homogenized and sterilized by American Mass Culture or by any local Religious Fundamentalist regime. Of course, I don't really know whether the real people in Eastern Europe are really captivatingly odd or this is a fabricated image that has been carefully cultivated for cinematic consumption. Having concluded this brief sociological analysis, let's return to the film in review. It is a frustrating film, because it has so many potentially interesting ideas yet systematically refuses to explore them, jumping from one merely sketched situation to the next. It looks like they had only a draft script and decided to shoot it anyway. It would be better perhaps if the director had decided to cut down on a few superfluous subplots and added a few more inches of depth to the more significant ones. This film may be odd but is certainly anything but captivating.
Rating: 44
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Yasmin (2004)
Synopsis: Yasmin is a Englishwoman of Pakistani ascendence who got married to a Pakistani man so that he can obtain an English visa. She has a job and likes one of her colleagues, a white man.
Appraisal: Intelligent drama showing how the events of 9/11/2001 changed the lives in the Pakistani community in London. It shows the growth of prejudice against members of that community, as well as violations of their rights by the police. The reactions of the different characters to this process are seen, and the film shows how the excessive brutality of the English police, as well as the defamatory treatment to which the Pakistani-English were subjected by their colleagues, so-called friends, and even street passers-by, drove people closer to Islamism and in some cases even right into Fundamentalism and Terrorism.
Rating: 61
Appraisal: Intelligent drama showing how the events of 9/11/2001 changed the lives in the Pakistani community in London. It shows the growth of prejudice against members of that community, as well as violations of their rights by the police. The reactions of the different characters to this process are seen, and the film shows how the excessive brutality of the English police, as well as the defamatory treatment to which the Pakistani-English were subjected by their colleagues, so-called friends, and even street passers-by, drove people closer to Islamism and in some cases even right into Fundamentalism and Terrorism.
Rating: 61
The Iron Curtain (1948)
Synopsis: In 1943, a Soviet cypher expert is sent to Canada to work at the Soviet Embassy. The place serves as a cover for espionage activities. Later, his pregnant wife joins him in Canada. After the end of the war, and what with the birth of his child, he considers taking a radical decision that would alter his life and those of his family in a profound way.
Appraisal: It is by no means a masterpiece, but its true story is an interesting one. The transition operating in the central character, from inconditional believing to skepticism and doubt, is well developed, and lies within the constraints of plausibility. Some lines of dialogue like "You don't know what the truth is: you were born too late." have dramatic impact and in my opinion translate well what it must have been like to be born and raised under a totalitarian regime. I can't think of a lot more to say about this film. I enjoyed it moderately.
Rating: 51
Appraisal: It is by no means a masterpiece, but its true story is an interesting one. The transition operating in the central character, from inconditional believing to skepticism and doubt, is well developed, and lies within the constraints of plausibility. Some lines of dialogue like "You don't know what the truth is: you were born too late." have dramatic impact and in my opinion translate well what it must have been like to be born and raised under a totalitarian regime. I can't think of a lot more to say about this film. I enjoyed it moderately.
Rating: 51
Essay: Brazilian Films
Twelve Facts About Brazil and its People That One Learns From Brazilian Films of the Last Four Decades
by Marcelo Gilli
1.Ninety per cent of all Brazilian people live in the Northeastern region of the country.
2.The remaining ten per cent live in Rio's shantytowns.
3.Of the people living in the Northeastern area, ninety per cent live in the semi-arid and arid regions.
4.The remaining ten per cent live in paradisiac beaches.
5.There are only two professions in Brazil: musician and drug dealer (applicable only to people that don't live in the Northeastern area; those that do have no profession; their living is made by some mysterious, supernatural means, or else they die of hunger.)
6.Brazilian History encompasses the period that goes from 1964 to 1985, during which there was a military dictatorship ruling the country. That is why all Brazilian films are either set in that period or in the present (this means that Brazil continued to exist after 1985, but only in an everlasting present where nothing of long-lasting importance or interest ever happens).
7.Ninety per cent of the people that lived in Brazil during the military dictatorship were communists engaged in movements to overthrow the government.
8.The remaining ten per cent were comprised of (a) mothers and (b) torturers for the regime.
9.There is a very small percentage (0.000000001%) of Brazilians that lives neither in the Northeastern area nor in Rio's shantytowns. These people live in middle-class urban Rio and spend ninety-nine per cent of their time in romantic or sexual affairs.
10.The professions that occupy the remaining 1% of the time of this tiny percentage of Brazilians are: TV journalist if they are female; fiction writer if they are male. They are all politically progressive, a doctrine that in Brazil is comprised of the two following points, in order of decreasing importance: (a) Fidel Castro is a person above reproach and a great benefactor of humanity; (b) Every other doctrine point that pertains to internal economic or political issues of Brazil depends on (and is contrary to) what the Great Rightwing Conspiracy (which is also an extremely shifting concept but must always include the U.S.A.) believes at a certain instant.
11.Old people in Brazil are imbued with a serene wisdom. They are frantically engaged in romantic or sexual affairs.
12.There are only two places where you will find children in Brazil: (a) in shantytowns where they all carry submachineguns and deal drugs, and (b) in a magical region populated by elves, dolphins and blonde TV showwomen -- but of course no one really knows where this lies on the map.
(Inspired by Dale Thomajan's "10 Things We Hate About Them: What 90s Films Tell Us About 90s Films", Film Comment, July-August 1999)
by Marcelo Gilli
1.Ninety per cent of all Brazilian people live in the Northeastern region of the country.
2.The remaining ten per cent live in Rio's shantytowns.
3.Of the people living in the Northeastern area, ninety per cent live in the semi-arid and arid regions.
4.The remaining ten per cent live in paradisiac beaches.
5.There are only two professions in Brazil: musician and drug dealer (applicable only to people that don't live in the Northeastern area; those that do have no profession; their living is made by some mysterious, supernatural means, or else they die of hunger.)
6.Brazilian History encompasses the period that goes from 1964 to 1985, during which there was a military dictatorship ruling the country. That is why all Brazilian films are either set in that period or in the present (this means that Brazil continued to exist after 1985, but only in an everlasting present where nothing of long-lasting importance or interest ever happens).
7.Ninety per cent of the people that lived in Brazil during the military dictatorship were communists engaged in movements to overthrow the government.
8.The remaining ten per cent were comprised of (a) mothers and (b) torturers for the regime.
9.There is a very small percentage (0.000000001%) of Brazilians that lives neither in the Northeastern area nor in Rio's shantytowns. These people live in middle-class urban Rio and spend ninety-nine per cent of their time in romantic or sexual affairs.
10.The professions that occupy the remaining 1% of the time of this tiny percentage of Brazilians are: TV journalist if they are female; fiction writer if they are male. They are all politically progressive, a doctrine that in Brazil is comprised of the two following points, in order of decreasing importance: (a) Fidel Castro is a person above reproach and a great benefactor of humanity; (b) Every other doctrine point that pertains to internal economic or political issues of Brazil depends on (and is contrary to) what the Great Rightwing Conspiracy (which is also an extremely shifting concept but must always include the U.S.A.) believes at a certain instant.
11.Old people in Brazil are imbued with a serene wisdom. They are frantically engaged in romantic or sexual affairs.
