Coming Soon !

2008 hasn´t ended yet but everyone seems to be thinking about what 2009 has instaured for us , as far as movies are concerned . So far , we have already been informed that a new Terminator sequel will be released in May and that Star Trek will return to the silver screen in February ( and we have just been informed that Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince will no longer be released in November , but in July ) . But the one everyone is talking about is the movie adaptation of the famous comic book known as Watchmen , written by Alan Moore , the man behind extraordinary pieces of literature such as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and V for Vendetta , whose film adaptations have already seen the light of day .

The action takes place in 1986 and a masked vigilante named Rorschach decides to investigate the death of one of his former colleagues . They were both members of a group of super heros known as The Minutemen ( or Watchmen ) . Also part of the team is a Batman like figure called Night Owl , a feisty and seductive woman named Silk Spectre , whose mother was once a famous crime fighter - usually referred to as the first Silk Spectre . Although they´re seen as heros , none of them has super powers , even though they do have extraordinary physical and psychological powers - one , named The Comedian , is helped American forces win the Vietnam War . The most powerful character in this universe is a supernatural being called Dr. Manhatan , named after the famous Manhatan project . Once a humble scientist , Joe Osterman is the victim of an experience gone awry and becomes the powerful Dr. Manhatan . The film is being directed by Zack Snyder , the man behind the famous "300", the trailer , a very good one actually , is already online . The movie is set for a March 2009 release .

Bond is Back !

Já muito foi dito e escrito sobre o novo filme da saga James Bond " Quantum of Solace " com estreia agendada para o dia 31 de Outubro , com direito a uma estreia em Londres , na famosa Leicester Square. No entanto , nunca é demais recordar que a acção deste filme começa 15 minutos depois do fim de "Casino Royale" , um dos grandes sucessos cinematográficos de 2006 . James Bond persegue um misterioso empresário , de seu nome Dominic Greene e os seus negócios num país sul americano . Para defraudar os planos de Greene , Bond precisará da ajuda de uma mulher chamada Camille ( Olga Kurylenko ) , que parece ter algo contra o empresário acima mencionado . O trailer já está disponivél no Youtube e para além de Daniel Craig , Judi Dench , Mathieu Almaric e Olga Kurylenko , podemos também ver a actriz Gemma Arterton , que interpreta uma agente secreta , de seu nome Fields e Jeffrey Wright , que mais uma vez desempenha o papel de Felix Leiter . Esperam-se grandes cenas de acção , uma história ainda mais sombria do que a do filme anterior e a confirmação que Daniel Craig foi uma boa escolha .

Review : The Dark Knight

First things first : is The Dark Knight better than Batman Begins ? The answer is a resounding yes , but one must say that after watching this film , those who follow Batman´s adventures closely , will feel a bit disapointed ( for reasons I shall not explain ) . Batman is bent on fighting the wave of crime that is corrupting the city of Gotham , but that does not mean that the citizens of the New York like town have grown fonder of his actions , quite the contrary . Batman is still seen as a rogue , so the city´s inhabitants welcome the appearance of new district attorney Harvey Dent , who manages to arrest some of the city´s most important thugs , with the help of his girlfriend , Rachel Dawes . Everything seems to be going almost perfectly well until a criminal mastermind , known simply as the Joker , decides to wreck havoc , always with a smile on his face . Batman must come to terms with the existence of someone who´s bent on turning the caped crusader´s world upside down , driving Batman nearly off the deep end , for sometimes we do end up thinking that Batman is going to break his most important rule : he must not kill his foes .

