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Cristóvão Colombo - O Enigma (2007)
A documentary about the truth on Cristóvão Colombo
This film, as many on Manoel de Oliveira filmography, was made on a small budget, and it shows.
Nevertheless tells a story based on a investigation that proves Colombo was Portuguese. Under a secret mission (working for Portuguese crown) trying to create a diversion for Spanish.
Whilst Portuguese were making huge profits from the India maritime route (through South Africa), and knowing South America richness (gold, wood, and many other valuable goods), Spanish were sent on a (supposedly) wrong direction.
Bad luck (or not?!?) they found new land. Carabean islands including Cuba. This is what makes it all interesting: this island was named be Colombo wish; why? Because there's a small village in Portuguese Alentejo, named...you guessed: Cuba! And there are also investigations showing this theory has every aspect to be right. Of course, Portuguese XVth century intelligence tried to delete all traces to Colombo genealogy.
And there is no interest (Spanish and Italian) to investigate this theory deeply. That's why Colombo is still and hero claimed by many (Spain, Italy and USA) although the truth is probably a completely different story...
Enigma (2001)
Untold story from WWII
I am fed up with american WWII films showing their heroes and twisted history, so this film is a must see. Romance and plot is not true, but all background action is superb, the houses, cars, clothes, even the Enigma and all decoders replica.
The film is not probably a master piece, but it shows what should had been the 40's in Bletchley Park, where the genius Alan Turing among many other matematicians and engineers were decoding german messages while inventing the foundations of modern computers mathematics.
Even the computer invent, normally credit to americans, was greatly developed in Station X (Bletchley Park code name). Unfortunately all was destroyed and no copies were made after the war. So most of that work was unknown until a few years when many archives were de-classified after 50 years of the events.
Bletchley Park has now a museum a edited a documentary available in VHS (I had the fortune of viewing it) highly recomended, both the film and a visit.
This Enigma movie is a soft plot worth by the historical set.
7 out of 10
O Xangô de Baker Street (2001)
Fantastic production and super-details
Jô Soares, famous Brazilian comic actor and writer, created the most unlikely Sherlock Holmes. Joaquim de Almeida performs beautifully with his perfect British accent.
The set is perfect in all details showing a fantastic production
without concessions of any kind. I had the luck of witness filming of some scenes in Porto where minor details were of great concern to the wardrobe and make-up team. Also in the re-creation of many artefacts used in the set.
Although a comedy, this movie never falls to the "easy laugh" thus creating subtle cross-references such as the birth of famous Brazilian cocktail 'Caipirinha' or explaining the myth of Jack the Ripper.
A "must see" for everyone looking for a good time and also to learn
some historical facts about Brazilian independence from Portugal as well as the style of living in the late 1800's. One must keep in mind that Portugal (followed by Brasil) was the first country to abolish slavery.
A Noiva (2000)
Guiné, a.k.a. "A Noiva" is a love triangle story evolving a supposedly lost in the war husband and the widow...
A portuguese officer supposedly dead in a mine explosion, is captured by the african guerrilla in Guiné (former portuguese colony) while his beloved wife Laura remain inconsolable in Portugal trying to believe that Jorge is still alive. Meanwhile an old Laura friend, a lieutenant, tries to convince Laura that Jorge is dead. Eduardo has always been a secret Laura lover. The romance between them is however darkened with the phantom shadow of Jorge hanging over them...
SIC, the portuguese number one private TV channel won again. This was one more of their sponsored TV movies, based on the portuguese colonial war emotional dramas in the seventies.
With a very good performance of Catarina Furtado in the role of Laura, she finally achieves the maturity everyone has been waiting for. Her prior appearances in cinema were not very convincing ("Pesadelo Cor-de-Rosa", "Lampião da Estrela"). This time she proves her drama qualities (if still needed) emerging as a major movie actress.
João Emílio Almeida
Amo-te Teresa (2000)
It could be a real story...
Partially based on a true story, a US teacher sent to prison after falling in love with a student and becoming pregnant, Amo-te Teresa («I Love You, Teresa») is a touching story, very well directed, for a small budget production.
First of a set of telefilms produced for independent portuguese TV channel SIC, this one was a winner. An incredible share and the greatest audience of a portuguese film, ever.
The plot is very simple, but emotions were very well filmed.
Teresa is a medical doctor, divorced, returning to the small village where her mother was expelled years ago after an extra-marital affair. This time Teresa «bumps» with a teenager, felling in love.
Actors perform their job in a very honest way, although they are relatively unknown. A nice, sensitive drama, worth of every minute. Also an historical mark in TV telefilm production.