The Florida Project

The Florida Project (2017) directed by Sean Baker , among its stars Willem Dafoe- nominated in the category of Best supporting actor at the 90th Oscars.

In the Florida Project the cam follows the steps of a group of kind who lived near DisneyLand, and, in particular of the 6 yo Moonee, the daughter of the screwed up young hooker Halley. The two of them used to spend their summer holidays in the Magic Castle motel in Kissimmee, where Moonee every year reunited with her young partners in crime Scooty and her bae Janey. The cam shows them while fooling around mocking tourists and other inhabitants, trying to picture the normal life of this unfortunates people who survive thanks to offers and favors that Bobby (Dafoe), the manager, saves for them.

• Near by a magical place, real people struggle. I liked the contrast between the imagined Florida represented by the idealistical DisneyLand, which is shown only in the final scene as a contrast to the fact that normal people live in a shade that (obviously) tourists ignore. Is Florida so magical as we imagine? The answer is no, and we see it in the Magic Castle motel, where young girls are already mother of 6 yo babies and have to do full time jobs or to sell their body in order to survive.
• Food. What effort worths a hot meal? Well, Halley feeds Moone with Waffles and Take Aways, but, as long as Halley has the opportunity she knocks at her mother’s door to pass a pleasant night, sleep under a decent roof and eat some heart-made dish. On the other hand food is a coagulant factor for Halley and Mooney, that spend their ¾ of time together eating, as food could fulfilled their lack of affection, or, on the other hand, food is seen a mean of power, as we see in the scene where Halley argues with Scooty’s mother.
• Almost abandoned kids that fool around all day, become piromanes without even realize the consequence of their actions because nobody told them.
• Bobby aka Willem Defoe who as the interesting role of both being the owner of the Magical Castle and the one who seems to be the great father, trying to fix troubles for Halley and other mates.
• The emotional final scene, gives back to Moonee and Janey their stolen childhood.

Movie rating: 4/5.

Phantom Tread

Happy Valentine’s day to all our readers! Ciak Movies comes out with a special review: today, guess what, we are talking about L-O-V-E. Platonic love, carnal love, true love, who cares? Love is love, people. And one thing is for sure: we all love Cinema. So movie lovers, take a seat, and perpared yourself to read a special review. Never heard about Phantom Thread?

Phantom Tread (2017) written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Daniel Day-Lewis (Reynolds), Lesley Manville (his sister Cyril) and Vicky Krieps (Alma).

Set in 50s London, the movie presents an a-typical life , the one of the legendarian (and odd) couturier Reynolds Woodcock who passes his time drawing mezmerizing dresses for some royal highness around the globe, and the rude, illeterate, stranger young waitress Alma. The more Reynold lives according to schemes and schedules, the more Alma is rebel, unpolite and noughty. The two fell in love, a strange but strong love that lead the two to marriage, even if Reynolds, after a short period of time, get tired of his girlfriends and seems incapable to love anything (if we exclude his sister Cyril), besides his dresses. On the other hand, Alma is exaggerately gelous and reveals her mental instability to both the spectator and her beloved couturier. Isn’t love blind? Or crazy? Or inexplicable?

The movie gained a great number of nominatons: 2 at the Golden Globes and 6 at the 90th Academy Awards-Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Day-Lewis (his final role before retirement), and Supporting Actress for Manville.

• Daniel Day Lewis is worth watching, delivering one of the most sincere representation of the season, even though the strange behavour of the man is quite annoying. All the world and the camera seems to be round him . In fact, even Alma and Cyril who are two strong female characters belonging to different social levels and age, but are united by Reynolds presence. Phantom tread is a one man show.
• In some moments of the movie you will feel ill, just like the main character. The tone is quite pale and nothing occurs, besides the couturier being poisoned a few times. LOL. 
• Alma being the perfect muse. At first she is shy, then, suddenly turned out to be a role model. 
• Lesley Manville and her few facial expressions. Cyril you are a rock of impassivity. 

Movie rating: 3/5.

Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad (2008-2013, 5 seasons) is a neo-western-crime drama created and produced by Vince Gilligan, starring Bryan Craston as professor Walter White and Aaron Paul as the junker Jesse Pinkman, with Bob Odenkirk as lawyer Saul Goodman and Giancarlo Esposito as drog boss Gus Frig. Breaking Bad is considered one of the greatest tv series of all time. an American neo-western crime drama television series. BB is widely considered one of the best tv series of all times as he won a great number of awards, including 2 Golden Globes, 16 Primetime Emmy and 2 Critic’s Choice Awards.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the chimical genious Walter White, also professor in statal high school and father of a family, discovered he had cancer. With a son, Walter Jr who is disabled and a wife (Skyler), to provide for, Mr White decided to think how to make money in the short slice of lifetime he had remained. Mr White was indirectly introduced to the obscure drugs world thanks to his brother in law Hank Schreder- Skyler’s sister’s Marie husband, who was a DEA officer. Mr White with his former student Jesse Pinkman, a depraved young junkard, started to cook meth’s cristals, using a chemically perfect formula. Mr White’s product created many illusions between addicted and started to be widely required as the two become business partners in both cooking and selling met. This unexpected turn point in Mr White’s life brought him in contact with other drug dealers and mafia-cartels: torrents of money arrived in his pockets but also a great deal of violence, deaths and truble. Mr White is constantly risking to break apart with his family and relatives but he isn’t able to quit the only one job which pays well his magical skills. Jesse, on his hand, constantly manages to “survive himself”, and his friendship with Mr White opens new job opportunity as well as a promissed new type of lifestyle.

