Movies watched recently 9

The Outsiders: This is one of Coppola's worst, though it's still a good movie. The screenplay tells an interesting, though simplistic and very flawed story, using developed leading characters and some good dialog to make this touching. The acting is very good, specially by C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Diane Lane and Ralph Maccio, who are natural and affecting. It's well-directed, with some beautiful shots of nature relating to human feeling. The soundtrack and editing are quite good, but unremarkable. The problem is the cinematography, that looks amateurish, not any epic (this reduces the emotion of the movie a lot) and just doesn't fit here. This is a decent movie, but by no means unmissable.
Uptown Girls: This is a common mainstream comedy. The screenplay has an interesting, potentially funny basic story, which should have been more explored; instead, there are too many clichéd subplots. Although the physical humor is just useless, the two leading characters are well-written enough and the dialogs between them are funny. The acting is quite good by Dakota Fanning, who shows precocious understanding of her character's behavior and precise comic timing. Brittany Murphy is not too annoying and can make her character vaguely understandable. Technically, this is just unremarkable and mediocre. This is light fluff.

An American Rhapsody: This is a purely beautiful drama with a powerful screenplay and brilliant acting. It's an honest tear-jerker with a poignant story that covers a lot of themes seriously. It's an absorbing story that's very well-told. The pace is perfect, the characters are all full-fleshed and flawed, but still likable. The acting is amazing: Scarlett Johansson captures her character's emotions using her eyes admirably, Kelly Endresz-Banlaki has intuitive talent and she's very realistic, Nastassja Kinski has perfect body language and Tony Goldwin delivers an effective interpretation of a character that could've been a cliché. These last two master the accent and can speak in hungarian. All the supporting actors are also mind-blowing. The direction visibly comes from the heart, and the shots are all beautiful. The cinematography, sets, music, capture the very different feelings of the countryside and the american suburbs. The use of hungarian, and black and white color in some sequences made this more realistic. It's not a masterpiece of film-making, but it's an honest, well-told story.

The Royal Tenenbaums: This is a very original, extremely well-done dark comedy. It's the subtly told story of a troubled family of have-beens: all the characters are quirky and interesting and the relationships between them are slowly, though beautifully developed. The fairytale-like narration makes this by turns touching and darkly humorous. The dialogs are great, and all that's left unsaid makes them more realistic. The acting is impressive: I adored the entire cast and the chemistry between them. Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wislon, Gene Hackman and Ben Stiller were standouts for me. The direction is simply gorgeous: the shots are (physically and emotionally) distant from the characters, allowing the plot to develop and humor to flourish. The rock'n'roll music, antiseptic cinematography and clean editing work perfectly. This is not a very funny comedy, but it's a great character study.

Les Choristes: This is a pleasant story about a teacher who's successfully able to make his student's lives better. It's unpretentious and simple, with touching, believable characters, even if clearly divided in goodies and baddies. It works here, giving the movie a dreamy feeling. The acting is good: the adult actors are fitting and perfect parts and the kids are charismatic. The direction is beautiful even if common, holding a particular charm that's similar to Chocolat.The cinematography and editing are neat.
Almost Famous: This is an excellent movie that feels like a labor of love. The story is fascinating and it captures rock'n'roll spirit perfectly. The characters are very well-built: they are simply human and they feel raw emotions. The subplots are all developed. The dialogs feel real. The acting is brilliant: Kate Hudson is perfect, capturing confusion, angst, love and beauty, creating one of the most beautiful characters I've seen. Patrick Fugit and Frances McDormand realistically capture their characters feelings and get you to actually feel them. The direction is pitch-perfect: the shots feel edgy, create a great ambiance that reminds you of the 70's and allow you to feel and understand this movie on many levels. The soundtrack is great, using some of the best rock'n'roll songs, that highlight the characters and their feelings. The 70's look cinematography and the fluid, natural, unobtrusive editing elevate this movie to a classic status. This is unique for you can truly feel this movie.

