Rodrigo_Amaro

As brutally shocking, displeasing and controversial as its title, this adaptation of Michel Foucault's report on a real homicide that took place in 1835, in Normandy, France, is a pyschological analysis on the thin line between monomania and psychosis, murder with a purpose or simply madness as it retells the tragedy of Rivière family, with three members of it being killed by 18-year-old Pierre Rivière. Foucault's detailed account, with a gathering of several 19th century reports, news and legal transcripts, is a tough material to be absorbed except for the boy's written testimony detailing his life and the reason for the murders; the film translates with a great sense of accuracy what was written by Pierre, and some of the court testimonies, without approaching on the pyschiatric aspects of it all - those are destined for us in the audience to decide.

Newcomer Claude Hébert plays the title role with perfection, as there are detailed descriptions about his physicality and behavior, as an outcast with serious mental problems, barely connecting with other people and living in his own inner world that was slowly affected by the care he had for his father, a farmer mistreated by his own demanding wife in a loveless marriage where she tormented the life out of him. The boy moves to bizarre antics, hurting animals and once he had a fixed idea that the mother and her sister (who was also against the dad) needed to be eliminated, after biblical and mythical reasonings,he goes after the intent (the little brother was a case of wrong place, wrong time).

The view from afar benefits the film adaptation rather than having Pierre being the narrator of his own tragedy as it would alienate audiences in not believing in the young man's intelligence (for someone who had little knowledge of words and expressions, he composed a fine piece to be read and it's the most important parts of Foucault's gathering, an almost unashamed confession). And the challenge is destined for viewers to figure out if he's acting out of madness, if there's a sole (valid?) purpose for the murders and how the legal system, doctors, lawyers and jurors saw the case when it came the time for decide between capital punishment, life in prison or rehabilitate through a mental institution. It doesn't stay focused much on that latter part (as it goes in the novel, which becomes a repetitive bore at the end), but it should as it'd give a fascinating view on how this scenario, the French modification of laws related to patri-matricide at that time, and how society reacted to those horrific crimes.

And it's insanely bizarre how much the thinking audiences will be inclined to favor much of Pierre's actions, either reading his story or watching the film. The mother is a devil incarnate with countless mood swings, completely erratic behavior and unstoppable, as there were always times when she brought her husband to court and she always got favored over the poor man. Not that we defend the murderer and his barbarian act, but it's one of those things that it's hard to defend a poor excuse of a wife and mother. Plus, his arguments of defense and protection of his father, through the use of biblical and historical references is the kind of thing that could quiet any unwise prosecutor in charge of the accusation.

Interesting and believable performances, wiht a cast formed mostly by locals of the actual place of the homicide happened 100 years earlier. By today's standards it's somewhat tame when it comes to its actual title and never exploitative as a Hollywood film would be, but it serves a higher purpose in documenting a classic criminal case in France, how it was dealt, and the many inner questionings that revolved on people's minds about Pierre's insanity or his monomania. It's all about sorrow and no one wins. 9/10.

This first adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's "The Razor's Edge" was surprisingly faithful to the novel and a great presentation of everything, from its all-star cast (Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, Clifton Webb, Herbert Marshall, Anne Baxter), to Edmund Goulding's direction, and the great efforts of the crew in recreating the many places and many eras covered by the story, and the transposition of a spiritual and universal quest some of us have in life was brilliantly told, which makes of this film adapation as something to be seen and deeply analyzed.

It's quite a shock that a Hollywood adaptation of a classic novel wasn't significantly modified in order to please audiences, as it was the usual route back in the golden era of cinema. The few changes, like not give a specific religion defined as our hero ventures through the world, was understandable, just as removing much of the buddhist teachings or Larry's explanations of lived situations that pointed him to an enlightenement. Now, the movie: Maugham (Herbert Marshall) tells us the story of an acquaintance of his named Larry Durrel (Tyrone), a WWI soldier who returns to the civilized world as a changed man who seeks a new direction in his life. Whatever happened in the battlefield made him re-evaluate life and search for a deeper meaning, even if that meaning might alienate the love of his life (Tierney), his rich friends who later on will face many turbulent crisis, and the snob carefree Elliott (Webb), the girl's rich uncle, a small spirit who likes to throw lavish parties to people who despise him.

"The Razor's Edge" touches the complexities of life in a sweet romantic tint rather than the apparent sadness and neutrality of Maugham's story.

It works, and it's a better presentation of elements and everything than the 1984 remake starring Bill Murray in his first serious role. This is about finding life fulfillment through abnegation, hard-work, helping those in need and giving up the luxuries life can offer, renouncing a dreamed love life and going after something and someone different, even if it may cause a sense of ruin and despair. Yet Larry struggles, learns everything he feels the need to learn about people, the human condition, the wisdom from ancient religions and wiser older man, and practices what they preach that one can find himself in a better comprehension of life if going after its simplicity and nothing else.

It sounds corny that definition, but it's never a corny film and neither a corny thing one can apply to life. The progress of human hearts and minds doesn't depend on unparallel wealth, sticking to a profitable career that doesn't allow the freedom of living and experimenting the something more that humans treasure through centuries, and that void within can be fulfilled if one knows what and where to focus. The mysterious Larry who enters people's lives is a fascinating character; and Power has the magnetic charm needed for such guy but doesn't play as the smiley/positive character described in the novel.

