Supposedly inspired by true events but much of the publicity seems to revolve around detecting fact
and fiction, The Two Popes is still good entertainment. Largely based around a series of conversations held in 2012 when Francis tried to resign as cardinal and Benedict had his own resignation agenda brewing up,
the film is largely a tussle of minds and approaches of two different leaders in the Catholic church. Aided by two excellent performances by Jonathan Pryce
as Bergoglio and Anthony Hopkins
as Ratzinger, the movie keeps us fully engaged, despite odd lapses in pace and all the talking. A light witty script by Anthony Mc Carten helps. I’m not sure if it is his best work but he takes a tricky scenario and makes it intelligent and watchable.
Fernando Meirelles is competent as director and the camerawork of Cesar Charlone is very good as usual. Nice to see a different proposal made into an enjoyable film.
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votes for a change and chooses Natoli
who sets about cleaning up the city, establishing order and obliging citizens to follow the rules.
Almost immediately the populace rebels realizing they do want the graft, inefficiency and freedom to transgress.
of whom there is just far too much in the movie. Too much overacting, too much talk and too many obvious things being rubbed in our faces.
became second fiddle to a pair of egocentric artists who are not as funny as they think they are.
For a serious subject, the tone is largely humorous
but both the beginning and end scenes are strong in their own ways and there are plenty of messages not only in favour of the environment
but also against the political defence of multinationals and the use of drones and other surveillance equipment to curtail citizen’s rights.
gives a top performance as Halla, the choir conductor cum saboteur and as Asa her yoga teacher sister. 
You can imagine that some fun is had seeding confusion with these two characters. A cousin (Johann Sigurdarson) and his dog are also stars and Erlingsson punctuates the movie with magic realism touches such as the three piece band that accompanies the heroine musically throughout the journey and the trio of Ukrainian folksingers
who also pop up in different scenes. Intelligent camerawork also helps create messages on this whole issue of environmental protection vs progress.
and managed to reunite her siblings.
(exactly what her father despised) and the subsequent passing of father Rex. Rex is in many ways a terrible person, drunk, frequently failing to put food on the table,
putting his children at risk (a fire and a swimming pool incident
stand out but there is also an episode of sexual molestation). And yet he is also very intelligent, a dreamer and idealist and full of love for his kids even though he doesn’t know how to show it. Woody Harrelson does a good job with this complex character, full of untamed demons and from his own nightmare upbringing. Wife Rose Mary, played effectively by Naomi Watts, cannot muster the courage to leave Rex, is pretty lousy as a mother and seeks refuge in art
with Brie Larson having a hard job at the beginning but getting some more moving scenes towards the end.
Ella Anderson is excellent as her 12 year-old self.
(apparently the book is better) but also drags a little. Some scenes seem to be resolved in an overly neat Hollywood style, especially the ending. But as a portrayal of what it is like to live with someone you love who is incorrigible and cannot help but harm you, I think it works very well. It shows how children are often more of the adults in the relationship than their own parents and it does throw up questions, despite Rex’s ability to leave town
the moment scandal arises, of why the authorities didn’t intervene to help the children.
Quite fascinating, particularly when it could not be described as uplifting, but somewhat melancholy. And yet as a reflection of our lives, of what humanity is, this film quietly nails it.
His Dad, a local teacher has lost all the family money to gambling but is still searching for authenticity in life, the mother and daughter are resigned to the hardships and the local society pointing their fingers at them.
Sinan has to face this, a national exam to become a teacher and military service thrown in. He wants a new life outside this stifling rural community but how?
Basically, the Wild Pear Tree is a series of conversations that not only reveal much about Sinan but also flesh out the local characters: grandparents, a former love interest,
two young imams, and also a successful local writer in Çanakkale. We learn so much about people, about the pressures and contradictions in life without it being ever dull and the carefully woven screenplay, blending mostly fact, some dreams and some shifts in time proves to be excellent. Some scenes like the discussion with the local writer are captivating
and run for several long minutes, entirely natural and credible. But it is not only the script. All the actors are superb and portray changes and different moods throughout the film effortlessly and Ceylan knows how to get the best out of them. Dogu Demirkol
as the rather bitter young man is excellent as is Murat Cemcir
as his father and Bennu Yildirinkar as hios mother. Gokhan Tiryaki is a fabulous director of photography and while many scenes in this movie are cold and bleak
they are beautifully captured.
A bunch of friends meet for dinner and agree to play a game after discussing the fact that the mobile phone is the black box of our times.
They all put their phones on the table and agree to share whatever calls or messages come in during the evening. 
Some of the messages are innocent but many show up the fact that people keep big secrets from their loved ones. Of course, infidelity raises its head but also sexuality, hidden illnesses and information not shared with the most affected by it.
as the misunderstood Lele, and Alba Rohrwacher
as Bianca. Paolo Genovese makes his best “home truths” movie to date and reminds us that in this area Italian cinema can still lead the world.
The emphasis on tradition and knowing one’s place couldn’t be more removed from much of what is happening nowadays and I guess this whole nobility royalty kick is what appeals today. Tradition, elegance and fantasy.
but much of it reeks artifice, however talented its cast is at pretending to play real rounded people.
Most of the scripting I found terribly dull and clichéd with only Maggie Smith as the Dowager
and her spar Isobel (Penelope Wilton) able to inject freshness and unpredictability into it. The two unconventional romances are perhaps the other saving graces. Irishman son-in-law Tom and the companion of the Queen’s lady in waiting
is one with Tuppence Middleton of sense8 shining here. The gay storyline with head Butler (Robert James Collier) is the other less hackneyed development though the events are rather crammed in here.
and the household rebellion also went cold within 5 minutes.
Nothing very credible there and all sewn up neatly.
and goes places other series have refrained from in the past. We have no end of drug use, violence, prostitution, dysfunctional families, sexual abuse of minors, whatever online shenanigans that you name and trans persons for good measure, etc., etc. I guess it is supposed to reflect current reality.
The concise editing there is not always the case and some scenes drag on, perhaps also because the majority of the main characters are not that likeable or are supposed to be. School jock Nate (Jacob Elordi)
may be seriously conflicted but he is a right bastard only trumped by his father. Kat, Maddie and Cassie
, three of the female leads also have plenty of dark side to balance up the light while Jules (Hunter Schafer), the trans character is definitely beguiling if also quite selfish.
Thank goodness therefore for Zendaya playing Rue, the drug addict with a brain who is the centre of the series.
Her journey and her sensitivity without losing an earthy sense of what life is about anchors this series well.
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