Reviews

The fascinating glamour of the world of fashion and all that millions of dollars can buy brings together Penélope Cruz and Brad Pitt as stars of this new season of Chanel that pays tribute to Claude Lelouch's classic "Un Homme et Une Femme" ("A Man and a Woman"), the 1966 Oscar winning film. It doesn't hit the same ideas or shot compositions from the film but it gets close to its atmosphere of a loving couple having a special time together (here, Pitt and Cruz are having dinner on a fancy restaurant, but their talks gets interrupted by a female waiter).

The brand becomes far behind here as the stars are what captures the audiences attention, their looks, their presence and their exchanges. Greatly filmed and edited too. I liked this one but it didn't stay in my head afterwards, not even brought back the memories of a classic film I love - but it certainly found a way to bring new audiences for it. I like to think that. 9/10.

Only got word of this video as it was listed as one of model Ash Stymest credits, and sadly he's barely there. Here's a complete waste of anything, really, but specially of his looks and presence. Not his fault, obviously. But I wonder what was he doing there in the "story"? Marlhy plays a young woman wearing a Wonder Woman outfit while cleaning up her kitchen and singing about the farewell's one gives after living a bad relationship. Ash appears for a couple of seconds, ridiculously brief shots where it's hard to tell if he's the ex-boyfriend or the garbage man who came to pick up the trash. Boring!

I don't know who's the singer and couldn't possibly care less about the song, that has some good bites with the lyrics but it's hardly something I'd listen. If developing a career on the field, some notes she should've learn while making a music video (if I'm not mistaken the idea of it all was hers as well). The notes, tips: when hiring a model, famous or not, give him something to do or also something you'd like to imagine doing with him: seduction, dancing, acting bits, and also some proper time of appearance. Don't need exactly to "perform" sexual acts but find ways to tease the audience, seduce and destroy. Look what Madonna and Brittany conquered with their male models - ok, different level of star power since they revealed their men to the world rather than having someone already established in the fashion scene. But still. Poor dude was non existent and it's a shame, as the other videos he'd appeared he was better used.

But the girl looks pretty fine in her costume. I get the idea of it all, the power withing herself in others after a series of dull affairs or lame relationships. It serves the song's purpose. The presentation of it all looked cheaper than a B movie. 4/10.

This one doesn't offer much except for the song, which is one of Roxy's best but it's the single edit rather than the disco version (nearly 7 minutes of pure ecstasy).

Music video in its infancy so it's basically a capture of Bryan Ferry and group performing "Angel Eyes" along with two female harp players appearing to be angels, wearing outfits that give the appearance of being undressed.

Bright colors, vivid and expressive moments, the several zoom-in's on the band members at specific parts, Ferry dominating the scene, it all contributes to the enjoyment of their act, all greatly edited. Had it been made in the 1980's music video fever it'd probably include lots of female models to reflect the general picture of the song, idea that could work better or don't. 8/10.

The unique approach used for this music video and the single used as background is amazing, intriguing and way ahead of its time when it comes to discussing issues that were only perceived and faced by one group: women. "Beautiful Girl" by INXS tells us one story of a runaway girl who finds some comfort with a perfect stranger (many might see other things on that lyrics); its images reflected on that video is something else.

A full discourse on the pressures and challenges faced by young girls and women in order to present themselves as beautiful, shown through several words popping out on the screen (descriptions, qualities, good and bad things), and images from women either close-up shots of their faces, others eating junk food, and a fashion show at the end that goes in a dark, critical manner. The group appears in a very reduced manner, through little colorful effects and editing tricks that makes them very obscure on scene.

The clip certainly serves a debate on the outside issues and the inner issues women (and men too) face while presenting the image of themselves, the choices made between being personally satisfied with such image or just attending society's perception of what's beautiful or not, to stay healthy or just consume what one wants, or the sacrifices in between, as we're bombared by media ideals of perfection. One choice and one renounce, that's life says a song, and a balance while trying the best of both worlds feels like an impossible goal to achieve.

But it also views a colorful and hopeful embrace of positivity, self-acceptance, and that the real version of you is acceptable, interesting and worthy. It feels that way when all the women are united after the fashion show. Obviously that today we'd have a more variety of body sizes, ethnicities, but the little showed there finds its way to spread its intent that they're all beautiful to someone's eye. The "stay with me" phrasing from Michael Hutchence and his voice brings that closeness and acceptance, even though the lyrics tell a different story. And do I need to tell that this is one of my favorite INXS songs? Well, I just love it. 9/10.

A simple and cute view on forming significant relationships during the Covid pandemic. It's the encounter of a young intern (Daniel Rangel) with a female student (Heslaine Vieira) before the "new normal" sets in, but he tries to find her during the social isolation period, despite not knowing her name.

"Tudo Bem" touched with relevance the ideas of how lost and confused social connections were during the period, many online meetings, people trying to find what to do to keep themselves busy or entertained, but also missing gestures, touches, close talks rather than the already and exclusive internet interactions. Would there still be a world after the disease and many deaths? Would we find some meaningful relationships during or after everything? Those kind of notions many have felt at the time, and the film was made and release during the peak of everything, it's not a mere retelling of the early 2020's.

