stregeria Reviews

Donnie Darko (2001)

Mini Masterpiece

[10/10 · 17 November 2003]

One of the most haunting movies I've ever seen, a movie that has

the power to stick into your mind and linger there for a very long

time. From every frame of this movie it is evident what a heartfelt

project this was for everybody that was involved. The casting of the

roles is phenomenal and the performances are all top notch (even

if Jake Gyllenhaal owns this movie!), and it really is pretty amazing

to see such a young director have this confidence with his actors.

The cinematography is evocative and beautiful, and so is the

score, and the 80's songs are very well chosen and used with

exquisite taste (The Evil Dead homage is a gem too!) But to me, what really puts Donnie Darko in a league of it's own is

the fantastic warm feeling it gave me. I can understand people

having different tastes, but for those of you out there who didn't'

like it... well, really this just makes me feel sad for you, because

D.D. is real magic, a flight of imagination and originality which has

been so rare to see in recent times. Really, to me it's depressing

to know that a lot of people just don't get it. They surely didn't get it

here in Italy, where the movie hasn't even been released! Not even

directly to video!? (To see it I had to order the DVD from the UK).

I read that Kelly's new project `the Knowing' has to do with time

travel and possibly separate realities again. I just hope it will be

different from Darko, and if he can keep his work up to this level,

well then there really is `so much to look forward to…' 10/10

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

Ever seen so many people debating a movie?

[9/10 · 13 November 2003]

"Revolutions sucks", "It's a masterpiece", "Disappointing ending",

"Great finale", "Inferior to the first Matrix", "Misunderstood", I could

go on for hours, because so many are the opinions on this movie

and on the whole trilogy. One thing is sure, the Wachowski

Brothers, who very smartly never give interviews, have succeeded

on a level I think most people aren't realizing: they have created the

most argued over movies of all time... Period. The other night at 4.00 am in the morning I was still fiercely

debating with some friends on the meaning of "Revolutions"

ending, on the essence of Agent Smith, on the duality of Neo...jeez

guys...you can love it or you can hate it, but you cannot deny the

impact, the purport of this trilogy, it is more than enormous.

Critics can say what they want; they have never, ever in all of

human history kept the pace of the artists, of the creative minds.

Didn't they diss Kubrick or Stravinsky or the impressionists, or just

anybody trying to do something new, something that didn't fit with

their expectations? I just find it ridiculous that people with short attention spans and

without the will to really use their brains, are thrashing this movies

without even trying to understand, without even trying to open their

minds. Sure the movies are not perfect, hell no! But we are witnessing

great filmmaking here. These movies go well beyond being good

or bad. I think that these genre-bending films are, and will remain, one of

the most significant visual and artistic testimonies of our time.

Thank you Larry and Andy Wachowski. P.S. If you're looking for a great explanation (it's only a theory obviously,

but a very well articulated one), check out http://webpages.charter.net/btakle/matrix_reloaded.html

Faust (2000)

What happened to Yuzna?

[1/10 · 1 October 2003]

I love a lot of Yuzna stuff like "Society", "The Dentist", his final

episode in "Necronomicon" was easily the best in the movie,

"Progeny" wasn't bad and "Return of the living dead 3" had some

good outrageous moments, but this movie...really... it is just

astoundingly bad! It's so bad it's almost embarrassing to watch. The acting is

terrible,it's sad to see Jeffrey "Re-Animator" Combs in this mess,

but probably he couldn't say no to an old pal Like Brian Yuzna.

The effects, especially the digital bits, are laughable too. The

costumes are rubber costumes that seem to come from a shop

that sells cheap Halloween outfits! And worst of all, there is no

atmosphere whatsoever. Knowing his previous work I really don't

know what to say...it seems as if Yuzna has directed this

blindfolded. I know the man has intelligence and a sharp sense of

humor (in his grotesque but enjoyable over the top way), but it

seems he's lost them completely on this one. Avoid at all costs Vote 2/10

San chuen lo see (1999)

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE

[3/10 · 18 September 2003]

I agree with the previous comment. I bought it because of the cover too! This is just as cheap and dumb as horror can get. It was probably shot in one week and edited during the following two days. Just a terrible attempt to make some cash out of the Ring phenomenon. Guessed it worked on me...'cause I bought this stupid DVD!

Probably the worst movie in my over 200 DVD collection.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Overrated sappy drama

[6/10 · 30 July 2003]

Little more than average drama for popular tastes. Predictable, overly sentimental, and excessively long.

It's a mystery to me that such a mediocre piece of cinematic art is at number 2 in the all time chart! However, predictably it's not in the top 100 more serious 'Sight and Sound' critics and directors polls that are held every ten years. Frank Darabont later proved to be no master with his two following films, the second rate 'The Green Mile' and the truly appalling 'The Majestic'. The fact that this pedestrian movie is, in this chart, ahead of the works of real masters such as Kubrick, Welles, Kurosawa, Fellini and Hitchcock causes consternation.

Pinocchio (2002)

An experience that causes consternation

[1/10 · 29 July 2003]

Probably the most appalling movie I have ever seen. Incompetent filmmaking, bad acting, tacky costumes, ludicrous effects, are among the strengths of this unique bomb which happens to be embarrassingly badly written and grotesquely casted too. It is also often unintentionally creepy, and this gives the whole thing a truly odious feel..This towering monstrosity should have never reached the theaters. And I've seen the Italian version, I hear the dubbed one is worse! Still has, however, the chance to gain a cult status as one of the worst movies ever made, In a league of it's own....Frightening