October 26, 2009
Huh?
Can anybody explain to me why is that the french trailer for the new Zemeckis animation movie boasts "Jim Carrey est Scrooge" when the movie is dubbed in french (presumably not by Jim Carrey, says I)?
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March 21, 2009
Claire's Knee
As Roger Ebert said: ""Claire's Knee" is a movie for people who still read good novels, care about good films, and think occasionally.
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February 14, 2009
Milk
I don't get what is all the hype about. It's a nicely filmed biopic but could as well have been made in documentary form. What really puzzles me is the number of articles about it claiming it's some sort of hagiography. Am I the only one to think this man was not a saint at all? On the contrary, he came across as rather nasty - from organizing riots that could have ended badly to outing people against their will, there's no end to the man's bullying. And people wonder why Dan White shot him - the killer was obviously deranged but the movie does not try to conceal the dishonest tactics Milk employed to humiliate him. But then again I'm the kind of person who believes the ends don't justify the means, no matter how much I support the cause. And I do support Milk's cause.
Sean Penn does a nice job - although the prosthetic nose gets a bit in the way - but I have this nagging feeling that he's getting some homophobic disguised praise. As in "Oh look at that butchy heterosexual man playing a slightly effeminate gay guy... he's an excellent actor." I'm also disgusted at the thought that he'll get an Oscar for it. Mostly because I can't tell if he'll get it because he is indeed an excellent actor or for the same reasons the award went to Daniel Day-Lewis for his cerebral palsy character, Dustin Hoffman for faking autism, Jack Nicholson for his obsessive compulsive stunt. They were all essentially playing the part of "The Other", "The Different". And that seems to be a challenge which strikes me as mildly offensive. Gay roles also seem to be the way to go, considering Tom Hanks in Philadelphia (oh please) and William Hurt in Kiss of the Spider Woman.
But the main thing is that this movie helps the LGBT movement as much as a biopic of MLK would help against racism. Now, what we really need is a Bill Cosby type family oriented sitcom where the parents are gay and their kids are as happy or screwed up as any other kids.
(Josh Brolin is magnificent; probably the most underrated actor around.)
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January 21, 2009
I needed this. I had just finished watching the last season of The Wire which was so darned pessimistic and portrays the world (as derived from the little human microcosm that is Baltimore) in such a fatalistic and disheartening way that my brain was tuned to expect the worst possible outcome of any work of fiction. The Times said it was a "feel good movie that doesn't insult your brain". And it is. A very odd feel good movie considering all the slaying and violence that goes on ( a little bit of religious fueled murdering here, kids living in a garbage dump there) but, still, it does leave you with a smile on your face. And it has a happy and highly improbable ending. A life without fantasy is pointless anyway. Also, it made me feel like watching the gorgeous Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham again in which stars Amitabh Bachchan who coincidentally makes a good point about western partiality when it comes to film aesthetics:
If SM projects India as Third World dirty under belly developing nation and causes pain and disgust among nationalists and patriots, let it be known that a murky under belly exists and thrives even in the most developed nations. Its just that the SM idea authored by an Indian and conceived and cinematically put together by a Westerner, gets creative Globe recognition. The other would perhaps not.
The commercial escapist world of Indian Cinema had vociferously battled for years , on the attention paid and the adulation given to the legendary Satyajit Ray at all the prestigious Film Festivals of the West, and not a word of appreciation for the entertaining mass oriented box office block busters that were being churned out from Mumbai. The argument. Ray portrayed reality. The other escapism, fantasy and incredulous posturing. Unimpressive for Cannes and Berlin and Venice. But look how rapidly all that is changing. -- from his blog.
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January 16, 2009
Woody Schmoody
I've been trying to figure out what happened to Woody Allen. Following on my theory that his style of filming and writing is directly related to whoever is the woman in his life, it's been puzzling to see the decaying of quality - "and all the hype about his latest films proves just that", she said sporting a snobbish nose high up in the air - while he is still (as far as I know) with Soon-Yi. To be fair, a downward slope started in 1997 when he married Soon-Yi after some glorious years in between Mia and her, making the theory a bit more complicated since now I have to also include the girlfriend/wife dichotomy into the equation.
