Rating: 
Summary: See the original
Review: First of all... this is not Romeo and Juliet: It is based on the exquisite and tragic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. This is a remake of the classic and ever so much better "Black Orpheus", made in 1959. If you want to see the soul of the carnival, and hear music that makes you weep, see the original. This new version is a glossy effort to update, but is so "pop" it ends up insulting the memory of the heartfelt Marcel Ophuls unmatchable classic. Too much money... not enough soul. 2 stars for the gloss.
Rating:
Summary: It could have been so much better
Review: How sadly disappointing! This film was pretty to look at, but had little merit otherwise. I have seen Black Orpheus, so a comparison is unavoidable. I was not expecting this to be (nor did I want it to be!) just like the original, and I truly enjoyed some of the additions--modern technology, a likeable character "named after Michael Jordan," and the drug/police corruption. However, this movie is pale despite the abundance of beautiful costumes and dancers. Somehow it all falls flat. The director completely missed the opportunity to contrast the life and vibrance of the carnival with the vulgarity of the slums. The acting of the two leads is uninspired and totally unconvincing--I was not moved. Two lovers of such fabled origin should be able to develop more sexual tension and romance than these did. Some of the supporting actors were enjoyable, and the photography is lush, but somehow it does not come together as a whole. The film leaves you with a lot of glitzy superficial images but no feeling of satifsfaction. See Black Orpheus instead--it will move you.
Rating: 
Summary: Very good ...
Review: I am giving this 5 stars mainly because it is so much better than the normal foreign film. Most foreign movies just don't seem to have a strong impact on the viewer. This one does! This is supposed to be an updated version of the classic "Black Orpheus". I have to say that the original really needed to be updated. The stories are similar yet there are enough differences to keep you interested. The new version is based in a favela (slum) in Rio. A new girl arrives and quickly captures the attention of a local music star that still lives in the favela called Carioca Hill. Real life music star Tony Garrido plays the music star Orpheu who is preparing to lead his local samba parade group to victory at the huge Carnaval Parade which is watched by the entire country. In addition to samba music the film features Brazilian rap and beautiful orchestra scores. The music CD alone is worth the price! Viewing this movie I thought that the love story between the two leads was incredibly moving. This movie is sad, yet happy. Many Brazilians weren't happy with the original "Black Orheus". They claimed that it was a fake portrayal of Brazil designed to boost tourism and make Brazil seem exotic. The new "Orpheu" will anger some Brazilians with it's violence and negative portrayal of the police and slum life in Brazil's notorios favelas. However this movie really made me think about how our world is and how precious life is. As a side note I should mention that one activity that is growing in popularity in Rio is a jeep tour of a favela. The tours are safe and the favela people appreciate the small yet growing income from these tours.
Rating:
Summary: It could have been so much better
Review: I did not see the original "Black Orpheus" and I am not from Brazil, but I really loved this movie. I has a lot of reality from everyday life all around the world. I got to see a side of Brazil that was wonderfull also, it was shot during he actual carnival. The colors, the shots, the music it's simply beautiful. The fact that the movie is a tragedy makes it more wonderful. I recomend it to anyone who likes to see foreign movies. I fell in love with the carnival scenes, the excitement of the Brazilians and the costumes are all so beautiful.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent movie
Review: I did not see the original "Black Orpheus" and I am not from Brazil, but I really loved this movie. I has a lot of reality from everyday life all around the world. I got to see a side of Brazil that was wonderfull also, it was shot during he actual carnival. The colors, the shots, the music it's simply beautiful. The fact that the movie is a tragedy makes it more wonderful. I recomend it to anyone who likes to see foreign movies. I fell in love with the carnival scenes, the excitement of the Brazilians and the costumes are all so beautiful.
Rating:
Summary: What A Beautiful Love Story!
Review: I discovered this movie while channel surfing in the middle of the night, and it instantly captivated me! Orfeu is a beautifully tragic love story set in the modern slums of Brazil. The movie not only serves to entertain, but it is also quite educational as it depicts the harshness and reality of life within the Brazilian slums. I gazed in amazement at the wonderfully energetic Carnival ceremony and the brilliant waves of color as the Samba schools danced in their striking costumes. I am generally not a fan of movies with subtitles, but you cannot help but fall in love with each of the characters. This DVD is definitely a collector's item and I strongly encourage you to purchase it. Simply and utterly beautiful, Orfeu promises to steal your heart.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Movie!
Review: I have the original VHS, but it's in Portuguese with no subtitles. I love this movie so much that I've pre-ordered the DVD so I can share it with my non-portuguese-speaking friends. Not only you get the Orpheus myth in a new light, you get beautiful music, stunning sights from Rio and from the Carnival, and an insight about the "slum culture". Direction is excellent. Murilo Benicio (the drug lord, can also be seen in "Woman on Top") steals the movie with great acting in but a few scenes. Toni Garrido (Orfeu) is a better singer than actor, but does a decent job. If you like this (I'm sure you will), you should also see "Bossa Nova", with Amy Irving and Antonio Fagundes, also available in DVD.
Rating:
Summary: How Can You Mend A Broken Remake?
Review: I really wanted to like this movie. Black Orpheus is one of my favorite foreign films. First of all I liked the brilliant colors and the cinematography was spectacular. The problem I had with the film is that the actress playing Euridice gave a lackluster performance. The actress that played Mira should have played Euridice. Secondy, if you're going to bring the story into the 21st century writing is important. The film while sticking with the basic story line left out some really important components such as the macumba scene in the original. I guess modern day Brazilians aren't as spiritual as they were 45 years ago. And also it seemed that the focus was more on the violence in modern day Rio than the myth and love story. Which in my opinion took a back seat. The characters weren't the central focus of this movie. Very poor direction here. I will have to say that Toni Garrido is an exellent singer and has an immense amount of presence which was wasted in this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Brazil With Music
Review: I stumbled across this movie during early morning. I watched it until the end. Next I purchased the DVD. This is the story of unexpected love that very inspiring. It shows change and the effects of one soul on another. The cinematography manages to capture the essence of Carnival without neglecting the story. It is definitely a DVD purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Brazil With Music
Review: I stumbled across this movie during early morning. I watched it until the end. Next I purchased the DVD. This is the story of unexpected love that very inspiring. It shows change and the effects of one soul on another. The cinematography manages to capture the essence of Carnival without neglecting the story. It is definitely a DVD purchase.
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