I’m currently watching this tv series - I’m through season 4, so don’t spoil it for me- but I’ve already feel the urge to write something about it.

• Breaking Bad combines perfectly drama and irony, affection and violence, being both hilarious and serious. The story is told by two different perspectives, Mr White’s and Jesse’s. Along the show, technical adjustments of the camera are made in a few points, expecially when Jesse is high. It is incredible how not even a single episode is banale or boring, you could keep watching BB forever.
• Both Craston and Paul are fantastic, they define perfectly the characters of Mr White and Jesse. Mr White’s facial expressions are formidable, such as Jesse’s rude tone of voice or his rapper walking style.
• The environment: Albuquerque is seen for good and for worst, from the desert-countryside paths to the city center and suburbs. Realistic and inclusive.
• Normal life is portrayed by Walter Jr whilst the bronx misadventures are more linked to Jesse’s experience. But Mr White and Jesse are simply to faces of the same reality, which cannot exist split apart one from the other.
• Secondary characters such as Skyler, Hank or Marie, are not so secondary: they have a strong personality and are active throughout the series. Their contribution change the curse of the story, which is quiet unique in this kind of crime-drama.
• An unspoken drug world. BB shows not only the production-distribution of drugs but also the effects on addicts, with its subsequent rehab or deaths.
• Mr White seems the perfect prototype of the intellectual or Mr Gus presents himself as a super-honest business man -with his loved “Los Pollos Hermanos” hamburger house- is, at the end of the day, the king of the meth-market. How can apparences be faked so well?

Tv series rating: 5/5 stars. A must see. 

The Post

The Post (2017) is a political thriller directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, starring Meryl Streep as Katharine Graham and Tom Hanks as Ben Bradlee, Bob Odenkirk (as Ben) and Sarah Paulson. A great cast, a great story. The Post is running for 2 statuettes at the 90th Academy Awards - Best Picture and Best Actress for Meryl, and it is already included in top 10 movies of the year list.

But is The Post as interesting as the critic claims?

Well, firstly let’s introduce the story: in the ‘70s the journal The Washington Post decided to post the sensitive and top secret docs of the controversial Pentagon Papers – regarding Vietnam’s war, after the Ny Times was put out the games because of an injunction that restrained reporter Neil Sheehan to continue publishing its investigation. It is the Post’s reporter Ben Bagdikian who produced a dangerous super-scoop in order to salve the reputation of the paper.

• This movie advocates the right to tell a story and the “constitutional” free press. Untrustworthy government and political uncertainties are the basis of this 70s crisis but are problems that clearly deal with nowadays administration.
• If I had to choose a great actress in order to portray the 70s’ only woman in the press room, which one I would choose? Meryl, you rock the house. Lucid performance and once again, nominated.
• The movie itself in spite the message and the theme covered, The Post is all but entertaining and funny, as the official critic liked to write black on white. Other journalistically/ inquire movies have been made recently, as Academy Award Winner in 2015 “Spotlight” or “Truth”, which were, in my opinion not only more “moving” but also more interesting in the storytelling. But Vietnam is Vietnam, right?
• Boring, boring and… BORING. Great cast, great director, good story. That’s not enough to make a good movie ! The scenes are too long, the narration is as slow as Dante climbing Purgatory’s hill. 
  The only one which outstanded, in my opinion was, Bob Odenkirk. My reaction when I first recognize him after years and years not seeing his face (remember lawyer Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad series?) was “oh god, how old is he now?”. That was the only moment when I’ve felt alive during this movie.

Movie rating: 1.5/5 stars- One point for Meryl, an half for the story.

  

Lady Bird

Lady Bird (2017) is a comedy-drama movie directed by Greta Gerwing, starring Saoirse Roman (Lady Bird/Christine) , Laurie Mecalf (mother), Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges, Timothée Chalamet.

Lady Bird and her best friend Julie attend a Catholic high School in Sacramento. Lady Bird has a dream: becoming someone, while entering, like her brother, an important university. During the movie, she tested what love can mean, having breaf relationship with a class-mate and an alternative musician. During the movie, Lady Bird fights against her mother, who tries to coordinate the whealth of the family, after her husband had lost the job. “Lady Bird” is a movie of self discovery, along the path of becoming an adult.

Soirse Ronan was nominated at the 75^a Golden Globes Awards for best actress in a comedy feature.

• An interesting and entertaing movie! It shows how complex can be the growing up process. It shows exactly how a young adult is elfish, interested only in her own business… I mean, she doesn’t even noticed her father suffered about depression ! Or, let’s admit it, Lady Bird is in love more of the idea of love than paying attention of love itself… she doesn’t realize her boyfriend was gay!
• Soirse Ronan is thrilling ! Funny, clumsy, chicky… a pure pleasure for the eyes. The irish 24 yo is perfect in Lady Bird’s shoes. And what a transformation! Hairstyle and clothes come right from the 2000s. Authentic.
• Lady Bird’s mother: a real women. We spectator are wondering when occurs the gap in becoming an adult between head in clouds’ Lady Bird and her mother? Concerned about material issues as money, dealing with duble shifts, her husband problems and… well, a daughter that sees nothing over her nose.
• Oh dear 2000s. Love the school parties and relationship between class-mates. Are you the coolest? “If you are still hanging out with Kyle, we can catch up”
• Sacramento- Nyc: or suburbs vs metropolitan city. Nyc seems the perfect city for a head full of dreams. Or not?

Movie rating: 3.5 / 5.

Entertaing but a bit predictable.

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