The biggest difference between this new Joker and Jack Nicholson´s approach to the character is that we really feel that this Joker isn´t really interested in funny pranks , even though he does enjoy seeing panic in the faces of the millions who inhabit a larger than life metropolis . He is , in the words of the late Heath Ledger : " a mass murdering clown , a new type of terrorist " . Ledger´s performance does steal the show . He steals every single scene he´s in , maybe because once we´ve seen him , we can´t take our eyes off him . The way he moves , reminds us of some talk show hosts , but far from making us laugh , like Conan O´Brien , this host , he´s one who makes it clear from the get-go that someone will die , and the only one laughing will be him . But perhaps the best thing about this new Joker is the fact that , in the end , he does manage to change our perception of Batman , for the hero himself must duel his split personality . And if the Joker explores Batman´s dark side , Harvey Dent , masterfully played by actor Aaron Eckhart , explores the cape crusader´s lighter side , the side of him that believes in the people of Gotham , such as Comissioner Gordon , played by Gary Oldman , and Rachel Dawes , Bruce Wayne´s former sweetheart . Bruce sees Harvey as the one who can bring peace to Gotham , until he´s forced to reconsider his point of view , something that leads to a very catastrophic conclusion , something that will change the Dark Knight , forever.

Christian Bale delivers another great performance , for he shows that Batman is far from being your average super hero , just like Spiderman , he shows that with great power , come great responsibilities , and the thoughest part of being a hero , is knowing how to handle those responsibilities . Maggie Gyllenhall also deserves to be praised for she manages to represent a sort of light in this world of darkness , standing by her love interest , but caring about the one whose secret identity she is aware of . Michael Caine can do no wrong , and the things he says may give us a glimpse of the challenges that lie ahead , if the studio decides to make a third film. Last but certainly not least , we´ve got the brilliant Morgan Freeman , whose trust in Batman is shaken by a unexpected decision - we can´t help but feeling that deep inside , the ones who deserve is support are the citizens of Gotham.

Praise for director Christopher Nolan , the special effects team and everyone who was behind the film´s larger than life artistic direction . One of the year´s best films .

The Dark Knight : 0 a 10 : 8

A olhar para o boneco .

Devo dizer que pouco ou nada me surpreende quando o assunto é Portugal . Mas aquilo que se passou hoje ( e em certa parte , aquilo que teve lugar ontem ) deixou-me de boca aberta . Não é que os três canais generalistas decidiram dedicar grande parte da sua programação à partida da selecção nacional de futebol para a Suíça , um dos países organizadores do Euro 2008 ? De um momento para outro , esqueceram-se as rivalidades e decidiram os três apostar no mesmo , para que fossem garantidos elevados índices de audiência . O Zé Povinho , esse que continua a fingir ser patriota quando valores ainda mais altos do que o futebol se levantam , e os portugueses pouco ou nada fazem , adorou a festa que lhe foi oferecida de graça ( por enquanto , porque até 2012 todos nós teremos que nos habituar à ideia de que teremos que pagar para ver televisão devido às regras da televisão digital ) . Desde demonstrações públicas de afecto para com os jogadores , bailaricos e até , escoltas organizadas por motards , porque como todos nós sabemos : o preço do petróleo está a baixar ( as if ! ) , eis que Portugal mergulha mais uma vez na euforia que só o futebol parece conseguir gerir . Duvido que alguém mais importante do que qualquer um dos jogadores de futebol receberia tamanha demonstração de apoio , embora Vanessa Fernandes continue a ganhar a novos fãs por onde quer que passe . Mas o que fazer quando o País está mergulhado numa euforia futebolística , é uma pergunta que pessoas como eu devem estar fartas de fazer a si mesmas , tendo em conta que até mesmo a televisão não ajudará a resolver o problema - no ano do Mundial , o telejornal da Sic passou 1 hora e meia a falar do feito do guarda redes Ricardo . Acabo de olhar para o televisor e eis que até o canal do Estado , que deveria ser um pouco mais contido quando o assunto é futebol , pois deve passar uma imagem mais sóbria e culta , acaba por ceder ao poder do lobby do desporto dos 11 homens atrás de uma bola . Portugal é assim : passamos dois anos a reclamar , a dizer que este país não presta e que o melhor é emigrar , mas quando se trata de futebol : o país é o melhor do Mundo , porque alguns dos jogadores são reconhecidos internacionalmente . Eis que me pergunto : se os melhores jogadores do Mundo fizerem uma bela de uma porcaria , o que acontecerá ao orgulho nacional ? Pensará noutras coisas ou ficará a olhar para o boneco , que é o que eu estou a fazer agora , tendo em conta que todos os adeptos parecem aqueles bonecos cujo vocabulário consiste simplesmente em duas frases e em abanar os braços .

