Best-seller Books, Plays and Movies January 2002 A

Best-seller Books, Plays and Movies

By Brazzil Magazine

RIO

Se Correr o Bicho Pega, Se Ficar o Bicho
Come(If You Run the Beast Will Get You, If You Stay the Beast Will Eat You)—A
new mise-en-scène for Oduvaldo Vianna and Ferreira Gullar’s play from 1966. Mocinha, a flirtatious daughter of a political boss
fall in love with Roque, a scoundrel who unwillingly ends up becoming a hero. Directed by Antônio Pedro, with Leandra Leal and
Murilo Rosa.

Fim do Jogo (Endgame)—Classical Samuel Beckett’s text in which two men, a blind and a cripple take discuss the human
condition in a tragic-comic manner. Directed by Francisco Medeiros. Actors Edson Celulari and Cacá Carvalho take turns—every week
it changes—interpreting the two characters.

Um Porto para Elizabeth Bishop (A Haven for Elizabeth Bishop)—A monologue in which American poet Elizabeth Bishop,
who lived in Brazil between 1952 and 1967, talks about the Brazilian people and her convoluted love affair with woman architect
Lota Macedo Soares. Regina Braga is Bishop.

Cócegas (Tickling)—Several women provoke laughs and compassion while talking about their stressed
life. Ingrid Guimarães and Heloísa Perissé wrote and interpret all the different characters.

SÃO PAULO

O Homem do Sobretudo Escuro (The Man with the Dark Overcoat)—Based on Agatha Christie’s short stories. A young
couple who owns a boarding house in England is visited unexpectedly by a police inspector. Directed by Silvio Tadeu and Iná
Carvalho, with the troupe Cia. Target de Teatro.

Deus Ex-Machina e os Super Ex-Heróis na Terra do Impotente Viagra Falls
(Deus Ex-Machina and the Super Ex-Heroes in
the Land of the Impotent Viagra Fall)—Despite the title, this is a drama about an Indian who is expelled from his tribe after being
seduced by deconstructionism and post-modernism. Written and directed by enfant terrible Gerald Thomas. With Fabiana
Guglielmetti, Amadeo Lamounier, and Marcos Azevedo.

A Descoberta do Mundo (The Discovery of the World)—Based on Clarice Lispector’s (1920-1977) book of same name. After
firing the maid a lonely woman, GH, decides to clean the house and reflect about her own life and the world. All the actresses
play simultaneously the same character. Directed by Marco Antonio Rodrigues, with Ciça Magalhães, Fernanda Castello, Júlia
Ianina, Lilian Damasceno, Paula Weinfeld, Talita Ortiz and Thaís de Medeiros.

Novas Diretrizes em Tempos de Paz (New Directions in Times of Peace)—During the Second War, a Polish refugee tries to get his Visa to stay legally in Brazil. Written by Bosco Brasil, directed by
Ariela Goldmann, with Jairo Mattos and Dan Stulbach.
MOVIES

Just-released or re-released American movies:

Behind Enemy Lines (Atrás das Linhas Inimigas), The Straight Story (História
Real), The Princess Diaries (O Diário da Princesa), Promises (Promessas de um
Novo Mundo), American Pie 2 (American Pie 2 – A Segunda Vez É Ainda Melhor),
From Hell (Do Inferno), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter e a
Pedra Filosofal), Storytelling (Histórias Proibidas), Jason X (Jason X), Monsters
Inc (Monstros S.A.), Lord of the Rings (O Senhor dos Anéis), Riding in Cars with
Boys (Os Garotos da Minha Vida), The Others (Os Outros), Shrek (Shrek), Rat Race
(Tá Todo Mundo Louco!), Small Time Crooks (Trapaceiros), Bandits (Vida Bandida),

Lavoura Arcaica (Archaic Tillage) Released in English as
To the Left of the Father—Brazil/2001—The story of a Lebanese
family in Brazil. One of the sons feeling oppressed by father, smothered by mother and sexually attracted by sister leaves home.
Based on Raduan Nassar’s novel Lavoura
Arcaica. Directed by Luiz Fernando Carvalho, with Selton Mello, Raul Cortez,
Simone Spolidore, and Juliana Carneiro.

