A summer movie rediscovering some of the titles that intrigued, captivated or sparked discussion in the 2022-23 season. A selection of titles from different genres for all tastes to be restored on home video or on major platforms. Point Cnvf-Sir
A summer movie rediscovering some of the titles that intrigued, captivated or sparked discussion in the 2022-23 season. A selection of titles from different genres for all tastes to be restored on home video or on major platforms. Point Cnvf-Sir.
“Murder in the West End” (Disney+)
Yellow is one of the most sought-after genres under the umbrella, moving from the pages of the book to the screen. Here you have a delicious film for lovers of sophisticated intrigues a la Agatha Christie. This is Murder in the West End (Watch Them Run), Tom George’s directorial debut from a screenplay by Mark Chappell. Suspicious death on stage in 1950s London; to investigate a bruised inspector who is too addicted to a bottle and an aspiring detective who pushes with his elbows. In the background is the famous script of The Mousetrap. A gripping and accurate film on costumes and set design, confirmed by the presence of leading actors: Sam Rockwell, Adrien Brody, Saoirse Ronan and Ruth Wilson. The direction is brisk, alternating theatrical, literary and cinematic quotations, giving a pleasant and sophisticated mix marked by brilliant black humor. “Murder in the West End” is a work that captivates and engages on several levels, both in yellow intrigue and in the sophistication of quotations. Brilliant and erudite escapism. Expedient, brilliant, for debate.
“Eight Mountains” (Sky-Now)
At the David di Donatello Awards, it was voted the best film of the year. This is the existential drama “Eight Mountains”, the jury prize of the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Adaptation of Paolo Cognetti’s novel Premio Strega, directed by Felix van Gröningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch. “Eight Mountains” is an ode to the mountains, nature and its silence, as well as a journey into the depths of the human soul, friendship that binds for life. It is worth noting the work of the protagonists Luca Marinelli and Alessandro Borghi, who with attention and sympathy put themselves in the place of Pietro and Bruno, an urban and mountain boy; they inhabited the characters, translating onto the screen their desire for life, for the future, as well as their many torments. A film that captivates with its tenderness and graceful elegy, embellished with photography by Ruben Impens and music by Daniel Norgren. Appropriate, poetic, for debate.
“Triangle of Sorrow” (home video)
Palme d’Or at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, “Triangle of Sorrows” written and directed by Ruben Östlund, reading our present with black and tragic humor. Divided into successful story chapters, the film is an essay on class struggle expressed in an elegant and ruthless way aboard a cruise ship. Everyone in the boat has a status that they emphasize and protect; however, when the wheel of life turns and chaos ensues, the class pyramid collapses catastrophically. And extreme anthropological attitudes are activated: hilarious, rude and merciless pictures, from funny to disgusting. Director Östlund describes an example of an unhappy and tragic existence that evokes compassion but also annoyance. He uses his camera as a reflective and slightly distorting mirror aimed at exposing us to the moral contradictions of our day. This is the “globalization of indifference” that Pope Francis speaks of, the triumph of the ego in the face of the loss of the We. A film that captivates and at the same time leaves stunned, but certainly not indifferent. Expedient, problematic, for debate.
“The Drought” (Sky Prime)
A society in disarray is also proposed by Paolo Virzi in the film The Drought Presented in Venice79. The story of a lonely and tragic humanity seeking solace in Rome, besieged by uncontrollable heat and an aggressive virus. In this almost apocalyptic setting, the lives of women and men, adults and teenagers intertwine as they try to navigate the obstacles of a crazy climate and solve unresolved personal and family problems. Signed by the Livorno-based director along with Paolo Giordano, Francesca Archibuggi and Francesco Piccolo, The Drought is a work of great power backed up by a witty, bruised and sophisticated look. A fascinating choral story whose main characters are: Claudia Pandolfi, Silvio Orlando, Valerio Mastandrea, Monica Bellucci, Elena Lietti, Tommaso Ragno, Vinicio Marchioni, Emanuela Fanelli, Max Tortora and Sara Serraiocco. The Drought is a solid and poignant film that touches on the themes it touches on with tragic grace, providing an example of a tormented yet reconciled man. Expedient, problematic, for debate.
Peter Pan and Wendy (Disney+)
Directed by David Lowery and starring the mouth-watering Jude Law as Captain Hook, Disney’s live action film For Pan and Wendy is aimed at a children’s audience. A new transposition of James Matthew Barrie’s famous 1904 work, already animated by Disney in 1953 (The Adventures of Peter Pan). The value of Per Pan & Wendy lies in the formal packaging, between the visual and stylistic dimensions: from staging with real reconstructions to the widespread use of special effects, which, however, do not allow one to feel the line between reality and fantasy. In addition, the film is decorated with elegant photography, which combines light and dark tones, keeping the plot in oneiric notes. From a narrative standpoint, Wendy gets more attention, and there’s an interesting insight into Hook, whose “roots of evil” can be traced, the trauma that pushed him to the “dark side”. A beautiful proposal for a large and familiar audience, designed to revive a classic story with sentences closer to our present. Appropriate, poetic, for debate.
“Mixed Erri” (Netflix)
Available on Netflix is Sydney Sibilia’s Mixed Erri, a comedy re-enacting the adventurous production adventure of DJ Enrico and the Frattasio brothers, who from the outskirts of Naples managed to establish themselves in the recording market between 1985 and 1991. Based record but about illegality. Written by Sibilia himself with Armando Festa, “Mixed Erri” is a crisp fast-paced comedy; a film that carefully reconstructs the socio-cultural and musical background of Naples in the 80s, in full swing and the “coup” for the arrival of the champion Diego Armando Maradona (the script is beautifully photographed by Paolo Sorrentino in “It was the hand of God”). We laugh, and a lot, at jokes written with panache and lightness; a script that runs smoothly, also thanks to the performers: Luigi D’Oriano, Giuseppe Arena, Emanuele Palumbo, Francesco Di Leva, Cristiana Dell’Anna, Adriano Pantaleo and Fabrizio Gifuni. Sydney Sibilia once again demonstrates style and endurance, confirming her talent and obvious creative growth. Expedient, problematic, for debate.
Tetris (Apple TV)
Video Games and Geopolitics is a binary of John S. Byrd’s hit spy thriller Tetris with Taron Egerton on Apple TV+. This is the story of the hit market video game Tetris with the first Nintendo Game Boy, a feat that fought like a tense chess match on a (decadent) Cold War platform. Tetris is a happy and poignant mix of genres and storytelling styles: on the one hand, historical and political history, in which the polarization between the Soviet bloc and the United States stands out; on the other hand, a colorful and vibrant tribute to the cultural world of the 80s, which director Baird conveys to us thanks to the successful music and video game atmosphere. Aside from some narrative decision marked by simplification or ingenuity, Tetris is a movie that works because of a good script and skillful execution. Expedient, problematic, for debate.