Casablanca: This is a great, truly romantic classic. It has a wonderful nostalgic feeling about it, it's technically perfect, well-acted and directed. The story is widely-known and extremely well-told. It equilibrates romance with politics perfectly and it's intelligently nuanced. The dialogs include fabulous lines and poignant moments. The acting is very good: Ingrid Bergman is intense and realistically torn, Humphrey Bogart portrays is typical character, Paul Henreid is believable and Claude Rains portrays his unique character admirably. Michael Curtiz gets the perfect shots and he's able to make this authentically romantic. The score is beautiful, the cinematography is gorgeous andthe editing is unobrtusive but effective. This is a masterpiece.

Movies watched recently 8

Blue In The Face: This follow-up to Smoke is very different and it's not as good, in my opinion. This hasn't got a storyline, it's basically a group of sketches stuck together. That's not too bad, since they're actually funny and the acting is good. The characters are well-developed for such a short period of time. The direction is simple but appropriate. The problem is that it often seems vague and pointless, like this is just a group of people improvising, so even if it's entertaining, it's forgettable. This is also related to the very bad editing, that just seemed random.

The Simpsons Movie: This is simply hilarious. It feels like an extended Simpsons episode, and it is able to keep the good pace of those and it's permanently funny. There isn't a minute in which you don't laugh. The story is entertaining and it satirizes America greatly. The animation, voices and characters are as good as in the TV series. It's hugely entertaining and it has some of the most brilliant touches in an animated comedy I can remember.

Ratatouille: This is a very good family movie. The animation is simply excellent: it captures the textures and movement perfectly and it creates a gorgeous animated Paris. The story is the characteristic Disney tale of the underdog, so it's predictable, but the characters are original, the jokes are fresh and the subplots are interesting. The direction is very stylish and the action is fluid and very enjoyable. The editing and soundtrack work very well. I recommend it.
A River Runs Through It: This is a beautiful movie in every aspect, even if it is predictable. Technically, it is just perfect: the direction is precise, with traditional, but breathtaking shots, the cinematography highlights the natural colors making them gorgeous, the editing is simple and effective, the soundtrack is fitting, the sets are amazing and the costumes are realistic. All this gives the movie a nostalgic, lovable feeling. The screenplay tells a solid story using a simple progression and few characters, that are mostly fleshed-out. There are several amusing scenes, the dialog is good and the narration is compelling. The acting is excellent: all the actors do a good job, portraying believable characters with charm, specially Craig Sheffer, Emily Lloyd, Tom Skerritt and Brad Pitt. Overall, this is a bit forgettable and it has already been seen many times before, but it's entertaining and visually breathtaking.

Point Break: This is the typical bad action movie : it uses all the clichés it possibly could and, in my opinion, it's badly done. The screenplay is the typical story about FBI guy chasing the baddies, though it could have had a philosophical edge, that's just not developed. The dialog and story progress are just laughable. The direction and editing are terrible: they are way too fast and never thrilling or exciting. The acting is mostly really bad: Keanu Reeves holds the same expression through the entire movie and Patrick Swayze is laughably unrealistic. This could work if it was a comedy or a satire.

Books read recently 3

The History of Love by Nicola Krauss: I enjoyed this book, it's good and worth-reading but not a masterpiece. Nicola Krauss has a beuatiful, sensible writing style and the voices she creates are touching and believable. The narrative is skillfully built to a pitch-perfect, simple, affecting ending. It has humor, drama and raw emotions. All that stops it from being truly great is its shortness (the story could and should have been more deveploped) and the not engaging, barely existent supporting characters. Even so, it's a good read and I recommend it

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky: This is an odd, quirky book that doesn't fulfill its potential. Charlie's voice is somewhat forced, though sometimes very poetic and also the letter format doesn't fit. The supporting characters are much more interesting and their struggles are often touching, but some are lame clichés. Itt also doesn't semm real that Charlie would be accepted and have a group of older, cooler friends. Besides, all the issues he faces-basically, everything that could happen-are just too much. The development of the story is mostly compelling, but the ending is forced. So, this is a n author that shows potential but this book just lacks balance and realism. By the way, Charlie is not a normal teenager- he seem to have some disorder such as autism.