Main couple has some fine chemistry, some nice conversations - specially their very first meeting discussing the films they seen. But the presentation of it all makes it a quite confusing piece with a late flashback (which answers the random initial encounter), and the otburst from the girl, while relevant to the narrative, doesn't convince even if done with a particular strange person that you have a small intimacy. It felt aggressive and a total turn off (if there's people who try to attract a special someone, and goes with such mode, and have no problem with that, I wonder how they succeed).

It's a honest piece, greatly made though it's not something I'd watch again so soon as the memories of that slowed period still linger on in a tragic manner. Yet it's final message addressed at the end about how valid is okay to not be okay, among other feelings many of us felt at the time, are of great value. 6/10.

"Hold Me" gives us Fleetwood Mac playing explorers on the Mojave Desert, California, either trying to find treasures or find themselves as they deal with some mirage-like effects told in a very artistic manner through shattered mirrors, guitars on the sand, and a tribute to Rene Magritte's famous man in the bowler hat. And obvious that Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie perform the song in a series of close-up shots.

It's all surreal, mysterious and fun to watch. The idea of the art elements, always seen through the distance, works with the notion of such characters (band members) trying to hold whatever they're seeing but they know they can't as it's all a mirage (though it's not played in the typical Hollywood fashion, it's more like a collage of elements where you can use such idea of a fata morgana). And the song that goes with it it's one of their greatest musical moments, pretty close to their "Rumours" days, great quality and style. 9/10.

When you see countless documentaries on the military coup of '64 in Brazil there isn't much of new things to discover, except for a few facts here and there. The usual faces and names who lived the period and acted on both sides (right and left) are shown here, they provide nice interviews but for those who read about the topic or had seen other projects they won't find much enlightnement with it. The main attraction is the fact that one of the film directors was actor Guilherme Fontes, and he composed the piece in between the making of his infamous long delayed biopic "Chatô" (filmed from 1996 and onwards, but released in 2015).

Marcello Antony is the host/narrator of the episode - I think this belong to a series related to Brazil history, as shown some evidence of that on the video I watched, but I don't know what are the other entries in the series. A curious device used along with the archive footage covering the coup d'etat origins and the surviving key witnesses, is the presence of two fictional radio hosts (Ana Borges and Augusto Xavier) talking about cultural and social events from the period - a memorable moment is when they discuss the upcoming release of "controversial" Italian film "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" and the talk of nudity from the film (if only that generation knew how tame it was compared to what came later on, specially since they compare with Ruy Guerra's "Os Cafajestes"). Those brief recreations from the period were fun to watch.

The factual stories weren't so news to me and didn't attracted me all that much, though it makes a very summarized presentation going from the final days of the chaotic Jânio Quadros administration and the nation under control of Jango, another tumultous period with society marching on the streets, both to support his politics and others to get him removed from office, critical of his socialist projects. Journalist Marcos Sá Correa and his interview on American ambassador Lincoln Gordon (the main responsible for getting the coup being sponsored by the U. S.) is very insightful.

A fine short documentary, very didatic in its format and very easy to follow. It's the kind of things one can easily show in schools without problems. 6/10.

"Let Them All Talk" has a great asset besides its amazing stellar cast formed by Meryl Streep, Dianne Wiest, Candice Bergen, Gemma Chan and Lucas Hedges, and director Steven Soderbergh ("Traffic", "Contagion"): the ship Queen Mary 2, where the majority of its "story" takes place as a conflicted writer (Streep) gathers her two longtime best friends (Bergen and Wiest) and young nephew (Hedges) as she tries to come up with a new awaited book, and to go to England to attend an award event. When I say that the marvellous ship is a major asset is not a light statement as the story is built around it, inside the real thing with the actors mixed with real passengers on a long cruise. This is a unique case where you actually feel part of the experience on board of Queen Mary 2 rather than a set constructed for a movie.

With the forementioned names attached one goes in a rush to buy the popcorn and everything. Turn it down because this voyage of a film is a little damned, doesn't offer much for a long while and only gets mildly interesting when the crisis from the characters becomes deeper. But until you get there it's a series of cliched formulas on best seller novellists and how they use their surroundings to compose their novels, and how those close people can feel betrayed rather than honored with fictional retellings of their lives. It's not the end of the world but you may get a little seasick.

Deborah Eisenberg screenplay might have some punch-ups that sound humorous but aren't, and in fact, the actors were all given free reign to compose their lines and characters.

It's an excellent exercise for actors, they love the experience as it allows them to be more creative with the film process, almost as if being on stage. The films made by Mike Leigh are exactly like that as he gives some background and a key scenario, and the rest is up to actors to come up with, and later on Leigh accepts the ideas and puts into the final screenplay. Think about "Secrets and Lies", "Happy-Go-Lucky" or "Another Year" (if you had the chance to see those or any of Leigh films). His films work brilliantly; "Let Them All Talk" doesn't.

