Change Your Image
thomd-2
Reviews
Falling Skies: Live and Learn (2011)
Addictive but pacing is off
There are quite a few compelling characters in this series and the acting is engaging. But, many scenes seem to be stretched to fill time and music is used to fill-in for situations where nothing much is happening. Wish there could be a second editor who could re-cut the series making it move more quickly. The younger actors actually outshine the experienced actors- they are well directed. I enjoy many surprising plot developments but I want to see more light and detail. They may be using dark scenes in order to cut down on the expenses of set development, a lot can be hidden with high contrast night shots. Recommend for all lovers of dystopian fiction but warn the impatient to be prepared for dragging story development.
A Lonely Place for Dying (2009)
Suspenseful Comedy with contemporary topics
If you like Jason Statham movies like The Transporter, or if you like Guy Ritchie movies like Snatch, or if you enjoyed Chevy Chase in Spies Like Us, then I cannot see how you would not absolutely love "A Lonely Place for Dying", which has elements of all 3 of those movies. Making fun of Russian paranoia, the CIA, Mexican government corruption, and all 007 movies as well, this keeps moving through many surprising turns, but leaves you feeling good in the end, much like Guy Ritchie would do. My only problem with this film is that it has the dumbest title in the history of cinema- a title that tells you nothing about the film and that makes no one want to see it. By the time you see this, the title may have been changed. I hope so. Then they can find a distributor.
Il tramite (2004)
Valerio Foglia Manzillo
I would sit and watch a bubbling swamp for hours if Valerio Foglia Manzillo was standing in it. Beauty aside, this is essentially a movie of REDEMPTION: Gangsters working for the boss (selfish motives) are transformed by events into heroes working for the good of others (selfless motives) and are redeemed by their actions, thus "breaking the cycle of violence" as the movie puts it twice during the film. Another very interesting piece of this film is the character development. There are characters that I identified as "types" at the start of this film but who developed into likable individuals, who I fould I had empathy for, before the conclusion. Characters like that take a combination of talents to develop so seamlessly, and I am truly impressed by the workmanship of this film. Still, it was easier to watch since it included Valerio Foglia Manzillo.