francobulgheoz Reviews

The Godfather Part III (1990)

The Godfather: A Masterclass.

[10/10 · 7 April 2020]

This review is intended to go as a full closure to the 3 chapters that contain the story and history of The Godfather. This meaning, I asume if you went all the way to The Godfather Pt. III is because you've watched the two previous ones.

Anyways, how to describe a trilogy such as this one? Nevermind if it's the first, second, third or even fourth time you've watched, it always stays close in your mind for a few days. And every once in a while, a line or a scene pops-up from nowhere to my mind. That is the response to cleverly crafted cinema.

These are not just movies. These are lectures. The Godfather is incredibly crafted to show mainly, the essence of life above all; family.

It is amazing to see how many characters are explored, and in such depth, over the three movies. You feel so close or so real to their situations, you know everything and everyone around them, and that makes it possible for a clear judgement on their characters and further arcs or downfalls.

The Godfather can absolutely work as a lesson of how to be in this life. It teaches behaviour, when to talk, when not to. Who plays you a fool? Who is loyal? What matters. What does'nt.

Ultimately, wiping the cinematic exaggerations and the constant violence, these are situations and decissions that can happen and affect common lives of any common citizen, of course, within the boundaries of each ones own reality.

When it comes to acting, not much casts follow up or pair The Godfather's. Al Pacino moved me to tears many times. Marlon Brando is so sincere and pure. Robert Duvall is amazingly beliavable and talented. Robert De Niro, the usual. Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Andy Garcia, etc... Only disappointed with two particular choices and that was both of Michael's grown-up children in TGIII.

Directing is explicit from FFC, leaving things very certain when they must, and dropping clues and mystery over time, only to recieve a closure in a near future. The constant swapping of contexts is so easily handled it clearly proves a tight connection between Director and Editor.

Anyways, I would finally like to comment on what I feel is the ultimate message of the film:

Lies don't go far. You can lie and feel relieved or saved for times, but lies kill you in the end. Be loyal to those who will always be loyal, family. But don't underestimate loyalty, family will always be loyal when they're expecting your loyalty back. Ultimately, no matter the money, the wipes, the tales, the legacy, that's nothing. Love and family should be the priority.

Richard Jewell (2019)

Thrillingly underrated.

[9/10 · 16 January 2020]

Let me begin with stating, how the hell did'nt this make it to Best Picture? How the hell did'nt P.W. Hauser nor Rockwell get a nomination for their work?

Richard Jewell is a true amazing story of the reality and sadness of the american system in relation to crimes. There is always an immediate search for someone to blame after a crime happens.

Performances drive the film. Paul Walter Hauser did an astonishing work, having into account both his resemblance to the real Jewell and his amazing acting skills which yet remain unkown to many. Sam Rockwell is one of the best actors working these days, and he should've gotten his 3rd nomination in a row for Best Supporting Actor. Kathy Bates did incredible, she was true and relatable. Others such as Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde properly fulfilled the picture's ensemble as well.

Clint Eastwood is simply amazing. Being in the industry for over 70 years and still managing to impress. The plot is handled with intensity, and thrilling scenes are to remain in my memory. Though he did a great work, some particular blocking and editing disconnected me for brief moments. Nevertheless, he handled a properly written script and brought a thought provoking story to life with the great aid of the casting chosen.

This film is captivating and gripping from the first scenes already, and it manages to keep you hooked and rooting for the good guys from the moment of the incident.

It's sad to remember this as a true story because it definitively shows how flawed the society we live in is.

Nevertheless, it works greatly as a cinematic piece and I would love to see it again.

500 Days of Summer (2009)

90 minutes of truth.

[9/10 · 30 October 2019]

What the hell is going on with me? I've never finished a rom-com in all my lifetime and last week I've watched La La Land and I think that opened an unexpected genre door for me.

500 days of Summer is awesome. The screenplay is extremely realistic and manages relatable ups and downs throughout the whole story. I guess the interpretation depends on your personality. For example, I had a very similar life experience such as Tom's (Gordon Levitt). He literally asked himself the same questions I did, even listened to the same music I do!

I loved how the romantic part of the film was connected with the things the truly enjoyed in life. It is no typical rom-com, it definitively finds originality within conversations and symbols that remain in your mind when the film is over.

Joseph Gordon Levitt is an outstanding actor. He does a great couple with Zooey Deschanel, who gave her best performance so far, in my opinion.

Music is accurate and personally pleasing. Direction is as well, very clever techniques were used and there are plenty of remarkable moments. The "Expectation vs Reality" scene, the cinema within the cinema scene and the very last moment of the movie are some of the highlights.

