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Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againCriteria: below ten titles, only counting films and TV films, and with less than two known works (that's why you won't be seeing Heather O'Rourke here, just an example).
Monalisa thief Vincenzo Peruggia (8 October 1881 – 8 October 1925); journalist William Monroe Trotter (April 7, 1872 - April 7, 1934); military Filinto Müller (11 July 1900 - 11 July 1973); painter Nair de Tefé (16 June, 1886 - June 16, 1981); sportswriter Martin Manley (15 August, 1953 – 15 August, 2013); terrorist Yakub Memon (30 July, 1962 – 30 July, 2015); criminal T. Eugene Thompson (August 7, 1927 - August 7, 2015); author Victor Thorn (August 1st, 1962 - August 1st, 2016) and Lula's mother-in-law Vani Terezinha Ferreira (October 28, 1940 - October 28, 2020).
Reviews
Extraña forma de vida (2023)
A different Almodóvar but always great
The great idea that blossomed into Pedro Almodóvar's mind isn't completely new when dealing with the nature of men and their complexities
on love and emotions. But he's such a skillfull and artistic director/writer that one can easily admire what's he doing and for a brief
moment think they're seeing something very original. But since it's the western genre one doesn't go much further with the genre because practically
everything that needed to be said or shown in it was already done...yet Mr. Almodóvar has some tricks to show, injecting new life in the genre with
barely explored themes in it.
I didn't want to make the comparison but I have to because it gets near in certain aspects or at least the way audiences and critics perceived
a certain movie some years ago and that is "Brokeback Mountain". For some odd reason everybody was saying that it was a gay western when in fact
just the main characters fit the notion of the genre (cowboys) but there was no western in it, it was mostly a love story between two cowboys. "Strange
Way of Life" takes the step further and gives us the Old West with conflicts, bandits versus the law but also gives us a romance from the past
between two buddies back when they were outlaws. One of them is still an outlaw of sorts, which is Silva (Pedro Pascal) and his return to the smalltown after more than 20 years to meet again
the love of his life, Jake (Ethan Hawke), now a sheriff, comes with some second intentions rather than just rekindle a special time they had many years ago.
And that's where the conflict begins.
Like Ennis and Jack in Ang Lee's movie, Silva and Jake are a complicated duo where one sees a future where they can grow together and share some love
and affection (Silva) while the other is so hardened with his caged reality, not knowing how to show his feelings that he refuses any possibility of break out
of such world (Jake). The twist here isn't about wives but it's related with the families of both and a tragedy that connects them on opposite sides. And on
an environment violence is the rule, how could anyone find time to experience something different than that and feel good about it? Intriguing.
It's a very nuanced work, sober and slightly uncharacterestic from what Almodóvar usually does yet it has some of his usual elements, though presented in a
very different (and also obvious) way. Gladly his first choices for the roles accepted their parts and they both were outstanding, most notably Pedro Pascal. It
was a little sad that their moments together mostly relates with the impasse scenario rather than most loving and tender one - which is presented through a
flashback when they were younger (played by José Condessa and Jason Fernández).
I really loved this one, it was worth waiting for it even though it wasn't necessarily a spectacular work from the master - still better than many
features out there. And on a side note, I'm really glad that he managed to drive people to theaters to see a short film. I had never seen anything like that
happening before with a short. Almodóvar was asked time and again about a sequel to it, to which he replied that though he had the ideas and explained how it
would work out he also said he won't make it. Even though he told the ending, I'd still love to see it done. There are so much more about Jake and Silva that
needs to be addressed. 9/10.
Joe Jackson: Breaking Us in Two (1982)
Cute clip, incredible love ballad
Joe Jackson's "Breaking Us in Two" is an excellent romantic ballad that easily conquers listeners with its melodic notes, an unforgettable piano and
Jackson't magnificent voice. It took me some time to actually apreciate it, since it was a little repetitive at parts and without much variation, at least
that's how I felt many years ago. In time, it managed to conquer and from then on it became one of my favorite songs of all time and it also introduced me
to many other works of his, most notably the great "Night and Day" album.
