Gravity (2013)

Directed by: Alfonso Cuáron
Country: USA

Movie Review: Stunning is the first word that comes to my mind when I think of “Gravity”, an outer-space thriller starring Sandra Bullock as a bio-medical engineer in her first mission, and George Clooney as veteran astronaut. Both of them will try to survive to an accident that affected their shuttle, leaving them adrift in the vastness of space. Mexican Alfonso Cuáron returns to direction in top form, 7 years after the also resounding “The Children Of Men”. This time he had the collaboration of his son, Jonas, in a script that despite very simple in its basis, was extremely efficient on the screen. The realism and accuracy evinced in certain details, makes it the most interesting sci-fi film from the last years, relegating for a much inferior plan other big present-day productions of the same genre such as “Oblivion”, “After Earth”, or “Prometheus”, which weren’t able to entertain and shock us so thoroughly. And what’s funny here is that Cuáron didn’t need guns, rays, or space battles to turn it into a breathtaking experience from start to finish. Visually impeccable, technically perfect, and with an elementary story that was sufficient for its purposes, “Gravity” is a journey that you cannot afford to miss. Prepare yourself to breath heavily in this thrilling, agitated, and suffocating experience, which has the ability to make you simultaneously claustrophobic when inside confined spatial capsules, and agoraphobic (in its non-terrestrial variation) with such space immensity.

Bless Me, Ultima (2013)

Directed by: Carl Franklin
Country: USA

Movie Review: Deeply involved in TV series since 1997, writer/director Carl Franklin (“One False Move”, “Devil In A Blue Dress”) took time to make a faithful adaptation of Rudolfo Anaya’s novel “Bless Me, Ultima”. The story, set in the 40’s New Mexico, depicts the special relationship between a sensitive young boy, Antonio, and an elderly healer called Ultima, who despite inoffensive has the reputation of being a witch. Both will join efforts to fight the evil, personified in the character of Tenorio and his malevolent daughters whose witchcraft practices almost killed Antonio’s uncle. Antonio revealed to be a likeable, large-hearted little boy with a strong personality, who was struggling to find answers for all his innocent but pertinent questions about God. Superbly narrated by Antonio’s adult voice, the film creates a sort of uneasiness by opposing beautiful images of the fields, blue sky, and quiet harvestings, to those of evilness and thirst for revenge. Tension was well set through the mystery, mysticism, and superstition associated to the eternal battle between good and evil. Some viewers may not identify themselves with this odd tale that asks ‘why there is so much evil in the world?’ without trying to answer it. However, the quality of Franklin’s filmmaking is undeniable. I have a little remark concerning the score though: the panpipe music was played perhaps too often.

The Unspeakable Act (2012)

Directed by: Dan Sallitt
Country: USA

Movie Review: “The Unspeakable Act” managed to tell an awkward story and turn it into a pleasant surprise. After eight years of absence, American filmmaker/writer/editor Dan Sallitt returns with an endearing work that beyond well developed in structure, also stands for honesty in the portrait created, and rigor regarding technical aspects. Jackie Kimball (Tallie Medel) tells us what bothers her right from the beginning; she believes to get into a nervous breakdown because her older brother Matthew (Sky Hirshkron) got a new girlfriend and is preparing to go to Princeton University. Her heartbreak takes such proportions that her inexpressive mother (Aundrea Fares) sends her to therapy, where she will admit to have a sexual attraction for his brother and occasionally crushes on girls. These therapy sessions were superbly depicted and just served to sharp our curiosity about Jackie and the emotional state in which she slumped. Another beneficial factor was the good dose of mystery associated to the family’s past. The subject matter, absence of music, and composed images created by static shots, which opposed to Jackie’s talkative way and natural thinking-out-loud narration in order to express herself, formed almost an improbable encounter between Lanthimo’s art-house and Rohmer’s fluent style. Newcomer Tallie Medel was impressive, becoming fundamental to achieve authenticity in this unexpectedly gripping character-study.