Outra vez ...

O Europeu ainda não começou e os meios de comunicação já começaram a irritar algumas pessoas como eu , devido ao tempo de antena dedicado à selecção nacional e à vida privada dos jogadores nacionais . Mais uma vez , e numa altura em que outro assunto deveras importante - o aumento do preço dos combustiveis - ocupa grande parte dos noticiários , o povo português vai pôr os problemas de lado e prestar atenção a tudo aquilo que acontece com a selecção , dentro e fora de campo . O nosso país é assim , um país que continua a não querer enfrentar os problemas , arranjando formas de distração que apenas funcionam como meros mecanismos propagandisticos e que acima de tudo , dão azo a estereótipos . Foi revelado que grande parte dos portugueses vê os jogadores de futebol como ídolos , embora digam que preferem ter relações sexuais em vez de assitirem a uma partida de futebol - algo questionável , mas que não surpreende tendo em conta a mentalidade reinante , que acha que a ideia do macho latino é motivo de orgulho . Portugal como que navega em direcção a terrenos que talvez já tenham sido explorados por outros países , que arranjaram formas de o evitar . Isto não quer dizer que Ingleses , Espanhóis e Alemães são diferentes . Claro que esses povos e muitos outros vibram com os jogos das suas equipas e admiram os seus jogadores , mas dái a considerá-los ídolos , há uma grande distância . Para um português , ou para uma grande parte da população portuguesa , os escritores , os artistas plásticos , os músicos , não devem ser vistos como ilustres representantes da cultura portuguesa , tendo em conta que muitos acabam por dizer coisas que todos nós queremos dizer , sobre assuntos que todos nós discutimos , mas que ao que parece , devem ser relegados para segundo plano quando falsos valores patrióticos se colocam na linha da frente . Os meios de comunicação , que deveriam dar o exemplo , na maior parte dos casos , acabam por dar um mau exemplo . Daqui a nada vamos todos receber mensagens nos telemóveis com relatos dos treinos da selecção ou pior , relatos de episódios caricatos com a unha encravada de Scolari ou com os dentes de Nani.

The Big Question - Why I have a blog ?

A friend of mine , Nessa , has asked me to explain the reasons why I have a blog . I think that the reason why most of us have blogs is because , no matter how hard we try , we sometimes feel that no one is paying attention to what we have to say , especially when we talk about politics or any other controversial topic . The truth is , and this is something that even democratic countries such as Portugal , England , Germany and France have been discussing , there is no such thing as absolute freedom . Some may say that all societies need to have certain limits especially when the matter is freedom of speach , and I agree . But I also think that perhaps some of the things that we have to say , are not going to harm or even offend anyone , we want to say them because we think that some people just don´t seem to care about what is going on around them , maybe because they´re too tired or simply because they prefer not to think about it . I could say that the reason that made me want to create a blog was because I´ve sent emails to some of this country´s most important newspapers and to a very famous magazine , sharing my views on how I think , candidates for the upcoming ( I know they´re still a year away , but still ! ) regional elections should be interviewed . I drew a comparison between what happened in England and what usually happens here . British people were asked to elect their new mayors . London , due to its role as capital , drew most of the attention towards itself , which is reasonable considering that we´re talking about a city that is one of the world´s most important places , financially and culturally speaking . The three candidates were asked questions about some of the city´s biggest problems and exactly what would they do to solve those problems . They were even asked how long does a train journey from one part of the city to the other lasts , a question only two of the candidates had the answer to . Portugal , a country where journalists tell the prime minister that they´re not going to ask a rather pertinent question because they already know that he´s not going to answer it , could and I dare to say , should follow some of the things that were done in England . Journalists must be tough with our politicians , without being rude of course , because portuguese politicians have to understand that if they really want to occupy a certain job , it being mayor of Lisbon , minister of defense or even head of government , they have to deserve it . But I´m afraid their lack of ethics shall keep on going unpunished when some journalists refuse to ask questions just for the sake of maintaining their jobs . So I wrote that email and I sent it to two newspapers and one magazine and it hasn´t been published , that´s why I decided to write the exact same thing in my blog , for here I have my own permission to write what they want , without being afraid of what others may think , most of the times I mean . And it´s even greater when we come across people we can share experiences and points of view with - that´s why I have a blog . Take it away : luzescamaraaccao.blogspot.com .