The video, while cute and greatly made mixing Jackson's performance with a dramatic storyline, is a little confusing. I couldn't understand what was
going on with the tearful woman who leaves the house, goes to a train station remembering her lover and somewhat she ends up returning home and then...he's
there already?!? I don't know, it's strange to follow the story. Besides the good-looking cinematography and overall atmosphere, the video is worth watching
because of the music and that alone justifies a nice view of it all. 8/10.
Warren Zevon: Searching for a Heart (1991)
A great soundtrack clip for the incredible "Grand Canyon"
While a huge fan of Lawrence Kasdan's underrated classic film "Grand Canyon" (1991) where I first heard Warren Zevon's "Searching
for a Heart" ("Lawyers, Guns and Money" is also played in a pivotal moment), and this very music video for the former song was made to promote
the film soundtrack, I only found this clip out of curiosity after hearing the song in another movie, in Alan Rudolph's "Love at Large" where it
was actually a theme composed for it but no one paid attention to both and only after Zevon's inclusion in his own 1991 album and Kasdan film
used it that it became a somewhat well-known song.
Here's a marvelous soundtrack clip with the many memorable moments and the main characters from "Grand Canyon" along with Warren Zevon
and his musicians performing the heart-warming track, during the black-and-white segments. It "stars" Kevin Kline, Mary McDonnell, Danny Glover,
Steve Martin, Alfre Woodard and Mary-Louise Parker, as a group of friends, family and co-workers who live in a chaotic LA of the early 1990's
trying to not succumb to their anixeties and problems of the modern world where finding love, friendship and hope for positive things feels like
an impossible task as there's only violence and hopelessness in every corner. Zevon didn't compose the song for this particular film, yet it
touches exactly the core of each character and each situation, and it's easy for audiences to relate with them or the scenarios they deal with.
As for the song, deep down we're all searching for a heart and one does not get a more universal theme than that.
It gets this glowing review from me for bringing back all the great positive memories I have with that amazing film, a great watch just as
this video and this impecable song. 9/10.
Steve Winwood: While You See A Chance (1980)
Unusual video for a very uplifting single but it's okay
One of the most uplifting and positive songs of all time got in return one of the weirdest music videos ever made. But somehow the positivism of taking chances and embracing the opportunities life gives you is there in the weird randomness of its visual elements.
In "While You See a Chance" Steve Winwood appears all classy and elegant while singing and getting the notes out of his keyboard, as there's the presence of mysterious dancers/acrobats perform their acts trying to reach each other and also sort of climb a pyramid. Background of it all a pitch black set that makes everything look a sinister place.
Not sure if this unusual contrast of elements being used with a good spirited song and music is an interesting match, one could simply present just a video performance of Winwood doing the usual routine of music videos that it would be enough. Yet it doesn't remove the quality of its harmony and beauty, another lovely moment for Winwood as a solo artist. 8/
Renato Carosone: Tu vuò fà l'Americano (1956)
A fun classic video
This great humored track of Renato Carosone got a new life in the mid-2000's when an electro-pop cover was released and it attracted a whole new audience to it (myself included but actually I first heard it "The Talented Mr. Ripley" in a memorable duet between Matt Damon and Jude Law). The pop cover was even included in a bank commercial due to a name similarity - they failed badly later on, and during the scandal there was a hilarious parody that used this video of Renato dubbing the new lyrics.
This very video is also quite fun to watch as there's plenty of things going on as Renato and his enthisiastic group make their performance. They're all enthusiastic and well humored while playing their instruments, the drummer walking around at a given point. A fun Italian jazzy song, very catchy. 9/10.
Aerosmith: Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees) (1997)
Bizarre imagery, awesome song and video
Pure artistry from the 1990's with the Michael Bay/Aerosmith partnership. "Falling in Love (so hard on the Knees)" gives us a crazed series of images of men being pleasurable victims of gorgeous women, through painful experiments on hospital beds, chains, cages and other instruments. But it seems that along with the pain and suffering, they're loving every bit of it. The ways of pleasure must come with lots of pain is the proven idea in this nearly surrealist video.
Bay uses plenty of imagery from the songs descriptions and it all works without being corny - the cupid taking aim is hilarious. An Aerosmith routine without some eccentric act of singer Steven Tyler is a must, another fine performance from the man, and one of the group's most energetic songs of all time. You must see the video must hear this song. 8/10.