Bicho de Sete Cabeças (Seven-Head Beast or Enigma)—Brazil/2000—Power struggle between son and father ends with the
young man being sent to a mental institution when the father finds out that he is smoking pot. Based on Austregésilo Carrano
Bueno’s autobiographical book Canto dos Malditos
(Corner of the Damned). Directed by Laís Bodansky, with Rodrigo Santoro,
Othon Bastos, and Cássia Kiss.

Xuxa e os Duendes (Xuxa and the Elves)—Brazil/2001—TV host Xuxa is an herbalist imbued with magic powers who needs
to save an elf entrapped inside a wall. Directed by Paulo Sérgio de Almeida and Rogério Gomes. With Xuxa, Gugu Liberato,
Angélica, Guilherme Karan, and Emiliano Queiroz.

O Xangô de Baker Street (Baker Street’s Xangô)—Brazil/1999—Sherlock Homes and his sidekick Watson travel to Rio
during the Brazilian Empire to help solve a crime that occurred in Rio de Janeiro. Based on Jô Soares’s book of same name. Directed
by Miguel Faria Jr., Joaquim de Almeida, Anthony O’Donnell, Maria de Medeiros and Marco Nanini.

La Lengua de las Mariposas (A Língua das
Mariposas)—Spain/1999—The start of Spain’s civil war profoundly alters
the relationship between a teacher and a boy student. Directed by José Luís Cuerda, with Fernando Fernán-Gomes, Manuel
Lozano, and Uxía Blanco.