12.There are only two places where you will find children in Brazil: (a) in shantytowns where they all carry submachineguns and deal drugs, and (b) in a magical region populated by elves, dolphins and blonde TV showwomen -- but of course no one really knows where this lies on the map.
(Inspired by Dale Thomajan's "10 Things We Hate About Them: What 90s Films Tell Us About 90s Films", Film Comment, July-August 1999)
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Raffles (1939)
Synopsis: Raffles is a cricket player that apparently can't make a living out of his playing, so he has to resort to stealing in order to afford to pay his bills; he also likes to help people in financial trouble.
Appraisal: Amazingly eventful and complex for its 72 minutes, and displaying a set of uniformly good performances, this is a dated but enjoyable comedy (I employ the term in a broad sense -- there are no laughs to be had in it; my cable-TV guide classifies it as an adventure -- it is spent mostly indoors though; IMDb classifies it as an adventure/comedy/drama/romance, which is probably correct, since it contains elements of all four genres, but is also a way of not classifying it at all). It disappointed me a little in its last minutes, because of two sequences with a can of tobacco that pointlessly tease and confuse the viewer, and also because of the somewhat abrupt ending.
Rating: 56
Appraisal: Amazingly eventful and complex for its 72 minutes, and displaying a set of uniformly good performances, this is a dated but enjoyable comedy (I employ the term in a broad sense -- there are no laughs to be had in it; my cable-TV guide classifies it as an adventure -- it is spent mostly indoors though; IMDb classifies it as an adventure/comedy/drama/romance, which is probably correct, since it contains elements of all four genres, but is also a way of not classifying it at all). It disappointed me a little in its last minutes, because of two sequences with a can of tobacco that pointlessly tease and confuse the viewer, and also because of the somewhat abrupt ending.
Rating: 56
Moral em Concordata (1959)
Synopsis: Estrela works hard as a housewife and as a seamstress and is helped by her sister, a cabaret dancer who is about to become the mistress of a married man. When Estrela's cheating, authoritarian, violent husband leaves her and kidnaps their baby, she faces some challenging dilemmas.
Appraisal: This is a strictly petit-bourgeois morality play that is nevertheless made surprisingly compelling by its sharp social observation and its vivid mise-en-scene. The script has a few flaws that betray its stage origins, e.g. the process of recovery of the baby from its father is skipped entirely, making the film somewhat disjointed and abrupt in its middle section. The acting is professional, but not exceptional. The production values are higher than average for Brazilian movies of that period. It is distinctly superior than "Dona Violante Miranda", made by the same team and reviewed by me a while ago.
Rating: 54
Appraisal: This is a strictly petit-bourgeois morality play that is nevertheless made surprisingly compelling by its sharp social observation and its vivid mise-en-scene. The script has a few flaws that betray its stage origins, e.g. the process of recovery of the baby from its father is skipped entirely, making the film somewhat disjointed and abrupt in its middle section. The acting is professional, but not exceptional. The production values are higher than average for Brazilian movies of that period. It is distinctly superior than "Dona Violante Miranda", made by the same team and reviewed by me a while ago.
Rating: 54
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Hollow Man (2000)
Synopsis: A research team has found a substance that makes an animal invisible. Their leader then finds what they were missing: the substance that will revert it to visible form.
Appraisal: A rather crude, occasionally stupid (e.g. the couple had no reason to hide their relationship except to provide the opportunity for the invisible guy to spy on them and have a rage fit) but generally effective sci-fi thriller. The film often seems to be just about the special effects -- but, God, they are breathtaking, so I guess it's excusable. The last third or so of the film is really exciting, culminating in a very good sequence inside an elevator shaft.
Rating: 56
Appraisal: A rather crude, occasionally stupid (e.g. the couple had no reason to hide their relationship except to provide the opportunity for the invisible guy to spy on them and have a rage fit) but generally effective sci-fi thriller. The film often seems to be just about the special effects -- but, God, they are breathtaking, so I guess it's excusable. The last third or so of the film is really exciting, culminating in a very good sequence inside an elevator shaft.
Rating: 56
O Capitão Bandeira Contra o Dr. Moura Brasil (1971)
Synopsis:
*This synopsis contains spoilers*
Cláudio Bandeira is a businessman who is bored with his life, that he sees as futile and without significance. He is a success both in business and in love; women fall at his feet. He becomes fascinated with a woman he sees in a bar; when he finally gets a chance to talk to her, she tells him she is the messenger of a mysterious Dr. Moura Brasil, with whom Bandeira apparently made a pact years ago, and to whom he must now pay a debt of slavery. The following day, Bandeira has a chance encounter with a friend, the worriless, jobless, beer-loving, womanizing Gestaile. They talk and then Gestaile accompanies Bandeira to his company office, where the latter announces he is quitting the partnership in his company, after which a quarrel among the remaining partners ensue. Subsequently, Bandeira commits himself to a psychiatric clinic, to recover from his depression and deliriums. After he checks out, he is kidnapped and taken to the mysterious lady's mansion, where she points a gun at him; her chauffer/lover then appears with a gun of his own, and the lady and the chauffeur end up shooting each other dead. Bandeira then meets Gestaile and they both catch a plane to see Bandeira's wife. In the plane, he has a short nightmare/hallucination where a masked figure -- Dr. Moura Brasil -- is alone with him on the plane and has him tied up to the plane's chair. When they arrive in the house where Bandeira's wife is, they find out that she is leaving him for one of his partners. Bandeira makes love with his wife for one last time and then leaves; meanwhile Gestaile is lying on a chaise on the lawn outside the house, waiting for his friend, with many empty beer bottles scattered around him. Bandeira decides to take a trip to the seaside, and on the plane he meets -- apparently in a hallucination/nightmare -- the fearsome Dr. Moura Brasil again and they have a fight; Bandeira overpowers his adversary and flies the plane to its destination. By the seaside he meets a filming crew making a movie. There he becomes entranced by one beautiful young actress in that film, but his trance is interrupted by another lady friend from earlier days, who is very happy to see him. He doesn't reciprocate though. We then get to see the actors of the film within the film shooting some scenes. When the shooting is over, the film crew leaves. Bandeira is left alone on the beach. We then see the masked Dr. Moura Brasil standing in front of a mirror. He unmasks himself, revealing that he and Bandeira are one and the same. Then, in what probably is still a hallucination, Gestaile is talking to him, making a speech about how he should liberate himself from his neuroses and live his life to the fullest. A few seconds later, back to reality, he sees the young actress he had become enthralled by; they lengthily kiss.
*End of spoilers*
Appraisal: Amateurish, silly, self-indulgent, pseudo-avant-garde-ish, exploitative (as regards to gratuitous nudity and badly staged sex), unfunny except for the character of Gestaile (the drinking pal) who is congenial and played with verve -- which is not enough to make the film endurable though. A curiosity: the names of the main characters (and of the film) derive from a pot-smokers' saying: "Para não dar bandeira, use colírio Moura Brasil", which translates roughly as "To disguise your [red-eyed] state, use colirium Moura Brasil [this being of course the colirium's brand name]".