Shadowplay Studio: Before the Story (2010)
Unusual short promo but good
A ridiculously quick bonus material from Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air" this short presents the company that designed the opening titles of that movie, their ideas for that composition, that shows many aerial images of America and the many places George Clooney visits throughout the movie, and how the team considered this opening their most challenging to date (the team also worked with Reitman in "Thank You for Smoking" and "Juno").
It's a fine short but it'd a lot more interesting if there was a bigger presentation of the title sequence and some input from the director about all the choices used. 6/10.
The Verve: Rather Be (2008)
Amazing song
2nd single from their album return in 2008 (being the previous the amazing "Love is Noise"), The Verve hits all the right notes in "Rather Be" though the music video is something out of Richard Ashcroft ideas that makes it feel as if being a solo work rather than the team effort.
Here's a solo appearance of Ashcroft while walking through a forest on daylight, though the skies are barely visible (but it can be seen from time to time). A true moment of peace as opposed to chaotic crowd in the city shown during his challenging stroll featured in the iconic "Bitter Sweet Symphony" A basic lipsynch of the track, an act that allows Richard to pour his emotions as deep, reflective and sad as he might sound about the difficult circumstances of life yet there's nothing he'd change about choosing to live, no other place he'd rather be.
A great song for a most awaited return back in 2008, but pity it wasn't so popular as their hits from "Urban Hymns". But fans probably like it as much as I do. 8/10.
Midnight Oil: Put Down That Weapon (1987)
Performance video, all merit to the song
The video for Midnight Oil's "Put Down that Weapon" is simply a group performance with all the band members singing in fury and out loud the protest song in many close up shots but obviously the dominating presence is from lead singer Peter Garrett and his scary, angry demeanor taking over everything with a staring contest with the viewer.
This video didn't do much to promote the song in becoming a huge hit as "Blue Sky Mine" or "Beds are Burning" neither was so memorable with its images. Perhaps that's also a good point for audiences to actually listen to its powerful message about the destruction of mother Earth by the powers of be. Still an emergency. 7/10.
Sam (1986)
Fine piece but needed a wider view of Sam's cause
Oscar nominated Aaron D. Weisblatt short documentary "Sam" follows an idealist farmer/wood worker from New York fighting a noble cause: to save a watershed from the devastating effects of pollution as greedy companies and some locals don't care about it or are uneducated about the environmental causes, back in its early days.
Sam Phelps is introduced to us being part of a long tradition of family farmers but he's the one whose family sent to college to learn advanced economy and future technologies, enough learning to help his community with many issues unfamiliar to older generations.
I liked the piece but it was hard to see Sam's cause being shown as it should, with a wider perspective of what's going wrong and what needs to be done to mantain the watershed safe and clean. The film spends a lot of time with Phelps working with materials rather than showing who's the ones he fights. But his talk about no one caring about the future except when it comes to future money is exactly the main issue with the world, profit over a sustainable quality of life and benfits for the world. Poignant questionings. 6/10.
Simple Minds: All the Things She Said (1986)
Classic and memorable Simple Minds moment
Today this video looks weirdly dated with its old fashioned chroma key and computer effects but way back it was something to be seen.
Oscar winning director Zbigniew Rybczynski makes a little spectacle in "Simple Minds: All the Things She Said" through repetitions and "copies" of lead singer Jim Kerr and band members while performing the song against a starred space. With a full and detailed attention the viewer can spot the small changes within its repetitive images floating around (the guitar changes colors in the opening as he plays the intro, or Kerr's clothings and obviously the lipsyching). Not sure why the director didn't show the drummer with some fun gimmick like he did with Neil Peart flying around with his drums in "Rush: Time Stand Still".
The Minds were at their best with this lovely song, everything works here and despite the weird art from the video it end up becoming one of their most memorable of all time. 8/10.
Vinny: Heloísa, Mexe a Cadeira (1997)
A weird and fun classic
A true craziness of the 1990's and the single that catapulted the career of Vinny to the point of being stopped in the streets by fans who kept repeating the song title to him to the point of nausea and exhaustion, and the real reason why he's a one-hit wonder despite having more singles made.
