Coluna Claquete - February, 23th 2016

 

Newton Ramalho

 

colunaclaquete@gmail.com - www.colunaclaquete.blogspot.com - colunaclaquete

Movie of the Week: "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi"

There is no surprise how United States engages in overthrowing the government of some country - and then see their citizens implicated in any undesirable situation. Well, if it is not new, at least can be used as movie theme, what is the case of "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi."

For decades, the Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi ruled Libya with an iron fist, and even suffering sanctions from Western governments, remained in a privileged position thanks to oil exports, abundant commodity in that country. However, after the violent civil war that broke out in 2011, Libya has become one more territory with many owners, and very dangerous for foreigners.

In this context, we find a group of six former American military hired by the CIA to provide security in an outpost in Benghazi, Libya's second largest city after the capital Tripoli. On site, 25 civilian employees of the agency do their best to get information, get informants, plan actions against the enemy, etc .. In fact, the least known is who is friend or enemy, as this confusing scenario is difficult to place things.

But as anything that is bad can really get worse, the American ambassador Chris Stevens (Matt Letscher) decides to pay a visit to Benghazi. What should be a discreet mission is widely publicized by the local press, and the place where the ambassador staying is a horror in terms of security, a fully probed mansion, and with only two men taking care of it.

The place becomes target of attack of an extremist group - it is not clear which one, the options are plentiful! The guards of CIA base want to intervene, but are prevented by the head of the base (David Costabile), concerned about the safety of its own staff.

The group of guards formed by Jack (John Krasinski), Rone (James Badge Dale), Tanto (Pablo Schreiber), Boon (David Denman), Tig (Dominic Fumusa) and Bub (Toby Stephens) and more Libyan interpreter Amahl (Peyman Moaadi) follow for a rescue mission, but it is too late.

As they know that the next target will be the basis of the CIA, the way back is also troubled, as groups seem want to help, and others want to attack - and no one knows who is who.

The following time is full of tension and struggle, with successive waves of attacks, heavy casualties of the attackers, but also some important among the reduced defenders. There is no air support or any other form of assistance the powerful American army, all far away or unable to provide any kind of support.

Michael Bay seems to have evolved since the time of Transformers, when he put so many special effects in the movies to the point that the viewer did not have the slightest idea of ​​what was happening on the screen. The action scenes of the current movie are very well done, conveying the tension from beginning to end. The nervous camera and frantic editing hinder rather in quieter scenes.

In relation to the central theme, we see that the Americans continue with his confused foreign policy, where economic motivations cause extreme disruption in the invaded countries, which are perpetuated ad infinitum, as seen in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya itself.

Of course the film is ideal for turning American heroes, even if it means killing hundreds of locals, who - we have to admit that - are fighting for their own country.

Just looking through the lens of cinema, "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi" is an interesting action movie, with a lot of tension, and that videogames style like Doom, Quake or Counter Strike, where the important thing is to eliminate as many enemies as possible.

Coluna Claquete - February, 14th 2016

Movie of the week: "Trumbo"

It is very difficult for anyone under thirty years have idea of what was the world during the Cold War, when the world was divided into two blocs, one led by Soviet Union, and the other by United States. Although the blocks have fought in various places like Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan, there has never been a direct confrontation. However, the influences and reactions took place far from the battlefields, as well as showing the film "Trumbo".

We always imagine Hollywood as the Mecca of cinema, a place where dreams turn into films that will serve as a delectation for fans worldwide. However, in the depths of Platinum Venus there is an underworld where diverse interests circulate, serving a lot of obscure goals.

 

Until the Second World War, communism was something indifferent to the majority of Americans. The Russians were Communists, but they had been allies in the war against the Nazis. However, after the conflict, they were seen as the greatest enemies of US interests, since they were the only ones with the potential to confront the Americans.

With the worsening of the situation, began to emerge in the US anti-communist movements, led by opportunistic politicians like Senator Joseph McCarthy, who preached a panic among voters, as the communists were about to invade the country. This has created legions of followers, and as it should be, also in Hollywood.