His Dark Materials trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman: This is a compelling fantasy story with thought-provoking themes. It's well-written and all the philosophy is fascinating, though I think it's too long and, sometimes, frustrating. The characters arere strong and humane, and Mrs Coulter is actually a brilliant character. The writing style is fitting and very good. The descriptions are well-done but the action is dull and the emotions never really came across except in the ending.It's original and worth-reading if you like fantasy, but it's not an essential.

Movies watched recently 7

Saved!: This is a very intelligent religious satire. It has an inventive screenplay, that uses the typical teen comedy story but creates believable characters and some serious subjects. The dialogs are also very funny and, sometimes, thought-provoking. The storyline develops at the right pace and has a positive message. The actors are talented, specially Jena Malone who is pitch-prefect and Eva Amurri, who's really hilarious. Macaulay Cullkin is also unexpectedly good. The direction is interesting: the director gets the most out of his actors and shoots this movie by turns sensibly and destructive. The soundtrack fits beautifully and the cinematography gives the movie a clean, fluffy, american look. This is a thoughtful, uplifting, original comedy.

Smoke: This film works just like a good Paul Auster novel- believable characters, entertaining situations, touching relationships, interesting subplots and life-stories, some humor and a positive message. I really enjoyed it. Not just the screenplay was good, the actors also did a fine job. It's a terrific ensemble cast, with realistic, beautiful performances by Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Harold Perrineau (though he looks too old for his character), Stockard Channing and Forest Withaker. The technicals are average, but this is just delightful and it has a beautiful ending.
All About Eve: This is a brilliant classic. It's an unique character study that shows the world of show-biz perfectly. The characters are fascinating and the relationships between them are realistic and the dialog is highly quotable, witty and nuanced. The performances are hauntingly perfect: Bette Davis gives one of the best performances you're likely to watch. She captures her character's emotions and fears, has amazing chemistry with the other actors, delivers the dialog memorably and you simply can't take your eyes off her. Anne Baxter plays bitchy while being humane and the supporting cast is very well-chosen. The chemistry between the two leads is just palpably real. The direction is simple and effective, focusing on the facial expressions and letting the screenplay breathe, while having some brilliant shots. The cinematography and costumes are also good. This is a true classic and it's inspiring.

Movies watched recently 6

New York Stories: These three stories are very different in all aspects, and they make an interesting puzzle. Martin Scorsese's segment is perfectly directed and excels at portraying obsessions; the acting here is also very good, and the relationships between characters are affecting. Coppola's part lacks in content what it has in style: the story and acting are pleasant, I really don't care for the direction, but the visuals are arresting. The last story, Woody Allen's is simply hilarious. The acting is very good, the story is absurd, filled with clever lines and interesting characters. This is worth watching.

La Messa È Finita: This movie lacks the joy, humanity, and positive feeling of other Nanni Moretti films. I found it boring and the leading character annoyed me, but as a social portrait it's good. The story is too sketchy and I didn't find it gripping but some if the secondary dramas are interesting. The acting was good, all the actors were believable. The direction adopted a gritty, very fitting style, it was probably the best thing in the movie. Technically, this is decent and the soundtrack is good.
Les Quatre Cents Coups: This is an unique movie about growing up misunderstood. It is subtle, poetic and beautifully told. It feels honest and realistic: the screenplay is very simple but thoughtful and with strong characters and true emotions. The direction is breath-taking, with amazing shots that convey a lot of thoughts and feelings. The acting is brilliant: Jean-Pierre Léaud is incredibly natural and poignant and all the supporting cast is perfectly chosen. The simple, fluid editing fits and pulls you in, the touching soundtrack makes you relate to the characters and the cinematography is simply amazing.

Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix: This movie is worse than the book, as expected, and I didn't like all of it. The screenplay follows the main lines of the book, even if it doesn't live up to its potential. The acting is very good:Imelda Staunton delivers the best performance yet in a Harry Potter movie, being deliciously malicious and wholly capturing her character. She eclipsed everyone else every time she was on screen. Evanna Lynch, Helena Bonham Carter and Matthew Lewis also capture their characters well, which was quite difficult. Rupert Grint keeps the same awkward charm of always, and Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson's acting is getting better. The direction has some great moments, such as the beginning, but it gets worse and the ending has way too much CGI and not enough magic. The art direction, is, as usual, gorgeous and the cinematography is very good.The pace is fast, and the editing is pretentious. This is just for Potterheads like me.

