Me And You (2012)

Directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci
Country: Italy

Review: Bertolucci continues to portray youth with passion, although ultimately without big success. Less appealing than the previous “The Dreamers”, “Me And You” tells the adventure of two half-siblings who will spend a week together, trying to hide themselves from the world. Lorenzo is a problematic narcissist teenager, a misfit who has given up from going on a skiing trip with his classmates just to be alone inside the basement of his building. But his quietness will be interrupted by his half-sister Olivia, a drug addict with no place to stay in town. After the initial disagreement, they start to care for each other and a strong bond will grow between them. Lorenzo’s character was much more interesting than Olivia’s, but my curiosity about him slowly vanished throughout the story. The idea of getting stuck in a basement could be uncomfortable, but unfortunately the film didn’t take advantage of any possible claustrophobia. In fact, there were several moments that didn’t work out. The two situations that could have stirred up things a bit, failed to create any impact. The first was when the siblings went to Lorenzo’s apartment to get some food, and the second when Olivia went through an hangover. Bertolucci’s skills are perceptible, but this story promised more than it could give. Didn’t its characters do the same in the end?

Every Blessed Day (2012)

Directed by: Paolo Virzi
Country: Italy

Review: “Every Blessed Day” sets the story of Antonia and Guido, an unmarried couple who are together for a long time. Antonia works in a rent-a-car store during the day and sings in a bar at night, while Guido makes the night shift as porter in a big hotel. Their happiness will be shaken after they realize that having a child together is almost impossible. They decide to consult different doctors and submit to several treatments, always refusing to give up on hope. Will this struggle endure forever? Paolo Virzi’s decided for the same approach used in his previous film, “The First Beautiful Thing” (2010). Both characters' families play an important role in the story with the purpose of helping us to better understand personalities, as well as different origins and pasts. The lightness of the funny moments combined with the seriousness of real drama, sometimes showed how hard can be to decide which way to go. These momentary instabilities led to a couple of theatrical scenes that were not so favorable. Despite its ups and downs, “Every Blessed Day”, revealed to be a beautiful story, trying to show how much easier life can be, when we can face its adversities with someone we love.

Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspiracy (2012)

Directed by: Marco Tullio Giordana
Country: Italy / France

Review: Marco Tullio Giordana, the director of 2003 masterpiece “The Best of Youth”, returns after a four-year intermission with “Piazza Fontana”, a political thriller about the bombing attack that took place in Milan, on December 12, 1969. This tragic event was initially attributed to anarchist groups, but meticulous investigations led to a right-wing conspiracy, involving extremists secretly backed up by the US. Consequently, the film covers the death of Giuseppe Pinelli, a pacific anarchist who died in questionable circumstances when was being interrogated in a police station. Luigi Calabresi, an honest police officer, was the man unjustly blamed, becoming another victim of the Italian Ministry. Some viewers may become lost in a plot with so many characters, although Giordana has found an appropriate structure, capable of making the events perceptible. The conversations between Prime Minister Aldo Moro and President Saragat were also helpful to contextualize the story. “Piazza Fontana”, despite some lack of thrill, is intriguing and well balanced in its path towards the truth. It won’t mark the Italian cinema in the same proportion as “The Best Of Youth” did, but at least will serve to denounce another criminal ploy associated to politics, eventually disregarded by Italian justice.

Reality (2012)

Directed by: Matteo Garrone
Country: Italy / France

Review: “Reality” confirms Matteo Garrone as a filmmaker to keep an eye on. After the raw look into the organized crime of Neapolitan Mafia with “Gomorrah”, he now presents us with an interesting character study, which also aims to be a criticism of the society we live in. Luciano is a talkative fishmonger from Naples who dreams to be famous. Taking advantage of having known a famous artist who was connected to the Italian ‘Big Brother’ reality show, he manages to get an audition in Rome. Counting on the support of his family and all the inhabitants of Naples, Luciano earnestly believes he is going to be called for the show. As the time passes by, he becomes suspicious about the strangers in town, convincing himself that they work for 'Big Brother'. Feeling constantly observed, he develops an uncontrollable obsession, which not even family, friends or religion, can stop. Assuming the typical Italian exuberance, this satire never loses intensity, denoting genuine comical moments, stirring alienation, and powerful images. Aniello Arena has here a dream debut in the role of Luciano. “Reality” won the Grand Prize of The Jury at Cannes, and should not be missed.

