Day 365: The Last Picture Show + Another Earth (March, 8)

ONE!!!

Here we are! The last day of Omad. A very special day. 

I didn't really believe that I would get here actually. I hoped, of course, but my Amélie-like-mind created zillions of scenarios in which it would be impossible to complete this dare that I brought over myself. Despite a kind of a difficult year, I was able to incorporate Omad to my routine, until I got here, Day 365. 

I woke up in a state of fuzzy euphoria. Even knowing that The Last Picture Show would tune down my happy heart, I had decided some time ago to see it on this last day. The name, right? Obviously, the name. But above all I wanted to honor the two main ways of experiencing a movie for me: alone and with beloved friends. With an open showing scheduled for the night, the morning was the time to be alone with a movie that I wanted to see probably for about 26 years. 

Well, I'm just presuming that I first heard about it at the time the sequel was released, in 1991, still under Peter Bogdanovich direction. I bought the DVD some years ago, tried to watch it once, felt it was unbearable and that was it. Until this day.

Time is an odd thing, because I thought the movie was absolutely brilliant since the first scene. That small town in Texas is the embodiment of the lack of hope. For every and each of its inhabitants, doesn't matter if they're rich, poor, young, old, married. There are tiny glimpses of a way out, but they never are materialized. 

The setting is the years of 1951/1952, but, as Rodrigo pointed in his usually accurate ways only by the summary of this film, it carries the features of its production in 1971, that acid and hopeless way of looking the ways of contemporary society. It was a bull's eye 45 years ago and it is accurate still. 

Timothy Botoms, Jeff Bridges (!) and Cybill Shepherd are great, delivering through their characters all the lack of hope conveyed in here. The last one I met the first time in Moonlighting, the TV show that presented Bruce Willis to the world (not a small achievement). Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman had their short but heartbreaking performances awarded by an Oscar. And Ellen Burstyn is not less brilliant. A movie about a dying town and ways of life, it is, but mainly about people that try to stay alive in such a dying environment. 

The cinematography is outstanding in picturing all this hopelessness. I've read that the location, Archer City, Texas (hometown of Larry McMurtry, the author of the novel in which this movie was based), remains the same as pictured in the 1971 film. It is spooky, actually. It reminded what a friend told me once how those truly small towns in US seem like they had stopped in time. The big cities are all modern, the smaller towns are numb. 

On the imdb.com trivia, there's another info about something that I've been asking myself throughout Omad. It refers to the changing about the soundtrack and original scores on movies. From orchestrated scores to the use of songs, something was really changing around the '70s and '80s. According to imdb, "the film was one of the first to use already popular recordings by original artists to score a film". It was really nice finding the answer to that. Another curious fact: all the songs we hear here comes from radio, in a naturalistic playing, what is pretty cool actually.

Something that had scared the hell out of me is how hostile this world depicted in here is for everybody, but mainly for women. Marriage still looked like the only way out for the majority. It is horrifying,  specially on a day that is dedicated to create awareness about the inequity of opportunities regarding women. 

At last, the black and white images were a kind of remnant from Hiroshima Mon Amour, keeping me in a similar atmosphere, through a poetic cinematography contrasting to the cruel reality.

Oops, no, not the last. I just remembered that the first movie we see showing in the small movie theater here is the 1950 Father of The Bride, with Elizabeth Taylor, a movie that I used to see on TV when I was a kid. It was a nice remembering. It is curious how many movies, as Cinema Paradiso, for example, tell how a small town dies a little when a movie theater is closed for good.

The Last Picture Show. Direced by Peter Bogdanovich. Cast: Timothy
Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd. Writers: Peter Bogdanovich,
Larry McMurtry based on McMurtry's novel. USA, 1971, 118 min.,
Mono, Black and White (DVD).

At night, time to celebrate Omad with the friends that most supported me and the blog during this whole year.

It was a time dedicated to close cycles, and this way I had no doubt about which movie would be the last: Another Earth, the one that started it all exactly one year ago. Malu, the dear friend that told me about this film, could not be here to celebrate a history that she had inspired in a way. However, she is always present when I remember how this whole idea begun.

