Showing posts with label Film Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Film Reviews. Show all posts

Thursday, May 22, 2025

"Mission: Impossible - The final reckoning" - Movie review


“This message will self-destruct in five seconds.”


THR has watched “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” the climactic final chapter of a franchise that has spanned 29 years in the movie industry. Across eight films, we’ve witnessed some of the most action-packed, daring, and emotionally resonant missions ever captured on screen, always fueled by a deep love for cinema, storytelling, respect, and pure entertainment. Tom Cruise, his crew, production team, and cast have done it once again.


“Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” is produced by Paramount Pictures, Skydance, and Tom Cruise Productions, and directed for the fourth time by Christopher McQuarrie. The film boasts an exceptional cast: Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt), Hayley Atwell (Grace), Ving Rhames (Luther Stickell), Simon Pegg (Benji Dunn), Vanessa Kirby (Alanna Mitsopolis / White Widow), Esai Morales (Gabriel), Henry Czerny (Eugene Kittridge), Pom Klementieff (Paris), Shea Whigham (Jasper Briggs), Frederick Schmidt (Zola Mitsopolis), Charles Parnell (NRO Chief), Rob Delaney (JSOC Chief), Indira Varma (DIA Chief), Mark Gatiss (NSA Chief), Greg Tarzan Davis (Degas), Mariela Garriga (Marie), Ivan Ivashkin (XO Commander), Rolf Saxon (William Donloe), Holt McCallany (Bernstein), Nick Offerman (Sydney), and Angela Bassett (Erica Sloane, U.S. President).

 

From the very beginning, the film pays homage to past instalments—the original missions, signature stunts, and iconic moments that shaped Ethan Hunt’s journey. These sequences are not only nostalgic but also carry emotional weight, celebrating the sacrifices that have defined this legendary character.


However, this time the story takes a different turn. The enemy is not a man, but an Entity—a rogue Artificial Intelligence with the power to threaten all of humanity. Ethan and his team must outsmart this invisible force, operating once again outside the boundaries of government systems. Yet, in a twist, the U.S. President—portrayed with gravitas by Angela Bassett—personally requests Ethan’s help, adding a new layer of political urgency.

  

Every supporting role is portrayed with conviction, drawing the viewer into a world where high stakes, loyalty, and realism converge. The emotional and physical challenges faced by Ethan and his team are palpable as they navigate increasingly unconventional and dangerous situations, while the Entity grows stronger.


This film elevates stunt work to unprecedented heights—literally and figuratively. Ethan is not only dodging bullets and enemies but also battling the elements and gravity itself. These action scenes are infused with tension, technical brilliance, and heart-pounding suspense. Despite the larger-than-life scale, the movie preserves a sense of gritty realism, even when it borders on the surreal.

 

Visually, the film is stunning. The tone is gripping, the pacing relentless, and every scene draws you in, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats while creating empathy for the characters’ struggles.

Director Christopher McQuarrie and producer/star Tom Cruise have crafted a world that honors the franchise’s legacy while delivering a satisfying and exhilarating final arc. The courage and passion behind each shot serve as a tribute to cinema itself. The sound design and score, as always, enhance the experience with elegance and precision.

Overall, Mission: Impossible remains a franchise worth watching—bold, entertaining, and consistently innovative in its action and storytelling.

Congratulations Cast & Crew!

Hidden Fire Star 9/10 ⭐️


Review written by Al Fenderico


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Tuesday, May 13, 2025

"Nero": Recensione del Film - Dal 15 Maggio al cinema




The Hidden Review ha partecipato alla première di NERO, un film potente scritto da Giovanni Esposito, Valentina Farinaccio e Francesco Prisco. La pellicola è prodotta da Bartleby Film, Run Film, Pepito Produzioni e Rai Cinema.


Diretto da Giovanni Esposito—che interpreta anche il protagonista—NERO racconta la storia di due fratelli che vivono ai margini della società, tra Mondragone e Castel Volturno. Accanto a Esposito, la straordinaria Susy Del Giudice interpreta sua sorella Imma. Il cast corale comprende anche Anbeta Toromani, Giovanni Calcagno, Peppe Lanzetta, Roberto De Francesco, Cristina Donadio, Alessandro Haber, Marius Bizau, Riccardo Ciccarelli, Emmanuel Dabone, Gennaro Di Biase e Vittorio Ciorcalo.

La storia si apre con una rapina finita male. Nero (Esposito), un piccolo criminale, spara accidentalmente a un dipendente del mercato. Ma quando si avvicina a lui con inaspettata compassione, accade un miracolo: il suo tocco guarisce la vittima morente. Da quel momento, Nero scopre di possedere un potere soprannaturale: è in grado di guarire gli altri. Ma ogni miracolo ha un prezzo: a ogni guarigione, perde uno dei cinque sensi. Dopo il primo atto, si accorge di non poter più sentire il tatto—una verità che si manifesta quando si ustiona le mani con dell’acqua bollente senza provare dolore.

Costretto dalla disperazione, Nero continua a rubare, non per cattiveria, ma per necessità. Vuole prendersi cura di sua sorella Imma, affetta da una forma rara di autismo. Senza un lavoro stabile, l’illegalità diventa l’unica strada—finché quel dono misterioso lo costringe a interrogarsi su chi è davvero e su quanto sia disposto a sacrificare.

Uno degli elementi più indimenticabili del film è l’interpretazione di Susy Del Giudice nel ruolo di Imma. Senza pronunciare una sola battuta, offre una prova magistrale di recitazione non verbale. I suoi gesti e le sue espressioni trasmettono un’intensità emotiva rara, senza mai scivolare nella caricatura. Incarna il personaggio con sensibilità e verità, abbracciando appieno il principio del cinema “show, don’t tell”.

NERO affronta temi profondi ed esistenziali: sacrificio, redenzione, sopravvivenza, misticismo e umanità. Il film pone una domanda potente: cosa siamo disposti a perdere per aiutare gli altri? Ogni miracolo compiuto da Nero gli toglie qualcosa di essenziale, trasformando la narrazione in una potente allegoria dei sacrifici silenziosi che accompagnano la vita quotidiana. Con il suo realismo poetico e i suoi simbolismi spirituali, la sceneggiatura esplora la fragilità umana con profondità e onestà.