Corpo Celeste (2011)

Directed by: Alice Rohrwacher
Country: Italy / Switzerland / France

Review: “Corpo Celeste” is contemplative and observant in its attempt to conjugate coming-of-age issues with religious deception. Marta is a 13 year-old girl who moved to a small village in Italy with her mother and older sister, after spending her childhood in Switzerland. Undergoing tough transformations, and feeling misplaced, Marta only socializes in catechism, where she is preparing for the Confirmation rite. Unfamiliar with religious matters, she becomes curious about the meaning of prayers, as well as attentive to the behaviors from those who were connected to Church. Her vision about the religious community will quickly become blurred. Many happenings contributed to increase her perplexity and frustration: the ambition showed by the village priest, the catechist's fanaticism, a brief conversation with an embittered man of God, and the witnessing of brutal animal killings. The final moments express a search for something alive and pure, a return to innocence, refusing the ungenerous ideas and rotten procedures that were associated with the Catholic Church. The restrained tension worked strikingly well, whereas minor flaws didn’t have significant expression in the final result. Rohrwacher and Yle Vianello, are to be congratulated in their debut direction and acting, respectively.

Dormant Beauty (2012)

Directed by: Marco Bellocchio
Country: Italy / France

Review: Veteran filmmaker Marco Bellocchio has always been relegated to a second plan, although he had presented us with some good films in the past, which were the cases of “Fists In The Pocket”, “Good Morning, Night”, “My Mother’s Smile” or “Vincere”. All of them, in one way or another, evinced political, social, religious or moral considerations. “Dormant Beauty” mixes all these aspects to deal with death, including the sensitive matter of euthanasia, but failed to surprise. The film sought inspiration in the real case of Eluana Englaro, an Italian woman who won the right to die after being 17 years in a vegetative state, to depict three different stories concerning the legitimacy of putting an end to a human life. Bellocchio shows in a taciturn way, how painful this can be for those who lost the joy of living, as well as for the people around them. Unstable and unemotional, "Dormant Beauty" counts with good performances but doesn't add anything relevant to the matters in question.

Diaz: Don't Clean Up This Blood (2012)

Directed by: Daniele Vicari
Country: Italy / others

Review: At a time where protests are constantly occurring around the world, nothing better than watch “Diaz” to become alert for the dangers of democratic rights’ suppression and unjustified physical violence, all with political consent. After an incident involving a police vehicle and a group of demonstrators, during the G8 summit of 2001 in Genoa, the Italian police start an incursion to Diaz School, which was operating as a shelter for left-wing activists and journalists, causing several deaths and injuries. This true event was also known for the false medical reports and faked proofs used by the police to justify the excess of violence and abuse of power. The characters were based on real witnesses and the scenes generate the proper tension to catch the viewer. “Diaz” is an important film, denouncing a tragic day that will always be a stain on Italian Democracy.

Caesar Must Die (2012)

Directed by: Paolo and Vittorio Taviani
Country: Italy

Plot: Inmates at a high-security prison in Rome prepare for a public performance.

Review: Lately, the Italian cinema is in needing of inspiration, but fortunately, Taviani brothers are still active to fill our hearts with hope. Originality and simplicity was always a constant in their works and in the good and bad, they are to praise for having such a different approach. This time the idea was to join some inmates from a high-security prison and put them to rehearse a Shakespeare’s play, introducing it to the outside world. Even without achieving great dramatic expression, the movie succeeds in two ways: Honoring the art of theatre and give to these men the chance of dreaming with a better future by exploring their artistic capabilities. An unmatched play!

Relevant awards: Golden Berlin Bear in competition.