It's not because it's spectacular bad or anything like it. It simply fails to convince for the most part, with many little mysteries inside itself and a humor that does not come out strong or clever. But the drama, some of it, hits some strong notes without being too emotional. The cast is well tuned, with some problematic bits but they're charming together even though they spend most of the time apart from each other, as the three friends avoid one another as the Streep character has a busy working schedule and isn't there to enjoy the presence of others. There are a few themes that worked in a fine way, such as Hedges character wish to understand how older generations had a more natural connection with each other as opposed to the internet generations and their virtual relationships.

But the ocean liner was a real treat to see and Mr. Soderbergh surely knew how to film everything with a particular style that allows us see everything, with care and detail. Pity that I can't thumbs up a movie over just this element, otherwise this and "Speed 2: Cruise Control" would rank high on my esteem. 5/10.

That notion of "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there" might work in real life, but when it comes to movies it doesn't work all that greatly. Amazingly confusing, lost in itself and without almost nothing to show, this film end up being a huge let down as it has as one of its producers the great Brazilian filmmaker Kléber Mendonça Filho ("Aquarius", "Bacurau"), with a story filmed in his beloved Recife, and a huge and rare opportunity was missed as this production is a worldy one (Brazil, Argentina, Germany), and when cinema of the world gets connected you can always expect something unique on the screen. Not this time, though.

"Sleep with Your Eyes Open" seems to follow such idea of lost directions, as the lead character becomes a unusual kind of citizen of the world where she doesn't have, neither feel, the benefits of travelling around different nations. Kai (Liao Kai Ro) is a Taiwanese girl who moves from Taiwan to Argentina and later to Brazil where she goes to spend a holiday with an aunt that conducts a business revolving the exploitation of Chinese illegal immigrants. She doesn't speak Portuguese, but manages to get acquainted with a shop vendor (Wang Shin-Hong), who disappears while tracking down who stole his phone; the friendly Leo (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, from the amazing "120 BPM") who works for her aunt along with the other Chinese men, all living crammed inside of a lux apartment.

In between their routine of work, some arrivals and departures, Kim writes her thoughts and feelings on postcards that are destined to the missing vendor (or maybe to some family member in Taiwan or Argentina) but she never sends them. She keeps them as a journal, reflecting on how she doesn't understand Brazilian people, their food and culture, the usual cultural clashes one has while living abroad. Must say I didn't like those moments, but they didn't angered me as it could - it's just boring talks and not once there's a word of praise for anything (but I think she liked to drink caipirinha).

Anyway, there's no story here. It's a series of confusing, jumpy sequences where she connects with her own kind, they all dislike their situation (the men for obvious reasons, as they are exploited and keep on dreaming on moving back to China or Taiwan), and there's never a moment where you can say that Kim is enjoying her vacation or whatever she came to do in Brazil. Her aunt is barely there, yet she's the one who runs everything, since her husband is sick. And the characters are so stranded in their own pitiful reality that when loads of money fly out from an upper apartment, they don't run away to get it.

Was there any relevant thing to show or say about illegal immigrants? Not really. The junction of such real scenario with a person travelling alone, trying to find some meaning to life, didn't work. The series of unusual events, some explained and others not so much, is a recurring thing on many art films lately, and here it was just weird to watch. They weren't funny, neither dramatically interesting. It was mostly annoying, cryptic and weren't worthy of reflection.

It might had work better if it had a sense of direction, some coherence in its storytelling where audiences could connect with something, make them feel something rather than a neutral state of mind that doesn't go nowhere. And there's so many real elements to it that could be worked that in the end it was a wasted opportunity. Leo character, for instance.

The only character I was invested and curious with, yet he was too brief on scene (hated the godawful bleached hair they gave to Biscayart). Like Kim, he doesn't belong there, but he knows where to go and how to act.

This was lost on me, despite some enjoyable moments here and there. It was mostly erratic. 4/10.

Two down on their luck sisters (Amy Adams and Emily Blunt) try to change their lives by working on the profitable business of cleaning crime/death scenes. "Sunshine Cleaning", by all means, is a comedy despite the unusual idea of two girls cleaning up blood, puke, and other body fluids. Yet despite the bizarre premisse, it doesn't take some dark corners to become a dark comedy with thrills and violence, and instead goes for a life examination of family relations and how they try to help each other on critical times.

And perhaps because of such turn I didn't like it as much as I hoped for, as you put together two great actresses in a comedy with some weird aspect, one easily expects something with thrills and huge nervous laughters, and not exactly a story that gets depressive as it moves to a past tragedy their characters dealt. A fine picture thanks to the charm of its cast (Alan Arkin, Steve Zahn, Clifton Collins Jr., Mary Lynn Rajskub and Paul Dooley); the funny bits that are actually funny; the character development is also strong; and some special moments that makes of a little film an unforgettable experience (in a very great way).

