Acquaria

I just recently saw Acquaria at a Latin Film Festival and was blown away. It is a very innovative film. The premise is similar to the film Waterworld with Kevin Costner but it goes beyond your typical doomsday story. The director has a vision that I haven't seen in American Cinema in quite some time.

First, the desert scenes are filmed like a Salvador Dali painting. It is so surreal and stunning at the same time. It is worth viewing just to look at the beautiful desert scenes.

Second, the actors are refreshing. The leading actor is actually a Brazilian pop star in real life. Her name is Sandy. I'm not exactly sure what kind of music she sings in her native country of Brazil but she is hot! This girl is so beautiful you cannot wait for her to be in another scene just to take in her beauty. Plus, she is a natural actor. She seems so comfortable in front of the camera. I can see her crossing over to American Cinema someday. Watch out! This girl can do it all.

I have to mention the dog in the movie. He is a Jack Russell Terrier named Mingus. This dog is probably the most talented canine I have ever seen on screen. Benji eat your heart out. The tricks this dog does in front of the camera are amazing.

And here's the best thing about this film. It is a family film with an intellectual plot so the adults can watch it with the kiddies and not get bored. This film is entertaining. I hope it finds wider distribution in the US.

Why to do a Brazilian production where the world has ended? We've seen so

many of these already, Mad Max, Waterworld, Postman. just to name a fill. As

we know some of they were huge successes but others just didn't hit. Our after world first national production looks to be in this second category – but lets just think why for a second? Lets be honest and admit that a good ticket office result is not related more to a good production but to a good adverting plan. Wouldn't be wrong saying it doesn't matter much the qualities of a brilliant direction, Efxs, acting etc. This movie looks as failed to please people. I don't get why not. But then again people conform to do anything you tell them to do or see. I think

everyone should go and check this movie out. In general, many people still like movies were the world ends, this movie is one of the best i can think of in this category. It is at least in the same range of its similar Hollywood productions and would it be enough to get millions to see it? Wouldn't be it enough to explain why our biggest Brazilian pop singers choose this theme to be their first feature film? -The new beginning, the feeling of innovation and superb quality and

direction knowledge, plus their carisma… it couldn't be wrong, could it? But hey, as the other commenter said before nobody knew of these movie reliase on the

theaters, not even my 10 years old nephew, how come? Well, now the DVD is

available… People might see the 'Brazilian Word's End' first version as many

times as they pleased. Don't miss it!

You know, I have seen a fair share of what come out of Hollywood and National productions, all shrink-wrapped and on the shelves of the local video stores. I have seen horribly constructed 'Xuxa's', stupid 'casseta e Planeta's', dramatic 'Cazuza's', 'Santoro's', awesome and trash Hollywood dragons, green Hulks, some hobbit with a ring, Elvis sing-acting, and even had breakfast at Tiffany's. Now I've seen a post-apocalyptic action drama where our 'national' world has turn dried, and this world has a sand ocean to fish in it and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle. There are some comments on plot holes and whatnot, and I totally agree. The 'cliché teen love/hate fights', 'the main actress survival after been lost in the desert for days and her impeccable Make-up' was useful, but why just keep focus on it? Why not tip it into the huge bucket that is the desert? See what happens. Anywho... Where was I? Aaah, yes. The effects were very good. A impeccable direction and the acting was on par; Not a Oscar winning, but fitting, I'd say. And, frankly, I liked the concept. Yes, it might be a better movie, maybe if its public was more specific (target for adults only), but no one in South America 'wild lands' has even tried to think of doing something like it and/or come up with something better, as of 2004. Long story short, I enjoyed the movie and urge my internet film connoisseurs to see this movie. Never mind that just a few people (and a dog – Incredible by the way) share it all in an empty, destroyed, dry city. Get your popcorn, relax and just watch the movie! Cheers, Patrick

Many people in Brazil dismiss the importance of this movie, due to their prejudice to young and popular pop stars like Sandy and Junior, accusing it to be just a commercial movie, aimed to promote their music. Such people couldn't be more than wrong: the movie actually is different from everything that has done before in Brazil. It has a lot of visual effects (seldom seen in Brazilian movies), it doesn't has much action nor long conversations. It's a movie made to delight our view, with beautiful art direction and amazing, poetic (although dry) landscapes. The story is slow-paced, reflective, but the plot just doesn't have enough elements to call you attention, sometimes it seems just too flat. Some important elements in the story just don't receive the required attention, leaving a lot of questions in our minds - I don't know if it was in purpose, to make us think and imagine, but there are just too much of these holes in the plot. Acting also could have been better. Even so, it's a delightful movie well worth seeing, hope to see more Brazilian movies using the same visual resources of Acquaria in the future

'Acquaria' is not as bad as I thought it was going to be. All the stories I heard about it weren't good. Not that it is a perfect movie but it has its big moments. In the future the world is one big desert and there are myths about a place called Acquaria. Living a lonely life Junior and his friends live in an empty destroyed village. They are afraid of the 'bad guys' and there it comes the new Sandy – she surprisingly really plays well the mysterious type! The story goes that they want too find a way to Acquaria. Like I said there are some nice moments in this movie. The sets look pretty impressive, and the landscape they are on looks pretty cool too. Some single action scenes are worth watching and the boy, dog gang get some laughs. Still, the movie is filled with clichés and boring coincidences. For a mindless science fiction movie this is entertaining enough, nothing more.