Rodrigo_Amaro

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.

A rollercoaster of emotions never done or imagined before, this masterful documentary is a lesson in humility, atonement and a reflection on correcting past mistakes (or trying to do that) when a journalist finds that he needed to address his biggest regret with a story concerning a false accusation of pedophilia related to a family and their co-workers on a preschool, a case that later was known as Escola Base, which happened in 1994, and those charged people went through a hell and their lives were never the same. Acclaimed Valmir Salaro makes a full examination on the story he covered in the 1990's, at the same time he tries to find the participants and survivors of the case with the intention of healing wounds and hearing a different side of the story.

The Escola Base case made us look back of how damaging and sad a fake news can cause on people (back when the term didn't exist), and its aftermath effects were suffered mostly in the world of journalism, concerning ethics, fact-checking and investigating things time and again, until an effective publication could be made. The rush of judgment and the weight of being the first to break the story, the responsability that newsman must have, and that's one of the hardest cases covered on journalism courses and Valmir Salaro teaches young students exactly all that went wrong, including his own mistakes with the case and the reports (the Shimada family always blamed his particular coverage).

A whole humiliation done on public square, but the right of response, the wrongs that were corrected by the justice weren't printed in the media in a similar spectacular fashion. That's why Salaro look back to the case is important, as a new investigation with a full scope that even tries to find the mothers who made the false claims, and the buffoon chief of police who simply avoided searching for facts. Here, a reporter atones for his past sins, asking for forgiveness - if such a thing could be ever done - but it certainly can be tried, and he does a terrific job at that.

As he looks back at the early TV reports, there are countless of insanely embarassing moments of children (victims) being shown/heard on tape (the blurred images took some time to appear. Times had definitely changed!), the many gaps in the story accusing the families; the inflamatory and wild unsubstianted gossips heavily printed on the media about the "sex car" and satanic rituals, coming on a similar line as the McMartin case (the HBO film was released a year later and it's almost impossible to not compare both cases).

Beyond the sad story and how many people's name were thrown in the mud and the preschool was closed down, as it examines the encounters of Salaro with the key people involved (mostly their sons since the Japanese couple was already dead), there's also a thrilling, emotional, and a most perfect detailed view of the Escola Base. It's great cinema and a triumphant lesson of journalism - not that it what's printed and shown changed that much, but the ways that led to some signifcant change started with this case. 10/10.

"Time Out for Fun", my most fun introduction of Devo received a music video on the same vibe, unusual looks that was widely appealing in the 1980's and today looks quite amusing. A series of repetitive presentations of Mark Mothersbaugh and the group performing, with some random screen images happening in their background, and the iconic appearance of their as big potatoes.

The song, lyrics and those syntheiszers are all great and fun to hear it. As a video concept it's far too random to find a meaning to everything, it's merely weird for the sake of being weird, it has all the bright colorful looks from the new wave which defined the decade. And that's good! (no pun intended). 9/10.

"When All's Well" by Everything but the Girl is one of those cute little indie songs that always brings a smile and plenty of emotions in my face. Can't say the same about the music video, except for some of the ideas used in it that which makes it a mix between figurative and literally ideas and imagery. It's a somewhat vague idea used where lead singer stays trapped inside a well (get it?) while her other half stays inside a sort of church tower, climbing on the ropes of a bell (lyrics description). It's far too repetitive, but when the changes finally hit ,it gets to hopeful notes and a positive view. The song is forever awesome. 7/10.

Netflix takes a closer look at one of the most infamous crimes of Brazilian society that still lingers on people's minds, nearly 15 years later: the disappearance and killing of young Eliza Samudio by the hands of his lover, the soccer goalie Bruno, of Flamengo, and his group of friends, on mysterious circumstances of which no one knows where the body is. More than just a case of a married man at the peak of his game, with talks of playing for the Brazilian team or going to play in Europe, and who murdered the mother of his child as he didn't want to assume the kid, this is a story about failed families, toxic masculinity on the environment of soccer, how fame can change a person (or reveal it), and society's views on women. It's about shock and awe, new revelations that were kept from the public eye for years, and a new perspective on the case. This story comes with a take: feminicide and how female victims are invisible in society's eyes.

To world audiences it's a story to be seen and followed, like a very dramatic suspense with a series of twists and turns; for sports fans it offers an interesting view on Bruno's career (it doesn't reach a level of fame like O. J. Simpson but it's the closest when it comes to a sports personality involved with a crime; for fans about the legal system and how justice works in cases, since the defense strategy related with her disappearance only and could return, brings plenty of thought-provoking issues; for us in Brazil it's a time travel to early 2010's, with many memories coming back to surface related with Eliza's disappearance and the media frenzy all over the man, and to understand and analyze the facts about the crime, and to see what was hidden in the messages exchange from the girl (labeled as a Maria Chuteira by many people and media outlets) with a best friend or the ones with Bruno, proving that their affair was rocky and full of threats.

