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Reviews
Night Club (2011)
Sweet little film deserving of wide release
It seems that most of the reviews for Night Club are positive, although I was surprised at some of the extremely negative reviews that were here. That's because I caught Night Club at the Golden Door festival and enjoyed it.
To be fair, it's not the type of movie I normally go for - I usually like the Indies with a harder edge. Night Club is a much "softer" Indie and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Where as I didn't rate it a 10 - I had it between a 7 and 8, though I am a tough reviewer - the entire audience responded to it, most of them even more than I did (and I say this, having liked the film).
It does have mass appeal and as I said in my summary, it is a sweet little film, certainly deserving of a wide release. Again, the entire audience - including cast mate Paul Sorvino who sat a few rows ahead of me (that was very cool) on opening night, laughed, smiled and sighed throughout the entire film.
As a reviewer only interested in the truth - not candy-coating it, and not trying to kill the movie for whatever agendas one may have - I have to say, I liked the movie enough to come here and review it.
I found the director Sam Borowski to be a loquacious yet likable man - someone so passionate about this film and what he does, that he would stay there and talk in the lobby all night. I know because I spoke with him, along with a crowd of others, a good 20 minutes after the Q&A - not the movie, but the Q&A - ended. I honestly don't think most would have stayed around if the movie was anything like some of the negative reviewers posted.
Although I have only recently begun posting reviews on IMDb - mostly because I see a lot of "haters" and people who seem to spew venom because they are rankled over something - I have been watching movies a while now. It's one of my hobbies. I go to many art houses to see movies, travel some distances to catch some of the indies I don't get right by my house, and usually try to go to several film festivals a year. So, I am coming from the perspective of a true indie movie buff.
My take on the negative reviews? They appear to be all set-ups, trying to get across an agenda. One particular review said that there were only master shots, and not enough close-ups in Night Club. I can assure you that wasn't the case. Another negative review claimed too many close-ups. Nope. Another was just a boiler-plate negative review with no real particulars about the film.
My favorite? This one "review" that just regurgitated others' comments and put a negative spin on it. What made this my fave is that the reviewer was from "the United Kingdom." LoL. Has this film even been seen in England yet? I would be surprised since it's still playing festivals in the U.S. and I don't believe it played in Cannes this year - didn't see it on the list of films. So, my point being, how did this guy even see it?
That nonsense aside, my honest opinion? I rather liked Night Club - and I stayed with a friend for several days to attend this festival, and caught a great deal of films while there.
On another note, Sorvino, who had a part in Night Club, also had a major role in a short film I also reviewed, "Lily of the Feast." Check that one out, if you can. And, Bravo to Paul Sorvino for doing Indie films!
The last thing I would leave you with is that a packed house on opening night of the festival at a wonderful old movie house, stayed around for the Q&A. There were no scathing questions or disappointment that I could see. Hope this helped give you an accurate picture.
La piel que habito (2011)
Go into this with as little information as possible
I saw a title of a previous IMDb review of this film with the summary, "Twisted, Depraved and Good." And basically, that could be all you had to know about this film going in to like it.
Oscar-Winner Pedro Almodovar, who has made a career out of making strange films that tackle subject matter most other filmmakers would avoid, has really outdone himself this time, and he could be headed for another Academy Award for Best Foreign Film come next February.
I am going to give as little information and as little spoilers as possible so as to allow any of you the same experience I had going in. The film works much better that way. Much like Citizen Kane, which has sections of the film that represent other genres, The Skin I Live In crosses many genres - horror, drama, suspense.
Basically, Antonio Banderas plays Dr. Robert Ledgard, a sort of modern-day Frakenstein-type surgeon, who is experimenting on making his own kind of "skin" for cosmetic surgery to burn victims. He experiments on a young woman, Vera Cruz (played by the beautiful Elena Anaya, whom he unbelievably keeps locked in the basement. We know nothing of Elena's past.
However, each of the main character's back stories and origins, so to speak, are revealed in Flashbacks and this really adds to the movie itself. No matter what the Dr. Ledgard does to Vera, he can't kill the beauty inside of her. This is all I wish to write, so as to keep the viewing experience for future film goers perfect.
I will end on this note: When the film ended, I wanted more. What more can you say about a movie than that?
Lily of the Feast (2010)
Interesting short I recently saw
Caught an interesting short film made by Federico Castelluccio, previously of "The Sopranos" fame. Had a lot to like about it, included a cast headed up by Castelluccio, that also featured Paul Sorvino ("Goodfellas") and noted Italian-American actor, Tony LoBianco.
It was also set in the 1970s, and I really enjoyed the look of the period, the music and the basic feel for it. Castelluccio is to be commended for his direction, and he was even cited for Best Director of a Short at this particular film festival.
Centered around Santo Bastucci, a banker with a knack for remembering big numbers, this short film has a bit of a twist at the end. LoBianco plays a mob boss, who wants Bastucci to do a background check on some checks that are given to him to pay off a debt. The debt belongs to a man Bastucci has known since childhood, and this man's life may hang in the balance, depending upon Bastucci's answer.
While Bastucci doesn't want any harm to come to his friend, he also does not want to start mixing his business with the mob, despite the fact that his father-in-law and business parter, Benny (played amazingly by Sorvino) thinks this is a good opportunity for both of them.
But, what it really is in a wonderful opportunity for the audience. ;) See Lily of the Feast, either at a film festival or on DVD. It will be some time well spent.