Enough Said (2013)

Directed by: Nicole Holofcener
Country: USA

Movie Review: Considering that most of the romantic comedies recently released are just copies of one another, I must say that “Enough Said” presents a sweet touch of frankness that makes it quite better than the majority. The film stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini, in which was his last performance before his death at the age of 51. Eva (Louis-Dreyfus) and Albert (Gandolfini) are both divorced, having one daughter each. After meeting at a party, they start dating in a regular basis, seeming to enjoy each other’s company. The problem is that Eva also becomes friends with Albert’s ex-wife, Marianne (Catherine Keener) who without knowing, starts to poison their relationship by describing what she considered Albert’s most annoying behaviors and faults. In parallel, concerns regarding their children are also addressed in a very convincing manner, composing a complete picture of complex relationships. As in her previous work, “Please Give”, filmmaker Catherine Holofcener was able to create a mature script populated with rich characters, all of them with something valuable to say or show. I have to point that despite its honesty, some strategic moves were put together in a few crucial scenes, but the good news are that those moves were made charmingly, using prolific dialogues, searching for the funny side of drama, and effectively providing mixed feelings. If you’re in the mood for romantic comedies, try this one and your time will not be wasted.

Concussion (2013)

Directed by: Stacie Passon
Country: USA

Movie Review: Despite the ambition showed in “Concussion”, Stacie Passon’s debut as a writer and director wasn’t totally satisfying. Well performed by Robin Weigert, the plot follows Abby, an unsatisfied lesbian who, for a while, decided to stay away from her wife, children, and work and become an escort for women. This urge came suddenly after she was hit accidentally by her son when he was playing baseball, suffering a concussion on her head. Under the name of Eleanor and charging eight hundred dollars per appointment, she will meet many peculiar women and act accordingly to their needs. The list includes a fat teenager with no experience, an impetuous woman who knows what she wants, a scared one who tries to escape, a woman from her hometown who was more experienced than she was, and a violent one with whom she wasn’t so comfortable. This hidden life of sensuality and pleasure brought both good and bad surprises. Sex is addressed freely and the necessity for new sexual experiences seemed to make sense in Abby’s life, but maybe I expected more from this story whose conclusions didn’t make me more responsive than I was at the beginning. I believe that with a bit more humor and less love scenes wrapped in white bedsheets, the film would have gained another impact. Without being misdirected, it lacked something in the plot to surprise and make us feel more involved in Abby’s world of pleasure. “Concussion” won the Teddy jury prize at Berlin Film Festival.

The Dirties (2013)

Directed by: Matthew Johnson
Country: Canada

Movie Review: Audacious and darkly funny are the best adjectives to characterize “The Dirties”, the directorial debut by Matthew Johnson who also plays himself in the main role, a bullied High School student whose plan consists on killing a group of bullies he calls The Dirties. The film starts in a provocative way stating that scenes of graphic violence are intended for mature audiences and out of respect for the victims and their families, the footage has not been altered in any way. Matt and his friend Owen Wilson despite isolated from the rest of the world, have each other as company. Although they not always agree, their irreverence and creativity are a constant presence in school. Their revengeful plan was well premeditated, including a shooting practice and obtaining of blue prints from school, but while Owen sees it as a mere game without taking it seriously, Matthew is really determined in carrying it forward. “The Dirties” is a compelling portrait on bullying, school violence, and alienated teenagers, that could not achieve even better results because its experimental filmmaking was technically carefree, presenting a sort of anarchy, which intended or not, wasn’t appealing for the eyes. The frequent use of shaky camera with sudden zooms, lurking from corners or windows is a good example. Nevertheless, it showed enormous merit in other aspects such as: the creative idea behind the plot, the rousing and sarcastic finale, and credible performances. Regardless its faulty execution, at least we can say it was done with the right attitude.

Bad Milo (2013)

Directed by: Jacob Vaughan
Country: USA

Movie Review: Presented as a tasteless joke, “Bad Milo” is a parody with hints of horror that didn’t achieve its intentions. It was directed by Jacob Vaughan who has been working lately as editor in films such as “Black Rock” or “Jeff, Who Lives At Home”, and counted with Duplass brothers as executive producers. The story is simple-minded and often gross, following Duncan (Ken Marino) who is struggling with something annoying inside his bowels. After consulting a doctor without practical results, he finds out that a horrible little creature is living inside him, occasionally getting out of his ass to kill people he is upset with. Duncan tries to establish a good relationship with the creature calling him Milo. Despite of the help of Highsmith (Peter Stormare), a hypnotherapist, the problem aggravates when Milo becomes more and more raging and uncontrollable with everyone, including Duncan’s family. Repetitive and ordinary, “Bad Milo” fails to engage, and despite being conceived just for the fun of it, becomes repugnant in several scenes. The funniest situations involved people like Duncan’s mother and her super young boyfriend, or a manipulative boss who creates a stressful atmosphere in work. In turn, Milo looks like a hairless Gremlin and was never scary or funny enough. The unattractive cinematography by James Laxton, and Vaughan’s vulgar script, helped to turn this film in…stupid Milo!

