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Mr. Turner (2014)
A wasted opportunity
It is not clear what the purpose of this movie is, but what is clear is that it doesn't achieve potential purposes that would have been interesting: It fails in telling a story, it fails in portraying the wonderful painter William Turner was, it fails in explaining Romanticism and the cultural changes it brought. The movie shows scenes from Turner's late years, but it does so without providing background information or an explanatory context. It doesn't help that the scenes shown are not necessarily connected. There is no thread and it's hard to understand who the characters are or why do they do what they do. What a pity!
It's a wasted opportunity. Because in a time where people show off their ignorance proudly, this could have been a great vehicle for creating knowledge through entertainment. But the movie is not intelligible, and it certainly doesn't entertain.
Soul (2020)
Studio Ghibli for dummies
This movie started well, telling the story of a man with a dilemma: a stable if boring existence vs the opportunity to fulfil an uncertain dream. But then it went weird, moving into some sort of schematic mythological world. And from there, it just went wrong, complicated but simplistic at the same time, it went all over the place.
Overacted, almost histrionic, the characters are two-dimensional. The story is not bad, but the way it's told is an insult to intelligence: Too complicated for children, too much explanation for adults.
The best part of the movie is indeed the music, which made the experience tolerable. Still, the whole thing felt like a Studio Ghibli movie for dummies.
Wind River (2017)
Predictable Hollywood
This is a typical Hollywood crime mystery movie, where the goods guys speak few words with great intensity, and FBI agents are very young and very blond girls. And then the story touches upon the right topics dictated by current political correctness standards: Minorities and abuse towards women. The plot is ok and the movie could have been ok too, but it's just another predictable, flat, nuace-less product from the factory of cheap dreams.
But reviews here show that this kind of stuff is what people want to watch. I'm amazed at the high votes this movie is getting. In five years from now, it will be forgotten.
Sciuscià (1946)
This movie is so good I couldn't finish watching it
Well done, well acted, well written, well directed. So much so that it was too painful. The movie is an amazing work of art, it's full of human emotions and beauty. But it felt so sad to see how people, in this case children, get morally corrupted by the effects of war and poverty. It's a devastating story, and I couldn't finish watching the film: I needed some fresh air, I went for a walk.
I should have known better: I wasn't able to finish the Grave of the Fireflies, and I'm still recovering from Paths of Glory. War movies about the war for real, not about impossible heroes with ridiculous courage and muscles.
I strongly recommend this movie, it is excellent.
La vita è bella (1997)
Sugary crowd pleaser
This is a sad feel-good movie, if that makes sense: Benigni coats horrible history and suffering with loads of sugar and histrionics, touching all possible soft spots of his audience, then includes an American flag at the end of it all, and there you have it: A perfect product to guarantee quick emotions and box office success. A comedy about a serious topic, a movie where you can eat popcorn while still having the self-satisfying feeling you're watching something significant. The formula is effective, as one can confirm by taking a quick look at the awards this movie has won, or at the reviews written here...
I found it disappointing, though. I didn't enjoy the show: To me the mechanisms and tricks behind it were all too obvious, and the acting was... Benigni is too much for me, and his wife too little. In this movie they were almost embarrassing - the whole movie was.
La vita bugiarda degli adulti (2023)
Boh
When reading Elena Ferrante's books I had a feeling of shame, as I became increasingly conscious of the fact that what I was reading is bad literature well written. The same happens with this series.
Good cinematography, beautiful photography, effective soundtrack, spot on casting. And yet... It doesn't work.
The problem is the backbone of the story, the characters. Why is everyone in this so confused about everything? Like, all the time, constantly confused, tense, lost. Why? Why are the main characters doing what they do? What are their reasons? We don't know and we are not given a chance to know, to understand them at least a bit. We don't learn about them, we just see them being erratic and confused, all of them, all the time during the six episodes the season lasts. Boh.
Scarface (1983)
Awful, couldn't finish it. What a disappointment!
Al Pacino overacts like an amateur, it's painful to see a good actor doing this - and talking like this! Michelle Pfeiffer is beautiful as always, but so boring to watch, it feels as if she doesn't want to be in this movie. What a waste! Mastrantonio does a good job but cannot possibly save the film because it's all about Pacino, so...
I could live with the 80s decor and cheesy vibe, even with the misogyny and the violence, but the acting! What a disappointment!
I'm giving six stars because didn't finish watching the movie, and who knows, maybe I would have been surprised in the end? I don't think so... The hour+ that I saw was awful!