We easily buy his transformation, the difference between the initial romance with the cheap-hearted sweetheart, and the love found through the helpless Sophie (Anne Baxter, Best Supporting Actress win in this role), a tragic character you cannot take your eyes off her and her suffering.

In a long spiritual journey through the movies, never had I felt such a comforting and life-affirming experience, despite the up's and down's of the life chosen by journeyman Larry, specially from classic Hollywood. It's not that it inspires an exact act like whatever he does in the movie, but it gives a meaning to whatever particular journey one is facing, redifine purposes and go after an ideal life, or a certain detachment of things, people and situations that are troublesome or not personally rewarding. A choice, plenty of renounces, and I like to think Larry was the wisest of them all, despite everything he threw away. 10/10

P. S.: On a final note, having seen those two adaptations of a great novel that were close to the written word but not fully, I'd like to see a 2-part miniseries happening. It would be terrific, and it'd bring new audiences for both 1946 and 1984 versions. And the book.

And the story goes that a male acquaintance of Alex Kapranos was at a club, very drunk and enthusiastically dancing with another man, and that's the origins of Franz Ferdinand's single "Michael", one of their very first songs to get released. The music video for it sort of follows that ideal, obviously the "closed times" of the early 2000's wouldn't go for the homoeroticism of everything and the song but no one can say the band didn't try it.

Kapranos and his band mates perform the energetic song and they're presented in a different, unusual manner (palefaces, lipsticks, heavy makeup and all dressed in dark clothing) as we also have sinister men in a similar fashion and their attention goes to the title character, who feels awkward as he walks in the place, and doesn't understand some of the surreal aspects of it all (presented through nice editing special effects). Instead of a lustful scenario between two men, who were probably having fun with each other on the dance floor, FF goes into a slightly darker mode that offers some interpretations. Of Michael being afraid of the place and the men, or trying to find a special someone, or as if he was transported to the sinister club and just wants to get out. Anyway, all is valid with those readings, but it's definitely something that resonates with the LGBT experience.

Not sure if it actually serves the song, since there's plenty of funny, colorful, seductive and sexy vibes in its lyrics and the rhythm, but it was brilliantly well-made. 7/10.

This amazing tribute to film noir gives us Franz Ferdinand at their most cinematic moment of all, if compared with the previous artistic performances in other music videos. Like many films of the genre, "Walk Away" has a little story that goes into some enigmatic ways that are a little hard to solve or to figure out what's real and what's imagined, or differences between past and present.

The group performance on a room moves to a black-and-white film noir scenario where lead singer Alex Kapranos plays the hero, along with a beautiful femme fatale girl, as they escape from another car with a mystery trio (Nick McCarthy, Paul Thomson, Bob Hardy) following them very closely. The brief romance is cut when the man is suspicious about the woman, who cries without understanding why her man got mad. The other two acts are even more enigmatic and I won't deal with them except for ways and alternatives it suggests: is this about a film director (Kapranos) imagining a film he wants to make or he actually lived that tense story? The who's and why's of it all are up to audiences imagine, as time and again they all shift characters - except Alex.

It's always nice to take a look back at this, now, classic clip that was quite a phenomenon back when it was released. The song is great but I must say that I got little tired of it, recently. But if the clip is on, I have to watch it. Everything works, the little time recreations, the use of cinematography, the triple shadows appearing with guitars, which was a nod on drummer Paul Thomson who also played guitar on that album tracks - the clip of "Do You Want to?" also gives this idea. It's ellegant, vibrant, with some twists of suspense, always fun to watch. 9/10.

A powerful and brutal documentary like this saddens and angers viewers due to everything that is presented in it, while addressing the damaging scenario General Electric was responsible while manufacturing atomic bombs, missiles and warfare technology at the same time it cuts costs and pollute the American soil with nuclear waste leaving rural areas in a dire state of sickness and death. At the end of it all, it makes us question the value of human lives; the quest for profit as desired by companies; and the efforts of preserving one's life, culture and identity while creating tools that can end other human lives, but at the same time there's the loss of the lives the system wants to protect - it's totally counterproductive this arms race which started during Cold War and hasn't finished with its ending, as more and more nations also wanted to built new weapons of mass destruction.

A most deserving Academy Award was given to Debra Chasnoff, as her film is an unforgettable combative piece that stays with you for a long time, and there are many dramatic and horrific stories told that not even Hollywood could come up with recreating it or fantasizing about them. Beyond the environmental tragedy that caused cancer and deaths on several people in the state of Washington, it also goes on two other fronts, by exposing the policy enforced by GE while manufacturing weapons, telling that no harm was being done with their facilities, and Mrs. Chasnoff careful research presenting how the company was advertising itself on television with colorful, happy commercials of people smiling and enjoying their products (light-bulbs and refrigerators) and the director juxtaposes those images with the chaos left by the same company with alarming news - even a farmer saw that the Chernoby situation was handled better by the repressive Soviets than what happened in his own state.

The other front covered is the activists who made boycotts against GE, one of those small efforts that manage to bring some early results but it doesn't help to make companies pay for damages, change their environmental and institutional policies, neither make them bankrupt. But it never goes unnoticed and plenty of noise can be made.

And I insist to go back on those questions raised early on and the counter-production of it all in this thing we can life. I watched this film along with the recent feature documentary "The Conqueror: Hollywood Fallout" which covered the tragic deaths of celebrities and local people from a small area of Nevada that firstly was used during atomic bomb tests, and secondly became the filming location of the disastrous epic "The Conqueror".

