The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

Genres

Comedy | Drama

Director

Kelly Fremon Craig

Country

USA

Cast

Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, Haley Lu Richardson, Blake Jenner, Hayden Szeto, Eric Keenleyside, Laine MacNeil, Katie Stuart, Alexander Calvert, Meredith Monroe

Storyline

Life is not easy for Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) and it gets even more unbearable when her all-star older brother (Blake Jenner) starts dating her best friend (Haley Lu Richardson), leaving her even more alone.

Opinion

Everyone has been saying so many nice things about it, the hype was up to the root for "The Edge of Seventeen". I was still kinda afraid it was going to be just another coming-of-age, but it actually lived up to the hype. It indeed was a funny and fresh teen dramedy.

The film has a very simple, basic and very John Hughes's style plot with some predictable turns and several clichés of the genre but it is so beautifully told, it still manages to keep you engaged through the end. 

The greatest thing about having a basic plot is that it allows the film to be a good character study. And, much to my surprise, there is some good character development here - I was expecting more to be done with the character of Krista, though. Anyway, the characters feel like real people and because of that it's very easy to see the perspective of each of them, and equally easy is to relate to the problems Nadine, the main character, faces.

"The Edge of Seventeen" isn't only addressed to teens, but to all young people in general, as it deals, more than anything, with the sense of loneliness that haunts many young people.

However, what really makes this film stand out from its genre is the cast. Hailee Steinfeld is excellent as Nadine, the teenage girl who doesn't fit in and basically carries the film, and her performance alone is worth the watch. She is provided with a solid support from the other actors among which Woody Harrelson stands out as Mr Bruner, the teacher that ends up being Nadine's friend. I loved their relationship and how it is neither too dramatic nor too awkward.

The Salesman (2016)

Original Title

فروشنده‎ Forushande

Genre

Drama

Director

Asghar Farhadi

Country

Iran

Cast

Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi, Farid Sajadhosseini, Mina Sadati, Maral Bani Adam, Mehdi Koushki, Amad Emani, Shirin Aghakashi, Mojtaba Pirzadeh, Sahra Asadollahi, Ehteram Boroumand, Sam Valipour

Storyline

Forced to leave their house, Eman (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti) rent a new apartment, unaware of the fact that the previous tenant had been a woman of ill repute. By a nasty turn of events, Rana is assaulted by one of the woman's clients, and Eman becomes consumed with finding that man.

Opinion

I love Asghar Farhadi. He is a fantastic filmmaker and he portrays family dramas like few others. That said, I'm not that sure "The Salesman" deserved all those awards. It still is a solid drama, but it's far from being the greatest film from the Iranian director.

Back to the chaotic street of Tehran after the French "trip", Farhadi yet again delivers a compelling, engaging story that affects the lives of the members of several families. So, yeah, another story of families torn apart by the truth. 

Only this time he masquerades a quite complex revenge tale in this home drama. He compares the man who seeks revenge and wants to achieve it by humiliating the other and the woman who believes the biggest revenge is forgiveness. And he also shows that taking revenge isn't that easy after all.

Unfortunately, Farhadi did a couple things I didn't fully understand. Like the interplay between reality - the character's reality - and fiction - the play the characters are working on - that doesn't really add to the film; or the fact that towards the end the film looks more like a detective thriller than a home drama.

That said, we still have Farhadi's typically dark and deep characters wonderfully characterised and wonderfully portrayed by the cast, from Shahab Hosseini as the husband seeking revenge to Taraneh Alidoosti as the wife to Babak Karimi as the aggressor, the performances are truly great. 

Thursday Movie Picks: Television Edition: Period Dramas

Hello and welcome back to Thursday Movie Picks, the weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves where you share three movies to fit the theme of the week each Thursday.

Closing the month of March is another television edition, period dramas to be precise. A genre I am not very familiar with. So it was a really tough week for me, but I didn't give up and I managed to pick not just three shows, but three awesome shows, hoping that they fall into the period drama category.

Poirot (1989-2013)

Set in the early 20th century, it sees Agatha Christie's enigmatic and eccentric detective Hercule Poirot solving a crime mystery, mostly murders, for a paying client. I grew up watching this and I absolutely loved David Suchet as Poirot. 

