Well, the title itself reveals the main plot: Kiyoshi Adachi gains magical powers in his 30 years old anniversary as the legend about late virgins says. I won't tell you what is the hability, just that it makes this Boys' Love romantic comedy really interesting and fun to watch. We keep thinking about what we would do with this power and getting anxious to know what Adachi will do next and how he will react and interact with people. Moreover, the show is based on a manga written by Yuu Toyota so the series episodes are short, the pace is naturaly faster and there are not that many subplots. I read the first chapter of the manga and it's impressive how the crew perfectly adapted it to the first episode. The actors, essentialy Eiji Akaso (Adachi) and Keita Machida (Kurosawa) are really alike the manga characters, in terms of look and personality. I liked every aspect: the comedy, the romance and the fantasy. The only negative thing to me was a subplot in the narrative involving Tsuge and Minato which wasn't so well developed. Overall, I enjoyed the show a lot and was surprised as this one is the first BL I watched. If you are not used to anime or to japanese shows you might take a while to get used to the acting and language but it's totally worth to give it a try if you like this genre.
Reviews
23 Reviews
1000Stars
(2021)
Heartwarming romance
16 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The story is very simple, it's a soap opera narrative without many characters nor subplots but this is not a bad thing, not at all, because the main plot is well done and interesting. I won't say much about the story, just that Tian, the main character, received a heart in a sudden transplant and his life and the life of the donor connected forever. It's not a supernatural story as it might have sounded but there is this feeling of destiny throughout the series. It's a boys love show so it's not a spoiler to say Tian is gonna find somebody to love after his second chance in life. Moreover, I liked all the characters, they feel real and their interactions are delightful to see because of the great chemistry between actors. I can't praise Sahaphap Wongratch enough for what he did with Tian. It's a character in a journey to understand himself, with many doubts, and he conveyed this through his performance. Furthermore, the conflicts in the narrative are very true situations related to politics, corruption, economic inequality and social pressure. Something I loved about this series is how it is a love letter to simplicity. It beautifully explores the difference between knowledge and wisdom, showing that the second doesn't depend on money or on a degree. There are many insightful and meaningfull quotes that add a lot to the day of who watches the series, about nature, friendship, love and other universal themes. In addition to this, I loved the sets and if one day I go to Thailand I'll certainly visit that region. To end this, if you don't mind very simple plots and you are looking for a light and heartwarming love story I recommend A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021).
The Midas Touch
(2020)
Watchable but not great
16 November 2021
The Midas Touch (2020) is a film to watch alone or with a partner as it is an erotical comedy. This is something that made the film quite repetitive to me, the fact that the jokes are almost entirely sexual or related to sex. Nonetheless, the plot is quite nice and cohesive. Felix, the main character, lives a "miserable" life and is just noticed when people want to bully him. This changes when he receives a gift, The Midas Touch, that is not related to gold, but with attracting women. I liked the change in Felix's life and personality, it's well done. The film doesn't take itself seriously and feels like a parody sometimes, what improves the comedy. It also has lines in which the characters act as if they knew they were characters. I liked these breaks and how Tilman Borck got some references from classic films to build the narrative, it was a humble and good act. Moreover, the main plot is predictable but the subplots are not so the film keeps interesting as we don't really know what's going to happen. The acting is good overall and I highlight Gino Wilson (Felix) and Clayton Nemrow (Ron). They are great here and their rivalry on screen is on point. About the technical aspects, they are good. I praise Tilman Borck for acting, writing and directing The Midas Touch (2020). I can only imagine how difficult it is to do so many things and he did a good job, I didn't like it that much but it's a watchable film.
Circle
(I) (2019)
Worth watching crime film
16 November 2021
I had a great time watching Circle (2019). It's an indie crime film that doesn't try to be completely original, in fact, Bekir Kulozu - director and writer - took references from many great and classic films from the genre and created an entertaining movie. It has the fast pace from films like Guy Ritchie's ones plus a focus on Italian mob groups, a combination that totally worked. Moreover, the screenplay is clever, with an interesting main plot, about a treason in the mob, and many subplots as this is an intersecting stories narrative. There is a lot going on, many characters, but the film never feels confusing and all the important characters are fleshed out and have interesting lines. The screenplay is smart and the editing too, so Circle (2019) has a great pace. Moreover, I really liked that there are many kinds of gangsters groups in this film, this is something that feels fresh to me. Furthermore, the film navigates well through genres, with interesting dramatic moments and an enjoyable comedy and action. About acting, I highlight Richard Cerqueira (Marco), I loved his accent and how he embodied the classic Italian mob man, Michael Kaplan (Marcello), who is very natural and clearly is an experienced actor, Mike Adler (Frank), whose voice is surreal and did a great job at being menacing and Katrina Lenk, who steals the scenes in which she is in and has an incredible performance in a scene that involves dancing and singing. In addition to this, the technical aspects are all well crafted. There are interesting shots, a nice cinematography, well thought out costumes, sets and I wanna call attention to the soundtrack, which is great. To end this, Circle (2019) is a worth watching indie crime film and I'm grateful @circlethemovie invited me to review it.
Forest of Piano
(2018– )
A Lovely and Musical Coming-of-age Story
10 September 2021
Forest of Piano or Piano no Mori is based on a 2007 animation film also called Piano no Mori. I haven't watched the film but, based on the images I saw, I can tell the first season of the anime covers the story in the movie and the second season expands it. In the first part we watch Kai Ichinose difficult childhood, his connection with the piano in the forest and the beginning of his relashionship with Shuhei Amamiya. It's a simple yet captivating coming-of-age story, with a nice character development and a good narrative. Kai is very likeable and I couldn't help but be curious to know what was going to happen in his life, so I went straight to season 2. There are some differences regarding the two parts. The second has much more music and more characters. If you like piano and erudite music, then you are gonna enjoy this part a lot. It's delightful to watch and, essentialy, to hear the pianists through the 12 episodes of the season, the same amount of season 1. I can't say much about the second phase, cause it would be a spoiler so I'll just say it focuses on a very famous pianist from the romantic era and it's lovely to see the amount of love people from the country where he was born still gives him, through events. Like I said before, there are more characters in this season, what adds a lot to the narrative, that becomes more complex, with more conflicts. There is just one negative thing I gotta highlight in this review: the animation. The drawing is beautiful, but it lacks in motion. In the first season the animators used techniques to give motion to the characters while playing the piano, so it's delightful to watch and hear the piano. But, regarding season 2, there is almost no movement at all, therefore, it relies totally in the beautiful soundtrack. Like I said in the trivia, professional pianists were hired to play for the studio. I don't know so much about music yet I could totally notice the difference in the way each character plays the piano. It's a masterful job. That's why it's crucial to like erudite music to watch this anime, because it's what stands out in it. I loved the music, the landscapes and the energy about the city so much that it became a dream of mine to go there someday and pay homage to the brilliant composer the anime honors.