Shrek the Third: This is probably the worst of the Shrek movies, though it's still funny and very watchable. The biggest problem is that the story should have been simpler. Other problem is that the jokes are getting repetitive. Even so, the animation and voice work is good, and most of the jokes work. This means it's enjoyable and quite fun to watch.

New York Stories

Books read recently 2

The Nanny Diaries by Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin: This is an enjoyable summer read. It's not too sugar-coated, the plot is simple but with substance, the characters are believable and the writing is straight to the point. The leading character is sympathetic and her struggles feel true, the kid she takes care of is realistic and Mrs. Ex is enkoyably mean. The mesage is positive and it's really upbeat. Even so, sometimes the story drags and gets repetitive and the writing can feel like a telegram.


Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre: I really didn't like this book: to say the truth, it annoyed me a lot. The leading character is stupid and doesn't seem to have feelings, so his writing style is really irritating. The story was silly and not subtle at all. The turns of the story felt forced and the supporting characters didn't have dimension. It's boring and disinteresting.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson: This is a delightful memoir that's huge fun. Bryson's writing style is addictive: he has a great sense of humor, he transmits the feeling of being a kid while describing America precisely. There are many funny scenes and it's easy to relate to the characters, so this is never boring. I really recommend it, it's a treat!

Skin and Other Stories by Roald Dahl: This book has some brilliant stories, with remarkable twists, dark humor and hilarious characters: these are chilling and terrifically enjoyable. Other stories are unremarkable, but still quite nice reads with interesting concepts and ideas. One or two stories aren't good, frankly: they aren't any fun to read and the story is messy. There isn't a connection between stories. If you get a chance, pick this up, but it's not Roald Dahl's best.


The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: This is a unique, incredibly original love story that's profoundly touching. The science fiction concept is easy to follow but it makes you think and creates a lot of suspense; you really care for the characters and understand them. Their development feels real and all the situations they face are well-described, even if sometimes they could have been more developed. The plot has a lot of heartbreaking moments and the ending is very poignant. The writing is simple but effective, and both voices used are distinctive and beautiful, as they change and develop. A very good read.

Movies watched recently 5

Little Manhattan: This is an unpretentious, lovely romantic comedy about first love. The story is simple and everyone can relate to it. The emotions, situations and characters are realistic. The dialogs are intelligent and funny, reminding me of Woody Allen. The physical humor and Gabe's imagination work well on context. I really liked the ending: it was positive and not sappy at all. The voice-over manages to get you into the character's head and it's well-done. The acting is very good: both the young actors are charismatic and natural, reminding you of people you actually know. The direction is decent, and the soundtrack, using pop songs, is not over-used and it's very fitting. The cinematography is sweet-looking, giving the movie an happy, child-like tonality.This is a great movie to watch with the whole family, because it's just a sweet, original movie.
How To Irritate People: This is a truly hilarious, very instructive, rightfully irritating comedy. Technically, this purely sucks. Even so, it has a brilliant screenplay and very funny acting. Some gags are far better than others, though at their best they are genius and at their worst amusing.It's highly quotable (The wings are not on fire). The characters are great, reminding you of actual people. The delivery is brilliant, they create funny, realistic characters with ease. It can get a bit annoying but it's worth it and you'll learn how to irritate people.

Marie Antoinette: I loved this movie. It's as great as both the other Sofia Coppola's movies. The screenplay is slow and focused on the leading character: it subtly captures her emotions and humanizes her. It 's thought-provoking and it also criticizes the party-girls of today.The film innovative because it's not a traditional biopic, it's not historically accurate but it makes you understand Marie Antoinette and her point of view. The direction is mind-blowing, breath-taking: it captures the gorgeous sets and scenery in a unique way while having raw shots to highlight feelings. The acting is very good: I've heard complaints about the accents but that didn't bug me. Kirsten Dunst probably delivered her best performance, she embodied the character. The soundtrack was brilliantly chosen, the pop tunes perfectly fitted the story . The costumes were amazing, the cinematography was beautiful and the editing made this exciting. I consider this a masterpiece.