At Day one, with Omad still an incipient project, I watched the Mike Cahill movie with my heart on my hands. It is heartbreaking, penetrating, sad. That was the beginning, and the whole atmosphere in here was fit to what I was feeling at that time, one year ago.

On this day? The story was entirely different. Beloved friends and family, they wanted to be here with me to end this dare. Some of them had never met each other before and, still, they all clicked beautifully. And what followed was one of the more fun times I had in a long time.

I was laughing so hard that I couldn't breath. Yep, you've read right. Laughing during this heartbreaking movie. The mood was set when the copy I had was defective. I'm so stupid that the first time I saw this movie I thought it was intentional. With a photographer, two filmmakers and a gamer/movie expert in the room, it was unbearable to see. We paused the movie in order for me to look for other copy, and the result was this:

Scary demon from Jupiter :)

The hell broke loose, and from this moment on, and there was no limit for our sharp and funny remarks. three of us had already saw the movie, so it didn't help. I'd would have recorded it, because there's no way to describe what followed. Insane remarks on its best.

At one of the saddest scenes in the movie, Brit Marling writes some words on the hand of a guy that is not able to see or hear anymore. They can only communicate by touch. After a few beers, of course I lost account of what she was writing. "Someone was able to get that?", I asked. Thanks the Olympic gods Flavia can read. Gui looked at us and said: whoa, I only realized she was writing somethin after a few letters. For me, she was caressing his hand or lookin for the M on his palm. And there we were, hysterical laughs in one of the most comovent scenes here. "But it is really sad", Rodrigo said, drying his laughing tears.

Five happy lunatics in front of the small TV. After the movie (That Rudd considered heartbreaking even when he wasn't able to stop laughing), we remained there, no willing to leave despite an early schedule the next day. I had to sit, Rudd fell from his chair, we wouldn't stop telling tales that make us laugh even more. All the while, someone would remember some witty remark made during the movie. The tactics of hacksaw (aka A tática do Serrote), the Jupiter language, the girl who is unable to look forward, the scary guy from Lost... And there we were, unwilling to leave that happy bubble.

Cheers to a happy dare finally
fulfilled

Joe and Rudd, beloved friends and my two sole readers (:); Fla, my beautifull niece, who incorporated Omad to her life in a lovely support; Gui, my amazing nephew, an amazing artist and a character worthy of his own movie: thank you all for your love today and every day, but specially during Omad. Your support and companionship were fundamental here. And it all explode in laughing bubles during the most amazing movie showing at my house (that I say for sure). Too much love, surrounded by junk food, good drinks and, let's not forget, great movies.

I don't dare to ask for more.

One last note: I don't know it you realized that the countdown is not over. Almost, but there's still the take off. Soon, the last post will be here. It doesn't help my case to remark that it will be really big. But I hope you will stay tuned for one more post. See you soon.

Already, though, I should thank you all for being here with me. What an amazing time <3

Well, we do that everytime we watch a movie :)

Another Earth. Directed by Mike Cahill. Cast: Brit Marling, William Mapother,
Matthew-Lee Erlbach. Writers: Mike Cahill, Brit Marling. USA, 2011, 92 min.,
Dolby, Color. 

PS: The trivia here is very interesting.

PPS: Synchronicity tale - earlier on this day, I turned on the TV and it was showing I-Origins, other of Cahill movies with Brit Marling, and Day 28 movie on Omad.

Day 364: Asphalte + Hiroshima Mon Amour (March, 7)

TWO

Have you see it? TWO!!!

I cannot believe I came so far. And in such a high note. On this day, I watched one of the best movies in my life, for sure.

First, I saw Asphalte in an almost empty Cine Brasilia. I was lucky, because I laughed so loud that I would be ashamed in a more packed auditorium. It is indeed classified as comedy. Nevertheless, it is so heartbreaking sometimes that a few laughs were a good respite from all the loneliness on this movie.

The characters are just amazing, layered, complex, well presented. In what seems to be the ugliest building in the whole France, we see some of its inhabitants struggling with their daily lives. The ordinary and the impromptu extraordinary meet each other through those characters.  And when I say extraordinary, I really mean it. As the ordinary.