Didactic, Informative and Entertaining
21 August 2021
Do you know what Bakelite is? Even if you know what it is you should definitely watch All Things Bakelite: The Age of Plastic (2018). It's a didactic, informative and entertaining documentary about Leo Baekeland, the man who changed the world and started the Fourth Kingdom, the synthetic materials era. Right in the beginning it sets its tone with some funny street interviews, showing that the purpose it's to be like history and chemistry classes but not boring ones.
In this path, the film gently guides audience through these two subjects. With the help of very instructive scientists, we can easily understand complex things such chemical reactions. They use a lot of metaphors that go along with simulations, videos, photographs, digital animation, so it's easy to understand what Leo Baekeland did and why Bakelite was and is so important to mankind. Besides, Leo himself has a voice in the film. Adam Behr gives life to the inventor through some notebooks notes that help us understand his choices not only in chemistry but in his entire life. Therefore, the documentary has a soul and let's us closer to Leo all the time, a historical journey through his memories. This area, his personal living, is explained also with the help of fantastic contents, many photographs and short films the family has, a historical simulation, performed by Mark Ferreira and interviews with Baekeland relatives and admirers. Something that it's very important to highlight is the connection with now and the future. Like the title says: The Age of Plastic, the film explores the present and the future of plastic, showing how the Fourth Kingdom evolved from Bakelite to the plastics we use today and what are the possibilities for the next synthetic materials. As you can see, All Things Bakelite is a very complete movie, although it has just 59min. Audience can learn everything about Bakelite and its inventor plus many other significant subjects and have a good time. There are even funny video clips throughout the documentary to keep us entertained. In the end of the watch we get the feeling we really know Leo Baekeland, as if we spent an hour with him. This has everything to do with the fact that it's an indie movie with an important family participation. We can feel the care with the memories and the will and success in showing the world the greatness of this eccentric and brilliant man.
In this path, the film gently guides audience through these two subjects. With the help of very instructive scientists, we can easily understand complex things such chemical reactions. They use a lot of metaphors that go along with simulations, videos, photographs, digital animation, so it's easy to understand what Leo Baekeland did and why Bakelite was and is so important to mankind. Besides, Leo himself has a voice in the film. Adam Behr gives life to the inventor through some notebooks notes that help us understand his choices not only in chemistry but in his entire life. Therefore, the documentary has a soul and let's us closer to Leo all the time, a historical journey through his memories. This area, his personal living, is explained also with the help of fantastic contents, many photographs and short films the family has, a historical simulation, performed by Mark Ferreira and interviews with Baekeland relatives and admirers. Something that it's very important to highlight is the connection with now and the future. Like the title says: The Age of Plastic, the film explores the present and the future of plastic, showing how the Fourth Kingdom evolved from Bakelite to the plastics we use today and what are the possibilities for the next synthetic materials. As you can see, All Things Bakelite is a very complete movie, although it has just 59min. Audience can learn everything about Bakelite and its inventor plus many other significant subjects and have a good time. There are even funny video clips throughout the documentary to keep us entertained. In the end of the watch we get the feeling we really know Leo Baekeland, as if we spent an hour with him. This has everything to do with the fact that it's an indie movie with an important family participation. We can feel the care with the memories and the will and success in showing the world the greatness of this eccentric and brilliant man.
Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals
(2010 TV Movie)
Must-see Documentary
17 August 2021
It's avaiable on You Tube in TheNBAHistorian, an Official channel!
. Some may think one hour and a half of documentary about a rivalty in basketball would drag in some point but it doesn't and that's mainly because Aaron Cohen and Charles Olivier built a brilliant narrative. There are funny, dramatic, emotional and tense moments, we feel the roller coaster that is an athlete's life and these two have very interesting experiences. The film explores everything about Magic and Bird and shows how different they are personaly and professionaly. It covers their childhoods, their teenager years, how they got in the professional basketball, their careers and hobbies and when and why they retired. Always in order to make audience understand their personalities and choices in life... Nothing in the documentary is out of place. Magic is extrovert, really charismatic and fits the city life, Hollywood, fame, while Bird is very shy and simple, more apart from media. There is also an attention to the historical context in which they reached stardom, the Civil Rights era, when the different color of the players used to matter a lot to the fans and was a reason for fights inside and outside the court. Moreover, the material they have: pictures, match and advertising videos plus interviews is fantastic and beautifuly gathered by Charles Olivier. I loved the documentary because I fell in love with Magic and Bird and their incredible stories and relashionship so I can't recommend this film enough to anyone that enjoys sports and documentaries.
. Some may think one hour and a half of documentary about a rivalty in basketball would drag in some point but it doesn't and that's mainly because Aaron Cohen and Charles Olivier built a brilliant narrative. There are funny, dramatic, emotional and tense moments, we feel the roller coaster that is an athlete's life and these two have very interesting experiences. The film explores everything about Magic and Bird and shows how different they are personaly and professionaly. It covers their childhoods, their teenager years, how they got in the professional basketball, their careers and hobbies and when and why they retired. Always in order to make audience understand their personalities and choices in life... Nothing in the documentary is out of place. Magic is extrovert, really charismatic and fits the city life, Hollywood, fame, while Bird is very shy and simple, more apart from media. There is also an attention to the historical context in which they reached stardom, the Civil Rights era, when the different color of the players used to matter a lot to the fans and was a reason for fights inside and outside the court. Moreover, the material they have: pictures, match and advertising videos plus interviews is fantastic and beautifuly gathered by Charles Olivier. I loved the documentary because I fell in love with Magic and Bird and their incredible stories and relashionship so I can't recommend this film enough to anyone that enjoys sports and documentaries.
Queen Bees
(2021)
Getting Old is a Privilege
17 August 2021
The focus on the elderly makes Queen Bees (2021) a heartwarming and fairly original romantic comedy. The plot is simple and it's predictable in general but there are some surprises in the middle of the story that add to the film and keep audience interested in it. Donald Martin, the screenwriter, also did a good job with the lines. There are nice jokes and some touching conversations in the film. A negative thing about this aspect was that some speeches didn't sound so natural. About the acting, it's delightful to see so many legendary elderly actors have the opportunity to work and it's a gift to watch them. Ellen Burstyn is very captivating, what made me connect a lot with Helen, the main character. The Queen Bees (Jane Curtin, Loretta Devine and Ann-Margret) also did a wonderful job in their respective roles. James Caan was perfectly cast as Dan, he is very charming and natural. Christopher Lloyd doesn't have many scenes but the ones in which he acts are so funny and emotional. The other support actors are all great and I highlight Matthew Barnes (Peter) and Elizabeth Mitchell (Laura Crane). Their interactions with Ellen were brilliant. Moreover, just one scene felt a little long. Overall, the edit and, therefore, the pace, was on point. Regarding the technical aspects, they are good and the set is beautiful. The retirement home is so inviting and it was well explored in the scenes. To end this, the best thing about this movie is the message inside the story and in reality, that getting old is a privilege and can be great.