"Heloísa, Mexe a Cadeira" might not play anywhere outside of internet, but it's memorable to a whole generation who lived a slight innocent period before the takeover of funk and its sexually explicit lyrics. Kids danced to "Mexe a Cadeira" without knowing what it was all about except it was a fun dance-pop hit, and teens and grown-ups simply understood what the "move the chairs" were about and loved it.
Typical nonsensical lyrics with a catchy sound behind, and the video is the usual performance of an artist, here Vinny is joined by lots of beautiful women dancing around him and basically doing what the songs asks them to do it, through sensual movements inside the nnightclub. Simple and safe, and a meteoric hit was delivered. Effervescent but it always finds a way to return on people's conscience. 8/10.
Elton John & Eric Clapton: Runaway Train (1992)
Great duo of genial talents, mildly interesting music video
Amazing partnership of Elton John and Eric Clapton, released on Elton's album "The One", is known by cinema fans due to its use in "Lethal Weapon 2". The music video was not conceived as a soundtrack/trailer for the movie but instead the makers opted to capture a live performance from the duo, captured through grainy effects and animation.
The odd thing about everything is the mix of the original song (a little edited) along with live sounds from the crowd reactions. It feels very strange but acceptable. The grainy visuals looked pretty good, the mix of drawings with the real shots of Elton and Clapton, somewhat groundbreaking for the period. And the partnership couldn't be a better one with a great music and lyrics to boot. Pity the video reduces the music without the final solo bit. 7/10.
Van Halen: When It's Love (1988)
One of their best songs but the video is just okay
"When it's Love" was my introduction to Van Halen some time ago (great radio exposition even today) but the music video is one of the last of theirs that I had the chance.
Usual group performance with tiny bits of actors apearance, with a couple trying to spark some romance, but the dominating presence is from the band members, filmed in blue tones and they're all singing the song. And that's the main reason we're here for, the amazingly written and produced song, one of my personal favorite in everything.
Considering that the video was directed by a future filmmaker, Jeremiah S. Chechik from "Benny & Joon" and "Diabolique", there should be a more cinematic approach to the background characters with some story or interactions with the band. Yet the rock works in a memorable way.
Sting Feat. Eric Clapton: It's Probably Me (1992)
A great reunion of talents making great music
"It's Probably Me" is another great duo soundtrack from "Lethal Weapon 3" - Clapton also has one with Elton John in "Runaway Train". Here, Clapton, Sting and co-composers from the franchise Michael Kamen and David Sanborn join forces to create a masterful song, with great rhythm, melody and inspired lyrics.
They all appear in the video, a studio gathering with all the musicians performing the track that should at least get an Oscar nomination in the Original Song category. More of the same when it comes to video presentation but there's even a cameo by Danny Glover showing up at the rehearsals. Apparently there's another video of this song with clips from the movie (this one has some bits from the opening titles).
We're definitely because of the song. 9/10.
Villaça: O Nariz do Morto (1994)
A brilliant and ingsightful view on a great author
One of the series conducted by director Karla Holand and Eliana Terra focused on Brazilian authors, this entry was one of my favorite as it allows an interesting view inside the mind of author Antônio Carlos Villaça through one of his most personal works, "O Nariz do Poeta".
The documentary intertwines interviews with Villaça, other writers and literary critics while examining his life and work, and a performance of actor Ricardo Maurício as he acts out excerpts of the novel almost as if being an alter ego of the writer playing him on different stages of life.
Villaça is shown as man of extreme sensilibities, a great intellectual that understands life and the complexity of the human experience through reading and writing. Through those inner acts he can find himself, his talents and a way to live out the best life possible.
I'm not familiar with his work - just as I'm not versed about Lúcio Cardoso, a contemporary who had a special made by the same director - but what's presented on those documentaries made me curious in learning everything I can about their work and their descriptions of the human condition and the social construction they analyze on them. Villaça's reflections as greatly performed by Maurício were insights that felt closer to my own thoughts - and not every writer can reach those. 8/10.