It's not just the unused dark/creep aspect that failed to impress, as it could easily become a scenario of clueless girls becoming the target of competitors on the field (and the film plays a little with that, with Clifton's business partner), or maybe make one of them become involved in such dramatic scenario. It's a case where there's so many situations revolving them that it becomes exhaustive to care about everything.

Take Adams character. Single mom with a kid (Jason Spevack) facing behavorial issues, and that gets him thrown out of school and she quits her job as a typical cleaning lady after knowing from her lover (Zahn), a police officer, that cleaning crime scenes pays better. She and Emily go to such business, totally unprepared but they work hard and the money comes. With money, the idea was supposed to sent the kid to a proper school that could fit with the kid special needs. But what happens during the film's course? He never goes to any school and spends his time with his grandfather (Arkin), and always annoys everybody. Add to Adams the lover scenario, a married man who won't quit his charmed life with wife and kids; and her dreams of becoming a real estate agent; and deal with those unhappy accidents of life when you meet old school friends and see how their lives improved and yours didn't. The latter part is a tiring cliche that movies keep shoving down our throats for ages, and it does not happen (unless those reunion movies or smalltown stories, those are easy to believe).

I won't go with the Emily Blunt character cause there isn't much going on except that she fails each job she has, and helping her sister might not look a good idea at all, plus traumas from the past come to haunt her, and she develops an obsession with another woman (Rajskub), relative of a deceased person whose home she attended. By the time, we find that she has a boyfriend is totally out of the blue and random (Eric Christian Olsen plays him, obviously deleted from the film so he has two scenes only).

"Sunshine Cleaning" problem that almost kills everything is the excessive ammount of situations and problems the duo faces through the film, and it slowly becomes less funny and more depressive, and it's almost as if the laughter from it all come from cleaning blood or whatever from dirty, smelly houses, or the jokes where the kid is called a bastard.

But I was conquered with the film. A cast in complete tune with each other, and maybe it's 'hopeful for better days' theme also conquered me a big deal. As when you're in a bad scenario, one must find ways to improvise a way out, specially when it comes to provide for a family and work on fields you don't like.

And if there's a scene I like to remember the most is a lovely connection the sisters share when watching a bit part from her mother in a TV movie that they never seen before but knew she was in. Many film writers dream of writing something like that moment, that reveals not only the essence of movies on people's lives and how audiences can relate with it during times of their lives. A powerful and a cute scene, and if the film swings a lot and you may want to give it up, just watch that moment. 7/10.

The famous Bossa Nova song "The Girl from Ipanema" is transported to the screen by Cinema Novo legends Leon Hirszman, Eduardo Coutinho and Glauber Rocha (the latter two as screenwriters) who made a coming of age film that follows the lyrics from Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim. It's bittersweet just like adolescence is when transitioning to adulthood, and like its known lyrics it has a great visual. Appeal when you look at youth but at a closer look there's sadness and some hurt. The outside beautiful view doesn't match with the inside of struggle and search for identity - this notion serves for the girl and the movie itself. It's a fine picture but a little challenging on the less attentive viewer.

The title girl is Márcia (Márcia Rodrigues), a middle-class, 17-year-old beauty who likes parties, going to the beach and live an almost idyllic life. She is admired by everyone from family and friends and, obviously, men of all ages and that's where the little story it has to show goes for, as she's torn apart between an aphatetic boyfriend (Arduíno Colassanti) and an older married man (Adriano Reys). Yet, it's not the usual routine of a love scenario, it's more a case of self discovery, attraction and at times the wish of enjoying life and being alone in between parties and events. It's a very progressive film, for its period, at the time going through many revolutions, wars and sexual freedom against a conservative background still following its course and conventions.

Besides Márcia, the other main attraction of it comes from the musical scene of its period, with many Bossa Nova, samba and other genres, with many guest stars playing themselves such as Chico Buarque, Ronnie Von, Vinicius de Moraes; artists and writers like Ziraldo, Fernando Sabino, director Arnaldo Jabor have cameos; almost as a dream view of Rio cultural society of the period where this girl lives on full plenitude. It's nice to see something from Cinema Novo that goes for a little change rather than the constant social/political criticisms (always better films, but there's also progress and criticisms of that youth as well in this film).

Hirszman's made of "The Girl from Ipanema" a film critically divided between a sort of commercial summer movie and an existential drama that gets softened with the sound of Bossa Nova. It's a little hard to really feel its soul or connect with everything or everyone due to its jumpy presentation, almost as if channeling Godard but without the politics. It could be viewed as "Masculine-Feminine" but from a female perspective: both films deal with the differences between men and women, the social/cultural background of 1960's from their respective countries, and the sense of always looking for something out there, something deeper and meaningful to life. When the relationship between Márcia and the photographer is formed, it gets a more intellectual tone that previously presented, and it's there one can find a connection with the intimate desires from the girl, her detachment from everything, and it's there the film finds its heart. There's love going on but there's always something on the way. If her summer with the boyfriend is boring to watch (except for the artists who come and go, and she gets fascinated with Chico Buarque), her exchanges with the older man are great to watch (though many will complain about their first meeting, totally reprehensible acts).

