Violeta Went To Heaven (2011)

Directed by: Andrés Wood
Country: Chile / Argentina / Brazil

Review: “Violeta Went to Heaven” is a penetrating biopic about Chilean songwriter, folklorist, and visual artist, Violeta Parra. Some events and important songs may have been left off, but the film gives a solid idea of Violeta’s work, personality, beliefs, and struggles. The cadence is captivating and the structure goes back and forth in time, focusing her unhappy childhood, the first steps on music and the interest in old songs from her culture, the successful years of recognition and acceptance, the passionate and unstable relationship with the Swiss musician Gilbert Favre, and finally her decline years when her artistic tent (also used for political activism) became increasingly without audience. Violeta ended up poor and lonely, but always faithful to her beliefs. The story was reconstructed in an intelligible way, showing the impulsive personality, resolute temper, and creative genius of this iconic woman, who always preferred the poor to rich, and the sincerity to cynicism. The plaintive yet powerful songs had a big influence in the way I felt the movie, especially “El Gavilan”, which motivated uncommon sensations along the poignant final moments. Some softening was detected somewhere in the middle, but this film deserves to be seen for what it represents and for Francisca Gavilán’s incredible performance.

The Grandmaster (2013)

Directed by: Wong Kar-Wai
Country: China / Hong Kong / France

Review: Cult filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai is back, bringing with him Tony Leung and Ziyi Zhang as stars. We cannot find many movies with the elegance and passion of “In The Mood For Love”, but “The Grandmaster” brings to our mind some of its best moments, adopting the same poetic approach to depict another impossible love. The novelty here is the addition of some action through martial arts, since the story was inspired in Yip Man’s life, the kung-fu master who would come to teach the legendary Bruce Lee. The film covers three different periods: 1930’s Foshan in China where he was recognized as a master, the difficult life in Hong Kong after the Japanese invasion, and finally from 1952 till his death in 1972. We also get to know the sad fate of Gong Er, a master's daughter who became secretly in love with Yip Man after a challenging fight. Kar-Wai’s camera work remains very strong where the richness of the plans and aesthetical care were crucial to catch our eye. To tell the truth, the visual aspect was much stronger than the story itself, which despite being interesting didn’t reveal the mystique of previous adventures. “The Grandmaster”, not being a masterpiece, is a sumptuous accomplishment that puts together a dissimulated love, revenge, sacrifice, and martial arts in the form of floating dances (preferably in the rain).

Dreams For Sale (2012)

Directed by: Miwa Nishikawa
Country: Japan

Review: “Dreams For Sale” is nothing more than a dark tale about money and greediness. The story follows a strange couple, Kanya and Satoko, who lost their successful restaurant in a fire, deciding to work in a solution to extort money for a new one. The plan emerged by chance when Kanya brought home a large amount of money after a one-night stand with a drunken woman he met in the subway. After making her husband confess what had happened, Satoko got to know that the woman who has given the money was vulnerable and deprived of her true love. Since then, they decided that Kanya will seduce and scam women who got lonely, desperate for love, or even sick. As the scams were happening, we were able to gather more information about the personality of these two crooks. Kanya revealed to have a heart, often feeling badly and regretting his behavior, but was never able to stop. Satoko, in the other hand, showed her cruelty, tenacity, and indifference regarding the victims. The tale itself intends to show something meaningful and the character studies are well conceived, but the film has its faults. It was extremely long; I wouldn’t be exaggerating if said that at least 30 minutes should be cut off. Other negative aspect was the silly side presented in some moments, leaving us between the gravity of the emotions and a sort of misplaced comedy.