Chasing Wonders
(2020)
A Beautiful and Touching Memory
17 August 2021
Chasing Wonders (2020) shows that simple concepts when well developed can lead to great movies. When I say simple I mean the essence of the plot: a coming of age story which explores relashionship conflicts in a migrant family, original from Spain, that lives in Australia. The simplicity ends when we start analysing the screenplay. Judy Morris writing is very smart. First of all, it was a clever idea to alternate past and present through the narrative. It adds a nostalgia to the scenes about the past, making them more alike memories and also increases the will of knowing what happend and led to that future, making the movie more interesting. Another important thing to mention is the narrator. The feeling of somebody "watching from above" connects a lot with the story and is totally justified in a point in the narrative. To finish my analysis on the writing, there were many moments in which something said before was used later on in the film giving a strong meaning to many lines and conversations. In a film that focus in such a personal environment it's indispensable that the characters look real, with cohesive personalities and natural interactions. In this path, no line was wasted. Though some characters don't have many scenes, they do look relatable, realistic and their interactions feel real. This impression has a strong connection with the acting. It elevated even more the screenplay. I didn't know the cast and it didn't stop me from connecting with them. I highlight here Edward James Olmos, who is very charismatic and natural as Luis. Besides, his narration is fantastic, his voice is beautiful, very powerfull and touching. Michael Crisafulli acting amazed me as he was quite young in the scenes about Salvino past. He didn't look intimidated at all by the experienced and talented cast beside him. Antonio De La Torre, who plays Felipe, the main character's father, had a brilliant performance with many memorable scenes. Not only regarding lines but his body language too was perfect, every look, making Felipe almost touchable. The pace was fantastic. It didn't drag nor looked short though it has less than an hour and a half, so I praise Nicholas Gaster for his editing. Paul Meins shots together with Denson Baker cinematography and the special effects made Chasing Wonders a feast for the eyes. The desert scenes are breathtaking and there are many clever shots throughout the film. Furthermore, the music elevated the atmosphere and helped turning this movie a beautiful and touching memory.
Maison Ikkoku
(1986–1988)
A Perfect Rom-Com
17 August 2021
Maison Ikkoku is one of my favorite rom-com stories ever.
Everything starts with Godai, who is a boy that is studying for important exams, the ones that will lead him to a great or a bad japanese university, that will define his future. His hostel neighbors make his task even more difficult as they keep bothering him. Suddenly, everybody's lives begin to change, essentialy Godai's, as the new manager (kanrinin), Kyoko, starts working in the hostel.
The past of the "kanrinin" is really well thought out and is a perfect obstacle to prevent her from loving Godai. Due to this important fact plus many smart obstacles created by Rumiko, the 96 episodes of the series are amazing.
Kyoko and Godai are very relatable and real. We get to know their thoughts so we know them deep inside and can't help but love them and cheer for them to be together.
The support characters are great and well developed too. The way Takahashi mixed their stories with the main characters one is perfect.
What stands out for me is how well the narrative navigates between drama, comedy and romance. This has everything to do with the lines, sometimes very deep.
About the technical aspects I have only good things to say.
The animation is beautiful and it aged very well to me. The expressions are marvelous and the landscapes are breathtaking.
To end this, something that helps a lot with the genre navigation I mentioned are the scores. They give the perfect feeling of each scene, making the atmosphere more comic, romantic or dramatic. Also, I love the 1980s style in the scores and in the openings and endings, it's perfect for the anime theme, very passionate.
Everything starts with Godai, who is a boy that is studying for important exams, the ones that will lead him to a great or a bad japanese university, that will define his future. His hostel neighbors make his task even more difficult as they keep bothering him. Suddenly, everybody's lives begin to change, essentialy Godai's, as the new manager (kanrinin), Kyoko, starts working in the hostel.
The past of the "kanrinin" is really well thought out and is a perfect obstacle to prevent her from loving Godai. Due to this important fact plus many smart obstacles created by Rumiko, the 96 episodes of the series are amazing.
Kyoko and Godai are very relatable and real. We get to know their thoughts so we know them deep inside and can't help but love them and cheer for them to be together.
The support characters are great and well developed too. The way Takahashi mixed their stories with the main characters one is perfect.
What stands out for me is how well the narrative navigates between drama, comedy and romance. This has everything to do with the lines, sometimes very deep.
About the technical aspects I have only good things to say.
The animation is beautiful and it aged very well to me. The expressions are marvelous and the landscapes are breathtaking.
To end this, something that helps a lot with the genre navigation I mentioned are the scores. They give the perfect feeling of each scene, making the atmosphere more comic, romantic or dramatic. Also, I love the 1980s style in the scores and in the openings and endings, it's perfect for the anime theme, very passionate.
Nise: The Heart of Madness
(2015)
Beautiful and Touching Biography
17 August 2021
Nise da Silveira was a revolutionary Brazilian psychiatrist. Nise: The Heart of Madness aka Nise: O Coração da Loucura (2015) shows how she changed psychiatry and fought against the cruel treatments that were used in her time.
But before getting in the movie I'd like to tell you a little bit of her previous story, which the film doesn't cover. She graduated in Medicine in 1931. The only woman between 158 students. She was arrested during Estado Novo, Getúlio Vargas dictatorship, accused of having connections with Comunism. After struggling to have an opportunity, she was hired in Centro Psiquiátrico Nacional Pedro II and that's exactly the point where the movie begins.
Her story, the plot, is very interesting, beautiful and touching. I won't tell you what she did, I'll just say it's simple yet very smart. Not by chance got the attention and the support of Carl Gustav Jung, one of the most important physicians ever.
The screenplay is great, with memorable lines and scenes. Also, with a very enjoyable pace. The period of her life covered was cleverly chosen. Not big nor small. Enough to make a cohesive and engaging narrative.
Glória Pires is very recognized in Brazil, for movies and soap operas. She is a fantastic actress, very natural and realistic and nailed as Nise, giving the character seriousness but also charisma. The support actors were great too and I highlight the ones that portrayed patients. They made the movie very realistic with the semi-documentary feeling great biographies give.