Rating: 6
*This synopsis contains spoilers*
Cláudio Bandeira is a businessman who is bored with his life, that he sees as futile and without significance. He is a success both in business and in love; women fall at his feet. He becomes fascinated with a woman he sees in a bar; when he finally gets a chance to talk to her, she tells him she is the messenger of a mysterious Dr. Moura Brasil, with whom Bandeira apparently made a pact years ago, and to whom he must now pay a debt of slavery. The following day, Bandeira has a chance encounter with a friend, the worriless, jobless, beer-loving, womanizing Gestaile. They talk and then Gestaile accompanies Bandeira to his company office, where the latter announces he is quitting the partnership in his company, after which a quarrel among the remaining partners ensue. Subsequently, Bandeira commits himself to a psychiatric clinic, to recover from his depression and deliriums. After he checks out, he is kidnapped and taken to the mysterious lady's mansion, where she points a gun at him; her chauffer/lover then appears with a gun of his own, and the lady and the chauffeur end up shooting each other dead. Bandeira then meets Gestaile and they both catch a plane to see Bandeira's wife. In the plane, he has a short nightmare/hallucination where a masked figure -- Dr. Moura Brasil -- is alone with him on the plane and has him tied up to the plane's chair. When they arrive in the house where Bandeira's wife is, they find out that she is leaving him for one of his partners. Bandeira makes love with his wife for one last time and then leaves; meanwhile Gestaile is lying on a chaise on the lawn outside the house, waiting for his friend, with many empty beer bottles scattered around him. Bandeira decides to take a trip to the seaside, and on the plane he meets -- apparently in a hallucination/nightmare -- the fearsome Dr. Moura Brasil again and they have a fight; Bandeira overpowers his adversary and flies the plane to its destination. By the seaside he meets a filming crew making a movie. There he becomes entranced by one beautiful young actress in that film, but his trance is interrupted by another lady friend from earlier days, who is very happy to see him. He doesn't reciprocate though. We then get to see the actors of the film within the film shooting some scenes. When the shooting is over, the film crew leaves. Bandeira is left alone on the beach. We then see the masked Dr. Moura Brasil standing in front of a mirror. He unmasks himself, revealing that he and Bandeira are one and the same. Then, in what probably is still a hallucination, Gestaile is talking to him, making a speech about how he should liberate himself from his neuroses and live his life to the fullest. A few seconds later, back to reality, he sees the young actress he had become enthralled by; they lengthily kiss.
*End of spoilers*
Appraisal: Amateurish, silly, self-indulgent, pseudo-avant-garde-ish, exploitative (as regards to gratuitous nudity and badly staged sex), unfunny except for the character of Gestaile (the drinking pal) who is congenial and played with verve -- which is not enough to make the film endurable though. A curiosity: the names of the main characters (and of the film) derive from a pot-smokers' saying: "Para não dar bandeira, use colírio Moura Brasil", which translates roughly as "To disguise your [red-eyed] state, use colirium Moura Brasil [this being of course the colirium's brand name]".
Rating: 6
Monday, October 16, 2006
The Claim (2000)
Synopsis: In 1867, an engineer arrives in an American Western town with the task of studying the viability of building the new railroad bordering it. Also arriving in town are a woman and her daughter, who are related to the town lord in a special way.
Appraisal: This is a loose adaptation of a Thomas Hardy novel; the story as told in the film is interesting but not as engaging as I expected. The film is worthwile mainly for its mise-en-scene, that recreates the atmosphere of the place and period with satisfactory naturalism. I can't explain why they kept the lens out of focus at some sequences though -- I found that annoying. There are many interesting set-pieces -- a house is moved through a snow field; a horse is set on fire after a raft full of nitroglicerine being pulled across a creek explodes; etc. The dynamics of those western cities -- their provisional status, the sense of adventure -- is the real center of the film and gives it a poetic dimension that makes up for the lack of a dramatic edge to the story.
Rating: 57
Appraisal: This is a loose adaptation of a Thomas Hardy novel; the story as told in the film is interesting but not as engaging as I expected. The film is worthwile mainly for its mise-en-scene, that recreates the atmosphere of the place and period with satisfactory naturalism. I can't explain why they kept the lens out of focus at some sequences though -- I found that annoying. There are many interesting set-pieces -- a house is moved through a snow field; a horse is set on fire after a raft full of nitroglicerine being pulled across a creek explodes; etc. The dynamics of those western cities -- their provisional status, the sense of adventure -- is the real center of the film and gives it a poetic dimension that makes up for the lack of a dramatic edge to the story.
Rating: 57
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Synopsis: An innocent man is thrown in prison. Will he manage to escape and take revenge on those that wronged him?
Appraisal: As a kid, this was one of my favorite stories, although I never read the novel in its full form, only a simplified version for kids. Later, as an adult, I watched the 1934 film version, which I adored, and the 1975 made-for-TV version, that I didn't like much. This 2002 version is certainly the most lavish of them all, and is competently done in most departments. I am not as enthusiastic about the melodramatic aspects of the story as I used to be, though. Also, this version lacks a certain youthful energy that, if I recall correctly, was present in the 1934 version.
Rating: 60
Appraisal: As a kid, this was one of my favorite stories, although I never read the novel in its full form, only a simplified version for kids. Later, as an adult, I watched the 1934 film version, which I adored, and the 1975 made-for-TV version, that I didn't like much. This 2002 version is certainly the most lavish of them all, and is competently done in most departments. I am not as enthusiastic about the melodramatic aspects of the story as I used to be, though. Also, this version lacks a certain youthful energy that, if I recall correctly, was present in the 1934 version.
Rating: 60
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Dias de Nietzsche em Turim (2001)
English Title: Days of Nietzsche in Turin; Days of Nietzche in Turin (IMDb wrong spelling).
Synopsis: A portrait of the German philosopher during the months he spent in that Italian city.
Appraisal: Without dialogue, this consists of excerpts of Nietzsche's works (though it's uncertain whether all text spoken was really his) voiced over shots of Turin (and, for some obscure reason, also Rio de Janeiro) and an actor impersonating Nietzsche who writes, walks, buys fruit, and visits a family with two daughters in her early twenties who look at the philosopher with admiration or amazement. The text gets progressively weird, signaling the philosopher's deteriorating mental state. The selection of texts is very good and very well read too, giving what appears to be -- I admit to knowing very little of him or his work -- a good sample of both Nietzsche's personal life and of his philosophy. That doesn't save the film from dullness though, since very little happens onscreen. The film ends with footage of the real Nietzsche -- a very disturbing sight for me, since I didn't know that it even existed.
Rating: 39
Synopsis: A portrait of the German philosopher during the months he spent in that Italian city.
Appraisal: Without dialogue, this consists of excerpts of Nietzsche's works (though it's uncertain whether all text spoken was really his) voiced over shots of Turin (and, for some obscure reason, also Rio de Janeiro) and an actor impersonating Nietzsche who writes, walks, buys fruit, and visits a family with two daughters in her early twenties who look at the philosopher with admiration or amazement. The text gets progressively weird, signaling the philosopher's deteriorating mental state. The selection of texts is very good and very well read too, giving what appears to be -- I admit to knowing very little of him or his work -- a good sample of both Nietzsche's personal life and of his philosophy. That doesn't save the film from dullness though, since very little happens onscreen. The film ends with footage of the real Nietzsche -- a very disturbing sight for me, since I didn't know that it even existed.
