Brazil - Brazilian movies worth watching

The misses and I watched "In Therapy" (Divã) yesterday on Netflix instant and we both liked it. ^

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/In_Therapy/70143433?

I did not know Netflix had any Brazilian movies. Are there others? We could probably begin to review some of them if that would be helpful.

I've seen a few, but they're mostly the classics on Instant Watch: Quilombo, Black Orpheus, Vidas Secas, although The Middle of the World (O Caminho das Nuvens) is relatively recent. There's a few more, and then there's the ones on disc only like City of God. You can usually search "Portuguese Language" to bring them up.

My favourite is "Central do Brasil" (known in the US as "Central Station") a touching road movie from the late 90s.

If you like "City of God" you may like the more recent "Tropa de Elite" (Elite Squad).

Finally, looking forward to the new documentary film "Senna". Not Brazilian as such but lots of dialogue in portuguese and of course all about the eponymous Brazilian hero. Recommended for F1 and non-F1 fans alike.

Really an American movie, but I still get a kick out of "Blame it on Rio" starring Michael Caine.

So everytime I come back to NYC from Brazil and I'm exhausted from staying out all night at The Week my friends are always like "Blame it on Rio!"

I've seen quite a few Brazilian movies worth watching but unfortunately I cannot post the titles here since this is a family forum.:D:D:D:p

"Flying down to Rio" from 1933, with Fred Astaire etc. Funny to see Copacabana Palace almost alone at the beach stretch!

"L'Homme de Rio"/"That man from Rio" from 1964, with Jean-Paul Belmondo etc.

"Ônibus 174", documentary about the corruption, brutality and lack of education of the police force.

I have only seen part one of "Tropa de elite", but I recommend it.

Really an American movie, but I still get a kick out of "Blame it on Rio" starring Michael Caine.


So everytime I come back to NYC from Brazil and I'm exhausted from staying out all night at The Week my friends are always like "Blame it on Rio!"

As in other countries, the quality of films made in Brazil varies tremendously. Some are like TV novelas, which I absolutely loathe but which millions adore.

"Blame it on Rio" most definitely an American film, with its main highlgihts being one of the American actresses (not Demi Moore, who is in it) being topless a lot, and also lots of beuatiful scenery. There was also nice scenery in the controversial horror film "Turistas," about foreign tourists being abducted for their body parts while touring Brazil. Brazilian politicians were outraged, since the film painted an unrealistic portrait of the country (as though the many slasher films, etc. pain a realitic portrait of the U.S.).

It would help to know what Brazilian films are listed, and also know something about your taste (e.g., many Brailian comediies are rather slipstick) since we could all come up with hundreds of ideas. "Bye, Bye Brazil" about a traveling circus trope is good to me, but maybe not to you. I didn't see "Tropa da Elite," but did see the sequel, which I found more violent and more heavy-handed in its political message than "City of God" (a film my Brazilian wife found very realistic). I did see a good film about a German, escaping from the war, who toured the backwoods of the Norhteastern Braizlian sertao showing films. It had "urdus" in the title. Sorry I can't give more.

p.s. the film with "urdus" (vultures) in the title is "Cinema, Aspirinas e Urudus" (Cinema, Aspirin and Vultures). The German guy travels around poor, inland towns dispensing cinema and showing films. Carmen Miranda movies were, of course, totally Hollywood (and she was actually born in Portugal, but did move to Brazi as a very young girl), but were controversial in Brazil, where some strongly criticized her for giving a false picture of Brazilian culture (she was largely forgiven before she died in Brazil). There is a very small Carmen Miranda museum in Flamengo Park in Rio, typically overlooked by most tourists (and even by many residents we know).

+1 for "Central Station"--I recall that the main female actress "dressed down/dowdy" and went for "aged" look to play part.

Saw Tropa de Elite and Tropa de Elite 2. Great action flicks, good actors and story. You do not see that in many American action movies anymore. +1. Original was better than sequel of course.

Saw "Adrift" shot somewhere in unspoiled Buzios and Arraial do Cabo. The scenery reminded me of how Buzios used to look 40 years ago, before it become overdeveloped.

http://movies.netflix.com/Movie/Adrift/70118762?trkid=190393