Rogério Samora Movies
- 2006
Fernando Lopes, a leading figure of the Portuguese cinema's New Wave, wrote and directed this semi-improvised look at two strangers who find they share a common bond while traveling together. Dinis (Rogerio Samora) is a man in his 40's who is charmingly arrogant on the outside, but hides a deep-seated insecurity and carries the burden of some unpleasant secrets. While driving cross-country, Dinis meets Maria (Carla Chambel) at a rest stop; she's young, attractive and self-assured, and when she tells him she needs a ride, he offers to let her tag along. Both Dinis and Maria seem wary about sharing the details of their lives with one another, but in time they find common ground by talking about their families; both have troubled relationships with their parents but are searching for a way to mend their fences. Maria longs to visit her grandmother Pilar (Marcia Breia), and eventually Dinis grudging agrees to take her to her home. Pilar is a wise and compassionate woman whose warmth and generosity has an unexpected healing effect for both Maria and Dinis. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rogério Samora, Carla Chambel, (more)
- 2005
The complex relationship between master and servant is explored in director João Botelho's adaptation of Denis Diderot's popular novel Jacques le Fataliste et Son Maître. As Tiago (Rogério Samora) drives his master (André Gomes) through the Portuguese countryside to an unspecified destination, the traveling pair embark on a series of highly philosophical discussions. Flowing with tales of his life in the military and previous sexual escapades, Tiago trades a series of tales with his rapt passenger, including the story of a vengeful spurned lover who plots revenge on the nobleman who rejected her by transforming a prostitute into a society lady and convincing him to marry the tainted bride. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rogério Samora, André Gomes, (more)
- 2000
Raul Ruiz's Love Torn in a Dream is introduced with a fake newsreel, taking place in postwar France, in which the cast of the film meet with the producer, who explains the film's complex weave of nine narratives. A diagram in which each story is represented by a letter of the alphabet explicates the intertwining of the nine tales. As the producer explains each actor's role, the film begins. The stories, rooted in folklore, bump up against each other as the film leaps back in forth in time. They involve a jewel stolen from a painting, a mirror that "steals" what it reflects, a seminary student who dresses as a priest to hear the nuns' confessions, brothers who combat each other in their search for a group of rings, a man whose everyday life is predicted by a website 24 hours in advance, a Catholic who finds out he's really Jewish, and a treasure map that leads to a pirate's chest. Each of the main cast members plays multiple roles. Ruiz veterans Melvil Poupaud and Elsa Zylberstein play the lead roles, while Lambert Wilson, Christian Vadim, Diogo Dória, José Meireles, and Rogério Samora play supporting roles. The film won the FIPRESCI Award at the 2000 Montreal World Film Festival, and was shown as part of the "Film Comment Selects" series at New York's Lincoln Center in 2003. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Melvil Poupaud, Elsa Zylberstein, (more)
- 1998
In order to make some much-needed cash for himself, 65-year-old Portuguese prison inmate Eugenio impersonates a young woman and begins a romantic correspondence with a lonely Portuguese truck-driver living in Boston, convincing him that her tragic life has culminated in financial dire straits so he will send money. At first Eugenio's sister Idalina assists him in creating the character of Maria da Luz. Touched by her sweetness and apparent loving nature, the trucker willingly sends her money. When Idalina starts fearing they will be caught, she backs out of her arrangement with Eugenio who then convinces his young cellmate Vasco to help write the letters and even sends a picture of himself at age seven to "prove" that Maria has a young son. As prison life exacts an increasingly heavy toll upon Eugenio's health, his feminine alter-ego helps sustain him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Canto Castro, Francisco Nascimento, (more)
- 1996
This French language drama from Portuguese filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira takes an ironic look at the pretentiousness of international jet-setters while simultaneously examining an obsessive romantic relationship between an aging Lothario and a beautiful married woman. The tale begins at a garden party in a lovely villa in the Azores held by Rogerio and Leonor for handsome, middle-aged Michel and his mistress Irene, a noted Greek movie star. The guests aren't there long before an obvious attraction between Leonor and Michel prompts them to head for a private beach (their tryst, if there was one, occurs off-camera). Five years later, the foursome again meet for a garden party and once again they pair off after spending much time discussing gender differences, emotion, social insight and exchanging witty bon mots. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michel Piccoli, Irene Papas, (more)