This pet theory came about while reading about Picasso and his muses so the logical thing to do is to look at the end of his career (Woody is almost 80) and try to draw some parallels. And I've got it. Woody is going through the Musketeer phase. He is impotent. He is a horny impotent old man, trying to get an erection out of filming his own little outdated fantasies about lesbian sex between hot film stars and such nonsense. The alternative theory is that if New York is a woman, he left her. And Woody filming away from New York makes as much sense as Spike Lee making movies about white folks.
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July 27, 2008
Mad Detective
I have a weak spot for Hong Kong made thrillers. Maybe it's because they're so good as opposed to Hollywood blockbusters infested by terrible actors with pretty faces declaiming cliches.
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October 18, 2007
What a good movie watching year this has been so far
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October 07, 2007
Aaltra - Sonny - Bouli Lanners
I knew it wasn't finnish! But what the hell was he saying? Well, this kind gentleman has the transcription:
Sonny, you fucking haven't d[ø]ze, I'd happen to fire
Sonny, you fucking haven't d[ø]ze, I (k) happen to fire
Oh, your dick in the frost, I can lag in the side
You can snarfel the phones, I can snarf my baby
Sonny, once of you, I love you do
Sonny, you fucking half an h[ø]ze, I'd happen to fire
Sonny, you freaking half an toast, I'd happen to fire
Oh, you carfel the phones, I can hide in the phones
You can hardly defies, I can(s) house my honey
Sonny, once of you, I love you boo
Sonny (ah), your frequency even hind, I'm targling to fire
Sonny, you're afraid on of and h[y]se, I happen to fire
Oh, you haven't the frames, I can happen to frost
You can happen to face, happens half my honey
Sonny, wanted you, I love you ou
Sonny (ah), it happen you can find, I'm talking to find
Sonny, you fraking hick and h[y]s, I'm h[y]lting to find
Oh and h[y]ffen the phones, I can d[y]ppen the p[y]ms
You can happen to phones, happens half my honey
Sonny, wanted you, I love you ou ou ou
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September 20, 2007
Making lists
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July 13, 2007
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March 12, 2007
Two things impressed me greatly this last weekend: a scene from El laberinto del Fauno and a Crucifixus Dolorosus at the exhibition of medieval art from the National Museum in Warsaw. And in a way they're related, being Jesus Christ the rebel par excellence.
The crucifix was hanging on the last room I visited. It's life size and dramatically lit. The Y cross somehow makes it look more real to me. And so does the position of the body and head: the crucified eventually would die suffocated as he wouldn't be able to exhale for his body's weight was suspended from his arms, the nailing of the feet being an extra aid to prolong the agony as he would be able to rise and breath from time to time. The Crucifixus Dolorosus was supposed to make the bystander meditate and this one worked for me. Whether Jesus lived or not, the capacity of some to die or withstand pain for their beliefs and as martyrs of causes is something that I have an immense admiration for.
(this painting came to my mind as one of the scenes unfolded and, sure enough, I find that Guillermo del Toro claims Goya to have been an influence in this movie).
And so, despite the dedication of the heroes in El Laberinto del Fauno and the sacrifices and readiness to die they showed throughout the movie, the bit where the doctor kills the tortured republican out of mercy by giving him an overdose of painkillers - although the orders of the Capitán Vidal were precisely the opposite, he should make him stay alive so that he could torture him more - will be the one scene I know will stay in my mind:
Vidal: Dígame, porqué no me obedeció?
Doctor: Es que-
Una larga pausa.
Doctor: Obedecer por obedecer - Así, sin pensarlo...
Vidal aprieta las quijadas, tienso.
Doctor: Sólo lo hacen gentes como usted, Capitán.
And Vidal shoots him in the back as he walks away.
******
It is better to die standing than to live on your knees. -- Emiliano Zapata or was it Che?