In this path, the Costume Design and the Set Design helped a lot with the realism.
And the cinematography, scores and shots by Roberto Berliner made the movie even more beautiful, touching and worth watching.
But before getting in the movie I'd like to tell you a little bit of her previous story, which the film doesn't cover. She graduated in Medicine in 1931. The only woman between 158 students. She was arrested during Estado Novo, Getúlio Vargas dictatorship, accused of having connections with Comunism. After struggling to have an opportunity, she was hired in Centro Psiquiátrico Nacional Pedro II and that's exactly the point where the movie begins.
Her story, the plot, is very interesting, beautiful and touching. I won't tell you what she did, I'll just say it's simple yet very smart. Not by chance got the attention and the support of Carl Gustav Jung, one of the most important physicians ever.
The screenplay is great, with memorable lines and scenes. Also, with a very enjoyable pace. The period of her life covered was cleverly chosen. Not big nor small. Enough to make a cohesive and engaging narrative.
Glória Pires is very recognized in Brazil, for movies and soap operas. She is a fantastic actress, very natural and realistic and nailed as Nise, giving the character seriousness but also charisma. The support actors were great too and I highlight the ones that portrayed patients. They made the movie very realistic with the semi-documentary feeling great biographies give.
In this path, the Costume Design and the Set Design helped a lot with the realism.
And the cinematography, scores and shots by Roberto Berliner made the movie even more beautiful, touching and worth watching.
Free Byrd
(2021)
A Nice Road Trip Dramatic Comedy
17 August 2021
A trip is naturally predictable. Somebody is going somewhere. Nonetheless, unpredicted things might happen in the way. It's pretty much like life. We are born and we are going to die, a certainty, but what will happen in our journey is a mystery.
That's why Free Byrd has a cohesive plot. It's a road movie with life's uncertainties as the main theme. It invites audience to reflect about death, dreams, relashionships and other universal themes through the characters' travel.
Jay Butler (Randy Nazarian), an elderly house van driver, must take Harry Byrd (Raymond J. Barry), an obstinate elder to another institution. Harry is not happy with moving and doesn't let things easy for Jay. Byrd's stubbornnesss causes changes in their plans and lives... It's a simple plot and the screenplay is not pretentious either. Less is more sometimes and I liked the writing. The adventure is nice and the obstacles make sense. Jay, Harry, Aunt Evelyn and Charles Byrd are great characters.
In the other hand, I felt a lack of character development regarding the kittenettes (with the exception of Red), Jay's kids and Harry's daughters.
Some 5 or 10 screen minutes add to the runtime could improve this aspect and help with the pacing. The beginning and the end seemed quite hurried.
About the acting, I was delighted by Randy Nazarian performance, his Jay is very charismatic and believable. Raymond J. Barry did a great job in portraying Byrd's transformation throughout the journey. Besides, their interactions were adorable. Bettina Devin steals the attention in her scenes as Aunt Evelyn, she is terrific. Also, Bob Turton made Chucky a well done villain.
The locations were well thought out. They give the trip feeling that makes road movies special. Ryan Castaneda did a good job with the cinematography.
Dan Radlauer made the landscapes more moving with his beautiful scores. He also helped a lot with the scenes atmosphere: comic, dramatic and adventurous.
Free Byrd is enjoyable, like its name, but should be classified as a dramatic comedy to give viewers a more accurate expectation on it.
That's why Free Byrd has a cohesive plot. It's a road movie with life's uncertainties as the main theme. It invites audience to reflect about death, dreams, relashionships and other universal themes through the characters' travel.
Jay Butler (Randy Nazarian), an elderly house van driver, must take Harry Byrd (Raymond J. Barry), an obstinate elder to another institution. Harry is not happy with moving and doesn't let things easy for Jay. Byrd's stubbornnesss causes changes in their plans and lives... It's a simple plot and the screenplay is not pretentious either. Less is more sometimes and I liked the writing. The adventure is nice and the obstacles make sense. Jay, Harry, Aunt Evelyn and Charles Byrd are great characters.
In the other hand, I felt a lack of character development regarding the kittenettes (with the exception of Red), Jay's kids and Harry's daughters.
Some 5 or 10 screen minutes add to the runtime could improve this aspect and help with the pacing. The beginning and the end seemed quite hurried.
About the acting, I was delighted by Randy Nazarian performance, his Jay is very charismatic and believable. Raymond J. Barry did a great job in portraying Byrd's transformation throughout the journey. Besides, their interactions were adorable. Bettina Devin steals the attention in her scenes as Aunt Evelyn, she is terrific. Also, Bob Turton made Chucky a well done villain.
The locations were well thought out. They give the trip feeling that makes road movies special. Ryan Castaneda did a good job with the cinematography.
Dan Radlauer made the landscapes more moving with his beautiful scores. He also helped a lot with the scenes atmosphere: comic, dramatic and adventurous.
Free Byrd is enjoyable, like its name, but should be classified as a dramatic comedy to give viewers a more accurate expectation on it.
Carandiru
(2003)
Disturbingly Real
17 August 2021
Carandiru was the nickname of a prison (the name of the neighborhood) called Casa de Detenção de São Paulo. It was created in 1920 and was a model for the world until the 1940s, when it started getting overcrowded.
Carandiru (2003) explores prisoners daily in the prison during 1992, when it was supposed to shelter 3.250 prisoners but had more than 7.000 occupants.
The screenplay is based on Dr. Dráuzio Varella book called Estação Carandiru (1999), a biography. He started an AIDS prevention campaing in Carandiru and met many prisoners and their stories. He met all kinds of criminals and really enter their world.
And that's what happens with us, audience too. The stories are more than interesting and entertaining, they are amazing, some comic, others tragic. The balance between comedy, drama and thriller is great.
What contributes a lot with this connection too is the acting, it's brilliant. Majestade - Majesty -(Ailton Graça), for example, is very cruel but he is also very funny. There is a lot of this duality throughout the movie, this confusion regarding ethic and moral aspects. Is he cruel or is he fair and just inside the prison?
Everything is very real in this film, not only the screenplay, based on true facts. They shot the movie in real location, in Carandiru before it was deactivated in 2002 so the film is disturbingly real. You'll get when you watch... It's not a movie to whatch in a bad day!
Carandiru (2003) explores prisoners daily in the prison during 1992, when it was supposed to shelter 3.250 prisoners but had more than 7.000 occupants.
The screenplay is based on Dr. Dráuzio Varella book called Estação Carandiru (1999), a biography. He started an AIDS prevention campaing in Carandiru and met many prisoners and their stories. He met all kinds of criminals and really enter their world.