Rating: 39
Documentário (1966)
Synopsis: Two friends in an idle afternoon wander in the city of São Paulo, nearly broke and uncertain as to which film they should see, while discussing films and fimmaking.
Appraisal: This short (11 minutes) doesn't have any other pretensions than being a record of a regular, banal afternoon in the life of two cinephiles. I found it enjoyable.
Appraisal: This short (11 minutes) doesn't have any other pretensions than being a record of a regular, banal afternoon in the life of two cinephiles. I found it enjoyable.
Claro (1975)
**The following contains a description of the film. While there is not a plot, this description may be considered as a spoiler, so read at you own risk.**
The film begins with an outdoors sequence in Rome. We see a young woman walking and talking, with classical vocal music on the score (much of the film wil have classical music on the background). Later she rolls on the floor and a guy pulls her with his foot, and jumps over her. Then we see some Roman statues and that same guy utters some considerations about Roman history. Then we see shots of a Catholic procession, and a papal appearance. End of outdoor shots. Now we are in a house, and there is a chaotic succession of dialogue between some strange characters, much of it apparently ad libbed (the same girl of the beginning is among them, but the guy isn't). A guy in drag does a monologue, then the girl from the beginning does one too, a meaningless succession of ad libbed words. Then we move to a beach, where there is some more chaotic dialogue and monologue. Then back to outdoors in Rome. The film turns into a documentary about Workers and their Social Movements. A woman is interviewed and tells about the origin of her neighborhood back in the days of fascism, when the lower classes were given houses far from the urban centers so they wouldn't "spoil" the beauty of the city; this strategy backfired because it created a sense of communion in those ghettoes thus giving the workers political and social strength. (This short interview is a highlight of this film). Then we see some communist rallies and manifestations. During one of them, we hear the following dialogue:
Guy: We have here the cinemaniphests. We have the maniphest of his majesty, Eisenstein.
Girl: Do you have the Straub maniphest?
Guy: Yes, we do.
Girl: And the Andy Warhol maniphest?
Guy: No, he is too rightwing. We have the Godard maniphest.
Girl: Oh! And the Visconti maniphest?
Guy: Yes, and Antonioni, Fellini, and master Rossellini...
The mention of the last name prompts the girl to cross herself reverently.
End of dialogue.
(The above dialogue is another highlight of this film.)
Now that guy in the beginning of the movie (who is actually the director of the movie) and the girl (who is his wife in real life) go to a shantytown and interview the people who live there, but little of what is said is actually heard. After that part we come to the last act, set in the moviemaker's apartment. He is sitting in a rocking chair, listening to Brazilian music, talking on the phone and browsing newspapers, in which we see news about terrorist actions in Italy, police repression against workers's movements, and the defeat of the U.S.A. in the Vietnam war. Then the filmmaker and his wife have some idyllic moments with flowers in the foreground. End of the film.
Further Comments: This film is just a self-indulgent hodge-podge, with no attempts at coherence whatsoever. There were two brief enjoyable moments, mentioned in the description above as the 'highlights' of the movie, and that was all. Apparently the messages the filmmaker was trying to convey are: I am in love with my wife who is so pretty; I am a communist and very much attuned with the problems of the world, which derive mostly from Capitalism and Imperialism.
Rating: 8
The film begins with an outdoors sequence in Rome. We see a young woman walking and talking, with classical vocal music on the score (much of the film wil have classical music on the background). Later she rolls on the floor and a guy pulls her with his foot, and jumps over her. Then we see some Roman statues and that same guy utters some considerations about Roman history. Then we see shots of a Catholic procession, and a papal appearance. End of outdoor shots. Now we are in a house, and there is a chaotic succession of dialogue between some strange characters, much of it apparently ad libbed (the same girl of the beginning is among them, but the guy isn't). A guy in drag does a monologue, then the girl from the beginning does one too, a meaningless succession of ad libbed words. Then we move to a beach, where there is some more chaotic dialogue and monologue. Then back to outdoors in Rome. The film turns into a documentary about Workers and their Social Movements. A woman is interviewed and tells about the origin of her neighborhood back in the days of fascism, when the lower classes were given houses far from the urban centers so they wouldn't "spoil" the beauty of the city; this strategy backfired because it created a sense of communion in those ghettoes thus giving the workers political and social strength. (This short interview is a highlight of this film). Then we see some communist rallies and manifestations. During one of them, we hear the following dialogue:
Guy: We have here the cinemaniphests. We have the maniphest of his majesty, Eisenstein.
Girl: Do you have the Straub maniphest?
Guy: Yes, we do.
Girl: And the Andy Warhol maniphest?
Guy: No, he is too rightwing. We have the Godard maniphest.
Girl: Oh! And the Visconti maniphest?
Guy: Yes, and Antonioni, Fellini, and master Rossellini...
The mention of the last name prompts the girl to cross herself reverently.
End of dialogue.
(The above dialogue is another highlight of this film.)
Now that guy in the beginning of the movie (who is actually the director of the movie) and the girl (who is his wife in real life) go to a shantytown and interview the people who live there, but little of what is said is actually heard. After that part we come to the last act, set in the moviemaker's apartment. He is sitting in a rocking chair, listening to Brazilian music, talking on the phone and browsing newspapers, in which we see news about terrorist actions in Italy, police repression against workers's movements, and the defeat of the U.S.A. in the Vietnam war. Then the filmmaker and his wife have some idyllic moments with flowers in the foreground. End of the film.
Further Comments: This film is just a self-indulgent hodge-podge, with no attempts at coherence whatsoever. There were two brief enjoyable moments, mentioned in the description above as the 'highlights' of the movie, and that was all. Apparently the messages the filmmaker was trying to convey are: I am in love with my wife who is so pretty; I am a communist and very much attuned with the problems of the world, which derive mostly from Capitalism and Imperialism.
Rating: 8
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Coastlines (2002)
Synopsis: An ex-con gets involved with his best friend's wife. He is also trying to collect a debt from some gangsters for whom he used to deal drugs.
Appraisal: Although handled with competence, this film lacks a story with more punch. The whole thing feels like a dud.
Rating: 47
Appraisal: Although handled with competence, this film lacks a story with more punch. The whole thing feels like a dud.
Rating: 47
Blue Skies (1946)
Synopsis: Two guys, a dancer and a singer, are in love with the same girl. She falls for the singer, who is a restless person, while the dancer is more the settling type.
Appraisal: The musical numbers are the only reason to watch this. The ones with Fred are pretty good ('Puttin' on the Ritz' is probably the best one). The screenplay is not really developed enough to make us care.
Rating: 42
Appraisal: The musical numbers are the only reason to watch this. The ones with Fred are pretty good ('Puttin' on the Ritz' is probably the best one). The screenplay is not really developed enough to make us care.
Rating: 42
Friday, October 13, 2006
Amator (1979)
English Title: Camera Buff.
Synopsis: A man that is about to become a father buys a small camera to film his baby and subsequently is invited to make a documentary in the factory he works at. From then on, he will become more and more involved with making films.
