Nominated for two Oscars, best actress and best foreign movie in 1999
Starring: Fernanda Montenegro and Vinicius de Oliveira
Nationality: Brazil
The best foreign movie of 1999 is now available on video and this is a must see.
This is the story of a boy(child star Vinicius de Oliveira) who ends up in the hands of a stranger
(wonderful Fernanda Montenegro) and learns that adults are very different people who lie, hurt,
and feel and do things that children cannot understand. The events in this movie are so deeply
touching and realistic, it makes you feel so in touch with the characters that you almost forget you
are watching a film. The story compasses the beautiful look this film has, thanks to great
cinematography and art direction.
But the really greatness of this film lays on its performances. Fernanda Montenegro, who earned an
Academy Award nomination for this film (and the world knows that she more than anyone else that year
deserved to win the Oscar; sorry, but Ms. Paltrow was unfairly the winner), is so good, so believable,
so sad and intriguing you just forget she's acting. Her performance is in the scale of greatness. As for
Vinicius de Oliveira, this child actor's performance is also great, his cute looks mixes sadness and
innocence that captivates you.
Central Station is one of those rare experiences where even the coldest person melts under the magic
spell of this Brazilian cinematic jewel. This is a film that stays in your heart and mind for a long time,
an instant classic, a masterpiece of filmmaking.