Medici: Masters of Florence (2016- )

Set in Florence in the early 15th century, after the death of his father, Cosimo de' Medici finds himself the helm of his dynasty family and must find out who killed his father in order to protect the power of the family. I'm not going to lie, I watched this for Richard Madden. But it turned out to be a very engrossing drama with great performances and very beautiful to look at.

Peaky Blinders (2013- )

Set in the early 20th century, it follows Tommy Shelby and his gangster family challenged by the arrival of a ruthless copper who wants to clean up the city. Like above, I decided to watch it because of Cillian Murphy, but I fall in love with it. The script is fantastic and so is the setting. The performance from Murphy and Sam Neill are phenomenal, but my favourite part is the music, one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard in a TV series. 

North by Northwest (1959)

Genres

Action | Thriller

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Country

USA

Cast

Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll, Josephine Hutchinson, Philip Ober, Martin Landau, Adam Williams, Edward Platt, Robert Ellenstein, Les Tremayne, Philip Coolidge, Patrick McVey, Edward Binns, Ken Lynch

Storyline

Advertising executive Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) is mistaken for a government agent by a group of spies and is pursued across the country both by the spies and the government while he looks for a way to survive.

Opinion

Many say this is the greatest film Hitchcock has ever made, and while I don't agree - I believe his greatest work to be "Rear Window" - I still think "North by Northwest" is one of the most thrilling, interesting and gripping films from him, as well as one, if not the, best spy films ever made.

The best part of this film is easily the story because it has something to offer to everyone. It has some comedy, some romance and a lot of action, and, although it is quite simple and at times it isn't very believable, it still is exciting, intriguing and captivating, and it does feature more than just a few solid plot twists.

In that simple yet complex story, "North by Northwest" includes a lot of Hitchcock's recurring themes, from the dysfunctional relationship between a man and his mother to the mistaken identity to the "obsession" with blonde women.

And just like most of Hitchcock's films, this film is tremendously suspenseful. The suspense isn't only "generated" by some tense scenes, like the memorable scene when a small aeroplane pursues Grant's character in the middle of nowhere, but it's slowly built by Hitchcock, and waiting to see the reaction of the characters when they will learn the truth is actually more suspenseful than the action sequences.

And then there's the cast. From an entertaining, believable and humorous Cary Grant as Roger Thornhill to a sweet and sexy Eva Marie Saint as love interested Eve to the evil and charming James Mason as villain Philip Vandamm, all the actors give great performances and delivers the fun and sophisticated dialogue wonderfully. 

Enemy (2013)

Genre

Thriller

Director

Denis Villeneuve

Countries

Canada | Spain

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, Isabella Rossellini, Kedar Brown, Darryl Dinn, Joshua Peace, Tim Post, Misha Highstead, Jane Moffat, Stephen R. Hart

Storyline

While watching a movie, History college professor Adam Bell (Jake Gyllenhaal) spots an actor that looks like him and becomes obsessed with finding out about his double.

Opinion

Since I loved Villeneuve's latest film, "Arrival", I figured it was about time to check out the other films from the Canadian director, and I decided to start from "Enemy" because of its storyline. And Villeneuve once again proves what a skilled director he is with this sensational, twisted psychological thriller.

Adapted from José Saramago's novel "The Double", this doppelganger story is more complex than it seems - I think I'll need to see it a couple more times to fully understand the film -, not only because of the brilliant turns it takes and the non-linearity, but because it is loaded with deep, philosophical themes such as living under a totalitarian state without knowing it, like Forrest Wickman said, and the characters becoming aware of their artificial nature and rebel against their creator. Philosophically speaking, it is some sort of "Being John Malkovich" or what would happen if David Lynch made a movie on a novel by Kafka.

Villeneuve spends most of the first half building suspension, disturbing tension and establishing that kind of atmosphere that terrifies you even when there's nothing to be terrified of, delivering scenes that are nothing short of disturbing and unforgettable. This is how, in spite of the slow pace, the film manages to keep you glued to the screen until the end because all you want to do is see how things will go.

