Life can be seen from the point of view of a kid as innocent, unique and special. Doesn't matter of how poor or rich a family can be, the kid will always dream and wish something out of the ordinary.
For Junior (Samuel Lange Zambrano) his long dream was to get his hair straight ready for his school picture. The story takes place in a poor area of Caracas during social turmoil, when a president is facing illness and the followers of the president are doing sacrifices for his health. This backdrop is a the social scenario of a Junior's mother Marta (Samantha Castillo) constant struggle to maintain a two kids from a murdered father at any cost, but also her homophobic feelings about Junior.
The film explore political messages and social problems about kids living in poor areas, who dream big, but those dreams are slashed out but broken promises and sad realities.
The story is powerful, with strong messages, about tolerance, respect and society morals about people who think different.
Monday, May 5, 2014
The Lunchbox
Movies always been obsessed with food. Films that tale the tales of love, deception and success with the power of food use this element to create wonderful stories. From Like Water for Chocolate, Babette's Feast, Chocolat, Eat Drink Woman, these films tell stories of struggling families, passionate relationships and search for happiness.
In the Indian film The Lunchbox (Dabba) we have two major characters Saajan play by Irrfan Khan (Slumndog Millionaire, Life of Pi) a nearly retired from accountant office who is grieving the dead of his wife and Illa play Nimrat Kaur who is a unsatisfied wife who is trying to reconquer her husband with food. The idea from Illa with the help of her aunt is cook the most wonderful dishes and send it to her husband using the service of Dabbawalas a messenger service who deliver lunches right at her husband office. By mistake the lunchbox is received by Saajan who enjoyed the food so much. After the second lunch Illa realize that her husband is not receiving the food, but is other person, and she decided to send a not with the lunchbox in order to find out who is the mysterious person who is enjoying Illa's cooking skill.
The film The lunchbox is hopeful, funny and represents a single love story, where both characters share personal thoughts about life and dreams. Is a true gem of Indian cinema.
In the Indian film The Lunchbox (Dabba) we have two major characters Saajan play by Irrfan Khan (Slumndog Millionaire, Life of Pi) a nearly retired from accountant office who is grieving the dead of his wife and Illa play Nimrat Kaur who is a unsatisfied wife who is trying to reconquer her husband with food. The idea from Illa with the help of her aunt is cook the most wonderful dishes and send it to her husband using the service of Dabbawalas a messenger service who deliver lunches right at her husband office. By mistake the lunchbox is received by Saajan who enjoyed the food so much. After the second lunch Illa realize that her husband is not receiving the food, but is other person, and she decided to send a not with the lunchbox in order to find out who is the mysterious person who is enjoying Illa's cooking skill.
The film The lunchbox is hopeful, funny and represents a single love story, where both characters share personal thoughts about life and dreams. Is a true gem of Indian cinema.
Monday, April 7, 2014
"The Gran Budapest Hotel"
Wes Anderson "The Gran Budapest Hotel" represents the highest peak in this director style. The film outstanding art direction and cinematography is one of the biggest attraction, as well a powerful ensemble cast.
"The Gran Budapest Hotel" tales the story of Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes) a well known concierge in this hotel in the 1920's. Zero Mustafa (F. Murray Abraham/Tony Revolori) recounts the events from his own point of view as well his relationship with Gustave H. This legendary concierge was demanded by rich old ladies that visit the hotel for the luxury of the place as well how Gustave carter them in so many ways. One of the visitors Madame D (Tilda Swinton) was in love of the famous concierge, for a wide variety of reasons, she also offer Gustave all her fortune if she dies.
Suddenly after Madame D last visit, came the sad news that she die Gustave is included as part of the will which upset all the members of the family including her son Dmitri Desgoffe-und-Taxis.
The story will takes place in interesting passages of Gustave in jail as well well crafted actions scenes and chase.
"The Gran Budapest Hotel" is not a powerful story like older films from Wes Anderson, but is a delightful film paying tribute to the silent films era with cinematic techniques, beautiful art direction, costume design and a powerful assemble cast.
"The Gran Budapest Hotel" tales the story of Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes) a well known concierge in this hotel in the 1920's. Zero Mustafa (F. Murray Abraham/Tony Revolori) recounts the events from his own point of view as well his relationship with Gustave H. This legendary concierge was demanded by rich old ladies that visit the hotel for the luxury of the place as well how Gustave carter them in so many ways. One of the visitors Madame D (Tilda Swinton) was in love of the famous concierge, for a wide variety of reasons, she also offer Gustave all her fortune if she dies.
Suddenly after Madame D last visit, came the sad news that she die Gustave is included as part of the will which upset all the members of the family including her son Dmitri Desgoffe-und-Taxis.
The story will takes place in interesting passages of Gustave in jail as well well crafted actions scenes and chase.
"The Gran Budapest Hotel" is not a powerful story like older films from Wes Anderson, but is a delightful film paying tribute to the silent films era with cinematic techniques, beautiful art direction, costume design and a powerful assemble cast.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Nyphomania vol 2
The best way to solve a problem is accept that there is one…
Traditionally you will go to therapy, talk about it and seek medical help if is need it.