The Hunt (2012)

Directed by: Thomas Vinterberg
Country: Denmark

Review: After the immediate success of “The Celebration” in 98, Thomas Vinterberg has been lost in mediocre plots. Finally, with the gripping “The Hunt”, he shows once again what he is capable of. The story, written by Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm (“R”, “A Hijacking”), depicts two hellish months in the life of Lucas, a divorced daycare worker who is struggling for his son’s custody. The troubles start when a little girl, who also happens to be the daughter of his best friend, tells the daycare director that Lucas showed his penis. When the director called him, he seems not to give much importance to the case or even try to defend himself. This scene intentionally aims to bewilder us. In a blink of an eye, Lucas loses his job, is abandoned by his new girlfriend, becomes threatened in many ways, and ends desperately alone. The film is filled with tension and is done in such way that the doubt persists till the end. It was incredible how many times I convinced myself that Lucas was innocent, but then some behavior or conversation made me go back again in my opinion. Mads Mikkelsen and the young Annika Wedderkop had first-rate performances, while the direction was very effective and determined. The heaviness of the matter was handled thoughtfully, provoking a variety of intense emotions, and making “The Hunt” one of the most gratifying experiences of 2013 so far.

Starbuck (2011)

Directed by: Ken Scott
Country: Canada

Review: With “Starbuck”, parenthood never got so drastic repercussions on the screen. David Wozniak (Patrick Huard) is a common meat delivery guy who works for his family company. Being constantly threatened by a pair of thugs from whom he received a loan, David really struggles to straighten up his life, especially after hear from his girlfriend that she was pregnant. But the real shocking news came when he received a letter saying that he was the father of 533 children, 142 of whom wanted to know who their biological father was. This was a consequence of several years donating sperm. “Starbuck” was the second feature film directed by Canadian Ken Scott, who is already working on another similar project entitled “The Delivery Man”. It was considered the most popular Canadian film at Vancouver Film Festival, revealing to be more touching than funny, and more carefree than serious. The plot took advantage of David’s “special” children (those who presented evident abilities, features, or handicaps) to create gentle and bizarre moments, which not always had the best outcome. Providing a sufficient portion of entertainment, “Starbuck” is easy watching, even if not totally satisfying with its episodic sentimental manipulations and a romantic side that turned out to be flat.

The Sapphires (2012)

Directed by: Wayne Blair
Country: Australia

Review: “The Sapphires” brings to the screen the rhythm of soul music in times of war, just as “Good Morning Vietnam” did a few years ago, although without the breathtaking effect. It also addresses racial problems in 1960’s Australia, where the aboriginals were practically ignored by the ruling white people. The story follows four talented aboriginal girls who were selected to sing in Vietnam for US soldiers. Once there, they will find a Saigon very receptive to their show, but not everything will run as planned. The internal conflicts will appear and the threats of war will cause damages. However, these two aspects revealed to be secondary compared with the discovery of love. Chris O’Dowd had an agreeable performance as goodhearted drunk manager, and certainly he wasn’t the reason why this film didn’t excel. The main reason was the overexploitation of the same romances and sentimental maneuvers, seen so many times before, to tell a story that never gave rise to great excitement. Admirers of catchy musicals may feel the rhythm beating in their hearts, while the aficionados of mild dramas shall be satisfied with the plot's denouement. But in my eyes, if the musical side was successful, the drama fell in banality through its second-hand approach and often misrepresentation of reality.

The Third Half (2012)

Directed by: Darko Mitrevski
Country: Macedonia / others

Review: “The Third Half” combines soccer, romance and war in the same package. Having been inspired on true events, it follows a similar approach used by the Serbian “Montevideo, God Bless You” from 2010, and suffers from the same commercial appeal and standardized narrative. Even trying to avoid an evident sentimentalism, the background music is there to remind us its good dramatic intentions. The plot presents three distinct sides. The romantic side is centered on the persistent love between Kosta, the striker of FC Macedonia, and Rebecca Cohen, the daughter of a rich Jewish banker. The sportive side is completely sunk in misrepresentation of the real facts; contradicting the movie, FC Macedonia didn’t win the final game against Bulgarian team Levski and was placed in second. The war side dealt with the German occupancy and should have represented the strongest aspect in the story; it gave particular emphasis on Spitz, the coach of the team, who didn’t escape to Nazis in the circumstances described here and wasn't German but rather Hungarian. In my point of view the plot didn’t gained anything by manipulating the real story, which just served to increase speculation. Considering the adopted approach, and polemics aside, “The Third Half” as cinematic experience just revealed a huge ambition and the inability to stir emotions or create much enthusiasm.