Editing was precise as well, and cinematography was swift and soothing to the eye.

500 days of Summer is a great rom-com, and as you'll learn pretty soon (if you have'nt seen it, and are planning to) that it's a boy meet girl story, but not necessarily, a love story.

9/10.

Adaptation. (2002)

Unique.

[10/10 · 28 October 2019]

Adaptation. is an overall solid result. Director Spike Jonze has shown to do superbly when managing scripts from the master himself, Charlie Kaufman. Main actors did a great job, including leading and supporting characters.

To begin with, Jonze is a magnificent director. He drives the story, from action to pacing, in the most natural and real of ways. Of course, the cast available at the time, did a lot of help.

Nicolas Cage managed to expose himself in one (or should I say, two) of the best performances of his career. Charlie's portrayal is unique and totally clear when it comes to contrasting his characteristics to his brother, Donald. This one is a far more social and mainstream character which definitively needed to be under a great actor's wing in order to nail it. Chris Cooper, in my opinion, the most accurate performance of his career. He took a promising opportunity that had much to exploit coming to someone such as John Laroche. Meryl Streep was true, vivid and eloquent. This is one of her best, to my eyes, as well. Other actresses such as Tilda Swinton and Cara Seymour are worth a mention too.

The script is just one of a kind. Kaufman's ability to layer organic stories and manage to always leave a powerful message behind is substancially enviable. Dialogue feels so natural and dissimilar personalities are so properly handled, specially coming to the perpendicular crossing that their relationships go through.

Music is alright. Not a highlight, only worth bringing up the scenes involving "Happy Together".

Cinematography and editing guide the atmosphere in swift changes of colour, back and forth between swamp-like, nature-wise moods to more urban and daily references.

In conclusion, Adaptation. is worth a view and most certainly worth another one if it was'nt fully understood the first time. Complexities involving the "hollywood" theme, love and free spirit surround the plot entirely delivering really thought-provoking concepts after the 2 hour screening is done.

10/10.

One Hour Photo (2002)

It works because of Robin.

[8/10 · 21 October 2019]

I have never heard about this film until last week. I did not know what I would walk into when watching it, based on the fact that Robin Williams is a usual reference for comedy. Nevertheless, I was not disappointed.

He simply is a great, great actor. He pulled off a role that not many would expect from him, and I found it easy to believe and follow from the very beginning.

The movie sets a tone and atmosphere from scene 1 that anyone can already find a bit disturbing. When we see his photo wall this atmosphere changes to a darker one. I believe cinematography and the subtle use of music, only rising when the plot did, were of great help for the message that was trying to be transmited. At times monothematic, at times oddly colourful, at times gritty. I think the cinematography, which is ultimately a relatable one, was very well handled.

Direction was alright. I liked most of the shots from the beginning, although the movie ended up having classic and usual uses of technique.

The plot is interesting and I liked the pace with which it was followed. What I did'nt like was the ending. I believe Williams's characters had potential for either a much more bloody or a more intense development. The film ends and one can feel that missing piece when seeing everyone ends up alright and unharmed, other than the fact of the affair.

Secondary characters were powerful enough. Though they were'nt really explored, the kid did alright, the mom did to, and the dad as well. Gary Cole's character was the secondary one that interested me the most. And I would've love some more complicity or involvemente from Yoshi, the 2nd photo guy.

In conclusion, if the ending went through a different path, the movie would be a much more remarkable and memorable one. Nevertheless, it pulls the desired effect thanks to a clever casting on Robin Williams.

The Laundromat (I) (2019)

Just, nuh.

[4/10 · 21 October 2019]

The Laundromat may be a funny movie at times, but not a worthy one if you are seeking comedy. Connections to the economic world made noise to me. The film did'nt seem to be going anywhere during many times.

Steven Soderbergh is a director I find to be crucifyingly irregular. I think he chooses many projects that vary drastically in styles and executions and that does not allow for a definite personality in direction.

Breaking the fourth wall has gone to far. So far indeed, one could already imagine Mossack and Fonseca walking out of prison into the shooting set.

I think cinematography is a tricky piece of this film. Though many beautiful places are shown in the movie, I find several takes to be over exposed and what I would consider as unnecesary framings. Editing did not help for it, I believe setting shifts did not come with harmony and perhaps some atmospheres were swept away for another just as soon as you began to feel involved.

The story is based on true events and that does allow to bring the focus to other areas, but I did not like the way it was written. Links between characters are too weak along all the film, having only liked the one at the final scene. I think having a story that connected branches from all over the world ended as a challenge for the project.