The Sheltering Sky: This movie loses when you compare it to the book, but it's still good. The screenplay follows the book closely, which makes the storyline and characters very solid, while at the same time it has a different meaning and interpretation. The narration and dialogs feel awkward:the first is rarely used, so the dialogs translate the narration, which makes them seem rather weird and unrealistic. The direction should have been better, I think this needed a bigger focus on the sky, but it was fine and there were some perfect shots. There was a marvelous performance by John Malkovich, who was breath-taking, Debra Winger delivered a nuanced performance with some weak moments (she didn't seem fragile enough, though she captured every emotion perfectly). The cinematography is gorgeous, capturing the arid desert, and the music explores the difference betwen cultures in an original way.

Books read recently

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby: This is an excellent read, because it handles serious, thought-provoking subjects with humor, in a unique way. It's really amusing , and it covers a wide range of emotions. It's easy to relate to the characters, who are very humane, flawed and believable, while also being fascinating. I think their voices weren't very well-handled: sometimes they sounded all the same, but the use of their voices made me understand exactly what was going inside of their heads. The cultural references and criticism to our society was interesting.
The Tale Of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo: This is a good children's book. It has a simple story that reminds you of fairy tales, while using more modern, simple, even if beautiful and language. The characters are convincing, I just thought Miggery Sow was too badly treated. The storyline was interesting, with a simple, interesting story, various points of view, mystery and suspense and a good climax. The illustrations are gorgeous and they focus on the differences between light and darkness, a subject that's important in the book.

The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn: This book was really very bad. It reads like the dreams of an immature, ignorant, disinteresting 40-year-old, filled with descriptions of being rich and very lucky without deserving it (that last part is my opinion). It is so ridiculous it's laughable. The leading character is shallow and despicable (I felt like slapping her, and you are supposed to relate and like her) and all the others are boring and lack dimension. It's badly written, without beauty or feeling: it feels like a telegram. The narrative is very fast and some aspects are forgotten and then picked up far later. The only fine aspect was the leading character's professional aspect, with funny characters such as the kids and their parents: this is not explored enough, though.

The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles: This is a great, innovative, impressive piece of fiction. It tells a gritty, thought-provoking story using precise, descriptive, and at the same time ethereal writing. The characters are fascinating, as is their quest for a perfect zero, perfectly mirrored in the arid desert's descriptions. The foreign culture is well-captured, with detail and a personal vision. This is not an easy read: it's disturbing, very thought-provoking, innovative and brilliant.

A Home At The End Of The World by Michael Cunningham: I liked this book, even if it's one of Cunningham's worst. The writing is poetic and beautiful, but not as much as in his other books, the characters are fascinating and their point of view is interesting, but this isn't as gripping as his other stuff. I blame this on the storyline, which drabs a bit at the beginning and doesn't develop the most interesting subjects here. The characters were a bit annoying sometimes, also. I had high expectations and I was disappointed, but this is still a good book.

The Hiding Place By Trezza Azzopardi: I enjoyed this book. The story of a poor family of immigrants facing trouble has been told many times, and this isn't unique. Even so, it is interestingly written: the entire book is composed of few important, detailed scenes that chronicle the progressive deterioration of the family. The writing is somewhat poetic and metaphoric, giving the story an ethereal feeling. The characters are mostly developed and very humane, except for the father, who's a cliché. The storyline is fine, but not any original. It's worth a read, but by no means an obligatory book.

Life Of Pi by Yann Martel: I liked this book a lot. It tells a surprising, scary, gripping, hugely imaginative tale with security and intelligence. It uses a wild, gory adventure that seems perfectly believable (thanks to the writing) to create a profound reflection about animals, men's capacity to survive and religion. It has affecting segments, with hallucinations and a shocking ending twist that leaves you thinking about what actually happened. The leading character is interesting, the descriptions are breath-taking (you see what's described) and the action keeps you hooked. It's a great book.


Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer: I adored this book. It made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me think. This has a very beautiful message about family, grief, growing up and love, which is reached in a non-sappy, very touching way. Besides, it's also a subtle meditation on the open wounds of today's society. The characters are realistic, flawed and very likable, their voices are humane, distinctive and unique, the relation between them is subtly portrayed and affecting. I found the book very innovative: there were several different points of view, pages with only a sentence, others with numbers, photographs (the ending is breathtaking), colored words and underlining, amongst others. It's a gripping, moving read that I wholeheartedly recommend.

Movies watched recently 4

Volver: This is a very beautiful, original movie. The screenplay is great: realistic characters and emotions, a melodrama feeling, a burlesque comedy background and a satire to Spanish society. It's very well-shot, in a way that highlights the characters emotions, it has an excellent cinematography, very lively and gorgeous. The acting is brilliant: Penelope Cruz shows vulnerability with ease ad gives a very natural performance; all the rest of the cast is also excellent and very believable. The music is fitting and the editing keeps the pace interesting. This is a beautiful story.

Le Dernier des Fous: I HATED this movie. There's no plot, no characters (just sketches), no meaning, and it's predictable, boring and over-cooked. The screenplay is a piece of turd: not just it's meaningless and lacks characters, the dialogs and scenes don't make sense. The editing makes it dull and the scenes seem just sticked in no particular order. The acting was very bad, specially the leading kid who held the same expression through the whole movie.The only redeeming qualities were some beautiful shots, the cinematography that transmits the boiling hot temperature and the choice of not adding any music (makes the movie atmospheric).

Angel: This is an original dramedy about a delusional young woman who lives in a fantasy world. It's very well done: it gets you into her point of view, being appropriately sappy at times and very funny. The screenplay is good, with interesting characters, dialogs and scenes. As the action is a mix of imagination with the real world, it escapes the clichés of historical/biographic films. The direction is unique and it's the core of the movie: the shots seem luxurious, but at the same time dream-like. The cinematography captures the strong tonalities of Angel's imagination. The acting is good: Romola Garai captures the essence of her character in an intriguing way.It's a very original, worthwhile pic.

Traffic: Traffic is a good movie about drug traffic, though it has some fragilities. It covers almost all the parts of drug traffic, with different approaches. I liked the different colors and style used in each segment, because it made each story look more realistic. Soderbergh did an excellent job at directing. The screenplay is of variable quality: I thought the Benicio del Toro segment was contrived and with a complicated plot, but all the others had very interesting characters, dilemmas and plot lines. The acting was always very good: Catherine Zeta-Jones shows her character evolving believably, Erika Christensen is impressively expressive and Michael Douglas creates a very humane, real character. All the others are also worth watching. The editing is fast and it works. The soundtrack helps expressing what's happening. This is worth watching.
Coffee and Cigarettes: This is a group of shorts with people talking while having coffee and cigarettes. It's not an equilibrated movie, because some segments are far better than others. Mostly, the dialogs are interesting and the characters are believable. It's by turns funny, sad or bittersweet. The direction is very simple but effective, the cinematography is beautiful, and there are a few really good performances (Cate Blanchett is the best). It's fun to see famous actors and singers in small parts playing themselves: Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, Bill Murray, Alfred Molina, Steve Coogan, Cate Blanchett, The White Stripes, etc.

Rumble Fish: It's a great movie about being a teenager, trying to find yourself and relationships between people. I haven't read the original novel, but I found this screenplay very interesting: the characters are tortured but feel real, the plot had a lot of double-meanings, and the relationships are developed. The direction is brilliant: the shots are atmospheric, and the choice of black and white with only colored fish works as a metaphor and gets you in The Motorcycle Boy's point of view. The acting is great: Mickey Rourke gives a unique performance as the mentally affected older brother and Matt Damon is perfect as the impulsive younger brother. The soundtrack and sound manipulation give the movie its alienated feeling, and the cinematography captures the dirty lives of these people. It's an intriguing piece of cinema.
Dear Frankie: This is a beautiful, typically British movie about family relationships and growing up. It will make you feel good: the screenplay presents flawed but lovely characters, a happy ending that's not sappy, and mostly believable dialogs. Frankie's voice-over gives the movie sweetness, and all the acting feels authentic; the actors seem to truly love their characters. My favorite was Emily Mortimer. The direction and cinematography capture gorgeous scenery as well as day-to-day life and emotional moments. The soundtrack is fitting, and the editing gives the movie an involving pace. Don't miss it, it's a sweet, honest story.
Se7en: I was very disappointed by this movie. I was expecting a brilliant, original thriller with a surprising end and a fabulous direction. I found the first part of the movie, before the chases start, a Hitchcock-ian tension build-up, with good character development and shot with precision. The story was interesting and horrifying, it sent a chill down my spine. Then, with all the chasing, the movie lost all credibility and I was pulled out of it. I started laughing at the wrong times and I guessed the twist. The direction, the editing and the screenplay are variable in quality, the acting is quite good (Morgan Freeman gives another strong performance, creating a very humane character) and the cinematography captures the feeling of fear. Overall, it's technically good but very over-hyped.