In The House (2012)

Directed by: François Ozon
Country: France

Review: With “In The House”, François Ozon still couldn’t get close to the excellence revealed in “Under The Sand” or “Swimming Pool”, yet this was his most refreshing work lately; a creative story about voyeurism, obsession, and manipulation, which also manipulates the viewer somehow. The story follows Germain, a High School teacher who is increasingly disappointed with his students. However, 16 year-old Claude will stir his curiosity with an essay about a classmate named Rapha Artole and his mother Esther. Since that moment, Germain encouraged him to continue writing, gaining an eagerness to know more about the family in question and even giving suggestions to reconstruct the story in a more appealing way. For that, Claude would have to continue going to Artole’s home and be creative. The true challenge here was to know if his detailed descriptions were real or imagination. Germain’s wife was also an interesting character. While helping to decipher Claude’s personality, she became suspicious about her husband’s involvement with him. A few turn of events were a bit strained for my taste, however the film showed a beneficial funny side, having the ability to provoke us with its inventiveness and bitter end. It can't compete with "Rear Window" or "Peeping Tom", but it may rouse some voyeuristic instincts.

My Brother The Devil (2012)

Directed by: Sally El Hosaidi
Country: UK

Review: What seemed to be a plot comparable to many others became a satisfying surprise denoting sensibility and consistency in the details. Two Londoners brothers of Arab origin will go through difficult situations in their neighborhood after getting into a gang of drug dealers. Rashid occasionally lets his younger brother Mo, deliver drug packets to clients, but at the same time tries to protect him from that perilous environment. After a friend has been brutally assassinated by a member of a rival gang, Rashid plans to avenge his death, but in the last minute he gives up, deciding to change his life and find a job. Against Rashid’s will, his brother takes his place inside the gang. Their bond will be put to test when Mo finds out that Rashid has an homosexual relationship with his new boss. The prejudice and frustration felt by Mo will make him ashamed of his brother but will he be able to ignore his own family? Despite the variety of matters involved, debutant filmmaker Sally El Hosaidi made a risky yet fearless approach, where family, biases, crime, and sexuality, were confronted in a mesmerizing manner. The plot, beyond convincing, never loses track of its purpose to show how people can learn, change, and make their personal options. After this well crafted multicultural gangland drama, I can’t wait to see what El Hosaidi has to offer next.

Me And You (2012)

Directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci
Country: Italy

Review: Bertolucci continues to portray youth with passion, although ultimately without big success. Less appealing than the previous “The Dreamers”, “Me And You” tells the adventure of two half-siblings who will spend a week together, trying to hide themselves from the world. Lorenzo is a problematic narcissist teenager, a misfit who has given up from going on a skiing trip with his classmates just to be alone inside the basement of his building. But his quietness will be interrupted by his half-sister Olivia, a drug addict with no place to stay in town. After the initial disagreement, they start to care for each other and a strong bond will grow between them. Lorenzo’s character was much more interesting than Olivia’s, but my curiosity about him slowly vanished throughout the story. The idea of getting stuck in a basement could be uncomfortable, but unfortunately the film didn’t take advantage of any possible claustrophobia. In fact, there were several moments that didn’t work out. The two situations that could have stirred up things a bit, failed to create any impact. The first was when the siblings went to Lorenzo’s apartment to get some food, and the second when Olivia went through an hangover. Bertolucci’s skills are perceptible, but this story promised more than it could give. Didn’t its characters do the same in the end?

