Pablo D'Stair is back -- again -- this time with a genuine charmer titled M.r PICKPOCKET

Few things give TrustMovies more pleasure than, after disliking a filmmaker's movies one upon another, suddenly along comes a film that he loves. Finally, after covering two earlier movies by Pablo D'Stair (you can read those reviews here), I've found a film of this writer/director that seems to me a lovely, creative, charming and original work.

Titled M.r PICKPOCKET (and, yes, that misplaced punctuation is deliberate), this 55-minute movie tells the tale of two very young brothers determined to create a successful comic-book franchise based on their notion that their dad moonlights as a pickpocket on his off hours.

Unlike the two earlier films I've viewed via Mr. D'Stair (shown at left), this one is relatively short and very sweet. Because it features in the leading (and only) roles, D'Stair's two young sons, Lucien and Sebastien, you would be on the mark in calling it a family affair. Even better, the two kids are simply terrific in their roles, each one capturing a distinct character, along with that character's quirks, desires and attitude -- no small accomplishment for actors this young. The kids claim, in the film at least, to be "nearly" seven (Lucian) and nine (Sebastien).

What makes the movie work particularly well is D'Stair's clever dialog (get ready: It's often pretty profane), which posits that these two youngsters know so much about comic books -- their creation, distribution and marketing -- that they can somehow manage all this on their own. Much of the charm and humor arrives via this adult-level dialog coming out of the mouths of the kids -- and yet it is handled so well that it seems much more than mere stunt.

The two kids (that's Lucien, above, and Sebastien, below) seem to understand surprisingly well what they are saying, along with the feelings -- jealousy, paranoia, anger, frustration, hope and all the rest -- that lie behind the words. This is something that even a big-budget, kids-playing-adults movie like Bugsy Malone couldn't manage nearly as well. Those kids too often were "acting."  These two are more often "behaving."

The world of comic books is created skillfully, too. TrustMovies must admit he quit reading comics at a young age, and so no longer knows that much about this world (nor cares a hoot for something like Comic-Con). Yet listening to these kids ramble on, there seems to exist a lot of similarities here to the world of the fine art establishment, film-making and various other creative endeavors. It's like hearing folk from any of these fields talk about their life, work and art. So even if you are one of the comic-book-challenged, there will be plenty here to keep you interested.

Visually, too, the filmmaker is trying a few new tricks (thank god): He's using color now, and his camera even moves some. The constant, back-and-forth shots from one kid to the other do grow a bit tiresome, yet the filmmaker changes his angles and POV often enough to make things bounce and snap.

D'Stair has divided M.r Pickpocket into chapters with headings using a line of dialog devoted to a subject or theme under discussion. He has also divided the film by using audio from various sources: a Bob Dylan interview and scenes from an old film and TV series. There is undoubtedly a reason for this but I couldn't fathom it. And these "audios" do make the movie a bit longer than is needed. Still, this is only a mild distraction from the real meat here -- which is the nifty and constant dialog between the two brothers.

I liked M.r Pickpocket enough to watch it a second time and, given my tight viewing schedule, I think that's high praise. I hope the film garners D'Stair a lot more viewership. You can watch it free via Vimeo by clicking here for the full film (the password is said to be mrpickpocket, but I didn't seem to need it) or here to see the "teaser" credits trailer. You can also view the film via Amazon Digital here (Prime members can watch for free) or purchase it (on DVD) here.

Note: Because I wanted to catch all of the very funny and often incisive dialog, I turned on Vimeo's Closed Captioning option -- which worked great for maybe two-thirds of the film, and then suddenly ceased. But I'm told Vimeo is working on this. (Amazon gives you the English subtitles, too, and they work just fine.)

ONLY WHEN I DANCE: Brazilian ballet students warm hearts, knock our socks off

Watching kids pursue their dreams is usually good for some uplift.  When they're crack ballet students and their dream is to dance, you get a bonus. And if one of them proves so charismatic a performer that he wipes the floor with most everyone around him, expect some additional "star-is-born" chemistry between the subject and the filmmaker.

So it is with the new documentary ONLY WHEN I DANCE directed by Beadie Finzi (pictured at right) who, a few years back produced the rather startling Unknown White Male.  Here, she concentrates on two especially fine students: Irlan Santos da Silva (shown below) and Isabela Coracy Alves Nascimento Santos -- who, from this point on, shall be referred to as Irlan and Isabela -- and their talented, loving and supportive instructor Mariza Estrella.

We meet these two kids and their quite wonderful (and equally supportive) parents and siblings. Irlan's father, in fact, notes that the vocation of ballet is not one to which most Brazilian boys aspire. Nonetheless, he stands behind his son, pushing the boy forward, full-throttle. One of the first things we hear from Irlan himself is his dream of "living in a better, quieter place" (the family occupies an apartment in one of Rio de Janeiro's crowded and often violent favelas)  "and taking my parents with me!"

For her part, Isabella (shown below and below) is more retiring, though just as hard-working, and we see her family, too, at work and play -- supporting their daughter's choice just as fervently as does Irlan's.  Yet, as the movie progresses, it is the young man who proves the decided mover-and-shaker of the pair, and soon the documentary's focus skews his way, too.  Everybody loves a winner, as they say, and Irlan is nothing if not that.  We follow the pair from their Rio school to Switzerland, where they compete with other top students from around the world for the chance to win prestigious scholarships and/or interships.

Ballet lovers will cotton immediately to the wonders of Irlan's body and movement, his grace and skill.  But average film-goers should also be able to pick up on all this -- so spectacular is the young man's ability.  And while Isabela is lovely and also quite skillful, she proves less successful for various reasons, from weight to the kind of unspoken racism that means there simply are no black ballerinas in Brazil -- and damn few elsewere in the world.

Only When I Dance offers heartbreak and thrills, success and sur-
prise (maybe not so much of the latter) and the chance to become acquainted with a dancer from whom we are bound to hear (and see) much more.  Viewing the two audition pieces Irlan performs -- one classical, the other (modeled after a dance by Nijnsky) all angles and percussion -- provides reason enough to visit this dance film set against a teeming, throbbing and very unusual background.

Opening theatrically* in New York City at the Cinema Village on Friday, July 2, the documentary is distributed by Film Movement. You can view its other very limited playdates here. Once word gets out, maybe those theatrical venues will expand.

*It's nearly two years after this original post (above), but this week another and quite similar dance film opens in NYC and L.A. -- First Position -- so TM thought it appropriate to let you know where you can view this earlier movie.  Only When I Dance is now out on DVD and available for sale or rental. You can rent it from Netflix (where it's also stream-able!) or Blockbuster, or purchase it from Film Movement or Amazon, among others.