Series review: ELITE

Hi guys! Sorry for the absence... I have moved to Milan early this month because of university and since I have moved from one flat to another in a few days (crazy stuff, I swear), it  has been a little bit shaking. I have been without wi-fi for quite a lot, so, you, know, I haven't watched huge movies like "A Star is Born" or "Bad times at El Royale", yet. In the next days, though, you will find my #CiakMovies review of both of them. In the meantime, I leave you with some series review. I love series, I must say, and, after falling in love with awarded series such as Got, Oitnb, Breaking Bad, Narcos, House of Cards etc.  I went trough two shorts Netflix productions that I highly recommend to you. The first one is...

ELITE (2018) is a spanish teen-crime drama created and written by Carlos Montero and Dario Ladrona, directed by Ramon Salazar for Netflix. The series stars are Danna Paola, Maria Pedraza, Jaime Lorente and Miguel Herràn. Due to the huge success of the tv series, Netflix has renew it for a 2 season.

ODD FACT !!  If you look at Elite's poster, you may recognize some faces. Yes ! We have already seen Maria Pedraza, Jaime Lorente and Miguel Herran in "Money Heist" better known as "La casa de Papel". The decision to reclute almost all the cast of a previous successful Netflix series in order to produce a new one (completely different in the topic) was questionable. But, in my opinion, it worked to establish the true acting skills of these young chavales, that are young and may have a long career ahead.

THEME: The set is a Spanish private high school where rich youngsters go in order to become the "tomorrow elite". At the beginning, 3 new scholars arrive: Christian, Nadia and Samuel. These three, you aren't rich, have "won" a scholarship because their original school has been destroyed because of an earthquake (you will discover that Guzman and Marina's father is one of the responsible of the disaster, but, don't worry, this is not a spoiler.) Lately, some drama and romance arises. But I won't go into details.

SPOILER ALERT

                                   !! READ ONLY IF YOU HAVE ALREADY WATCH IT !!


POSITIVES ASPECTS:

• Elite is an entertaining series: nice to watch, for distract yourself from the stress of the day and to have some fun. Anthropologically, the distinction between the elite's members and the new ones is interesting to watch, in its development, because we know it is quite realistic. Why is so difficult to accept new members in an already-formed group? 
• I enjoyed the romance scenes between Samuel and Marina, but, at the end, I found Samuel's character a little bit too fictional and, most of all naive, whereas Marina, out of the blue, becomes the prototype of the rebel. 
• The rainbow relationship between Ander and Nadia's brother Omar is cute and in line with our times. 
• The sex affair between Christian e Marina was very hot. And Christian was the one who turns up the music of the show. 

NEGATIVE ASPECTS:

• Marina's illness, the way it is presented and how the girl deals with it. For me,  is the worst thing of the series.
• Nadia's family is the stereotype of the close-minded muslim family. The strong figure of the father, who is willing to control all the moves of Nadia and Omar, in reality doesn't know anything about his sons. I find this difficult to deal with, as a spectator. And I am against pre-judgements.
• Samuel's brother Nano is James Dean bad copy. Wherever it goes, he leaves behind him pain and broken hearts. Too much of a cliché for me.
• Guzman relationship with Nadia. How come that he is in love with Lu and then, after a joke, he falls for Nadia? I don't like the evolution of this character: from the rich-snob-smart young man, to the "subdued", frigile love-bird ? Let me be a little be sarcastic. 
• Polo or better known as Marina's toy-boy. And, some words let me wander how was their relationship before Christian arrived.  It would be an interesting topic to develop in season 2. 

⭐️CIAK MOVIE REVIEW ⭐️: 2.5/5

Micol Sartori

VENOM: why critics consider this movie bizzarre.

Venom (2018) is a fantasy movie based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Venom is the first movie in Sony’s Marvel Universe.Directed by Ruben Fleischer, screenplay by Scott Rosenberg, starringTom Hardyas Eddie Brock aliasVenom, alongside Michelle Williams,Riz Ahme, Scott Haze, and Reid Scott. 

THE PLOT: In Venom, journalist Brock gains superpowers after being bound to an alien symbiote whose species plans to invade Earth.

