ughetta86 Reviews

Newcastle (2008)

I'm curious to see it as a TV-series

[7/10 · 1 November 2009]

This is one of the few movies that really leave me full of doubts whether I like it or not.

It's about an angry teen boy, Jesse, who is a surf promise, and his difficult relationship with his two brothers. The older one, Victor, used to be a surf champion, but he had to quit and now he is a frustrated young man, who bullies his younger half-brothers. The other one is Fergus, he's Jesse's tween and he is gay. Around them there are a lot of other characters. All of them got some potential, but they are definitely too many. The parents are two good people who try to be there for their kids, but sometimes they just can't reach them. The grandfather is just adorable, wise, funny and comprehensive. And then there are Jesse's friends: Nathan, Andy and Scotty.

Let's put it in his way, it is definitely enjoyable and pleasant, the cast is good-looking and the landscape awesome (dispite industrialization hang over the waves in each scene).

Moreover, the characters and the story are quite catching and interesting, yet everything seems to be just skimmed. There are a too many characters, so none of them can get the depth he deserves. The same material used in a different way (maybe with a different format, like a TV series), may have lead to something much better.

So, my suggestion is to watch the film if you are into this kind of staff, but do not expect too much, otherwise you'll be disappointed!

Back Soon (2007)

Defintly not a masterpiece, but it might be worth seeing for someone

[17 September 2008]

This is a strange film and I can't give a vote, I can't really say if it's good or not. Better, this film isn't good, but it has some points that make me enjoy it.

The best part is the begging, when it describes the two main characters falling in love for each other. The acting was good enough and the atmosphere represented looks sweet and delicate (the is the best point of the movie in my opinion).

A part from that, the rest of the film is quite an insult to the viewers' intelligence and the mystic/supernatural tone neither is necessary to the development of the storyline nor makes any sense.

In the end, my suggestion is: the film isn't a masterpiece, still it might be worth seeing, if you don't have anything better to do and you aren't too disappointed by the unbelievable supernatural elements in the plot. Otherwise avoid it!

Steam: The Turkish Bath (1997)

a good first-work and 3 reason to see it

[8/10 · 9 September 2008]

This is the first film directed by Ozpetek, an Italian director of Turkish origin, and it contains all the recurrent issues of his later work. The movie focuses on Francesco, a young architect, on how his life changes for the better, when he is forced to leave Rome to go to Istanbul. There he finds a completely different way to relate to work and other people, he discovers the importance of value such as solidarity, understanding and family. In the latest part the film have a twist, as long as Francesco's wife Marta comes to Istanbul to make him sign the divorce papers. The man is forced to come to term with his older life. The finale comes unexpected, Francesco is killed (we don't know why, probably 'cos he refuses to sell the hamam) and Marta, instead of leaving, takes over the hamam.

This film is about happiness and the comparison of two ways of life. On one hand we have a western country, where people have all the comforts they need, but they are just too busy to enjoy life and other people around them. On the other there is Istanbul, with its slowness and the warmth of its people, who, even if they are poor, seem much more serene. There are also Ozpetek's recurrent themes, the most important are:

1- the gay character. this director always deals with the topic of homosexuality (being gay himself), even if in this film this is just a collateral issue. In Istanbul Francesco becomes lover of the son of the Hamam caretaker. But this is just a small part of th his growth and their relationship is more suggested than represented. This becomes clear when he finally speaks with his wife about their relationship in Italy, their problem was that they were two stress workaholic and unhappy people, not that he was gay (he doesn't seem to consider himself so);

2- the concept of alternative family, family is a network of people and feelings that support you and make you feel good. He found a family in Turkey living with the Hamam caretaker's family, but he hasn't any in Italy (although being married);

3- food as a metaphor of the joy of staying together, as a tool to welcome other people and strengthen relationships with them (hospitality is an important concept in southern cultures).

All these themes are just hinted in this movie, but they are fully developed in "Le fate ignoranti", probably his masterpiece. Even if immature, I love this film and here you are 3 reasons why it's worth seeing:

1- the topic is interesting and well developed

2- Istanbul is well portrayed in a very non-touristic way

3-(for girls) Alessandro Gasman is so handsome in this film