kipper-5 Reviews

Amores Possíveis (2001)

A well-made comedy about 3 possible love lives of 1 person

[9/10 · 19 December 2002]

"Possible Loves" doesn't pretend to be more than a romantic comedy, "realistic" in its way. I thought it was as good as any produced in Hollywood. Not every Brazilian film has to be depressing. Happiness, and even prosperity, are also possible.

Of course this isn't the first funny Brazilian movie, but it's been a long time since "Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands", and "Bye Bye Brazil," and they were both set in a Brazil that was already passing out of existence. "Possible Loves" is not only funny but takes modern life for granted.

The Story of Fausta (1988)

Struggles of working-class Brazilians, funny and sad

[7/10 · 16 June 1999]

I've watched this movie several times, because its depiction of the everyday life of working-class Brazilians fascinates me, with plenty of heartbreak and some occasional laughter. But I'm not prepared to say how realistic it is. I would ask a Brazilian for an opinion on that.

I like Betty Faria a lot; she was also in "Bye Bye Brazil" and many other Brazilian films, and she's very funny when she wants to be. Brandao Filho is also very charming as the old man that Fausta connects with. But, boy, Bruno Barreto sure knows how to make a depressing movie.

Ruben Blades did the music on the soundtrack--Lord knows why. It's good but it didn't seem very Brazilian to me.

Gabriela (1983)

Male-fantasy counterpart of Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands

[9/10 · 1 May 1999]

Sonia Braga and Marcello Mastroianni are well-matched in this comedy set in the coastal town of Ilheus, Brazil, in the 1920's. Mastroanni is a paunchy, tired bachelor barkeeper who hires Braga, fresh out of the drought-stricken backlands, to be his cook. He is delighted to find, after she has cleaned herself up, that she is not only a terrific cook but also terrific in bed, and that she sees him as a very cute, studly young guy. But when he stubbornly tries to make their domestic arrangements into something more respectable, things start going downhill. Will our boy wise up in time?

From Jorge Amado's novel, Gabriela: Clove and Cinnamon. Music composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim and arranged by Oscar Castro-Neves. Beautiful photography by Carlo di Palma. Lots of delightful small-town character humor.

This is the role that put Sonia Braga on the map when she played it on Brazilian TV in 1975. She was a sensation, and Gabriela was one of the highest-rated novelas ever aired in Brazil.

Ike: The War Years (1979)

Very watchable portrait of the Supreme Commander

[9/10 · 1 May 1999]

Robert Duvall must have watched a lot of footage of the real Eisenhower. His performance is never boring, and the other cast members are fine, too. As World War II history, this four-hour mini-series may give too much importance to Ike's relationship with his driver, Kay Summersby, on whose memoir the script is partly based. But who cares? As a movie, it is well written and acted, and doesn't distort the important historical facts. We get to see many of the great personalities: Roosevelt, Churchill, Montgomery, the other generals. And we get to see some fascinating incidents, for example, Ike meeting personally with the troops as they prepare to cross the English Channel on D-Day. I've seen this film several times, and still enjoy it. A first-class production.

Juliet of the Spirits (1965)

A woman starts to crack up after finding out her husband has been cheating on her

[10/10 · 30 April 1999]

This is the inner journey of a modest middle-aged housewife whose illusions of perfect home life are crumbling. But that summary doesn't begin to describe how the movie looks and sounds. We see every scene and character as Giulietta feels about them. Her impossibly immaculate house, her suave husband, her aristocratic mother, her extremely sexy sister, all look like caricatures to us, but it seems that is how she really sees them. The dream sequences are marvellous, and so is Nino Rota's music, which I can still hear in my mind.

I'm surprised no one else has commented on this one. It's my favorite Fellini movie.

Nothing Sacred (1937)

My dad's favorite movie

[10/10 · 30 April 1999]

I was taken to see this for the first time when I was too young to get most of the humor. It improved as I aged. It really is one of the best.

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis did a remake (called "Living It Up", though I somehow remember the title as "Homer Flagg") and I remember at the time thinking that that version was MUCH better, but what did I know? I was only nine.