One example that is not a big spoiler: A guy lives alone in this building. In the community meeting, he is the only one to refuse to pay for a new elevator. He lives on the first floor and never uses it anyway, is his argument. Well then. Soon after, he suffers a bizarre accident and is not able to walk for a while. His only way out of his flat is, guess what?, the elevator. Ha.

I don't know why it is so easy to fall on those futile traps. It would be so much better just to get rid of it in each small part of our lives. Sometimes, we fell on this traps without even noticing. So dumb actually. I just loved this movie, the people in it. Madame Hamida reminded me so much of a friend's mother, she is amazing. And an example of how not to live by those pitfalls. Her life is far from easy, and probably because of that she is aware of what its worth her bother.

Isabelle Huppert and Jules Benchetrit have a great dynamic going on. They reaffirm how people who can relate to us in some way are the best in life. sometimes, they are the only salvation in a world full of empty spaces and inexplicable noises - it is that way at least until we decide to really pay attention to our surroundings, that's it.

Asphalte. Directed and written by Samuel Benchetrit. Cast: Isabelle Huppert,
Gustave Kervern, Tassadit Mandi. France, 2015, 100 min., Color (Cine Brasilia).

At night, I decided to finally watch a movie that I've been planning see for a long, long time. And here we get to the one of the best films ever.

Hiroshima Mon Amour I met for the first time in a History of Cinema class almost ten years ago. It was a three months free course near my work and it was great. I met again some old friends from college and could know better Sergio Moriconi, one of the teachers and a guy that keeps the movie scene alive in Brasilia. One night, he presented to us the first 15 minutes of this Alain Resnais film and I fell in love. In the kind of fear that affects me about movies, I was afraid of being disappointed. Today, I put an end to this silly caution.

At the end of the course, I gifted him an old edition of Marguerite Dura's book, that was waiting for me to finally decide to read in French. I bought another copy, and it is still there, waiting for me. 

My main remembrance of those 15 minutes were the french dialogue in voice-over by the two protagonists. Their voices, the sound of the words in French. Sentences being repeated in a quiet voice. Images of the two lovers and the city. The camera on the street, carrying us on its invisible bike. Just stunning. 

My whole memory of the movie was the sound of Hiroshima, in a French accent, said by Emmanuele Riva. 

LUI Tu n’as rien vu à Hiroshima. Rien.
ELLE J’ai tout vu. Tout. Ainsi l’hôpital, je l’ai vu. J’en suis sûre. L’hôpital existe à Hiroshima. Comment aurais-je pu éviter de le voir?
LUI Tu n’as pas vu d’hôpital à Hiroshima. Tu n’as rien vu à Hiroshima.
ELLE Quatre fois au musée…
LUI Quel musée à Hiroshima?
ELLE Quatre fois au musée à Hiroshima. J’ai vu les gens se promener. Les gens se promènent, pensifs, à travers les photographies, les reconstitutions, faute d’autre chose, à travers les photographies, les photographies, les reconstitutions, faute d’autre chose, les explications, faute d’autre chose. Quatre fois au musée à Hiroshima.
(Dialogue from Hiroshima Mon Amour, 1959).

She says that she's been there and saw. He says that she saw nothing. Both are right, in a different perspective of the experience of such an absurd event.

What is this experience that movies allow us? According some comments, Resnais' argument here is that a movie is not the true thing, as to say. Cinema is ilusion and that should be it. On the other hand, I've read once that some experiences, specially those of violent events, we know mainly thgrough filmes. To stay on the WWII area, the author referred to the Holocaust, that we now are aware of mainly by the movies about the subject. I would dare to say that our experience in this case is more like a recognition. We did not lived it - and, in this sense, she hasn't been in Hiroshima - but can experience the hideous violence, recognize the horror of it by movies and other ways of telling.

Inglourious Basterds, for example, assumes that beautifully when Hitler is killed by a machine gun, in a movie theater in flames. Cinema tells its own version of history, and it is up to us to discern what it is being said in the big screen. Another example: Son of Saul, that don't let us forget in an masterful way that movies are so good at. Remember, awareness, experience, by the way, are the subject in here.