What makes "Enemy" even better is the cast. Just like always, Jake Gyllenhaal is beyond spectacular both as Adam and Anthony, especially as Adam, the boring, depressed and paranoid teacher. He committed so much to the roles that feel like two individual men. Overshadowed by Gyllenhaal's outstanding performance(s), there are the women in Adam and Anthony's lives, Mélanie Laurent as Adam's girlfriend, Sarah Gadon as Anthony's wife, and Isabella Rossellini as Anthony/Adam's mother, all giving great performances. 

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Genres

Action | Sci-Fi

Directors

The Wachowski Brothers

Countries

Australia | USA

Cast

Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, Gloria Foster, Harold Perrineau, Monica Bellucci, Lambert Wilson, Randall Duk Kim, Harry Lennix, Anthony Zerbe, Nona Gaye, Helmut Bakaitis, Neil Rayment, Adrian Rayment, Daniel Bernhardt

Storyline

Neo (Keanu Reeves) and the rebel leaders estimate that they have 72 hours until 250,000 probes discover Zion and destroy it and its inhabitants. During this, Neo must decide how he can save Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) from a dark fate in his dreams.

Opinion

There's no better way to mess with a great film than making a sequel to it. And unfortunately that's what happened to "The Matrix", which got the beauty of not one, but two sequels, the first of which is "The Matrix Reloaded", a chaotic action flick that it's also the reason I never watched "The Matrix Revolution".

The plot is truly terrible. First of all Neo's story didn't need a following and that's one of the reasons the plot is so unexciting. The other reason is the lack of ideas, and thus the straightforwardness of the story that isn't just simple, but also lacks in twists. Unless you call a series of predictable turns twists.

The message sent by this film is also wrong. While the first film showed that it isn't important whether humans defeat or not machines but what counts is that they realise it's something they can do if they really want to, this film actually says that destroying is all that counts. And love, that's important as well. 

Another problem is that the tedious story is paired with overlong dialogues that want to be the smartest kid in the room, and those two combined make the film even more boring. If that's even possible.

But then there's the action, which is great. It still has some problems, though, like the fact that is the same action of the previous film, with sequences that seem copied and pasted straight from it. Sure, the action scenes are still pretty exciting, but they are just not enough to make a good sequel. Or film.

The Croods (2013)

Genres

Adventure | Animation | Comedy

Directors

Kirk DeMicco | Chris Sanders

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Emma Stone, Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, Cloris Leachman, Chris Sanders, Randy Thom

Storyline

After their cave is destroyed, the Croods, a caveman family, must trek through an unfamiliar and dangerous world where the rules that used to keep them alive don't apply. 

Opinion

I don't remember seeing a lot of trailers and promotional stuff when "The Croods" came out. I actually think I've read of it for the first time a couple of years ago when I checked out Emma Stone's filmography, which is why I decided to watch it. I know, it took me ages, literally, and I regret not seeing it earlier because it's such a fun and exciting animated film that goes deeper than it might seem.

In fact, while it is pretty straightforward, clichéd and rather predictable - let's not forget it's a kids movie -, the story still is very interesting and explores some of the most basic yet important issues concerning a family, from the importance of sticking together in hard times to the troubled parent-child relationship. It also shows that sometimes it's good to get away from one's comfort zone.

While teaching that, "The Croods" also entertains with its fun, likeable and interesting characters each having but flaws and virtues. They are the kind of characters you find yourself rooting for as well as the kind of characters that will make you laugh with some good, old-fashioned slapstick humour.

The reason why I really enjoyed the characters, though, other than the colourful and nice animation, is the cast. I cannot think of actors that would fit the characters more than those here. Emma Stone is very enjoyable as Eep, the rebellious daughter, Nicolas Cage basically plays himself in a funny way, and Ryan Reynolds does great as Guy, the cool kid with some crazy ideas. Most important, however, is the chemistry between the cast, simply awesome.

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Genres

Drama | Thriller

Director

Tom Ford

Country

USA

Cast

Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer, Laura Linney, Andrew Risebourough, Michael Sheen, Ellie Barnber, Robert Aramayo, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Karl Glusman, Jena Malone, Zawe Ashton

Storyline

An unhappy wealthy art curator (Amy Adams) beings to picture herself within the pages of her ex-husband's (Jake Gyllenhaal) novel and slowly becomes haunted by it.

