Central do Brasil (Walter Salles, Brazil, 1998)

Central do Brasil (Walter Salles, Brazil, 1998) aka Central Station (USA)
Rating: 7.4

Nominated for 2 Oscars, Fernanda Montenegro for Best Actress in a Leading Role and for Best Foreign Language Film in 1999, this film showcases the directing talents of Walter Salles ("The Motorcycle Diaries")and the acting ability of Montenegro. It is accompanied by a moving musical score by Jacques Morelembaum and Antonio Pintoas as well as beautiful cinematography by Walter Carvalho that allows us a admire the Brazilian landscape. The plot revolves around Josué (Vinícius de Oliveira), a young boy whose mother has recently died in an accident and is in search of his father and Dora(Montenegro), an old cynical school teacher, who is left with no choice, but to help the boy. The story itself is a bit sappy and predictable. yet it is still a touching film without being overly sentimental.