Saturday, June 03, 2006

Movie of the week - Part Two

Wu ji (Promise)

If you have a reasonable tolerance for a corny Chinese fairy tale, can stand not-so-pleasing-to-the-ears Mandarin for two hours and can overlook some far-less-than-perfect special effects, invite your eyes to one the most extravagant feasts of colors and visual magnificence!

The latest work of Chen Kaige, was so unbelievably beautiful that I was frequently laughing out loud, just to discharge my self from the unbearable endless load of beauty, from heavenly landscapes, to every little colorful details in outfits, armors and even wall papers. Add to those, an exquisite music, and a gorgeous actress, and you will have an exhibition of everything your senses could wish for.

Just sit back, forget about the story and let your senses explore this sensual orgasm. (Why the hell I do sound like the commercials for shampoo!?!)

Movie of the week - Part one

UNITED 93


Remember that glorious scene in Bowling for columbine where Michael Moore, connects some of the most notorious US interventions in third world countries, like Iran, El Salvador and Chile from one side and the creation of Taliban and Bin Laden by CIA from the other side, to 9/11, sarcastically with the background song of What a wonderful world? Or that episode from 11'9''01, in which Ken Loach, who recently won the Palm d’or for The wind that shakes the barely, compares September eleventh 2001 to September eleventh 1973, when the airplane we thought was going to hit the world trade center suddenly turned out to be the one, was going to bomb Allende’s presidential palace? Or Sean penn’s short, overwhelmingly poetic and stunningly beautiful episode in the same movie?

Well, if you wish to see something quite different, see United 93, in which Paul Greengrass , has managed to make an extraordinary documentary-type movie, very much similar to his master piece Bloody Sunday.

The movie is simple, realistic and quite unlike anything else that we have seen so far. There is no love story, no degusting toast, no cheesy emotional speech of any kind, no hero, no irritating wise guy or superman, no criticism, no sarcasm, no bombarding audience with boring facts, and most of all, no demonizing of anyone whatsoever.

It’s just a real story, being told as non-judgmental as possible with performances so natural and believable that you can put yourself in place of anybody, from terrified passengers to puzzled and desperate personnels, in the control rooms.

Paul Greengrass, knowing the event itself has all the necessary elements for an emotional thriller to it, by simply retelling the September eleventh, has created a true masterpiece which is extraordinary observant, emotional and breathtaking.

So far, one of the best movies of the year.

1. My favorite 101

I start my favorites with a song called “Green Grass” by this young beautiful Brazilian, Cibelle, from the album The shine of dried electric leaves .
She sings in Portuguese, obviously, and also in English and French.
Although those in Portuguese, with a hint of Bossa Nova, are more typical of her, I can’t stop listening to this magnificent song, Green grass, which is immensely romantic, simple, melancholic and down right delicious. Very much suitable for this beautiful rainy Saturday evening.