February 28, 2018No Comments

Call Me by Your Name, Luca Guadagnino – 2017

My rush reaction on today’s Call Me by Your Name, highly praised worldwide, has to do with the peculiar language of this film. The content is far from being the most provocative thing at work here, but the crazy form that constructs everything from the tiniest beat to whole scenes. The way this director understands to move his story forward is on the brink of experimentalism. It brings an unseen before freshness. Think only of the way it uses the piano themes, switching them on and off during one long take. Mr. Guadagnino is a game changer and I can’t wait for his next film. Io sono l’amore will be 10 next year.

December 11, 2017No Comments

A Bigger Splash – Luca Guadagnino – 2015

An Italian, Luca Guadagnino understands bourgeoisie-bliss like no Frenchman ever could. Here is a murder story, yet such a guilt and gloom free one, that I can hardly remember when writing this (one month after seeing the film) what the fuss was all about in the third act. But what I vividly remember is the Ralph Fiennes devilishly dancing to a Rolling Stones tune, in what feels like a 5 minute take. I remember the boredom by the pool, the ripeness of Tilda Swinton, the cooking, the music, my deep joy of loosing the self in the distant illusion of living at least for a holiday, at least for a weekend, in the middle of that life. A Bigger Splash follows the 2009 brilliant I am Love.

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