And it is incredibly beautiful and heartbreaking. Memories is another matter of movies. Each movie has its own. We don't enter a theater without our own, and we don't leave, when the lights are on again, without new ones. Memory is the matter of life, as would say. As life is the main subject on movies, well, the rest is deduction.

The way Resnais revolves around memories of war and the way they shape the two lovers life is something out of the world. I was truly mesmerized. I couldn't be happier that I chose this movie to be with me at this particular time. Resnais here embodies the traumatic experience of war in a manner that take over our thoughts, heart, feelings.

I'm a bit sad that I cannot describe it better. However, and just maybe, it is the thing about such visceral art experience: we know it, we recognize it, we embrace it. But words are not just enough. Thanks all the Olympic gods (specially Prometheus) for movies: they put us right on the experience. Ok, one should say it is all ilusion and all that. Not for me. Movies are life. Fiction is a way to reach reality and the experience of being alive that any history book is able to tell in such a strong way. I'm grateful that Resnais changed his mind about making a documentary here.

At last: Emmanuele Riva. I've seen her before in another film bigger than life: Amour, by Michael Hanecke. Her voice her lead the way, along Eiji Okada. Two different experiences of the same war confronted in love and loss.

This movie was too much. It's still here, with me, in a devastating way. A kind of dreamy extasis. If it wasn't so late when I got to its end, I would have watched it all over again. I promise I'm not exaggerating. Seriously. I'm sure that it won't take long for me to see it again. And again. Like the words repeated by the two lovers.

In Never End to Paris, Enrique Vila Matas says that they had seen for real the office in the home at Coyoacán, in Mexico, where Trótski has been killed. I've saw it before on the movies. He talks about his first impression about the assassination - in a fictional tale - and what he was seeing for real. It is beautiful how he cannot separate both impressions. His experience about Trótski's murder was impregnated by both irremediably, even if he was surely able to distinguish between reality and fiction. That's not the question here, I must add. I think that if one day I'll find myself in Hiroshima, I will probably feel the same. I'll be there and I won't. As Elle, who saw Hiroshima and hasn't seen the same time.

Hiroshima Mon Amour. Directed by Alain Resnais. Cast: Emmanuelle Riva,
Eiji Okada, Stella Dassas. Writer: Marguerite Duras. France/Japan, 1959,
90 min., Mono, Black and White (DVD).

Day 363: Every Thing Will Be Fine (March, 5)

THREE

I've read a book or seen a movie a while ago in which one of the characters used to say that every thing will be alright at the end. If things are not ok, it is not the end yet. 

Every Thing Will Be Fine, by Win Wenders, relates to that in some aspects, but works under a different premise: he will only leave those characters involved in a terrible tragedy when they're ok. Or fine, accordint to the title.  

And there's no rush getting there. We don't deal with such a pain in a fast pace. Each heart beats in its own rhythm, and there's no sense to expect from others the same reactions and timing. James Franco's character embodies that idea perfectly. If at first he is a bit impatient to deal with something that he had recovered from after years of struggling, soon he gets to his better senses in order to help other do the same, even if it hurts like hell. 

Our own impatience with others may be an obstacle here, preventing us to accept the beauty in how Wenders chose to talk about the healing process. He gives us a kind perspective, even if it is crude sometimes. Relationships get to its end, depression takes over, life has no meaning anymore. It is painful to see, that's why patience and compassion are needed here. But that's for me, who likes this kind of quiet and no linear pace in a narrative, even if some things seemed too cheesy to me. the last scene looked corny and beautiful at the same time. I guess human feelings are exactly like that, though. 

James Franco is not my favorite actor, I think he is kind of a douche. I'm not able to separate him from his work, I'm sorry to say. He is not bad here though. Not perfect, but not insufferable. Charlotte Gainsbourg is an amazing actress. However, for me, she conveys all the suffering and anguishing from Lars von Trier's films - I like them a lot, but they are disturbing, and that feeling is impressed on Gainsbourg for good, as I see. The fact that she doesn't change her hair, suffering expressions or even her clothes is a constant reminder of how much pain I suffered by her side. 

