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Reviews
Scampolo (1928)
Amazing forgotten little gem
I have seen this movie in NYC, courtesy the Lincoln Center Film Society, within the framework of a cycle titled "Passion and Defiance: Silent Divas of Italian Cinema". The film has been recently rediscovered and restored by the Bologna cinematheque. I for one consider Scampolo a complete revelation. I know two other Genina's movies, and they both had me impressed: the excellent Prix de Beaute with Louise Brooks, and Cyrano de Bergerac in beautifully restored Pathe stencil color. An unpretentious but amazingly witty little comedy, Scampolo confirms Genina's special "touch": a mix of subtle irony and social satire akin to Lubitsch's own bittersweet vision of the world. Scampolo also serves as a perfect vehicle for Carmen Boni's verve and comic skills. She has a very modern type of beauty, not unlike Louise Brooks, and manages to switch from big laughters to genuine emotion with uncommon natural ease. I am still under the spell of her moving performance. I hope this forgotten little gem will soon get a well-deserved DVD release.
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Tiring plagiarism
I came out from this movie tired. It was like watching some monstrous crossing between The Killer, James Bond and The Matrix. John Woo's trademarks are no more a style signature, they're just a cheesy, tiring mannerism. The action scenes are directly imported from The Matrix - but without the excitement of discovery they are tiring, repetitive and gratuitously violent. The fast-slow-fast rhythm of the movie is predictable and tiring. The way Thandie Newton minces all around is tiring. The Scottish accents are tiring. The all too visible ads for Bulgari and Audi are tiring. The whole thing is one big tiring plagiarism, with too much deja vu. Yawn.