Gomorrah & Two Lovers
I will say a few words (and I do mean a few) about two films that I saw today.
The Italian crime drama Gomorrah has been hailed by many as a great film. There were many who were upset because it was not nominated for a best foreign film Oscar.
After seeing it I agree with that decision. Gomorrah is directed by Matteo Garrone and taken from Roberto Saviano's novel about the notorious crime family the Comorra.
In fact, the novel is supposed to be so real that Saviano's life has been threatened.
There are several supposedly interconnecting stories. There is one about an aging money runner. One is about a boy who is starting a life of crime. Another is about two young men who decide to go against their bosses wishes and do what they want. And the last story was about a tailor who decides to set up classes in a Chinese run factory. As I said before, all of these stories are supposed to be connected but I just didn't see the connection. The film is very disjointed. The film is gritty and does feel real. But I just didn't feel anything for it. I love foreign films but for my money I will take The Godfather and Goodfellas over Gomorrah (even though Martin Scorsese let them use his name for this one).
Two Lovers is a very good film directed by James Gray. It takes place in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. Leonard (Joaquin Phoenix) is a lonely, disturbed man with suidicidal tendencies. He lives with his parents and works in his father Rueben's (Moni Moshevona) dry cleaning business. His father may be merging his business and arranges for Leonard to meet his future partner's daughter Sandra (Vinessa Shaw) at a dinner for both families. Sandra is taken with Leonard and he seems to like her but when he meets his neighbor Michelle (Gwenyth Paltrow) he is mesmerized. But Michelle has some really big issues - not least of them being her love for a married man named Ronald (Elias Kosteas). And I should say that as soon as Leonard's mother Ruth (Isabella Rossellini) lays eyes on Michelle she is suspicious.
I won't get into the plot of the film but I will say that it is a very mature film about the nature of love. There is a lesson to be learned here. The acting is very good from all involved and Phoenix and Paltrow really shine in their roles. So make sure you see this film. You won't be sorry that you did. It is my first 2009 film and I must say that the year has gotten off to a great start.
The Italian crime drama Gomorrah has been hailed by many as a great film. There were many who were upset because it was not nominated for a best foreign film Oscar.
After seeing it I agree with that decision. Gomorrah is directed by Matteo Garrone and taken from Roberto Saviano's novel about the notorious crime family the Comorra.
In fact, the novel is supposed to be so real that Saviano's life has been threatened.
There are several supposedly interconnecting stories. There is one about an aging money runner. One is about a boy who is starting a life of crime. Another is about two young men who decide to go against their bosses wishes and do what they want. And the last story was about a tailor who decides to set up classes in a Chinese run factory. As I said before, all of these stories are supposed to be connected but I just didn't see the connection. The film is very disjointed. The film is gritty and does feel real. But I just didn't feel anything for it. I love foreign films but for my money I will take The Godfather and Goodfellas over Gomorrah (even though Martin Scorsese let them use his name for this one).
Two Lovers is a very good film directed by James Gray. It takes place in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. Leonard (Joaquin Phoenix) is a lonely, disturbed man with suidicidal tendencies. He lives with his parents and works in his father Rueben's (Moni Moshevona) dry cleaning business. His father may be merging his business and arranges for Leonard to meet his future partner's daughter Sandra (Vinessa Shaw) at a dinner for both families. Sandra is taken with Leonard and he seems to like her but when he meets his neighbor Michelle (Gwenyth Paltrow) he is mesmerized. But Michelle has some really big issues - not least of them being her love for a married man named Ronald (Elias Kosteas). And I should say that as soon as Leonard's mother Ruth (Isabella Rossellini) lays eyes on Michelle she is suspicious.
I won't get into the plot of the film but I will say that it is a very mature film about the nature of love. There is a lesson to be learned here. The acting is very good from all involved and Phoenix and Paltrow really shine in their roles. So make sure you see this film. You won't be sorry that you did. It is my first 2009 film and I must say that the year has gotten off to a great start.
posted by Film Fanatic | 9:06 PM
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