This movie is not easy, so my initial wariness was not out of place here. Although missing a more brilliant Wenders, I could relate to this just fine, like the things at the end. 

Every Thing Will Be Fine. Directed by Win Wenders. Cast: Rachel McAdams,
James Franco, Peter Stormare. Writer: Bjorn Olaf Johanneesen (a name worth
of a ghotic tale). Germany/Canada/France/Sweden/Norway, 2015,
118 min. Dolby Digital (Cinema).

PS: Earlier on this day, I was watching And So it Goes on cable. The film is cute, even if a bit obvious too, I enjoyed it better than I'd have thought at first. My main thought, however, besides how Diane Keaton is getting more beautiful at each passing year, was how she always wear the same styling in all her movies. Later, I was thinking the same about Gainsbourg in today's movie.

Day 362: White God (March, 5)

FOUR

That was weird, for sure.

When I woke up today, at 10:30am, I decided to reach a 11am screening of White God (Fehér insten). As I'm not able to leave my home without a shower and straightening the bed (I'm getting old, guys), I had to hurry in order to not miss the beginning (I hate when this happens). I entered the movie theater at the moment when the whole auditorium went dark, kicked my shin on a seat, went limping to my favorite third row and waited to see what would happen in front of me.

I had no idea whatsoever what this movie was about. I knew there was a girl and a dog and some conflict. At the first half an hour I thought how cleverly the movie was addressing how kids and animals are subjected to abuse by adults. They have no choice about their own lives, and are disrespected continuously. I was crying most of the time, because it was so easy to prevent the worse events in here. So easy, but the lack of attention and care would lead to so much pain.

I was just thinking how the theme was discussed in an ordinary setting when the hell broke loose. Everything blew up and I was astounded. I'm sure I had big eyes and a horrified expression on my face. Sometimes, I was almost sneering until I understood what this film is about. Because I haven't realised that this is a horror movie. Yes, that's right. What looked like a small indie movie is an artsy smart horror story. I would have laughed if I was not so terrorized, because I hadn't expected it at all.

The movie is Manichean for sure. The bad that abuse the indefensible good. They must get what they deserve at the end, in an evil quest by an once sweet dog. Jeez, it is weird. Some part are genius, the general idea is accurate and relevant, but... yes, there's some buts in here. They don't compromise the importance of such a story about an abuse that goes on and on and it is hideous. Insufferable, unwarranted, absurd. However, there's a weight in here that prevents this story to be absolutely brilliant, some red alerts against a heaviness that takes some of the strength of this movie. Said that, it is important to say that movies like this are fundamental. 

Those two <3

Fehér isten. Directed  by Kornéi Mundruczo. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sándor Szótér,
Lili Horváth, Body, Luke. Writers: Kornéi Mundruczo, Viktória Petrányi, Kata
Wéber. Hungary/German/Sweden, 2014, 121 min., Color (Cine Brasília).

PS: Except from the twins Body and Luke, that played Hagen, all the 280 dogs used on the movie came from shelters and were adopted at the end of the production :)

Day 361: Reservoir Dogs (March, 4)

FIVE

I had to wait until my niece Fla became able to see Reservoir Dogs with me to see this movie again. The first time I watched it didn't even counts, it was so weird - the surroundings weren't favorable to it. And despite my love for loneliness in a movie theater, I really think that a Tarantino's experience must be shared. Fla loves the crazy filmmaker as much as I do (if not more) and have been incredibly supportive of Omad (yes, she's an amazing friend and person :). So, when she asked me about the last days of this dare and if the could share some of them with me, I thought this would be a great opportunity to reach the first time Tarantino made a impact in the world with a movie (I'm not counting the said amateur My Best Friend's Birthday (1987), his directional debut on features. 

Reservoir Dogs is Tarantino on the brink of geniality, that would explode in full colors two years after with, you already know that, Pulp Fiction (1994). The whimsical dialogue about some pop culture element (in this case, Like a Virgin, by Madonna, that told Tarantino he was wrong in his theory about the dick fest), the crude takes on racism and sexism are there too, as the brilliant settings and refined dialogues that would show all its maturity in The Hateful Eight (and I'm still laughing about that door...).

