This movie is worth it just for the camera work. There are so many scenes that just grab your emotions by the throat and jerk them around with how strong the image is. The camera captures trivial moments with such detail and delightful symphony that these details become overwhelming to the enchanted viewer.The story is not really amazing or surprising, but the movie does a great job of making that irrelevant. It's a character movie that allows you to see how food moves a main character in its relations with the world. This main character, albeit simple, never ceases to surprise us with the quirky way he sees the world. Add a little bit of food magic, and you've got this movie wrapped up.A simple thing, yet a joy to watch.

There are few movies out there that I will take the time to watch a second time, and even fewer movies that make me sincerely chuckle at some scenes. Estomago was one of those movies for me. It's not well known outside the borders of Brazil, but if you're looking for some good Brazilian dark comedies, this one is one of the better ones alongside O Cheiro do Ralo. I won't go into the details of the plot, but suffice it to say, it's a fun watch for those who like revenge fantasies and messed-up characters from the fringes of society who diabolically plot revenge in clever ways. Repeat after me: "Nonato CANIVETE!" One of my favourites of many good bits in this fun-to-watch film.

I thought this movie was reasonable... it tries really hard to come off as convincing that an impoverished transient born in the most godforsaken land in Brazil could become a master chef at a luxury restaurant.. it's obviously possible, even more when that's what the script says happens. Anyway... the 2 story lines show our man Nonato in jail for an unknown crime and his induction into the world of food. In the process, he falls in love with a prostitute, believing she is pure of heart... Now, we are expected to believe that his murderous rages are unleashed by alcohol, which would lead to assume that he operates at an inhibited level routinely. This is hard to swallow.. he is the most naive and submissive person possible, what the hell is there to be inhibited... Anyway, that's beside the point, everyone has primitive urges that can be released by a diversity of triggers. This is compounded by the idea that he develops (SPOILLLERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR) a plan to poison the alpha male in prison in order to get the top bunk-bed, and does so without the social lubricant. I don't know.. it's a semi-entertaining movie... but still... It also tries to show a symbolic meaning in how he butchered the hooker at the end. Watch it if you can do so for free.

No matter what one might think... a classic is not a classic by luck. And as time goes by we see fewer and fewer good results of good cinema. Both good surprises of 2008 were In Bruges and Estomago.Estomago is a tour-De-force by Joao Miguel; however, when was the last time you saw a sex scene with such "good taste" that reveals the whole spectrum of a film? That is impossible to deny, and the film delivers tragedy of the commons in a sort of polite way, just like school books and some teachers do, except, in Estomago, we must accept that whoever starved for some kind of food for a particular period, will say, "yeah, now I'm full", or "revenge is best served grilled".The best thing about Estomago is how it portraits the process of how "alecrim" got his nickname, and this "progress" also is very well connected with prostitution of all beings, so therefore, whenever one learns the weight of a kiss, or who one might choose to kiss, and why one does it, then this happy "one" will be able to play As Time Goes By and say a kiss will always be a kiss, because it can mess with your mind, your stomach... your whole life!