Paraíso Perdido: Monique Gardenberg conjures a bit of a magic trick with this almost sort-of-fantasy; there is a glut of characters, but they are so colorful and their web of relationships is so much based on love and mutual respect that it’s hard not to hope for them to have a blissful existence. This emotional connection is a major element for the success of the experience. The romantic-pop musical genre is divisive, but their larger-than-life lyrics and emotion match the characters and is a way for them to communicate; they are, in any case, well-executed by the cast (some are professional musicians first and foremost, so it’s to be expected). The performances are a bit stylized (which fit the whole), but uneven: Júlio Andrade and Jaloo are quite good, Lee Taylor and Erasmo Carlos less so. Director of cinematography Pedro Farkas’s camerawork efficiently captures the colorful costumes and sets.