But never go against your own will and explore new levels of that problem. Perhaps that's what happens to Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) in the volume 2 of Nymphomaniac. She lost her sexual appetite after feel disappointed to her love and partner Jeróme.
Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård) continues listening Joe's story about her sexual journey. Her new passages in life are more disturbing but also are more interesting. After the deteriorating relationship with Jerome, Joe continue feeding her sexual appetite that goes from sadomasochism with a real professional played by Jamie Bell. Joe experience pain mentally physically and psychologically, metaphorically speaking she sees her falling apart after this pain, but also her obsession with pain almost make her loose the one thing that keeps her together, her son.
Her obsession leads her to new sexual additions by having sexual innuendos with two African brothers, total strangers that she spy from her window. The episode turns into a comedic one, when the brothers cannot decide witch sexual position are going to share with Joe, while she stood in front to big erect penis.
The journey continues when she explore sex with a girl young protégé and also with L a character played by Willem Dafoe, a guy who owns a company responsible of provide pleasure to wealthy people.
The conclusion is a harsh as the viewer’s relationship with Von Trier, is never passionate or emotional is cold and hard as it can be. We can love him for what he did, we just keep want more, more controversial and nonsense stories.
Traditionally you will go to therapy, talk about it and seek medical help if is need it.
But never go against your own will and explore new levels of that problem. Perhaps that's what happens to Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) in the volume 2 of Nymphomaniac. She lost her sexual appetite after feel disappointed to her love and partner Jeróme.
Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård) continues listening Joe's story about her sexual journey. Her new passages in life are more disturbing but also are more interesting. After the deteriorating relationship with Jerome, Joe continue feeding her sexual appetite that goes from sadomasochism with a real professional played by Jamie Bell. Joe experience pain mentally physically and psychologically, metaphorically speaking she sees her falling apart after this pain, but also her obsession with pain almost make her loose the one thing that keeps her together, her son.
Her obsession leads her to new sexual additions by having sexual innuendos with two African brothers, total strangers that she spy from her window. The episode turns into a comedic one, when the brothers cannot decide witch sexual position are going to share with Joe, while she stood in front to big erect penis.
The journey continues when she explore sex with a girl young protégé and also with L a character played by Willem Dafoe, a guy who owns a company responsible of provide pleasure to wealthy people.
The conclusion is a harsh as the viewer’s relationship with Von Trier, is never passionate or emotional is cold and hard as it can be. We can love him for what he did, we just keep want more, more controversial and nonsense stories.
Nymphomaniac Vol 1
When you start a relationship based just on sex, there is no room for love or any other feeling than just lust. Is aggressive, immediate, carnal, insensitive and end abruptly.
To me thats the way to explain the first film Nymphomania Vol 1. The film start with Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård) a middle aged loner walking on a dark alley after buying groceries, he finds Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) laying on the floor totally beat up. After take care of her, Joe start telling him the story of her life, how she end up there and the origin of her sexual obsession.
During the course of this first volume Seligman hearing all the sexual chapters of Joe's life, that goes from her sexual discovery to her eminent relationship with Jerôme (Shia LeBeouf) the person who treasure the end of her virginity and also the end of her vaginal sensibility. While Seligman is listening Joe's stories, he provoke her by adding bizarre elements to they stories, thanks to his studies as a scholar, most of the references are related to fly fishing, which later becomes in metaphors of how Joe catching sexual partners from the early age.
Joe's relationship with her father was special, but at the end is represented with a twisted sexual reference by showing a corpse at the same angle of her open legs while Joe is lubricating.
Joe is a sinner Seligman is a sinner, everyone in this film are sinners in a way. Joe express her obsession with sex and lack of pleasure by switching patterns, lying to them in a articulated montage of images back to back.
This not Lars Von Trier finest work, but represents a very risky exploration of a hungry woman who is not socially accepted for her desires, more than her mistakes.
To me thats the way to explain the first film Nymphomania Vol 1. The film start with Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård) a middle aged loner walking on a dark alley after buying groceries, he finds Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) laying on the floor totally beat up. After take care of her, Joe start telling him the story of her life, how she end up there and the origin of her sexual obsession.
During the course of this first volume Seligman hearing all the sexual chapters of Joe's life, that goes from her sexual discovery to her eminent relationship with Jerôme (Shia LeBeouf) the person who treasure the end of her virginity and also the end of her vaginal sensibility. While Seligman is listening Joe's stories, he provoke her by adding bizarre elements to they stories, thanks to his studies as a scholar, most of the references are related to fly fishing, which later becomes in metaphors of how Joe catching sexual partners from the early age.
Joe's relationship with her father was special, but at the end is represented with a twisted sexual reference by showing a corpse at the same angle of her open legs while Joe is lubricating.
Joe is a sinner Seligman is a sinner, everyone in this film are sinners in a way. Joe express her obsession with sex and lack of pleasure by switching patterns, lying to them in a articulated montage of images back to back.
This not Lars Von Trier finest work, but represents a very risky exploration of a hungry woman who is not socially accepted for her desires, more than her mistakes.