******
Des idées réclamant le fameux sacrifice
Les sectes de tout poil en offrent des séquelles
Et la question se pose aux victimes novices
Mourir pour des idées, c'est bien beau mais lesquelles ? ---Georges Brassens
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February 28, 2007
Silence is underrated
"Don't talk unless you can improve the silence." -- Jorge Luis Borges
*****
"Nestled deep in the postcard-perfect French Alps, the Grande Chartreuse is considered one of the world’s most ascetic monasteries. In 1984, German filmmaker Philip Gröning wrote to the Carthusian order for permission to make a documentary about them. They said they would get back to him. Sixteen years later, they were ready. Gröning, sans crew or artificial lighting, lived in the monks’ quarters for six months—filming their daily prayers, tasks, rituals and rare outdoor excursions. This transcendent, closely observed film seeks to embody a monastery, rather than simply depict one—it has no score, no voice over and no archival footage. What remains is stunningly elemental: time, space and light. One of the most mesmerizing and poetic chronicles of spirituality ever created, INTO GREAT SILENCE dissolves the border between screen and audience with a total immersion into the hush of monastic life. More meditation than documentary, it’s a rare, transformative theatrical experience for all."
A lover of silence myself, I enjoyed this documentary immensely. I'm not sure if its even a documentary: there's no soundtrack or voice over, just a succession of short clips and beautiful images of the french Alps. But what made it truly remarkable was that it was the first time in my life where there was almost complete silence in a room ful of people for nearly three hours.
I understand the need for solitude and withdrawal but I frankly don't understand it as a way of life. Especially to be closer to God as one monk admitted. A life of ascetism in a high peak in the Alps is nothing to brag about. What else is there to do? Try to find God while waking up every day to go to work, be underpaid, try to raise a family and make ends meet, resist the temptation of getting yurself into debt to buy symbols of status, find what makes you happy even if it's not what is socially prescribed, be good unto others although they don't really seem to care, be immune to marketing strategies and, if you're a believer, still have faith in God despite all the difficulties. Now THAT is a challenge. Withdrawing from society is plain cowardice.
Silence is the key to find solitude in the middle of others. Silence allows us to think deeper and, if you're a believer, it's the way to listen to God. I've been thinking how it's getting increasingly more difficult to find silent places in cities. My favourites were museums but somehow the old rule of keeping silent doesn't seem to apply anymore. I find catholic churches too grim. I can't get any peace of mind staring at the sight of a crucified man. There isn't one shop, cafe or public place in general that doesn't have some background sound, the dreaded muzak most times. Most of my friends and family can't arrive home without immediately turning on the TV or the stereo even if they're not paying attention. I have my own pet theory that all this is related to fear. Fear of thinking. It's easier to limit your interaction with the world to hearing and seeing and not giving it much thought. If you are constantly bombed with sounds and images, there's a relief from not having to think, from not having to face the probable emptiness.
You know when you eat something that tastes so good that you have to close your eyes so that nothing else can interfere with that sensual pleasure? The same goes for a beautiful work of art; I want to enjoy it in silence, the needed silence of contemplation which allows beauty to be perceived as a religious experience.
*****
Amused by the huge line of people at the Gulbenkian Foundation. There's an exhibition of jewelry by Cartier and I was doing my usual anthropological stunt by observing all these well dressed middle aged couples and groups of women. By the way they looked completely lost as where to buy tickets or how they spoke loudly on their cellphones giving directions to friends on the best places to park around there, I'm sure they had never set foot on the museum before. A strange setting. Reminded me of Bianca Castafiore. I may be a bit prejudiced but I can swear I saw a glitter of greediness on those eyes or whatever it is that makes people appreciate gems and gold. A woman who started mindlessly chatting with me about how she was anxious to see the Cartier exhibition was startled when I said I was not going there but to the museum instead. And even more startled when I said that no Cartier jewelry can beat the Lalique collection which is in the permanent exhibition.
