Perhaps the most enjoyable Oliveira film I've watched so far also proved to be the most frustrating experience (through no fault of the genial Portuguese director, whom I saw at the 2004 Venice Film Festival): unfortunately, the copy shown on late-night Italian TV was of an atrocious quality – with intermittent picture loss, rampant pixellation and considerable stretches where the dialogue was so low and muffled as to be barely audible (thankfully, the movie was presented in its original language accompanied by Italian subtitles), despite the volume of my TV being practically set at its maximum level! The irony is that this was scheduled again on the very same channel just the other week and, had I known of the poor state of my copy, I'd have tried to record it again…though, of course, I would've had no guarantee that they were able get hold of a superior print unless I went through the whole thing over again! 　　Anyway, having seen it, I'm now able to understand how Oliveira felt so completely at home making that Bunuelian tribute BELLE TOUJOURS (2006); in fact, this has much the same aura of elegant surrealism evident in the Spaniard's contemporaneous masterpiece THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE (1972), while throughout Oliveira displays an admirably Ophulsian propensity for intricately mobile camera-work. The premise is original and quite delightful: a woman has lost a husband and remarried; she used to despise the former but, now, she realizes how much she actually loved him and, consequently, starts to neglect Spouse No. 2. Also, the first husband had an identical twin brother – so the wife feels closer to him than her current husband; the latter, humiliated by this awkward situation, commits suicide! Then, the sibling of the deceased confesses that he's actually the man she married and that it was his twin who had died (he just had the inexplicable urge to exchange identities with him!); so, the ex-bride and groom go to court to make their re-union legal…except that, by this time, it dawns on her that Husband No. 2 is the one she truly loves! 　　Amid all this, their close circle of friends try to make head or tails of the woman's whims and quirks; further complications, however, arise out of the subplot involving a man who makes passes at two of the women (one's married, the other happily cohabiting with her divorced ex!). The latter turns him down flat, while his affair with the former proves no less volatile than the leading lady's roundabout ways; the man, then, deliberately picks a fight with his lover's husband – who had earlier also exchanged harsh words with the heroine's cynical second husband. Though lacking perhaps the cheerful mockery that Bunuel managed to bring to this essentially staid environment (even if the Mendelssohn score still lends it undeniable irony), Oliveira's script is both intelligent and witty – to which his small cast of unknown actors (to me, at least) respond extremely well. These extend to even the minor roles of butler and maid: apart from indulging in their own romantic dalliances from time to time, the butler is visibly annoyed in having to attend to the mansion's gates after every vehicle that calls at the premises (in fact, apart from a brief flashback and the church finale, we're virtually stuck on the grounds of this single location). He also witnesses the second husband's fatal leap from the window as well as the wife's escape from the very same room (in which she's been locked by Spouse No. 1 after her passion for his replacement is re-ignited), while the maid has no qualms about spying on her masters' violent squabbles through a keyhole. 　　The ironic ending sees all concerned attending the wedding ceremony of a young bride and groom – with the central couple entering the church together but then taking separate seats away from one another because of lack of room; the emphasis placed on the newlyweds' promises of lifelong devotion obviously ring hollow at this point while, seemingly on a whim, Oliveira decides to end the film on an amusing shot of the church organist (sporting the somewhat clichéd unkempt appearance of the typical musicologist). It should be said here that PAST AND PRESENT is the first entry in the director's so-called "Tetralogy Of Frustrated Love" along with BENILDE OR THE VIRGIN MOTHER (1975), the five-hour TV serial DOOMED LOVE (1979) – both of which I own and intend to check out presently, as part of my ongoing retrospective honoring Oliveira's 100th birthday next month – and the as-yet unavailable FRANCISCA (1981).

Ⅰ. "Sleepy" On the way home from work, the fierce anger of the road rage transformed into a huge monster, devouring the roads and buildings. Hurry home. Ⅱ. "Forgotten" Forget. Here. There. Everything. People, like ants, circulate endlessly.

深入研究一个人从年轻时起就不懈地追求复仇，在克服过去的错误的驱使下，塑造了他的存在。观众体验了他动荡的复仇之旅的复杂性。

深入研究一个人从年轻时起就不懈地追求复仇，在克服过去的错误的驱使下，塑造了他的存在。观众体验了他动荡的复仇之旅的复杂性。

我们进山的时候，密林间蒸出的袅袅水雾稠白稠白傍山绵连，车也只能在弯折盘曲的窄道上缓速行进。奶奶靠在车座上，头朝窗外，嘴里不停念叨，这次离乡十多年后的重归故里让她已经放下了十多年的惦念和情结又隐隐复燃。我从没有去过下坪，坦诚而言如果不是因为这次拍摄，我有可能一辈子也不会涉足那重承载我奶奶半生跌宕的山水，而老家严坑，就在相去不出几里的村寨。

中国武术以她的源远流长、博大精深，堪称是中国传统文化的精髓，被称之为国宝，让世人羡慕。渐起人气的《体育人间》栏目的编导们无不揣摩该题材纪录片的创作。2001年初，由赵邈、赵聪兄弟俩扛起摄像机，开始了以描述当今武术人生活状况的20集纪录片《今风细语江湖》的漫长创作旅程，500个日日夜夜的创作时间里，他们经历了早起4时在北疆拍日出，更有露宿古刹名寺的悬弘之夜。相继走遍了40多个省市地区，与50多个武术基层组织及习武者，对他们进行了采访、畅谈、跟拍、偷拍等制作方式和手段，面对浩如烟海的古今武术文化，在以武打为主题的电影电视剧狂轰烂炸电视屏幕的今天，针对无数个传说、戏说，该片编导们潜心研究、认真选择，最终选择了以真人实事为节目的主要脉路，以真实为原则，采用不停机、不剪切等方式全景纪录揭示武术搏击的真实过程，为电视机前的广大武术爱好者打造了一出真实生动的武术大片。 <BR><BR>　　《初篇》是本片的概述，为我们打开了20集武术纪录片的帷幕，我们从中可以俯视全片主要内容和立意，从更高更全面的角度为我们拉开了本片主要人物的一角，使我们能够在欣赏片子的同时，感受武术与中国传统文化的内在关系