Appraisal: This drama addresses the problems that a man faces because of his hobby of filmmaking. The context here is communist Poland, and many problems are related to that political regime, in particular the attempts at censorship on his films. He also faces conjugal problems, but I think this aspect of the drama was particularly annoying and unconvincing, with a wife that behaves like a real bitch without much justification. The political portion of the movie seems to imply that the consequences of the flow of information in a nondemocratic society are complex and hard to predict, possibly causing more harm than good. It's hard to assess whether this is the personal opinion of the filmmaker; he might be simply showing the company director's point of view, which the main character is too weak to oppose. Of course we know today that one of the reasons that led communism to eventually collapse and be replaced by democratic regimes was precisely the access to information, which was impossible to control. Regardless of any hypothetical ideological or philosophical subtext, the fact remains that the film is inexcusably dull, lingering endlessly on petty domestic problems or in equally petty discussions about amateur filmmaking. Some of the filmmaker's points are painfully obvious -- e.g. a person's ambitions may be detrimental to his personal life as he was used to -- but he also wants to state that filmmaking may lead to a dangerous detachment of one's own life, and he goes to pathetic lengths to show that our hero is becoming too obsessed with his new pastime, making him "frame" his wife with his hands in the very moment she is leaving him -- how unsubtle can you get? The final shot seems to imply that the main character gave up on the outer world, and decided to look at himself instead -- apparently the only thing that he can safely do without any qualms of conscience. To be honest, I don't know whether there is a point trying to be made -- perhaps this is just the story of a man who didn't have enough courage or conviction to pursue his interests. Anyway, the filmmaker has put up an earnest effort in telling a coherent story, with good actors and technical competence; unfortunately he falls short of achieving satisfactory results -- his story wasn't interesting enough, and any obscure thesis that he could be trying to defend will seem borderline reactionary to audiences who live in countries where the free flow of information and images has become commonplace, for good (mostly) or for bad.
Rating: 46
Synopsis: A man that is about to become a father buys a small camera to film his baby and subsequently is invited to make a documentary in the factory he works at. From then on, he will become more and more involved with making films.
Appraisal: This drama addresses the problems that a man faces because of his hobby of filmmaking. The context here is communist Poland, and many problems are related to that political regime, in particular the attempts at censorship on his films. He also faces conjugal problems, but I think this aspect of the drama was particularly annoying and unconvincing, with a wife that behaves like a real bitch without much justification. The political portion of the movie seems to imply that the consequences of the flow of information in a nondemocratic society are complex and hard to predict, possibly causing more harm than good. It's hard to assess whether this is the personal opinion of the filmmaker; he might be simply showing the company director's point of view, which the main character is too weak to oppose. Of course we know today that one of the reasons that led communism to eventually collapse and be replaced by democratic regimes was precisely the access to information, which was impossible to control. Regardless of any hypothetical ideological or philosophical subtext, the fact remains that the film is inexcusably dull, lingering endlessly on petty domestic problems or in equally petty discussions about amateur filmmaking. Some of the filmmaker's points are painfully obvious -- e.g. a person's ambitions may be detrimental to his personal life as he was used to -- but he also wants to state that filmmaking may lead to a dangerous detachment of one's own life, and he goes to pathetic lengths to show that our hero is becoming too obsessed with his new pastime, making him "frame" his wife with his hands in the very moment she is leaving him -- how unsubtle can you get? The final shot seems to imply that the main character gave up on the outer world, and decided to look at himself instead -- apparently the only thing that he can safely do without any qualms of conscience. To be honest, I don't know whether there is a point trying to be made -- perhaps this is just the story of a man who didn't have enough courage or conviction to pursue his interests. Anyway, the filmmaker has put up an earnest effort in telling a coherent story, with good actors and technical competence; unfortunately he falls short of achieving satisfactory results -- his story wasn't interesting enough, and any obscure thesis that he could be trying to defend will seem borderline reactionary to audiences who live in countries where the free flow of information and images has become commonplace, for good (mostly) or for bad.
Rating: 46
Danny the Dog (2005)
U.S. Title: Unleashed.
Synopsis: An orphan is conditioned to be an obedient fighter by a vicious gangster.
Appraisal: This film has many pros and almost as many cons, which left me in a mixed state. It has so many inconsistencies and plot deficiencies that suspension of disbelief takes a small amount of extra effort. Perhaps the best way to view it is as a nonrealistic fable, where details (e.g. why was the piano tuner so helpful and unafraid of taking a stranger home) don't matter. The film is enjoyable, if one can overlook those details, and it helps that the cast delivers good performances. The fight sequences, too, are good. It is perhaps interesting to note that this film has musical references in its plot as well as in its structure: it begins with a lively first section, then is followed by a slower middle section, then picks up momentum again in the final section -- this is of course the sonata form. It is not the first film thus structured -- two that come to mind are the aptly titled Sonatine (1993) and Yao a yao yao dao waipo qiao (1995).
Rating: 55
Synopsis: An orphan is conditioned to be an obedient fighter by a vicious gangster.
Appraisal: This film has many pros and almost as many cons, which left me in a mixed state. It has so many inconsistencies and plot deficiencies that suspension of disbelief takes a small amount of extra effort. Perhaps the best way to view it is as a nonrealistic fable, where details (e.g. why was the piano tuner so helpful and unafraid of taking a stranger home) don't matter. The film is enjoyable, if one can overlook those details, and it helps that the cast delivers good performances. The fight sequences, too, are good. It is perhaps interesting to note that this film has musical references in its plot as well as in its structure: it begins with a lively first section, then is followed by a slower middle section, then picks up momentum again in the final section -- this is of course the sonata form. It is not the first film thus structured -- two that come to mind are the aptly titled Sonatine (1993) and Yao a yao yao dao waipo qiao (1995).
Rating: 55
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Carousel (1956)
Synopsis: A dead man is offered a chance to go back to Earth to help someone who needs him. Before that, he recollects his life, from the time when he worked at a carnival carousel, then through his marriage and unemployment, up to his tragic death.
Appraisal: It would take a larger review -- which would take more time than I am prepared to commit -- in order to do justice to a film this good. Putting things in the simplest way possible, I will just say that it is a musical that succeeds in virtually every aspect: the touching story, the good performances, particularly the leading actress's, the stunning choreography, the lovely songs, the pictorial beauty of some sequences, and probably more. Don't miss this film.
It's one of my favorites of 1956 (in the 6th position).
Rating: 79
Appraisal: It would take a larger review -- which would take more time than I am prepared to commit -- in order to do justice to a film this good. Putting things in the simplest way possible, I will just say that it is a musical that succeeds in virtually every aspect: the touching story, the good performances, particularly the leading actress's, the stunning choreography, the lovely songs, the pictorial beauty of some sequences, and probably more. Don't miss this film.
It's one of my favorites of 1956 (in the 6th position).
Rating: 79
The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952)
Synopsis: A writer on a safari in Africa lies wounded. While waiting for help, he has feverish recollections of his past life.
Appraisal: The big problem with this film is that it lacks a connecting empathy link that would be capable of transforming a tale of self-pity and egocentrism into an interesting story of broader appeal. The main character behaves like a spoiled child who revels in groaning about anything: if it is not the loss of a former love, it is his dissatisfaction with his writing. There is not a great story behind that groaning; it remains unmoving and borderline dull most of the time. I also have a problem with a plot point, viz. is it credible that the best way to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy is by throwing oneself from the top of a staircase? On a superficial level, the film is professionally done, with adequate performances and good music and cinematography (albeit marred by some stock footage insertions).