Night Of Silence (2012)

Directed by: Reis Çelik
Country: Turkey

Movie Review: The captivating story of “Night Of Silence” presents a unique vision of duty and tradition in Turkish society. Accurately written and impeccably directed by Anatolian filmmaker Reis Çelik, the film uncovers the reality of Gelin (Ilyas Salman), a 13 year-old young bride who after being prepared according to tradition, was taken to the nuptial room where she awaits her new husband of 60 years-old, Damat (Dilan Aksut). The first scenes of the film made us conclude right away that Damat, recently released from a long-time imprisonment, belongs to those zealous men whose duty and honor is above everything and everyone. With this premise we cannot blame Gelin for being so afraid and trying to delay her inevitable fate of giving herself to this man. Surprisingly, the story takes a different turn and what seemed obvious became a game of words in the form of stories, unexpected revelations, and fear behaviors that happened to be very interesting to follow through. The overwhelmed ambiance shared by the protagonists could be strongly sensed, thanks to the incredible performances, rigorous cinematography by Gokhan Tiryaki (known for working with Nuri Bilge Ceylan), and every meaningful detail in a non-invasive direction. This is a film of patience for both characters and viewers, but the different angle of vision set up by Çelik along with the exposure of demanding rituals, and a finale whose ambiguity will force you to think afterwards, make “Night Of Silence” a genuine experience that comes very much intriguing.

Mood Indigo (2013)

Directed by: Michel Gondry
Country: France

Movie Review: Adapted from a novel by Boris Vian, Michel Gondry’s “Mood Indigo” is a futuristic romantic comedy filled with animation, which lies somewhere between the happiness of “Amélie” and the fantasy of Jan Svankmajer’s films without the darkness associated to its stories and mechanical creatures. This sounds good, but Gondry’s versatility has already proved not to be always consistent and this is another case in which the technical aspects are much more highlighted than the story. The film stars Romain Duris and Audrey Tautou as Colin and Chloé, respectively, a loving couple whose happiness is tested after Chloé got sick with a growing daffodil in her lungs caught during their honeymoon. A great soundtrack along with alluring visuals containing vivid colors, animated animals and objects that gain life, and unexpected distortions of the body, were scarcely sufficient to content me, since the romance was enable to convey any empathy or emotion. Many scenes, despite beautifully set up, lack depth and were presented in a childish way, with a joyful posture that was often annoying. I didn’t find it funny either, and must confess that for several occasions I had to struggle with myself to keep on watching so many details created to catch the eye but evincing a superficiality behind them that could not be ignored. The sumptuous yet frivolous “Mood Indigo” left me indifferent all the way through, becoming another failed adventure from Gondry’s creative mind.

The Gilded Cage (2013)

Directed by: Ruben Alves
Country: France

Movie Review: Ruben Alves’ directorial debut “The Gilded Cage” puts face-to-face Portuguese immigrants and French bosses in order to create a simple but amusing social comedy of errors. Maria (Rita Blanco) and José (Joaquim de Almeida) make a typical Portuguese couple who have been working in France for 30 years, becoming indispensable in their jobs. Maria works as a concierge in a building, while José is supervisor in a construction company. When they are informed about an heritage left by Jose’s brother, the couple ponders return to Portugal, but their bosses will do everything to keep their hard working employees and the doubt will be installed since their own children are French. To complicate even more the decision, the couple’s daughter assumes to be in love with the son of her dad’s boss. The film addresses quite well the spirit of the immigrants who live to work and save money for one day get back to their origin country. The film boasts a certain success as comedy, playing with culture differences, feelings of inferiority, and language puns, to create hilarious scenes without ever being offensive or derogatory. Rich on visuals and music, but with a modest direction, “The Gilded Cage” will say much more to the Portuguese and French, especially considering that many funny language expressions can be lost when translated. In this family comedy with several aspects to be enjoyed, actresses Rita Blanco and Chantal Lauby excelled.

