Central Station Film Review

Central Station

     Central Station is a Brazilian film from 1998 that was directed by Walter Salles. Central Station chronicles the journey between two strangers who learn to care about each other. Dora is a deceptive letter writer who works in a train station. One day one of her clients is struck down by a bus and her son, Josue, is left to fend for himself. After taking pity on the boy, Dora takes him home. Initially Dora grows weary of his presence and sells him to a child trafficker. She feels remorseful and steals him back, now devoted to return him to his birth father whom she knows about through a letter she had to write. Things do not go as planned of course. They have to be on the run from the people Dora stole Josue back from. They get stranded at some sort of religious convention in the desert. Josue’s father is difficult to find because he’s changed his address several times. Even with all these obstacles the pair of loners grows closer together. In the end, Dora does not find Josue’s father, but she does leave him with his two older brothers. She knows it’s the right thing to do even though it hurts her greatly, and she prays that he will not ever forget her.

     The themes in this film are poverty, maternal instinct, and doing the right thing. The area that Dora works in is so poor that most of the population can’t read or right. This is why Dora writes letters for people. The other areas shown in the film are also run down and poverty stricken. The area that Dora leaves Josue in is the projects for that region. Dora had maternal instinct, whether she likes it or not. If she didn’t have this she would have left Josue there and not cared what happened to him. I also think she grew to care for him as a son as time went on instead of caring for him as a friend. She was very protective of him at certain points. Dora was also forced to do the right thing. She had a conscious and it grew over time. She took Josue into her home because of a mix of maternal instinct as a woman and because she wanted to do the right thing. The whole plot of the movie was Dora trying to do the right thing. It never really seemed to work in her favor, but at least she tried.

     Central Station is probably within my top 3 films that we watched this semester. I don’t know what it was about this film, but my attention was kept the entire time. The only criticisms I have of the film is that Josue’s voice was really, really obnoxious when he would yell. Also, I’m still kind of confused on whether the father is alive or dead, and whether or not he really cares about Josue’s existence. I think what was different about this film is that Josue was a brat. It was hard to care about him at some points. I think the character that viewers would feel for more would be Dora. She wasn’t so much a charity case as she was just a normal person trying to do something nice for someone else. I would definitely recommend this film to people who were looking for a film from Brazil.

Children of Heaven Film Review

Children of Heaven

     Children of Heaven is such a weird title for a film that doesn’t really have anything to do with Heaven, although it does have a lot to do with children and shoes. The film was created in Iran in 1997 under the direction of Majid Majidi. In Children of Heaven, Ali loses his sister Zahra’s shoes when a blind man accidently puts them in his cart. Ali and Zahra decide to share Ali’s shoes instead of telling their father. He appears to be very strict or abusive. The sharing of shoes is strenuous for both children because they have to switch shoes between classes and Ali is usually late for his schooling. Zahra goes to school one day and sees another girl wearing her shoes. She follows her home and finds out that her father was the blind man who accidently took the shoes. All seems lost, so Ali decides to join a race. The prize for coming in third place is a new pair of shoes. Ali seems to grow closer with his father after working as gardeners and prepares for the foot race. He ends up winning the race and is depressed because he let his sister down. In the end, the excess money from winning the race and working as the gardener provides new shows for Zahra and the start of a better life for the family.

     The themes in Children of Heaven are a lot simpler than and not as obvious as in other films. I think this is because the film doesn’t shove them down your throat like other films do. Obviously poverty was a theme in this film, as it seems to be in a majority of the films we’ve viewed. I think that the special bond between children is another theme showcased in this film. Zahra knew that other child took her shoes, but seemed unable to confront her about it either. The other girl was even kind enough to give Zahra back her lost pen even though it was obvious she needed it more. Even the bond between Ali and Zahra was very special, but that was a different bond – the bond between brother and sister. The whole family dynamic was a little different than usual. Striving for what you need and what you want is another theme in Children of Heaven. Each character, whether Ali or his father, had to really work hard if they wanted something.

