maeva

People often wonder why citizens of others nations don't like America. They think that we are envious or selfish or not understanding or simply prone to hatred. They say that we should hold ourselves fortunate because they saved us from the Germans. Not from the Nazis, though, since a few studies show how private interests (such as the Bush family's, among others) were pretty friendly with the bad guys in those times. But what went wrong with the Germans, after all? Look at them now, there are pretty decent guys in fact. What went wrong is that they happened to find themselves in such a political and social crisis, that when a loony with a lot of 'good ideas' took over the power, they just followed. His ideas were great. Hitler fought unemployment, he created housing and wealth, build amazing Autostrasse, offered free education to the youth… And in order to boost the economy, he went into massive colonialist war. 80 million smart people followed him, without a second thought. Sixty years later, beyond the Atlantic ocean, we have a very similar settings. A loony is promising jobs and wealth, advocating the virtues of Christianity, and even promising that he'll take care of our retarded kids. The price to pay is the same: massive colonialist pseudo- righteous wars. 300 millions people follow without a second thought… It is not about the Americans. We've got nothing against them. They're pretty decent guys after all.

Freedom a speech is a wonderful liberty, but is there much more than half a dozen guys that make proper and decent use of it? Michael Moore does, as well as Mike, Mikey, Mickey and a couples clone of M.Moore. Anybody else has got something to say? Speak louder, please, we can't hear you.

A requiem is a 'a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person'. Is it the death of a dream, of the death of someone because of his or her dream?

Whichever case, I would watch this film again because it does show real humans all the way from shear innocence, up through their emotional richness and combats, down to the numbness of it all. It reminded me of the movie-documentary made in 86 about Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols, a band close to my heart for guys and girls of my generation. In both cases, the grandeur that seems accessible at a certain times in life (no matter what age), and even easy to grab, brings unexpected downfalls, generally not reversible. Incidentally it was right on the spot within its most minute details. The 'TV set for mum' episode struck me cause it reminded me of a colleague of mine turned in no time into a cocaine addict-dealer and of the huge television set he had offered his mum for Christmas... Same social background as in the film, same legitimate ideals turned into megalomaniac transfer leading to decay, possibly to death. I have traveled a lot and made a point in keeping clean, but I have met more than one kid who didn't and I'm still amazed on how fast drugs can drag you down the drain. I do not see the plot as exaggerate, but as very well documented. I was not shocked by it, I was impressed by its honesty and almost scientific clarity. I loved the hip- hop pulse, clear, bright images, very appropriated to the feel of the message. I have no doubts it is a testimony against drugs, from someone perceptive and well documented. This movie is realistic, beautifully brought together, vivid and yes, alive. The good thing about DVDs is that you have special features, interviews (one of Hubert Selby) and insights in the making. There's only one likely scenario with drugs, and old Selby as well as young Aronofsky have written and directed it for us, majestically.

I would have really liked to enjoy it. I did try hard… After all, it took two and a half hours of my life. First of all, the image was crap; Who was the moron holding the camera, anyone knows his name? Secondly I couldn't get what was really happening (that's when I started to put my attention on the crappy camera work). Thirdly it was unnecessarily sexual, violent, and pompous, since each character had as much personality and depth as a cockroach.

Those who can change a pathetic patchwork of nothingness into entertainment with the help of illegal substances, have all my admiration. But what's left for us who prefer to leave our clean pink crispy little neurons untouched? A movie like Cidade de Deus, can be a good choice. Or perhaps Requiem for a Dream (incidentally, two anti-drugs masterpieces).