Il muro di gomma recounts on the big screen one of the blackest and never resolved pages of Italian history. Marco Risi proves once again that he is capable of tackling dramatic cinema with talent and refinement. He does so while maintaining an excellent rhythm and great acting. Corso Salani's performance is particularly good, for the first time in a leading role.
An enjoyable film that recounts and recalls the horror of Cosa Nostra's clue period of criminal activity in Palermo. A product to appreciate with low expectations, this first experience as director of Pif still shows some important acerbities. The acting, in particular, leaves something to be desired. Nonetheless, it is a valid product for a large audience, especially with the intention of raising awareness of issues too often forgotten in the mainstream.
An excellent social drama that leaves you with acid in your stomach. Masterfully directed actors, excellent set design and a good soundtrack. A great product of Italian independent cinema. That's it.
Yet another low-budget product of the 'great' Italian independent cinema. Once again the social criticism of rich villains with neither skills nor talents. If not that the subject has been treated infinitely better in previous decades and that the story is of a disarming banality, painful dialogue, actors (potentially good) are directed in a ridiculous way. Dear Virzì, go back to doing what you were appreciated for in your early days and leave this stuff alone.
Benvenuti in casa Gori is a film that deals with tired topics in a highly ambiguous way. A drama with comic intentions that makes one neither laugh nor cry. The narrative rhythm is shattered and tends to make everything rather boring. Apart from the occasional amusing sketch, it is a work that leaves one really uncomfortable. Probably only Tuscans can appreciate it.
Harsh and uncomfortable, Memory House is a drama that leaves a strong bitter taste in the mouth. A dreadful story, brilliantly acted and accompanied by great cinematography. Some aspects related to the 'fantasy' element of the story can be improved (or somehow waived), but overall a more than good debut.
Lee Scratch Perry's Vision of Paradise is everything you would expect from a documentary about Lee Scratch Perry. The historical hints and insights into the life of this incredible artist are present and very interesting. But the strength of this feature film lies in the numerous moments in which his daily life, his genius and his madness, are shown. An invaluable contribution that reaffirms what a unique prophet Lee Scratch Perry was.
An excellent animated thriller with a well-crafted plot and exceptional characters (some of the coolest villains animations has seen!). Macskafogó is a little-known gem with a pleasant post-Soviet flavor. A must-see for fans of underground animation cinema.
An unpretentious comedy centred on the typical dynamics faced by young Italians in the 21st century. Despite the potentially valid cast and the talents already demonstrated previously by Venier, Generazione 1000 euro does not surprise, does not entertain, and does not even seem to have the desire to do so. A futile attempt to reintroduce Santa Maradona a few years after its release.
A more than worthy follow-up to the previous Mery per sempre. Marco Risi once again demonstrates excellent directing in telling the drama of the lost lives of a handful of young men. Once again, the young supporting actors demonstrate excellent acting. The lack of a more solid protagonist is perhaps felt, but the result is still excellent. Noteworthy soundtrack.
A work that has all the bitterness and sigh of a punch in the stomach, Mery per sempre is one of the many little-known gems of Italian cinema. The direction and screenplay are very good, and the acting of the young leads is remarkable. The only small flaws (if we must be picky) that do not allow the film to be considered a small masterpiece are the ending, alas a bit typical, and Placido's acting, not always up to the dramatic nature of the subject.
The story of an 11-year-old girl and a 29-year-old guy who 'fall in love' with each other. A brave subject that is unfortunately dealt with in a highly superficial and inconclusive manner.
A mostly pointless sentimental comedy with no rhyme or reason. It neither makes you laugh nor cry. The only funny moment in the whole film is the brief scene of Calogero in a truck on his way to Naples.
A film of great quality that traces the most decisive moments of Lincoln's life during the American Civil War. The cast and the acting are excellent, including an evergreen Daniel Day-Lewis and an exceptional Tommy Lee Jones. Although the pace drops at times, Spielberg succeeds in delivering a valuable product in the understanding of this tremendous historical epic.
Ferreri's second feature film has the laudable and courageous intention of showing the effects of the Spanish Civil War on young people with a typical neorealism approach. Unfortunately, only the intention is praiseworthy, as the end product is a film with a fragmented, confusing and largely inconclusive narrative.
Marco Ferreri's first feature film co-directed with the lesser-known Isidoro M. Ferry. Despite a promising start, this grotesque comedy loses its punch as it progresses towards the end. In spite of its short duration, after half the film the pace becomes tedious, creating a certain amount of suspense towards the finale. The latter does not lead to any twists and turns contrary to expectations, leaving overall a bit of a disappointment.