A Quiet Life (2010)

Directed by: Claudio Cupellini
Country: Italy

Plot: A man escapes to Germany and starts a new life, thinking he will finally enjoy a quiet life. All changes when his son arrives in town on a mission.

Review: In “A quiet life”, we can see Italian Mafia operating in Germany. This foreign “job” is seen by Diego as an opportunity to visit his father, Rosario, who fled from the Mafia fifteen years before, in order to start a new life. Everything goes badly when Rosario’s true identity is discovered, which forces him to take risky and radical decisions. The movie is stated in tepid tones and was never able to scoop any magical formula to surprise us. Although, far from the latest Italian movies about the same subject, such as "Gomorrah" or "Il Divo", it will still be able to provide minimum entertainment.

Relevant awards: -

Terraferma (2011)

Directed by: Emanuele Crialese
Country: Italy

Plot: A Sicilian family deals with the arrival of a group of immigrants on their island.
Quick comment: Crialese (“respiro”; “the golden door”) expose the issue of illegal immigration lived in the Sicily islands. It’s curious the dilemma that opposes the law of the fishermen to the law of the authorities concerning immigration. Despite some irrelevant scenes and an unfinished story, "terraferma" is worth seeing for its cinematography and to better understand the different sides taken by the inhabitants that live mostly from fishery and tourist activities.
Relevant Awards: Special Jury Prize and Pasinetti Award at Venice Film Festival, Italy.

This Must Be The Place (2011)

Directed by: Paolo Sorrentino

Country: Italy/France/Ireland

Plot: A bored, retired rock star sets out to find his father's executioner, an ex-Nazi war criminal who is a refugee in the U.S.

Quick comment: Weird story and grey mood in a movie where Sean Penn looks like Robert Smith from the gothic-pop band "The Cure". Strong performances, solid direction and a great soundtrack in charge of David Byrne, contrasts with a doubtful and not so confident plot. From this italian director I highly recommend his masterpiece from 2004, "the consequences of love".

Relevant Awards: prize of the ecumenical jury at Cannes Film Festival, France.

Habemus Papam (2011)

Realizado por: Nanni Moretti
País: Itália

Possuindo um início imaginativo, com o novo Papa eleito a por-se em fuga com um ataque de pânico, acaba por vir a desiludir à medida que a trama avança, tornando-se numa "paródia" religiosa num cenário irrealista e por vezes completamente estúpido. O realizador Moretti, como já vem sendo hábito, também participa como actor, representando o papel de um psicólogo chamado pelo Vaticano para resolver o caso. Tanta animação, dá subitamente lugar a um final sério e até desconcertante, mas já vem tarde, não conseguindo fazer com que este filme deixe boa recordação.

The First Beautiful Thing (2010)

Realizado por: Paolo Virzi
País: Itália

Este é o 11º filme de Paolo Virzi e o que mais sucesso obteve até agora. Ao estilo familiar, começou por não me cair muito em graça, pretendendo ser um daqueles dramas profundos e ao mesmo tempo comédia ligeira à italiana. Com o andar do filme, o nível sobe, mas apesar de alguns momentos afectuosos e engraçados, não consegue ser um filme marcante e inesquecível. Prémios do cinema italiano para as duas actrizes que dão corpo à personagem principal, em fases distintas da sua vida.

La Nostra Vita (2010)

Realizado por: Daniele Luchetti
País: Itália

Claudio é um operário da construção civil que vive feliz com a sua mulher, grávida do seu terceiro filho. Quando esta morre, durante o parto, a vida de Claudio desaba completamente, levando-o a acções e comportamentos fora do normal. Na tentativa de dar uma volta à sua vida e de enriquecer depressa, vai aventurar-se num esquema perigoso, relegando os seus filhos para segundo plano. Argumento interessante, perdendo cada vez mais força à medida que se encaminha para o final. Elio Germano foi galardoado como melhor actor no Festival de Cannes.