Meryl Streep did alright. Her performance improved as the film went on. Gary Oldman is up to much bigger things, I believe. This project I see as a stain in his broad career. Antonio Banderas, I just can never believe him. Don't know why.

The length of the film is too short, thankfully. Many minutes are wasted in extra long scenes that can be much more powerful in shorter and quicker rising action, though this all relies on the director's intention. Every moment of the film that is supposed to reveal tension has failed to do so in my case. I felt no empathy, no admiration nor dislike towards any character.

Finally, I believe this movie had potential which was poorly exploited. The cast, the director, the cinematography and the plot, as primary aspects, could all have worked in a much more succesful way if the approach had been a completely different one.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

The Expected Virtues of Iñarritu.

[10/10 · 18 October 2019]

Birdman is an overall solid movie. To begin with, stellar performances from Michael Keaton, Edward Norton (in my opinion, the top performance of the film), Emma Stone, Naomi Watts and Zach Galifianakis, above others.

Alejandro Iñarritu has shown his voluminous set of skills throughout his whole career, but to my eyes, there is no better "One-Shot film" attempt than this one. It is known that only 16 cuts where needed for this seamless picture to look the way it does. His direction style is very original, using fast camera movement to create blurred motion, and other unusual techniques these days. This one-shot film has a motive, it was done to enhance what an experience at a theatre would be like. That, combined to the originality and forwardness in the script, prove Iñarritu as one of the most talented directors of the century (so far).

Lets continue with the acting. Michael Keaton earns his single oscar nomination of his career with the portrayal of Riggan Thompson, and the interventions of his alter ego, Birdman. I think he did a great job exposing true and relatable emotions. He was very dynamic and managed a decent relation with the minor fantastic aspects throughout the plot. Edward Norton does an utterly fine performance, even though, his character, Mike, has a similar personality to Norton's natural one. Emma Stone proves his talent once again, she plays the rehab-depressed daughter of Riggan, and she does it well. Though for me, she really clicks with her "Truth or Dare" relationship with Mike. Other minor characters are worth a mention as well, it is known that Galifianakis suffered the shortest amounts of flubs throughout shooting. Naomi Watts has always shown a bright side when working for Alejandro.

The use of color is fantastic. Cinematography has an extended variety of color use, not scrict at all and does magnificent shifts between contrasting tones such as neon reds and blues. Staging (on theatre) looked great, and the inside of the St. James was handled in a far creative manner. I think Cinematography is a very solid cornerstone for this film.

Music is marvelous, those jazzy drum beats along all the film set a very vibrant atmosphere for the story, and switches naturally to more laidback rythims when needed. Editing was nearly needed, it lasted only two weeks. Anyways, that is in gratitude of the magnificent job done by the camera crew and the actors.

In conclusion, Iñarritu surely deserves the awards earned for presenting us such a real and energetic experience. Of course, his starring actors get a huge part of the job done. With sublime direction and pacing, the story escalates and goes downhill in the most authentic of ways. I'm definitively looking forward on Alejandro's next picture.

10/10.

Phantom Thread (2017)

No bad expectations have ever arised against PTA + DDL

[9/10 · 11 October 2019]

I would like to begin by claiming that PTA is within my all time top 5 directors. This was the only piece of his work I was yet to see. Finally the time came and I must say, it does deviate his intentions drastically in comparisson to his most recent work prior to this, Inherent Vice, but it does it beautifully.

Direction is superb; originality in plenty of shots, adequate positionings and of course, the help of superb actors, are all cornerstones on PTA's film that guarantee it a rather excelent transmission of emotions. Daniel Day-Lewis and Vicky Krieps own the film in a properly balanced equation, both on alone screen time for each, and also, together. Lesley Manville does a solid performance to bring strong sense into the only developed secondary character. The story basically revolves around these 3, and I must say, it heavily conveys emotional and mental shifts with the help of a wonderful script from Anderson himself. I have never seen any of Kriep's work but I definitively intend to, she did a great job. DDL is simply a flawless actor, he does top himself work after work and it's a shame if he truly decides to step aside from acting.

Cinematography, wardrobe and environment are all very strong subjects within the film. 90% of it happens inside a house, and with the gorgeous staging and shooting manner, your eyes are not exhausted but amazed by it. Stairways, artifacts, dressing, all brilliantly approached detaling.

Music is of heavy reliance in this film. It is used as a constant tone-set tool, bringing such a precise feeling to the atmosphere. Parallel to other movies in which music is used to highlight suspense or tension, this film often lets those moments intensify with silence and measured conversations.