- 1995
The effects of the Spanish Civil War on Portugal are examined in this Portuguese-Spanish historical drama. The story is in 1936 during the summer and centers on a group of young adults who have gone to the seaside for a vacation. Among the revelers are Mercedes, her brother Ramos, and his friend Jorge, who develops a crush on the woman. Their fun is interrupted when news of the newly erupted conflict reaches them. Each of the vacationers have their own take on the war and heated arguments ensue. An impassioned Ramos decides to journey to Spain and fight against the fascists. Meanwhile, Portugal's conservative dictator, Salazar, becomes increasingly oppressive. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1995
This Portuguese language comedy is about a very contemporary love triangle. Caterina (Maria de Medeiros) is a beautiful, opportunistic and charming woman, a TV journalist. She pretends to be smitten by a handsome political do-gooder in order to gain an exclusive interview with him. She also uses him to father her baby. However, she is definitely not in love with him. Her true love is her lesbian girlfriend Te (Ana Bustorff). Caterina's pregnancy makes Te feel extremely insecure about their relationship. Caterina has been forced to co-host a program with career rival Francisco (Joaquim de Almeida), which neither she nor Francisco wanted. As their rivalry develops into friendship, Francisco begins to try to woo Caterina and he is not summarily rebuffed by her. This friendship only adds to Te's concerns as the movie goes on to its humorous (but very contemporary) happy ending. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1994
The human condition is examined in this Portuguese French film with opens with a warning that informs the audience that the following is not a documentary but a moral tale about the anachronisms of modern society. The story, set in an aging neighborhood filled with interesting characters, focuses upon an old blind man and his daughter. Every day, the blind one sits in a doorway sells thread and begs. The daughter spends her days ironing and complaining. Their neighborhood is not a wealthy one, and many passerby are envious of the old beggars' box of accumulated coins. It has been stolen before so the man and the daughter's boyfriend keep an eye upon it. Tragedy ensues when the box does indeed disappear. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Luis Miguel Cintra, Glicinia Quartin, (more)
- 1989
The life of the "banker" (Rogerior Samora)of an illegal gambling syndicate is the focus of this high-profile Brazilian production. Though these syndicates for the game jogo do bicho operate in ways very much resembling the U.S.'s mafioso, from the banker's perspective, the only thing of consequence in his life is his relationship with his girlfriend (arcella Praddo). Cameo appearances by soccer great Pele and Brazilian TV stars Jose Wilker, Tarcisio Meira and others enliven this drama, which is of particular interest to those familiar with current Brazilian popular culture. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jose Wilker, Tarcisio Meira, (more)
- 1988
- R
This odd film is a major representative of an even odder film genre: direct-to-celluloid opera. It was commissioned by the Portuguese master of style, director Manoel de Oliveira from composer João Paes. Musically, it ranges from 19th-century romanticism to popular, modernist and even "post-modernist" styles. In the initially tame story, a host-narrator tells the story of a wedding between the two lovebirds: Viscount d'Aveleda and the beautiful Marguerite. However, what happens in the bridal chamber is incredibly bizarre. The events after that are even stranger (the film out-does even Luis Buñuel in that department), and the wedding guests and family indulge in cannibalism, among other perversions. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Luis Miguel Cintra, Leonor Silveira, (more)
- 1987
This exquisitely wrought Portuguese drama is framed by the conversation between two old flames who meet at a restaurant to remember a recently murdered friend, a film producer who had been filming an adaptation of 19th-century playwright Alexandre Herculano's historical drama O'Bobo. Their ensuing conversation forms the narrative framework for several stories that are shown via flash back. The dinner topics include, the destruction of their relationship the making of the film and the events that lead to the producer's demise. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernando Heitor, Luis Lucas, (more)