Opinion

I have to say that I was sceptical about "Nocturnal Animals". I mean, a fashion designer writing and directing a film, what is going to happen next? But then I read Tom Ford also directed "A Single Man", a film I'm yet to see but I've heard great things about. And I've also heard people speak well about "Nocturnal Animals", especially about its performances so I decided to watch it. And it blew me away. This film not only features some astonishing performances, but it's a thrilling and stylish film as well as a profound experience.

I didn't know the storyline, but as soon as it started to unroll, I was completely hypnotised by it. I'm not exaggerating, the story, which is a combination of two superb storylines - actually, at some point they become three storylines, wonderfully tied together -, is enthralling, fascinating, interesting, and it is about love, revenge and redemption. It also teaches that the choices we make can haunt us forever.

But that's not all. Tom Ford's screenplay also features very well-written characters - both main and supporting - whose characterization is marked even more by some sharp and sophisticated dialogue. And both characters and dialogue are delivered by the cast to perfection. Amy Adams once again proves how versatile she is with a sublime performance that captures the cynicism and vulnerability of her character. Jake Gyllenhaal also is at the top of his game playing both a sensitive writer and a vengeful man without being unbelievable. Aaron Taylor-Johnosn is also good as the villain of the fictional storyline, but Michael Shannon is the one really standing out with another of his creepy and magnetic performances.

"Nocturnal Animals" is also beautifully shot - there are some outstanding landscapes and some moving scenes as well - and Abel Korzeniowski's score is the perfect combination for the mesmerising visuals.

The Light Between Oceans (2016)

Genres

Drama | Romance

Director

Derek Cianfrance

Countries

UK | New Zealand | USA

Cast

Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, Caren Pistorius, Anthony Hayes, Emily Barclay, Leon Ford, Thomas Unger, Benedict Hardie, Jane Menelaus, Garry McDonald

Storyline

Unable to have their only child, a lighthouse keeper (Michael Fassbender) and his wife (Alicia Vikander) decide to raise a baby they rescued from a drifting rowing boat as if it was theirs.

Opinion

I only watched "The Place Beyond the Pines" from director Derek Cianfrance and I was very disappointed with it, probably because I was expecting a different film. That said, I still was very excited about "The Light Between Oceans". The story sounded interesting, the trailer looked great and the cast, well, it was amazing.

Unfortunately, just like Cianfrance's other movie, I was disappointed by this mediocre, dull and sugary Nicolas Sparks's style film.

Quite superficial, simple and unoriginal, yet with quite some wasted potential, the story features guilt and loss and ends up being simply dreadful. Those themes just aren't developed as deserved and are paired with a tormented romance that is far from interesting. In a very confused way, the film also tries to show how hard it can be to determine what's the right thing to do in a given situation, but it doesn't have much of an impact.

The characters aren't that good either. I have not read the novel so I don't know who is to be blamed, but these characters are terrible. Underdeveloped and stupid as well, I found it impossible to be emotionally invested in any of them. Despite the performances, especially Michael Fassbender's surprisingly excellent performance as the lighthouse keeper. I said surprisingly because he was given a character that has basically nothing to do other than staring at the ocean.

The performances aren't the only good thing about Cianfrance's film. It is indeed visually stunning, not only because of New Zealand's scenery but because of the beautiful photography as well. And the score by Alexandre Desplat almost makes the film emotional.

Thursday Movie Picks: Underdogs

It's Thursday aka time for another Thursday Movie Picks entry, the weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves where you share three movies to fit the theme of the week each Thursday.

Spring has just kicked in and so have underdogs because, guess what, it's their week. I don't know you, but I always root for the underdog, except in sports, there I usually root for the best aka Bayern in football and Nole Djokovic in tennis. Anyway, there's something about seeing them happy that makes me happy. They don't always make it - see my third pick - but sometimes it's the journey that counts.