Dal punto di vista visivo, il film è impreziosito dal lavoro straordinario di Daniele Ciprì come direttore della fotografia. Il suo sguardo cattura tanto il realismo crudo quanto il lirismo surreale che definisce l’identità visiva di NERO. Ogni inquadratura riflette con precisione l’intenzione del regista.

Giovanni Esposito, nel triplice ruolo di sceneggiatore, regista e attore, dimostra grande talento e misura. La sua regia è sensibile ma coraggiosa, e armonizza perfettamente elementi contrastanti—il crimine e il mistico, la sofferenza e la grazia—dando vita a un’opera intensa ed emozionante. Anche il comparto sonoro e la colonna sonora arricchiscono l’atmosfera, senza mai sovrastare la narrazione.

In definitiva, NERO non è solo un film—è un’esperienza cinematografica. Un’opera rara che fonde realismo sociale e introspezione spirituale, sfidando lo spettatore a riflettere sul significato del sacrificio, dello scopo e della vita. Con interpretazioni di altissimo livello, una narrazione avvincente e uno stile visivo ipnotico, NERO si afferma come un’opera imperdibile e una pietra miliare del cinema italiano contemporaneo.

Congratulazioni Cast e Crew!

Hidden Fire stars 9/10 ⭐️

Recensione scritta da Al Fenderico

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"Nero" - Movie Review di Giovanni Esposito


The Hidden Review attended the premiere of NERO, a powerful new film written by Giovanni Esposito, Valentina Farinaccio, and Francesco Prisco. The film is produced by Bartleby Film, Run Film, Pepito Produzioni, and Rai Cinema.


Directed by Giovanni Esposito—who also plays the lead role—NERO tells the story of two siblings living on the margins of society between Mondragone and Castel Volturno. Alongside Esposito, the remarkable Susy Del Giudice stars as his sister, Imma. The ensemble cast also includes Anbeta Toromani, Giovanni Calcagno, Peppe Lanzetta, Roberto De Francesco, Cristina Donadio, Alessandro Haber, Marius Bizau, Riccardo Ciccarelli, Emmanuel Dabone, Gennaro Di Biase, and Vittorio Ciorcalo.

The story begins with a robbery gone wrong. Nero (Esposito), a small-time criminal, accidentally shoots a shop employee. As he approaches the man with unexpected compassion, a miracle occurs—his touch heals the dying victim. From that moment on, Nero discovers he possesses the supernatural ability to heal others. But each miracle comes with a cost: he begins to lose one of his five senses. After his first act of healing, he realizes he can no longer feel touch—confirmed when he burns his hands on a pot of boiling water without sensing pain.


Living in desperation, Nero turns to crime not out of malice, but necessity. He’s trying to care for his disabled sister, Imma, who lives with a rare form of autism. With no access to steady employment, stealing becomes his only option—until his mysterious gift forces him to confront who he is and what he’s willing to sacrifice.

One of the most unforgettable aspects of the film is Susy Del Giudice’s performance as Imma. Without uttering a single line, she delivers a masterclass in non-verbal storytelling. Her gestures and expressions carry immense emotional weight, never falling into caricature or imitation. She embodies the character with sensitivity and truth, fully embracing the principle of “show, don’t tell.”

NERO explores deep existential themes: sacrifice, redemption, survival, mysticism, and humanity. The film asks a profound question—what are we willing to lose to help others? Each miracle Nero performs strips him of something vital, turning the story into a powerful allegory for the quiet sacrifices made in everyday life. Through its emotional weight, poetic realism, and spiritual metaphors, the screenplay navigates human fragility with depth and honesty.




Visually, the film is elevated by the brilliant work of Daniele Ciprì as Director of Photography. His lens captures both the gritty realism and surreal lyricism that define NERO’s unique tone. Every frame reflects the director’s vision with precision and atmosphere.



Giovanni Esposito, in his triple role as writer, director, and actor, showcases remarkable talent and restraint. His direction is sensitive yet bold, harmonizing contrasting elements—crime and mysticism, suffering and grace—into a cohesive and emotionally resonant whole. The soundtrack and sound design further enrich the atmosphere without ever overpowering the narrative.

Ultimately, NERO is not just a film—it’s a cinematic experience. A rare blend of social realism and metaphysical inquiry, it challenges the audience to reflect on sacrifice, purpose, and what it truly means to live. With standout performances, compelling storytelling, and a haunting visual style, NERO establishes itself as a must-watch and a standout in contemporary Italian cinema.

Congratulations Cast & Crew!

Hidden Fire Star 9/10 ⭐️

Review written by Al Fenderico


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Tuesday, June 18, 2024

The Hidden Review: Soul - Film Review

 


"What do you want to be remembered for?"

The Hidden Review has watched "Soul" which premiered on Disney Plus, by being an animation movie for kids/children it is easily applicable to be watched by an adult audience as well. As the animation itself is made by Pixar and Disney, the special effects are marvellous as always. The characters' voices are played by wonderful and brilliant people such as Jamie Fox (Joe Gardner), Tina Fey (22), Quest Love (Curley), Phylicia Rashad (Libba Gardner), Daveed Diggs (Paul), Angela Bassett (Dorothea Williams), Graham Norton (Moonwind), Rachel House (Terry), and the others have had a bond together beautifully, we could hear their marvellous talent and so help the audience to spread their voices too. Besides so, the storyline touches on various themes but more importantly finding a purpose in life which translates into finding what life means to the characters, and so living. The movie can be misunderstood to be for kids but it has the tool to be more than that and for a wider audience. As much as the themes are a bit heavy, they can be seen pretty light. The writing is excellent, and the directing made by Pete Docter, Kemp Powers, and Mike Jones as well is. Overall, a big congratulations to you all.

Hidden Fire Stars 9/10 ⭐️

Review written by Al Fenderico.

© 2022 The Hidden Review

Monday, May 27, 2024

The Hidden Review: "Atlas" il film di fantascienza targato Netflix, con Jennifer Lopez nel ruolo protagonista.


"Atlas, non funzionerà se non ti fidi di me"
"Non ti lascio entrare nella mia testa"

THR ha guardato l'anteprima del prossimo thriller di fantascienza Netflix "Atlas" con Jennifer Lopez, Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla e Mark Strong, scritto da Leo Sardarian, Aron Eli Coleite e diretto da Brad Peyton.

