Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus

I just last night saw "Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus" (called "Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures" in English). It's an amazing story of a man who flees Nazi Germany and moves to Brazil, where he shows movies to the inhabitants of a destitute village in the northeast of the country and also gives them aspirin, thereby bringing them a new hope.

I like how the movie not only develops the characters, but also shows world events affecting everyone's lives, as Brazil declares war on Germany and it becomes hard for the man to sell the German-produced aspirin. Looking very amateur, the movie has a particularly realistic feeling; the desert setting might even make you feel like you're sweating as the characters do. But overall, the movie's a wonderful look at life and how we make decisions about our directions. As they say in one scene: "With this, you could sell the Devil a Bible!" All in all, a very good movie.

"Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus" is Brazil's official entry for the 2007 Academy Awards Foreign Language Film competition.

It will probably not win, for it is too arty for the Oscars taste (it won a special prize at the Cannes Film Festival), but it definitely deserves a nomination.

Beyond its apparent simplicity, you will discover an overwhelming tale of friendship, with very decent performances (specially by João Miguel) and exquisite cinematography.

A must see for everyone who appreciates good cinema!

P.s: I also recommend another new Brazilian gem - O Ano em Que Meus Pais Saíram de Férias (2006)

The long one counts the history of a northeastern, Ranulfo, running away from dries in the decade of 40. During day, it finds German running away from Second World War I, Johann, that covers the hinterland of Brazil buying aspirins with its truck and showing films for people who did not know nor the electricity, with the objective to help in shop.

Simplicity and strengh!!!! cinema isn't only make with money and technology, creative and good actor can make us reflect about the reality..... in a place that does not have nothing it is learned to have hope and to grow as it shows the film

MOVIES, ASPIRIN AND VULTURES (Marcelo Gomes - Brazil 2005)

The film has the potentially great pretext of a young German trying to sell the recently discovered aspirin in the Northeast of Brazil during World War II, molded in a kind of road-movie. The discovery of aspirin is one of those little forgotten things in history. Sadly, the result is only mildly interesting and certainly not a great film.

Not much is done with the potentially funny pretext; A German traveling through northeastern Brazil in 1942 is something different, either for Brazilians back then, or contemporary Brazilians, or any audience around the world. Nobody seems to bother. And many of the scenes where he tries to sell aspirin with the help of a promo film (he brought a film projector) about headaches and the curing qualities of the product, could have been funny or touching, but it's executed in quite a lacklustre way. A real shame. Secondly, the cinematography. They shot on location in North-East Brazil, but the interesting locale is mostly left unused.

Not a bad film perse, it has some interesting moments but it suffers from a lack of inspiration and could have used a little more plot. The rural setting in NE-Brazil is interesting, especially for a European spectator but otherwise not a very engaging film. Messy, uninspired and a lack of ideas.

Camera Obscura --- 5/10

Movie industry in Brazil has gone through many different phases and in all of them the northeast of the country has been a great source for film productions due to its social, cultural and natural conditions. So, throughout Brazilian movie industry, these northeast movies have been over-exposed. Avoiding clichés and stereotypes is not an easy task; and that is what Marcelo Gomes did quite successfully on his debut. The story itself is not that attractive, but the subtle way by which Marcelo conducts the scenes leads us to think of humanistic matters without committing the common mistake in the movie industry of giving us answers. There is a sensible balance: The grouchy and restless Ranulpho reminds us of the plight Brazilians from that region face and the absurdity of living in that condition; The smooth and adventurous Johann reiterates the adage that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that despite the circumstances life should be lived. It sounds dumb when put into words, but images don not speak, they imply, and the characters are busy enough living, they don't philosophize to come to the conclusions for you. It is all an undeniable achievement for Brazilian movie industry.