Chasing The Wind (2013)

Directed by: Rune Denstad Langlo
Country: Norway

Movie Review: Rune Denstad Langlo’s sophomore fictional-feature, “Chasing The Wind”, was not skillful enough to arouse the same interest as the previous “North”(2009). The story follows Anna (Marie Blokhus) who lives in Germany and reluctantly returns to her small hometown ten years after a terrible accident that victimized her parents, in order to attend her grandmother’s funeral. The first minutes, without being much explanatory, make us anticipate family problems, which became more and more evident in conversations with her grumpy grandfather and her ex-boyfriend, for whom she still harbors strong feelings. The characters’ moods vary among anger, resentment, forgiveness, and ultimately understanding and acceptance of their fate. The problem comes from the fact that all these variations occur in too familiar tones, relying in a dragging pace and in a failed attempt to look poetic. The first real moments of some impact just arrived in its final moments with surprising revelations from Anna’s granddad, but they came too late to provoke us in a more acceptable way. The performances were forgettable and Langlo was never determined to leave his comfort zone, being the biggest responsible for the film’s pale temper. Aesthetically clean on visuals and with an unattractive original music by Ola Kvernberg, “Chasing The Wind” didn’t surpass the standard ways of storytelling.

Moebius (2013)

Directed by: Kim Ki-Duk
Country: South Korea

Movie Review: After “Pietà”, winner of last year’s Venice Film Fest, South Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-Duk portraits once again a dysfunctional family, using his habitual style in order to provoke with violent, shocking, and disturbing images. From the start, we can guess the heaviness that the film will carry out, addressing topics such as adultery, sexual perversion, bullying, and incest. The insanity presented in this picture is based on the sickness of the mind, which is posteriorly extended to the body in multiple forms. We can ask what kind of woman cuts the penis of her own son as a way to get revenge on her husband? Well, you have to see the film to get the answers, but I can affirm it’s almost impossible to feel any kind of sympathy for such obnoxious characters. Other curious aspect is that the film is speechless, just relying on the power of the images to tell the story, but also making the protagonists even more inhuman. Every frame created from the poor script, including rape and castration, was meant to make you uncomfortable, without trying to say anything valuable. That’s why this film was a complete failure to me; you are provoked in a disgusting way and then there is no lesson to be learned from the ridiculous occurrences. Far from a pleasant watching, the almost unbearable “Moebius” is just another big setback in Kim Ki-Duk’s intermittent career. Tiresome and unnecessary…you may skip it, for your mental sanity!!

Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013)

Directed by: David Lowery
Country: USA

Movie Review: The first scenes of “Ain’t Them Bodies Saint” were the premise to what would be a notable independent film. In a fantastic sequence of images set up in a field of Texas, Ruth (Rooney Mara) shows her love for the outlaw on the run, Bob (Casey Affleck), telling him that she’s expecting a baby and doesn’t want to go to jail. After a shooting with the authorities, Ruth wounds officer Patrick Wheeler (Ben Foster), but is Bob who claims responsibility, getting arrested and sentenced to several years in prison. Nine months later, she gives birth to a little girl and curiously gets the protection of Patrick who creates a special bond with her daughter, while Bob, unable to stand apart from his family, escapes from prison after five failed attempts. However, all the cops and some reward hunters have an eye on his family and are ready to prevent him to see the daughter he has never met. Although patient and reflective most of the time, the film lets us sense a constant tension in the story along with an oppressive atmosphere. Indoor scenes were set with yellowish and dark reddish hues, while some outdoors images were picturesquely shot in counter-light, creating a diverging ambiance. The script, a love story marked by sacrifice of a forced separation, was positively structured by helmer David Lowery, becoming affectionate in its final scenes, where a tired Bob shows his huge will to redeem himself and have a family life as anybody else. As he said: ‘I used to be the devil, but now I’m just a man’.