…And surprise, surpirse! When I came to the movie theatre to watch this movie with a couple of friends, I was thinking about having a good time and entertain myself. Which is the reason why, as opposed to my usual habits, I didn’t pay attention to most of the aspects I normally review in Ciak Movies: I’ve just pay the ticket, watch the movie being transportated by the plot and laugh. After this “mhystical/normal” experience, I read some critical reviews, that follows:

EMPIRE:

• The first act is ham-fisted, charmless and dull (…). Even more surprising is the lack of chemistry between TomHardy and Williams, two of the most charismatic actors on the planet. Hardy’s performance in particular is fidgety, muted and curiously unengaging; Williams also toils away in a nothingy fiancée-moving-on role. Completing the troika, Venom also has another collector’s item — a bland Riz Ahmed turn as an Elon Musky visionary saddled with dreadful dialogue 

INDIEWIRE:

• The world may have enough superheroes, but it doesn’t have enough good movies about them. “Venom” goes a small way toward changing that, even though it’s technically about a supervillain — or, if we’re being generous, an antihero. News that the fan-favorite Spider-Man antagonist was receiving a standalone film of his own starring Tom Hardywas greeted warmly (…).
• Apparent creative differences between Hardy and director Ruben Fleischer(“Zombieland,” “Gangster Squad”) aside, “Venom” leans closer toward the former — a potential franchise-starter whose bizarre incongruities ultimately feel more like a feature than a bug.

... And I though “Wow! It’s amazing how the normal audience watch movie without even realize those things.”So, i am very thankful for the experts that professionally review movies, because, if not, nobody will appreciate, or even notice, the work and the ART which lays beyond a movie. 

Micol Sartori

Sulla mia pelle (On my Skin): the complete review

Sulla mia pelle (On my Skin), directed by Alessio Cremonini and starring Alessandro Borghi is an Italian bio-drama. The movie has premiered in the Horizon section in the 75th Venice Film Festival and was strongly debated, because was released simultaneously worldwide via Netflix and in the theaters through the Lucky Red distribution's company.

THE PLOT: The movie is set in Rome's suburbs, where the 31 years old Stefano Cucchi is an ex drugs addict and dealer. One day, after having dinner with his parents at the family house, Stefano decided to pass the night out. While chatting with a friend in the car, Stefano lighted up a cigarette. Some Carabinieri (a section of the Italian police), noticed the car and ordered the two men to declare all their possessions. Unfortunately, the officers found some grams of hashish on Stefano and they bring the two guys at the police station in order to interrogate them. The friend is released, whilst Stefano is charged with both possession and drug dealing. Stefano appears in the courts room and the judge recalls the court hearing within a month. Stefano starts a downfall through the unknown injustice of the Italian law system.

THE DIRECTOR: Alessio Cremonini's masterpiece is more than a drama, because brings in it the essentiality of a biopic. Stefano is the one and only main character, and the little motions of the camera, the limited variety of sets, bring the spectator closer to Stefano's condition. Cremonini creates a strong empathy so we identify ourselves with Stefano, forgetting he is the "bad" guy of the situation. As drugs dealers are often considered without further examine the single situation.

THE ACTOR: Alessandro Borghi delivers a straight representation of Stefano Cucchi's character. He speaks the roman's accent, he moves like a "coatto" and is capable of portraying all the aspects of Cucchi's pain. The body motion is fantastic and the sensitivity of Borghi's acting is emotional: the actor has studied all the steps that had lead to Stefano's death and he brights to light even some aspect that Ilaria, Stefano's sister, said that she "wish she had known".

IMPORTANCE OF THE MOVIE: After Stefano's death in prison, after only a week on detention in "unknown" circumstances, his sister Ilaria and the Cucchi's family started their battle in defense of the basic human rights of the inmates.

THE DEBATE: The movie was one of the protagonist at the latest Venice Film Festival because of the topic and because of the channels of the distribution. Sulla mia pelle, produced in collaboration with Netflix, was one of the first movies to win a prize in an official film festival and distributed in streaming. On my skin marks the beginning of a new era?

VOTE : 5/5 ! The movie is strongly recommended. 💫Ciak Movie approved 💫

Micol Sartori

The House with a Clock in Its Walls: the review

         

The House with a Clock in Its Walls  (2018) is a fantasy horror/comedy directed by Eli Roth and starring Jack Black uncle Jonathan,Cate Blanchett as Florence (Jonathan’s neighbor and best friend) and the little actor Owen Vaccaro as the 10 years old protagonist, Lewis. The movie was released in the Us on 21/09 and after a worldwide marketing campaign, is now going to be realised everywhere. 