BEST-SELLER BOOKS

FICTION

1. O Senhor dos Anéis _ volume único
(Martins Fontes) J.R.R. Tolkien

2. Harry Potter e a Câmara Secreta (Rocco) J.K. Rowling

3. Harry Potter e o Prisioneiro de Azkaban
(Rocco) J.K. Rowling

4. Harry Potter e a Pedra Filosofal (Rocco) J.K.
Rowling

5. Harry Potter e o Cálice de Fogo (Rocco) J.K.
Rowling

6. Quadribol Através dos Séculos
(Rocco) Kennilworthy Whisp

7. Animais Fantásticos e Onde Habitam
(Rocco) Newt Scamander

8. As Mentiras Que os Homens Contam (Objetiva) Luis Fernando Verissimo

9. A Mesa Voadora (Objetiva) Luis Fernando Verissimo

10. Baudolino (Record) Umberto Eco

NONFICTION

1. O Universo numa Casca de Noz (Mandarim) Stephen Hawkins

2. Querida Mamãe Obrigado por Tudo
(Sextante) Bradley Trevor Greive

3. As Melhores Piadas do Planeta e da Casseta volume 4
(Objetiva) Casseta e Planeta

4. Um Dia Daqueles (Sextante) Bradley Trevor
Greive

5. Quem Mexeu no Meu Queijo? (Record) Spencer Johnson

6. Boa Forma em 90 Dias (Globo) Matt Roberts

7. Friends, Guia de Episódios (Frente) Cristhiane Ruiz

8. A Onda Que Se Ergueu no Mar (Companhia das Letras) Ruy Castro

9. A Vida Sexual de Catherine M. (Ediouro) Catherine Millet

10. O Programa das Dez Semanas (Manole) Turibio Barros

ESOTERICISM/SELF-HELP

1. Os 100 Segredos das Pessoas Felizes (Sextante) David Niven

2. Histórias para Aquecer o Coração
(Sextante) Jack Canfield

3. Quando É Preciso Voltar (Caminheiros) Zibia
Gasparetto

4. Você: A Alma do Negócio (Gente) Roberto
Shinyashiki

5. Ah, Se Eu Soubesse (Negócio) Richard Edler

6. Pelo Amor ou pela Dor (Caminheiros) Ricky Medeiros

7. Limites sem Trauma (Record) Tania Zagury

8. Enquanto o Amor Não Vem (Sextante) Iyania Vanzant

9. Mensagens dos Mestres (Sextante) Brian Weiss

10. Pílulas para Prolongar a Juventude
(L&PM) Fernando Lucchesi

According to Jornal do Brasil,
http://www.jb.com.br

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It seems the future never arrives in Brazil What Lies Ahead in Brazil? Brazil Has No Exemplary Past or Present. But What Lies Ahead for the Country? Europeans, US, developed country, developing country. Bolsonaro, future B. Michael Rubin For years, experts have debated what separates a developing country from a developed one. The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of a country is one simple way to measure its economic development. Another way to measure a country's progress is the extent of public education, e.g. how many citizens complete high school. A country's health may be measured by the effectiveness of its healthcare system, for example, life expectancy and infant mortality. With these measurement tools, it's easier to gauge the difference between a country like Brazil and one like the U.S. What's not easy to gauge is how these two countries developed so differently when they were both "discovered" at the same time. In 1492 and 1500 respectively, the U.S. and Brazil fell under the spell of white Europeans for the first time. While the British and Portuguese had the same modus operandi, namely, to exploit their discoveries for whatever they had to offer, not to mention extinguishing the native Americans already living there if they got in the way, the end result turned out significantly different in the U.S. than in Brazil. There are several theories on how/why the U.S. developed at a faster pace than Brazil. The theories originate via contrasting perspectives – from psychology to economics to geography. One of the most popular theories suggests the divergence between the two countries is linked to politics, i.e. the U.S. established a democratic government in 1776, while Brazil's democracy it could be said began only in earnest in the 1980s. This theory states that the Portuguese monarchy, as well as the 19th and 20th century oligarchies that followed it, had no motivation to invest in industrial development or education of the masses. Rather, Brazil was prized for its cheap and plentiful labor to mine the rich soil of its vast land. There is another theory based on collective psychology that says the first U.S. colonizers from England were workaholic Puritans, who avoided dancing and music in place of work and religious devotion. They labored six days a week then spent all of Sunday in church. Meanwhile, the white settlers in Brazil were unambitious criminals who had been freed from prison in Portugal in exchange for settling in Brazil. The Marxist interpretation of why Brazil lags behind the U.S. was best summarized by Eduardo Galeano, the Uruguayan writer, in 1970. Galeano said five hundred years ago the U.S. had the good fortune of bad fortune. What he meant was the natural riches of Brazil – gold, silver, and diamonds – made it ripe for exploitation by western Europe. Whereas in the U.S., lacking such riches, the thirteen colonies were economically insignificant to the British. Instead, U.S. industrialization had official encouragement from England, resulting in early diversification of its exports and rapid development of manufacturing. II Leaving this debate to the historians, let us turn our focus to the future. According to global projections by several economic strategists, what lies ahead for Brazil, the U.S., and the rest of the world is startling. Projections forecast that based on GDP growth, in 2050 the world's largest economy will be China, not the U.S. In third place will be India, and in fourth – Brazil. With the ascendency of three-fourths of the BRIC countries over the next decades, it will be important to reevaluate the terms developed and developing. In thirty years, it may no longer be necessary to accept the label characterized by Nelson Rodrigues's famous phrase "complexo de vira-lata," for Brazil's national inferiority complex. For Brazilians, this future scenario presents glistening hope. A country with stronger economic power would mean the government has greater wealth to expend on infrastructure, crime control, education, healthcare, etc. What many Brazilians are not cognizant