La storia parla dell'uso dell'intelligenza artificiale, che, ai giorni nostri, è diventato più "efficiente" che mai. Pertanto, l’intelligenza artificiale è qualcosa che l’umanità sta sperimentando, scoprendo quotidianamente le sue potenzialità.

Poiché la storia utilizza questo tema come focus principale, da esso si ramifica molto probabilmente la fiducia che abbiamo nelle tecnologie e tra gli esseri umani.

Come citato nel film, "è difficile fidarsi degli esseri umani". Tuttavia, d'altra parte, dal punto di vista di Atlas (il personaggio di Lopez) e per la trama, è ancora più difficile fidarsi dell'IA rispetto agli esseri umani a causa del suo passato. esperienze che hanno influenzato tutto il suo dolore e il percorso del suo personaggio.

Atlas, interpretata da Jennifer Lopez, la cui performance di alta qualità sembra costante durante l'intero film, non è sola tra altre star come Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Abraham Popola, Lana Parrilla e Mark Strong. Le loro performance hanno aiutato i viaggi dei loro personaggi attraverso i loro diversi percorsi.

Tuttavia, poiché il film si concentra maggiormente sul viaggio di una protagonista femminile solista, il suo personaggio incontra varie sfide e sotto-trame. Ad esempio, l'obiettivo principale sembra essere quello di sconfiggere Arlan, interpretato magnificamente da Simu Liu. Ma il suo vero obiettivo è fidarsi dell'umanità e dell'intelligenza artificiale, cosa che sembra impossibile fino alla fine del film, quando il suo personaggio raggiunge il punto culminante, il più alto del suo arco narrativo: deve prendere una decisione tra morte e vita per sopravvivere.
Il concept del film ci ricorda il film di 20 anni fa "I Robot" (2004) con Will Smith e, come una competizione in stile, tocca la base di un viaggio diverso ma simile in termini di fiducia tra esseri umani e tecnologie. Nonostante ciò, sono entrambi realizzati in e per generazioni diverse, e vivono rispettosamente in momenti temporali differenti; anni in cui la tecnologia influenza la nostra vita quotidiana, con un’evoluzione simile ma non uguale.

Tant'è vero che possiamo vedere un tono diverso con l'aiuto della CGI, che contribuisce visivamente e mostra come la tecnologia sia diventata un fattore così importante nell'aumentare, per l'appunto, il valore visivo del film e nel renderlo così credibile.

Nel complesso, la storia fornisce alcuni spunti preziosi sul concetto di fiducia tra gli esseri umani e sull'uso della tecnologia, che riconosce i pro e i contro, e inoltre, fa dedurre che tutto ruota intorno a un punto comune di connessione e, quindi, di sincronizzazione della fede.

Atlas è su Netflix dal 24 Maggio. Guarda il trailer qui.

Hidden Fire Stars 7/10 ⭐️

Congratulazioni cast e crew!

Recensione scritta da Al Fenderico.

©2024 The Hidden Review

Sunday, May 26, 2024

The Hidden Review: Atlas - Film Review




"Atlas, this won't work if you don't trust me"
"I'm not letting you in my head"

The THR has watched the preview of the upcoming Netflix thriller Sci-fi "Atlas" starring Jennifer Lopez, Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla, and Mark Strong, written by Leo Sardarian, Aron Eli Coleite and directed by Brad Peyton.

The story speaks about the use of AI, which, in present days, has become more "efficient" than ever. Therefore, AI is something that humanity is still dealing with and discovering daily its potential.

As the story uses this theme as the main focus, the story's influences are more likely about the trust we have in technologies and between human beings.

As quoted in the movie, "Human beings are difficult to trust" However, on the other hand, AI from the perspective of Atlas (Lopez's character) and for the storyline, AI is even more difficult to trust than human beings due to her past experiences that have influenced all her pain and character's journey.

Atlas, played by Jennifer Lopez, whose high-quality performance looks steady throughout the whole movie, is not alone among other stars such as Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Abraham Popola, Lana Parrilla, and Mark Strong. Their performances helped their character's journeys throughout their different paths.

However, as the movie focuses more on a solo lead female journey, her character encounters various challenges and sub-storylines. For example, the main goal appears to be to defeat Arlan played beautifully by Simu Liu. But, her real goal is about trusting humanity and AI, which seems impossible until the movie ends when her character reaches the highest point of climax and, therefore, needs to make a death-life decision to survive.

The movie concept reminds us of the 20-year-old movie "I Robot" (2004) starring Will Smith, and as a comp in style, touches base on a different journey but similar in terms of the trust between humans and technologies. Despite this, they were both made in and for diverse generations, and respectfully live in various points of time, where technology influences our daily life as it shows a similar but different evolution.

Despite this, we can see a different tone with the help of CGI, which helps visually and shows how technology has become such a huge factor in increasing the visual value of the movie and making it so believable.

Overall, the story makes some valuable points about the concept of trust among humans and of the use of technology, which recognizes the pros and cons, and besides, that all is about a common point of connection and, therefore, of synchronization of faith.

Atlas is on Netflix since May 24th. Watch the trailer here.

Hidden Fire Stars 7/10 ⭐️

Congratulations cast and crew!

Review written by Al Fenderico.

©2024 The Hidden Review

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

The Hidden Review: How to Date Billy Walsh - Film Review


"Always follow your heart"

THR has recently watched How to Date Billy Walsh on Prime Video. How to Date Billy Walsh centres on lifelong best friends Archie (Sebastian Croft) and Amelia (Charithra Chandran) as they are about to finish school. Archie frequently breaks the fourth wall to talk to the audience, confessing that he has always been too afraid to tell Amelia that he loves her and is planning on finally doing it. However, his plans are complicated by the arrival of new American heartthrob student Billy Walsh (Tanner Buchanan), who Amelia instantly falls for.

This film felt (mostly) like the epitome of a game of two halves. In the first half, opportunities to develop the characters' likeability, realistic feelings and emotions were continuously missed (‘emotional connection’ is something I may refer to a lot in various guises). However, it felt as if the second half was written at a last-gasp pace, like the writers noticed their mistakes and started to delve into things that they should have done from the very beginning.