Antonio Machado. Los días azules (2020)
Interesting material - but
Good interviews, very interesting materials, but the documentary is rather slow and one gets a bit lost, the thread is not clear.
Apart from that, a point that doesn't help raising the level: The man reading Machado's poems is... too theatrical, too baroque, too sugary, too much. A pity! Machado is such a lean poet, his poems are so pure and simple, this reader is killing every word, ah!
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
What an experience - again and again
It must be the third or fourth time I watch this movie - once a decade, why not? It's so good: Engaging story, amazing photography, elegant aesthetics, clever dialogues, complex 3D characters, epic, tension and drama, ah! Who cares if it's not 100% accurate when it comes to historical events? This is Cinema!
La grande bellezza (2013)
Boring
This film would had made sense in the 60s or the 70s, but to make it nowadays is an exercise of pretentious egotism. And it's just boring.
This is no Antonioni, and definitely no Fellini! This is a shallow portrait of a country in decadence, made to please the taste of an audience who doesn't seem to care. Insomma, not interesting.
Marriage Story (2019)
Overacted, histrionic, and yet so boring
I really wanted to enjoy this film, I had heard so many good things about it... but I couldn't even watch half of it! So boring it was, with loooong, uninteresting monologues about how a cliche of a relationship goes and breaks. And then those actresses ridiculously overacting (the mother, the lawyer, the friend), at times it was like watching a sit-com.
So, bottom line, quite disappointing. I guess this movie is getting all this praise simply because by comparison to the majority of Hollywood movies it is somehow "serious", but no it's not, it's just boring, sorry.
Dhanak (2015)
Lovely.
I'm watching this movie with my 6-year old daughter as if it was a TV series: Bollywood movies are too long for her. We're watching it for the second time now, and we're loving it as much as the first time. She as a child, because the film is an adventurous fairytale, and me as a parent, because it shows the ugly world while giving the chance to believe in a better one, it praises beautiful family values, and it encourages girls to go for their dreams. A lovely movie. Bollywood did it again!
Doktor Zhivago (2006)
Finally
Finally a series that does justice to Pasternak - and to the Russian people. Other versions of this rich, complex, terribly human, and deeply Russian story, focus on superficial aspects, both of love and political history, and make use of clichés to represent what some consider exotic. Here we see through all of that, this series takes you to the human beings beneath the surface and shows their development, their dreams and their despair unfolding together with those of their land.
Fantastic acting, excellent cinematography, efficient editing, good photography. This is not a huge Hollywood production, it's a sincere and long due tribute to Pasternak's masterpiece.
Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (2011)
An exciting thriller disguised as a realistic movie
I had not idea what to expect when I started watching this movie. The title suggested something like a romantic story, and as the film is Iranian, I thought maybe it was about a forced separation of two lovers because of political reasons? It's quite the opposite. And the fact that it is from Iran gives only a background: This is not an "exotic" movie. And it's not romantic at all. At least not in the traditional way. This is a movie about how two people grow apart, how a relationship deteriorates because of the circumstances and communication gives way to misunderstandings, about how hope and a project together turn into disappointment and exasperation. And this is told in a way that makes the film so original and thrilling I'm still thinking about it some days after I watched it. There is a brilliant dialog in the movie that condenses all the drama of a separation: - But you said it wasn't serious. - Well, it became serious. Perfect.
El ministerio del tiempo (2015)
Exciting, smart, fresh
How accurate these series are, I'm not sure. I'm no expert, but so far all the historical facts seem quite correct, and that is part of the fun. This series is funny, and also smart and exciting. Well written, well acted, decently edited, professionally directed. I'm really enjoying watching it!
Even for those not familiar with Spanish history, many of the characters are fictitious anyway, and those who are not are big names. And in case someone in the audience wouldn't recognise those big names, they are all explained so the plot makes sense for everyone.
So give it a try, you won't regret it!
Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados (2013)
Predictable feel-good movie
Predictable feel-good movie based on the true story of a school teacher in Spain in the 60's. It's a story of hope, perseverance, and coming-of-age, told through the road-trip of three sweet strangers. Nothing strictly wrong with that, although sometimes the predictability is just too much, and the feel-good vive gets way too cheesy. The story in which the film is based is actually an amazing one, and the movie could have benefited from that raw material in a better way. Instead, it is full of clichés and flat characters. Spain is depicted as if on a tourist guide from the days of Franco: Beautiful landscapes, naive peasants, pretty girls, and a closed, narrow-minded society. Parents are severe, children are rebellious, and... strawberries are eaten in Almería. The actors do a decent job, but the direction is almost embarrassing at certain points. Seriously, the girl who sings as she has sex?! The handicapped boy with whom everybody gets on really well just because? The tough guy who is plainly mean without a reason?? The whole thing could have felt more real, more natural, if only the characters and scenes were treated with a bit more depth. I learned that this movie has been selected to represent Spain at the Oscar's. OMG. But OK, considering the films that have been awarded in the past, anything can happen, I guess. And yet, where are the days when Spanish cinema would leave you breathless? What happened to the young Garci, the solid Medem, the brilliant Berlanga, the elegant Saura, the fresh Almodóvar, the audacious Amenábar? Ay!
The Wire (2002)
Simply amazing in every sense
This is not just a TV series about cops and drug dealers in the city of Baltimore, this is a rich, nuanced fresco showing the reality of our society. It's complex, fascinating and exhausting, all in one. No clean cut characters, no good-guys / bad-guys, no straight forward stories. Each season deals with a different subject: illegal drug dealing, international criminal organisations, social problems related to drugs, political corruption, the media. All of it pictured with such attention to details, in such a realistic and unbiased way, supported by such high-quality acting and writing, that you can be sure you won't be disappointed at any time. The series is slow-cooking style, with little especial effects and a rather conventional editing. This might sound old-fashioned, but the approach to the themes and characters is so honest that the result is simply classical, timeless. I read somewhere that, if people want to know about society in the 19th century, they should read Dostojevsky, and if they want to know about society in our times, they should watch The Wire. There you go. Enjoy it.
Django Unchained (2012)
Tarantino, what happened here? :-(
What happened here? Where is the magic? The unique Tarantino's touch? Where the originality, the fresh dialogs, the smart plot? This movie is boring, flat, badly written and worse acted. The story is predictable to the point it's annoying. The good guy is so good, the bad guy so bad. Why? We don't know, as they are not 3D characters but cardboard puppets. In fact, the whole movie feels like a puppet show. And then those cheesy flashbacks showing the sweet couple during their sweet days! What is this, a telenovela? I am sorry Tarantino, because obviously the loss of Ms Menkes has affected the quality of his production terribly. I hope he will recover it soon and give us again the special films that made him one of the greatest artists of cinematography. Django, what a disappointment!
Homeland (2011)
Feels like a draft of what could have been a really good show.
This is a good show, no doubt, but to me it is a disappointment. I was expecting a smarter product, a serious depiction of a complex subject. Because they had it all: an interesting story, good actors, a huge production. Instead they deliver this flat soap-opera, full of clichés, bidimensional characters, weak concepts, predictable lines... Really disappointing! What a shame!
I'll throw some examples to illustrate my point. Regarding the characters, for instance: The mother, Jess: such a simple-minded housewife, selfish and cold. Can this be a real woman? It makes me think of Mad Men's Betty Draper; they have attributes in common, but Betty is 3D, so complex and subtle, whereas Jess is just an annoying character, boring to the limit. Then you have Mike. Is this a man or a monkey?! Can he think at all? Amazing. To say nothing of Dana, the daughter. In a bad mood for two seasons. Unbearable. And she has absolute power over practically every grown-up! WTH. And "the Arabs". All of them weird by nature, it seems. Com'on! And Ayleen. Do they really expect us to believe this character?! Insulting. And Saul ie the good guy. So good he's terribly predictable. I know you need to have a good guy in the story, but this is almost Disney!
Anyway. Then there is the way these characters talk and move. Carrie is exhaustive, overacted. Jess is such a perfect American housewife it makes you laugh. The CIA guys are so devoted is beyond reality. Those lines, please! Some dialogues are so Western-hero they are almost naif...
Of course the settings are great, and the effects, that kind of things. But when it comes to the cinematographic stuff, the script, the editing, it just seems this was a draft for what could have been a really good show. I wish the team behind "The Wire" could have had a look at that draft!
Un cuento chino (2011)
Enjoyable but a bit sentimental
It's happening a lot lately with Argentinian movies: They tend to be a bit too sentimental, it's been the trend since "El hijo de la novia". This "Cuento chino" is no exception. It is a classic reconciliation story, the reconciliation of bitter Roberto with life and love through a meeting with a stranger which makes him reconsider his attitude. It is rather predictable all in all, both in the structure and in the content. A pity, because there are some fresh, surprising components in the movie which could have been used to a larger extent, and maybe the result would have been more original. But it's OK, the film is charming and enjoyable. Not a masterpiece, though.