     This was probably my least favorite movie we’ve viewed this semester. I was very bored the entire film. Children of Heaven definitely could have been cut down into a short film that ran for about 30 minutes. Ali was really annoying since he was crying in almost every single scene. The captions were off so it was kind of comical yet unprofessional looking. I just can’t really think of anything nice to say about this film. I don’t think it was absolutely intolerable, but it just did not have one star quality to it. It almost seemed like someone in our class could have made a film with the same quality.

Tsotsi Film Review

Tsotsi

Tsotsi is a South African film that was released in 2005 after being directed by Gavin Hood. In Tsotsi, a young thug takes on more responsibility than he can handle and must deal with the consequences. Tsotsi lives in the projects in South Africa and only relies on Aap, Boston, and Butcher for friendship. They go around robbing people, drinking, playing craps, and even kill on occasion. One night Tsotsi robs a very wealthy politician of her car and after driving for several miles, he realizes that her baby is in the back seat. Knowing that he can’t bring it back for fear of being arrested, he decided to keep the baby in his car, which is not very good. He forces a young woman named Miriam to help him take care of the baby because he is incapable of doing it himself. As the film progresses he starts to develop a soul and other positive qualities that forces him to really reflect on the life he’s been living. Tsotsi starts to realize he has to bring the baby back, but how?

     The most important theme in Tsotsi is decency. I think this was made pretty obvious when Teacher was asking Tsotsi in the bar if he has decency. He didn’t at the point, but Tsotsi did develop decency as the film progressed. Teacher had decency enough to leave the group and know that killing was wrong. The family was decent enough to not having Tsotsi shot dead when he tried to return the movie. Miriam had decency enough to help out a baby and thug who she had no attachment to. Another theme in Tsotsi is poverty. Tsotsi and his friends lived in poor conditions, with a huge city just a short drive away. It was kind of weird how there were two totally different living conditions right next to each other. Your wealth also creates some sort of caste system. It seems like the people in the slums got no respect from the police, but the wealthy political family who was trying to find their baby was able to talk down to and yell at the police without fear. I think another underlying theme in Tsotsi is the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. I’m under the assumption that Tsotsi’s mother was dying of AIDS. I think this because of the way she looked and the way the father did not want Tsotsi to touch her for fear that he would get sick as well.

     I would have to say that this is probably my favorite film from the whole semester. My favorite part of the movie was definitely the music. I didn’t understand a single word that they were rapping, but it sounded good and the instruments sounded perfect for what was happening in each scene. The plot was a little predictable at times, but I feel like all the little subplots kept me interested enough to not get bored. The timing was perfect so slow points like talking or walking didn’t seem to drag on at all. The acting was well done and Tsotsi definitely gave the best performance. The actor who played him really showed every emotion possible throughout the course of the film. I would definitely watch this movie again.

Walk On Water Movie Review

Walk On Water

     Walk On Water was the only film this semester we were required to watch on our own time. Walk On Water was made in Isreal in 2004. Eytan Fox was the expert who directed this thriller. The film enters with Eyal who is an assassin who is hired to kill people who are enemies of the Jewish population. He experiences hardship in his life when his wife commits suicide and it destroys him so much that his agency figure’s it’s better to give him a downgraded assignment. This is all they think he can handle – find and kill a Nazi, who just happens to be well on in years. The way he finds the old man is through getting to know his two grandchildren, Axel and Pia. Despite his initial intentions, Eyal actually becomes friends with the two people he’s trying to use to achieve his goal. There’s a fall out between the friends when Eyal finds out that Axel is gay, but eventually he gets over it. Eyal tries to accomplish his goal of killing the grandfather, but ends up not being able to do so. However, Axel ends up killing his grandfather for some reason. The film ends with a cliché ending that was a little dull, but I guess it was a good way of finishing with a happy ending.