8 Mile (2002)

Jimmy is a young white rapper who is trying to become successful in a field "dominated" by black people while dealing with his life. I don't know how the mass feels about this film, but I love it. It is such an inspirational movies about hardship and determination, and it has some pretty powerful lyrics. And Eminem's performance isn't bad either considering he's not an actor. I can't be trusted on this though, I'm a huge fan of Eminem.

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

Po is a panda who sees his dream to becomes a Kung Fu master become reality when he is chosen by a prophecy. There's only one problem: he sucks at Kung Fu. This film is incredibly fun and entertaining, the characters are very enjoyable, especially Po, and it has a lot to teach both to kids and adults. If you haven't already, you should really catch up on this one. Even if Po reminds you of your ex.

Eddie the Eagle (2016)

Eddie is a young and tenacious British ski jumper who is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his dream, qualify for the 1988 Winter Olympics. One of my favourite movies of 2016, it is pretty much the typical feel-good film about an underdog, but it differs from the others because for once it shows that winning isn't everything. That's why this film is a winner for me.

An American in Rome (1954)

Original Title

Un americano a Roma

Genre

Comedy

Director

Steno

Country

Italy

Cast

Alberto Sordi, Maria Pia Casilio, Giulio Calì, Anita Durante, Ilse Petersen, Vincenzo Talarico, Carlo Mazzarella, Rocco D'Assunta, Ursula Andress, Carlo Delle Piane, Galeazzo Benti, PIna Gallini, Leopolpo Trieste

Storyline

It follows the adventures of Nando Moriconi (Alberto Sordi), a young Italian living in the early '50s Rome who badly wants to be American.

Opinion

A lot of years ago a family friend suggested me to watch "An American in Rome" but I was young and stupid and I turned down the suggestion because the film was in black and white. That's how stupid I was. And I was also wrong because that way I missed a silly yet hilarious comedy.

There isn't much of a plot, it's basically a series of vignettes tied together by the main character, Nando. They, the vignettes, are also quite confused and don't make a lot of sense at times, but the film doesn't really need a strong, solid plot because it's the memorable character that makes the film memorable.

You won't simply watch a comedy, you'll fall in love with Nando, an American-wannabe Italian who calls himself Santi Byron, masterfully portrayed by Alberto Sordi who will have you laughing throughout the entire film with his fantastic sense of humour. 

Don't worry, though, you won't need to speak Italian to enjoy this because the situations Nando finds himself into are fun as well. Like when he's mistaken for a German soldier by the Americans because of his terrible English, or when, once again because of his terrible English, almost has two American tourists killed. And then there is the famous scene in which Sordi converses with a plate of spaghetti and destroys them.

It's not a masterpiece, but it's definitely worth the time. 

A Fantastic Fear of Everything (2012)

Genres

Comedy | Horror

Directors

Chris Hopewell | Crispian Mills

Country

UK

Cast

Simon Pegg, Clare Higgins, Amara Karan, Paul Freeman, Kerry Shale, Alan Drake, Zaak Conway, Filippo Delaunay, Elliot Greene, Mo Idriss, Tuyet Le

Storyline

Paranoid crime novelist Jack (Simon Pegg) must confront his worst fears when a film executive takes an interest in his movie script.

Opinion

I was scrolling down Simon Pegg's filmography looking for some comedy I haven't seen when I saw "A Fantastic Fear of Everything". I had no idea what the film was about but I loved the title and went for it. And I liked it and I believe I'm alone on this island because the ratings everywhere seem to suggest this is a terrible film. I'm the first to admit it is not the most clever horror comedy out there, but it still is amusing and entertaining.

The film features the kind of story you either love or hate. And it was love for me as I found it quite original, incredibly bizarre and very engaging. It is about the journey of a man who has to confront his fears and, it being just a silly comedy, the filmmakers handled that theme quite well.

The story gets a little flat at some point, but the narration is what makes it interesting. Simon Pegg narrating his paranoias with an inner vocalization is in fact what really made me love the film and allowed me to identify a little with the character.

Although there aren't plenty of laughing-out-loud moments, the British dark humour is still spot on and will put a grin on your face for most of the running time. There still are some hilarious scenes, though. Overall it's the typical Simon Pegg humour, if you like him, you'll enjoy the film and his brilliant performances as well.