THE PLOT: We are in 1955, when Lewis, after a car crush that killed both of his parents, arrived at uncle’s Jonathan home. Before dying, his parents gave him an 8-ball and Lewis keeps his gift all the time. Jonathan’s house is wird because on the walls there are plenty of clocks. Jonathan lives in close relationsh with his neighbor Florence. Lewis starts to experience some magical powers and he is scared. He starts to go to school and a new friend of his tells to “keep an eye on the strange uncle”. Even Lewis’s mother appears in his dream to warn him. The boy seems in danger, and, throughout the story he will discover his uncle’s secret and the meaning of the clocks. All the subterranean powers are linked to the strange energy that flows in Lewis’ blood. 

THE ACTORS: Obviously this is a children’s movie, but Jack Black’s sympathy cross all the lines. The actor is entertaining and dictates the rhythm of the narration. Well done to the young actor Owen Vaccaro: with his facial expression and sensitivity he gives a great credibility to his character. What can we say about Cate Blanchett ? She’s as gthe pauses, the expression and the voice of a women, intelligently charming and seductive. 

THE EFFECTS: I really enjoyed the DGB colours that give modernity to a 1950 setting. The visual effects of magic are equilibrate and “storytellinggly” calm. The atmosphere is fantastic as the ones we saw in JK Rowiling Harry Potter’s. 

THE REVIEW: Couldn’t ask more from an horror/comedy movie. I enjoyed the story form 1’ to the end without falling asleep - as often occurs because the genre is not my favourite one. Director Roth has won a spot in the sun for “ Best animation”. VOTE:4/5

⭐️Ciak movie approved ! ⭐️

Micol Sartori

Spike Lee's return: BlacKkKlansman, the review

BlacKkKlansman (2018) is an American biographical comedy-drama directed by Spike Lee and written by Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, and Lee himself,  based on the 2014 memoir Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth. The film stars John David Washington as Stallworth, Adam Driver as Flip Zimmerman, Laura Harrier, and Topher Grace. 

THE PLOT- Set in 1970s Colorado Springs, the plot follows the first African-American detective in the Colorado Springs police department, Ron Stallworth. Ron's first assignment is to infiltrate a local rally of the Black Power organization in order to keep an eye on the meeting. In fact, Kwame Ture, a famous speaker was that night's special guest. In this occasion, Ron meets Patrice Dumas, the head of the student's black party. While taking Ture to his hotel, Patrice is stopped by patrolman Andy Landers, a corrupt, racist officer in Stallworth's precinct, who threatens Ture and sexually assaults Patrice. 
The rally convince Ron to do something for his people: at the office, while reading the local paper he finds the ad of the Ku Klux Klan. Ron, with the help of the white and jew officer Filp,  decides to enter the Klan. Ron has an ability: he can imitate perfectly a white man's voice. So, Ron is the one who interacts with the Klan through the phone and organizes the plans, while Filp was Ron double when it comes to join the meeting in person. The two of them manage to contact the White Wizard and politician David Duke ...

THE ANALYSIS- BlacKkKlansman is a dense movie: Spike Lee puts in the pot many cinematic echos such as Gone with the Wind colors and, most of all, David W. Griffith's Born of a nation. Griffith's movie is harshly criticized with many original clips that appear in the key moments of the story. Lee's willing is to make us reflect about the contemporary situation, between the difference of the actual America and the dreamed one. Are the white Americans still pretending to be the head of the nation? Lee is subtly criticizing Donald Trumph's governance (with him appearing in the movie too), while showing the contrast between scenes of violence and the president's reassuring words. The fact that the K.K.K is criticizing not only the blacks, the yellows or whatsoever but even the white jew, as Filp is, puts in ridiculous the basis of the racial organization. Still, this organization, as the last scene show, is part of the US present. 

THE TONE- BlaKkKlansman alternates grotesque humorism with some serious moments of thought. Ron's dialogues with the head of the K.K.K David Duke are incredibly entertaining.

THE ACTORS- John David Washington is equilibrate in Ron's shoes, credible and natural while acting the mythical police officer. Adam Driver's contribution signs another great performance of the actor, who is living is best season in Hollywood's movie productions.


MOVIE JUDGEMENT- BlacKkKlansman has won the Grand Prix price at Cannes Film festival. The movie   is Spike Lee business card for the Oscars. VOTE: 5/5

Micol Sartori

DON'T WORRY movie exclusive review !

Produced by Amazon Studios, Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot (2018) is a bio-drama based inspired by the life of the cartoonist John Callahan.