Sting Feat. Eric Clapton: It's Probably Me (1992)
A great reunion of talents making great music
"It's Probably Me" is another great duo soundtrack from "Lethal Weapon 3" - Clapton also has one with Elton John in "Runaway Train". Here, Clapton, Sting and co-composers from the franchise Michael Kamen and David Sanborn join forces to create a masterful song, with great rhythm, melody and inspired lyrics.
They all appear in the video, a studio gathering with all the musicians performing the track that should at least get an Oscar nomination in the Original Song category. More of the same when it comes to video presentation but there's even a cameo by Danny Glover showing up at the rehearsals. Apparently there's another video of this song with clips from the movie (this one has some bits from the opening titles).
We're definitely because of the song. 9/10.
Van Halen: When It's Love (1988)
One of their best songs but the video is just okay
"When it's Love" was my introduction to Van Halen some time ago (great radio exposition even today) but the music video is one of the last of theirs that I had the chance.
Usual group performance with tiny bits of actors apearance, with a couple trying to spark some romance, but the dominating presence is from the band members, filmed in blue tones and they're all singing the song. And that's the main reason we're here for, the amazingly written and produced song, one of my personal favorite in everything.
Considering that the video was directed by a future filmmaker, Jeremiah S. Chechik from "Benny & Joon" and "Diabolique", there should be a more cinematic approach to the background characters with some story or interactions with the band. Yet the rock works in a memorable way.
Sam (1986)
Fine piece but needed a wider view of Sam's cause
Oscar nominated Aaron D. Weisblatt short documentary "Sam" follows an idealist farmer/wood worker from New York fighting a noble cause: to save a watershed from the devastating effects of pollution as greedy companies and some locals don't care about it or are uneducated about the environmental causes, back in its early days.
Sam Phelps is introduced to us being part of a long tradition of family farmers but he's the one whose family sent to college to learn advanced economy and future technologies, enough learning to help his community with many issues unfamiliar to older generations.
I liked the piece but it was hard to see Sam's cause being shown as it should, with a wider perspective of what's going wrong and what needs to be done to mantain the watershed safe and clean. The film spends a lot of time with Phelps working with materials rather than showing who's the ones he fights. But his talk about no one caring about the future except when it comes to future money is exactly the main issue with the world, profit over a sustainable quality of life and benfits for the world. Poignant questionings. 6/10.
Elton John & Eric Clapton: Runaway Train (1992)
Great duo of genial talents, mildly interesting music video
Amazing partnership of Elton John and Eric Clapton, released on Elton's album "The One", is known by cinema fans due to its use in "Lethal Weapon 2". The music video was not conceived as a soundtrack/trailer for the movie but instead the makers opted to capture a live performance from the duo, captured through grainy effects and animation.
The odd thing about everything is the mix of the original song (a little edited) along with live sounds from the crowd reactions. It feels very strange but acceptable. The grainy visuals looked pretty good, the mix of drawings with the real shots of Elton and Clapton, somewhat groundbreaking for the period. And the partnership couldn't be a better one with a great music and lyrics to boot. Pity the video reduces the music without the final solo bit. 7/10.
Vinny: Heloísa, Mexe a Cadeira (1997)
A weird and fun classic
A true craziness of the 1990's and the single that catapulted the career of Vinny to the point of being stopped in the streets by fans who kept repeating the song title to him to the point of nausea and exhaustion, and the real reason why he's a one-hit wonder despite having more singles made.
"Heloísa, Mexe a Cadeira" might not play anywhere outside of internet, but it's memorable to a whole generation who lived a slight innocent period before the takeover of funk and its sexually explicit lyrics. Kids danced to "Mexe a Cadeira" without knowing what it was all about except it was a fun dance-pop hit, and teens and grown-ups simply understood what the "move the chairs" were about and loved it.
Typical nonsensical lyrics with a catchy sound behind, and the video is the usual performance of an artist, here Vinny is joined by lots of beautiful women dancing around him and basically doing what the songs asks them to do it, through sensual movements inside the nnightclub. Simple and safe, and a meteoric hit was delivered. Effervescent but it always finds a way to return on people's conscience. 8/10.