Archie’s character is initially presented as a nerdy, quirky outsider. This is a cliché type of role, but I was initially impressed with the way those stereotypes were broken by him engaging in banter with fellow students, culminating in him slamming his American football in their stomachs in scenes reserved (at least in opening sequences) for frightening bullies and more masculine male characters. However, given his wealthy background and societal status, it can be hard to relate to rich kids with trust funds as Archie is. While humour in the absurdity of upper class people is something that can be done very effectively (Saltburn being a brilliant recent example), it fails to land as consistently here because unlike in Saltburn, there is no balance between the extreme humour and an emotional hook involving the protagonist.

Safe to say, the film has familiar relatable themes on unrequited love, never having a teenage romance, as well as crushes and love rivals feeling out-of-your-league. However, I struggled to root for the characters because their feelings for their respective crushes are explained too quickly, so therefore felt cliché and rushed. With Amelia, her fawning over someone and falling in “love” within ten hours while not speaking to them (as Amelia claimed she did with Billy Walsh) was stereotypical and tired. With Archie, it may have been better if the story leaned more on emotion to explain his feelings for Millie (rather than a haphazard summary of clips from their childhood). Those childhood clips were narrated as if the character himself was getting impatient, desperately wanting to just cut to the chase.

Much of the opening and first half of the film was also not helped by the constant use of gross-out humour of farting, toiletry functions and disgusting food. Not only is this repetitive, annoying, and unnecessary, but told us nothing about what actually motivates the characters and their personalities deep down.

Whenever I watch coming-of-age teenage films, it always gets me thinking about one of my all-time favourites, Perks of Being a Wallflower. That delivered a masterclass in the combination of humour, tragedy, and great structure; revealing how the anxious, traumatised yet loveable Charlie fell for high school crush Sam. How to Date Billy Walsh had the potential to do something similar with a common complication of falling in love with your best friend. However, it failed initially because it offered extraordinarily little by way of an emotional pull towards the characters.

One of the first moments that I found genuinely witty (if a little cliché) was when Archie stands up to Amber (who has been constantly bullying Amelia), declaring that “if you were on life support, I’d unplug you to charge my third phone.” This gutsy, no-holes-barred statement revealed how much Archie cares for Amelia, and the extreme lengths he would go to protect her.

However, this extremity casts Archie in an extremely bad light later when he manipulates Amelia by pretending to be an online love doctor. He tries desperately to force Amelia and Billy Walsh apart by giving her rogue dating advice, including a particularly cruel theory that men like women who are mean to them on their first date. This turns him into someone I felt was unlikeable, selfish, and undeserving of a best friend like Amelia. We also see a lot more of Amelia’s character flaws here: Her sadness of never being kissed throughout her school years is something many teenagers struggle with. However, for someone who seems more intelligent and level-headed than Archie, I found it hard to believe that even among her teenage angst she could be fooled by the “love-coaches” advice that being horrible to Billie Walsh on their first date was somehow bound to make him head-over-heels in love with her.

This then leads on to a crucial positive turning point as the second half began. Amelia tries to make it up to Billy by opening up to him on the school intercom about painful family tragedies she suffered as a teenager, alongside the many insecurities that have plagued her ever since. Her raw emotion was portrayed brilliantly by Charithra Chandran as she slowly peeled away the mask that had been up throughout the film. This was also a crucial and great coming-of-age moment for Archie, who finally admitted his mistakes and realised that “If you love someone, you have to set them free.”

My favourite scene of the whole film was Amelia having a flashback with her mother before she passed away just before going to her prom. Her mother's advice to “always follow your heart” was delivered with incredibly poignant music. In a way, this made me both delighted and disappointed at the same time. I was thrilled that we finally got brilliant emotional depth combined with an incredibly powerful scene. However, I was also baffled as to why the writers waited this long to deliver it, given this scene proved they were capable of doing it incredibly well. I suppose it was better late than never though, and it did play a crucial role in the ending of the film, which did produce a great mixture of laughter, emotion, and triumph for both main characters.

While there were many aspects of the film which could have been written a lot better, I do believe the various 1-star reviews were a bit harsh. The actors play their roles very well, and the quality of the writing and storytelling did improve as the film went on.

It is also refreshing to see a queer actor in Sebastian Croft being able to play a straight character. There is so much debate around gay actors playing gay characters, that gay actors having the chance to play straight roles is something that can sometimes be overlooked. Croft played his role convincingly; it is just a shame that he and the other actors were let down through so much of the writing at the start.

I would dread to think what mark I would give the film if it had stopped somewhere halfway through, but the increased emotional depth and raised stakes certainly gave the film a much-needed gallop to the finish line.

Congratulations, cast and crew!

Hidden Fire stars 5/10 ⭐️

Review written by Nathan Mann.


©2024 The Hidden Review

Friday, May 10, 2024

THE HIDDEN REVIEW: “Hey tu!” il cortometraggio prodotto dalla Make A Wish Film Productions




Il team di THR è stato presente all'anteprima online del cortometraggio "Hey Tu!" prodotto dalla Make A Wish Film Productions che è già disponibile su Mawstream, Prime Video, Reveel. Con Gabriele Moio, Al Fenderico, Roberta Prato, Tommaso Matteo Fenderico e Giovanni Laprea. Scritto e diretto da Al Fenderico.

Sotto al ponte di Via Cilea, a Napoli, una ragazzo sorprende un uomo nel tentativo di rubargli il cellulare, ma distrattamente porta via solo le cuffie, il ragazzo ferito nell’orgoglio dall’uomo che così lo punzecchia, torna indietro e gli chiede di dargli anche il portafoglio.
Il dialogo prosegue con l’aggressività del ragazzo: un modo per sviare le domande dell’uomo che gli chiede come mai è dipendente dalla droga. Il ragazzo è quasi schiavo della stessa, per colpa del sistema in cui è caduto, e messo con le spalle al muro, non può far altro che ammetterlo.

Allo stacco segue la seconda parte del cortometraggio che si svolge di sera. I nostri protagonisti sono seduti sul muretto di Via Aniello Falcone con alle spalle il mare di Napoli. L’ uomo incentiva il ragazzo a svoltare nella sua vita. Come? Ricercando una passione, qualcosa che lo faccia sentire vivo. Il ragazzo però sembra quasi spaventato dall’affrontare dapprima i demoni che ha dentro, dal suo punto di vista lui è sempre stato: nu pover omm, non può farcela!