The Kings Of Summer (2013)

Directed by: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Country: USA

Movie Review: “The Kings Of Summer” is a funny, observant coming-of-age film that entertains and satisfies much more than most of the vast options focused on the same subject matter. Comparing it with two other recent alternatives of the same genre, Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ debut feature is not so serious as “The Spectacular Now” but is much funnier and less dramatic than “The Way, Way Back”. The script, written by other debutant, Chris Galletta, revealed to have a sharp eye and the smartness required for a type of tale so many times revisited in the story of cinema. There were no idle times in this film and every scene was of tremendous importance to the development of a story about three kids who decided to abandon their families to live in a shack built in the woods where they can rule instead of obey. The parents are literally the enemy here and it was great to see a didactic side but in a different perspective, more the children saying how their parents should behave. Some scenes were a delight for the eyes, like when Patrick dances on top of a steel pipeline while Joe and the peculiar Biaggio played a tribal rhythm; others were simply funny, especially when involving Biaggio or when Joe appears with an ludicrous moustache as a symbol of his affirmation. This might well have been a Wes Anderson film, in which weird humor, distorted romance, and exciting adventure are present.

Closed Circuit (2013)

Directed by: John Crowley
Country: UK / USA

Movie Review: “Closed Circuit” is a minor thriller directed by John Crowley (“Boy A”) and written by Steven Knight (“Redemption”, “Dirty Pretty Things”, “Eastern Promises”). When a Turkish man is arrested and accused of having blown up the Borough Market in London, two lawyers are promptly selected by the British Attorney General to defend him. Martin Rose (Eric Bana) and Claudia Simmons-Howe (Rebecca Hall) accept the case but share the secret of having been ex-lovers, lying about it before the law and breaking the rules of communication. The conspiracy gains intensity when the lawyers find out that the MI5 may be involved in the case, and that the defendant’s son is the key to the truth. Regardless the threatening music that constantly gives a sense of danger, the story never took that direction, lacking boldness and clarity in its vision. Crowley’s bland approach might have contributed to the poor outcome, but it was the plot the most adverse factor, since it seemed a collage of preexisting ideas from other films with the aggravation of never add anything new or surprising. A relentless perception of falsity could be felt when the two lawyers meet and change information with each other as if nothing had happened, even compromising their jobs. For all this reasons and some more, “Closed Circuit” is an unchallenging film, which conveys a sort of dishonesty that leads to discouragement.

Rush (2013)

Directed by: Ron Howard
Country: USA

Movie Review: Ron Howard offers us another film of great intensity and humanity. The film, set in the 70’s, recreates the rivalry between F1 drivers, James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Written by Peter Morgan, who already had worked with Howard on “Frost/Nixon”, the film gives a precise notion of the protagonists’ characters. While Hunt was an impulsive man, spirited, and minded to life’s pleasures, Lauda was very serious, methodical, and strongly committed to what he loved most. Despite these huge differences, they shared the same talent to drive fast and ambition to win. In parallel with the sport's covering, we can see the posture adopted by these two men outside the racing tracks. Love relationships were faced in completely opposite ways: Hunt much more undisciplined and in a marriage that never convinced; Lauda always very truthful to himself and in a steady relationship with his supportive wife, Marlene. The flowing and fast pace, along with the brilliance of storytelling, make the almost two hours seem shorter, never allowing the story to be softened. The F1 security issues were very well approached, a matter that would have severe repercussions in Lauda’s career, after a terrible accident in the German Grand Prix, that almost took his life. Summarizing: a story of fierce rivalry that doesn’t hide admiration and recognition, intense races, amazing performances, and flawless direction, make “Rush” a film not to be missed.

C.O.G. (2013)

Directed by: Kyle Patrick Alvarez
Country: USA

Movie Review: In this drama based on a short story from “Naked”, a book of collected essays by humorist, comedian, and author David Sedaris, we can follow David’s adventures in his quest for life experiences. After graduating in Yale, David refuses to go back to Connecticut to start a career right away, which caused a cut in the relationship with his parents, and decides to go to Oregon where he will try a job on an apple farm. Among several disillusions along the way, David is always confronted with faith issues that put to a test his profound atheism. Ironically, he ends up working with John, a self-called c.o.g. aka child of god, who shapes stones in order to turn them into clocks, selling them at local craft fairs. The film is presented as a sad song describing an unfortunate guy who is caught in recurrent bad experiences, but the question is: is he learning something valuable with all those characters who cross his path? The situations presented are more dramatic than funny, conveying a weird mood that gives a touch of darkness and acceptance to David’s life. The problem is that the whole is weaker than the sum of its little stories, which means that the film leaves us with interesting experiences but flat conclusions. The good performances by Jonathan Groff , Denis O’Hare, and Corey Stoll, don’t make Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s sophomore distinguishable for us to remember it in the future. However, enthusiasts of Sedaris’ stories may find something more tasteful here.