Motel Destino (2024)
A good and thoughtful erotic thriller
"Motel Destino" is a quiet but eventful erotic thriller with traces of a contemporary noir as it tells a story about the need
to escape and all the obstacles that come with such escape. In this desperate desire for escaping one can find himself trapped in
other situations, or find himself a place to stay and a destiny to be fulfilled.
Our hero, the young Heraldo (Iago Xavier) finds both while
using a motel in a desert area of Ceará as a hiding place, running away from a group of criminals due to his failure with a hit that end up badly to a comrade. His initial
plan was to do one final crime job and move to São Paulo to find an honest job. The motel of the title is run by a couple, the middle-aged Elias
(Fábio Assunção) and his wife Dayana (Nataly Rocha), him as a manager and her as a multi-task receptionist. In return for helping him, Heraldo
works at the motel fixing electrical things or whatever needs fixing and cleaning. In that conjuction of loners, Elias finds on Heraldo a hard-working friend and
Dayana gets a new lover in a torrid affair, hidden from her husband and also from the custumers who attend the place (barely seen, mostly heard
through loud sexual moaning in the background). Love blossoms with the new couple, but Heraldo still worries about his mates on the run to find him.
Karim Aïnouz' latest film is compelling but not fully; sexy and daring but with little thrills and many unexpected humor. It's almost as if
taken elements of film noir (loners, problematic and violent characters) but placing inside a motel located around the amazingly beautiful beaches of
Ceará - it's such beautiful sight that it's like seeing another world. There's an emotional complexity to the story, which is good but you may feel
emptied out or feeling that little was gained or experienced. It's not edgy as it could be but it satisfies a little and excites a lot. Deep down is a film about the human element of hiding and how those characters deal with
escaping themselves from dangerous situations, hiding from themselves and from others (as evidenced by Elias small moves on Heraldo) and ultimately each form of
escape brings many unexpected results: passion, love, violence or death.
Another main attractive of "Motel Destino" comes from the acting. Iago and Nataly formed an interesting and sexually charged couple with a
great chemistry. Though I don't find his acting so strong and his delivery of some lines sound strange, I find him very suitable for the role.
Heraldo becomes a center of attention with good reasons as there's a peculiar common man sexy appeal to him that attracts both women and men (we
have a fourth worker at the hotel, played by Yuri Yamamoto, who fancies Heraldo but the script reduced him in the background with whispered lines
and later one pivotal moment). For a newcomer, Iago was pretty fine in the most daring sex sequences.
And then there's Fábio Assunção. What a performance, what a role! There's a whole generation who remembers him as the soap opera heartthrob of
a few decades ago, and others who just followed his decline of some time ago. He doesn't make many movies, but with this one he's destined to become
memorable as a film actor as well. He truly dominates the scene as Elias, a manager his 50's (but a lot fit for his age, like the actor) who is
friendly but mysterious, playful and who likes to joke around (showing the sex toys to an embarassed Heraldo) yet you can sense an erratic side of
him that can bring danger. Without Fábio, it would be another actor playing the cliched cheated husband role. There are layers with this character
which are all fun and intriguing to see, and that makes his best role ever since the TV show "Celebridade" way back in a time when I only considered
him a great presence but not a good actor. He is good here!
If we were to put a moral in "Motel Destino" it'd be don't get your meat where you get your bread. But who can resist temptation and who
can predict that that special someone can be found when you're not looking, and especially in a place like that? The mysterious ways of fate are
always at play, but it's up with destiny as to what one decides to do; those two hardly ever match. 8/10.
Imagine (1987)
A splendid and artistic short film about life and its movements
Zbigniew Rybczynski's experimental short film "Imagine" as a concept music video for John Lennon's famous song is one of those
dazzling spectacles that audiences fight hard to figure out how the director made such a visual spectacle of editing and effects, at the
same time we are moved and impressed by the message he wants to share and the ideas he wants to show us.
The scheme: a series of characters evolve from childhood to old age as they cross apartment doors and rooms, with a New York
skyline matte painting as background, with the World Trade Center visible and somehow that image does not change whenever the characters
come and go, disappear, morph into another, and get old. Child's plays, first romances, little conflicts, growing up and getting married,
having kids, basically the facts of life with the bizarre/amusing exception of a horse inside the room who's taken care by a man. There
isn't much of an idea of seeing the same characters from beginning to end, as there are far too many changes and the constant movement
gives the impression that it's all done in one long sequence that lasts four minutes (there's a music video by Elton John that followed
a similar scenario but it revolved around dancers and choreographies, released the year after this short).