And that's what happens with us, audience too. The stories are more than interesting and entertaining, they are amazing, some comic, others tragic. The balance between comedy, drama and thriller is great.
What contributes a lot with this connection too is the acting, it's brilliant. Majestade - Majesty -(Ailton Graça), for example, is very cruel but he is also very funny. There is a lot of this duality throughout the movie, this confusion regarding ethic and moral aspects. Is he cruel or is he fair and just inside the prison?
Everything is very real in this film, not only the screenplay, based on true facts. They shot the movie in real location, in Carandiru before it was deactivated in 2002 so the film is disturbingly real. You'll get when you watch... It's not a movie to whatch in a bad day!
The Man Who Copied
(2003)
A Great Crime Comedy
17 August 2021
O Homem Que Copiava (2003) is a mix of Rear Window (1954) and Guy Ritchie's films so you can guess it's great!
The beginning of the movie, so not really spoilers... André is an honest, ordinary, poor Brazilian man who works as a photocopier operator. His routine is very boring and the best part of his day is when he can see Silvia (Leandra Leal) with his binoculars. His interest in her will lead to changes in his acts and, therefore, in his life.
Jorge Furtado did a fantastic job as director and as screenwriter.
The shots are very smart. I absolutely loved the mirror one, different shots caused by the mirror movement.
The screenplay is really well thought out. It's always ahead of audience, at least this is how I felt, I couldn't predict anything.
I liked how he utilized every character occupation and personality to build the narrative.
Also, the lines are great. It's a dramatic comedy that is also a crime movie so the comedy must predominate. The jokes are great and fit perfectly each character and each scene.
The narration is also a point to be highlighted. Approaches André towards us, we can know what he thinks, what he feels about everything and the jokes within it help making his routine sound more boring, because it gives a lot of space to irony and sarcasm.
Cynthia Caprara nailed in the casting. Lázaro Ramos portrayed a very introvert André that matches very well the also shy Sílvia that Leandra Leal represents. Luana Piovani as Marinês and Pedro Cardoso as Cardoso have a nice chemistry and their characters contrast in a clever way with the main characters. Marinês speaks what she thinks, is opened and Cardoso is a convincing rascal.
The edit is what stands out in the film. The pace is slower and it get's faster and faster. Also, the drama and conflicts increase throughout the narrative, what is helped by Giba Assis Brasil editing.
What I want to highlight before ending this review is comics. The way comic books language relate to André's life is really nice and well thought out. I believe I'll never forget "Vó Doutrina". It's so funny and genuine...
The beginning of the movie, so not really spoilers... André is an honest, ordinary, poor Brazilian man who works as a photocopier operator. His routine is very boring and the best part of his day is when he can see Silvia (Leandra Leal) with his binoculars. His interest in her will lead to changes in his acts and, therefore, in his life.
Jorge Furtado did a fantastic job as director and as screenwriter.
The shots are very smart. I absolutely loved the mirror one, different shots caused by the mirror movement.
The screenplay is really well thought out. It's always ahead of audience, at least this is how I felt, I couldn't predict anything.
I liked how he utilized every character occupation and personality to build the narrative.
Also, the lines are great. It's a dramatic comedy that is also a crime movie so the comedy must predominate. The jokes are great and fit perfectly each character and each scene.
The narration is also a point to be highlighted. Approaches André towards us, we can know what he thinks, what he feels about everything and the jokes within it help making his routine sound more boring, because it gives a lot of space to irony and sarcasm.
Cynthia Caprara nailed in the casting. Lázaro Ramos portrayed a very introvert André that matches very well the also shy Sílvia that Leandra Leal represents. Luana Piovani as Marinês and Pedro Cardoso as Cardoso have a nice chemistry and their characters contrast in a clever way with the main characters. Marinês speaks what she thinks, is opened and Cardoso is a convincing rascal.
The edit is what stands out in the film. The pace is slower and it get's faster and faster. Also, the drama and conflicts increase throughout the narrative, what is helped by Giba Assis Brasil editing.
What I want to highlight before ending this review is comics. The way comic books language relate to André's life is really nice and well thought out. I believe I'll never forget "Vó Doutrina". It's so funny and genuine...
Jogo de cena
(2007)
A Marvelous Theater Game
17 August 2021
Eduardo Coutinho (1933 - 2014) is a very famous name in Brazil. He is considered the best in the documentary genre in the country. Therefore, I was really eager to watch something he made.
The funny thing is that when we hear such things we expect something complex. But his greateness, at least with Jogo de Cena (2007), relies in the simplicity... I'm not gonna talk about Cinematography, Soundtrack... What matters in the movie are the stories and the acting.
"The production company published a small newspaper ad asking women over 18 in Rio de Janeiro to tell their life stories for a documentary. " Some women were selected and told their life stories to the director and his crew. Then Jordana Berg edited the best parts, comic, dramatic and tragic ones, a fantastic work.
It's mind blowing to realize ordinary women have very interesting stories. The stories are very funny or very touching. Knowing they are real makes them much more special and meaningful. It's a fantastic experience to enter a life like that, to know the best and the worst about somebody's life. Watching it in some point I thought: "wow! When I'm walking on the streets I'm around women who are single mothers, who lost someone special, maybe the week before we cross each others way and I'll never know it... And they will never know what I've been through either..." But Coutinhos' geniality pushes this documentary to a even higher standard.
He invited actresses to perform the stories. So there are the real women talking and actresses performing. Some are very well known in Brazil, so I knew they were acting, but some I didn't know, so I couldn't separate the actresses from the real women.
That's why the title is "Jogo de Cena". It's a theater game.
So this documentary is about challenging actresses, bringing to light ordinary women, real stories, real problems and showing how we know nothing about almost no one and that we are not alone when we feel joy or pain, everybody does. A must-see that will probably have more impact in women but that will be very interesting and important for men too.
The funny thing is that when we hear such things we expect something complex. But his greateness, at least with Jogo de Cena (2007), relies in the simplicity... I'm not gonna talk about Cinematography, Soundtrack... What matters in the movie are the stories and the acting.
"The production company published a small newspaper ad asking women over 18 in Rio de Janeiro to tell their life stories for a documentary. " Some women were selected and told their life stories to the director and his crew. Then Jordana Berg edited the best parts, comic, dramatic and tragic ones, a fantastic work.
It's mind blowing to realize ordinary women have very interesting stories. The stories are very funny or very touching. Knowing they are real makes them much more special and meaningful. It's a fantastic experience to enter a life like that, to know the best and the worst about somebody's life. Watching it in some point I thought: "wow! When I'm walking on the streets I'm around women who are single mothers, who lost someone special, maybe the week before we cross each others way and I'll never know it... And they will never know what I've been through either..." But Coutinhos' geniality pushes this documentary to a even higher standard.