Dalton Trumbo (played masterfully in the movie by Bryan Cranston) was reporter, novelist and successful screenwriter in Hollywood, and for being a defender of workers' rights, joined the American Communist Party in 1943.

In 1947, Trumbo and nine other directors and writers have been called to testify before the parliamentary commission of inquiry of the United States House of Representatives, formed to investigate the alleged infiltration of communists in the film industry, and chaired by Senator Joseph McCarthy. Trumbo refused to inform who were the Hollywood communists in committee. After being convicted of civil disobedience to the US Congress, he joined the first Hollywood blacklist and spent eleven months in a federal prison in Ashland, Kentucky.

After the arrest, Trumbo and nine other writers, known as the "Hollywood Ten" were prevented from working, and began to write under false names for small studios. "Bloody Arena", one of the films written by him under the name Robert Rich went on to win the Best Original Screenplay Oscar, but no one came to claim the prize.

"Trumbo" shows a clear involvement of the press in this "war", mainly through the person of Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren), a former actress who had become one of the most powerful and poisonous columnists of Hollywood gossips. She led the anti-communist movement in the movie capital, alongside equally reactionary figures such as actors Ronald Reagan and John Wayne.

 

All were scared to Hedda and its allies, because they had no scruples about blackmailing, threatening, defaming, or taking any other action to achieve their goals, especially with the support of the press, the FBI and the conservative Congress.

In this context, it is absolutely praiseworthy attitude of people like the actor Kirk Douglas (Dean O'Gorman), director Otto Preminger (Christian Berkel) and producer Frank King (John Goodman), who dared to challenge the system and support some of these men unjustly persecuted, just for thinking differently.

"Trumbo" it is beautifully built, not only faithful to the historical facts, but also showing how american society was involved. Bryan Cranston received the Oscar nomination in 2016 for Best Actor for his role in the film.

It would be great if these things were just memories of a distant past. However, in Brazil and USA today, we live in a very similar situation with the Hollywood of the 1950s, where no one can have a dissenting opinion without being branded as socialist or reactionary with the enthusiastic participation of the press.

May not the men learn from their own mistakes? Or, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy", as the old man William said, centuries ago.

For more movies on the subject, I recommend "Good Night, and Good Luck" (2005) and "The Majestic" (2001)

 

Coluna Claquete - January, 17th 2014

 

Movies of the Week: "Delivery Man" and "Rush"

What would you do if you discover that you are father of 533 children? This is the theme of "Delivery Man", a movie that is sold as a comedy, though it delas with an extremely delicate and importante subject, about what is the true role of fatherhood.

This movie is actually a remake of canadian production "Starbuck", 2011, both directed by Ken Scott. It is curious a remake so soon, but as the original film is spoken in Quebecois (Canadian French), it is natural Hollyood to want a spoken English version for the American market, not used to reading subtitles. Believe it, or not, there is a third version, french, with the title "Fonzy".

Both versions are identical, centered on the character David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn, in the American version, Patrick Huard in the original) a man that in his youth earned money donating sperm to a bank of fertilization.

Twenty years later, David is still the same attitude towards life, which causes him big problems with the current girlfriend, Emma (Cobie Smulders), a serious police officer, who discovers to be pregnant, but does not consider David the ideal father.

At the same time, David is informed that he is the subject of a lawsuit against the fertilizationbank for which donated, and that was used to generate no less than 533 children! The problem is that 142 of these young people wanted to know the identity of his biological father.

At first startled by the impact of the news, David is curious about his "children" and decides to meet them, without identifying himself. The surprises are many, such as an ex-addicted girl, the waiter who aspires to be an actor, the kid with cerebral palsy, and many others. Gradually, he realizes the beauty of being a parente, while struggling with financial problems, family quarrels, and difficulties with his girlfriend.

Despite the script uneventful and predictable ending, the film presents an interesting provocation: what is being a father? In our tropical paradise to be biological father implies legal liability, so this story would never happen here. But knowing the fact that a human being is a part of you should always be exciting, unless the person is a great selfish.