中国武术以她的源远流长、博大精深，堪称是中国传统文化的精髓，被称之为国宝，让世人羡慕。渐起人气的《体育人间》栏目的编导们无不揣摩该题材纪录片的创作。2001年初，由赵邈、赵聪兄弟俩扛起摄像机，开始了以描述当今武术人生活状况的20集纪录片《今风细语江湖》的漫长创作旅程，500个日日夜夜的创作时间里，他们经历了早起4时在北疆拍日出，更有露宿古刹名寺的悬弘之夜。相继走遍了40多个省市地区，与50多个武术基层组织及习武者，对他们进行了采访、畅谈、跟拍、偷拍等制作方式和手段，面对浩如烟海的古今武术文化，在以武打为主题的电影电视剧狂轰烂炸电视屏幕的今天，针对无数个传说、戏说，该片编导们潜心研究、认真选择，最终选择了以真人实事为节目的主要脉路，以真实为原则，采用不停机、不剪切等方式全景纪录揭示武术搏击的真实过程，为电视机前的广大武术爱好者打造了一出真实生动的武术大片。 <BR><BR>　　《初篇》是本片的概述，为我们打开了20集武术纪录片的帷幕，我们从中可以俯视全片主要内容和立意，从更高更全面的角度为我们拉开了本片主要人物的一角，使我们能够在欣赏片子的同时，感受武术与中国传统文化的内在关系

福建沿海的一个美丽城市，一家小客栈借着政府鼓励的小三通的东风，生意办得红红火火。小客栈在为两岸的人们提供着便利的同时，也发生了很多感人的故事。客栈的主人蔡金龙是当年金门战役的老兵，努力经营着一家客栈，并有意让自己的儿子蔡解放和儿媳杜丽娜接过这摊子买卖。没想到的是，夫妻俩以离婚不离家而收场。随着台湾某船运公司经理陈世乡的到来，客栈所有的平衡被打破，陈世乡和杜丽娜有情人终成眷属。客栈里其他成员的故事同样精彩。杜丽娜的弟弟永远是英雄过不了美人关，最后发现自己的真爱原来是近在身边的在客栈酒吧里唱歌的方依依；给客栈负责菜食供应的赖木瓜也最终实现了他的大厨梦，并出人意料地迎娶了萧志玲。船来船往，故事不断。

“Pit Stop”是小加油站的意思。在美国内陆州际高速路上往往零星散布着这样的地点。人们路过、加油，点杯咖啡、抽根烟，做短暂的停留然后继续上路。对当地同志来说，这也是他们欲望逡巡的场所。小镇民风相对保守，但这些同志却能成功融入到周围环境中，和大都市白领一样带着真性情工作、恋爱和生活。主角盖比（Bill Heck 饰）和厄列斯托（Marcus DeAnda 饰）都是蓝领工人，都和前任生活在同一屋檐下，都在迷惘中寻找着什么。盖比和妻子夏侬（Amy Seimetz 饰）虽然离婚，但因为6岁女儿的缘故，分手依然是朋友；厄列斯托每周都会去医院，给昏迷的前男友朗读报刊，希望对方能醒来。电影以静谧的节奏平行讲述两人的生活，直到他们的人生因在小加油站发生一夜情而开始交叉...... 　　《人来，人往》是华裔导演陈俊彦继《你好，再见》之后带来的又一部温情文艺小品。导演将镜头对准美国非中产阶级，呈现这些不常见于大银幕上的人们的困境与挣扎。电影没有强烈情感冲突，而是让两个男同志慢慢贴近，用不经意的错过来成全最后的相遇，让他们发现彼此是如此的投缘。本片获得迈阿密同志电影节最佳影片，入围美国独立精神奖中小成本最佳剧情片奖（约翰·卡萨维蒂奖）。

“Pit Stop”是小加油站的意思。在美国内陆州际高速路上往往零星散布着这样的地点。人们路过、加油，点杯咖啡、抽根烟，做短暂的停留然后继续上路。对当地同志来说，这也是他们欲望逡巡的场所。小镇民风相对保守，但这些同志却能成功融入到周围环境中，和大都市白领一样带着真性情工作、恋爱和生活。主角盖比（Bill Heck 饰）和厄列斯托（Marcus DeAnda 饰）都是蓝领工人，都和前任生活在同一屋檐下，都在迷惘中寻找着什么。盖比和妻子夏侬（Amy Seimetz 饰）虽然离婚，但因为6岁女儿的缘故，分手依然是朋友；厄列斯托每周都会去医院，给昏迷的前男友朗读报刊，希望对方能醒来。电影以静谧的节奏平行讲述两人的生活，直到他们的人生因在小加油站发生一夜情而开始交叉...... 　　《人来，人往》是华裔导演陈俊彦继《你好，再见》之后带来的又一部温情文艺小品。导演将镜头对准美国非中产阶级，呈现这些不常见于大银幕上的人们的困境与挣扎。电影没有强烈情感冲突，而是让两个男同志慢慢贴近，用不经意的错过来成全最后的相遇，让他们发现彼此是如此的投缘。本片获得迈阿密同志电影节最佳影片，入围美国独立精神奖中小成本最佳剧情片奖（约翰·卡萨维蒂奖）。