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After Porn Ends (2012)
Interesting
I think 'After Porn Ends' brings to light a prudent question: what those who make their living in the porn business do after... after... they finish it? Well, the movie tells us that not everybody in this field really stops for good; even the actresses, who are most requested in their early twenties or so, they can continue working in parallel or do something-porn-related when they get older. The main thing, according to the film, is that these people live in their own world when they are into this. The parties, the drugs, the trips, they're all consequences of this chosen life. You might raise the question: 'But why did they choose this kind of life?' a psychologist says that most of them see this as an only opportunity to be somebody, somehow; to escape from their own lives, usually a life of struggles, with financial difficulties; not to mention that some of them (I guess a small part, since the movie didn't delve into that much) were molested by parents or adults when kids. It's interesting to see some ex-porn stars doing something far different now. What seems they cannot run away is from being, to some extent, judged by other people in a moment somebody finds out on the Internet that this very person used to make a living by sucking a bunch of cocks, for example. I don't know,but those who left this industry behind seem to resent that they were part of it someday. The feeling is normally of shame and what's worse, they didn't get rich as they guessed. The film does a good job showing these people expressing their opinions. I just thought that it could go further on the psychological analysis - the psychologist speaks for less than a minute or two in the whole movie, while some ex-stars don't have, let's say, something too enlightening to say.
Blue Jasmine (2013)
"Blue Jasmine" hits the target
It's commonplace to say that Woody Allen still surprises us, year after year, movie after movie. At the same time Woody's characters idiosyncrasies seem to remain film after film, we never know exactly when and how intense these traces of personality will be manifested during Allen's movies. That is one reason I've liked very much "Blue Jasmine". Another, was for the solid performance of Cate Blanchett, who deservedly received the best Actress Oscar. Blanchett plays Jasmine, a woman in her forties deeply disappointed with her ex-husband Hal (Alec Baldwin) and financially broke, who moves out from a life of luxury and comfort in N.Y., to start afresh a new and ordinary life in the company of her sister Ginger(Sally Hawkinks), who lives in San Francisco. In a family of only two sisters (and, curious, both adopted)what always happened was that Jasmine was considered the role model, meanwhile Ginger was the ne'er-do-well. Living together, both will have to deal with skeletons in the closet that haunts the sisters present life. Yet, Jasmine has to deal with a bigger issue: how not to lose her grip amidst a new disappointing job and the possibilities of a new relationship. As usual, the dialogues are top-notch, as well as the development of the story, told here through flashback.
Mato Sem Cachorro (2012)
A fine Brazilian comedy
"Mato sem Cachorro" has something new to add to the wave of Brazilian comedies that have been released throughout the year: it has Danilo Gentile, a famous TV host in Brazil in his first major role in a film; it also has minor roles with other Brazilian hosts: Rafinha Bastos as a veterinary doctor and Marcelo Tas playing twins, as the bosses of the radio station. It is also a bit overlong for a comedy (it runs more than two hours), a fact that decreased my rating from 8 to 7. The plot consists in Deco(Gagliasso), a nerd who stays all day long at home in front of the computer doing funny video editions on the Internet, usually mixing songs to real life footage of celebrities. After a brief relationship with a radio station employee, Zoe (Leandra Leal), Deco is depressed and living with his outgoing cousin Leleo(Gentile), who works in a company but is often diminished by his superior. It turns out that Deco's courtship with Zoe started by chance, when they found a dog under strange circumstances and decided to adopt it. So Deco, with the aid of Leleo, decides to kidnap the same dog, who now is living with Zoe and his new boyfriend - an oddball owner of a dogs spa. From this moment on, a series of misadventures start to happen - one of the funniest is Zoe's brother band trying to break into the music business, and so many others with the dog, who steals many of the movie scenes. As I told you before, it's a funny movie, the cast is fine and the production is competent. It is only quite overlong and fairly predictable, though.
O Concurso (2013)
A Fair Brazilian Comedy
I didn't know much about this new Brazilian movie before I watched it, though the title "O Concurso" (something like "The Contest" in English) had already given me an idea. In a country where public contests take place all over the year, here we see four men from different states competing one another for a job as a Federal Judge - the most coveted position among all public contests throughout the country. In the story, three of the contenders travel to Rio to do the exams. The fourth competitor is from Rio and he meets the trio in front of the Hall of Justice, where he invites the others to hang around and enjoy the beach. Despite the upcoming hard test they will do, they go with the dweller and a series of misadventures start to happen; some are really funny, others not very much. I laughed at some moments but at the end, it seemed to me like so many other comedies, from Brazil or from any other place - nothing new, just a few laughs without compromise.
Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
A must-see portrait of a genius
When I first watched a Stanley Kubrick film, I was at the age of ten and it was the late eighties. Stanley had already released "Full Metal Jacket" on cinemas, though I was watching for the first time "The Shining", which was a release on VCR at the same time in my homeland. By that period I was shocked by the movie and I considered it one of the scariest movies I'd ever seen, with a curious thing: I could sleep at night (perhaps later than usual) but surely thinking about a frightening Jack Nicholson managing to kill his own family and all the suspense and horror that emerged from that attitude. It was like love at first sight. I was already a film buff in development, and I glimpsed to other movies Stanley had made. Curious as any kid in that age, my next movie was "2001: An Space Odissey", probably recorded in our VCR from a TNT broadcast. Then came "A Clockwork Orange"; I watched it when I was thirteen and it represented really something in my life; not differently from the two films mentioned above, it impacted me in so many ways: its music, the quality of its images, its non-conventional plot and language and so on... For these reasons and for uncountable others that I've watched this documentary about Stanley Kubrick. And I was stroke again by that feeling that he is not here anymore, as said by Tom Cruise in one of the final scenes of the movie; but I also make my words from another genius who participated in the documentary, Martin Scorsese: that Stanley made a few films, although to be viewed as many times as possible, giving us a different perspective in each screening. I think these two commentaries make a lot of sense and it's delightful to know I can share my humble opinion with people inside the movie industry like the two of them. Surely you will agree with many people who appeared in this movie, people such as Sydney Pollack, Matthew Modine, Woody Allen, Jack Nicholson, Arthur C. Clarke, Malcom McDowell, Nicole Kidman... The list is really big. Oh, and there is also his ex-wife and daughters speaking about Stanley the family man, the perfectionist movie-maker...it's really a gripping piece of information. I think it's not a homage, but it could well be. The people in there give their opinions amidst the unfolding of Stanley's story of life, from the beginning of it to its very last days... An absolute must-see, either if you are a casual viewer or a film buff, as I am.
Somos Tão Jovens (2013)
The early years of a Brazilian rock idol
"Somos Tão Jovens" is a new Brazilian movie based on the true story of Renato Russo, a Brazilian singer, songwriter and composer who was considered a poet of its generation. In the movie we see the early years of Renato, from 1976 to the upcoming release of Renato's first album along with his band, Legiao Urbana (circa 1984). This band was a huge success in Brazil and a powerful influence among young people throughout the mid 80's through 1996, year of Renato's death and of the resulting end of Legiao Urbana. What the movie shows us is that Renato was, since an early age, someone who looked forward to be an artist. He pursued not only a career, but also a way of express his ideas through the music. Renato was against the Brazilian dictatorship and in opposition to the system itself. Renato's first band was named "Aborto Eletrico" and since its formation in the late 70's the lyrics manifested his ideas in a witty way. No wonder many of Legiao Urbana early successes came from the Aborto Eletrico phase, which is demonstrated all along the movie. Thiago Mendonça plays Renato Russo by perfection: his gestures, voice and physical features are stunningly real. The other performances of the ensemble are also compelling, and so is the film. "Somos Tão Jovens" is a movie I strongly recommend to all music and movie fans worldwide; a little gem about a Brazilian who really made a difference.
What a Way to Go! (1964)
A great cast, though miscasted...
I've just watched "What a Way to Go!" and I must confess I was seduced by its cast for some time, and that was the reason why I've wanted to watch it. By the end of the screening, I was a little disappointed perhaps more due to its dull plot than to anything else: Shirley Maclaine plays Louise May Foster, the heiress of a inheritance of more than 200 million dollars who intends to donate all of it to the government. Before she donates it she goes to a psychologist (Robert Cummings) and tells him where all this money comes from: from her ex-husbands, who turned out to die from unexpected (but at the same time funny) causes, all of them in the peak of their careers; a new millionaire who was Loiuse's first love and became her first husband (Dick Van Dyke); a painter(Paul Newman) that she met in Paris and that got rich selling paintings created by his own machinery; a fancy tycoon (Robert Mitchum) and a singer (Gene Kelly) who has got rich getting into the movie business. The only guy she dumped in her life was a spoiled businessman (Dean Martin), that she happens to meet again later on in the movie. Although its a high-quality production, with good moments (the comparisons that Louise makes about her relationships to different ages in the film history are the highlight), the result is a few laughs, and a feeling that such good actors were miscasted (Newman, Mitchum, Martin) maybe except for Gene Kelly, that steals the movie at the moment he is on it. By the end, the feeling is: it could be funnier and bolder. It is not.
The Boondock Saints (1999)
The idiot saints or thanks Mr. Ebert!
No wonder the unknown Mr. Duffy made a big deal with a major Hollywood producer to shoot and direct "The Boondock Saints"; and no wonder Hoolywood is very fond of brainless stories, which drawn the attention of most of the public, that is not only Hollywood, but it is worldwide. I've just watched the movie this week, but I'd heard some good comments about it since its release. Except for, of course, Mr. Roger Ebert, who doesn't need any presentations here. I admit I've always been a fan of Ebert's work, apart from his preferences and mine, which are different, as it is with any other individual. But he was amazingly fair, sincere and clear in his opinion about this one. I can't even figure out what to say... well... let's try a little bit, to give just an idea of what the plot is: two Irish descendants, living in Boston, they have a "call of duty" from their catholic saints, and in his prayers, they ask for protection to do their jobs, in name of the Lord. Their job is to extinguish all the gangs of Boston (which has a bunch of criminals, by the way)using his techniques, like to speak fluently all the languages of the existing gangs and plus, to kill'em all with no mercy. Oh, there is also the smartest ass chief of investigations, who is aware and supports the two of them in this divine mission. It's a pity to see a good actor as Willem Dafoe, doing such a pathetic character as in this movie, maybe except for the scene in which he is disguised - perhaps the only interesting moment in the movie - but that's it, there's nothing more to say. No wonder Mr. Duffy only directed a sequel ten years after... his creativity is not his strongest point, I guess.