On the train !

A obra que foi considerada por muitos como um exemplo a seguir no que à reabilitação urbana diz respeito e que acaba de completar 10 anos de existência , acaba também por ser considerada um verdadeiro desastre urbanístico . Embora questionáveis , palavras ditas por ambientalistas acerca do Parque das Nações não deixam de reflectir aquilo que tem acontecido não só nesta área da capital , mas por toda a cidade de Lisboa . Como estamos cerca de 30 anos atrasados em relação a outros países da Europa como a Inglaterra , a França e a Espanha , talvez não seja de estranhar este súbito boom de condomínios de luxo , cujos apartamentos custam milhares de euros devido aos seus acabamentos que nos garantem serem dos melhores a nível europeu . O Parque das Nações , que supostamente apresentaria não só ao país mas como a todo o continente europeu , uma nova ideia de cidade , acaba por apresentar um bairo grotesco , cheio de prédios , muitos deles mais parecem caixotes , sem habitantes ( apenas uma pequenissima minoria pode pagar 500.000 euros por um apartamento ) e sem qualquer perspectiva de um futuro promissor , com mais espaços verdes , mais infraestruturas . Numa altura em que o investimento estrangeiro parece não querer nada com Portugal , ou se quer , quer muito pouco , são contruídos edíficios de escritórios , alguns dos quais permanecem vazios . Quanto a nós , que vivemos nos súburbios , que continuam a ser afectados pelo mesmo problema , resta-nos passar de comboio e tentar ver o rio Tejo , quando a nossa carruagem pára em frente ao Centro Comercial Vasco da Gama .... pensar que à 10 anos não era assim.

Why ?

Why have children at a time when the world is already overcrowded with billions of people ? Why feel encouraged by prime ministers and ministers alike who say that the government is willing to help families who feel like having more than just one child , considering that in the near future that child , boy or girl doesn´t matter , will feel the need to have a car and spend some of the world´s remaining natural resources such as oil and water , just to fulfill his basic needs ? Why do we think that the human race must keep on living when our biggest accomplishment as far as messing with the environment is concerned is something called global warming that is already wrecking havoc throughout this planet claiming the lives of millions of innocents , most of them seen as third world citizens , for their countries are usually called " third world countries " even by those who were in the same position they were a few years ago and would still be extemely poor if it wasn´t for some organizations whose founding principles were and still have to be cherished , but seem to have been forgotten . Why have children , when governments are far more interested in building huge airports , speed trains , freeways just to name a few of our great government´s plans ?

Why not face it : from the moment we set foot on this planet , sort of speak , we´ve been ruining it , now all we have to do is wait for the final day to come - until then , enjoy the time you´ve got left .

Review : Iron Man

The summer movie season kicked off with a good start with the release of Iron Man , directed by actor/director Jon Favreau . Iron Man is based on the comic book of the same name , created by legendary cartoonist Stan Lee , the man behind Spider-man and The Hulk ( whose next installment will be released in June , starring Edward Norton , Tim Roth and Liv Tyler ) . The film tells the story of a brilliant yet arrogant and very irresponsible scientist/businessman Tony Stark who after being kidnapped by a mysterious terrorist group named The 10 Rings realizes that his life needs a dramatic change . While held captive , he befriends another prisioner who helps him build Stark´s first armor called Mark 1 . A series of misfortunes claim the life of Stark´s newest friend but our hero does manage to escape the clutches of his captors and returns to the U.S , where everyone , including his best friend Jim Rhodes , business partner Obadiah Stane and love interest Virginia Pepper Potts thought he was dead . Back in Los Angeles , Stark becomes the hero that will be known as Iron Man , whose main quest is to fight crime and injustice , amongst other atrocities that happened because of him and his extremely advanced weapons .

