Coluna Claquete - June 27th, 2016 - Movie of the Week: "Eye in the Sky"

 

 

Newton Ramalho

 

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

 

Movie of the Week: "Eye in the Sky"

Every day we see on TV and newspaper some news about the fight against the terrorists of the different factions, without having the slightest idea of ​​what or how these actions actually happen. A film brings to us the complexity of these operations, and the risks involved - most often to innocent people. The film is "Eye in the Sky", directed by Gavin Hood.

It is curious how many people have no notion at all about the fight against terrorists, and some even ask "why not just throw an atomic bomb and kill all at once?". The truth is that the extremists are a dangerous minority infiltrated in countries full of innocent people, which have no connection with terror, and are used as human shields.

In the film we see an operation in Kenya to capture three extremists, a British and two Americans, who joined the dangerous terrorist group al-Shabab.The occasion proves to be extremely fortuitous, because after years of research, is the first time that the three of them are under the possibility of being arrested.

The operation is quite complex, being coordinated by the British Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren), under the supervision of his superior, General Frank Benson (Alan Rickman), dealing whith Defense Minister, the Attorney General and other authorities .

The operation has American support, with a team in Hawaii working with target recognition, and a crew piloting a drone, from a base in Nevada. The direct action will be conducted by Kenyan army, while some field agents make the close surveillance.

The difficulties start to arise when identities are revealed, and the purpose of the meeting is defined. What should be a capture operation becomes a mission of execution. The citizenship of the targets, as well as the possibility of loss of innocent lives triggers a frantic communication between authorities of three countries, because the desire to eliminate dangerous enemies shocks against ethics.

In addition to bringing the discussion of this dilemma, the film was extremely well built, bringing a level of tension that rises over time, and that, unlike the action movies, is not resolved with the fists of an invincible hero.

The characters who symbolize the greatest risk are Alia (Aisha Takow), a girl who sells bread in the street, and the Kenyan agent Jama Farah (Barkhad Abdi), which uses all his power of improvisation to complete the mission satisfactorily.

Helen Mirren, efficient as always, is who leads the story, her character ordering, begging, cajoling and blackmailing to achieve her goals. Alan Rickman, in his latest work in life, works magnificently until the end, totally free of his most famous character, Professor Snape, in the Harry Potter saga.

Unlike films like "The Hurt Locker" and "American Sniper," "Eye in the Sky" show different situations of an obscure war, where people in friendly countries come to be seen as objects in a statistical decision, and the most important damage seems not to be a lost human life, but the effect of a video on Youtube.

As the message we see in the beginning of the movie, in a war the first victim is the truth. I recommend this film to everybody, not just for being a well done movie, but for raising an important discussion about what may or may not be done in the name of combating terrorism.

Original title: "Eye in the Sky"

 

Coluna Claquete - June 21, 2016 - Movie of the week: "All About Them"

 

 

Newton Ramalho

 

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

 

Movie of the Week: "All About Them" 

On these strange times we live in, where people wander between the purest intolerance and political correctness, it is very nice to watch a movie in which the only thing that matters is the relationship between people - even if this relationship is different from what is considered "normal".The film in focus is "All About Them" ( "A trois on y va", 2014), directed by Jérôme Bonnell.

As the title suggests, the story involves three people: Charlotte (Sophie Verbeeck) and Micha (Felix Moati), who have been together for four years, and their friend, Melodie (Anaïs Demoustier). The three are young and struggle with the difficulties of a start in life.

Charlotte and Micha has a further problem, since their relationship suffers from the wear of monotony. This has led Charlotte to have an affair with Mélodie, a situation that has lasted a few months, but also suffers from doubts and problems of the two women.

In turn, Micha is attracted by Mélodie, and some circumstances lead them to a new angle of this love triangle.Only Mélodie is aware of what is happening, and she tries at all costs to prevent friends and lovers being hurt, while trying to survive her own financial difficulties.

The film is light and fun, with some hilarious situations, typical in a romantic comedy, but never never falling into the exaggerations of Hollywood movies. The viewer is free of scatological jokes as the clichés and sentimental fussiness.

The relations between the characters are built upon the passions that unite them, reflecting some of the immediacy and fragility that mark today's relationships.

The most notable aspect of the film is the way the subject is treated without involving moral issues. The fact that two women maintain an affair is not seen from the perspective of homosexuality, as well as adultery is not seen as the involvement of partners with a third (and the same) person.The biggest issue is the feelings of the beings involved.

The central trio play their roles very well, which directly reflects the work of French director Jérôme Bonnell. But the film's success is mainly due to the performance of promising actress Anaïs Demoustuer, who had shone in the movie "The New Friend", already analyzed in this blog.

"All About Them" is a light, fun movie, obviously to a less conservative audience, those with an open mind to understand that what unites people are not the moral, political and religious conventions, but above all, love.