He invited actresses to perform the stories. So there are the real women talking and actresses performing. Some are very well known in Brazil, so I knew they were acting, but some I didn't know, so I couldn't separate the actresses from the real women.
That's why the title is "Jogo de Cena". It's a theater game.
So this documentary is about challenging actresses, bringing to light ordinary women, real stories, real problems and showing how we know nothing about almost no one and that we are not alone when we feel joy or pain, everybody does. A must-see that will probably have more impact in women but that will be very interesting and important for men too.
Beautiful Road Film
17 August 2021
I don't usually start with cinematography and direction, but the first scene really got me as well as many others in Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus (2005) - Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures. Mauro Pinheiro Jr.'s cinematography, together with Marcelo Gomes (director) smart shots, makes us feel how hot it is in the location but with beauty, a brilliant work. The location is a Brazilian Northeast zone, characterized by a biome called Caatinga, which is very close to deserts, very hot and with lack of rain.
Besides, there is beauty in the dark too. They utilized old lamps, candles, fire pits... Tools from the year the story covers: 1942.
Everybody nailed in making this movie historical accurate. The songs (like the one that is playing in the radio in the first scene), the radio itself and every object in the film, the outfits and the sets.
It's not just a gorgeous movie, it also has a nice story and an entertaining screenplay, it's a well thought out road movie.
It follows the journey of a German that migrates to Brazil before the Second World War and who travels the country selling aspirins. There are good and bad things on his way, in his life, and he experiences things together with a man called Ranulpho. I won't say more about the plot and the screenplay, I just wanna highlight that the relationship between the two is very believable and well done.
This has everything to do with the acting. The chemistry between João Miguel and Peter Ketnath is great and both were perfectly cast to their respective roles. João Miguel (Ranulpho) is very charismatic and add a mystery to his character. Peter Ketnath, who is German, is also charismatic and built a complex character, with a gracious way of speaking Portuguese.
It's a worth watching adventure film that also has important informations on Brazilian history.
Besides, there is beauty in the dark too. They utilized old lamps, candles, fire pits... Tools from the year the story covers: 1942.
Everybody nailed in making this movie historical accurate. The songs (like the one that is playing in the radio in the first scene), the radio itself and every object in the film, the outfits and the sets.
It's not just a gorgeous movie, it also has a nice story and an entertaining screenplay, it's a well thought out road movie.
It follows the journey of a German that migrates to Brazil before the Second World War and who travels the country selling aspirins. There are good and bad things on his way, in his life, and he experiences things together with a man called Ranulpho. I won't say more about the plot and the screenplay, I just wanna highlight that the relationship between the two is very believable and well done.
This has everything to do with the acting. The chemistry between João Miguel and Peter Ketnath is great and both were perfectly cast to their respective roles. João Miguel (Ranulpho) is very charismatic and add a mystery to his character. Peter Ketnath, who is German, is also charismatic and built a complex character, with a gracious way of speaking Portuguese.
It's a worth watching adventure film that also has important informations on Brazilian history.
The Given Word
(1962)
Contemporary and Universal
17 August 2021
The only old thing about this movie is its release date. It's very contemporary and universal. O Pagador de Promessas (1962) is based on a play written by Dias Gomes and performed for the first time in 1960.
(About the first scene so not really a spoiler) Zé and his wife, Rosa, left their land, in the country, and went to the city so Zé could pay a promise he made for a saint called Santa Bárbara. He promised to carry a wooden cross all the way to the city and enter Santa Bárbara church with it if his best friend was healed by the saint. (Paying promisses is still common in Brazil ).
I won't say why exactly but the priest doesn't let he enters the church.
It might seem a minor conflict, but it's not and it escalates through the narrative in a chocking way to Zé, Rosa and audience.
Through the obstacles, Gomes criticizes many social institutions and Brazilian society as a whole in a brilliant way, mixing comedy with drama, what was totally brought to light in Anselmo's adaptation.
In this path, the acting is really important and it's fantastic.
Leonardo Villar portrays perfectly Zé certainty and naivety; Glória Menezes thought of everything, from the accent to the way of moving and the confusion Rosa shows; Dionísio Azevedo made a perfect traditional priest and everybody else were great in their respective roles, an awesome cast.
The technical features are amazing, the sets, the costume design, Duarte's shots, Chock Fowle cinematography and Gabriel Migliori scores.
What stands out in the movie is the representation of Brazilian Culture, which is what the film defends, the beautiful mix Brazil is, of European, Indian, African and many other cultures.
(About the first scene so not really a spoiler) Zé and his wife, Rosa, left their land, in the country, and went to the city so Zé could pay a promise he made for a saint called Santa Bárbara. He promised to carry a wooden cross all the way to the city and enter Santa Bárbara church with it if his best friend was healed by the saint. (Paying promisses is still common in Brazil ).
I won't say why exactly but the priest doesn't let he enters the church.
It might seem a minor conflict, but it's not and it escalates through the narrative in a chocking way to Zé, Rosa and audience.
Through the obstacles, Gomes criticizes many social institutions and Brazilian society as a whole in a brilliant way, mixing comedy with drama, what was totally brought to light in Anselmo's adaptation.
In this path, the acting is really important and it's fantastic.
Leonardo Villar portrays perfectly Zé certainty and naivety; Glória Menezes thought of everything, from the accent to the way of moving and the confusion Rosa shows; Dionísio Azevedo made a perfect traditional priest and everybody else were great in their respective roles, an awesome cast.
The technical features are amazing, the sets, the costume design, Duarte's shots, Chock Fowle cinematography and Gabriel Migliori scores.
What stands out in the movie is the representation of Brazilian Culture, which is what the film defends, the beautiful mix Brazil is, of European, Indian, African and many other cultures.
Linha de Passe
(2008)
A Realistic and Clever Drama
17 August 2021
Linha de Passe (2008) tells the story of 5 characters whose lives connect naturally, because they are a family. Cleuza is pregnant and is a single mother of four sons: Dênis, Dario, Dinho and Reginaldo. Their stories are very interesting, well thought out and relate in a great way. Besides, it has a smart writing, an escalation in the narrative...
Through this 5 stories, George Moura and Daniela Thomas explore many important social issues in Brazil, such as poverty, unemployment and inequality in an entertaining way. The realism in the screenplay and in other aspects I'm gonna mention, add to this movie a strong documentary appeal. The lines are fantastic.
