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Reviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
A TALKING PICTURE
In each place Maria Joana inundates her mother with poignantly insightful
questions and thoughts. And Rosa Maria
answers each one patiently and eloquently. "Were the ancient Egyptians civilized because they
had slaves?" she asks somewhat confused. "No," laughs her mother, who goes
on to explain the architectural marvel of the pyramids. Maria Joana nods
knowingly as her mother differentiates a myth from a legend and
history from the present. Back on the ship, captain John Walesa (John
Malkovich) befriends and introduces them to three strong and
intelligent women, who engage in sophisticated political
conversation (“What is needed between East and West are convergent values.”) However the film
takes a
chilling turn at the end, breaking the
fairy tale quality of the story. With it's slow-pacing, beautiful cinematography, and profound dialogue, this
meditative film by 95-year-old Manoel de Oliviera is part travelogue and part history lesson. Though largely devoid of drama, it
should be watched more for its mesmerizing visuals and charming, insightful
dialogue. (A series of stills, among the DVD extras, should be checked out for
their sheer visual poetry.) Preeti Mankar
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On a Mediterranean cruise,
eight-year-old Maria Joana (Filipa de Almeida) and her mother Rosa Maria (Leonor Silveira), a
history professor, embark on a journey from their native
Portugal to Bombay, India to meet with Rosa Maria's husband. As
they disembark at each port of call, they visit some of the great wonders of
civilization - the Egyptian pyramids, the Acropolis, and the lost city of Pompeii - where every
shot is composed like a painting.