But, and the one that fosters? In the film it is not clear the relationship with the foster parents, but the search for the origin awakens a pride in the protagonist for his "offspring" and the desire to be a father in all senses. In reverse of the natural process, the children educate and mature their father.

The two versions are very similar, although Vince Vaughn is one actor of "a single character". For those who want to know the French spoken in Canada is a good chance, although I only understood a dozen lines, even having studied during four years the language of Victor Hugo and Jules Verne.

Another movie that charmed me this weekend was "Rush", which deals with the rivalry between Formula 1 drivers James Hunt and Nikki Lauda in the 1976 championship, one of the most remarkable in the whole history of the sport.

The film shows a bit of the background of the two pilots, when they were still novices in basic competitions. James Hunt, played by "Thor" Chris Hemsworth, has always walked around with speed, drink and women, not necessarily in that order, while the austrian Nikki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) invested seriously in his career with great technique and planning.

With different means, both riders succeed in penetrate the select world of Formula 1, in an age where risks were part of the thrill of the sport, accidents were frequent, and at least two pilots died each year.

The 1976 championship was fiercely competitive, with Hunt and Lauda taking turns in first place, with advantage to the austrian, until he suffered a serious accident at the Nurburgring in Germany, where his car caught fire and he was trapped in for several minutes, almost losing his life and suffering many burns.

With great determination, Lauda returned to the championship 42 days after the accident, which fueled more attention from the world of motoring, a dispute that would only be decided in the final minutes of the last race of the season.

Although the movie focuses of the two pilots, that season of Formula 1 had big names in action, as Clay Regazzoni, Mario Andretti, Jacques Laffite, and four brazilian racers: Emerson Fittipaldi, Ingo Hoffmann, Alex Dias Ribeiro and José Carlos Pace. Fittipaldi, in a way, contributed to the permanence of James Hunt in Formula 1, since he got the job of the brazilian at McLaren, when Emerson went to Copersucar.

Another interesting point of the film is the question of the safety of drivers, of less importance at that time, and, after 1976, it was reformulated with requirements of safety conditions for circuits and more rigid restrictions regarding the cars.

One can not deny a certain sympathy in the way Lauda is shown in the film, with his way of good guy, doing everything by the right way, while Hunt is shown - in a very faithful portrait, with a bon vivant lifestyle. But as Lauda witness, despite the rivalry, Hunt was whom he respected most in the Formula 1 environment. It is hardly remembered his act of heroism in the accident in the Italian Grand Prix in 1978, when died Ronnie Peterson, and Hunt helped pull the swedish racer from his car still on fire.

Technically, "Rush" brings a perfect recreation of the time, with good performances (though Hemsworth always seems to be Thor lost on Earth), and a so well done script, that even in the case of facts well known, accompanied by most people, yet manages to keep the viewer's attention until the final minutes.

Coluna Claquete - January, 27th 2012

Movie of the Week: "The Adventures of Tintin - The Secret of the Unicorn"

When a character from a book, game or comic book is adapted into a movie, I always wait for the fans reaction, who consider themselves co-owners thereof, and with full right to complain if the version is not true to the original. Curiously, "The Adventures of Tintin - The Secret of the Unicorn" seems to have overcome this barrier - and with praise.

The character of Tintin was created by the belgian Georges Prosper Remi (better known as Hergé) in 1929, and was published in numerous newspapers, magazines and books until the 80's, becoming one of the most popular comic book heroes in the world, translated into more than 50 languages ​​and more than 200 million copies sold.

Tintin is a young belgian reporter who always gets into adventures alongside the faithful dog Snowy, a fox terrier who is always beside the master, often delivering him out of a bind.Other characters that made up the universe were of Tintin were Captain Haddock, a rude sailor, and drink lover, the confused policemen Dupond and Dupont, a mad scientist, Trifólio Girassol, and the opera singer Bianca Castafiore.

In all this long life, Tintin has subtle changes, which reflected not only the external influences, such as the Nazi invasion of Belgium, as well as the author's own maturity and worldview.

Hergé, as it was applauded by fans, has received numerous complaints, ranging from misogyny, because almost all its characters are male, racism, because of the way the black characters were shown, and even fascism, probably to work in a newspaper controlled by the Nazis during the German occupation.