The actor Robin Williams (1951-2014) knew John Callahan and, after the death of the artist, Williams decided to buy the right's of Callahan's autobiography. Williams' dream was to made out of it a nice on screen biography and to act as the main character. 

By the time Williams was working on Good Will Hunting with director Gus Van Sant, he introduced him to Callahan's book: “He wanted to create a screenplay to star in and that’s where it started. We developed a couple of screenplays and as time went by, Robin never got around to it,” Van Sant told The Hollywood Reporter at the film's premiere at the ArcLight Hollywood.

Then Callahan died at the age of 59 in 2010 and, in 2014 Williams died too. 

After William's death, Van Saint thought of finally accomplished the actor's dream. The credits of the movie, in fact, include a special thanks to Williams.

Van Saint enrolled the prized actor Joaquin Phoenix (1974 ) and the nominated actress Rooney Mara (1985).

CIAK MOVIES REVIEW.

Positive aspects of the movie:

• Joaquin Phoenix is an amazing actor. After winning the Best Actor prize at Cannes thanks to A beautiful day movie, Phoenix is proving again and again his amazing skills. And deserved the Joker role in the next Batman's series. In Don't worry he acts in a soft, equilibrate way, showing Callahan flaws as a drunker. 
• The dialogues between the characters.
• The costumes.

• The movements of the camera, that shifts fast from one face to another and is often out of focus.

Negative aspects:

• The movie is quite long and still, dialogues only with little music.
• Rooney Mara as Annu is only a frame. Van Gus should have dept more her role.

Ciak's vote: 3,5/5.

DON'T WORRY movie official site 

Ocean's 8 exclusive Review !

After almost a year of struggling waiting, but finally Ocean's 8 is here ! Ocean 8 scored an incredible 41.5 million dollars in 2 days, during the weekend between the Premiere (on June 8th) and Saturday June 10th.
Well, the cast needs no presentation: Sandra Bullock as Debbie Ocean, madame president Cate Blanchett as the club owner Lou, Rihanna as the hacker Nine Ball, Helena Bonam as the disaster designer Rose, Sarah Paulson as the "housewife" Tammy, Awkafina as the magician Costance, Mindy Kalling as the jwellery artisan Amita and, last but not least, the beautiful Anne Hathaway as the starlet Daphne Kluger.
Ocean 8 was produced by Steven Sodebergh and Susan Ekings, screenplay by Gary Ross and Olivia Milch and was directed by Gary Ross, who also directed the 2012 Huger Games and the 2016 Free State of Jones.
Since many teasers and publicity has been released, I will not talk about the plot ( above you will find the original trailer) because I need to comment it straight ahead ! But no wonders, I will try to avoid spoilers.

1) Debbie Ocean is amazing. She has the Ocean's blood and a huge sense of style. How she does it naturally? Wanna have those incomparable nonchalance stealing skills. I liked Sandra Bullock, always funny and punctual while acting: she's the mind of the operation and she's always one step ahead of anyone. I have found Debbie behavior ... nobile and snob in a way, which is not annoying.
2) Lou needs a separate chapter: Cate Blanchett at her finest, impeccable and extremely sexy. Lou, the club owner, has Blanchett's lower voice and ... appeal. She's the rocker, the "bi" character... Her partnership with Debbie crushes the screen ! And, as I read in a Variety article, hope there will be a sequel (or prequel) to explore Lou and Debbie's history.
3) Anne Hathaway as the starlet was extremely adorable ! Hathaway as great acting skills, mixed with a feminine natural grace ... love her dresses and, obviously the neck. Loved the scene when Anne meets the team.
4) Eight ball or Nine ball? Hahaha xD Rihanna was the hacker. Her acting was... ehm, a bit weird? Anyway, her character was OK. Personally, I would have added a more interesting personality on the hacker.
5) My only complaint... Sarah Paulson. Why an "Emmy awarded" (quoting Cate and Sarah's funny interview) grabbed only a sider role (Tammy). Don't know.

Fav scens:

Trailer:

                           

Rating: 4/5.

Classical Ocean mood, the movie was entertaining and charming. Gonna watch it again on streaming (x10 times?) and then, of course, on the big screen.