The best thing about Iron Man is that it doesn´t take itself too seriously . Films such as Spider-man and Batman Begins were huge box office successes because of their quality , but in the end one did get the feeling that some aspects of the stories were given too much importance . Whilst in Spider-man , Peter Parker kept thinking about the words that were told to him by his grandfather " with great power , comes great responsibility " , Batman preoccupied himself with making Gotham a safer place . In Iron Man , the idea of a guy who suddenly suffers a change of heart and decides to fight injustice is also what drives the film , but it is not given too much importance , or at least the actors involved in the project didn´t think that they were starring in a film that would be considered a masterpiece or a classical drama ( it´s a blockbuster , not Shakespeare ) . Unlike other films , the special effects in Iron Man really help telling the story and they´re not overused . The film looks more like an adventure film than an action motion picture . The production design is simple and it does not overshadow the thing that has been giving the film great reviews : the actors .

Robert Downey Jr. was a rather controversial if not questionable choice , but after we see him on screen we find ourselves believing that he really is Tony Stark . Downey , who in last years has been making headlines due to his drinking problems , gives Stark a certain charisma and a certain sense of self mockery that perhaps other actors would have put aside . His arch enemesis , Obadiah Stane , is played by Jeff Bridges who also manages to deliver the goods , especially in the final moments of the film , where he becomes the Iron Monger ( a sort of Iron Man on steroids ) . Bridge´s character is , of all the characters , the one that feels more real considering the world´s current political situation and America´s stance on terrorism and other topics that seem to require military intervention . Gwyneth Paltrow is clearly enjoying herself and there is a certain chemistry between her and Downey that must have caught critics by surprise , for they resemble those famous screen couples of the 1940s and 1950s . Their dialogues are certainly one of the best things that the film has to offer . The only actor who doesn´t manage to achieve such a great level acting , when compared to his counterparts , is Terence Howard but considering that Iron Man will most likely have a sequel , and for those of you acquainted with Iron Man´s universe , Howard´s character will become Stark´s super-hero ally : War Machine ( Jim actually gets to say a line that warns us of what is yet to come ) he must be given the benefit of the doubt .

But Iron Man isn´t perfect . We feel that some characters are only there to make Stark , or the actor who plays him , feel big . Bearing in mind that this is the first of what looks like a future saga , and the studio was obviously taking a great risk , the villain of the picture - who is quite evil - doesn´t end up being as charismatic as previous super - hero villains that have shown up on the big screen such as The Green Goblin , Dr. Octupus , Harvey "Two Face" Dent or even Catwoman . Some lines , especially those that are said in the last 15 minutes of the film , are amazingly corny and the action sequences could have been more inventive ( the air sequence reminded me of The Hulk ) .

But for now , Favreau and his companions are enjoying the success of this first Iron Man film that has already grossed 177 million dollars in just two weeks . The stakes are high and one can only hope that what was wrong with the first film , either disappears or is clearly dealt with ( no film is perfect ) , and what was right , ends up being given more screen time .

Iron Man : 0 a 10 : 6

rISK !

Sometimes one thinks that certain risks are not worth taking . Yes , life is full of small challenges but I guess that scientists should one day come up with a device capable of aiding us in our quest to avoid certain risks , certain situations , certain people . Guess that stumbling , falling , expecting are part of the human psyche , but what happens when we decide that we have had enough and our vision of the world is shaped by the trauma of some considerably "traumatic" experiences ? That obviously affects our relationship with the outside world , even our relationship with those we hold most dearest such as friends and relatives . Maybe that is a problem that some have : putting people in some sort of podium and when he or she doesn´t match our expectations , we act like an angry coach mad at his athlete for failing to win the gold medal . Web even judge that other person but after a while we get to the conclusion that we are the ones who should be judged , for having taken that step - and to deal with our mistakes is the ultimate of risks !

Top !!

My list of films :

Zodiac : 0 to 10 : 8
Spider-man 3 : 7
The Golden Compass : 7
Pirates of the Caribean : 6
Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix : 6
Sunshine : 6
Elizabeth : The Golden Age : 6
Ocean´s 13 : 6
Transformers : 6
Fantastic Four 2 : Rise Of The Silver Surfer : 6