E qui invece che l’uomo è felice di contraddire il ragazzo su questo suo pensiero, con fare accogliente e allo stesso tempo persuasivo, come il mestiere di psicologo gli permette. Svela quindi “i segreti” di un organo fondamentale per l’uomo il cervello. Quanto è dunque importante trovare una propria serenità mentale per abbandonare definitivamente i propri demoni? Quanto è potente e rivelatrice la mente umana nell’agire dell’uomo?

Ennesimo stacco e siamo alla terza ed ultima scena del cortometraggio. E’ un nuovo giorno e il ragazzo Francesco è allo studio dell’uomo, il dott Diego Curtis. Il loro ultimo scambio di battute è emblematico: “Come stai?” “Bene, decisamente bene! Grazie Diego!”

Tutta la rabbia e la frustrazione di Francesco, che vediamo nei primi piani della prima e della seconda scena, non ci sono più: la macchina cattura il suo viso disteso e il suo sorriso nel primo piano finale.

Regia fluida e attenta a rendere i passaggi chiave dei dialoghi, la sceneggiatura è una narrazione episodica lineare ed è bene cogliere il messaggio che Diego lancia a Francesco nella seconda scena, che scuote il personaggio, ed è il punto di non ritorno dal quale poi si rialza per guadagnarsi una nuova ripartenza per sé stesso.

Il corto è attualmente disponibile in anteprima online e i biglietti sono acquistabili su Eventbrite al link qui sotto: https://premiereheytu.eventbrite.co.uk/

Congratulazioni Cast e Crew!

Hidden Fire Star 7.5/10 ⭐️

Recensione scritta da Roberta Salvati

Thursday, January 4, 2024

The Hidden Review: Bang Bank - L'occasione fa l'uomo morto de "I Ditelo voi" - Recensione Cinema

 



Il Team di THR è stato all’anteprima del film “Bang Bank-L’occasione fa l’uomo morto” scritta e interpretata da I Ditelo Voi diretto da Francesco Prisco, il film è prodotto dalla Bronx Film e Minerva Pictures, distribuito su Prime Video disponibile dal 3 Gennaio 2024.

Al trio comico campano, alla loro quarta pellicola di successo, si aggiungono nel cast Martina Stella, Antonella Morea e Mario Porfito, affiancati da Pasqualina Sanna, Fabio Cocifoglia e Giuseppe Mastrocinque.

“Bang Bank - l’occasione fa l’uomo morto” è tratta dallo spettacolo teatrale omonimo, “Bang Bank”, pellicola cinematografica di genere commedia, a tratti drammatica presenta una commedia leggera ma esilarante con colpi di scena interessanti.

La storia è ambientata al 90% in una banca di Napoli del centro direzionale, dove uno dei nostri protagonisti “O micione”, interpretato magistralmente da Domenico Manfredi, compie una rapina all’interno della banca con degli ostaggi tra questi presenti i personaggi come Fredo Giovannelli interpretato sempre magistralmente da Raffaele Ferrante il quale traspare essere il direttore della banca ed insieme a loro il personaggio Gianmaria Robustelli interpretato da Francesco De Fraia che interpreta uno degli ostaggi che era in banca per chiedere un mutuo; La stessa rapina viene raffigurata come una parodia ed ironia di una reale dovuta al siparietto che lo stesso trio comico I Ditelo Voi mette in piedi con la loro esilarante comicità e talento, difatti si dimostrano tutt’ora leader della comicità campana.

I due personaggi interpretati da Domenico Manfredi e Francesco De Fraia rispettivamente, ricercano entrambi un mutuo di cui uno da 500 mila euro e l’altro di 5 mila euro ma diversamente il personaggio Domenico Manfredi compie una rapina a discapito di Fredo, nonche direttore della banca che si presta essere sempre più difficile nel comunicare la sua non empatia verso i due che lo circondano bocciando le pratiche dei mutui. La rapina come vi si dimostra essere è all’insegna di risate e battute esilaranti ma con temi anche importanti evidenziando l’ironia del politically correct, che viene gestito e diretto in modo simpatico ed intelligente rendendo temi importanti anche leggeri dove la comicità, interpretata dalla chimica che il trio gia predispone con successo, risulta essere esaltante di questi temi come il razzismo di genere e di razza, l’inclusività, il tema del razzismo sportivo ma in chiave sempre più comica facendo presente lo “sfottò” sportivo tra due tifoserie “rivali”, il tema del LGBTQ che oggi giorno è sempre più evidente, ed il tema della morte che raffigura la pace ultraterrena dove i rispettivi personaggi aiutati dal personaggio interpretato da Martina Stella trovano la loro pace interiore affrontando i loro problemi personali e confessioni che li caratterizzano.

Il tutto coronato da una scenografia molto suggestiva che permette allo spettatore di vivere la storia come se fosse al suo interno tra i personaggi, permettendo agli stessi attori di vivere il momento ed essere presenti in ogni scena.

La fotografia del lungometraggio rappresenta egregiamente la commedia ed in modo molto appassionato il drammatico della storia, regalando equilibrio.

Complessivamente, “Bang Bank - L’occasione fa l’uomo morto” è una pellicola che presenta egregiamente empatia ed ironia verso temi i quali per quanto sono molto discussi attualmente permette allo spettatore di avere attimi di riflessione e gioia nel vedere una commedia leggera e brillante.

Disponibile su Prime Video dal 3 Gennaio 2024

Congratulazioni Cast e Crew!

Hidden Fire Star 8/10 ⭐️

Recensione scritta da Al Fenderico

Monday, November 27, 2023

The Hidden Review: In fila per due (Lined up for two) - Film Review


The THR has been at the press screening of the Italian movie, “In fila per due” (Lined up for two), directed by Bruno De Paola, produced by CinemaFiction, and distributed by No.Mad Entertainment, the movie is set between Portici (Napoli), Ercolano, San Giorgio a Cremano, and Morigerati in Cilento. Starring Andrea Di Maria, Francesca Chillemi and Ilaria Rossi, the movie introduces us to a world centred around the theme of love with different layers to unpack.

But, in this story, we find characters portrayed by well-experienced Italian actors like Giacomo Rizzo and Benedetto Casillo. Moreover, extraordinary professionals like Adriano Falivene, Antonella Stefanucci, Barbara Savinelli, and Brunella Cacciuni play co-supporting roles around them.

The story unfolds different twists hidden in the story of these principal characters, played by Andrea Di Maria, Francesca Chillemi, and Ilaria Rossi, who add value throughout the story.

