Pieces of April

Sometimes families forget what that means. Sometimes they remember. Sometimes they remember while there is still time.

This family is a wreck. April (Katie Holmes) has a shady past, her mother is vindictive and dieing, her sister tries to be perfect at the expense of everyone else, her grandmother has Alzheimer’s and her father (Oliver Platt) is just trying to keep it together. So if you're April in this situation, what do you do? You invite them all to thanksgiving dinner. But of course nothing goes right. Her oven won't work, her boyfriend disappeares for several hours and she finds out that no one really likes cranberry sauce from a can?

Meeting all of April's neighbors is a joy. Some are good, and some are bad. Some are weird and some are creapy. Some speak english and others not so much. But each one adds to the franticness or the hope of the day.

This movie if proof that ageless favorites can be bought off the $5 rack at best buy. The story was wonderful. My only problem with the acting was Holmes character seemed an awful lot like every other character I've seen her play.

My scene to remember. April is explaining thanksgiving to an immigrant Asian family. she tries once, telling of the mayflower and Plymouth Rock, but then starts over. She begins again, talking about the injustices that would befall the Native Americans, but again must start over. She finally gets to what it means over how it came about and the circumstances that followed it. And the best part, she's realising the truth of what she's saying while she's saying it.

Overall a great flick. You should check it out

Five of six shards

Cidade de Deus (City of God)

The story of the world's most notorious slums, Rio de Janeiro's "City of God". The story of a young man wanting to survive, which means getting out. It is violent, bloody and disturbing, but you can't stop watching. You can't stop watching . . . because it's true.

Based on the life of photographer Wilson Rodrigues, City of God portrays the violent nature of these slums while he was growing up. But it's not just the story of Rodrigues, a.k.a. Rocket, but also Carrot, Lil Zi, Nockout Ned, Benny, the Tender Trio and many others.

The story takes a couple of risks. Spanning 3 decades and many lives, it isn't just one story, but several all coming together and culminating into one moment with a thousand meanings. Also, it uses an all knowing narrator, Rodrigues, looking back on his days as Rocket. But where using these techniques could have made the story disjointed or too revealing of itself, you found these tools pulling you in, giving you more and more of a need to know what's happening. The other great thing about the story was that it is honest. Rocket doesn't get the girl of his dreams, his photography doesn't make his life pristine and unproblematic, and the slums aren’t saved. There is no Hollywood ending, which leaves you still feeling for the people in the slums, because they are still there, and the same problems still exist.

Visually, the movie was dynamic. Vivid colors bring this hell on earth to life. Fast moving cameras, still shots, shotgun (matrix style) shots all bring you along on this emotional roller-coaster of shock and compassion.

There is one particular scene at the end of the movie, which shows that this was not just a violent period for these people, but a culture that has been created for them. I will never forget it.

All in all this was a brilliant movie. An incredible story, we directed and acted (as well as I can judge the acting while reading subtitles), beautifully shot. It's not a movie for the faint of heart, but if you watch it, it will affect you. 5 out of 5 cameras.