The Patience Stone (2012)

Directed by: Atiq Rahimi
Country: Afghanistan / France / others

Review: As already had happened with “Earth and Ashes” in 2004, French-Afghan writer Atiq Rahimi sought inspiration on his own novel to direct a movie. “The Patience Stone” is a wordy film about a silenced woman, who was left alone with two daughters and no means to subsist, when her husband was shot in the neck due to a quarrel with someone of his faction and got into a sort of coma. However, this worked for her as a kind of freedom. Encouraged by her liberal aunt, she starts long monologues in front of her husband, telling him how bad she felt in his presence and revealing secrets that would be impossible to be revealed in normal conditions. This seemed to help her soothe the pain. She even betrays him with a young soldier in unimaginable circumstances. The images are rich in colors and light, but its composition conveys the sufferings of war and the heaviness of a human being who was neglected by an overwhelming culture. The final moments were expected anytime and didn’t cause me surprise. What impressed me was the expression in this woman’s face; her final blow was sweet and cold, chillingly intentional, and one of the film's highest moments. Despite the occasional overstatements, “The Patience Stone” is a solid achievement, drawing attention to a problem that seems far from being solved.

Every Blessed Day (2012)

Directed by: Paolo Virzi
Country: Italy

Review: “Every Blessed Day” sets the story of Antonia and Guido, an unmarried couple who are together for a long time. Antonia works in a rent-a-car store during the day and sings in a bar at night, while Guido makes the night shift as porter in a big hotel. Their happiness will be shaken after they realize that having a child together is almost impossible. They decide to consult different doctors and submit to several treatments, always refusing to give up on hope. Will this struggle endure forever? Paolo Virzi’s decided for the same approach used in his previous film, “The First Beautiful Thing” (2010). Both characters' families play an important role in the story with the purpose of helping us to better understand personalities, as well as different origins and pasts. The lightness of the funny moments combined with the seriousness of real drama, sometimes showed how hard can be to decide which way to go. These momentary instabilities led to a couple of theatrical scenes that were not so favorable. Despite its ups and downs, “Every Blessed Day”, revealed to be a beautiful story, trying to show how much easier life can be, when we can face its adversities with someone we love.

Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspiracy (2012)

Directed by: Marco Tullio Giordana
Country: Italy / France

Review: Marco Tullio Giordana, the director of 2003 masterpiece “The Best of Youth”, returns after a four-year intermission with “Piazza Fontana”, a political thriller about the bombing attack that took place in Milan, on December 12, 1969. This tragic event was initially attributed to anarchist groups, but meticulous investigations led to a right-wing conspiracy, involving extremists secretly backed up by the US. Consequently, the film covers the death of Giuseppe Pinelli, a pacific anarchist who died in questionable circumstances when was being interrogated in a police station. Luigi Calabresi, an honest police officer, was the man unjustly blamed, becoming another victim of the Italian Ministry. Some viewers may become lost in a plot with so many characters, although Giordana has found an appropriate structure, capable of making the events perceptible. The conversations between Prime Minister Aldo Moro and President Saragat were also helpful to contextualize the story. “Piazza Fontana”, despite some lack of thrill, is intriguing and well balanced in its path towards the truth. It won’t mark the Italian cinema in the same proportion as “The Best Of Youth” did, but at least will serve to denounce another criminal ploy associated to politics, eventually disregarded by Italian justice.

Ginger And Rosa (2012)

Directed by: Sally Potter
Country: UK / others

Review: Set in 1960’s London, “Ginger & Rosa” depicts the friendship between two inseparable teenagers. Much of their time is spent aimlessly: missing school, hitchhiking, flirting with boys, or discussing religion. Activism, in turn, was something they took seriously. Influenced by Ginger’s father, a known pacifist with a strong inclination for younger women, they start attending meetings and demonstrations against war and nuclear weapons. The holocaust seemed to be Ginger’s bigger concern, but her attentions will turn to her parents from the moment they decide to split up. The situation will be aggravated when her father begins a relationship with Rosa. This is one of the most substantial films in Sally Potter’s career, together with “Orlando”. If the latter had impressed with its weird fantasy throughout centuries of British history, “Ginger & Rosa” impressed through its clear-sightedness and authenticity. Its competent direction and selection of jazz tunes also deserve to be mentioned. Elle Fanning was brilliant, yet all the other performances are to be praised without exception. While the end could have been a little more pondered, its climax was able to cause the desired impact. Ginger’s fear concerning the end of the world was uncovered as being a deep anguish of losing her family and friend. It was admirable to observe that her good nature was promptly making room for forgiveness.