Both were depressive rides into a period in American history that still lingers, and we wonder if the arms race, its development and how AEC and companies involved felt if it was worth the cause, worth the profit (as in some cases, the government had to give compensatory damages that can never bring back people, neither restaure nature as it was).

One has to be brought to some senses in shock and awe as hard-working citizens had their lives cut short by their own powers of be, and with regulations enforcement, costly procedures and ethics none of those lives would be lost. This isn't about creating a perfect world; it's about getting close to an ideal where the things that need to be done have to be done to favor a majority rather than shareholders and lobbysts. Here's an eye-opener film to give you all of those insights and more. 10/10.

For those who never heard about the disastrous aftermath revolving the filming of Howard Hughes-Dick Powell epic failure "The Conqueror" (1956) and its filming on a desert area used for atomic tests in the 1950's and what would cause hundreds of deaths in the following years, this special documentary is an eye-opener and a must-see film, not only just to follow the case but also in witnessing a wider scope that goes beyond the Hollywood film and its quest for perfection and accuracy that end up resulting in a massive tragedy.

This is the story of a proposed Genghis Khan epic adventure produced by Howard Hughes in the hopes of making one of the most important films ever made, but it turned out to be a laughing-stock that failed with critics and audiences, and when several residents of the area near the atomic tests began to feel sick and die, and later names such as John Wayne, Susan Hayward, Pedro Armendariz, Lee Van Cleef, Dick Powell, a total of 90+ personalities involved with the film started to develop cancer, the story broke out in the media when a local woman made an extensive research that wasn't a coincidence, it was a fact that something was happening in that Nevada area.

The challenging aspect of it all, the big question audiences will make with this film is to whom do we blame and point our fingers as being responsible for everything that happened in the town of St. George? The AEC (Atomic Energy Comission) and the authorities for lying to the public saying that the environment was safe and uncontaminated? The government for creating a red scare and an alarmist defense response in hurrying technology and bombs fabrication, for an attack that'd never happen? Hughes and the film crew knew about the real extent of everything or were lied to?

To whom the families of artists and the locals affected with several forms of cancer in the decades following the filming would recur?

It's a gripping, fascinating and explosive documentary that debunks myths, proves its facts and manages to interview many people related with the fallout disaster, specially the town's people who followed in great detail the shooting of that film, and even military personnel involved with those early tests in 1950's America present the work pattern of those days.

I was expecting to see the typical Hollywood tragic/E! Kind of special, and I was greatly surprised that there's a focus beyond the film as it is a serious topic that affected regular people who never expected that they would have to deal with sickness and numerous deaths in a same household or neighborhood. Sure, it's very interesting when we follow the John Wayne's son or Susan Hayward's son detailing curious stories about the filming and their final moments, but following the locals and the battles they faced against authorities to prove that wrongdoings were made and they fought for some form of compensation, is exhilariting, nervous and sad - and those facts weren't familiar to me as I knew about the making of "The Conqueror" - also worth pointing out that it wasn't just the actual location responsible for the problem, but an enormous quantity of sand from the place was taken to Hollywood to recreate the desert on a soundstage.

We're told, through an animated sequence narrated by actress Sophie Okonedo, about a legendary story revolving Hughes watching the film repeatedly during his reclusive days - I always heard that "Ice Station Zebra" was a frequent private session of his, a clear obsession. It'll die with him as to why he watched "The Conqueror" ad nauseum, if it was a regret for making it since he had high hopes that went nowhere and he never returned to movie making, or because of what happened later on (a little unlikely but possible). I can't talk about that movie, as I still haven't seen it; but just the story alone from its making creates an appaling tragic record that gladly Hollywood never returned to it - the excesses done ever since all relate to bad scripts and lousy filmmaking. But it makes me wonder if those powerful men were simply cutting costs while choosing location and if they knew about the atomic tests conducted there. 10/10.

The song is one of my favorite of Oingo Boingo as it shows they can make a hit outside of the typical colorful new wave songs, and show something darker and more serious both with lyrics and music. But the video for "Just Another Day" is just another band performance, always depending on Danny Elfman's part charisma/part craziness as the band appear on stage to deliver an act in front of sinister-looking women, all dark-haired and with pale faces, staring at the guys if they were a cult. Is there a meaning to it or some wild entertainment happening? Not quite. It's curious to see as most audiences keep expecting some supernatural/horror to come around but it never comes, it's just the idea of fright. Elfman and Boingo's existential reflections to a sound that you can dance is lots of fun. 7/10.

A short documentary like this, covering the many different interventions and involvements of the United States forces during wars in the 20th century, makes us question not necessarily about the times young soldiers had lived, but mostly the spirit of combat, fear, terror, tragedy and how different situations, political/historical scenarios and wars have a certain uniqueness that doesn't change through nearly 100 years of letters written by soldiers.

We go from the WWI (American forces joined the conflict in 1917), move to WWII, Korean and Vietnam wars, and close with the Gulf War in the early 1990's.

Actors such as Val Kilmer, Tony Goldwyn, Blair Underwood, Tom Hulce, Bill Irwin, Eric Stoltz and others read many letters from soldiers of those combats, and we watch news and archive images from those, following a certain modus operandi: letter and conflicts, and then an important message from a president or a general claiming for the efforts of peace.