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Flat
I have been reading some of the reviews written here, and I have to say I strongly disagree with the two main lines of opinion I've detected: You will love this movie if you are an educated person with an interest for culture, or you will hate it because of the religious controversy. No, it's rather a combination of those two lines: You will hate it precisely because you are an educated person with an interest for culture. Because the movie is flat and shallow, mediocre. The story is decent, although they are including way too much information for a movie, which is a typical error when adapting a book. If you haven't read the book (and I have not) you might find yourself drowning in a historical essay rather than enjoying a movie. But well, this doesn't really matter because there is little to enjoy: The direction is so bad that the movie is simply annoying. The actors seem to be there by coincidence, puppets of a crazy script. Things happen to them all the time, but it's like they are not touched, they are just watching. So when they are forced to show some kind of life or feelings, it's almost ridiculous. Take the love story between the two main characters: Where did that come from? Zero chemistry. Not credible at all. So bottomline: Much ado about nothing. Puff!
PS- The issues some people might have with religions or opinions about them have nothing to do with cinema and shouldn't be taken into consideration when reviewing a movie. Please!
Amarcord (1973)
Honesty and humour
I was laughing out loud while seeing this movie in the theatre yesterday, and so was much of the audience. But of course! There are scenes in this movie that are so honest and so clean that you can only laugh at them, or laugh at yourself, which would be the same thing. Because this movie is about you, me, all of us: Our dreams, our frustrations, our desires, our disappointments. Denying it would be hypocrisy, which we see a lot of in movies today: The obsession of hiding harshness, of being politically correct (and I have to say that the fact that the majority of very negative reviews on this title come from the USA speaks for itself...). We have all been there, actively or passively, maybe only watching, but there. People are the same everywhere! And it is just wonderful to see these portraits of people made with such honest love, without bad intentions or double morals, without prejudices. Maybe a little bit too much nostalgia, but hey, this is a movie of reconciliation with life, after the disillusion of La dolce vita and the sour sweet 8 e mezzo. Fellini is now accepting life with all its beauty - and its miseries. Fantastic. And great fun!
The Social Network (2010)
A classic.
In these days of special effects and parallel realities, this movie shines like a rare jewel. No fantasy worlds, no bullets, no explosions, just old-fashioned feelings. Human beings facing life, making choices and coping with the consequences. And facebook? Oh, it's a minor detail. The mcguffin, as Hitchock would call it. This movie is not about facebook, strictly speaking. It's about self identity, friendship, values. Sounds weary? But of course, this story has been told so many times! That's why this movie is great: It's so good to see that some people out there still believe that what counts is not the story but how you tell it! It's a fact: there is no new story. No matter how much make up you put on it -blue like in Avatar, or dreamy like in Inception-, every story is an old one. So you better get an amazing script to tell yours, and you might want to have some solid acting too, and of course a serious editor, and some cool music. And there you go: you have a classic.
The American (2010)
Great movie! Don't let peers' votes discourage you!
How can this movie be rated 6.6/10? I can't understand it! It's not the best movie ever, but it's a more than decent film. The story might not be the strongest point, but still: although it's not an especially original plot, the progression and evolution are not predictable. However, the best about this film is the way this story is told. Every shot has been thought of and is full of meaning. Photography and art direction are amazing, locations are very well chosen and shown, and actors are not bad either. The rhythm is slow but never dull, as each scene is loaded with tension. And the ending is refreshing, unexpected. OK, sometimes there are some almost embarrassing clichés that spoil the movie here and there, but but let's not forget this is a Hollywood product after all! And if these clichés are so obvious it's also because the rest of the film is so fine it makes them even more evident. All in all, a very good movie indeed. So where does this 6.6 come from?! Don't let that rating discourage you: this is definitely worth watching!
Sex and the City (2008)
Shallow. Can't take this seriously.
It makes me sad to see the effort put in making this shallow, utterly commercial movie. All these people working on such a project, all the money and the time put into it. What for? What is this movie giving us? Nothing. I am still shocked. So empty it is almost insulting. Or rather worrying. Do some people really want to live like this? Is this a model for someone? I can't believe it. I am still shocked. Did I write that already? The clothes and all that stuff is ridiculous but it's almost funny. But the dialogs, the characters, the values! That is disgusting, simply disgusting. Discouraging. I don't want to believe that this movie reflects a reality of our days. This cannot be us! I want to puke.