brunolermann Reviews

Four Good Days (2020)

Happy ending, not so real

[6/10 · 9 December 2022]

I've always loved drugs. That led me to meet dozens of addicts. All kinds of substances, all kinds of people. Truth is, as you go deeper in this world, "straight" people label you as a weak, helpless, despicable person. Once you go to recovery and fail, you' re doomed. Then, your choices are narrowed and going back to your addict life style is a matter of survival. As times go by your mates die of overdose, get killed, comitt suicide. At best, they remain alive by choosing coke instead of crack, for example.

In short, that's an average film. A bit realistic, but in my oppinion, it's about an exception. The treatment in US and other wealthy countries is far better. As I said, most of real life addiction stories unfortunately do not have happy endings.

Matchstick Men (2003)

The importance of the ambience

[9/10 · 18 July 2022]

The colors are slightly different. They match perfectly with Roy's vision of a perfect world that never comes to life. Let's add a supercool music score sparkled with Sinatra. Cage performs an unforgettable character. That's a crime film that refuses to be a thriller, it resists. However, the world is not just a perfectly organized closet. Someone will eventually mess it up. Even though you can always count with astroturf.

Mighty Aphrodite (1995)

My name is Guildersleeve

[8/10 · 18 July 2022]

How could I remember this detail? Lenny (Allen) is trying to make a change in Mira Sorvino's life and that includes dealing with her pimp. So he comes up this ridiculous fake name. I laughed so much. He even finds a husband for her, a boxeur from "Wimpsville" (hahaha). In the middle of all that we get to listen Dave Brubeck... and the greek chorus! "I see pain, I see death, I see catastrophy... worse: I see lawyers!" Hard to match. What a great flick.

Isle of Flowers (1989)

A tomato's odissey can tell a lot about us

[10/10 · 18 July 2022]

This goes beyond a short-length doc. It kind of creates a brand new genre, mixing educational stuff, irony, philosophy and comedy. First time I saw, almost 40 years ago, I could already notice its magic. Not an image or word is wasted.

Nós Que Aqui Estamos por Vós Esperamos (1999)

Everyone should see

[9/10 · 18 July 2022]

This is a masterpiece adressed to the whole humankind. It took some years to be accomplished, it is closer to perfection in a mélange of images and music, a century in a bit more than an hour. No dialogues, just an invitation to thinking. It's a shame almost no one has seen it. Please do it.

To Die For (1995)

American art film at his best

[10/10 · 25 June 2021]

This movie is unique. I´ll cut to the chase, though. The ending. No spoilers. The small speech of the trailer park girl about Suzanne Stone {Kidman} and the last scene with Donovan´s hippie song. Subtle. Priceless.