Tiny Reviews: "Thelma", "Blink Twice" and "Didì"

THELMA

It might well be one of my favorite films of the year! While the premise might sound a little silly it's a beautiful lullaby to the old ones who refuse to be diminished by a society that sees them as a liability. It's about a quest of an old lady to prove herself and her loved ones she's still useful as she tries to have a "Tom Cruise comeback" in her own life as she goes after the money she lost when she was victim of a burglary. June Squibb's charm iluminates the screen and she's so natural, so funny, so heart-warming and so great in this one that she proves there's no age limit to be a great leading lady! It's a comedic masterclass performance as she perfectly balances funny with inner fragility. Richard Roundtree makes for an outstanding scene-partner to Squibb and Parker Posey pulls some great laughs as Thelma's neurotic daughter Gail. Thelma avoids cheap laughs by always being grounded to the serious and noble subjects it depicts here - it's a movie meant to entertain but also meant to be strong at its noble and moving core. I have yet to wait for a comedy this sensitively handled this year. Just great!

RATING: 9/10

BLINK TWICE

More entertaining than properly effective in sending the message it aims to, Blink Twice is twisted enough to keep you wondering its narrative "revelation" comes at the right time, but there's something off: the satirical effect. Nonetheless, Zoë Kravitz proves she is a director to keep an eye too with a great eye for visual scenic composition and balancing a great ensemble where almost every character has its own scene to shine. She ably tangles a web of details during the first and second acts that come together in the final one, building momentum, meaning and a sense of surprise. Naomi Ackie (from 2017's Lady Macbeth, The End of the F***ing World and Whitney Houston's biopic I Wann Dance With Somebody) makes for an engaging heroine, Channing Tatum has never been this enigmatic and Adria Arjona steals the scene in the third act, proving her breakthough turn in Hitman was no fluke. Blink Twice is a solid directorial debut and an interesting first feature for Kravitz. Not brilliant but sure she will have more opportunities to develop herself as a filmmaker.

RATING: 6,5/10

DIDÌ

An extremely relatable narrative about teenage agonies during the 2000's, Didì is said to be semi-autobiographical to its director, but I feel every Millennial person who watches this one will feel something personal about it. A story that could fell into a too sentimental hole is well balanced with sweet and funny moments, with Izaac Wang commanding the screen with his awkward charm and charisma of a teenage man who still is figuring out what life is, while Joan Chen is exquisite as Chris' mother and hers are the most beautiful scenes in the film. Sean Wang's personal connection to the material allows him to handle it with a sensitivity that elevates Didì above most coming-of-age comedy-dramas. Maybe the best movie about a teenager since Eight Grade!

RATING: 8,5/10

TOP 35 Actors and Actresses Under 35 Working Today - 2017

The almost annual TOP 35 Actors and Actresses Under 35 Working Today is out, with me considering the performers' performances of 2016 also. We have a few changes since last year's list, with Greta Gerwig toping the list thanks to her last 3 great performances in Mistress America , Maggie's Plan and the Oscar buzzy acting turn in 20th Century Women . Scarlett Johansson comes second with her latest distinguished performance being in 2014 ( Under the Skin ), but she managed to be at the spotligh this year thanks to her fine turns in critically acclaimed movies: Hail, Caesar! , Captain America: Civil War , The Jungle Book (voice) and Sing (voice). Emily Blunt adds another great performance to her resume in The Girl on the Train and she comes third, while Elle Fanning 's turning into one of the finest actresses and she's getting to play more adult and complex parts like The Neon Demon and 20th Century Women 's (her two best performances since Super 8 ). Finall

TOP 35 Actors and Actresses with or under 35 years old: 2018

I think it was my TOP 35 under 35 list I've ever done since I remember: so many great performers emerged last year with distinguished performances that elevated their previous works (I'm talking about Elizabeth Olsen , Lucas Hedges , Robert Pattinson , Gaspard Ulliel , Tessa Thompson or Jamie Bell , for example). I'm kinda sad I felt "forced" at letting Jonah Hill ( Moneyball and The Wolf of Wall Street ) and Emma Watson ( The Perks of Being a Wallflower , The Bling Ring and 2017's Beauty and the Beast ) out of the list. Congratulations to Kirsten Dunst , who turned 35 last year so she can not be included in this year's list - such an amazing child actress turned movie star, who delivered memorable performances in Interview with the Vampire (1994), The Virgin Suicides (1999), The Cat's Meow (2002) or Melancholia (2011). This year, Saoirse Ronan tops the list thanks to two great performances: On Chesil Beach and an iconic acting turn in Lad

TOP 10 Most Promising Movie Actors (under 30)

Today I discussed about how awful some "teen icons" are and then we talked about some exceptions. So, I decided to make a little list, a TOP 10, with the male actors that I think that will become music in an ocean of noise somewhere in the future (I did one list before, but it was a little bit pathetic and I didn't justify my choices). Let's start... 1 - Ryan Gosling He may not have a huge list of movies in his body of work, but the few times he makes something, all the time he almost carries the movie. In fact, Gosling is a proof that talent does exist and that you don't need excentrical characters to receive raves. He rose to fame after the big screen adaptation of The Notebook (2004) and then received lots of critical praise for his performances in movies like Half Nelson (that gave him an Oscar, a SAG Award and other major awards nominations), Lars and the Real Girl (that gave him a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and other major awards nominations) and Fractur

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