I liked the film though it's Hirszman's weakest. For a moment it had everything to fail, but as it went on it got something to show, a relevant discourse for its period and even today, as we look back and see how much has changed when it comes to relationships, love and desire, and how one can express their feelings. Trying, failing, and later, If given the chance, succeeding. 6/10.

I remember the 2017's Oscars (and who could forget after the "Moonlight" envelope incident?) when sound editor Sylvain Bellemare was announced as winner for his work in "Arrival" and thinking why such an odd selection as I remembered that film as being quite silent. The change of perception came after rewatching the film; seeing this special; and also the current trend of what the Academy is choosing for Best Sound winners (now only one category instead of mixing and editing categories). The trend is going for the minimalist use where the sound is no longer about just new techniques but mostly about how it can tell a story and how it important is its use or non-use ("Sound of Metal", "Zone of Interest" are some recent examples).

Bellemare and others share the concept behind the aliens sounds, the creation of them, and how the creatures have a particular sound design that it's unlike any other sci-fi created up until then where's usually used effects on words, monstrous sounds. There's also room for discussion on other sounds used, such as the dialogues revolving on computers, skype and phones. It's an interesting material for anyone who has an interest on working with movie sounds or have a great curiosity about Denis Villeneuve's film and that particular aspect of the film. 8/10.

"The Razor's Edge" is a story about loss, gain and a man's soulful search for enlightning and the truth and beauty of life during the early days of the 20th century. It's the story of Larry Darell (Bill Murray, trying some dramatic chops for the first time), a WWI veteran who after a traumatic event decides to abandon a future marriage with a wealthy girl (Catherine Hicks) and a potential lucrative job working with his best mate (James Keach) in order to find a meaning to his life. He ventures around the world, working on hard labors, and also gets some valuable lessons on the mountains of Tibet. But he always keep coming back to his friends, ex-girlfriend and falls in love with Sophie (Theresa Russell), a problematic drunk with a tragic past, but someone whom Larry had some feelings before their difficult lives.

The treatment given to the classic novel by W. Somerset Maugham didn't translate all that well in this particular version (the 1946 film is amazing, and much to my surprise, very faithful) as it goes for excessive melodrama and a sense of humor that shouldn't been there at all. John Byrum's film, co-written with Murray, knows how to connect audiences with Larry as he is charming, eloquent and there's an almost innocence to this apparently lost man who needs to find some life significance after surviving the brutality of war and later on dealing with a prospect life like any other man had in the roaring twenties: a tedious job that pays, wife and kids, the guiding book of an apparent successful life. He wants more, though doesn't know exactly what it is but he keeps on trying, maybe he'll get "it" some day. The problem of Murray's Larry is the clownish acts, as if trying to conquer the viewer and not the characters he's interacting with.

But like many other films with such powerful themes, it's one of the cases where audiences either get the ideas of it all, with some form of embracing what it's trying to show or connect with its spiritual themes, or it's a total rejection of everything. I liked it, but it's one of those cases where I had to "brace myself for impact" as there are problems with the acting and the story presentation which condensates a lot of things (Maugham's character is inexistent and most of his moments were given to Larry), and added a few things that should be left for the viewer to imagine (the war battleground). But annoys the most are the girls in Larry's life, as the little charm they should have is non-existent and their acting didn't help. Denholm Elliott is always a class act to watch, and his Elliott Templeton is a little amusing to watch (I'd like to see Murray playing this character on a remake, he'd be perfect).

The book was a pleasure to read and it's a nice suggestion to anyone who couldn't understand the film. It's an okay film despite its complications.

It treated fairly with the existentialism of its leading character opposed with the other characters and their little lives. The glamourous art-direction, the great use of locations as opposed with the fabricated soundstages of 1946 version are all splendourous, alligned with the over-the-top and slightly effective score by Jack Nitzsche, one rally feels as if living between 1910's and 1930's. There's great values to show, learn and maybe live by but one can easily feel that there's something missing, some complexity that could be better developed. 6/10.

Existentialism and sci-fi at its best; pity it's only a short film - but a great one when it comes to its reflections. In "The Escape", a middle-aged man (Julian Sands) is offered by a mysterious man (Art Malik) the chance of getting whatever he desires. Whatever comes to mind or heart and he can achieve it but it comes with a price: he must give everything he owns and another more significant "payment" that I don't wanna disclose, gonna leave that mystery in the air since it's way too reflective and when audiences hear about that other thing, they'll find something new, intriguing and worthy of debate if you'd trade that in order to get everything you want.

Lambert (Sands character) begins to reflect of what he has to leave behind besides possessions: he's a married man going through some crisis with his wife (Olivia Williams), a young daughter going to college and a young son, who like him, wants to avoid responsabilities, and there's some work crisis as well. Obviously that he wants a way out of the complexities and obstacles of modern day life, get detached from everything and everyone and disappear to a dream life, or dream world, whatever that means. At times, we are like Lambert but to what cost we could buy a new reality, if ever possible.