Seeing it after almost 25 years of Tarantino's movies is an interesting experience. We are in the movie, involved by what is happening for sure. We are outside it frequently too, analysing what would be and what it is nowadays. A lot of talking, observations, laughs were a part of this screening (as usually happens in a Tarantino's film, that's why it is essential to share it).

Fla, darling girl, thanks for your support and will in being by my side during Omad. Last night was too much fun! I'm grateful that you were willing to see this movie again, just to share a fun time with me! Rock'n roll cinephile family is the best! <3

This first scene is sheer greatness.
Reservoir Dogs. Directed by Quentin Tarantino. Cast: Harvey Keitel, Tim
Roth, Michael Madsen. Writers: Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avery. USA, 1992,
99 min., Dolby Digital, Color (Eastmancolor) (DVD).

Day 360: Creed (March, 3)

SIX

I've read contrary comments about Creed, the last movie featuring the 40 years old emblematic character Rocky Balboa. Some loved his return to the screen, others are really angry about how it is more of the same and a disgrace for the character.

Personally, I liked it a lot. It is nothing out of space, it is a simple tale about a guy that tries to make peace with his heritage - a father that he had never met. About this, there's a line right at the beginning when the orphaned kid says he has no father. The answer is: of course you have a father, you just didn't know him. This seems so simple, but it is the source of so much pain and doubt that extends to the adulthood. 

Creed accesses those issues by a manner that tries its best to avoid the usual stereotypes. There's a lot of cliches in here, of course. However, there's some nice attempts to avoid them too, which is always a nice feature on a movie. 

And there's the main perk in here, for sure: the return of Rocky Balboa to the screens. I loved the older Rocky, a guy that went through hell and carries a lot of issues, but a lot of wise views about life too. Creeds revolves around two myths: the one on the diegetic world, Rocky, and Sylvester Stallone. The fans were anxious for seeing both, and in this sense Creed's does good again. Stallone's face is so contorted by plastic, but when used by Rocky it fits the character accurately. And Sly and Rocky as mentors are great.

I had a great time with this, regretting a bit not being able to reach this movie on the cinema - the small sample of Gonna Fly Now here would have been insane on the big screen. In front my small TV I went nuts, jumping on the sofa like crazy. Maybe I and the other moviegoers were luck, in fact, that I've reached Creed on the secluded environment of my flat :)

Creed. Directed by Ryan Coogler. Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone,
Tessa Thompson. Writers: Ryan Coogler, Aaron Convigton from the charaters
created by Sylvester Stallone. USA, 2015, 133 min., Dolby Digital, Color.

Day 359: Solace (March, 2)

SEVEN

On the last week of Omad, I'm trying to reach the movies on a cinema as much as I can (not that it is any different from the usual, actually). On this day he movie that would fit my schedule was Solace.

Here in Brazil, the trailer for this film has being presented by the Brazilian director Afonso Poyart, inviting us to see his first US production, with Anthony Hopkins and Colin Farrell. As I wasn't able to see the rerun of The Silence of the Lambs (1997) on the cinema, I decided to meet Hopkins in this production instead.

I shouldn't have bothered, though. The trailer tells us all - I don't understand the editing in this kind of promotional clips, it can be really daft.

I've read that this movie was first intended to be a Se7en (1995) sequel named Ei8ht. Thanks t David Fincher, that didn't happen. 

It was a nice theatre, though, with reclining chairs and good popcorn (that I spiced up with some twix pieces). The film is not bad, an enough gripping thriller. But right from the first scene I realised we were on a cliche fest. Robotic performances, lousy dialogues, too much mirrored images. But an interesting plot one that we've seen  before for sure. 

Solace. Directed by Afonso Poyart. Cast: Jeffrey Dean Morgan (who was not
mentioned on the trailer, btw), Colin Farrel, Abbie Cornish. Writers: Sean
Bailey, Ted Griffin. USA, 2015, 101 min., Dolby Digital, Color (Cinema).