Tiny Reviews Departments: "Black Panther - Wakanda Forever", "Pinocchio" & "Bones & All"

• BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

The second installment can't quite match the high bars estabilished by its predecessor. The narrative is not as engaging and the absence of the charismatic Chadwick Boseman (RIP) is deeply felt by the audience. The movie explores the geopolitic position of Wakanda after the "discovery" of vibranium while it also deals with the surge of a new (underwater) kingdom that threats to disrupt the fragile balance of the Wakanda kingdom. Nonetheless, Wakanda Forever feels like the best movie Ryan Coogler could ever directed after the tragic death of its lead actor Boseman - it works as a cinematic vehicle that explores grief and how people experience it differently. The production design and costume design works are incredible and so are the visual effects and cinematography, but the movie's major highlight is Angela Bassett who totally sells this installment thanks to her performance as Queen Ramonda. It's a powerhouse performance as the grieving mother who carries a nation on her shoulders and there's a scene you can feel all her sorrow and all her strenght! Tenoch Huerta and Letitia Wright also shine in this one, but this is Bassett's picture! And the end-credits scene... you cannot be moved!

RATING: 6,5 / 10

• GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO

A passion project for the legendary Mexican director, Del Toro's Pinocchio is one of the best films of the year in the animated, non-fiction or live action departments (and the best Del Toro film since Pan's Labyrinth). It's ANOTHER adaptation of the celebrated fairy-tale, but the director/writer places the action in the WWII Italy led by Mussolini, which gives the narrative a whole new punch. It's darker than previous adaptation that target children as their main audience, it's also more beautiful to look at than all the previous adaptations: the muppets design is exquisite and the sets are beautiful and full of details - it's A-level production design work. The voice acting ensemble is also incredible, but I have to highlight David Bradley, who's able to convey Geppetto's grief and deep emotions only through his voice (it's an incredible voice performance!), and the young Gregory Mann who gives the much needed touch of innocense and sweetness to Pinocchio. Also, Alexandre Desplat's score is the biggest reason for the audiences to watch it on a theater rather than waiting for its Netflix release: along with the ability to spot the production design details on a movie theater screen, you can only figure the richness of the score in a theater sound system. It's simply beautiful! Also, I was not expecting it to have so many musical numbers, which is the aspect that worked for me the least, to be honest. But the historical set Del Toro uses and the way he changes the narrative around it, makes Pinocchio the best and ultimate anti-war film for the new generation without sacrifing its love letter to a child's innocence.

RATING: 9 / 10

 

• BONES & ALL

I liked it a lot, but I feel it was also a kind of a letdown. Bones & All works best when it is a sick love story with some terrifying scene and less when it tries to be a road movie. Timothée Chalamet's presence feels like a young DiCaprio, but his is the least impressive acting performance of the bunch. In fact, the movie belongs to (almost) newcomer Taylor Russell, who commands the screen with effortless charisma while carrying an unspoken depht and inner conflict. I don't remember a star-making performance this great since Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone or Elizabeth Olsen in Martha Marcy May Marlene, yet Russell is remarkable and hers will be one of the most iconic breakthrough female performances. Mark Rylance delivers a creepy and nail-bitting acting turn, while Chloe Sevigny steals the show with her only one scene. The cinematography work uses some beautiful views, but that's something we've seen before in other road movies. Ultimately, what really brings you inside the movie is the Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross score - it's delicate, extremely romantic and subtle, yet it is extremely effective in transporting the audience for Maren and Lee. Go watch it for Taylor Russell alone!

RATING: 7,5 / 10