Note: the version I watched was 114 minutes long, however IMDb states the correct length as 117 minutes. Anyone knows the correct length?
Rating: 48
Appraisal: The big problem with this film is that it lacks a connecting empathy link that would be capable of transforming a tale of self-pity and egocentrism into an interesting story of broader appeal. The main character behaves like a spoiled child who revels in groaning about anything: if it is not the loss of a former love, it is his dissatisfaction with his writing. There is not a great story behind that groaning; it remains unmoving and borderline dull most of the time. I also have a problem with a plot point, viz. is it credible that the best way to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy is by throwing oneself from the top of a staircase? On a superficial level, the film is professionally done, with adequate performances and good music and cinematography (albeit marred by some stock footage insertions).
Note: the version I watched was 114 minutes long, however IMDb states the correct length as 117 minutes. Anyone knows the correct length?
Rating: 48
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
The Book of Life (1998)
Synopsis: Jesus comes to Earth for Judgment Day but starts getting second thoughts about the whole thing.
Appraisal: This film's main thesis -- namely, that Jesus's doctrine of love and forgiveness is at odds with the concept of Hell -- is delivered in a mostly humdrum way, where attempts at humor are based upon the juxtaposition of religious and lay concepts (e.g. lawyers that are employed at the Trial -- a concept that was already used in a somewhat different context in 'Defending Your Life', that I didn't like either), or adding noirish elements to the storytelling. It also seems that biblical accuracy was deemed inessential, as is evidenced by the centuries-old error of mistaking Mary Magdalene for the woman who was about to be stoned for adultery.
Rating: 27
Appraisal: This film's main thesis -- namely, that Jesus's doctrine of love and forgiveness is at odds with the concept of Hell -- is delivered in a mostly humdrum way, where attempts at humor are based upon the juxtaposition of religious and lay concepts (e.g. lawyers that are employed at the Trial -- a concept that was already used in a somewhat different context in 'Defending Your Life', that I didn't like either), or adding noirish elements to the storytelling. It also seems that biblical accuracy was deemed inessential, as is evidenced by the centuries-old error of mistaking Mary Magdalene for the woman who was about to be stoned for adultery.
Rating: 27
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Synopsis: In 1993, the US troops in Somalia are ordered to capture two powerful men linked to a renegade leader, but the operation turns into a disaster as a great number of armed locals attacks them.
Appraisal: This film is predominantly the depiction of a military operation. It happens also to be an exciting one, due to the various groups involved, and the complex unfolding of the events. The staging of the action scenes is impeccable -- at least to my layman's eyes. While possibly not an essential film -- there is only as much political background as is absolutely necessary to understand the conflict in a superficial level, and there is practically no critical reflection about the whole incident, which is probably appropriate, since otherwise the film would be way too long -- it is certainly one worth seeing, as long as you have some tolerance to continuous gunfire.
Rating: 70
Appraisal: This film is predominantly the depiction of a military operation. It happens also to be an exciting one, due to the various groups involved, and the complex unfolding of the events. The staging of the action scenes is impeccable -- at least to my layman's eyes. While possibly not an essential film -- there is only as much political background as is absolutely necessary to understand the conflict in a superficial level, and there is practically no critical reflection about the whole incident, which is probably appropriate, since otherwise the film would be way too long -- it is certainly one worth seeing, as long as you have some tolerance to continuous gunfire.
Rating: 70
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
The I Inside (2003)
Synopsis: A guy wakes up in the hospital after an accident, and is told by the doctor that he is two years ahead of when he thinks he is.
Appraisal: Aside from creative shots, which enhance the atmosphere of nightmare, and overall decent performances, this film hasn't got much going for it scriptwise. The ending solution accounts for whatever happened previously without really justifying it.
Rating: 30
**THERE IS A POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD**
**IT'S A REFERENCE TO FILMS WITH A SIMILAR ENDING**
There have been several superior films, dating at least as far back as 1962, with the same central idea that lies behind the solution to this film's mystery. [Correction on January 13, 2007: actually there are earlier films with a similar idea, that apparently was used for the first time in the short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce, written in 1886.]
Appraisal: Aside from creative shots, which enhance the atmosphere of nightmare, and overall decent performances, this film hasn't got much going for it scriptwise. The ending solution accounts for whatever happened previously without really justifying it.
Rating: 30
**THERE IS A POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD**
**IT'S A REFERENCE TO FILMS WITH A SIMILAR ENDING**
There have been several superior films, dating at least as far back as 1962, with the same central idea that lies behind the solution to this film's mystery. [Correction on January 13, 2007: actually there are earlier films with a similar idea, that apparently was used for the first time in the short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce, written in 1886.]
Bedtime for Bonzo (1951)
Synopsis: A college professor tries to teach morals to a chimpanzee in order to show the dominance of environment over heredity.
Appraisal: This comedy has a slightly more complex premise than usual for the period it was made; however, the further development of the story shuns all this complexity in favor of more conventional sitcom elements such as romantic quid-pro-quos and an action set-piece involving a jewel robbery. The film is entertaining, albeit in a very insubstantial way; it has a lively pace and occasionally witty dialogue.
Rating: 39
Appraisal: This comedy has a slightly more complex premise than usual for the period it was made; however, the further development of the story shuns all this complexity in favor of more conventional sitcom elements such as romantic quid-pro-quos and an action set-piece involving a jewel robbery. The film is entertaining, albeit in a very insubstantial way; it has a lively pace and occasionally witty dialogue.
Rating: 39
Monday, October 09, 2006
Beachhead (1954)
Synopsis: In World War II, some soldiers on an island occupied by the Japanese have to verify a message sent by a local inhabitant about the positions of Japanese mines before an allied invasion occurs.
Appraisal: Very cheap war movie, with special effects so bad they will make you gasp. The shallow, comic-book-ish dialogue and plot are not completely devoid of entertainment value, and the color cinematography is gorgeous.
Rating: 35
Appraisal: Very cheap war movie, with special effects so bad they will make you gasp. The shallow, comic-book-ish dialogue and plot are not completely devoid of entertainment value, and the color cinematography is gorgeous.
Rating: 35
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Bebel, Garota Propaganda (1967)
Synopsis: A girl of poor background becomes an advertising model. She aspires to be in TV, but faces many difficulties and makes many compromises.
Appraisal: Exceedingly dull chronicle of the false promises and disillusionment in the world of mass media workers. The narrative fails to give human substance to the characters, which act just like a bunch of programmed robots with no real soul. The annoying device of an interviewer (that couldn't possibly be explained by any real internal logic of the story) puts in evidence the lack of subtlety of the filmmaker who, instead of letting the flow of events speak for itself, feels the need to throw at our faces the moral putridity of the characters, which he does by having this 'Jiminy Cricket' point his accusing finger at them. The story often strays to unrelated subplots (e.g. the congressman that hit a kid with his car) making the film even more diluted and unfocused. The film offers as a musical bonus Brazilian singer De Kalafe (who is today living and singing in Mexico) doing a nice cover of Salvatore Adamo's "Inch'Allah".