Different men and different times and experiences, but once inside the context of fire, shootings, bombs and attacks, the pressure of everything changes their essence of young men who feel as if living as older man, just waiting for death or trying to escape it, always with the intention of returning home safe and sound to their loved ones. And the shock and awe of everything is seeing that a written word in the early 1910's would sound similar as one written in the early 1990's. If love has a uniqueness through descriptions and certain feelings, so does the nature and horrors of war through the ages.

While technology and new weapons can allow that conflicts can end sooner (allegedly) or cause a mass destruction against the enemy, the feeling expressed in the letters narrated by the Hollywood actors is something universal, everlasting, with small variations of tone and descriptions.

Bill Couturie made a very expressive gathering of elements that makes us reflect about war and peace, the human condition through drastic and terrible scenarios, and the humanity that exists at war, that deep down those young men in uniform would never want to fight for older gentlemen, unless if extremely needed and urgent, and their youthful dreams of living in a world united in peace, as they're just discovering the world around them. Despite everything you see and hear in the documentary, the struggle for peace speaks higher all the way through the film. 8/10.

Martin Scorsese was a vlogger way before the term exist and what a fun experiment this was. The man and his video camera registered a little portion of the behind the scenes from his classic "The Last Temptation of Christ" in the Morocco location. Stars Willem Dafoe, Andre Gregory, John Lurie and Harvey Keitel appear during filming in between curious and amusing moments in the long shooting, barely reflecting the exact nature of a serious and religious experience as adapted from Nikos Kazantzakis book.

It's far from the typical making of we're used to see, as Marty carries the camera with him, details what they're about to shoot the next day, the complications and logistic of everything and then he proceeds with distant shoots from cast, crew and the extras in movement. It's a pity that his video diary wasn't longer and done each day, from the film conception up until his editing, as it is a film I have the utmost respect and consider one of his finest. A bigger pity that the studio did not release it as a bonus material on the DVD, neither the audio commentary track, at least here in Brazil.

Only major releases from that decade earned interesting and fascinating materials back in the day, and this one was pretty good and should attract a wider audience to witness the brilliance of Scorsese in movie making. 9/10.

"Cara a Cara" ("Face to Face") marked as writer/director Julio Bressane's feature debut and what a chaotic and disastrous early film for him and everybody involved. Nothing to say, nothing to show except for brief moments where the style and its presentation looks a little groundbreaking in Brazil cinema, but the substance is null, horrific, tedious and a massive snooze fest that will make you fall asleep and wake up over and over, due to its ugly-sounding soundtrack.

It's said that this is a dramatic tale of obsession, as experienced by a poor public servant (Antero de Oliveira), dealing with a dying mother (Vanda Lacerda), who distracts himself in following and observing a wealthy beautiful woman (Helena Ignez) of whom he's in love. While those characters lead their lives in separate ways and barely communicating with each other, there's a bigger picture at play with the girl's father, a rich man (Paulo Gracindo) making a scheme to overthrown a leftist politician - a jab at president João Goulart and the '64 coup, possibly.

The girl spends her days with a boyfriend or studying ballet, while the poor man just stumbles into things, suffers a lot and keeps following the girl without trying anything but we know something terrible might happen. And does Bressane have anything so interesting to say or show about those characters, their different realities where they simply cannot connect? Not really. It's pointless, weak and weird to follow.

A painfully tedious and excruciating experience that I cannot recommend and I can't describe more about how messed up everything was, no chance of salvation and neither a bright thought came across as I was watching this thing - two attempts and it didn't impress me in no possible way. 2/10.

It's a pity that this single from Men at Work's final album "Two Hearts" didn't become a hit as there are plenty of good qualities and a catchy mode to the song that makes it appealing and very memorable. Must say that I got acquainted with it a little recently, but it become one of my favorite tracks from the group and also one of my favorite music videos too.

Basically, we follow the song's idea and story as it follows the title character, an immigrant young woman who goes to another country, gets married (singer Colin Hay plays the groom) but life doesn't seem to improve with all those new changes. The video is very creative and economic with its set design and visuals, but it works with great effect as it allows viewers to imagine everything that's described in Hay's lyrics (except when the actual description is shown through the story).

A serious, romantic song from the band while it deals with scenario faced by many female immigrants around the world, it's almost like a hym. Just as good as the fun ones like "It's a Mistake" and "Down Under", that also have classic music videos. 9/10.

A dramatic thriller that really keeps its viewers on the edge of the seat and also makes them reflect about the people who live next door, "Os Inquilinos" ("The Tenants") is probably the easiest film of Sérgio Bianchi's career, which always includes a heightened complexity and a load of social/political criticisms related to the reality of Brazilian people ("A Causa Secreta", "Cronicamente Inviável", "Romance"). This one has plenty of those issues, but it feels more focused on the hard drama of everything without finger pointing to the bigger yet underlined problematic faced by the community shown in the story. There are questions, as usual, but this time it feels like Mr. Bianchi has answered them all (or close to it).

We follow the couple Valter and Iara (Marat Descartes and Ana Carbatti) living in a poor community on the outskirts of São Paulo, raising their kids and leading an honest life. She's a housewife, he carries loads on a market and studies at night. The apparent peace at home is disturbed with the arrival of new tenants on the next door neighbor, a poor senior citizen (Umberto Magnani) who clings at that house of which his ex-wife might want it back. The tenants are loud, unfriendly, unpolite and of violent manners, and each new arrival or new party, disturbance comes to break the family's peace, and slowly a sense of danger seem to approach everyone around the neighborhood, and Valter might want to take action.

