Films I saw last month

Hi everyone! I'm sorry if I've being absent in the last few weeks, but I couldn't find the time to post my reviews here. I hope I'll be more active in the future, in the meantime I've decided to post here a few short reviews of some movies I've seen in the last month. 

Monster (2003)

Patty Jenkins' Monster is mostly remembered for Charlize Theron's Oscar-winning turn as serial killer Aileen Wuornos. And while the actress' towering, bone-chilling performance is indeed its strongest asset, it's also a movie worth-mentioning per se. It's hardly a perfect film and from a technical point of view it leaves something to be desired. The cinematography is drab and unappealing, which could have been fitting for the story, but there's no sense of a visual style of any kind. The editing is clumsy, especially in an awkwardly done montage at the movie's end. The structure and the pace are problematic with some passages being far too rushed and others far too bloated. And yet, in spite of these flaws, the film still packs a punch and that's not only due to the performance but also to Jenkins' sympathetic though never indulgent approach to the story. She gives insight into Wuornos' troubled past and into the desperation and trauma behind her actions, yet she never shies away from the senseless brutality of her crimes. She portrays Aileen as both a victim and a perpetrator; she makes us feel pity and horror towards her in equal measure. And she's greatly helped by the two actresses at the story's center. It would be easy to dismiss Christina Ricci's performance as Aileen's girlfriend Selby as too shrill, but she gives an incredibly rich characterization making her both loving and selfish, both honest and hypocritical, supportive yet too caught up in her own insecurities and vulnerabilities to be there when Aileen needs her. And Theron's work deserves the all-time best reputation she is been given: she completely transforms into the character to the point we don't even see the acting in spite of it being an extremely mannered performance. She can be repellent and heartbreaking, often at the very same time. It's a magnificent performance of one of the most contraditory, complicated and puzzling characters ever to be put on screen. Even when the film falters, Theron does not: she carries the movie from beginning to end and haunts you even long after the movie is over. 

70/100

Tenebrae (1982)

Tenebrae represents Dario Argento's return to the thriller-horror genre after experimenting with supernatural horror with Suspiria (1977) and Inferno (1980). The plot stems from a real-life experience of the director, who received death threats from a fan who criticized him for the damaging psychological effects of his previous work. It follows Peter Neal (Anthony Franciosa), a writer whose latest thriller inspires a killing spree from a mysterious murderer. The movie starts exceptionally well and Argento is a master at eliciting suspense. His greatness as a director shines best in the murder scenes, notably in an incredible, two-minute-and-half crane shot of the apartment of one of the victims right before her murder. The problem is that the film goes completely off the rails in the second half, failing to properly develop the ideas of the first half and constantly shifting the story's focus. I think the acting is a common problem in Argento's movies, but here especially so: Franciosa starts well but falls embarassingly short in the movie's ridiculous final act; supporting performances from Daria Nicolodi, Veronica Lario, John Saxon, Mirella D'Angelo and John Steiner range from mediocre to abysmal. It's a shame, as the film could have been great and the premise itself is excellent. As it is, it's just a bloody, inconsistent gorefest.

50/100

Presumed Innocent (1990)

Alan J. Pakula's legal drama is a curious film that manages to be both surprisingly compelling and strangely unsatisfying. The leading character is Rusty Sabich (Harrison Ford), a prosecutor who is accused of the rape and murder of his colleague Carolyn Polhemus (an alluring Greta Scacchi). Pakula's direction is powerfully atmospheric in the flashback scenes depicting the passionate affair with Rusty, who is married, and Carolyn, but it feels disappointingly workmanlike throughout the rest of the movie. The dated visual style also works for the detriment of the film. The mystery itself is rather engaging and actually very well-written except for the ending, that manages to be somewhat predictable yet rather unconvincing. The actors are at no fault: Scacchi is incredibly fascinating in her brief screen-time; Bonnie Bedelia struggles valiantly against a poorly conceived character; Raul Julia, as Rusty's defense attorney, is a scene-stealing marvel; and Ford's quiet, minimalistic performance ranks among the best work of his career. Too bad the rest of the movie is not quite on par with its ensemble. It's still gripping enough to work, but it also lacks a clear direction. 

65/100

Ocean's 8 (2018)

Ocean's 8 is not a film that stands out for its originality. But it would be a lie to say it's not a hoot. The film follows a group of women, led by Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock), who plan a sophisticated heist at the annual Met Gala. Details of the actual plot are not always entirely believable, but that's not the point: the movie is mostly a showcase for its actresses to be glamorous, stylish and fun, and they all are. There isn't a single false note in the ensemble, with Anne Hathaway taking top honors with her hilarious, scene-stealing performance as a self-centered movie star. It's a flawed movie without a doubt and the anticlimatic final act does hinder it. But the wonderful actresses bring it to life: even when it falters, they keep you hooked with their infectious energy. They are comedic gems. 

70/100

The Bostonians (1984)

Based on Henry James' novel with the same name, The Bostonians is an intelligent, delicate piece of work that perfectly captures the idelogical ambiguity of its source material. Depicting the story of a young girl torn between a conservative lawyer and a fervent feminist, it's a slow-paced affair, but it's also one filled with rich characterizations and sharp, subtext-filled dialogue. James Ivory's empathetic eye grants the film a complexity that a lesser director might have missed: he grants sympathy, humanity and perspective to all of the characters, leaving the audience to judge without establishing heroes and villains beforehand. Unfortunately, two of the main performances are lacking: Madeleine Potter is rather bland in a role that calls for fire and passion; Christopher Reeves fails to bring the charm that is supposed to make his character appealing in spite of his mysoginistic, bigoted views. Their performances are completely overshadowed by Vanessa Redgrave's magnificent turn: the marvelous actress finds the aching longing behind her character's overbearing possessiveness and delivers a layered, subtle characterization in spite of her relatively limited screen-time. The supporting cast is uniformly solid, especially Linda Hunt, Jessica Tandy and Nancy Marchand. Overall, it's a compelling and intelligent depiction of a society caught between traditions and change. 

85/100