Kurt Cobain: About A Son: This is an intriguing film. It's narrated by Kurt Cobain, though it's not about him but about his generation and growing up in America at that time. It mixes the haunting narration with images of day-to-day life in the places Cobain was. These images are poetic: it's a beautifully shot documentary, with a dream-like color and good editing. The interviews are well-chosen and Kurt's voice is perfect for this. The soundtrack is very well-chosen and it has magnificent rock songs.

Caro Diario: This movie is very pleasant and funny. It has a truly enjoyable story, with really funny moments that will have you laughing out loud. Besides, as it's autobiographical, so the dialogs and characters feel natural. Moretti's voice and quirkiness give the movie its identity. It's beautifully directed, with lovely shots and the lively color is perfect.

Bonnie and Clyde: This story, based on real life bank-robbers Bonnie and Clyde, is a fascinating object and a romanticized metaphor of the hippie movement. The characters are original and feel true, the story develops at an exciting pace, and there's a lot of food for thought. The climax is really violent: the movie develops in a spiral of violence, it gets bigger and bigger. The direction is mind-blowing: every shot is perfect and the climax is haunting. The acting is brilliant: there's a great supporting cast and the two leads create fleshed-out characters that are fascinating. The cinematography helps to create the suspenseful ambiance, and the editing keeps the pace chilling. This is an innovative, unforgettable movie.

Room Service: This is a fine short dark comedy. The characters are sweet, the situations they cause and their way of solving them are hilarious, but sometimes it gets repetitive. There are some great, highly quotable lines. The acting by the Marx brothers is really quirky and fun, and all the other actors are enjoyable too. Overall, this is not great, but it's a nice, forgettable film.



The Grapes of Wrath: This is a good adaptation of a great novel. It's not as good as the book, but it keeps its atmosphere and major plot, reducing the book to the essential. Even if it's once or twice preachy and some of the characters should have been better developed, it's still a good screenplay. The acting is great, with Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell delivering powerful, realistic performances. The direction works perfectly- the wide shots of the sky give the movie an epic feeling, and the cinematography captures the grim, dark times of the story. The soundtrack helps us understand the characters' feelings and doesn't feel sappy.This should not be missed.

Bend It Like Beckham: This is a great, fun feel-good movie about following your dreams and about British society. The screenplay is a gem: well-developed characters, funny moments and a satire to Indian culture in the UK. The acting is universally great, with a strong cast, that mostly delivers fresh, believable performances. The soundtrack misses decent bubblegum pop with traditional Indian music, reaching a great effect. The technicals aren't particularly good. This will make you feel happy, it's just a delightful movie that begs to be watched.

Black Cat, White Cat: I didn't like this surrealist comedy. It barely didn't make me laugh, even if the characters are burlesque and some situations have potential, I found it a bit gross and it lacked magic. It's well shot, with good, with natural acting, a decent soundtrack and a good cinematography, though it's not an enjoyable movie and it hasn't much to say.
Citizen Kane: This is a great, innovative film about capitalist societies and how money affects people. It's technically very innovative, with the use of flashbacks, original shots, inventive cinematography and editing. The screenplay is very interesting and the characters feel real; the direction is inspired and beautiful; the acting is great by everyone, capturing the characters perfectly (Welles is the best); and the technicals are very well-handed, particularly the editing, which is ahead of its time. This is a true masterpiece and it hasn't aged.