Chef (2014)

Genres

Comedy | Drama

Director

Jon Favreau

Country

USA

Cast

Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, Emjay Anthony, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale, Amy Sedaris, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Downey Jr., Russell Peters, Jose Caridad Hernandez

Storyline

Frustrated chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) quits his restaurant job and buys a food truck so that he can be artistically free again.

Opinion

As a foodie, I'm ashamed of myself for watching "Chef" only now because it is a fantastic ode to food. As a movie lover, I'm ashamed of myself for watching it only now because it is a charming, entertaining, fun and feel-good dramedy.

Jon Favreau used to be Iron Man's chauffeur, and this is when he proves he's more than just a side character. He's actually Superman, I'd add. He does a fantastic job both directing and acting in this film, but now I'm going to focus on his other role, as the writer.

The story is enjoyable, it moves quickly and so smoothly it doesn't even feel like there's a script -everything just looks incredibly natural - and it will have your attention for the entire running time. There aren't useless plot-points and no needless subplots. Okay, that's not 100% true. Scarlett Johansson's character is kinda pointless and at some point, she disappears like she never even existed. 

And okay, maybe that's not the only problem, in fact the majority of the characters are shallow and underdeveloped, but the film is about the journey of Carl Casper, a journey of self-discovery, redemption and love. It is also about the relationship between Carl and his estranged son Pearcy, and the beautiful friendship he shares with Martin and Favreau delivered all that beautifully.

Like I mentioned earlier, "Chef" celebrates food and the art of cooking and it does that with some beautiful (and touching) scenes, from Carl trying a new menu for the restaurant, to the gold moments he spends in the truck with his son.

And the comedy is fantastic. It is light, slightly vulgar at times, and incredibly hilarious other times, and it's balanced with some clever dialogue and just the right amount of drama. The soundtrack also adds a lot of the film with its funky rhythm. 

The Matrix (1999)

Genres

Action | Sci-Fi

Directors

The Wachowski Brothers

Country

USA

Cast

Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Ann Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano, Gloria Foster, Marcus Chong, Paul Goddard, Robert Taylor, Julian Arahanga, Belinda McClory, Anthony Ray Parker, Matt Doran, Ada Ncodemou

Storyline

In the near future, computer hacker Neo (Keanu Reeves) joins Rebel warriors Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) to fight the Matrix and set humanity free.

Opinion

Years ago, when I first heard of "The Matrix", I was expecting just some other sci-fi flick from another decade, but I still gave it a chance because of Keanu Reeves - I've always had a crush on him - and I absolutely loved it. Many years and views later, I still think it is an intriguing, entertaining and philosophical film as well as one of the best sci-fi films ever made.

The most striking thing about the film is arguably the idea. The story is simply pure genius, it is compelling, everything works like a well-oiled machine and the fact that is set inside a computer leaves so much room to the imagination and basically to whatever the writers wanted to do.

But it's more than an engaging and solid story. "The Matrix" is one of those few sci-fi flicks that actually has a deep meaning and addresses very current issues, in particular, us, humans, creating smarter and smarter machines that will eventually be our downfall. It's quite scary how this is more current nowadays than it was 18 years ago when the film came out.

The film does not just criticise our need to do that, but it also makes us realise that we think we are free but we are not. We are actually prisoners of a system that tries as much as it can to keep us from being who we want to be and to do whatever it pleases us.

If you have never seen it - if that's the case, what are you still doing here? Go watch it! -, don't worry, you won't be bored with philosophical questions as the Wachowski wonderfully balanced those with spectacular, jaw-dropping acting and special effects. Seriously, the action sequences are breathtaking and so intense and well choreographed, you'll want to see those on repeat all day long.

And lastly, there's the cast. Although the acting is that great, there's something about the cast that I love. Keanu Reeves is excellent as Neo, Laurence Fishburne does great as the mysterious Morpheus and so does Carrie-Ann Moss as Trinity. My favourite, however, will always be Hugo Weaving and his creepy and evil Agent Smith. 

