Uncut Gems (2019)

A jeweller sets up all kinds of chains of  financial arrangements in order to make enough profit to pay his debts.

A film with a fast and stressful rhythm, both for the character and for the audience. It's well made and very realistic, with actors often proving their talent, but in the end, it's a story wasted on a mediocre guy who doesn't seem to be aware of his own mediocrity. It doesn't teach a particularly special message, perhaps maybe an obvious "man makes plans and God laughs" but in this case the plans are extremely irresponsible and even stupid, things that are explicitly told to the character surprisingly often by those with whom he interacts.

Directed by: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

Featuring: Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel, Julia Fox

Rating: 6/10

Uncut Gems (2019)

Un bijutier aranjeaza tot felul de lanturi de afaceri pentru a-si plati datoriile.

Un film cu un ritm rapid si stressant, pentru personaj cat si pentru public. Este bine facut si foarte credibil, cu actori ce isi dovedesc talentul adesea, dar in mare, este o poveste irosita despre un tip mediocru ce nu pare sa fie constient de mediocritatea sa. Fara un mesaj aparte, decat poate un evident "omul face planuri si Dumnezeu rade" dar in cazul de fata planurile sunt extrem de iresponsabile si chiar stupide, lucruri ce ii sunt declarate direct personajului surprinzator de des de catre cei cu care interactioneaza.

Regia/scenariu: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

Cu: Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel, Julia Fox

Rating: 6/10

Also read in English

The Lost City Of Z (2016)

Povestea reala a lui Percival Fawcett, un pasionat explorator disparut in anii '20 cautand un misterios sat amazonian.

Un film foarte frumos, despre vise si ambitii si obstacolele si sacrificiile reale intalnite pentru indeplinirea acestora. Pe de o parte il vedem pe Percival si echipa lui si pe de alta parte o vedem pe sotia acestuia cu vise similare dar cu obstacole sociale mult mai imposibil de invins. Cu un final asteptat, audienta poate se intreaba care ar fi rostul atentiei asupra povestii unui esec, dar important este de retinut ca fara acesti oameni nu am avea succesele ce s-au strecurat printre crapaturi.

Regia/scenariu: James Gray

Cu: Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Tom Holland, Angus Macfadyen, Edward Ashley

Rating: 8/10

Also read in English

The Lost City Of Z (2016)

The real story of Percival Fawcett, a passionate explorer who disappeared in the 1920s looking for a mysterious Amazonian village.

A very beautiful film, about dreams and ambitions and the obstacles and real sacrifices met for their fulfilment. On the one hand we see Percival and his team and on the other hand we see his wife with similar dreams but with social obstacles much more impossible to overcome. With an expected ending, the audience may wonder what would be the point to pay so much attention to the story of a failure, but it is important to remember that without these people we would not have the successes that have crept through the cracks.

Directed/Written by: James Gray

With: Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Tom Holland, Angus Macfadyen, Edward Ashley

Rating: 8/10

La Migliore Offerta / Deception (2013)

An art expert, lonely and full of phobias, meets a female client who intrigues him more than his personal collection of female portraits masterpieces .

A film by Giuseppe Tornatore (The Legend of 1900, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, Malena) with Geoffrey Rush in the lead role. That should be enough to attract the right audience.

A sensitive film, with and about sensitive people,  it initially creates contradictory feelings about gender equality, soon overturned by the idea of ​​a man with sensitivities so different from the realities around him that he gets to build his own world in which he feels accepted, whole and in his element, delaying / cancelling happy events that are (only apparently) forbidden to him.

If at times the film reminds the viewer of Cet Obscur Object Du Desir, this is an unfair comparison, the main character of Deception being a completely special individual, at the opposite pole of the superficiality exposed in Buñuel's film.

Bonus: The story has many attractions to offer for the public who is not very fond of too emotional films.

Directed/written by: Giuseppe Tornatore

Featuring: Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess, Donald Sutherland, Sylvia Hoeks, Dermot Crowley, Liya Kebede

Rating: 9/10

La Migliore Offerta / Deception (2013)

Un expert evaluator de arta, singuratec si plin de fobii intalneste o clienta care il intriga mai mult decat colectia personala de capodopere portrete feminine.

Un film de Giuseppe Tornatore (The Legend of 1900, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, Malena) cu Geoffrey Rush in rolul principal. Asta ar trebui sa fie de ajuns sa atraga publicul potrivit.

Un film sensibil, cu si despre oameni sensibili, creeaza initial sentimente contradictorii legate de egalitatea sexelor, curand daramate de ideea unui om cu sensibilitati atat de diferite realitatii din jurul sau incat ajunge sa isi construiasca propria lume in care se simte acceptat, complet si in elementul sau, amanand/anuland fericiri ce ii sunt (doar aparent) interzise.

Daca pe alocuri aminteste de Cet Obscur Objet Du Desir, aceasta este o paralela nedreapta, personajul de fata fiind un individ complet special, la polul opus superficialitatii expuse in filmul lui Buñuel.

Bonus: povestea ascunde destule atractii si pentru publicul ce nu este amator de filme prea emotionale.

Regia/scenariu: Giuseppe Tornatore

Cu: Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess, Donald Sutherland, Sylvia Hoeks, Dermot Crowley, Liya Kebede

Rating: 9/10

Also read in English

Preacher (2016-2019)

An unusual pastor with a bleak past turns his life upside down when his old love returns to his life and starts a long adventure to find God who seems to have left his post.

Filled with crazy and absurd ideas, Preacher will provide plenty of uninterrupted fun for fans, whether they want comedy, action or ridiculous situations. Expecting everything to have a deeper meaning, the entire series will unfold in front of the eyes without such satisfaction. Nothing remains holy, nothing is left without offence, all the characters are victims of weaknesses and defects, be they negative or positive characters. Just as colourful as the comic book it's based on, Preacher is visually pleasing and filled with gore-like horrors and gratuitous violence, which is only  a negative for the audience who chose this series by mistake.

Creators: Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen

Production: AMC

Featuring: Dominic Cooper, Joseph Gilgun, Ruth Negga, Graham McTavish, Pip Torrens, Noah Taylor, Julie Ann Emery, Ian Colletti

Rating: 9/10