What reinforces realism the most is the set, with many real locations, the costume design, make up and the acting. It's not by chance that Sandra Corveloni (Cleuza) won the Cannes Film Festival (2008) Best Actress prize. She is brilliant in Linha de Passe, with a very believable acting and an amazing chemistry with the boys, as if she was really their mother.
João Baldasserini is very charismatic as Dênis; Vinícius de Oliveira owns every Dario scene, he is very natural; Geraldo Rodrigues nailed in portraying somebody who passes through a roller coaster of feelings, like Dinho does and Kaique Jesus Santos stealed the attention with his sarcasm and irony as Reginaldo. One of the best child actings I've ever seen.
In addition to all of this there are the perfectly simple and beautiful Gustavo Santaolalla scores; Mauro Pinheiro Jr. Clever cinematography, that utilizes the city light and Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas sensitive shots.
Everything named contributed to a very worth watching drama that, unfortunately, still represents a lot Brazil.
What reinforces realism the most is the set, with many real locations, the costume design, make up and the acting. It's not by chance that Sandra Corveloni (Cleuza) won the Cannes Film Festival (2008) Best Actress prize. She is brilliant in Linha de Passe, with a very believable acting and an amazing chemistry with the boys, as if she was really their mother.
João Baldasserini is very charismatic as Dênis; Vinícius de Oliveira owns every Dario scene, he is very natural; Geraldo Rodrigues nailed in portraying somebody who passes through a roller coaster of feelings, like Dinho does and Kaique Jesus Santos stealed the attention with his sarcasm and irony as Reginaldo. One of the best child actings I've ever seen.
In addition to all of this there are the perfectly simple and beautiful Gustavo Santaolalla scores; Mauro Pinheiro Jr. Clever cinematography, that utilizes the city light and Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas sensitive shots.
Everything named contributed to a very worth watching drama that, unfortunately, still represents a lot Brazil.
O Cheiro do Ralo
(2006)
The Smell of the Drain
17 August 2021
The title Drained (2006) doesn't give a clue of the movie atmosphere. The Brazilian title does: O Cheiro do Ralo - The Smell of the Drain. It's the same title of the book which based the film, released in 2002, written by Lourenço Mutarelli, formerly known in Brazil as a comic book writer. As the name suggests, it's not a movie about beautiful things, not at all. What makes the book and the movie so unique is that the main character is a sociopath: somebody who despises people. I won't say much about the plot, just that Lourenço (the narrator doesn't have a name in the book, so they gave him the writer's name in the film) is a pawn shop proprietor that buys used goods from locals. A sociopath that deals with people everyday... Yes, it's as interesting as it seems! The movie shows his routine, which is repetitive, but entertaining. There is a duality in it, because it's a routine but we stay the whole movie without knowing what to expect. Each person has a different personality and provokes different reactions on Lourenço. The screenplay is very smart and get's the best of each genre: drama, comedy and thriller. Another thing I praise is how the main character is presented throughout the whole movie. There is not the usual beginning scene that shows everything about the main character. We get to know him little by little. The actor who portrays him, Selton Mello, is a terrific actor and his acting in this film is outstanding. It's a very challenging character and he gave realism to him, even though he is so different, a sociopath. The other actors are great and had a good chemistry with Selton. To end this, I highlight the technical features here: the set design (the dirty and old aspect), the costume design (I loved Lourenço's eccentric clothes and the security red outfit), the cinematography (darker and strange atmosphere) and Heitor Dhalia clever and memorable shots.
Bicho de Sete Cabeças
(2000)
The Asylum System in Brazil
17 August 2021
Brainstorm aka Bicho de Sete Cabeças (2000) - Seven Heads Animal - an expression that means "a very hard obstacle to fight or a complex thing to do" is also the name of a song written by Arnaldo Antunes, whose songs were used as soundtrack in the movie. His lyrics are great - he is a recognized writer, lyricist and singer in Brazil - and fit perfectly the movie plot and atmosphere, as well as the instrumental part of the songs. The atmosphere is full of darkness and sadness. This is not an easy movie to watch. I can't say much about the plot, but I can tell that it's about the asylum system in Brazil. For you to have a picture of how bad some places were, there is a famous book about one asylum called "Brazilian Holocaust", by Daniela Arbex... The film portrays with an astonishing realism the routine on an asylum with focus on the life of Neto (Rodrigo Santoro). The technical features are great. The locations, the make up, the costume design and the cinematography make the film disturbingly real. In addition to all of this, the acting also helps a lot making the movie believable. Rodrigo Santoro is fantastic in this film. He totally embraced the character and brilliantly showed his behavior changes through the story. The movie seems short when we notice the length, 74 minutes, but the editing is great and helps with the pace. It's not fast nor slow and I really liked it. The editing also helped creating an escalating narrative, with a suffocating climax and a great ending. A very worth watching movie directed by Laís Bodanzky.
Bye Bye Brazil
(1980)
A Letter to Brazilians
17 August 2021
Bye Bye, Brasil (1980) is a letter to Brazilians, literally. In the end of the film a phrase appears: "Ao povo brasileiro do século XXI", which means: "To the brazilian people of 21st century". I understand that there are two meanings for this phrase. First, Carlos (Cacá) Diegues, director and writer, meant that in the 21st century technological devices regarding movies and shows would be different and more common in Brazilian houses, so the movie is a historical log of the transition from radio to TV in poor zones in Brazil. Second, he was being ironic in terms of social issues. He knew that Brazil haven't progressed as much as people expected in these matters. So he predicted that what the movie explores: dishonesty, corruption, illiteracy, prostitution (as a social consequence), land problems and other themes would continue. The film is a parameter. Unfortunately, he was/is right and that's why the movie hits hard sometimes. The social critics are made naturally throughout the narrative, through the main characters and other people that appear in their journey. Though there is this strong drama side, there is also another one... There are many funny moments and memorable jokes, essentialy, because of José Wilker's character, Lorde Cigano (Gypsy Lord), who is the leader of the Caravana Rolidei group (like a mini circus). Wilker totally steals the attention with his charm, charisma and rascal way of being. By the way, this is a very common representation of Brazilians in Brazil and abroad, which is also a social issue and is probably an implicit critic by Cacá.
Everything about this film is well thought out, the plot and the screenplay, as I previously showed, the clothes and sets are very realistic (on location shooting) as well as the acting. I highlight, besides Wilker, Betty Faria, who created a very complex and interesting character.
Although the movie is a letter to Brazilians, I totally recommend this movie for foreigners. I think that, in this globalized 21st century world, we can understand a lot each other reality and comprehend messages like Diegues' one.