The family household becomes a prison cell, and the neighborhood also another prison from the violent trio of friends who more bicker at each other than have an actual cumplicity (but there is). Valter's small escapes comes from work, of which he feels exploited and wants more rights, and at night school where the education he's getting seems to echo the problematic of violence, through the poems read by the literature teacher (Cassia Kis) which awakens the students, but it affects Valter as a hopeless reality.

Here's a story that makes us wary about the world around us, especially when it comes to the ones who lives next door, and to make us pause and question our decisions, if action could be needed or not. It dares such thoughts on viewers, even if you live without a neighbor.

Mr. Bianchi always comes with hard-hitting questions and situations revolving social clashes and the human condition while facing poverty, injustice and the dangers of such issues, but here one can sense that he might be a little off-depth, with a clean view of favelas and criminals who are too obvious and too loud with their acts, more like a cinematic kind of poverty rather than the down and dirty view, as things are. Doesn't work completely, but it doesn't remove you from the scenario and the dramatic and tense circumstances of it all.

Besides the thematic and all, "Os Inquilinos" is a triump of acting, with high caliber performances, most notably Marat Descartes as the leading man with his transformation slowly turning into something dark and mysterious; the cameo by Caio Blat as the angry student; and Sérgio Guizé playing the menacing/tough leader of the group who moved next door - you can't take his eyes off of him and the character is not made into the expected cliche, there's always some surprise with him.

Once again, Mr. Bianchi succeeds with another critical urban tale, with plenty of honesty, some dreams and nightmares, but reflecting the dire reality of a huge portion of São Paulo and its crazed routine. 10/10.

While not a massive hit as "Never Say Never", "A Girl in Trouble (is a Temporary Thing)" manages to become a very good song just as the other song by Romeo Void (that bass, that sax, and the girl's great voice). The clip is quite curious, almost surreal with its presentation revolving a couple trying to figure things out in order to stay together (it's a girl and one of the guys from the band). Or at least that's my perception of it, since the artistic presentation of everything, which revolves around painters working on billoboards and walls, offers such perception that goes in a enigmatic style. A very good video and once again, the music makes the spectacle a grandiose event. 8/10.

This is splendorous in so many ways that it has to be seen several times, just to admire the whole artistic endeavor put into this lovely music video. The Alan Parsons Project hit MTV and other music channels with this clip for "Don't Answer Me", and taking advantage of the technology and creativity available to compose an HQ story with some touches of film noir, involving a hero named Nick, a pretty girl and a big bully guy who already conquered the girl, and it's up to our hero to rescue her. There's dialogues balloons, expressions, fights and plenty of humor in it, very cool to watch.

This particular animation doesn't necessarily match with the song's romantic ideals and feelings, as there's too many conflicts happening within the images. This is one of those cases where audiences can find ways or imagine how opposed ideas can find a common ground and serve a great purpose, or at least as it is the most important scenario, how it sells the song in a spectacular memorable manner. And it's a great moment for the group, musically too. 9/10.

"André and Wally B." is a little hard to define, and almost impossible to find the exact reasons on why it's good or why it's bad. Don't think that those terms apply to an experimental, one of the very first made by the team that would create Pixar and if there's a praise to be made related with the two-minute animation is the use of the latest computer technology available in 1984 (motion blur being used for the very first time), and seeing it now it doesn't look exactly as if made back some 40 years ago; it feels as if made in the 1990's.

The child's play shown revolves a bee that awakens a quirk character who finds his revenge on the animal, and the soundtrack goes into a sort of classical soundtrack - there's so many versions remade with all kinds of music that it just makes it all look weird.

It serves the unique purpose of being an early experiment done pre-Pixar and nothing beyond that. Was I bored? Not really. Was I thrilled? Just a little. Was I weirded out, thinking what in the world this was all about and the creepy visuals of it all? Absolutely. It's watchable. 6/10.

Despite its amazingly long and curious title, catchy rhythm and a unique style in everything done with its sound and lyrics, "The Future's So Bright, I Got Wear Shades", by Timbuk3, got a weird music video that didn't become memorable because of its images, with the duo Pat and Barbara MacDonald performing the song while staying in a desert, with a dog and in front of a trailer, along with some repetitive and ugly-looking random images. What's left as a great source of involvement comes because of the song, their only hit ever (at least that I'm aware of).

The bass-line, the lenghty delivery of its lyrics while presenting an ironic view of everything related to the "greatness" that an individual was feeling during the Cold War days and hysteria, and the inseparable harmonica playing on several solo bits (it's really part of the couple's act. For those who don't know much about Timbuk3 and are curious about the movies they have a special cameo in 1988's remake of "D. O. A."). Yet, this is the song that put them on the map back in '86, one of the most interesting and fun tracks to ever come from that magnificent decade. Pity, the video failed a little in creating an artistic collage of archive images that could fit into the song's idea, just as many new wave artists tried it on with success in the period. It's weird looking but it works.. 7/10.