Original title: "The trois on y va"

 

Coluna Claquete - June 14, 2016 - Movie of the Week: "Fear and Trembling"

 

 

Newton Ramalho

 

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

 

Movie of the Week: "Fear and Trembling"

Different cultures are always attractive, although it is often difficult to understand them, especially when you have to live in another country. This becomes even more complex when the country in question is Japan, which throughout its history had long periods isolated from the rest of the world. This isolation led to traditions and values ​​that are very different from other cultures, and always cause astonishment to the "gaijin", the foreigners. A film that explores this topic in a very interesting way is "Fear and Trembling" ("Stupeur et Tremblements", 2003), directed by Alain Corneau.

The film is based on the book of the same name written by the Belgian author Amélie Nothomb, which, in theory, would be her memories of the time she lived and worked in Japan. Diplomat's daughter, Amélie lived in Japan as a child and fell in love with Japanese culture becoming fluent in the language, although not in writing.

The character Amélie (Sylvie Testud), however, is an interpreter, fluent in French, English and Japanese.Contracted by a large Japanese corporation, she wants to realize her dream of living and working in Japan.

But business world in Japan is quite different from the rest of the world. The company's president, Mr. Haneda (Sokyu Fujita) is inaccessible, the vice-president, Mr Omochi (Bison Katayama) is wrathful and obese, the chief accountant, Mr. Saito (Tarot Suwa) is also aggressive and demanding, and the last superior on Amélie scale is the beautiful and efficient Fubuki (Kaori Tsuji), one of the few women to exercise managerial role in the company.

Thus, Amélie will find that speak the language or know the customs is not a garantee to move freely in the Japanese universe. In fact, her first major gaffe is when she serves tea to visitors from another company. When she acts and speaks as a Japanese, it creates an uncomfortable situation for the company.

Her new stumbling happens when she prepares a report on a Belgian company, at the request of the sympathetic Mr. Tenshi (Yasunari Kondo). The work causes a great commotion, as this is considered a break of hierarchy, as the responsible for the area was on a business trip. But for Amélie, the biggest disappointment was to know that she was denounced by Fubuki.

These blunders result in worsening assignments for Amélie, which hits rock bottom when given the task of taking care of the office bathrooms.Still, she does not give up the work, because for a Japanese, resign is an unacceptable disgrace.

The film was very faithful to the book, and brings to the reader a rare and unglamorous glimpse of Japanese culture, observed by someone who already knows much of the country, and can make a comparative analysis.

The story is set in 1990, a time when Japan's economy was considered extremely advanced, with lessons for everyone about quality, production efficiency, and other advances - while relations at work was still conducted as in the samurais time. The loyalty and blind obedience were considered more important than innovation, promotions demanded a long company time, and public humiliations were the most common punishment. Wonder if today it remains. Maybe not, but some things never change.

But beyond the cultural shocks, the film brings the optimal performance of the two leading actresses, though the highlight is the French Sylvie Testud. The actress, who does not speak Japanese, learned by heart her eleven hundred lines thanks to a phonetic method, and her performance earned César and Lumière awards for Best Actress, and the French Cinema Gold Star.Her innocent way gives a lot of credibility to the character, and ensures the mood required for this history of humiliations.

But perhaps the most important point of the film is to draw attention to the suffering Japanese woman who must give up their lives to devote to work, and never got the recognition because of society.

I recommend everyone both the film and the book, which already has a Portuguese edition. The title "Fear and Trembling" refers to the way a Japanese should appear before the Emperor, with fear and trembling, as he is considered a divine figure.

Original title: "Stupeur et Tremblements"

 

Coluna Claquete - June 2nd, 2016 - Movie of the week

 

 

Newton Ramalho

 

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

 

Movie of the Week: "Saving Private Ryan"

Disembark in the real world

Yesterday, June 6th, 2016, completed 72 years of a special day in a terrible time, when the whole world was suffering under Second World War.Hitler and his armies dominated continental Europe, submited England with incessant bombing, but suffered defeats in cold Russia.On that day, the famous D-Day, Americans led the Allied invasion at a time when they were the good guys, who fought against the terrible Nazi.A lot of films have been made about this historic day, but only one was able to use all the magic of modern special effects, as well as an exquisite historical reconstruction work.The film was "Saving Private Ryan" directed by no one than Steven Spielberg.

What was this "D-Day"?

The film talks about the famous D-Day and the Normandy landings during the Second World War. Talking to some younger people, I have arrived an odd discovery: only few people know what represented D-Day or even what diferentiated Second World War from Vietnam War, Gulf War, or any other war we see every day on TV.I will add one more ingredient to that: any of us has any idea of ​​what is a real war? I do not think so.