Interesting facts that I felt this doc hit strong, and maybe I failed to follow back when this all over the news, was the inefficiency of the justice system in protecting Eliza back when the early threats were denounced by her. If we're look to how everything unfolded after a judge (female, by the way) didn't provide a restraining order against the goalie, it was all downhill. An impassionated and heated man, a naive girl, and his dumb friends who accepted to do everything that was asked for them, joined by her unattentive parents, and her fate was sealed, planned and executed, almost to a near perfection. The story about the parents of both parties is one of those sad tales that we hear often with criminal cases; it's like both were destined to a certain greatness, yet the ultimate fate would be of a tragic affair and they shouldn't be together.

The chief of investigation Edson Moreira has to be the most interesting character in the whole case. He has a tough guy demeanor, yet with a certain charisma and some odd humor on him - plus he was a memorable figure on TV, because of this particular case. He fully broke the case and waited the right moment to get Bruno and his associates, patienly gathering all of Bruno's interviews and seeing how there was always a different story going on.

It might be a little faulty at times with the chronological presentation and timeline of events (as often those doc series tend to be a lot), but it wasn't done in a confusing manner. Overall, Netflix conducted a very special documentary, maybe it should drop the small moments with re-enactments that wasn't poignant for audiences to see acting bits - they're all in the shadows. But all the interviews were enlightning, fascinating, shocking, all that one looks for when it comes to those crime specials. 10/10.

This analysis might get a little lost in translation, confusing perhaps, as the designations existing when it comes to the spiritual world and their interference/presence on a man's life was painfully confusing in "Prova de Fogo" ("Proof of Fire"), and only those with a deep knowledge on the topics of medium, psychics and the umbanda religion will find a safeplace; but never a powerful film. I didn't like, but there were honorable things in it to make me somewhat respect it.

Marco Altberg's directorial debut has its moments, but it certainly alienates inexperienced viewers with a mix of unintenional comedy and a lack of seriousness while telling the story of a hard-working young man (Pedro Paulo Rangel) who discovers his path in life when he receives spiritual sights and he tries to conduct a triple life as: a spiritual guide, a bank teller and a college student. He finds a purpose in life, helping others (but we never quite sure as to exactly how he helps) but he also cannot quit the physical things that can allow one to live: study and work.

Above the forementioned problem since I couldn't tell apart what he does with the umbanga (the works) and the spiritual guidance that had similar routines as spiritism has, what killed the movie was the lack of strong supporting characters, as if Mauro (the lead) was a completely empty person without anyone interesting around him, nothing but study and work and then he's hit by a shock of lightning, a terrifying but enlightning vision. The people who show up in his life are some women, one of them also a guide who falls in love for him but there's never an approach, she simply gives up; and a famous politician desperatly wanting to be state's governor - a very belivable scenario, but again not much of a payoff.

And many pointless sex scenes that try hard to have a point - except for the gay sadist who tortured a male friend of Mauro, and because of that there's a funny work at play. Speaking of the works, I did not see a seriousness in dealing with the rituals, the parties. I know the makers intentions in creating a serious work; but it looked funny and lame at times. And with characters poorly constructed and situations badly written, everything looked authentic but never interesting or worth seeing.

However, Mauro is a compelling character and it's a fine way to get to know the talent of a veteran like Rangel. You feel the pain and glory of a man destined to fulfill a higher purpose in life while balancing everything he did before. He doesn't reject what was known previously but he knows that keeping everything can collapse. Without guidance, he's just a common man; with help and learn, he finds a meaning and he's good with those new teachings. Not sure if I totally buy that this new life is what really mattered; probably the film's confusing presentation didn't allow me to comprehend the change, and if there were exact gains. 5/10.

A gracious, spiritual and positive look at a 94-year-old woodworker/Spanish-American War veteran who still active constructing wooden houses and was revered by his family, friends and the community in Oregon. Luther Metke talks about his life views, his love for work, of which started out back when he was 15-years-old, and what can be described as his life philosophy and what made him live for so long (he reach 100 years).

In many moments, we follow him through his daily routine of work, still helping young people to build houses; driving his car; or enjoying a moment with his family when he became a local news sensation as he was still devoted to a line of work that started out to lose some space with the implement of new technologies.

"Luther Metke at 94" - Oscar nominated in the short features category - is a lovely witnessing of a life well-lived, with its joys, pain and glory, to which we examine that simplicty might be the key, and few are the lucky ones who can look back at a present old age, reflect about his youth and the ways that followed, and see such magnificiency without regrets or faults. If there's something one can learn with it is that if you love what you do and you're healthy enough to do it for ages, be sure to expect and find a life full of joy and fullfilment. But that's the hardest part, to stay in a path for way too long - with the exception of a brave retirement that he didn't like to stay still. Can we ever look back as fun and caring as he was, and what's the real secret that we keep on missing while growing up? The mysteries of life. 7/10.

Zbigniew Rybczynski's experimental video "Capriccio No. 24" is a curious, entertaining and artistic view of a couple performing the title music of Paganini through the use of noise and vocal sounds, as they are edited down through repetitive images, while dressed as concertists in a series of visual montages revolving New York City.