However, the story is represented by an important theme not to underestimate, such as nature and its love. Because the story centred around the three main characters mentioned above, it is also focused on nature and, in particular, on earthquakes, and the Vesuvius show off his majesty and power that make fear influence people’s mind and make them decide to leave their comfortable homes for a short period so to be safe.

At the same time, just before the movie had a cinema release, the city of Naples, their provinces, and cities around were struggling in real life with powerful earthquakes that influenced fear in people by encouraging them to be safe. Therefore, this coincidental event appears relatable in many aspects, as it has happened quite often lately.

Furthermore, this catastrophic event that characterizes fear around the setting discussed reveals the struggling relationship of our main characters Germano (Andrea Di Maria) and Sonia (Francesca Chillemi), both thirty-five years old with two different personalities that do not help their relationship. However, the struggle arises even more due to Sonia's behaviours of possessive love against Germano, followed by unnecessary violence and jealousy. In fact, during the movie, to justify even more violent acts, it is mentioned multiple times that Sonia is well known to break the windscreens of cars.

Following this, another aspect that the movie itself introduces us is the “possessive love” theme that is related to a real issue that is happening in real life, particularly in Italy, as there are more frequent murder cases and acts of violence for genders between males and female, but mostly female. By analyzing it, this movie reflects the dangerous aspect of being in a toxic relationship despite any differences between genders, and it shows that even males can live a physical, and mental abuse in a toxic relationship. Therefore, according to it, without causing any misunderstanding in real life, it clarifies that without any gender differentiation, everyone can be in a toxic relationship potentially.

Germano follows the safety guidelines given due to the earthquakes. So, this event gives him the excuse to escape from her and go to a different place with other characters, where he finds the love of his life, portrayed by Ilaria Rossi. In this aspect, we see a different side of love, which is love at first sight and looks healthier than before, which raises the stakes of both relationships and brings Germano to follow his heart.

But, throughout the story, we notice a fine line between these ugly acts and comedy, which unfolds into irony and creates a sympathetic adventure for the audience while creating an empathetic experience and awareness on screen.

Overall, the director Bruno De Paola, his co-writers, the cast, the crew, and the production team have done terrific research and analysis to create a story that resonates with different audiences.

You can find the movie in all cinemas in Italy, follow the No.Mad Entertainment guidelines.

Congratulations to the cast and crew!

Hidden Fire stars 8/10 ⭐️

Review written by Al Fenderico


©2023 The Hidden Review

Friday, November 3, 2023

The Hidden Review: Awareness - Prime video Movie - Film Review


“I thought I was the one creating illusions for everybody else”

The THR has watched the Prime Video original Spanish Sci-fi Feature Film Awareness written by Ivan Ledesma and Daniel Benmayor (who also directed it). Ian switches from the stereotypical teenage loner to having a menacingly powerful look in his eyes very well at the start. However, his desire for impacted returns from the heists, rather than just getting the crumbs, makes him seem more unlikeable. He could surely use his powers for good but only seemingly uses them for his survivalist, selfish reasons.

His father Vicente is a likeable character as he genuinely loves his son by saying that he is the only one that matters in his life, always guiding him. Vicentes deep and gravelly voice is the perfect mixture for this character, who appears to have the wisdom that Ian has followed so methodically up to now. Ian cares for his Dad, revealing on numerous occasions, making him more three-dimensional, sympathetic, and less self-centred.

Initially, there was a great contrast between the vast water and tight urban space that Ian and his father ran and drove down to pull off their heist. The two locations always give a sense of risk of being caught, either because of the closeness of the urban space or when, in open space, the idea that something could always be lurking in the distance. Moreover, another place where the location stood out was the arcade, with its evocative purple colour giving a feel of mysterious power and ambition.

The constant photo of Ian’s mother was also a clever highlight. The beauty of her pure blonde hair is a very contrasting element to all the other character's hair colours, possibly symbolising their lack of moral innocence compared to hers.

Vicente has an interesting moral code for Ian’s use of his powers: "Don’t bring attention to yourself, and don’t play tricks on your family".

The idea of a father teaching outlandish rules and ideas to his son reminds sometimes of Harry Morgan in the US TV series Dexter. Harry teaches his adopted son (the title character) how to channel his psychopathic urges to kill bad people only.

However, Awareness did not feel engaging, as the stakes did not seem as high as being in a laboratory compared to a life of peace, and it did not seem as intriguing as a psychopath taught to use his darkness for good while not getting caught. As this story progresses, however, the stakes arise, and Ian’s sense of morality is under further scrutiny.

Ian has more of a sympathetic side compared to the Perceptor, whose first unspoken appearances instantly convey a malevolent menace just through his eyes. His later dialogue with Ian intensifies his listener's confusion as he struggles to process another new reality. Oscar Jaenada acted superbly in the preceptor role throughout. When the preceptor explains his side of the story and the origins of The Mule, one huge question that arises is who is on Ian’s side and who isn’t, adding a superb extra dimension at that critical moment.

Ian becomes more empathetic towards others and a sympathetic character for the audience as the story progresses, and we see the sudden weight on his shoulders. A person wanting to know who and what he is is a human reaction when our world is shattered, especially as a teenager. This part could have shown a bit more outward emotion initially, but the character's subtle impassiveness in the middle is probably a part of who shows off and what makes him such an enigma. Carlos Scholz does unpeel Ian’s layers brilliantly as the story heads for its climax, and it is there that we see the great range he has as an actor. However, perhaps some scenes don’t help him in having the chance to use it very often at the beginning.

The director uses music and sound effectively throughout. The eerie sound when the character of Adrianna is first seen watching the CCTV is terrific, and the slow cover version of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds during Ian’s dream sequence is an incredible contradiction: We know Ian and everyone around him should be worried, so that is a very clever symbolic choice that purposefully highlights the opposite through the song lyrics. Later on, Ian's attachment to Three Little Birds is used in an incredibly tender moment, making it a brilliantly moving song choice that captures the scene perfectly.

However, even among the emotions, there was still such a jam-packed mix of violent reality and fantasy in the immediate aftermath. But those less emotive, character-driven moments could lead to a loss of interest throughout the story.

At the same time, these moments keep asking the question: Who is on Ian's side? While the film intended to not be black and white with much of this, that ambiguity could somewhat spoil all that beautiful tenderness beforehand. The viewer may feel robbed of a satisfying conclusion where they know definitively who the antagonists are.