Like Someone In Love (2012)

Directed by: Abbas Kiarostami
Country: Japan / France

Review: Iranian film director Kiarostami continues sharing his personal vision on modern urban dramas. This time he turned to Japan to portray the story of Akiko, a sociology student who also works as a prostitute in Tokyo. Leaving her visiting grandmother waiting in a train station during the entire day, Akiko went to spend the night with a new client Takashi, an elderly widower and former professor. Despite of his intentions to just talk, eat and drink, Akiko falls asleep. On the next day, she accepts his ride to go to University for an exam, where her boyfriend Noriaki was expecting her. After an interesting chat in which the old man pretends to be Akiko’s grandfather and Noriaki admits his intention to marry her, they went to fix a problem with the car. In the garage, owned by Noriaki, someone will recognize Takashi as his former professor, putting the scheme in jeopardy. “Like Someone in Love” is a smart movie of circumstance, made in a sober manner. Applying a moderate pace, Kiarostami builds the characters so well, with such delightful details that they leave no room for doubts; we can gradually be aware of Akiko’s naivety, Takashi’s protectiveness, or Noriaki’s violent jealousy. The natural approach prevented staged situations, whereas the option of using implicit scenes instead of too explicit, is already a stylemark. The levels of satisfaction increased as the story proceeded, in this simple, objective, and engaging film.

Hay Road (2012)

Directed by: Rodrigo Areias
Country: Portugal / Finland

Review: “Hay Road” is a Portuguese drama with Western semblance and political message. Its story goes back to the beginning of the 20th Century and was inspired on David Henry Thoreau's writings concerning the justice and moral of the State. Some of his emblematic sentences are displayed throughout the film to better mirror the ideas behind the images. The story follows Alberto Carneiro, a shepherd who isolated himself in the mountains for ten years. After having received a letter reporting that bandits had killed his brother, Alberto returns to his village to make justice by his own hands. Departing on a solitary journey, he will bump into Captain Bacelo, a corrupt representative of the law. Despite its noble intentions and glaring photography, “Hay Road” wasn’t able to express its ideas in the best way. Trying to adopt a mood that gets close to some of Jim Jarmusch’s works, the film often stumbles in prolonged scenes with lack of intensity. Its disconnections seemed to gain even more strength with the philosophical sentences by Thoreau, constantly interrupting the (little) action on the screen. The philosophy behind the plot showed potentialities, but ultimately got impaired by a flabby execution, as well as difficulties in setting the appropriate mood and pace.

The Other Son (2012)

Directed by: Lorraine Levy
Country: France

Review: “The Other Son” is based on the widely used theme of babies switched at birth, with the particularity of involving Israeli and Palestinian families. So, as you can imagine, all the conditions were gathered to create an appealing family drama aggravated by the West Bank conflict. However, the result was not satisfactory. The story begins when 18 year-old Joseph is submitted to routine tests in order to serve the Israeli army as his father. Surprisingly, the tests revealed that his type of blood didn’t match any of his parents, and consequently, he wasn't their biological son. The Haifa hospital, where he was born, starts an investigation to conclude that Joseph was accidentally switched with Yacine, a Palestinian boy, who was placed in the incubator on the same day. The families end up agreeing to meet, not without some apprehension. Thereafter, each of the boys will develop a natural curiosity regarding their biological families. Good intentions aside, I found the plot totally unconvincing and forced. The tolerance and tension among the characters seemed inauthentic in its attempt to give the story a cool angle. All was arranged to look neat and profound, but the plan was thwarted by Levy's lack of vision. "The Other Son" feels contrived and never became thought-provoking as intended.

