As a huge, first-generation fan of the original series, I was a little nervous about this new show. After watching the pilot, I'm glad to say that it is really, REALLY good. Clever, fast-paced and funny, the show is led by a charming and strong cast and has a fresh, cool style that makes you think that this is the perfect updated version of the original "Bell". Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez and John Michael Higgins shine in the adult contingent. The young actors are impressive (especially the lovely Haskiri Velazquez, Mitchell Hoog and Josie Totah). Even Mark-Paul Gosselaar, in his brief appearance, is totally enjoyable. The Easter Eggs are funny and never redundant, the art direction is amazing (we can finally see the whole hallway!) and the music fits perfectly (except the unfortunate new theme song by Lil Yachty). But the show's secret weapon is the writing. While keeping true to the original spirit of "Bell", this version is more sarcastic, ironic, very smart (I love how Lexi's sexuality is not seen as an issue but simply as a fact) and deep. I hate when critics say the original was bad, it wasn't. It was supposed to be a live-action cartoon for pre-teens and it perfectly worked. This new version is simply different and aimed at a larger, older audience.
Reviews
5 Reviews
The Big Step
(2019)
A little Jem
4 August 2020
Just saw this beautiful film at a sneak preview before its official theatrical release later this month.
What a beautiful, beautiful movie! It's not easy to find this sweet lightness in Italian cinema. "Il Grande Passo" is a modern fairy tale, funny, sweet, moving, led by two great actors, Giuseppe Battiston and Stefano Fresi (Battiston the best among the two of them).
Despite a slow start, the movie enchantes you with a magical musical score (by master Pino Donaggio), a soft cinematography and a great group of supporing performers (Camilla Filippi's pretty role deserved more screentime). Even the visual effects are amazing.
Director Antonio Padovan gives the best in the most magic moments of the film (the flashbacks of Mario with his father, the grand finale) while some comedy sequences are a bit less inspired.
Overall, a great little jem that deserves a long life in the the darkness of a movie theatre. Don't miss it!
The Wicked Gift
(2017)
Disappointing
28 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this film at its Italian premiere at the Fantafestival in Rome, where the filmmakers announced the upcoming theatrical release.
Well, IMHO, the film doesn't deserve the luxury of a theatrical distribution. It lacks everything a theatrical release should have, especially if you're expecting people to pay for it.
For horror-savvy viewers, the film is just a dull and cliched horror flick. The unoriginal story can't be redeemed by flat direction, performances and cinematography. Everything looks amateurish and cheap in "The Wicked Gift" even if you sort of want to give the movie a pass, since it's an indie, ultra low budget pic created by a group of passionate film lovers. Maybe horror isn't their thing.
The only decent performance here comes from co-star Annamaria Lorusso, even if it falls flat when the movie approaches its supposedly-exciting climax. As a lead, Roberto D'Antona overacts permanently, not having a strong supporting hand (being the director himself) to guide him properly. The rest of the cast is unmemorable to say the least, even if the "best-friend" character is pretty likeable.
Tech credits are less than stellar: flatly lit, washed-out digital photography gives the movie a cheap look; the art department work is pretty inconsistent. Sound design and music are ok, though.
As a horror film, the movie is not even scary. The demon look in the movie's climax has been seen before in better material and looks kinda ridiculous in such an amateourish environment.
Having inexplicably gotten the golden pass for a big-screen distribution, the filmmakers behind this film should hunker down for a better follow up.
Slattery!
6 September 2017
I'm not really fond of the Giorgio/Lucia plot, Jackson Rathbone is overacting too much. What made this episode great was Adam Baldwin. I loved to finally see him together with his wife and kids, even if only in flashbacks sequences. I don't watch the show religiously so I don't remember if Chrstine is dead or still MIA. If she isn't dead, I really hope to see an actual reunion in 5th season! The Sardinia part wasn't really believable but the Italian lady did a good job in making it more believable. Best episode of 4th season so far!
As God Commands
(2008)
Visually-astonishing
17 December 2008
"Come Dio Comanda" arrives in theaters after the big success of Niccolò Ammaniti's bestseller. Academy-Award winner Gabriele Salvatores creates a beautiful, powerful movie out of that already strong and disturbing story. The director's approach to the movie (always using hand-held camera) seems to create more a documentary than a standard thriller-drama, as if we were INTO the story, next to the characters, into the woods under the rain. The actors are excellent: Filippo Timi and young Alvaro Caleca do a believable and forceful job as Rino and Cristiano Zena. Their performances, full of anger and love, really support the entire story. Elio Germano create the best character of his career, a nearly lovable and sympathetic 'full', an innocent child trapped in the body of a man into a dark and corrupted world. Good job also by supporting cast: Angelica Leo, thoroughly believable as Fabiana and the funny part of Fabio De Luigi. Tech credits are also outstanding: Italo Petriccione's cinematography is surely going to win all the new season awards and prizes. Even better than his already excellent job in 'Io Non ho Paura'. The editing, fast, full of jump-cuts, the music score, modern, sincere, the real soul of the characters, the settings... The best scene? Probably the finale, the most moving scene of the entire movie.
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