É o Amor (2013)

Directed by: João Canijo
Country: Portugal

Movie Review: João Canijo’s new feature film focuses once again on very specific characters of the traditional Portugal. It comes after “Blood Of My Blood”, a tremendous success in Portugal and abroad, and consists in a sort of experimental documentary. The idea was to send the actress Anabela Moreira to live for several months with Sonia Nunes, a fisherman’s wife who has been working all her life in the fish trade in Caxinas, a Northern fishing town. The approach highlights the contrasts in the way that both women see and deal with love and life in general. While Sonia describes her past experiences, boasts about her child and solid relationship, and denotes a confident personality, Anabela seems more and more depressed after realize her incapability for love in the same way as Sonia, which led to identity issues to the point of calling into question her own professional career. Despite the curiosity that arouses, “É o Amor” was unable to convey stable levels of interest till the end, and the reason has to do with the repetition of its ideas. Canijo throws us long and repetitive close-ups of Anabela confessing her emotional state and admitting some kind of envy, invariable shots of women singing corny music inside a car, and detailed aspects about the everyday work and family life in Caxinas. In my eyes, not all the scenes were essential for this strange comparison between two worlds that nothing have to do with each other, and a good editing would have been fundamental to achieve better results.

+1 (2013)

Directed by: Dennis Iliadis
Country: USA

Movie Review: The third feature film from Greek-born filmmaker Dennis Iliadis (“Hardcore”, “The Last House On The Left”) is a comedy turned into supernatural thriller that works fine during the first half but gradually loses power and interest as it comes to an end. David (Rhys Wakefield) and Jill (Ashley Hinshaw) seem to be a very passionate couple who care for each other. One day, after Jill’s fencing game, David was caught kissing her opponent and the couple eventually split up. Next time they cross again, in a huge college party in a friend’s house, David will do everything he can to bring his relationship with Jill into good terms, but some supernatural occurrences will difficult his mission. When they found out that this strange effect caused the duplication of each of them, the chaos soon is installed among the young students. Time seems to shift back, giving the possibility to remake what was done shortly before, but the real question is to know if they are the real ones or their doubles. The film starts to be funny, presenting a certain mood and energy that was appreciated, but somehow it became confusing since the moment that everybody decides to kill their duplicates. From that moment on, the farce was never handled in a satisfying way, a fact that was reinforced with its insufficient finale and the amount of unanswered questions left behind. With a lame script, “+1” was able to minimally entertain, working far better as crazy-wild comedy rather than thriller, but as a whole it was far from convincing.

Short Term 12 (2013)

Directed by: Destin Cretton
Country: USA

Movie Review: Based on his 2008 multi-awarded short film with the same title, helmer Destin Cretton creates one of the most heart-warming movies of 2013. The story is centered on Grace (Brie Larson), who works as a supervisor in a foster-care facility intended to accommodate at-risk teens. Despite doing her job with love and patience, Grace also had a difficult past and is not completely free from it. All her fears will come to her mind when a troubled young girl named Jayden (Kaitlyn Diver) arrives at the facility. They established a special bond that will be tested when Jayden’s father takes her for the weekend, leaving a sense of danger in the air. This situation along with the fact that Grace was expecting a baby from her boyfriend and co-worker, Mason (John Gallagher Jr.), will trigger a lot of confusion, fear, and angry feelings. Meanwhile, they have to keep an eye on Marcus (Keith Stanfield), a restless boy who is struggling with the idea of leaving the facility for good, due to turn 18. The outstanding performances made all the characters seem real, while Cretton’s direction, punctuated by intimate close-ups, creates a smothered atmosphere yet giving it some space to breath. I was amazed by how the humor worked so fine within a story with such a deep emotional weight. Beautifully and intelligently conceived, “Short Term 12” showed to be in a level of understanding and maturity that is quite difficult to find in films of its genre. Above all, and without being forced, it revealed to be human in every sense.