Oz The Great And Powerful (2013)

Directed by: Sam Raimi
Country: USA

Review: Sam Raimi provoked some creeps with “Drag Me To Hell”, but certainly won’t go far on illusionism. “Oz The Great and Powerful” is a boring fantasy film that tells the story of Oscar Diggs, an ambitious magician from Kansas who flees from the Earth in a balloon to enter the mysterious Land of Oz. Once there, after being proclaimed king, he will join forces with a well-intentioned witch named Glinda. Their goal consists in liberating the people of Oz from the hands of the wicked witch Theadora, and her cursed sister Eleanora. The fantasy is taken to its limits in such a way that watching Oz is almost like watching animation; in a land filled with strange creatures such as winged monkeys or talkative dolls, we can also witness fireworks, rays, halos, and balls of fire, which help composing the flamboyant scenarios. Since the beginning, the possible moments of tension were taken lightly, with humor and relaxation, which made me discredit the forthcoming dangers that might appear. Moreover, I was expecting something less childish both on plot and approach. The performance by James Franco was one of the few positive aspects from a film that only tries to catch your senses with innumerous deceptive visual tricks. Like the wizard himself, this film reveled to be a fraud.

Funeral Kings (2012)

Directed by: Kevin McManus / Matthew McManus
Country: USA

Review: The adventures of two 14 year-old friends, Andy and Charlie, are the subject of “Funeral Kings”. The film has a wonderful start, with the two friends being turned on by a weeping young lady, while serving in a funeral as altar boys. Soon, David, a known actor kid with the same age, will join them. The story employed an invigorating rhythm in its first half but ended showing less than it had promised. The disconcerting moments and teen irreverence became to lose strength along the way, mostly due to the repetition of the ideas. The boys occupied their time by looking at girls, smoking, drinking, making pranks, and trying to get pornography from a video club. Guns also mark presence in their activities, originating some afflictive situations. “Funeral Kings” shows some agreeable moments, which ultimately are betrayed by the unevenness of the plot. Following teen minds for too long can become tiresome, especially when the adventures weren't taking us anywhere. McManus brothers' debut on writing, direction and production, left some expectations for the future.

The We And The I (2012)

Directed by: Michael Gondry
Country: USA / UK / France

Review: Michael Gondry will have to continue searching for his creative side, which is still missing since his debut “Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind”. “The We And The I” is a sort of Spike Lee joint that tries to show how High School students behave when together. Throughout its entire duration, we can follow the discussions and provocative behaviors from a group of teen students who cross the Bronx neighborhoods inside a bus. The movie partly succeeds in showing how nasty these kids can be, but my patience has its limits. After so many verbal disputes, violence threats, games, revelations concerning sexual adventures, confessions, pranks and mockeries, we become weary of this muddled scenario, wondering where Gondry was trying to take us. Unfocused, this movie could not hide some dissimulation in its characters; even the bus driver was portrayed as immature. I expected something more creative than just showing, in a rough manner, how these wild kids behave in adolescence. The personal issues of the characters almost didn’t have expression when compared with the central problem of a youth in decadence, which in turn, was depicted without a point of view or message.

In The Shadow (2012)

Directed by: David Ondricek
Country: Czech Republic / Slovakia / Poland

Review: “In The Shadow” is a police thriller with political contours. Its story is set in 1950’s old Czechoslovakia, in a time where a monetary reform was a possibility, raising doubts among the population. Away from all that, the obsessive police-inspector Jarda continues to do his job with honesty. He was sent to investigate a gold robbery whose evidences pointed to a suspect named Kirsch, a drunken Jew who would come to confess his involvement. However, after further investigations, Jarda concludes that this man had not participated in the crime. Unexpectedly, the State Security Service aided by a newcomer German cop, were assigned to replace Jarda. Together, they arrest four other Jews accused of smuggling gold and money to finance Zionist separatists in Palestine. Jarda will continue from suspect to suspect, searching for truth, until find who are behind the conspiracy. “In The Shadows” sets an atmosphere of obscurity, relying on suspenseful moments, adequate score, and mysterious behaviors scattered everywhere. The main problem is that the plot only left us with two possible suspects, giving sufficient hints for us to guess who the bad guy was. So, no much surprises here!