Throughout the story, it was possible to connect with characters (in certain stages) because of the very human themes reflecting family, identity, and conflicting morality.

However, some scenes still didn’t impress enough to make it believable.

Overall, the actor's performances were strong, as their characters had moments where a viewer could feel empathy, sympathy, fear and hatred towards them in equal measure.
You can find Awareness on Prime Video worldwide! 

Congratulations, cast and crew!

Hidden Fire stars 5/10 ⭐️

Review written by Nathan Mann.

Watch the Official Trailer

©2023 The Hidden Review

Friday, September 29, 2023

The Hidden Review: Mixed by Erry - Film Review



"Hey Dad, are we poor?"

The THR has been at the XX1V edition of Napoli Film Festival 2023, where it premiered the movie "Mixed by Erry" written by Sidney Sibilia, Armando Festa, and directed by Sidney Sibilia starring Luigi D'oriano, Giuseppe Arena, Emanuele Palumbo, Cristiana Dell'Anna, Adriano Pantaleo, Francesco Di Leva, Fabrizio Gifuni.

It is a movie inspired by true events and as a comedy genre, produced by Groenlandia and distributed by 01 Distribution.

It shares the story of three real brothers, played by Luigi D'Oriano (Erry), Giuseppe Arena (Peppe), and Emanuele Palumbo (Angelo) of the Frattasio family from a Neapolitan county called Forcella, and it all starts back in 1976 where they were kids and living with their parents.

Since that day, they came from not a rich family but a modest poor one, however, while working with their father, they experienced some fraud methods to fool people in exchange for money to survive.

However, while Erry is becoming older, one of the brothers, he developed the ability to be talented in understanding any music and soundtracks worldwide and recognising the taste of the people around him.

Therefore, as soon as they were almost in their 20s, Erry and Peppe found a way to sell music with acoustic cassettes to people in their county. However, all of them were imitations with a compilation of different songs of that period from the best music bands and singers of the 80s. All these compilations became a brand named "Mixed by Erry".

In fact, these compilations led them to become richer and richer and made them call themselves "King of plagiarism", however, their trade encountered a cop who tracked them down and stopped their business for good.

The director, Sidney Sibilia, has been able to share an unusual story in a way that is comedic and, at times, dramatic while making compelling connections with each character. In fact, the bonding of the three brothers played by these young actors shows how strong their relationship is.

Moreover, the setting and the atmosphere reflect very well the 80s and 90s, as well as the accuracy of the costumes, locations, vehicles, and so the timing in which in 1987 Napoli Football Club won their first championship referencing, for example, during the celebration Angelo wore the Maradona's wig referring that to the most important Football player in the world who played in Napoli back in the 80s and 90s.

Simultaneously, the music envelops the aforementioned elements, evoking a sense of nostalgia for the bygone era characterized by the 80s and 90s, distinct from the contemporary period.

Therefore, the cast, crew, and production team did a terrific job of being accurate in all these aspects, which increased the value of this film even more, and to say proudly to them that it is a masterpiece for this generation.

Overall, the story itself helps to give more value to this film.

The movie is now available on Netflix.

Congratulations, cast and crew!

Hidden Fire stars 9/10 ⭐️

Review written by Al Fenderico.

© 2023 The Hidden Review

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

The Hidden Review: 12 Repliche - Film Review




"God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers."

The THR has been at the XX1V edition of Napoli Film Festival 2023, where it premiered the movie "12 Shows" (12 repliche) written and directed by Gianfranco Gallo starring Gianfranco Gallo, Gianni Parisi, Gianluca Di Gennaro, Roberto Azzurro, Elvis Esposito, Peppe Miale, Mariacarla Casillo, Lisa Imperatore, Margherita Di Rauso, Franco Javarone, Ester Geatta.

"12 repliche" is an LGBTQ independent Feature Film drama produced by Maxadv with support from the Film Commission Regione Campania, and has had some Festival runs, winning in Montreal as Best Feature Film and Gianfranco Gallo won Best Actor.

Furthermore, the movie takes place in Naples, set in 2016, the same year as Cirinnà's law in a phase of approbation for LGBTQ rights. However, the story focuses more on its lead character, Andrea Michelini, a veteran theatremaker who is openly Gay and in a relationship with longtime theatre company member Rolando Spinelli (Gianni Parisi). At the same time, alongside them, we notice other terrific performances of Gianluca Di Gennaro and Mariacarla Casillo, who played their adopted son and daughter. Alongside them, the fantastic performance of Lisa Imperatore in a co-supporting role in this LGBTQ story, as well as the other actors who completed the cast with their performances.

However, the story touches base on how the lead character deals with his sickness of Leukaemia while performing for a 12-day show run of "Banana Blu", a play he wrote, directed, and starred in by Andrea Michelini. It shows beautifully in these struggling moments how the character kept saying, "If I am gonna die, it will happen on stage and not in a Hospital". Therefore, he kept going and moving forward with a smile and a strong attitude, showing his theatre company members that through passion and sacrifice, you can overcome everything. This behaviour reminds us how the Neapolitan beloved Eduardo De Filippo behaved on stage in real life in terms of his work ethic, and at the same time, this reflects how a human is attached to his work and respects the theatre work itself, sacrificing all himself for the arts despite the sickness only to see a smile from their audience.

Moreover, some scenes in the Hospital remind Patch Adams's character behaviour with young patients in the movie, and as much as the case is different, Andrea Michelini searches for happiness from the basic things of life, attaching himself to his childhood memory and helping other troubled young patients going after the sickness and gifting them with smiles and laughs.

By analysing the picture, even if it is a low-budget movie, it is the case that even with a small budget amount and the right equipment, filmmakers can do magic tricks with their little resources.

Overall, it is noticeable from the photography, screenplay, and crew work that despite being filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a movie to be proud of.

Congratulations, cast and crew!

Hidden Fire stars 8/10 ⭐️

Review written by Al Fenderico.

© 2023 The Hidden Review


Sunday, October 2, 2022

The Hidden Review: L'immortale - Film Review



"There is always the possibility to choose in life, but is difficult to go back."

The THR has been a guest at the 23rd edition of the Napoli Film Festival 2022, hosted by Mario Violini and Giuseppe Borrone. We watched the screening and the Q&A with Marco D'Amore for the Feature Film "L'immortale" (The Immortal), directed by the same Marco D'Amore, who also portrays the lead character in the movie.