And how does Lennon iconic song fits such scenario? It's all about the ideas of peace, connecting with family, friends and
strangers in an almost utopic way where everybody gets along with everybody, as human beings are united through similar quests for
love, respect, stability, family but there's many variants and situations that prevents an ideal world from happening - and the goal
sometimes isn't all the same, or conquered in the same way. The people in "Imagine" live their lives and conducts their business
with ease, at times with difficult, and there's never a sense of real danger or loss, and probably the biggest challenged faced
by the youngsters presented are dealing with romantic rivalry that leads to conflict and abandonment.
But if the romantic and idealist view of the world doesn't appeal to you, the artistry brought by Rybczynski is a first rate
material deserving of appreciation. I had to watch it a couple of times to try to understand what I was seeing and figure out how
he composed each shot and how it was edited. It's a very complex gathering of elements and scenarios, too many things going on
that one view is simply not enough. He makes life look simple, safe and fun with all the reflections given. It feels like a dream. 10/10.
Van Halen: Right Now (1992)
A must-see music video
Right now someone might be reading this review for Van Halen's hit single "Right Now". Right now at this very moment
someone might not get the idea of me writing exactly like that. And right now someone might become curious in seeing this music
video or rewatch in case haven't seen in years. But whatever that is happening right now as you read this, remember that something
deeper and extreme, beautiful or ugly, or even of small significance is happening to you, someone you know, and ones you never met
or never heard of.
This amazing and thoughtful Van Halen clip makes us really stop whatever we're doing to have a full attention to all of
its images, countless captions telling many facts of life and situations that could have happened at the moment we watch the clip,
listen to the powerful lyrics with its message about the confusion of life and its importance, and the decisions we make at the
given present moment. Present moment, ever so fleeting that skips through our fingers like sand escaping from a seive, the anxious
thought of imagining, daydreaming the future in the present and then boom it's already a past, same goes with actions. Right Now
never stays yet it's important; here in the band's discourse is spoken with power and presence, in the voice of Sammy Hagar, as a
wakeup call to turn things around and make a positive change, to make a decision and act upon it. Hard decisions to be made and many paths, options and opportunities to follow, or sometimes it's just one thing that really matters to be done now.
The presentation of everything is amazing with the use of typical scenarios to more challenging, thoughtful and sad truths
as well ("Right now oilmen are getting richer"). There's even small jokes on the band itself about what they're doing and they
don't perform on the video, but instead appear at certain moments with some amusing interactions.
Gotta love those early 1990's
music videos that had powerful and deep messages popping on the screen and you were completely focused in what was shown; valuable
and educational but to some it could be seen as preachy or destined to lecture audience. I always enjoyed it, specially when there's
some controversy or some info that we can look and analyze the changes around the world (like Talking Heads did with "Nothing but
Flowers" or R. E. M. Did in "Talk About the Passion"). This one by Van Halen is a whole different level, less political and with a
wide variety of topics covered that audiences from all around the world can relate and think hard about it. Go see it, right now! 10/10.
Simple Minds: All the Things She Said (1986)
Classic and memorable Simple Minds moment
Today this video looks weirdly dated with its old fashioned chroma key and computer effects but way back it was something to be seen.
Oscar winning director Zbigniew Rybczynski makes a little spectacle in "Simple Minds: All the Things She Said" through repetitions and "copies" of lead singer Jim Kerr and band members while performing the song against a starred space. With a full and detailed attention the viewer can spot the small changes within its repetitive images floating around (the guitar changes colors in the opening as he plays the intro, or Kerr's clothings and obviously the lipsyching). Not sure why the director didn't show the drummer with some fun gimmick like he did with Neil Peart flying around with his drums in "Rush: Time Stand Still".
The Minds were at their best with this lovely song, everything works here and despite the weird art from the video it end up becoming one of their most memorable of all time. 8/10.