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February 26, 2007
Lame
Seen "No sos vos, soy yo". My life - entertainment wise - just got more uncertain. Portugal is a small country where only blockbusters and a few strikingly good independent movies are shown. Argentina isn't, as far as I know, a big movie exporter. So, statistically speaking, if an Argentinian movie is shown in Portugal it's got to be good. But this one was terribly lame. It's one of those romantic drama/comedies where Hugh Grant could easily be the star. The cinematic version of those mushrooming novels in the genre "screwed relationships and finding real love for thirtysomethings". As I said, lame. The only interesting bits are the ones the main character's appointments with his shrink. And the credit goes all to the shrink who even quotes Borges which I'm sure is mandatory on any Argentinian production - there must be a law. If only the movie had some good shots of my beloved Buenos Aires, I'd be willing to forgive all those cliches and awkward plot reminiscent of a mediocre Woody Allen's "Play it again Sam". But not even that.
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April 18, 2006
Il Gattopardo
"What a great job Burt Lancaster does in this movie. I remembered him as some butch guy in westerns, can't believe he's so good!"
"When I was young, the star of the movie was that baby face Alain Delon, no one cared about Burt."
"Are you kidding? Burt Lancaster is much sexier than that skinny, clean-shaven Delon!"
"You're getting old."
(which is not true; I remember watching The Color of Money with my girlfriends as a teenager and while they drooled over that awful, ugly actor who has a squeaky voice when he gets excited and that has a neck and shoulders that makes you think he swallowed a coat hanger and whose initials are TC, I lusted after Paul Newman). Hah.
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September 18, 2005
How Portugal time travelled 50 years back on one weekend
I went to the opening of the Gay & Lesbian Film Festival in Lisboa, on of the many LGBT events going on here at the moment. It should be a sign of the modern times of a otherwise conservative country but...
At the same time a bunch of pathetic people who founded a pathetic little fascist party organized a public demonstration against homosexuality. Whatever this means. The horror is that it was authorized by the public authorities. And so I'm left with this mixed feeling: should I just emigrate in disgust and disappointment or stay and do something about it? Without abandoning completely the idea of moving away, I'm doing something about it:
Here is the link for the online petition for the approval of same sex marriage in Portugal.
(and now I patiently wait for the emails from the usual bigots who think that writing "you fucking lesbian" is an insult :-))))) - yes, every time I post anything related to LGBT matters I get them. If you know me personally, you know how much fun I have with this kind of ironic stuff.)
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Implicación by Julián Quintanilla is a brilliant short movie. Chary, a mother who stands up to Don Francisco, her son's ex-boss. Through a very cleverly written dialogue Chary shows Don Francisco that his latent homophoby was the reason he fired her son.
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September 07, 2005
A night at the Castro
The organist playing at the Castro Theatre, San Francisco
Harold Lloyd: "Safety Last" and "Girl Shy". I hadn't laughed so hard in a long time. I still have flashes of the movies' scenes now and then and will start laughing for no apparent reason.
Whatever happened to Harold Lloyd? Bio here.
I don't know why but it seems natural to me that someone who played shy, innocent characters would end up taking stereoscopic photos of naked girls :-)
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July 21, 2005
Rohmer meets Rimbaud meets Ferlinghetti meets Duchamp
Le Rayon Vert - Delphine has a superstition: the playing cards she finds on the streets are omens.
(Rohmer)
Betrayed by the people at the Cinemateca, a Jules Verne adventure was replaced by a more highbrow, obscure reference to an optical phenomenon.
*****
Ah ! que le temps vienne
Où les coeurs s'éprennent.
Ah ! Let the time come
When hearts are enamoured.
(Rimbaud)
The verses that inspired Rohmer.
*****
(La Hire, french commander in the Hundred Years War, a loyal companion of Joan of Arc)
The Jack of Hearts - A dear friend, good news, a declaration of love, a date
*****
The Man from La Mancha riding bare back
The one who bears the great tradition
The Mysterious Stranger who comes & goes
The Jack of Hearts who speaks out
in the time of the ostrich
the one who sees the ostrich
the one who sees what the ostrich sees in the sand
the one who digs the mistery
and stands in the corner smiling
like a Jack of Hearts
(Ferlinghetti)
Because.