The Four Times (2010)

Realizado por: Michelangelo Frammartino
País: Itália

Um olhar bem contemplativo (ao ponto de não existir qualquer diálogo), sobre a vida nas cadeias montanhosas da Calábria, no Sul de Itália. As "quatro voltas" representam ciclos de vida e de morte que se repetem sob diversas formas (humana, animal, vegetal e mineral). Com o passar dos anos, não se vislumbram grandes progressos na aldeia e tudo se mantém inalterado, apenas mudando os intervenientes. Uma estranha abordagem na relação entre espírito, homem e natureza. Um filme a ser contemplado...

Quiet Chaos (2008)

Realizado por: Antonello Grimaldi
País: Itália

Um drama ao estilo de Nanni Moretti, a estrela principal deste filme, como actor e argumentista. Pietro é um homem de negócios, que um dia ao regressar a casa, após ter ajudado a um salvamento na praia, encontra a sua mulher morta. Emocionalmente alterado e acarretando a responsabilidade de cuidar da filha, Pietro passa todos os dias a esperar por esta num jardim público em frente à escola, em vez de dirigir-se ao trabalho. Após algumas semanas, acaba por receber diversas visitas no local, tanto de colegas de trabalho como de familiares. Ora absorvente, ora difuso, o filme aguenta-se bem, devido principalmente à qualidade da interpretação de Moretti.

I Am Love (2010)

Realizado por: Luca Guadagnino
País: Itália

Tilda Swinton interpreta o papel de Emma, uma russa que deixou o seu país natal há 20 anos atrás rumo a Itália, para casar com um membro de uma abastada família milanesa. Mãe de três filhos e cumpridora das "normas" impostas pela alta sociedade, Emma em determinada altura vai ser confrontada com a atracção que sente por um homem muito mais novo (amigo do seu filho) e pela descoberta que a sua filha tem uma relação amorosa com outra mulher. O poder do amor incondicional (tanto de homem para mulher como de mãe para filho) será então posto à prova, afrontando a vida de "fachada" imposta pela burguesia. Um filme sério, a não perder.

Certified Copy (2010)

Realizado por: Abbas Kiarostami
País: Itália/França/Irão

As magníficas interpretações e o argumento simples na forma mas complexo no que toca às emoções, tornam este filme inesquecível. O realizador iraniano Kiarostami regressa ao seu melhor, com esta sua primeira experiência em terras europeias (à semelhança do que já tinha sucedido com o taiwanês Hou Hsiao Hsien e "Flight of the red baloon" em 2007). A abordagem para descrever a complexidade da relação de um casal que se reecontra é magistral, frustrante e ao mesmo tempo fascinante. Afirmo sem a mínima dúvida, que estamos perante um dos melhores filmes do ano.

Mid-August Lunch (2008)

Realizado por: Gianni Di Gregorio
País: Itália

Gianni é um homem de meia idade que vive com a sua velha mãe. Com dificuldades financeiras, passa a maioria do seu tempo em casa, tendo como única distracção alguns momentos na taberna. O quotidiano de Gianni vai subitamente transformar-se quando o proprietário do apartamento em que habita e o seu médico de família, em troca de favores, pedem-lhe para ficar com as suas mães, durante o feriado de Ferragosto (celebrado em Itália a 15 de Agosto). Aqui, verificamos que o cinema simples e leve, quando bem feito, também tem o seu lugar.

Vincere (2009)

Realizado por: Marco Bellocchio

País: Itália

Bellocchio baseia-se em factos reais da vida privada de Benito Mussolini com Ida Dalser, primeira mulher da sua vida e posterior amante, para dirigir com competência este filme de interesse histórico e biográfico. Após ter sido ajudado financeiramente por esta mulher para promover o fascismo em Itália através de um jornal e de ter tido um filho (Benito Albino) com ela, Mussolini acabaria por casar-se com Rachele. Ao recusar-se a reconhecer publicamente este seu filho, como seria da vontade da amante, e após diversas ameaças de escândalo público, vai enviá-los a ambos para um hospital psiquiátrico.