of are the pitfalls of economic prosperity. While Brazilians today may be envious of their wealthier northern neighbors, there are some aspects of a developed country's profile that are not worth envying. For example, the U.S. today far exceeds Brazil in the number of suicides, prescription drug overdoses, and mass shootings. GDP growth and economic projections depend on multiple variables, chief among them the global economic situation and worldwide political stability. A war in the Middle East, for example, can affect oil production and have global ramifications. Political stability within a country is also essential to its economic health. Elected presidents play a crucial role in a country's progress, especially as presidents may differ radically in their worldview. The political paths of the U.S. and Brazil are parallel today. In both countries, we've seen a left-wing regime (Obama/PT) followed by a far-right populist one (Trump/Bolsonaro), surprising many outside observers, and in the U.S. contradicting every political pollster, all of whom predicted a Trump loss to Hillary Clinton in 2016. In Brazil, although Bolsonaro was elected by a clear majority, his triumph has created a powerful emotional polarization in the country similar to what is happening in the U.S. Families, friends, and colleagues have split in a love/hate relationship toward the current presidents in the U.S. and Brazil, leaving broken friendships and family ties. Both presidents face enormous challenges to keep their campaign promises. In Brazil, a sluggish economy just recovering from a recession shows no signs of robust GDP growth for at least the next two years. High unemployment continues to devastate the consumer confidence index in Brazil, and Bolsonaro is suffering under his campaign boasts that his Economy Minister, Paulo Guedes, has all the answers to fix Brazil's slump. Additionally, there is no end to the destruction caused by corruption in Brazil. Some experts believe corruption to be the main reason why Brazil has one of the world's largest wealth inequality gaps. Political corruption robs government coffers of desperately needed funds for education and infrastructure, in addition to creating an atmosphere that encourages everyday citizens to underreport income and engage in the shadow economy, thereby sidestepping tax collectors and regulators. "Why should I be honest about reporting my income when nobody else is? The politicians are only going to steal the tax money anyway," one Brazilian doctor told me. While Bolsonaro has promised a housecleaning of corrupt officials, this is a cry Brazilians have heard from every previous administration. In only the first half-year of his presidency, he has made several missteps, such as nominating one of his sons to be the new ambassador to the U.S., despite the congressman's lack of diplomatic credentials. A June poll found that 51 percent of Brazilians now lack confidence in Bolsonaro's leadership. Just this week, Brazil issued regulations that open a fast-track to deport foreigners who are dangerous or have violated the constitution. The rules published on July 26 by Justice Minister Sérgio Moro define a dangerous person as anyone associated with terrorism or organized crime, in addition to football fans with a violent history. Journalists noted that this new regulation had coincidental timing for an American journalist who has come under fire from Moro for publishing private communications of Moro's. Nevertheless, despite overselling his leadership skills, Bolsonaro has made some economic progress. With the help of congressional leader Rodrigo Maia, a bill is moving forward in congress for the restructuring of Brazil's generous pension system. Most Brazilians recognize the long-term value of such a change, which can save the government billions of dollars over the next decade. At merely the possibility of pension reform, outside investors have responded positively, and the São Paulo stock exchange has performed brilliantly, reaching an all-time high earlier this month. In efforts to boost the economy, Bolsonaro and Paulo Guedes have taken the short-term approach advocated by the Chicago school of economics championed by Milton Friedman, who claimed the key to boosting a slugging economy was to cut government spending. Unfortunately many economists, such as Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman, disagree with this approach. They believe the most effective way to revive a slow economy is exactly the opposite, to spend more money not less. They say the government should be investing money in education and infrastructure projects, which can help put people back to work. Bolsonaro/Guedes have also talked about reducing business bureaucracy and revising the absurdly complex Brazilian tax system, which inhibits foreign and domestic business investment. It remains to be seen whether Bolsonaro has the political acumen to tackle this Godzilla-sized issue. Should Bolsonaro find a way to reform the tax system, the pension system, and curb the most egregious villains of political bribery and kickbacks – a tall order – his efforts could indeed show strong economic results in time for the next election in 2022. Meanwhile, some prominent leaders have already lost faith in Bolsonaro's efforts. The veteran of political/economic affairs, Joaquim Levy, has parted company with the president after being appointed head of the government's powerful development bank, BNDES. Levy and Bolsonaro butted heads over an appointment Levy made of a former employee of Lula's. When neither man refused to back down, Levy resigned his position at BNDES. Many observers believe Bolsonaro's biggest misstep has been his short-term approach to fixing the economy by loosening the laws protecting the Amazon rainforest. He and Guedes believe that by opening up more of the Amazon to logging, mining, and farming, we will see immediate economic stimulation. 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