*****
(Duchamp)
Inspired by Jules Verne's "Le Rayon Vert"?
Verne said that those lucky enough to see the green ray are able to see clearly into their hearts and the hearts of others.
****
More on the Green ray/flash on the wikipedia.
Note to self: Alice as a witness at the trial of the jack of hearts
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July 08, 2005
The Thief of Baghdad
Genie: You're a clever little man little master of the universe, but mortals are weak and frail. If their stomach speaks, they forget their brain. If their brain speaks, they forget their heart. And if their heart speaks [laughter]... they forget everything.
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June 27, 2005
It had to be you
As my gallbladder has been giving me a hard time again (geez, I sound like my grandmother...) there's nothing left to do except to curl up on the sofa, watch a movie and wait for the wonderful pills to do their magic...
I realized that probably one of the reasons I like watching "When Harry met Sally" and "Annie Hall" - which, above all, are heartwarming, romantic comedies although of a very different nature - is that the song "It had to be you", one of my favourites along with "Night and Day", is on both soundtracks. Sung by Uncle Frank on the first case and Diane Keaton on the second.
(and it's also on Casablanca's)
And both have that kind of memorable lines:
Harry: I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.
Alvy: Love is too weak a word for what I feel - I luuurve you, you know, I loave you, I luff you, two F's, yes I have to invent, of course I - I do, don't you think I do?
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May 18, 2005
Claudia In Chains
My friend Rui "forwarded" me a chain questionnaire; since he is the wisest and most sensible person I know, and for that reason only, I'm going to answer it.
1. Which was the last movie you saw in a theatre?
Not one movie but seven or eight short ones in two hours at Lisboa's Independent Movie Festival. I particularly remember a japanese short film, called "Bonten" by Keisaku Sato. Very weird; in short it's about cleaning inner ears and deriving sexual pleasure from it. I look at cotton swabs now from a totally different perspective ;-)
| 2. What is you favourite session?
I prefer a 7-ish pm session followed by an excellent late dinner. 3. Which was the first movie that fascinated you? "Mary Poppins" at the Tivoli Theatre in Lisboa. I was six years old. It's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! |  |
4. To which movie would you like to be "transported"?
To Woody Allen's "The Purple Rose of Cairo" where a movie character is "transported" into real life. Seems it would be a nice paradoxical situation.
5. Which movie character would you like to meet some day?
Any of those "characters" played by John Holmes. I'm kidding.
That would be Lawrence of Arabia.
6.And which actor/actress/director/scriptwriter/producer would you like to invite for dinner?
I'd invite Billy Wilder. He isn't much of a dinner companion right now but when he was alive it seems to me he had a hell of a cynical sense of humour.
7. To whom are you going to send this questionnaire?
I'm not inflicting this pain on anyone else :-)
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May 02, 2005
Cryptic critic
I was waiting for a friend to go to one of the n movies I saw last week (hooray for Lisboa's International Independent Film Festival) when I read this synopsis for a short movie we were going to see:
"UNTITLED SEQUENCE v1.1 é o produto cruzado entre o orgânico e o inorgânico e constrói-se num contexto evolutivo, passando através diferentes estados num processo contínuo de contaminação."
"UNTITLED SEQUENCE v1.1 is the cross product between the organic and the inorganic and it builds itself around an evolutive context, going through different stages of a continuous process of contamination."
I hate it when they give the plot away ;-))))
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September 21, 2003
Moviemercial
Apparently there's a new trend in Hollywood: instead of creating merchandise for a movie, why not base a movie on already existing products?
No need to complain about product placement in movies anymore...they will turn into a long ad!
At least they are starting with movies for kids based on toys like Lego's Bionics or G.I. Joe; but imagine when they start doing it for grown-ups (well, they almost did with "Cast Away" starring Tom Hanks)
But coming to think about it, it's not a new trend! Remember Disney's "Herbie, the Volkswagen Beetle" movie series (1966 to 1982!!!)?
Do you want to know more?
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