It's the typical fashion Rybczynski usually composes his images and his art, through repetition, a series of things happening all at once, and it makes us curious in seeing how he can compose a shot where a man and a woman are duplicated several times and each image perform one particular act. It's amusing like many of his works from the 1980's which includes the Oscar winning "Tango" (1981) and the incredibly underrated "Imagine" (1987). Here, the novelty doesn't look like a novelty and the video quality feels like an underproduced short. Yet easy to like, admire and have some fun with the weirdness of everything. 9/10.

The intriuging idea and a sort of a novelty in this film while addressing the topic of the sexual abuse on schools and the thin and critical line of conduct that divides what's accepted by teachers and students is that here the main character, played François Civil in a phenomenal performance, is a gay man, with a loving partner, but he's not out in the open with his colleagues of profession, neither his students. If we'd look back at "The Hunt" and "Liquid Truth", it's always about heterosexual guys who happened to be ladies man; the new take shown in this film was quite reflective as audiences struggle to understand how misunderstandings and the perception of actions and words can damage reputations.

A remark made during one of his literature deabtes, where examples of beauty and certain sexual tone were used - mostly by the class - set Julien's into a downspiralling when a young girl (Mallory Wanecque) accuses him of sexual misconduct. It's up to the man alone find ways of defending himself, getting little help from his fellow co-workers (and they felt betrayed for not being honest about who he really loves), a headmaster who doesn't work all that hard to help him getting legal assistance; attacks from all the others students; the girl's brother who threats him of violence; and the troubles at home with his partner.

Teddy Lussi-Modeste's "Pas de vague" ("The Good Teacher") claims that the story happened with his own father. It's a little strange that things happened exactly in the weird and chaotic manner in which he presents things and scenarios; and while it has a wordly and poingnat debate over the issue, it's a little too eccentric to be taken seriously. Thanks to Civil and the character's struggle while dealing with too many chaos around that the film survives as a good thing.

It's easy to like the film, but it's not easy to accept or comprehend its gaps, like the denounce made by two other girls after the cellphone incident with the whole class mocking Julien. What's their ground for a police report? The helpless policial and judicial system procedures make it all look devastating hard and not allowing any line of defense for the man. And worst of all, this might look a bit odd, but many countries have a specific ruling that when a denounce like that happens, the teacher gets temporarily removed until further notice and until legal issues were set in motion. Julien continues to work, subjected to contempt from basically everybody.

Films like this must have a way to stay closer to reality as much possible, as audiences can relate with the situation and finds ways to understand the intricate moments of life, reflect on experiences and how one should deal with. Not much of wanting a cautionary tale but just a little close to it.

And again, François Civil makes the movie worth seeing. It's a very emotionally charged performance, acted out with gusto, power, passion and delivery, and the audience will remember all his pain and vulnerability, some humor as well, for times to come. 7/10.

One of the series conducted by director Karla Holand and Eliana Terra focused on Brazilian authors, this entry was one of my favorite as it allows an interesting view inside the mind of author Antônio Carlos Villaça through one of his most personal works, "O Nariz do Poeta".

The documentary intertwines interviews with Villaça, other writers and literary critics while examining his life and work, and a performance of actor Ricardo Maurício as he acts out excerpts of the novel almost as if being an alter ego of the writer playing him on different stages of life.

Villaça is shown as man of extreme sensilibities, a great intellectual that understands life and the complexity of the human experience through reading and writing. Through those inner acts he can find himself, his talents and a way to live out the best life possible.

I'm not familiar with his work - just as I'm not versed about Lúcio Cardoso, a contemporary who had a special made by the same director - but what's presented on those documentaries made me curious in learning everything I can about their work and their descriptions of the human condition and the social construction they analyze on them. Villaça's reflections as greatly performed by Maurício were insights that felt closer to my own thoughts - and not every writer can reach those. 8/10.

"It's Probably Me" is another great duo soundtrack from "Lethal Weapon 3" - Clapton also has one with Elton John in "Runaway Train". Here, Clapton, Sting and co-composers from the franchise Michael Kamen and David Sanborn join forces to create a masterful song, with great rhythm, melody and inspired lyrics.

They all appear in the video, a studio gathering with all the musicians performing the track that should at least get an Oscar nomination in the Original Song category. More of the same when it comes to video presentation but there's even a cameo by Danny Glover showing up at the rehearsals. Apparently there's another video of this song with clips from the movie (this one has some bits from the opening titles).

We're definitely here because of the song. 9/10.

"When it's Love" was my introduction to Van Halen some time ago (great radio exposition even today) but the music video is one of the last of theirs that I had the chance.

Usual group performance with tiny bits of actors apearance, with a couple trying to spark some romance, but the dominating presence is from the band members, filmed in blue tones and they're all singing the song. And that's the main reason we're here for, the amazingly written and produced song, one of my personal favorite in everything.

Considering that the video was directed by a future filmmaker, Jeremiah S. Chechik from "Benny & Joon" and "Diabolique", there should be a more cinematic approach to the background characters with some story or interactions with the band. Yet the rock works in a memorable way.