Best Shot Picks and Nathaniel's Choice from 'The Godfather'

by Nathaniel R

Our film title this week on Hit Me With Your Best Shot was in honor of the restoration of The Godfather (1972) for its 50th Anniversary. Here are the Best Shot choices from seven participants and my own towards the end of the post. Click on the images that follow to read the corresponding articles. I'll be "talking" inbetween the images about a film I've never written about before (!) as I select my own... 

Click to read more ...

Locarno Diary #4: Good cop, bad cop

by Elisa Giudici

Locarno Film Festival's symbol is a leopard: before any screening a "pardo" (italian for pard) walks across the screen roaring, just before the edition's motto appears (2021's motto is "Cinema is back"). All prizes are shapes as small, stylized felines, the most important one being Pardo d'Oro, the Golden Leopard. Pardo is for Locarno what Lion is for Venice and Palms are for Cannes...with some interesting results.

The main colours of Locarno Film Festival are yellow and black, as in pard's coat. Pard spot motif can be seen everywhere: window shops, café, restaurants. Everyone in Locarno wants to celebrate the main event of the summer season. So during the Festival there is a little "pard mania" everywhere...

Click to read more ...

Yes No Maybe So: "House of Gucci"

by Nathaniel R

"Father... Son.... and House of Gucci" If the trailer is any indication, people are going to be obsessing on or quoting House of Gucci frequently in the coming months. So let's go immediately to our Yes No Maybe So™ routine, but in the more expansive second-by-second way we do occassionally when we're really excited...

Click to read more ...

Was Peter Ustinov the best Poirot?

by Cláudio Alves

Growing up in a house furnished with the complete written works of Agatha Christie made me a fan of the whodunnit genre from a young age. My mum, an unabashed fan of criminal narratives and detective stories, made sure I was familiar with the figure of Hercule Poirot and, eventually, I too became a fan. While we've long spent joyful evenings sharing our love for the adventures of Belgium's most excellent fictional investigator, we don't always agree about this entertainment.

For instance, our idea of who the perfect on-screen Poirot  differs significantly. Her heart belongs to David Suchet's book-faithful incarnation, while I prefer Peter Ustinov's joyful take on the same character. On the centennial of the the two-time Oscar-winning thespian, I thought I could elaborate on why Ustinov is my perfect Poirot…

Click to read more ...

Let’s have a blast with Nick and Nora!

by Cláudio Alves

The power of movie stars shouldn't be underestimated. A glamourous screen presence, a straight shot of charisma, can make even the least impressive piece of cinematic fluff into a must-see event. At the very least, the difference between unwatchable mediocrity and a jolly good time can often be someone who electrifies the screen with a look, someone who enchants the camera and conquers our attention with no effort. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better example of the wonders of stardom than The Thin Man series…

Click to read more ...