The Monk (2011)

Directed by: Dominik Moll
Country: France / Spain

Review: Adapted from Mathew Lewis’ gothic novel with the same name, “The Monk” is the fourth feature film by the German-born French filmmaker Dominik Moll. Ambrosio was abandoned by his mother and was raised in a monastery. He grew up as a man of huge faith and was respected for his integrity and devotion. When Valerio, an enigmatic man behind a mask, requests to live in the monastery, Ambrosio will be tempted and eventually falls in the traps of evil. Meanwhile, Ambrosio’s recurrent dream about a woman in a red mantle comes true. This woman is Antonia, an innocent soul whose beauty attracted him. Under Valerio's control, Ambrosio will sin and fall in disgrace. “The Monk” was able to create appealing images through dim lights and sinister ambiences, but was trapped by a couple of redundant scenes (the parallel story about a pregnant nun) and inattentive situations (the murder of a monk, which was neglected by everyone). Despite of these disjunctions in the plot, and deviations from the novel, this is a perfectly watchable film and should please those who are attracted by the mysteries of faith and temptations of evil.

The End Of Love (2012)

Directed by: Mark Webber
Country: USA

Review: Mark Webber shows his skills as director, actor, and writer, with “The End Of Love”, his second film behind the cameras. Using simple processes, the film was made almost like a documentary, where most of the actors play themselves. Mark is a comfortless actor whose wife died in a car accident, leaving a two-year-old child at his care. Isaac is a fantastic kid and a real movie star; it’s impossible not to be fond of him. Yet, he takes much of his dad's time. Mark starts showing signs of tiredness and emotional instability. Moreover, he is struggling to pay his rent and debts, but ultimately had no luck on getting small parts in cinematic projects. Everything seemed to start changing when he gets to know Lydia, the owner of a kindergarten, but Mark loses himself too quickly in words like love or marry. The film has consumed too much time on Isaac’s scenes and didn't take advantage from what this romance had to offer. I ended with a terrible sensation that the story didn’t give everything it should; just like an underdeveloped exercise that leave us wanting to know more about its characters. 

Reality (2012)

Directed by: Matteo Garrone
Country: Italy / France

Review: “Reality” confirms Matteo Garrone as a filmmaker to keep an eye on. After the raw look into the organized crime of Neapolitan Mafia with “Gomorrah”, he now presents us with an interesting character study, which also aims to be a criticism of the society we live in. Luciano is a talkative fishmonger from Naples who dreams to be famous. Taking advantage of having known a famous artist who was connected to the Italian ‘Big Brother’ reality show, he manages to get an audition in Rome. Counting on the support of his family and all the inhabitants of Naples, Luciano earnestly believes he is going to be called for the show. As the time passes by, he becomes suspicious about the strangers in town, convincing himself that they work for 'Big Brother'. Feeling constantly observed, he develops an uncontrollable obsession, which not even family, friends or religion, can stop. Assuming the typical Italian exuberance, this satire never loses intensity, denoting genuine comical moments, stirring alienation, and powerful images. Aniello Arena has here a dream debut in the role of Luciano. “Reality” won the Grand Prize of The Jury at Cannes, and should not be missed.

Marie Kroyer (2012)

Directed by: Bille August
Country: Denmark / Sweden

Review: “Marie Kroyer” is the typical film expected from a filmmaker such as Bille August. Taking into account his previous works, it’s easy to conclude that period dramas are the genre that he feels more comfortable with. This new feature-film depicts the relationship between the painter Peder Severin Kroyer and his wife Marie. The Kroyer couple seemed to live happily in fame and wealthy, but after a while we sensed that this happiness wasn’t so perfect but rather apparent. Suffering from bouts of mental illness, the talented painter becomes a threat to his family. Marie, whose dream was also to become a painter, was often hurt in her feelings by her husband's egocentrism. Their little daughter was another victim of his madness, in a couple of scenes that revealed to be simultaneously hilarious and sad. Exhausted, Marie leaves for Sweden to rest, eventually falling in love with a Swedish composer. Nevertheless, her life won't be easier. “Marie Kroyer” revealed competence and ability to entertain due to a refined ambiance and solid performances. It is not completely unpredictable or devoid of flaws, presenting coldness in moments that were asking for some more emotion. Yet, considering its story and genre, I believe it wouldn’t be easy to adopt a better approach in direction or create further excitement.