Monday, February 10, 2014
A choir sing in a italian square while a bunch of Japanese tourist listen an italian tourist guy, one of the tourist split from the group to snap some panoramic pictures of the city, suddenly he is dead… The life start in the afternoon for everyone
The Great Beauty start with a wild party on the rooftop of luxury apartment in Rome. You can identify the main character of this story, the selfish people with unreciprocated love, the heavy drinker with nothing left to live, midgets, dominatrix and horny fellows. The last person to reveal is the singular guy smoking and seems to having a blast on this party, this i Jep.
Jep is a writer, Jep is a playboy, Jep is the happiest guy in Italy. The Great Beauty tells the story of Jep Gambardella a well known writer with a single successful book, lives "La Dolce Vita" in this wonderful and amazing apartment with a terrace to the Coliseum, he lives the live to the fullest, with crazy parties with friends who share a common interest in writing and theater. But there empty, from the inside.
Jep search for love, real one, he spent hours by looking at the ceiling picturing the ocean, the sea that saw him grew and saw him been in love and passionated about things, but specially Elissa his lost love.
That's What triggers Jep emotions. He relived the first kiss, his first sexual encounter and how his life is been dedicated to enjoy the superficial pleasures of life, the drugs, the lust, the alcohol and the luxury.
The Great Beauty is surreal, is fantastic, is a pure joy a real movie buzz, he honored the great Federico Fellini with his iconic images, the religious symbols, but most importune how caricature characters travel from one extreme to the other, camouflaging their emotions using fancy clothes, fancy cars, erotic dance moves and elegant dinner parties with bishops and cardinals.
The film travels to the underground lives of instant botox, the Costa Concordia, unusual gifted kids painters who drain their hate, but mostly The Great Beauty is about a man who wanders the city and his life.
The Great Beauty start with a wild party on the rooftop of luxury apartment in Rome. You can identify the main character of this story, the selfish people with unreciprocated love, the heavy drinker with nothing left to live, midgets, dominatrix and horny fellows. The last person to reveal is the singular guy smoking and seems to having a blast on this party, this i Jep.
Jep is a writer, Jep is a playboy, Jep is the happiest guy in Italy. The Great Beauty tells the story of Jep Gambardella a well known writer with a single successful book, lives "La Dolce Vita" in this wonderful and amazing apartment with a terrace to the Coliseum, he lives the live to the fullest, with crazy parties with friends who share a common interest in writing and theater. But there empty, from the inside.
Jep search for love, real one, he spent hours by looking at the ceiling picturing the ocean, the sea that saw him grew and saw him been in love and passionated about things, but specially Elissa his lost love.
That's What triggers Jep emotions. He relived the first kiss, his first sexual encounter and how his life is been dedicated to enjoy the superficial pleasures of life, the drugs, the lust, the alcohol and the luxury.
The Great Beauty is surreal, is fantastic, is a pure joy a real movie buzz, he honored the great Federico Fellini with his iconic images, the religious symbols, but most importune how caricature characters travel from one extreme to the other, camouflaging their emotions using fancy clothes, fancy cars, erotic dance moves and elegant dinner parties with bishops and cardinals.
The film travels to the underground lives of instant botox, the Costa Concordia, unusual gifted kids painters who drain their hate, but mostly The Great Beauty is about a man who wanders the city and his life.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Making biopics is a big challenge, in fact could be a curse if are not make properly.
Director Justin Chadwick director of several TV series in the UK, was responsible of making Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom a film about the life of Nelson Mandela.
Idris Elba play the iconic character who change the destiny of South Africa by changing the country with his ideas. The film follow Mandela from childhood, his first years as a lawyer, his first marriage, then his relationship with Winnie, his trouble maker times till his incarceration and concluding on his presidency.
Mandela Long Walk to Freedom is looks like a TV film, of course it was well produced but probably do his director is hard to not compare the film to a made to TV movie biopic. Idris Elba is such a talented actor and deserve recognition. What annoys me is the make up add to to Mr Elba to make it look old. Is distracting and is not accurate. The screenplay by William Nicholson is strong but sometimes borderline of been corny,
I believe that after a long career for Mr Chadwick making movies, the transition to Hollywood will help him to define his style and also will create a better look for his films instead of looking more TV movie that actual film movie.
Director Justin Chadwick director of several TV series in the UK, was responsible of making Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom a film about the life of Nelson Mandela.
Idris Elba play the iconic character who change the destiny of South Africa by changing the country with his ideas. The film follow Mandela from childhood, his first years as a lawyer, his first marriage, then his relationship with Winnie, his trouble maker times till his incarceration and concluding on his presidency.
Mandela Long Walk to Freedom is looks like a TV film, of course it was well produced but probably do his director is hard to not compare the film to a made to TV movie biopic. Idris Elba is such a talented actor and deserve recognition. What annoys me is the make up add to to Mr Elba to make it look old. Is distracting and is not accurate. The screenplay by William Nicholson is strong but sometimes borderline of been corny,
I believe that after a long career for Mr Chadwick making movies, the transition to Hollywood will help him to define his style and also will create a better look for his films instead of looking more TV movie that actual film movie.
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