This is a film where I got the point. But I struggled to connect to anyone on screen. This should be easy given that we're dealing with Italian Jews whose lives were utterly destroyed by the Holocaust and WWII.
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis makes perfectly clear whats at stake (the survival of the Finzi-Contini family, as well as their friends). But I found myself waiting for the big emotional push that never arrived. Let's just say that Hollywood isn't…
Adam Davie & Justin Peterson’s Letterboxd Movie Club
Winner of the Palme d’Or: 1972
I’m almost certain that Enrico Mattei and Jimmy Hoffa never crossed paths. But with even knowing, both men exerted a tremendous amount of influence within their respective fields. For Hoffa, it was through organized labor. And Mattei, the energy sector. Both men commanded respect within their chosen fields. Both men were passionate about their work. Both men lives intersected with that of the mafia. And ultimately, both…
I’ve been wanting to jot down something about this film for a minute now. And I’m pretty sure that this film's been covered from about every angle imaginable. So let me try approaching it from this angle. Let’s talk about my pity for Sal.
When I mention a pity for Sal, I’m not referring to pity for the man himself. I’m referring to his desire to cling to whiteness, the construction of it, and the burden it places on black…
Who is this film for? And what is it looking to accomplish?
These are the two questions that have been swirling around in my mind almost a week later after watching Green Book, Peter Farrelly's racial road movie about the classically trained pianist Don Shirley, Tony "Lip" Vallenlonga, and their 1960's journey through the deep south. I know the answer to both questions, but I don't think Peter knows and I don't think that co-writer Nick Vallenlonga knows either. But…
