Not giving up!

I was determined to start the festival right. I felt stretched in all directions after seeing cazuza too. This Brazilian film from 2004 proves that we are not the only ones blinded by popular opinion. We did applaud Titanic, didn't we? A Brazilian idol who could have served as a universal archetype ended up as weak as Oliver Stone's take on The Doors. Here was a perfect vehicle to deal with issues such as fame and rebelliousness... Cazuza openly announced his HIV status. But the opportunity was missed. Regardless, the film won all kinds of awards. Maybe we are just jaded, but it felt like indulgent behavior--behavior that could have highlighted consequences. I like the idea of peace and love. I like flower power. But, the glorification of self-involved and dysfunctional rock stars--that doesn't work for me. What about Bono from U2? He does something... Why not go there? Cazuza felt choppy and disjointed in places. Smooth flow is not too much to ask, is it? Also, production values could have been better in general. Mukul Khurana