Pacing is rather slow but it's just the way it should be. The story advances in the precise time so to show how they feel about each other and what they intend to do about it.

In conclusion, the picture is just another proof of PTA's insatiable talent. With little hints of comedy, and true development of dramatic/romantic situations, the DDL-Krieps formula worked perfectly for Anderson, in my opinion. These actors are the only options I'd buy for the characters. With not many words said about their feelings, gestures, expressions, dialogues and lack thereof communication, they are the most important feature in the movie.

Phantom Thread is worth every one of the nominations it recieved, and in my opinion, it was a great year for the film to come out as it joins the Drama/Character Study collection amongst Moonlight, Manchester by the Sea and many others. To my analysis, definitively within the best 5 films of 2017. Paul Thomas Anderson, you are true inspiration and one hell of a cinema director. I wish someday, I'll be at your level.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

Quentin Tarantino does it again.

[9/10 · 7 October 2019]

I never find enough words to describe how much Quentin's films influence me. Without a doubt he is my all time favorite director and within my highlighted screenwriters. From first to last, every moment of the film is worth watching. Although it may seem lenghty, one must understand, portraying a precise time and place of history accurately takes time. Quentin's work is absolutely precious, the script is wonderful. Characters, both previously existent and non, are amazing. I believe Brad Pitt brings the best performance on the film. Robbie and DiCaprio are pretty good, and some others such as Emile Hirsch and Margaret Qualley as well. The score is magnificent and it goes in line with all previous scores in Tarantino's work. Music truly is a spot of perfection on every of his films. It's driven throughout a radio station as medium and I must say, it works greatly. Direction is awesome, great aerial shots and scenes are'nt able to be easily predicted thanks to the way Quentin approached the story. It's another masterpiece to add to the collection, and not at all, a filler. It really is'nt for anyone though. If you expect a savage battle of blood then it won't live up to your hopes. This is the most "peaceful" of his films, although the dark humor, is still very present. Only disappointments come from the fact that amazing actors such as Al Pacino, Kurt Russell, Bruce Dern and Dakota Fanning have really small amounts of screen time. Nevertheless, they are'nt cornestones to the story, but using great talents for really short periods of time is a price that only mogul's such as Quentin can afford. Not his best film, but surely, one of them. 9/10.

Joker (I) (2019)

The Joker Effect

[10/10 · 7 October 2019]

First of all I must say, this film can be understood as a basic mathematic equation for the fanatics of Martin Scorsese. Adding The King of Comedy + Taxi Driver + Cape Fear, and multiplying it all to a fully creative screenplay on a previously existing character = Joker. I believe I've never witnessed such an authentic way of stealing the show as Joaquin Phoenix's performance under Todd Philipps direction. Joaquin is easily one of the best actors of his generation. He chews the character, eats it, spits it, then chews it again. He fully understand the complexities of the villain and portrays it in an utterly unique manner. This joker should not be compared with Ledger's (under Nolan). They are totally different phases of a character that was developed in two completely distinct stories and contexts. I can't say Phoenix surprised me, but that's not a bad thing. In fact, I have such an awareness of his abilities I knew he would nail it right on the spot. He drives the story in a fantastic way. You laugh, even when you should'nt, which is basically, the primary characteristic of Fleck. Senses of fear, danger and chaos are properly driven and exploited. I should say I'm definitively surprised by Philipps's approach. Based on his previous work such as the "Hangover" trilogy and other films such as War Dogs, I must say he really did his best on this flick. Without a doubt, this is his peak so far and I trust he'll only work to surpass such a movie. Within other aspects, the use of colour is sublime, a vintage-tone and an impressive wardrobe selection for the man himself, Arthur. Photography is truly magnificent. Music is incredibly reliable for the themes portrayed. The dark and gloomy cello brings the film a truly magnificent aspect to define the traumatic personality and experiencies the joker lives. On other aspects, secondary characters such as Penny, Murray, Sophie and Arthur's work partners are really important for sustaining the story. Subplots are unique and the main storyline was accurate enough to explain in a vivid manner the metamorphosis of Fleck, as well as defying on a smaller scale the origins of the hero, Batman. Length of the film is perfectly measured, pacing is precise and it really goes along fast. You won't even realize 2 hours have past and then, you'll know what I mean. Overall, I believe Phoenix, Philipps and the score are the aspects that influenced me with such a positive response. Definitively a must watch, and surely, an Academy contender for the three characteristics I believe are under the spotlight; Main Actor, Best Director/Script and Best Original Score (although there are musical pieces which were previously written). In conclusion, flaws are not something I'd relate with this film. 10/10 for me.