A Scanner Darkly

"I will never do [insert chosen activity here] ever again."

Sounds familiar enough. We've all been there at one point or another. We've all felt that agonizing remorse after just having done something that we knew we shouldn't have in the first place. Be it eating too much chocolate after dinner as desert, one two many drinks at that after party that pushed us over the edge, or that unfamiliar substance that we knew would cause us pain in the long run if we took it. We've all done something we've regretted in the end.

A Scanner Darkly tells the story of Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves), an undercover officer who is trying to get to the suppliers of the new drug called Substance D. In order to do this, he goes deep into the lives of his addict roommates and ends up on the wrong side of the fight himself. The twists and turns that the movie takes just add to the realism [or surrealism] that is presented to the audience of how a life under the influence can be unpredictable.

The different animation techniques also help to give the audience an "inside look", if you will, on the life of an addict. All of the characters appear to be in a 2D daze and the backgrounds seem to spin with every camera move.

The movie's main message is that the drug industry is a lot more complicated than people really think it is. The "enemy" is always the least expected one. Of course, you can think what you will about what the director [or Philip K. Dick himself] was trying to say with this movie, but I guarantee it will fall somewhere around that train of thought.

Richard Linklater's adaptation of this Philip K. Dick's novel of the same name is extremely well done.

One last thought: make sure you aren't tired or depressed when you go see this movie. It has a very powerful soothing affect. You come out of it in a daze. An affect that was, yet again, very much intentional, I have no doubt about it.

- Gabriela Becker

Lafusa - Quadricolôr

Brasilia's band Lafusa's EP, Quadricolôr, is a - well accomplished - mixture of rock and MPB (Música Popular Brasileira - Popular Brazilian Music). The eight songs contain lyrics and arrangements that had been well worked on. Initially the sound may seem like that of other bands, like Los Hermanos, but when looked at more closely, one notices that Lafusa possesses its own identity. The songs create emotion, but not in an "emo" way. The feeling is really there, but in an intelligent and dense manner. It is an independent work that must be appreciated for, in a time when Brazilian rock seems unified, distinguishing itself by following the opposite direction: that of originality.

- Thais de Luna

Remembering 68

We were young, we were reckless, arrogant, silly, headstrong - and we were right.
- Abbie Hoffman

Gabriele Muccino’s film, “But Forever in my Mind”, can, at first glance, seem unimportant; simply another teenage melodrama about the difficult transition between childhood and adulthood. However, the film has the capacity of bluntly capturing the most delicious and painful moment of life. That moment when we are not sure of what we want out of life; that moment when everything seems like the most important thing that has ever happened to us; that moment when a yes can mean the salvation of mankind and a no the apocalypse, the end of the world.

The film’s details become irrelevant and develop into a backdrop of a more important discussion present since the beginning of time. The fact that the main characters are more interested in their love lives and not with their occupation of the school and the possible student movement against the injustices of the world is an obvious commentary on the reality of today’s youth. Today’s youth can’t seem to find real ideals to fight for. It bases itself on the copies of what has already been done. Everything has already been done; everything has already been said. Why, then, fight if the battle has already been fought, good has failed and everything remained the same as before?

Every generation wants to change the world. But changing it is not easy. Every generation looks for its leader so that they can be an example and can guide them in the fight for the victory of their ideals. But in order to be a leader one has to dare to say something different and the hardest part is finding something different to say that hasn’t already been said.

Why could only past generations construct history with their battles? As the film says, “we don’t have Reagan’s missiles to fight against anymore”. Are there still ideals to fight for? Have the ideals for which our parents and grandparents fought survived to this day? Will today’s fight be seen with similar eyes by future generations? Will we believe tomorrow that today’s battle was foolish? Will everything end up being forgotten after we die and have it been as if we hadn’t lived at all? Can only art be immortal? Only time will tell.

- Gabriela Becker

And it all ends up being forgotten...

Early this year, 2007, a horrible and cruel crime chocked the Brazilian population. While a car was being ambushed and the family inside mugged, a six-year-old child was dragged through the streets of Rio de Janeiro for seven kilometers while being held by the car’s seat belt.

According to witnesses, it was a truly horrifying scene in which the attackers, one of whom was underage, knew exactly what they were doing.

This fact created a large repercussion and an intense discussion in the country about reducing the age at which juveniles are charged as adults. The subject found its way into everyday conversations and eventually reached the senate. The attackers were sentenced but nothing ended up being changed about the age at which juveniles are charged as adults.

The child’s family began a campaign with the intent of preventing this murder from becoming just another act of violence; and that it, above all, would not end up being forgotten by the population and the government. This however was not successful. Along came the airline crisis, which also has its importance, but unlike the violence acts, only affects a small part of the population. Other issues also came up which eventually forced the João Hélio case out of people’s mind and was deleted from their memory.

Such a serious case, chocking and sad, it was just another demonstration of violence in the country; a country ruled by the inconsiderate politicians and that has its problems forgotten by its own population. But unfortunately, this is the Brazilian reality. As time goes by, it all ends up being forgotten...

- Amanda Rodrigues