09 October 2009

Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus (2005)

Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus (Movies, Aspirin & Vultures)
Directed by Marcelo Gomes

IMDB Synopsis:
In 1942, the lonely German Johann travels through the arid roads in the country of the Northeast of Brazil in his truck selling aspirins in small villages, using advertisement movies to promote the medicine. He meets the drifter Ranulpho, who intends to go to Rio de Janeiro seeking a better life, and gives a ride to the man. While traveling together, they develop a close friendship, but on 31 August 1942, Brazil declares war to Germany and Johann has to decide if he should return to his home country and fight in the war, or stay in Brazil in a concentration camp; but the option of moving to Amazonas with the migrants of the drought seems to be feasible.

Language:
German/Portuguese

My opinion:
A tad too slow and monotonous at times, but nice.

Gegen die Wand (2005)


Gegen die Wand (Head On)
Directed by Fatih Akin


IMDB Synopsis:
Cahit is a German Turk in his 40's. He has given up with his life after his beloved wife's death, and he's living a miserable life right in the core of cocaine and excessive drinking. One night, he semi-intentionally crashes into a wall, and barely survives. At the hospital he's taken to, he meets a girl, Sibel, another German Turk who's tried to commit suicide. She's sick and tired of her family's ultra-traditional issues, and asks Cahit to carry out a white marriage with her out of the blue, so that she can become a married woman and get rid of her family's revolting pressure. Cahit is turned off by the idea at first, but then he agrees to take part in this plan. As Sibel tells him straightaway that she's interested in absolute freedom involving other men and he agrees, they live as roommates with separate private lives for a while. Then things take a different turn, and they're no longer two indifferent roommates. But their love story won't be anywhere as simple as any other...

Language:
German/Turkish/English

My opinion:
Kick-ass! Brilliant! Or, in Chennai-speak, Terror!

08 October 2009

Schwarzfahrer



Oscar-winning short. Inspired a similar scene in Dev D.