     The theme that sticks out to me in this film the most was homosexuality. I wasn’t expecting Axel to be gay. Once we found this out, I expected that Eyal was going to be secretly gay too. So, it was shocking to see this wasn’t the case and I thought it was kind of breaking the mold. All the other themes had to do with the war and its aftermath. The gay theme also ties into the theme of acceptance of others. This film pointed out that it shouldn’t matter what someone’s income, color, ethnicity, or orientation is because we are all humans. Another theme in the film was letting go of the past. The Jews and the German’s needed to get over their past hatred for each other, even though the Jews was justified. Not judging a book by its cover was the last theme I noticed. I picked Pia and Axel and Eyal as not seeming very compatible. So, I think this goes to show that you can find friends in people you would least expect it.

     This was an enjoyable movie to watch. It actually struck some of my interests. I’m from a military family so my father’s generation was very into WWII movies, so it’s been something I’ve grown up around. This film wasn’t a war movie, but it still touched on a lot of things that films from that genre usually do. The only negative thing I have to say about Walk On Water is the ending. I could have cut it when Axel kills his grandfather. The rest of the film having to do with the epilogue was a little much. Pia and Eyal getting married, really? Since we were going by continent, I feel like I would have preferred Walk on Water over Children of Heaven. I may have liked a little action thrown into this film, instead of more suspense. Aside from the end and yearning for some action, this was a great film. It was definitely worth watching.

Bombay Film Review

Bombay

     Bombay is a popular Bollywood musical from India. It was released in 1995 under the direction of Mani Ratman. The film follows the lives of a couple in India as their existence is rocked by religious riots. Shekhar, a Hindu man, falls in love with Shaila, a Muslim woman. Shaila originally dismisses his love, but eventually she too falls in love and they get married. Their marriage is not taken very well by both their families, as it is seen as dating out of your religion. At this time, there are daily riots going on in parts of India, which is actually based off of true events. These riots cost many people their lives, destroys cities, and divides the country. These riots are also particularly difficult for Shekhar and Shaila, as well as their children who are raised with a mix of both religions. It all culminates in a heart wrenching and heartwarming final chapter that will keep the viewer watching.

     Religion is probably the biggest theme in this movie because it serves as the real conflict. Any antagonism or antagonist that appears in the film is because of their religious views and what they feel they must do with them. Acceptance of religion, another theme, directly ties into this. The entire world is very diverse and everyone should be accepting of each other. We are all human and we all share planet Earth. Another theme in the film is love. The film demonstrates many forms of love – love for yourself, love for your family, love for strangers, and love for ones country. The characters in the film obviously care very much for their own safety and the lives of the family members that they love. There is a scene towards the end that demonstrates the other two forms of love. Towards the end of the riots, citizens in India stand together and save each other. They say that they are all Indians and that should come first. This instance shows the love for each other as humans, or more particularly Indians, and the love for their country.

     I was very skeptical going in to watch this movie. I am not a big fan of musicals, mostly because I think they’re kind of weird because singing and dancing just happens out of nowhere. I do respect other people’s opinions that differ from mine. It’s just not my genre of movie. I was pleasantly surprised with this film because it wasn’t over the top with the musical aspect. I think it had only maybe two or three numbers. That was bearable. The plot was really good because it gave a real sense of danger, especially when the kids were involved. I felt so bad for the kids! Although I did think it got a little monotonous when they would get lost again every ten minutes. I definitely enjoyed this film more than some of the other films we’ve watched in class. Just goes to show you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Dreams Movie Review

Dreams

     Dreams is quite the interesting movie. It’s very experimental. The movie shows 8 dreams that the man has had throughout his life. Each dream tells a different story and showcases his views on a subject and what is going on in the world at that time. Akira Kurosawa created this Japanese film in 1990. The first two dreams, Through The Rain and Orchard, are about the man’s views on respecting and protecting nature. The next dream was about a blizzard, and Tunnel is about the war Japan was in at the time and how he felt about all the meaningless death. Crows is about art and experiencing nature, while Mount Fuiji in Red is a dream about how man threatens to destroy art and nature. Weeping Demon is a nightmare about what’s left after man screws up the last time, while Village of Watermills is about the hope that is still left over that things may change.