Tarzan (2013)

Genres

Adventure | Animation

Director

Reinhard Kloss

Country

Germany

Cast

Kellan Lutz, Spencer Locke, Jaime Ray Newman, Robert Capron, Mark Deklin, Craig Garner, Anton Zetterholm, Joe Cappelletti, Brian Huskey, Faton Millanaj, Maximilian Nepomuk Allgeier, Christian Serritiello, Brian Bloom, Jason Hildebrandt

Storyline

Tarzan (Kellan Lutz) and Jane (Spencer Locke) face a mercenary army dispatched by the evil CEO (Joe Cappelletti) of Greystoke Energies, a man who took over the company from Tarzan's parents after they died in a plane crash.

Opinion

Like I said months ago when I reviewed "The Legend of Tarzan", Disney's "Tarzan" was one of my childhood favourites and seeing that story completely rip apart by this "Tarzan" was truly heartbreaking. This film is bad on so many levels, I doubt there's anyone in the entire world who could enjoy it.

I'm not even sure what the real problem is. The story is a real mess. It took me a while to figure out what was going on and I'm usually pretty smart so I don't think kids will fully understand it. The storytelling is awful, therefore the film ends up being tedious and unengaging.

Then, there are a lot of changes with the story. From Tarzan's origins - frankly, I don't understand what was the point but I have to admit that Tarzan's childhood was the only (slightly) interesting part in the entire film - to the addition of an environmental message that seems taken straight out of James Cameron's "Avatar" and that doesn't really add to the film because it isn't delivered, a job many other animated films got done.

Other than being a complete mess on the script part, the film is a visual catastrophe. Obsolete to say the least, the animation has the quality of an average (and old) video game and it's very unpleasant to the eye. The characters are ugly - I wonder if the graphics had any idea of how a human body is supposed to look like -, and their movements are just terrible. 

Can we now please go back to the old, Disney musical version now and forget about this? 

Bridget Jones's Baby (2016)

Genres

Comedy | Romance

Director

Sharon Maguire

Country

UK | USA

Cast

Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey, Sally Phillips, James Callis, Shirley Henderson, Sarah Solemani, Neil Pearson, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Celia Imrie, Jessica Hynes, Kate O'Flynn, James Faulkner, Katia Elizarova, Ed Sheeran

Storyline

Single and focuses on her career only, now 43-year-old Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) finds herself pregnant and she can only be fifty percent sure of the identity of the father.

Opinion

More than 10 years after the disappointing "Bridge Jones: The Edge of Reason", another female director has brought the life of Bridget Jones back to the screen. I have to admit that I was sceptical about it, but "Bridget Jones's Baby" turned out pretty good. Sure, it's not as good as the first one, but it still is a funny romantic comedy.

The story isn't anything new, it's basically the same of the previous two films with a slight difference, there's a baby involved this time around. It is very predictable - although I've read three different endings were filmed, you'll totally see that happy ending coming - still it kind of keep you guessing and engaged for the whole time.

About the new guy, Patrick Dempsey's American billionaire, I'm not so sure about it. A part of me would have loved to see Mark and Daniel both still fighting for Bridget, although I realise Daniel wouldn't be the father kind of guy. The other part of me is actually happy with the new character because, let's be honest, Patrick Dempsey is ridiculously handsome. And I never liked Grant.

But let's move onto the comedy. It feels fresh because instead of relating only on the (mis)adventures of Bridget and on she constantly making a fool of herself, the film benefits from the fantastic Emma Thompson. She plays Bridget's gynaecologist in such a humourous way, and her performance alone is worth the watch.

As for Renée Zellweger, she nails Bridget for the third time. She is able to bring to the character than craziness, goofiness and uniqueness that made me fall in love with her character in the first place.

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)

Genres

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Director

Macon Blair

Country

USA

Cast

Melanie Lynskey, Elijah Wood, David Yow, Jane Levy, Devon Graye, Christine Woods, Robert Longstreet, Gary Anthony Williams, Lee Eddy, Derek Mears, Jason Manuel Olazabal, Matt Orduna, Michelle Moreno

Storyline

Fed up with the human indecency she sees around her and set off by her home being burglarized, Ruth (Melanie Lynskey) teams up with her martial arts-crazed neighbour (Elijah Wood) to exact vengeance. However, the duo soon finds themselves deep into a world they know little about.