A demential comedy typical of the years in which it was filmed but of far higher quality than its peers. In his directorial debut, Marco Risi proves that he is capable of making a light-hearted film that doesn't lapse into boorishness like many of his colleagues of the time. There are many amusing sketches for those who are open to viewing the film in an unpretentious manner.
Glory is the first and only film to bring to the big screen the incredible story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War. It does so with the support of a great cast, great cinematography and fine attention to detail. An unconvincing Broderick seems to suggest that Robert Gould Shaw was not a particularly outstanding man for command. Yet the evidence for this seems to say just the opposite. Generally a more than good film. But some brave director might try his luck and bring the story back to cinemas to give it further honour. The potential is still very high.
Free State of Jones is a film that tells an almost unknown precious story of American history. Gary Ross decides to deal with the episode with a strongly cinematographic imprint, sometimes to the detriment of the realism with which he tells the historical period. In spite of this, he generally succeeds very well in his intention to enhance it. The broken narrative and a slight lack of grit, however, do not give that extra touch that would have allowed the film to reach a higher level. In any case, it is still a very good product.
A film with a majestic production and a very high potential that turns out to be disarmingly banal. The morbid story with its pathetic ending seems reminiscent of a Way of the Cross. To make matters worse, one cannot help but feel an inevitable sense of dislike for the main character, a petit bourgeois saved by the grace of the 'poor commoners'. Most of the characters generally appear as caricatures of other performances stolen here and there. Some come close to the ridiculous like Ruby Thewes or Bosie. Excluding the film's set design and some performances by untouchable actors, Hoffman and Gleeson among them, Cold Mountain is basically an inexplicably overrated movie. The vision can end after the first quarter of an hour with the Battle of the Crater, which, contrary to the rest of the film, deserves for its accuracy and impact.
Dopo mezzanotte is a typical example of a work in which it is impossible to make an unambiguous judgement. The script, the acting and the production appear to be decidedly low-level. One would think that this 'low fidelity' is a deliberate artistic choice on Ferrario's part. But when all is said and done, there is no reason to think so. To go along with these aspects, Dopo mezzanotte nevertheless remains a short, light and pleasant comedy. It is hard not to feel sympathy for the simplicity of the story and its characters.
The story of a handful of men in the setting of the American Civil War. Ride with the Devil is an underrated effort with an impressive production and a commendable result. Ang Lee manages, despite the atypical nature of his work compared to others, to reach the heights of the finest films on the subject. Generally excellent acting, noteworthy Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Jeffrey Wright in their supporting roles.
A little gem of Middle Eastern cinema offering subtle food for thought in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Etz Limon is a film that reminds us that 'stories only end well in American movies', that is, stories only end well for those on the winning side. Superb performance by Hiam Abbass.
The first emotional adventures and misadventures of three French teenagers discovering their sexuality. La Naissance des pieuvres is a delicate but thoughtful film that reminds us how influential those precious formative years are in a person's life. Noteworthy, first leading roles for all three main actresses, who show through their performances their great potential.
An intense, well-made and beautifully acted film. De Rienzo in Risi's hands proves to be a highly versatile actor, excellent also as a drama protagonist, beyond his secondary comic parts for which he is mainly renowned. A worthy reminder of a sad story that deserves to be told.
A sentimental drama so stuffed with frills and absurd tear-jerkers that it is mostly laughable. The great production and 'ready-made' pace make it a watchable film all in all. But the end result is mostly forgettable for those with good taste.
A pleasant family story whose fairytale magic is combined with the magic of the setting. Generally very good actors, especially the very young protagonist. The moral, almost 30 years after the film was made and more than 60 years after the novel was written, is as relevant as ever.
A drama so exaggerated that it is sometimes comical. The pace of the film is headache-inducing. Van Dormael's intention to stage some grotesque scenes (which, taken on their own, are of great artistic value) in a generally tear-jerking context is incomprehensible. The only note of merit goes to the two very young lead actors who prove to be far better than their older colleagues.
Yet another big screen performance of Pergaud's classic La Guerre des boutons. The film shows many similarities with the previous Les Choristes by the same director, including the proximity of the historical period, the set design and the choice of most of the actors. In general, a pleasant movie for the general public but with little relevance and an often forced comic-sentimental intent.
The depiction of a post-wedding nightmare, which in turn proves to be a narrative nightmare for the viewer.
It deserves a pass only for a few scenes that stand out for their avant-garde value. A gem among these is undoubtedly Carlo's dream in which the protagonists are young boys going through a Catholic ceremony and young men dancing on a beach to the rhythm of Beat Music composed by an immense Ennio Morricone.
