Fifth about The Seventh

American Hustle

December 14, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

American Hustle: this story, particulars aside, has been told many times before (sometimes even better); what sets this film apart and puts it (quite) above the average heist movie is the rich, well-written and, above all, entertaining gallery of characters and their relationships. Indeed, the bonds, rivalries, romances turn out to be more relevant than the plot itself. The whole cast is making the best of the material; Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper stand out because their characters are flashier, […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: crime, drama

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

December 12, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: a great closing film to the trilogy. Technically, there’s no need to repeat how good this film looks. What truly matters is that the emotional payoff of the journey is present here; the story is completed and the characters given their dues without rush. Sean Astin defends quite well his character, the heart of the trilogy; most of the cast is strong as well. The tone is grandiloquent (accentuated by […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, fantasy

Inside Llewyn Davis

December 10, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

Inside Llewyn Davis: one mark of a good story and interesting world is that the end is not welcome, that it could just keep going, showing off more. Such is the case here; the writing is more complex that a cursory look suggests, and always thoroughly entertaining. The character gallery is typical Coen Brothers material, with characters that are attractive, distinctive and flawed. The titular semi-anti-hero, well-played by Oscar Isaac is one; the best of the bunch is created by […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy, drama, musical

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

December 4, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: the production values in the second film as they were before (the consistency, result of the effort to treat the production as one throughout the whole series, pays out), but something else needs to be mentioned: the locations chosen are stunning. The pace on this film suffers a bit, partially because its condition of being a bridge between the beginning and the end of the overarching story; also, the extended cut has […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, fantasy

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

December 3, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: film adaptations of stories from another media are tricky; by one hand, the story and characters are laid down already; by the other hand, they necessarily will clash with pre-existing mind’s eye images of the material. The task gets further complicated when the original material has the scope and following of Tolkien’s writing, and Peter Jackson’s choices will be different from most others’. Costume design, set decoration, make-up and visual […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, fantasy

Blue Is the Warmest Color (La Vie d’Adèle)

November 30, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

Blue Is the Warmest Color: this film tells its story simply, purely, without artifices; it feels as a slice-of-life, where the viewer witness the characters relate to each other, change and evolve. Adèle Exarchopoulos gives a great performance, doing so much with so little; the camera being so tight in the faces, for the most part, limits what instruments the actors can use, but she, as well as Léa Seydoux, makes the best use of those. The choice of Abdellatif Kechiche to […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama, top

The Royal Tenenbaums

November 30, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Royal Tenenbaums: this film is touching because, in its essence, it reminds of pretty much every familial relationship. The details differ (when don’t they, particularly when the world comes from the sorrowful mind of Wes Anderson), but the story resonates nevertheless. Gene Hackman is fabulous, creating a great, lovable scoundrel. Visually, this is unmistakably a Wes Anderson’s film: rich, detailed frames, complex camera movements. Also worth mentioning is the great use of music done throughout the whole film. Read […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy, drama, top

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

November 27, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire: some sequels are content in repeating the story of the original work with minor variations (these generally make for less attractive experiences); others continue (in an organic way) and expand the story and the world where it takes place. This film (at least to those not knowledgeable about the source material) starts as one of the first type, but morphs into the second; the story got richer and more emotionally involving. The discomfort with the […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, sci fi

Philomena

November 26, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

Philomena: as it usually happens with fact-based stories, this is at the same time unbelievable and sadly believable. The screenplay smartly mixes comedy with the drama, but is unable to sidestep its bias (warranted or not) or to hide its manipulative tendencies. The best reason to watch it is the masterful presence of Judi Dench, who created a great character, well-rounded, flawed and very touching; Steve Coogan is better than adequate in a role that doesn’t require all that much. […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: biopic / historic, drama

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