Everything about this film is well thought out, the plot and the screenplay, as I previously showed, the clothes and sets are very realistic (on location shooting) as well as the acting. I highlight, besides Wilker, Betty Faria, who created a very complex and interesting character.
Although the movie is a letter to Brazilians, I totally recommend this movie for foreigners. I think that, in this globalized 21st century world, we can understand a lot each other reality and comprehend messages like Diegues' one.
Getúlio
(2014)
The Most Controversial President in Brazilian History
17 August 2021
Getúlio (2014) explores a political crisis that happend in the second presidential mandate of Getúlio Dornelles Vargas. He was the most controversial president in Brazilian History.
The past is briefly shown in the beginning so I'm gonna summarize important facts in a chronological way: Vargas was the leader of a Revolution in 1930. He helped ending the Oligarchy Republic, when São Paulo and Minas Gerais politicians and businessmen ruled Brazil. He became a temporary president and after a Civil War with São Paulo, a constitution was created and Getúlio obeyed it. But he would then lead a coup d'etat to keep being the president and also increase his power. Estado Novo, a dictatorship, took place from 1937 to 1945. He was deposed by the army and, some years later, was democraticaly elected, in 1951. The movie plot explores the end of this mandate.
I praise a lot the screenwriters for covering a short period in which many things happend so the pace is agile, but not fast. Also, the lines are well thought out. They summarize previous facts, using characters voices, to remember audience important informations about Vargas. Besides, the screenplay is very impersonal and takes facts rather than opinions as a foundation.
The film tone is a detective one and the scores by Federico Jusid help a lot creating this mysterious and tense atmosphere as well as the cinematography by Walter Carvalho in some scenes. (the ones with more light are beautifully shot too).
João Jardim, the director, was very smart in the use of locations. He chose the best spot in Palácio do Catete (Catete Palace) for each scene. It's possible to feel the planning.
To end this, I think Tony Ramos was a great call to play Getúlio. Not only because of his appearance, but, essentialy, due to his charisma and talent. He had to portray tension without loosing the passionate way of Vargas, and he managed to do so. The other actors are great and are very similar to the historical characters they portray.
Knowing the story reliefs a lot of the tension but it was worth watching anyway.
The past is briefly shown in the beginning so I'm gonna summarize important facts in a chronological way: Vargas was the leader of a Revolution in 1930. He helped ending the Oligarchy Republic, when São Paulo and Minas Gerais politicians and businessmen ruled Brazil. He became a temporary president and after a Civil War with São Paulo, a constitution was created and Getúlio obeyed it. But he would then lead a coup d'etat to keep being the president and also increase his power. Estado Novo, a dictatorship, took place from 1937 to 1945. He was deposed by the army and, some years later, was democraticaly elected, in 1951. The movie plot explores the end of this mandate.
I praise a lot the screenwriters for covering a short period in which many things happend so the pace is agile, but not fast. Also, the lines are well thought out. They summarize previous facts, using characters voices, to remember audience important informations about Vargas. Besides, the screenplay is very impersonal and takes facts rather than opinions as a foundation.
The film tone is a detective one and the scores by Federico Jusid help a lot creating this mysterious and tense atmosphere as well as the cinematography by Walter Carvalho in some scenes. (the ones with more light are beautifully shot too).
João Jardim, the director, was very smart in the use of locations. He chose the best spot in Palácio do Catete (Catete Palace) for each scene. It's possible to feel the planning.
To end this, I think Tony Ramos was a great call to play Getúlio. Not only because of his appearance, but, essentialy, due to his charisma and talent. He had to portray tension without loosing the passionate way of Vargas, and he managed to do so. The other actors are great and are very similar to the historical characters they portray.
Knowing the story reliefs a lot of the tension but it was worth watching anyway.
Bad Cupid
(2021)
A Nice Valentine's Comedy
17 August 2021
Before I watched Bad Cupid (2021) I had already watched some scenes, as I promoted the movie in the last couple of weeks... Well, these scenes were like a good déjà vu, as I laughed once again watching them. Actually, I laughed in many moments. The screenplay is full of nice jokes - I loved the scientific fiction one in the beginning - and well thought out dialogues, like the conversation between Dave and the lady in the bagel shop - I laughed a bunch. In this path, I highlight the interactions between Dave and his cousin, they were great due to the writing and, essentialy, an incredible chemistry between Shane Nepveu and Briana Marin.
I confess that before watching Bad Cupid I was afraid John Rhys-Davies would get all my attention and I wouldn't get into the adventure that much but it didn't happen. I enjoyed once again his performance, his commitment with the character and the text, translated into a very charismatic and true Archie, as real as a fantastic being (a Cupid) can be but also, embraced Dave's story and connected with Shane, the other actors and their respective characters. The casting is great and did a wonderful job. Besides, Briana helped a lot with keeping the comedy throughout the movie, she is fantastic!
I liked the plot, the mix of fantasy and reality and I definitely didn't see the end coming like the crew stated that would happen in their promotional texts.
The pace is enjoyable. The only moment it dragged a little was in the bathroom scene. In a short movie it seemed too long and even more when compared to the other scenes. I really liked the connection between them, the editing. The idea of adding animations to indicate a change in time was brilliant.
About technical features, I loved the choice of sets in a snowy and small Buffalo rather than a sunny and crowded place as usual in rom-coms. I also enjoyed the soundtrack and scores.
To end this review, Bad Cupid fits perfectly Valentine's Day. It's worth watching and entertained me and my mom, who doesn't speak English yet understood the story (before my explanations) and liked it too.
I confess that before watching Bad Cupid I was afraid John Rhys-Davies would get all my attention and I wouldn't get into the adventure that much but it didn't happen. I enjoyed once again his performance, his commitment with the character and the text, translated into a very charismatic and true Archie, as real as a fantastic being (a Cupid) can be but also, embraced Dave's story and connected with Shane, the other actors and their respective characters. The casting is great and did a wonderful job. Besides, Briana helped a lot with keeping the comedy throughout the movie, she is fantastic!
I liked the plot, the mix of fantasy and reality and I definitely didn't see the end coming like the crew stated that would happen in their promotional texts.
The pace is enjoyable. The only moment it dragged a little was in the bathroom scene. In a short movie it seemed too long and even more when compared to the other scenes. I really liked the connection between them, the editing. The idea of adding animations to indicate a change in time was brilliant.
About technical features, I loved the choice of sets in a snowy and small Buffalo rather than a sunny and crowded place as usual in rom-coms. I also enjoyed the soundtrack and scores.
To end this review, Bad Cupid fits perfectly Valentine's Day. It's worth watching and entertained me and my mom, who doesn't speak English yet understood the story (before my explanations) and liked it too.
Tell Your Friends