BBC's Arena pays a sort of tribute to film director Louis Malle following the same concept as "My Dinner with Andre", with actor/playwright Wallace Shawn inquiring Malle about his career and some of his highlight works while they're at a restaurant. We don't get to see the meals and drinks, but Mr. Malle offers some great insights on works such as "The Lovers", "Atlantic City", "Murmur of the Heart", "Pretty Baby" and others.

A somewhat interesting experience to be seen as there are many curious and intelligent insights as the man reveals that his body of work feels like a mirror to himself, his interests and the challenges he wants audiences to follow through. Obviously it cannot be exactly like Shawn/Andre Gregory screenplay with many flights of imaginative stories or long responses to a question - which may disappoint those wanting a closer look on Mr. Malle's life.

As for the films, some of his opinions and thoughts are really gripping - on the whole scandal generated with "The Lovers" in India, or describing his method of work with newcomer Pierre Blaise in "Lacombe Lucien" (a film I particularly didn't like, but after seeing the director's view and why the film may get lost with some audiences, it will grant a revisit from me); and his honest opinions on the amazing "Le Feu Follet".

But this Arena special loses itself with some small ramblings and it skips some of the director's films (the incredible film noir "Elevator to the Gallows" was a major omission), and Wallace Shawn's presence while narrating and recreating the inquisitive character, could only serve a better and higher purpose if the man himself had watched all of Malle's films and interject some thoughts on them, with both parties challenging each other. He tries a little, but it doesn't stay with us like his rebuttal of Gregory's experiences. A good companion piece to get to know a great and talented director. 7/10.

"Fogo e Paixão" ("Fire and Passion") is anything but its title, and I wonder why such an odd title for an eccentric comedy revolving a slightly bizarre group of tourists on a bus tour throughout an unnamed Latin America city - the locations reveal as being São Paulo but no facts are alligned with what's presented. Along foreigners from all around the world, Vilma (Mira Haar) and Helena (Cristina Mutarelli) are two best friends from Brazil who dispute the affections of a noble baron (Carlos Moreno, the eternal Bombril poster boy), as they travel through many curious places, locations, and small background characters appear here and there, played by the likes of Fernanda Montenegro, Fernanda Torres, Rita Lee, Giulia Gam, Paulo Autran and others.

Writers/directors Marcio Kogan and Isay Weinfeld were important friends/business partners in the field of architecture who ventured in moviemaking after one short film. Not sure about their film knowledge, but what's shown makes it evident they have taste and some talent, but no idea of what they wanted to show and what they wanted to convey with a random and episodic series of peculiar characters and strange situations that aren't strongly entertaining, neither artistically interesting.

Kogan & Weinfeld make some interesting choices when it comes to silent humor where you need to give a closer look to the cameos and situations to understand the little criticism they want to reflect on audiences, and even some of the talks revolving the doomed love triangle are fun to watch (as the two actresses are quite funny too). But overall, there's a feeling that we're not getting much out of anything, it's clearly a case of style over substance with many unusual transitions (especially beginning and ending) and characters who are thrown to become some mysterious presence in the trip and we never get what they're doing there, what's their goal. Perhaps the idea was to compose a Fellinesque kind of universe but taking place in the multi-diverse reality of Brazil. It doesn't work for too long and it feels shallow and empty for most part.

A few transitions that revolve on flights of imagination (as Vilma wrongly believes she has an intuition in knowing other people, but the reality shows a different story) or dreams and memories from the other passengers, there's an almost poetic and cute presentation of everything. It's a pity those characters never become an important part of the action, as the story focus on the tour guide and the love triangle, and all that we know from the group are bits and pieces, and seeing a French girl exclaiming 'Merde' over and over, at everything, is simply not funny, neither good for some potential drama. It's mostly a neutral point. 5/10.

"Hidden Assassin" (aka "The Shooter") is one of those generic action/thriller revolving political assassinations in Europe and one heroic American marshall (Dolph Lundgren) trying to find an excellent shooter who already made a victim and he or she is about to add another important victim to his infamous resume. The director of "First Blood" finds an amazing aspect to everything which is the actual locations in Czech Republic; a couple of fun action sequences where the stunt folks face shown without shame; and Lundgren's cold charisma as an action hero.

But storywise? Nothing new under the sun with its narrative going on a Cold War mode way too late in time and way too contrived, and lacking in both substance and missing many connections. Yet it's fun to watch, especially for Dolph's moments following the alleged shooter, a bisexual beautiful woman (Maruschka Detmers) involved with another woman (Assumpta Serna), a restaurant owner; and there's also some fun bits with Dolph's buddy, played by John Ashton.

In the headless plot, the Cuban Ambassador gets killed off and now authorities are on the run to catch who did it, before said person takes another political victim. That fact is easily established, we know. What's never clear relates to the hired hands, the people with the money, it's hard to figure out why those hits must be made - especially in an out of Cold War scenario (but the visual and the places makes it look like it was in the dying days of Soviet Union and U. S. global duel). Zero intelligence in creating a story, the rest of its appeal comes with some fights, many gunshooting and deaths, and lovely moments between the couple fighting each other. Much to our luck, Billy Ray moved on to more serious and better scripts.

Not sure exactly what it was, but it end being an enjoyable flick with the few thrills it offers - the escape on the bridge and the one in the train are pretty good, except seeing the extra looking weird at the camera (fun stuff). Mostly, I wasn't bored and that must account for something. 6/10.

