Alternative (and bizarre) titles

Probably you've already watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off, haven't you? (It's one of my favorite 1980's comedies). But do you know what is the title of the movie here in Brazil? Curtindo a vida adoidado - something like Enjoying life insanely. What the hell? And how about the unforgettable 1970's series Charlie's Angels? As Panteras, i.e. The (Female) Panthers...

The "creativity" has no limits, as you can see. I think the mainly reason behind that weird, inaccurate renaming in Portuguese is an alleged commercial appeal. Local entertainment distributors have made up those titles because they take for granted that the ones fabricated by them would be able to attract bigger audiences than a bare translation would do. Recently, I've got puzzled by two of those... er... "inventive" names.

Truth - a James Vanderbilt's film, starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford, released in 2015 - has become Conspiração e Poder (or Conspiracy and Power) here in Brazil. Wouldn't it be easier and simpler just using the word Verdade (truth, in Portuguese)? Maybe I'm wrong but the acts of a team of journalists (and their consequences), as well as the media responsability, are the central theme of this movie. Verdade would be a proper title in Portuguese, since the storyline discusses, in a sense, the concept of truth in journalism.

The most bizarre renaming, however, is found in the series Black-ish.

The awesome ABC show has come to be Família Desajustada (i.e. Troubled Family or Dysfunctional Family). You gotta be kidding me...

Be a three-point shooter or die - the contemporary NBA's "dilemma"

When I was younger I used to play basketball, even living here in Brazil.

So what?

Well, it is surprising because, as you probably know, soccer is kind of a mandatory religion, when it comes to this tropical, peculiar country. So, every Brazilian - since their childhood - is condemned to "the curse of one-single-sports mindset".

What does it mean?

Let me give you some examples.

PE classes are nothing but impromptu soccer matches for schoolboys in the majority of educational institutions. Female students, on the other hand, play some sort of dodgeball (we call it "queimada"). In public places, small talks usually involve chatting about the last soccer games. Brazilian sports journalism is focused on soccer - 95% of the time. Need I say more?

Against all odds, however, I became a huge basketball enthusiast. And, of course, like the worldwide opinion, NBA is the most-beloved competition.

Naturally, I have my favorite players. John Wall, DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Karl-Anthony Towns - this would be my ideal lineup. Each one, in my opinion, have brought some valuable, wonderfull and - at the same time - uncomplicated things to the game. DeRozan, by the way, is the best illustration of that.

Toronto Raptors' shooting guard has been presenting a nice, classic playing style on court; his moves remind me the 1980' ones (I started to see NBA broadcasts at that time), however, with the athleticism of the present-day guys. DeRozan's stats have proven his worth to the team and a large number of fans agree that he deserves to be called a star (speaking of which, he was elected to NBA All-Star Game four times - 2014, 2016, 2017 and this year).

But DeRozan's elegant "old-fashioned" way is changing a little. And it's necessary, if he wants to be even more important for his team (and even more prominent in the league). Being a good three-point shooter is crucial nowadays. He's realized it and his numbers around the perimeter show that.

In his first NBA season DeRozan tried, on average, 0.2 three-point field goals per game; in his fourth one, an increase to 1.5. Recently, he attempted 3.6 three-pointers per game in 2017-18 season. His efficiency behind the 3-point line is not that good yet, but the Raptors' player has learnt that his playing style must incorporate those shots, since many guards, forwards and even centers have been developing that ability.

It's not a secret. Every NBA team - even San Antonio Spurs - needs three-pointers, if they want to go ahead and, eventually, win the championship. I think it's not an exaggeration to say that NBA players have been facing a "dilemma": Be a three-point shooter or die.