Rating: 25
Appraisal: Exceedingly dull chronicle of the false promises and disillusionment in the world of mass media workers. The narrative fails to give human substance to the characters, which act just like a bunch of programmed robots with no real soul. The annoying device of an interviewer (that couldn't possibly be explained by any real internal logic of the story) puts in evidence the lack of subtlety of the filmmaker who, instead of letting the flow of events speak for itself, feels the need to throw at our faces the moral putridity of the characters, which he does by having this 'Jiminy Cricket' point his accusing finger at them. The story often strays to unrelated subplots (e.g. the congressman that hit a kid with his car) making the film even more diluted and unfocused. The film offers as a musical bonus Brazilian singer De Kalafe (who is today living and singing in Mexico) doing a nice cover of Salvatore Adamo's "Inch'Allah".
Rating: 25
Saturday, October 07, 2006
A Date with Judy (1948)
Synopsis: Two adolescent girls, one middle class and the other rich, fall for the same, older guy.
Appraisal: Bland teenage musical comedy that I did not find excessively boring, and whose very datedness may be slightly fun. The musical numbers are a mixed bag, including some soprano renditions of American songs on one hand, and some Latin American numbers on the other; their quality is between fair and good. Note: I saw it in a dubbed-in-Portuguese version.
Rating: 47
Appraisal: Bland teenage musical comedy that I did not find excessively boring, and whose very datedness may be slightly fun. The musical numbers are a mixed bag, including some soprano renditions of American songs on one hand, and some Latin American numbers on the other; their quality is between fair and good. Note: I saw it in a dubbed-in-Portuguese version.
Rating: 47
Un singe en hiver (1962)
U.S. Title: A Monkey in Winter
Synopsis: An innkeeper's friendship with his alcoholic guest may trigger his relapse into drinking.
Appraisal: The screenplay doesn't explore or explain the exact events that triggered the younger man's behavior, except for some superficial information (a broken relationship, a past career in bullfighting); the old man's obsession with his soldiering past is shown in a caricatural manner. Drunken people generally have more fun than whoever is watching them, but in this case, while that may still go, the spectacle of their drunkennes is made tolerable by some finely crafted dialogue, as well as the natural charisma of the central pair.
Rating: 45
Synopsis: An innkeeper's friendship with his alcoholic guest may trigger his relapse into drinking.
Appraisal: The screenplay doesn't explore or explain the exact events that triggered the younger man's behavior, except for some superficial information (a broken relationship, a past career in bullfighting); the old man's obsession with his soldiering past is shown in a caricatural manner. Drunken people generally have more fun than whoever is watching them, but in this case, while that may still go, the spectacle of their drunkennes is made tolerable by some finely crafted dialogue, as well as the natural charisma of the central pair.
Rating: 45
Three Ages (1923)
Synopsis: The film shows the same basic characters -- two suitors and a woman -- in three different periods -- the stone age, the roman age, and the modern (that is, the 1920's) age.
Appraisal: I have to admit I didn't find this silent comedy extraordinary -- and as regards to funny, it rarely is, though this is a highly subjective issue, to be sure. But the film is nice to watch, and on a few occasions it delivers a funnier gag, e.g. the ending joke, which I found very intelligent. It is interesting to note that many jokes rely on anachronisms, just like such later TV cartoons as "The Flintstones" and "The Roman Holidays".
Rating: 55
Appraisal: I have to admit I didn't find this silent comedy extraordinary -- and as regards to funny, it rarely is, though this is a highly subjective issue, to be sure. But the film is nice to watch, and on a few occasions it delivers a funnier gag, e.g. the ending joke, which I found very intelligent. It is interesting to note that many jokes rely on anachronisms, just like such later TV cartoons as "The Flintstones" and "The Roman Holidays".
Rating: 55
Friday, October 06, 2006
"Rome" (2005) [TV-series] (Season 1)
Synopsis: It merges historical events at the time of Julius Caesar with fictional ones centering on two soldiers.
Appraisal: They did a really good job in this historical series, and I must say that most episodes had me by the balls. I will be specific about what episodes (of the set of 12) I did not like: episode 8 was bad, and it is by now a widespread notion that its depiction of Cleopatra was ridiculous, even insulting; episodes 7 and 9 were not bad, but were perhaps not on par with the others. All the other episodes were very good. The characters were strong, and the actors were all good, and very well cast. The fictional parts dealing with Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo were very engaging, even moving at times, and, I guess, very insightful into the various aspects of everyday life in Rome in those days. The historical sequences were equally engaging, and an excellent way of learning history; they may even provide some food for thought on present day politics. So far, this has been the best thing of 2005 I have seen (I have seen only 29 films/series of that year, so it's only a matter of time, I guess, until that situation changes). Definitely goes to my Favorites.
Rating: 75
Appraisal: They did a really good job in this historical series, and I must say that most episodes had me by the balls. I will be specific about what episodes (of the set of 12) I did not like: episode 8 was bad, and it is by now a widespread notion that its depiction of Cleopatra was ridiculous, even insulting; episodes 7 and 9 were not bad, but were perhaps not on par with the others. All the other episodes were very good. The characters were strong, and the actors were all good, and very well cast. The fictional parts dealing with Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo were very engaging, even moving at times, and, I guess, very insightful into the various aspects of everyday life in Rome in those days. The historical sequences were equally engaging, and an excellent way of learning history; they may even provide some food for thought on present day politics. So far, this has been the best thing of 2005 I have seen (I have seen only 29 films/series of that year, so it's only a matter of time, I guess, until that situation changes). Definitely goes to my Favorites.
Rating: 75
Elsa y Fred (2005)
Synopsis: The romance between two old people.
Appraisal: Very bland, formulaic dramatic comedy that at least is reasonably lively.
Rating: 39
Appraisal: Very bland, formulaic dramatic comedy that at least is reasonably lively.
Rating: 39
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Garden of Evil (1954)
Synopsis: A group of adventurers on their way to the gold mines of California is stranded on a Mexican city while their ship is being repaired. There they are hired by a woman to save her husband who got trapped in a cave-in inside a gold mine in Apache territory.
Appraisal: It tries to instill complexity into its characters, but the results are strained and unconvincing; besides, it is often undermined by nonsensical dialogue and irrational character behavior; near the ending, it turns into a competition of who is the most unselfish and altruistic. Also, Native Americans in this film are given one of the unkindest depictions I have ever seen, with no human dimension at all. On the good side, at least it is eventful enough and has an interesting musical score.
Rating: 34
Appraisal: It tries to instill complexity into its characters, but the results are strained and unconvincing; besides, it is often undermined by nonsensical dialogue and irrational character behavior; near the ending, it turns into a competition of who is the most unselfish and altruistic. Also, Native Americans in this film are given one of the unkindest depictions I have ever seen, with no human dimension at all. On the good side, at least it is eventful enough and has an interesting musical score.
Rating: 34
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Hellfighters (1968)
Synopsis: An oil-well firefighter suffers an accident which causes him to be reunited both with his estranged daughter and his estranged wife. His younger coworker falls for his daughter.
Appraisal: Aside from the initial 15 minutes, when we see the basics of the technique used by the firefighters, this film sucks. The problem is that the story is totally uninteresting and the action scenes are mostly similar to what was shown in those initial 15 minutes.
Rating: 19
Appraisal: Aside from the initial 15 minutes, when we see the basics of the technique used by the firefighters, this film sucks. The problem is that the story is totally uninteresting and the action scenes are mostly similar to what was shown in those initial 15 minutes.