If there's one person who deserves to claim the title of such documentary then that person is Martin Scorsese. Acclaimed filmmaker with a encyclopedic knowledge, and one has to tried to cover every possible genre available, working with all kinds of talents through the decades.

This film here is pretty good when it comes to present Marty's career up until then (from "Mean Streets" to "The Last Waltz"). Always a fascinating conversationalist, specially if he's talking about movies as we're able to see how much he cares for this art form, speaking with great enthusiasm about the countless references he has or about his own films. That's great.

But we're seeing a young filmmaker rather than the veteran, and considering that it was sort of personal lost phase for him, he isn't completely articulate as he would become and evidenced in many documentaries and audio commentaries. Yet there's brilliancy and high enthusiasm as he talks about cinema and his films, and he's not alone in this one, as many actors, friends and collaborators (Robert De Niro, Liza Minnelli, Steven Prince, Jay Cocks, John Cassavetes, Brian De Palma) talk about the author of "Taxi Driver", his commitment to filmmaking and how it is to work with him.

Humor, wisdom, and many great behind the scenes talks and moments - with some film clips too - all proof why Scorsese is one of the greatest minds of cinema, a master storyteller, full of creativity, intensity and passion for cinema, a genius who cannot stay quiet for too long (as evidenced by the way he talks and moves his hand, of which composer Robbie Robertson calls him as a 'maestro').

Many funny anedoctes dominate the mood of it all, this piece is very light and warmth rather than a more serious take about everything. Yet I was absorbed through everything, but don't expect much of a highly intellectual view on films. Marty was slowly walking towards that path back then. But he got there with time. 9/10.

Here's a magnificent short documentary on one of the most important figures of Brazilian cinema, yet his name isn't big enough to a great deal of audiences and film coinosseurs around the world - myself included up until now. "O Cinegrafista de Rondon" offers a brief view on cinematographer Luiz Thomaz Reis (1878-1940), a military man turned into filmmaker when the army started out expeditions on the Amazon forest, all conducted by the famous marshall Cândido Rondon, one of the key figures of studying the Brazilian natures, their rituals and culture, for many decades in the first half of the 20th century.

Mr. Reis filmed extensive material about Rondon and the indians, pioneering images in Brazilian cinema while many of his army comrades who were also filmmakers lost plenty of film and works, as they didn't believe in the power of camera and the importance of creating documentaries for posterity. If a massive bulk of many Brazilian films of the silent era were all lost and gone forever, a few of Reis images still resist (such as "Rituaes e Festas Bororo" (1916) and "Ao Redor do Brasil" (1932)) and serve its purpose of telling a part of Brazil's history and its cinematographic memory.

Besides clips from those films, there's a short biography about Reis - narrated by veteran actor Nildo Parente; and Reis cameras kept in a musuem, and what he intended to present and cover with his works. A man truly devoted to cinema - creator of the very first incentive favoring the exhibition of Brazilian shorts on theatres, way before the quotas law from the 1980's - and that passion and devotion end up claiming his life while covering the collapse of a building. That's the kind of legacy very few have in the history of cinema, with many memorable moments to share. Jurandyr Passos Noronha's tribute in his honor is amazingly interesting, curious and fascinating in everything. Definitely recommend. 10/10.

A hard-hitting drama that shows the mysterious ways life holds on special people facing difficult times and tough situations, but those same special people have many resources and plenty of ease to deal with whatever difficulty may come. In a memorable and powerful performance by Gena Rowlands, she plays Gloria, such special person I mentioned, a woman who needs to help an annoying little boy (John Adames) neighbor of hers, to hide from the mobsters who killed his family and they believe the boy carries a secret from them - as his father (Buck Henry), a bookeeper, took a special book with him.

Gloria had ties with the mafia and she knows how to deal with the criminal underworld of New York. With plenty of reluctancy, she hides the boy, despite the many clashes both have with each other, as they're different kinds of people, backgrounds and it's very obvious she does not like kids. Yet, you can always depend on the rollercoaster of a bond they'll form (and have to) while navigating through the big city crowd, escaping from the mobsters and other situations, and she knows how to handle a gun.

John Cassavetes' film uses of Hollywood cliches but does not cling to them, as there's subtletly and variations in what it shows which makes it look a little different from films of similar themes we're used to watch. But he had to use cliche such in order to attract audiences since this isn't like his indie films, this was a studio film and it comes with the impositions and restrictions of such; not that it really affected the director, as his master qualities a director's actor is clearly evident (except for Adames casting, it's tough to watch at times).

I admit that "Gloria" escaped from a detailed attention at first glance, and only seeing its surface rather than the whole was an affecting experience that I didn't care much; on a second view you notice what's underneath it and it's really brilliant, the nuances brought by Rowlands, the small pauses, the little lines, and the slowly reveals of who she is and what she can handle. She's tough and wildly believable in everything she does, even in the tenderness and care she was for the boy, or when an unexpected mother instinct kicks in, much to her own surprise - the scene in the subway is my favorite, along with the hotel shootout. It's her best role ever since Mabel Longhetti in "A Woman Under the Influence" - also made by husband Cassavetes.

This is a clear case of a film that has its action and its thrills, but the key element that captures our attention and makes it an everlasting experience is the human element, the connection formed by two different beings that, despite living next door, were never close to each other, and then violent life circumstances forced them to be together, work things out to stay alive, and in this big surprise of life they'll find they need each other. There's a great sense of realism in stories like these, and that's why they appeal to us. 9/10.