     Nature is the biggest theme in Dreams. It is present in every dream except Tunnel. Akira’s clearly demonstrates his unhappiness with the way nature is treated and his hopes that things could change before it’s too late. Orchard, Mount Fuiji in Red, and Villiage of Watermills are the dreams which clearly show this. Orchard shows how upset he is when a peach orchard is chopped down. Mount Fuiji in Red shows how a whole country can be destroyed by messing with nature. Village of Watermills shows his hope for the future in the way that the dream has no electricity and the village runs clearly off what the land provides.

     The next theme displayed in Dreams is war. It’s obvious that the man does not think to fondly of war. In Tunnel, he takes the role of a captain of a troop of soldiers. He knew they would not win the battle he threw them into, and is now dealing with the guilt of his own survival. He encounters his troops while walking through a tunnel and their ghosts don’t know that they are deceased. He is heartbroken over this fact and successfully convinces them to march back into the eternal slumber that awaits them. Weeping Demon briefly touches on the war as it hints at aspects of World War II. The deformities of the demons can be compared to the side effects many Japanese people had after the bombs were dropped on their country.

     This movie is so weird that I wouldn’t change a thing! Tunnel was a little repetitive in terms of the dialogue, but aside from that it was crazy. I remember sitting in my seat thinking “What is this? What’s happening?” It was weird in a good way. It kept my attention because I was trying to keep up with it the whole time or waiting for something new to happen. I didn’t want to miss another random ghost dance scene, strange barking dog, or one horned demon. It was certainly entertaining and I would show it to other people, just so they could see what I saw! It was definitely a fun film to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTRw66CnWLI

Eat Drink Man Woman

Eat Drink Man Woman

   Eat Drink Man Woman is a film about three very different sisters living with their father. It was directed by Ang Lee and released in 1994. It is a Taiwanese film, which we are watching with English subtitles. In the film, three sisters live in the same house with their father, a very popular cook in their town. The oldest sister is a career woman who is falling for a new coworker. The middle sister is a teacher who was burned by love in the past. The youngest sister is a college student who steals a coworker’s boyfriend. The father tries to keep the family together through the use of his great cooking while his health secretly deteriorates. The story that follows is how their lives are changed by growing up, find love, and eventually moving out.

   The most important theme of this film is obviously the love of cooking. The father used it as a way to bring the family together every weekend. It was also the way he made his living to support his family all these years. Cooking was so important to him that he would spend hours, maybe even a whole day, just preparing the meal. He showed a great passion for it. He tried to pass this tradition and passion on to his daughters, but they were uninterested. However, it does seem like his young niece has picked up this love for food.

   Other themes in the movie are love, responsibility, and breaking the mold. Everyone in the film had love for each other, and every character found love in someone new. Even the father was remotely enthralled by that viper lady. Each character also had an intense sense of loyalty and responsibility to each other. They felt so strongly that they had to remain home and not displease their father that it seems like they put portions of their life on hold. This obligation to him was shattered when they decided to break the mold and go on with their lives. It wasn’t easy and they were hesitant at first, but after they realized their father was accepting – they ran with it.

   Honestly, I feel like the movie could have been much shorter than it actually is. At points I felt like it was just a story about nothing. At points I felt that there were scenes added in with no point, just for the sake of reaching some sort of time standard. While everything was shot well and explained, I felt that there were some scenes where they were repeating themselves. This would have been a much better flick if maybe 20 minutes or so was shaved off. The repetition of the movie is my only complaint. Aside from that, I think the film was pretty good. I know it’s in some sort of trilogy series, but it didn’t move me enough to watch the other two. Eat Drink Man Woman was just good enough to me to watch once.