Many mysteries in the air, little solutions and it's up to each viewer reflect on what's shown and reflect on what one would do if given such possibility. It's nice that we don't know exactly what Lambert wanted as we can put ourselves in his shoes and figure out some great escape from whatever we want to avoid in order to feel fulfilled (call it X and that's where the man was sent). The audiences who likes challenges, questions and almost to none answers will greatly satisfied with everything presented, and the performances by the cast as well (Malik was my favorite, he steals the show as the "seller of a better future"). And if there's a wish I could make, it would be for a feature film of this story as there are countless of possibilities to be explored, the drama of it all is poignant and the sci-fi elements are intelligent without explaining too much. 9/10.

Another successful partnership between Phil Collins and director James Yukich, the video for "Both Sides of the Story" offers a curious view of elements and scenarios that follows the exact things and scenes as expressed by Collins song. Between his performance behind a dark set, Collins appears on the background of situations such as a couple arguing due to an infidelity as their children watch everything; a man being robbed on the street; and there's also a civil war scenario; the lyrics capture all of that while reflecting that to any conflict and any situation there's a side to all parts, and we try to find the reasoning behind crimes, discussions, wars, disagreements and urban violence.

It's a song that I wasn't much familiar with, and I got acquainted with it after finding out that a portion of the lyrics was taken from Lawrence Kasdan's "Grand Canyon" (a movie that I love to death) - it's a near verbatim quotation of the thief about having a gun and the respect he gets with it. I simply love it when musicians get inspiration from the movies, either with a line, a description and in this case it truly works with effect while the robbery scenario is presented by having many robbers and many victims playing on the same scenario, created with a spin of the camera which changes their faces - great editing here.

Great song and video, though the latter isn't so much of a memorable experience if compared to many others done by the duo Collins/Yukich. 8/10.

If there's a movie that truly deserves a revisit now and then "Platoon" is such a movie. In fact, it's thanks to that film that I always find some time to rewatch movies that failed to appeal to me on first view. I admit it, I couldn't stand it for a brief period as it stayed on what I call "movie jail" (It stayed there for four years, then I got a rewatch and I loved it). I've been rewatching now and again and its message resonates deeper as each view and each year goes by, now added with this making of interviewing Oliver Stone, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and others sharing their stories about the filming and how it basically launched their careers.

A pretty good special that contains all the needed elements for that kind of material, proving all the making of stories that one reads on trivia section of the film; the arrival of cast and crew in Philippines exactly when Imelda Marcos regime was deposed; the intense boot camp training that made the actors feel what it's like to be a soldier on combat; the usual stuff in between humored talks. The surprises come from Stone's memories and comparison with his personal experiences on Vietnam; and a meeting with Vietnam veterans where he previewed a rough cut of the movie, a meeting arranged by his technical advisor/actor Captain Dale Dye.

It's great to watch, as it's one of the best specials of its kind that I ever seen, but there isn't much behind the scenes footage - another documentary was made years later after this one that contains that (to be seen) and most of what's shown are archive footage from the Vietnam War period (a less experienced viewer might confuse as it being taken from "Platoon"; and the soundtrack was way too loud during interviews and that hurt a couple of interviews.

The special provides many great insights on one the most acclaimed films of all time and fans of the movie will have a delightful and memorable time with it. 9/10.

Like many, I got to know the song thanks to Paralmas do Sucesso version in the early 1990's and also their clip. But when I heard this version many years later and noticed how dark it was, compared with the cover, something intrigued me, conquered me and I end up hearing the full album by Fito Páez, "Ciudade de pobres corazones". How is it possible that one particular song with same lyrics (different in language but nearly similar) could have different outcomes, meaning, ways of expression through its sound? If Paralamas brings a soulful, hopeful and enthusiastic shout to life, with Fito we have a cry and a despair where everything feels wrong and "Dá-me tu amor, solo tu amor" ("Give me your love, only your love") goes as a desperate plea for love amidst the problems, one last fire burning: to find hope. Yet, despite the differences, both version work in a spectacular manner.

I don't need to go about how that dark and edgy 1987 album came out and the horrible tragedy that happened in Fito Páez life that brought to a major shift in his sounds and lyrics. But please, do listen to that album, it's amazing. The promotional video made for "Track-Track" is very basic while selling a man trapped into an insane world. It goes in a repetitive manner where Páez appears performing the song while clutching himself on a fence; him holding a strecher on a mental institution with a corridor that seems to go on forever, on top of that stretche he appears on a TV (that previous image), and only at the end we have a break from those patterns as we see the man performing with his band.

As a great mind said "Make your pain and turn it into art" and I think Fito did that, he really immersed himself with everything going around him, pain, agony and rage and threw it all into a mix that reflected his hurt, possibly questioning his own sanity. If the imagery of it all looks confusing, chaotic, ugly and very dark with its blue tones everywhere, there's reasons for it. He fights with the fence while singing, and he carries the stretcher, at times helped and other times all by himself to the point of vomiting in one shot, and it repeats over and over while small changes. The inner chaos of living in a violent place that repeats itself time and again, in a suffocating manner, that the few sane minds can only think, cry and plea for just a little love, something to make them going on living. This video captures the spirit of its lyrics, the feeling of it all without borrowing its elements from it. It's perfect, and the song is quite unique, memorable, hearfelt and the sounds of everything conquer very easily. Latin America at its greatest. 9/10.