The Second World War was the result of a unique situation in the world, where a vast majority of countries - ours included - was dominated by fascist dictators or colonialistic empires.For those who had survived a hellish early thirties, when the world economy was shaken by Great Depression of 1929, it was reassuring to have a stable situation, even if individual rights were restricted.It was so in Germany with Hitler, Mussolini in Italy, in Spain with Franco, Salazar in Portugal, Argentina with Perón, in Brazil with Vargas and so on.

Germany was the greatest exponent of that era. Subjected to heavy repairs of First World War, they went through a dark period that ended showing be the ideal birthplace for the rise of Nazism. A picture of this period is magnificently exposed in the movie "The Sepent's Egg" by Ingmar Bergman.

Methodically, Hitler structured the country to be a military power. Taking advantage of the inertia of those who could do opposition, Britain and France, he annexed neighboring countries until the situation reached the point where there were no return. In 1939, the real war has started. For two years, most of the activities are concentrated in Europe, with almost total domination of Germany. Only England resisted the German invasion, despite being subjected to endless bombardments. With Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the United States officially entered the war, also participating in operations in Europe.

In 1944, despite the capitulation of Italy, France and neighboring countries were still occupied by the Germans.A large landing was planned and was expected by all, even if the exact day and place was the greatest secret of the war. The importance of this was the position of the German defenses, commanded by General Rommel, who had made a brilliant campaign in North Africa, where he earned the nickname "Desert Fox".Counting with fewer resources, he had to shift some troops from one point to another due to the attack.

On June 6, 1944, the landing was made in Normandy. If we suppose that the invasion was in Natal,the landing craft would bring the soldiers to Praia dos Artistas beach, where there would have a multitude of obstacles, barbed wire, mines, etc.. Thirty meters above, at Av. Getulio Vargas, there would be the German concrete casemates with cannons, mortars, large caliber machine guns, flamethrowers, etc..The soldiers, after landing, should face the heavy enemy fire for more than one hundred meters before they could fire a shot that made any effect.

In the first landing, the Allied forces had 2400 casualties, against 1200 of Germans. However, as replacement of Allied force was higher, the invasion was successful. At the end of the day June 6, 34 thousand soldiers had already landed.

Despite being decisive, the landing of Normandy did not mean the end of the war. Several more months would pass with bloody fighting and heavy casualties for both sides. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945, while Japan would resist until September 2nd, 1945, being bent by the overwhelming force of two atomic bombs.

The war caused the direct death of fifty million people and virtually razed most of the places where the fighting took place.

The film

In "Saving Private Ryan" it is possible to have an idea of what was the landing of Normandy and the days that followed it.Unlike many other films about the Second World War, which gave a very neat vision, "Ryan" shows that a war is a slow, messy and painful process.

There were made ​​more than five hundred films about the Second World War, including "The Longest Day", which deals with the landing of Normandy.Unfortunately, like so many others, it shows an asseptic war, where heroes roam and kill hundreds of enemies. The deaths are romantic and fast, movements are organized, the situations are resolved quickly, prisoners of war are treated well ... Pure bullshit, say combat veterans. The whole war situation is degrading, obscene, chaotic and wild. D-Day was all that and more.

As the character Tom Hanks says "I'm afraid to go home and my wife did not recognize me because of everything I've done in the war ..."

To achieve the realism that distinguishes it from other films, Spielberg shows the action from the point of view of the soldiers. Those disembarking see their mates being slaughtered all the time.From German pillbox we see the devastation that the gun was, massacring the men who waded on the beach.

A great source of inspiration for the landing scenes were photos of Robert Capa, the most famous war correspondent, who actually participated in the action in Normandy, armed only with their cameras.

The film's plot is based on a real fact, the story of the Niland brothers, from State of New York. The four brothers, aged between twenty and thirty and five years voluntarily enlisted and left to the war. Two of them died on D-Day, while another was presumed dead in Burma (Burma). Fritz Niland was located in Normandy by an army chaplain, Reverend Francis Sampson, and removed from the combat zone. After the war, the missing Niland was found, having survived in a Japanese prisoners camp.

In fiction, Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) receives the mission to find and bring back the soldier Ryan, last survivor of four brothers who were in the war. By doing this, a group of eight men, faced German snipers, hanged a small battle in a radar station and finally found the wanted guy - just to discover that he refused to leave his post.

Determined to go back only with the boy, Captain Miller organized the resistance of a small village, whose bridge was strategic to the Germans.With poor human and material resources, Miller had to use all his combat experience to fulfill that almost suicidal mission.

The battle in the village is electrifying, although in a different way of the landing. Here we see the platitude of action movies, when the heroes go through rains of bullets and get out unscathed, as enemies fall like flies. Even so, there happens the common human reactions: heroism, selflessness, cowardice, self-immolation, etc..

Even after a decade and a half of his debut, "Saving Private Ryan" is a powerful and engaging film, showing an important historical fact with remarkable degree of fidelity.