Micol Sartori

The Black Panther phenomenon

"Black Panther" is the newest (and most successful) Marvel's Studio 2018 production: huge acclaim at the box office, with an amazing record, 1.344 billion Dollars worldwide (stated back in May 22). Directed by Ryan Coogler, the movie counts an all black cast stars  Chadwick Boseman (also seen in 2016 "Captain America:Civil War") as king T'Challa, Micheal B.Jordan (2015 "Creed") , Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira (remember the Walking Dead?) , Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letita Wright, Winston Duke and Forest Whitaker (2016 "Arrival") between the others. 

The story is set in the African kingdom of Wakanda, an apparent poor and rural nation that shelters one of the most up-graded technologies in the world, thanks to a special material: the vibranium. The vibranium is the engine of the story: it brings former king of Wakanda to the Usa in order to punish some Wakandian rebels involved in the vibranium trading and than, after the king's death, the problem comes back again. Do the Wakandian need to keep secret their special material or do they share it in order to help black oppressed people around the world? This inner battle is portrayed on screen by the black panther and new king T'Challa and his counterpart Zuri, his most powerful contender to the throne.

"Black Panther" is the first Marvel story of a black super hero, and the world needed that desperately. After the 2016 black scandal and the 2017 Oscar winner "Moonlight", after the #MeToo movement and the Netflix /Amazon willing to portray borders realities, "Black Panther" proposes itself as the reference for all black people who need to be "told" on screen. Africa does not mean only poverty and unknown, impenetrable forest or rural areas, but also great advantage in technology and ... pride. 

Pride as the amazing skills of the cast, who act, fight and share feelings in a ... super-powerful way? Intense, entertaining, funny, surprising... Black Panther is all this. 

Has anyone thought  the super-heroes world is a white - exclusive ? Nobody has, and from now on, neither the cinema industry.  

Micol Sartori

A beautiful day

A beautiful day (or You Were Never Really Here,2017) written and directed by Lynne Ramsay with Joaquin Phoenix.
Now out everywhere, the movie was presented in last years' Cannes and recognized with 2 awards, best screenplay and the Palm D'Or for Joaquin's interpretation.

Joe is a US veterain who currently lives with his mother and works as a mercenary. Joe is hired by an important senator to rescue his daughter Nina from a juvenile brothel. This adventure will take Joe to face his inners horrors, such as his childhood's memories and some episodes of the war. Meanwhile,  the man succeeded in save Nina, but the road to the girl's freedom is sprinkled with blood.

A beautiful day is an author's movie, with an original direction and an impeccable performance by J. Phoenix. A story that deals with childhood abuses and horrors that are, in majority, unspoken. Intense, thrilling...  worth watching.

Movie rating: 4/5

Micol Sartori

Oscars final review

Yesterday night was The Night we were expecting since ... oh well, last year?
After the amazing success of Moonlight and, most of all the infamous loser La La Land, the 89th Academy Awards were hard to forget.
The 90th edition was tough since its beginning: the ME TOO movement and some scandals concerning female abuses (remember James Franco's exclusion?) and Guillermo De Toro being accused of plagiarism by Paul Zindel's son, who claimed Toro had copied his father's 1969 masterpiece "Let Me Hear You Whisper".  And, to be frank, the doubt was reasonable !

Let's start with a few words on the red carpet.  Nothing to do with the 2015 Red Carpet, with capital R and C, when Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Rooney Mara and Margot Robbie stayed... or the 2016 success of Viola Davis and Emma Stone... yesterday night, in my opinion was way above all this memories. Anyway, Nicole, looking fabulous in her Armani, and the sober "old but not cold" Meryl Streep in total red, were my favorite.

I'm happy with all the results besides best movie. How come that Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri didn't win Best Picture?  Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell won their category! And, let's say it, the story of Three Billboards was original, yet conveyed a contemporary message: the denunce of a dysfunctional justice system and, once again, violence against women. That's all? No, because Frances portrayed the strength of a lone - wolf women, who finds the strength to pursue her aim fighting the system form the inside. And The Shape of Water? A strange love story between a women and a monster, even if, in reality, the real monster was not the fishy creature but the carnal scientist. Interesting... but moving? In my opinion, Toro's work was well balanced in rhytm, music and surprising effects - even the monster itself was quite "sweet"-but, even though the story was enjoyable, it didn't leave nothing to me.

Your thoughts? Comment below so we can finally share opinions.

The 90th Academy Awards winners

The Shape of Water crew accepts "Best Movie" 

Frances McCdormand accepts "Best Actress" 

Gary Oldman accepts "Best Actor"

Sam Rockwell accepts "Best supporting actor"

Allison Janey accepts "Best supporting actress"