This almost obscure track by Spandau Ballet got a pretty decent and fun music video to watch with its confusing yet appealing storyline revolving on private investigation, some mystery and action, and lots of chases. "Communication" should have a wider audience, not sure if it had one back in the day except for the band's fans after their smash-hit "True".

A fun video, acted by the band members, with some classic touches from crime/thriller films of the period. But, what sells the most is the catchy song, a very underrated song that escaped the radar of many listeners out there. One of those songs that are easy to like. 8/10.

The creepiness of its presentation, editing and effects are also part of the charm of "Here Comes Your Man" video, which obviously includes one of Pixies greatest hits with its colorful sounds and lyrics. Not sure how it stands out today, but growing up and getting to know the band with this crazed idea was really something some years ago.

A band performance with mismatching sounds, as Black Francis does not sing the song and he just moves his mouth forming a big "OH", or band members appearing with enlarged foreheads and faces, moving in a slow manner at times - all creepy but funny as well. It doesn't have anything to do with the randomness of its lyrics, but the unusual factor works with brilliance. And if the song got its success (Pixies biggest), is thanks to a colorful and amusing video like this.

A true classic from the late 1980's, and the word classic is not used lightly. It was that big of a deal (no pun intended on Kim). 9/10.

If I ever have to be greatful for internet or music app advertisings then I have to be very thankful as one of those annyoing ads brought me to this fun-sounding song. Around 2023 and a certain app had a repetitive promo with the chorus of Chvrches "Over" but without telling who was performing the song. I tracked it down, and somehow I got hooked by it because of the promo, as the song was catchy. What came after hearing it fully and seeing this video was a song that not only has some 1980's style (of which I love) but also some reflective lyrics as well. It goes with a sad and tired intent with its wording but the sound, the beat of everything makes it up for a pretty song to dance.

The video is alright giving the appearance of being without cuts, with the group performing on a strange scenario that from the upper view it makes it look as if they're small figures on a keyboard. Nice drone usage too that gathered some nice visuals.

I'm glad about the ads - though I hate its excessive repetition. But, without it, I'd probably wouldn't know about the music or it'd take ages to finally get to know it. 8/10.

For a long time I was intrigued on why the video for "Pictures of You" had to go in such a strange fashion of elements. Here, The Cure performs the track on a snowy hill that goes from daylight to night-time with snow falling harder as hours go by. Besides their act, at times a man with a camera films them all, and there's a person wearing a white bear costume, moving around in the background.

Like me, you may ask, what does has anything to with a heartbreaking song about nearly faded memories of a lost relationship? Well, it doesn't have anything to do with it, and in fact, it doesn't even sell the song all that greatly except that you can almost find some connection. Since the concept moves from the idea of a band playing together to more playful times, and when the camera pans back to reveal the natural space and instead you can spot a designed set, it relates with the "I almost believe that the pictures are real" bit from the lyrics, and snow in description and etc. I love its atmosphere, its quiet moments and how it was shot by Tim Pope with a series of Super8 cameras.

Crazy to think that it got away with its 8 minutes long, as back then videos had a "ruling" in order to get some airplay and a few ones succeed it greatly, but it's such a powerful song that whatever video could made it'd still cause an impact. Another remarkable song from "Disintegration", the perfect Cure album, in my book. 8/10.

A powerful song from the spectacular "Disintegration", the video for "Fascination Street" moves in mysterious dark ways, like many of the produced videos to promote the album. A routine performance from the group with a dominating static, reduced camera movements and Robert Smith is featured prominintely in close-up shots, singing the song. Controled used of lights in the small set that makes us imagine the song title as there are signs and a phone booth in the background. Nothing wrong about it, except that we don't have some artistic presentation or something that sticks in your mind like many previous Cure clips. But that bassline kills me everytime. 7/10.

A little unusual seeing two singles in one video and composed with the intention of being a medley from one idea to another, giving the appareance of one take - the final shot of "Dig for Fire" as Pixies is walking out to a stadium opens for "Allison". I only knew the latter song and video, as it was played solo on music channels; the first song didn't impressed me at all as it's too repetitive; "Allison" is a favorite of mine with its quick mode and it feels like a sitcom theme, very fun to hear.

The first bit revolves on a motorcycle theme, some strange imagery that later has the band members walking out to play the second song and that's where the act becomes interesting, as each of them play their instruments very apart from each other, forming a circle inside the huge football stadium. Okay video, but far from the spectacles of mismatched sounds and giant foreheads shown in "Here Comes Your Man". 6/10.

A superb, nearly brilliant crime thriller about a forbidden love affair, the false moralism of an apparently open-minded society and a man torn apart between his stable family life and his male lover, a possible suspect on a murder case. Yannick Bellon's film deeply explores the ambiguities of life, romance and sex in a reflective, open matter, at times humored but also very dark.