For a long time desiring to bring the character to the movies, Steven Spielberg had been negotiating with the author himself, but at his death in 1983, everything had to restart. In 2002, DreamWorks bought the film rights for the entire series.Finally, on May 15, 2007, Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson officiated the completion of a trilogy adapted from the stories, to be held on computer graphics and motion capture.

The method, already used by Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" to create the character Gollum, is to shoot live action actors with special clothes, to recreate them in a virtual environment, adding any additional details.

To interpret the main characters, the actors hired were Jamie Bell (Tintin), Andy Serkis (Captain Haddock) and Daniel Craig (Sakharine). Serkis is already a veteran in the technique, as was the one who gave life to Gollum in Jackson's "Lord of the Rings".

The current film uses elements of the stories "The Crab with the Golden Claws" and "The Secret of the Unicorn," with a bit of "The Treasure of Rackham the Terrible." The screenplay is not a strict interpretation, because many of today's viewers have never heard of Tintin and the characters need to be presented to them.

Tintin found early in the film by buying a replica of a sailing ship in a street fair. Tintin is surprised by the interest of two strangers who want to buy the miniature at any cost, which he refuses.

Curious, he decides to research the original ship, which served as a model for the replica, and discovers that the true Unicorn disappeared in a shipwreck while returning from the Caribbean, and the entire crew had died, except for the captain, Sir Francis Haddock.

When Tintin returns home, finds the whole apartment was trashed, and that the miniature had vanished. The more he researched it, the more mysterious things happen, including the death of one of the persistent buyers.

Tintin discovers that the possible reason for the interest on the thumbnail was a hidden message, and that in fact there were three replicates of the Unicorn, each with a distinct message, and the three together would lead to the discovery of a secret.

The young man saves the message in his wallet, which is stolen by a pickpocket Then, he is kidnapped and taken to a ship, leaving for an unknown address.

Tintin escapes the cell with the help of Milu, and soon he meets Captain Haddock, who was kept drunk and locked in his own cabin. The two decide to escape, and are adrift in a lifeboat, only managing to escape when they are spotted by a seaplane.

The events, then, precipitate, and besides facing a storm in the small plane - which Tintin pilots for the first time in his life - still need to survive the caustic African desert.

In the midst of a crisis of abstinence, the captain Haddock reveals to be a descendant of Sir Francis Haddock, Captain of the Unicorn, and a family secret was passed about the ship's real story. The problem is that when Haddock's grandfather told him the secret before he died, he drunk so much that he had forgotten everything the old man had said.

With much effort, Tintin helped the captain to remember the secret, which, in fact, was what happened in the final moments of the Unicorn, when Sir Francis faced the pirates led by Rackham, the terrible. Only then they discover that the villains they face now are controlled by Sakharine, which itself is descended from Rackham.

Tintin and Haddock have to prevent Sakharine to steal the third replica of the Unicorn, which contains the final message, which culminates in a dizzying chase through the streets of Morocco, and a final duel of titans in the port of Brussels. Will our heroes be able to discover the secret of the Unicorn?

Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson got the rare feat of maintaining a fidelity to spirit of the comic book hero, while presenting him to the new generations, combining three stories in a smooth manner, without break of continuity.

The motion-picture technique worked well, although it is halfway between a real film and animation. Andy Serkis is a veteran in this technique, as he played it in Gollum from "Lord of the Rings", and Cesar in "Planet of the Apes: The Origin." He even joked that he was afraid that Jackson wanted to cast him as the dog Milu.

Although not thoroughly explore three-dimensional effects, this is one of the best 3D productions of recent years. {Unlike other films whose action scenes leave viewers stunned, the sequences of persecution and the duel at the port were masterful, perfectly visible, and wrapped in an engaging soundtrack, transmiting the emotion idealized by the authors.

"The Adventures of Tintin - The Secret of the Unicorn" is a movie for the family, fun and full of action, much to the taste of today spectators. The ending makes clear that there will be a continuation, which - we hope - keep the level of the current movie.