Opinion

Although Netflix has been misfiring a lot lately, I still decided to give "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore" because of the involvement of Elijah Wood, who I love, and Melanie Lynskey of whom I've seen very little, and I was pleasantly surprised with this quirky and rather suspenseful dark comedy.

The story is pretty banal and very absurd to say the least, but it's the absurdity that makes it so engaging because you never know what to expect from it. It does take a while to get going but once it starts flowing, it doesn't stop until the end.

I've already mentioned how absurd the plot is, yet director Macon Blair is able to deliver it with such a realism - one could easily think it was based on a true story - and, despite the transition from quirky comedy to tense thriller, he manages to make it feel very natural.

The characters are also very interesting, eccentric yet realistic people to which it's easy to relate, especially Ruth, a very well developed character whose life is just like most of ours - or at least mine -, full of small disappointment and wondering what the hell is going on with the world, because just in case you didn't notice, assholes are everywhere.

And the leading duo does a very good job. Melanie Lynskey plays Ruth brilliantly, bringing to the character the right amount of humour and drama, and Elijah Wood gives an equally brilliant and (surprisingly) humorous performance as her neighbour.

Thursday Movie Picks: Ancient World

It's Thursday again which only means it's time for another episode of Thursday Movie Picks, the weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves where you share three movies to fit the theme of the week each Thursday.

I've always loved ancient history, but the truth is I haven't seen a lot of films set in this time period - which is 3600 BC - 500 AD -, therefore my dream of picking three movies set in ancient Greece or ancient Rome didn't come through. However, I still was able to find three good films with everything, there's Greece, Rome and Egypt.

Hercules (1997)

The son of Zeus is turned into a half-god and half-mortal and he's raised by mortals. Years later, he finds out that he is the son of a God and that in order to reclaim his immortality he must become a hero. This was one of my favourite Disneys when I was a kid and still is because it's so fun and the songs are great.

Gladiator (2000)

After being betrayed and seeing his family murdered, Maximus Decimus Meridias is taken into slavery and trained as a gladiator, and he lives only to someday take his revenge. I haven't seen this in ages, but it is a fantastic epic film.

Agora (2009)

Although many say it's a biography of Hypatia of Alexandria, it is more the story of a slave who becomes a Christian in the hope of pursuing freedom and falls in love with his mistress, the philosopher and mathematician Hypatia of Alexandria. As you can tell the plot is a mess, but I believe the purpose of this film was to show the conflict between human intellect and faith and that it does good. 

Baran (2001)

Original Title

باران ‎‎ Hamsay-e khoda

Genre

Drama

Director

Majid Majidi

Country

Iran

Cast

Hossein Abedini, Zahra Bahrami, Mohammad Amir Naji, Abbas Rahimi, Gholam Ali Bakhshi, Jafar Tawakoli

Storyline

In Iran, when the illegal Afghan worker Najaf (Gholam Ali Bakhshi) breaks his foot in an accident in a construction of a building, his fragile son Rahmat (Zahra Bahrami) becomes his replacement bringing his secret along.

Opinion

Months ago I read enough about "Baran" to make me want to see it, and although those were pretty good things, I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. But what can I say, it is such a human, beautiful and touching film.

The story is unbelievable, in a good way. It is basically a love story set in a construction site, which is definitely a weird, unusual location for such a story to take place, but it works very well; it is well-developed, beautifully told, engaging and incredibly touching.

However, the story of forbidden love is just a facade. Majid Majidi uses it to address issues concerning immigration, refugees, illegal workers and the role of women in a society such as the Iranian, and through the character, he also makes a quite deep study of culture differences.

Other than being sensitive, touching, deep, thought-provoking and humorous, "Baran" is also a visual masterpiece. Every single shot is beautiful and able to deliver emotions. The photography also provides us, in a stunning way, the ugly side of Iran, Tehran in particular.

The cast is also worth of a mention. They aren't the most outstanding actors - I do believe most of them aren't even professional actors -, but they all look so authentic and natural, they give the film an even bigger feeling of reality.