Police comissioner Michel Verta (Victor Lanoux) is called to investigate the mysterious murder of a gay emcee at the Bordeaux docks. At the club the old man used to work he meets Bernard (Xavier Deluc), a young musician very acquainted with deceased, and soon after questioning a fascination takes hold of both. Though Michel is a happily married man, he isn't new to the game in meeting men for sexual relations, and we're told of that right from the very first scene and the story is very smart and keen in showing that he deeply cares for Bernard rather than using the young boy as a bait to catch a killer. This isn't Friedkin's "Crusing", but it easily could be.

Instead of deeply involving us with the investigation, the film focuses on how those two can keep their relationship of a low-profile in order to not attract attention to a prominent and respective figure as the inspector is, also a very careful man since his other affairs were always one night stands that no one suspect about. Yet, he loves his wife and daughter, and his job, but he also knows that Bernard has that special quality one longs in finding on a person and he cannot imagine a life without him. And there's a killer on the loose and the musician might know who he is, so there's danger all around as they become more and more intimate.

"La triche" ("The Cheat") is a very gripping film, no question about that. Lanoux and Deluc are incredibly talented performers and their scenes together are easily the best moments in the film, both in dialogues and intimacy. It's a very seductive and potent film about the problematic and differences between love and passion, real commitment or just mutual interests and the line between all those elements could fool a smart man like Michel, and confuse an impressive streetwise like Bernard. And if there's one great topic debated with a fine intenstity here is the question of sexuality and how labels should never been applied to a person, as Michel's family have trouble with a proper definition when the affair is revealed. And the big question thrown at us: to cheat on himself in order to live a reality one does not completely like, or to throw away everything, to have real love but also feel as an outcast?

But it doesn't go without faults or things that needed a better presentation. I liked the fact that the crime and the investigation ended up being on a second plan, as the problematic love affair is far more interesting to follow. But the problems arise on both ways as 1) it almost feels as there wasn't a clear motivation for the murder; 2) showing the killer right from the get-go hurt the mystery of it all, as I believe audiences would love if Bernard could be the one; and 3) the total lack of audacity in showing the couple being really intimate.

They don't kiss at all, and the two bedroom scenes shown gives us almost nothing. For a film that dares to walk on controversial themes (at the time), the director made it all too clean and cute, there was no risk. And it's not a matter of being a 1980's product, as the previous year French cinema had the sexual audacity from "L'homme blessé", a film that I didn't like for countless problems but I liked the scenes of sexual nature. Mrs. Bellon's film gives us some moments and nude photos from a magazine, but we have to believe in the male couple and their talks, rather than the physical contact.

A true glorious film, exciting and thrilling, and very easy to recomment despite many downbeat elements (but those one could see a mile away as true products of its period. I just felt it was a little too rushed with its conclusion). 8/10.

Inspired by real events, "Le juge" ("The Judge") tells the story of a hard-working honest judge (Jacques Perrin, "Z", "Cinema Paradiso") in his quest to bring a powerful mobster (Daniel Duval) to jail. This isn't your typical judge who stays only in court to hear the case and convict the person, as he also goes to questionings, take depositions and assists on manhunt for suspects and witnesses along with a ruthless and more seasons police inspector (Richard Bohringer).

Philippe Lefebvre's first cinema film is a raw, realistic and honest look on the challenges faced by the judicial system and the police system while trying to bring criminals to justice, facing perils, technicalities brought by influent lawyers who'll always find ways to save their clients, and threats from all comrades, as evidenced by a superior of the judge who keeps questioning his methods and preventing from doing his job. It's the kind of game that even when winning and making a society more safe, it doesn't bring a total sense of peace. The cops go, detain the suspect, evidence is found but when it's time for prosecution and condemnation, there's always the risk of justice not being served for whatever reason. The judge knows his system and its flaws, but he tries very hard to show that no one's above the law, even if he has to risk his family and his life safety.

It's a quite effective dramatic thriller but far from memorable as the theme is practically worn-out by now, and done with more gusto. It works a great deal thanks to a honorable performance by Perrin, always a pleasure to watch, and the glorious presence of Michael Lonsdale playing a drug dealer who refuses to rat on his mates. The few thrilling sequences shown are a delight to watch with some fine car chases, and the attack on one of the potential informers,is also brilliantly executed. But it's more of a dramatic work that becomes a little repetitive, and for a time you always feel hopeless that such big case will come out as the mobster is a very clever man, and his lawyer even more daring with his debates with the judge.

It's very downbeat but it's completely honest in what it has to show. It's the kind of thing you'll always hear on the news if you follow particular cases here and there. As for Perrin's character, you can count on your fingers how many judges tried to act like he did in the movie, a man full of integrity and some recklessness, deeply involved with his work and who tries to keep things by the book, with some unorthodox ways but always bringing results. It's the hero we needed, but one we hardly ever get. 6/10.