"Stakeout" is one of the finest films of the buddy cop/action comedy genre, and one that stills holds well today due to the highly effective partnership of Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez, the hilarious dialogues and sequences, and the balance of funny moments with thrills, romance and action. And it's made by one of the great talents of the 1980's Mr. John Badham ("WarGames", "Blue Thunder") and all of his right choices for humor, action and some romantic bits too.

I'd like to think that writer Jim Kouf took inspiration on a little sequence from "To Live and Die in L. A." since films back then didn't have much of a so-spectacular use when presenting a stakeout, the secret surveillance team used on many police forces. Here, Dreyfuss and Estevez are part of one of those teams, great buddies despite their evident differences, as the veteran man is a clumsy, funny ladies man while the younger guy is a more serious, focused type and a married one as well. Their job is to keep all kinds of surveillance on a beautiful woman named Maria (Madeleine Stowe), as her criminal husband (Aidan Quinn) escaped from prison and chances are very likely that he'll try to reconnect with her.

If Estevez isn't so attentive to Maria, Dreyfuss character is helplessly in love with her, and thanks to a series of coincidences and incidents provoked by him they end up meeting as he pretends to be a phone repairman working on the area. You can obviously predict that the reckless man needs to change his ways, but with that new found love, what's to do if he reveals to her as a cop following her?

Add to those parallel scenarios, there's the morning team of this stakeout (played by Dan Lauria and Forest Whitaker) as they both share the same house in front of Maria's, and there's lots of bickering and pranks guys play on each other, amusing scenarios to make us laugh real hard.

Yet we can't never forget about the danger ahead. Quinn and his partner-in-crime (Ian Tracey) leave a trail of danger and deaths on their journey to reach Maria, and one of the biggest surprises comes with Quinn's performance. Usually playing smooth-natured guys or small heroes, somehow the darkness and intensity brought by him in this role was unforgettable and terrifying, and he created one of the most interesting villains of the period for that particular genre of movie.

I've seen it a few times over the decades and it always brings a smile whenever needed, and the thrills to make me glued on the edge of the seat. The story is kept simple and safe, everything works in a perfect balance, and the acting makes it all more fun to watch. It doesn't have an ultra motivation and aspirations rather than being a crime story with lots of comedy and some sweetness with the couple formed by Dreyfuss and Madeleine. There's no crime in 'escapism' kind of movies, specially when they're done in a great style, with a sharp cast and when the mix of genres work amazingly well in all possible ways. I miss those experiences. 10/10.

An educational short documentary by Zelito Viana that presents the long Belém-Brasília highway bringing the center region of Brazil all the way to the North, a development constructed during the Juscelino Kubitschek years (it has a slightly yet silent tribute to the man that escaped the military regime censors, who were firmly opposed to the man).

Unlike the unfinished Transamazônica created by the military and which would connect all the North states cutting plenty of spaces of the Amazon forest, the Belém-Brasília was a successful case but not without controversies. Like many great enterprises destined to help people, this one also caused problems with locals that were removed from spaces, or had to deal with a massive movement of folks from all around Brazil to what once was a peaceful place; the deforestation that made animals lose their habits or end up getting killed on the road; and while the film doesn't address directly, creating a sort of mystery about it, the death of one of its developers Bernardo Sayão, killed on a freak accident when a tree was cut and fell right into his forest office - of which he asked to be moved as he wanted to get close to the construction site.

Viana's short is filled with beauty through the poetry of many authors, intertwined with the director's own writings, along with the landscape images of small progress coming to the North areas and Brasília, the locals observing the camera focusing on them and they don't know how to react - a typical thing in countless similar films. It doesn't offer much of a critical take, neither feels too complimentary of everything. It's often too sparse to form a unique view of everything, but it's not something that hurts the film; it just makes it a little empty. 6/10.

A valid short documentary presentation that follows a special gang unit in South Central L. A. that covers the gang dispute between Crips and Bloods, preventing crimes, approaching the youth black community and trying to separate who's criminal from who's in not. It's one of those specials that follow procedures and operations in a very close manner, which gives authorities a great look when it comes to their daily talks with youngsters, toughening up and cursing back when needed, but it's also very far from typical procedures that escapes from the norm and usually that's when tragedy and brutality happens.

The Oscar nominated short by Thomas B. Fleming and Daniel Marks isn't all that interesting or so eye-opening but it's good for the discussion made between the many police approaches and meetings, and it's interesting to see how troubled the 1980's L. A. was with its gangs and crimes. The reality shown sounds fictious with respectful dealings with a poor community, that makes us question why a whole country (and not just the U. S.) can respond in such manner, and why the educational talks the sheriff county guys make with the boys and not sending to jail for misdemeanors or suspicions isn't a more common thing. A lot of lives were (and still are) lost simply because just using a scare straight act wasn't used and a more vicious one end up becoming a norm in poor communities.

The scene where one of the leaders talks to a mother suspicious that his son could be a drug member is amazing, you need to see how it all unfolds until they talk to the boy - who took a gun to school. It all goes well, without any major incident and a lesson was learned by everyone involved.

It's not a re-enactment of things, but if it's that the case, it makes great cinema that should be analyzed but real authorities and real communities. Considering what was shown with special unit and their tactics, they did a great job on the streets. 6/10.