Rating: 19
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Synopsis: A brave young blacksmith engages the aide of an effeminate pirate to rescue a young beautiful woman from some evil living dead pirates.
Appraisal: A ridiculous plot, seemingly worked out into a screenplay by a computer program, makes this film a nearly excitement-free ride. The cinematography is excellent, and the editing is very professional. I have seen this film in a dubbed-in-Portuguese version. I generally am very particular about this detail, but what the hell, this film is not worth the trouble.
Rating: 39
Appraisal: A ridiculous plot, seemingly worked out into a screenplay by a computer program, makes this film a nearly excitement-free ride. The cinematography is excellent, and the editing is very professional. I have seen this film in a dubbed-in-Portuguese version. I generally am very particular about this detail, but what the hell, this film is not worth the trouble.
Rating: 39
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
Synopsis: Watts, a high school girl with boyish manners, is secretly in love with her best friend and classmate Keith, who works as a mechanic and likes to paint. He only has eyes for fellow student Amanda, who's been having some quarrels with her unfaithful boyfriend, an arrogant upper class student named Hardy.
Appraisal: I enjoyed the first hour of this film, but from then on it got silly, offering poor resolution for the conflicts it had set up in the first part. The performances are convincing, and the dialogue is well written.
Rating: 54
Appraisal: I enjoyed the first hour of this film, but from then on it got silly, offering poor resolution for the conflicts it had set up in the first part. The performances are convincing, and the dialogue is well written.
Rating: 54
Monday, October 02, 2006
Clean (2004/I)
Synopsis: A recovering heroin addict strives to stay clean, get over the memories of her late boyfriend, win the affection of her son, and make it as a singer.
Appraisal: An honest but dull drama.
Rating: 46
Appraisal: An honest but dull drama.
Rating: 46
Wild Is the Wind (1957)
Synopsis: A widower goes to Italy to fetch his late wife's sister in order to marry her. His stepson develops an interest in her.
Appraisal: This is a very formulaic film (rude husband, love-starved wife, young stepson), where everything is predictable. The dramatic development is unconvincing and often ridiculous.
Rating: 28
Appraisal: This is a very formulaic film (rude husband, love-starved wife, young stepson), where everything is predictable. The dramatic development is unconvincing and often ridiculous.
Rating: 28
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Dona Violante Miranda (1960)
Synopsis (with all the spoilers you can get -- I doubt someone is going to watch this one anyway):
Dona Violante Miranda owns a brothel. One of her 'girls' gets sick and dies, leaving a child that was nameless and was called simply 'Filhinha' (Little Daughter). Dona Violante adopts the child. Meanwhile, in an unrelated subplot, another of her 'workers' -- the most coveted woman in the house -- is taken as a regular lover by one of her clients who was prospering due to World War II, and abandons the profession. Dona Violante gives the best education to Filhinha, and when Dona Violante's unwed condition becomes an obstacle to Filhinha being accepted at a fine school, Dona Violante marries an old friend, who serves as medical doctor at the house -- though he hasn't really got a degree in medicine. One day, Dona Violante decides to abandon her profession and establish herself as a farmer in the same town where Filhinha's mother grew up -- and from where she had been expelled after her unwanted pregnancy. She prospers and Filhinha grows to become engaged to the son of a wealthy man -- who is related to the very person who once got Filhinha's mother pregnant. Also, the town's mayor is the father of Filhinha's mother. When Filhinha's fiancé's father discovers Dona Violante's past activities, he calls off the wedding, claiming they are 'racially inferior'. Filhinha, who was listening from behind a door, turns against her mother in tears. Dona Violante then reveals to all that Filhinha is actually the mayor's granddaughter, which makes her acceptable again, since she is now 'racially superior'. Filhinha goes on to marry her fiancé, and Dona Violante is bitterly saddened by the events. Later, we hear through the narrator of the story that Filhinha and the other townsfolk apologize to Dona Violante for their behavior, and Dona Violante dies reconciled with everyone.
Appraisal: Despite its melodramatic plot, this film for most of its duration is kept from wallowing in explicit tear-jerking thanks to (unfunny) interspersed comic bits, mostly from the leading actress's lines and exaggerated performance. I should add that many of the supporting performances are appalling, and the mise-en-scene is mediocre. Also, the depiction of the activities inside the brothel is extremely timid: you never see a customer in the house! The social message, though conveyed through a ridiculous plot, is mainly liberal-minded and tolerant, though there are several comic set-pieces that make fun of prostitutes, featuring fictitious institutions like a Union for Prostitutes that claims the same rights for them as for other workers, including paid retirement. It is ironic that these rights, that were once made fun of, are now legally secured in many countries.
Rating: 34
Dona Violante Miranda owns a brothel. One of her 'girls' gets sick and dies, leaving a child that was nameless and was called simply 'Filhinha' (Little Daughter). Dona Violante adopts the child. Meanwhile, in an unrelated subplot, another of her 'workers' -- the most coveted woman in the house -- is taken as a regular lover by one of her clients who was prospering due to World War II, and abandons the profession. Dona Violante gives the best education to Filhinha, and when Dona Violante's unwed condition becomes an obstacle to Filhinha being accepted at a fine school, Dona Violante marries an old friend, who serves as medical doctor at the house -- though he hasn't really got a degree in medicine. One day, Dona Violante decides to abandon her profession and establish herself as a farmer in the same town where Filhinha's mother grew up -- and from where she had been expelled after her unwanted pregnancy. She prospers and Filhinha grows to become engaged to the son of a wealthy man -- who is related to the very person who once got Filhinha's mother pregnant. Also, the town's mayor is the father of Filhinha's mother. When Filhinha's fiancé's father discovers Dona Violante's past activities, he calls off the wedding, claiming they are 'racially inferior'. Filhinha, who was listening from behind a door, turns against her mother in tears. Dona Violante then reveals to all that Filhinha is actually the mayor's granddaughter, which makes her acceptable again, since she is now 'racially superior'. Filhinha goes on to marry her fiancé, and Dona Violante is bitterly saddened by the events. Later, we hear through the narrator of the story that Filhinha and the other townsfolk apologize to Dona Violante for their behavior, and Dona Violante dies reconciled with everyone.
Appraisal: Despite its melodramatic plot, this film for most of its duration is kept from wallowing in explicit tear-jerking thanks to (unfunny) interspersed comic bits, mostly from the leading actress's lines and exaggerated performance. I should add that many of the supporting performances are appalling, and the mise-en-scene is mediocre. Also, the depiction of the activities inside the brothel is extremely timid: you never see a customer in the house! The social message, though conveyed through a ridiculous plot, is mainly liberal-minded and tolerant, though there are several comic set-pieces that make fun of prostitutes, featuring fictitious institutions like a Union for Prostitutes that claims the same rights for them as for other workers, including paid retirement. It is ironic that these rights, that were once made fun of, are now legally secured in many countries.
Rating: 34
Fever Pitch (2005)
Synopsis: Guy meets girl and they start a relationship but his obsession with baseball gets in the way.
Appraisal: Weak comedy, with occasional entertaining bits interspersed among duller stuff.
Rating: 44
Appraisal: Weak comedy, with occasional entertaining bits interspersed among duller stuff.
Rating: 44
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