Ciro Di Marzio, whose nickname is “L'immortale”, is a fictional character born and introduced as a lead. Besides, other lead characters such as Genny Savastano, played by Salvatore Esposito in the fortunate Tv series "Gomorra - La Serie" produced by HBO, Cattleya, and many more.

However, the movie follows from the end of the 3rd season about "Gomorra - La Serie" from where left off.

As Mr D'Amore explains, the movie is not a prequel or sequel to the series. Therefore, it is a crossover meaning that the events happen alongside what happens in Gomorra - La Serie.

Therefore, it makes more sense because the 3rd season finished with a sad exit by the same character and actor, but both made their appearance in the movie showing with visual events what happens to Ciro Di Marzio, which as audience, we thought that he died in deep Neapolitan waters by the hand of his best friend at the time Genny Savastano.

The movie opens with the line which says "Quando ero piccolo, e stavo all’orfanotrofio, lo sai che mi dicevano le suore? Il terremoto è volere di Dio, fa bene alla terra. Come quando uno sta male e accumula, accumula. Finchè, o si libera e sfoga o muore."


(When I was little, and I was at the orphanage, do you know what the nuns used to tell me? The earthquake is God's will and it is good for the Earth. It is like when somebody is sick and more and more. Until then, he frees himself and vents or dies).

And we see Ciro falling deeply into the sea, but eventually, he gets rescued secretly and brought into a hospital where he recovers. At the same time, the movie shows some flashbacks since born of a young Ciro while his mother rescues him from an earthquake that collapsed the building where they were living. On that occasion, his nickname becomes “The Immortal” as it was his first survival from that trauma.

However, later on, the story shows the coming of age of this character and his progress and process in becoming what this character is, so we see him raised by different communities. But, these communities are the ones that taught him how to live and survive on the streets by stealing and doing other illegal acts.

And in parallel, we see how the older Ciro survives in his current circumstances leading him to Latvia, where he starts working under Don Aniello Pastore and his Russian collaborators, and eventually, he meets an old friend Bruno again. Some flashbacks show what Bruno has done for him while raising and introducing him to that world until he encounters another young character called Attilio, that recommends him to work for Don Pietro Savastano.

The movie, therefore, shows his process and all events that change him to become who he is in that present brilliantly. Moreover, it shows how a few circles of life started and ended, in particular, the one and most important as the friendship, brotherhood, and rival between Ciro and Genny presented at the end of the movie displaying exactly a deep tension between these two characters.

That emotional fight has characterised the entire storyline of the Tv series "Gomorra-La Serie" and the movie. This latest work showcases brilliantly through locations, inciting incidents, and climaxes the journey of a character who looks for a change within himself and the community he lives in, therefore is the true leader in this story.

Moreover, what happens next in the 4th season is a consequence of what happens after the meeting between Genny and Ciro at that port when Genny finds out that his best friend, old brother, and villain is alive now. So, for both of them, that story will end only when one character perishes, like what happened to Ciro at the end of the 3rd season, but this time will not survive. So, who will survive this fight now?

Overall, Marco D’Amore (director and screenwriter) gives justice by introducing a story that needed to be told and heard. During the series, we only see one face of the metal, but this time it was the right time to showcase the other face of that metal, which is for both characters characterised and immersed by the blood of lost family members and the traumas of a fight and rival which Mr D’Amore developed for a new beginning of the 4th season, brilliantly.

Congrats cast and crew!

Hidden Fire stars 9/10 ⭐️

IMDb
Trailer
The Hidden Review

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

The Hidden Review: Spiderman No way home - Film Review

 


"The multiverse is real."

The THR has watched "Spiderman - No way home", the third movie of the Spiderman franchise in the MCU produced by Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios, which has confirmed and overcome all the high expectations of fans regarding fan theories and has got even more. Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Benedict Cumberbatch, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Willem Defoe, Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx, Thomas Haden Church, Rhys Ifans, J.K. Simmons, Jake Gyllenhaal, Benedict Wong, with the exceptional appearance of Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Charlie Cox, and Tom Hardy. The movie is the sequel to what happened in the second Spiderman film in which Spiderman's identity was revealed by Mysterio, the whole world changed in Peter Parker's life. In fact, Peter tries to find ways to help save the identities of his friends and family, so he approaches Doctor Strange to ask for help, and what comes next is even worst for a superhero life. From a spell made by Doctor Strange and Peter's silly requirements, the universe they know drops drastically and becomes more challenging than expected while opening doors to a multiverse where all heroes and villains at once come in one place. In fact, the challenge becomes very hard for Peter Parker and shall find a solution quickly, but of his compassion, the aim is to save the lives of the villains that come into his world like Goblin, Electro, Sandman, Lizard and Doctor Octopus. However, when the murder of Aunt May touches him even harder, the help of two of our beloved heroes comes in where Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield reprise their roles as Spiderman from their respective universes. Therefore, the story takes a new path for Tom's Spiderman and his new friends and eventually brings sadness but also joy and closure of a chapter for all our characters where Garfield's Peter has had the chance to save Tom's Peter's MJ that reflects upon the missed save of Gwen he could have had within his universe. Instead, for Tobey's Peter, the chance to have grief about hunting who killed his uncle Ben even though it wasn't his fault as he thought. Giving chances to some villains to be better versions like Doctor Octopus, for example, has shown the Peters that change is possible. The movie touches 20 years of Spiderman franchises, and besides so, it connects 20 years of generations of audiences all at once in one film by bringing back old villains and old Spidermen together. Seeing for the first time on-screen three generations of Spidermen is special.
The story is a brilliant achievement and it is open to old, present, and future generations of MCU fans.
Congratulations cast and crew for this massive achievement.

Hidden Fire Stars 10/10


Spider-Man: No Way Home | Netflix

Prime Video: Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) - IMDb

© 2022 The Hidden Review

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

The Hidden Review: King Richard - Film Review

 



"We're More Than A Team; We're A Family."

The THR has watched King Richard, an autobiographical movie about the tennis players Williams's sisters at a young age when they were starting out their careers.

Starring Will Smith, Jon Bernthal, Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Tony Goldwyn, Dylan Mcdermott, and Liev Schreiber, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green.

The movie touches powerfully and with empathy on the struggle, but also the humbleness of a father who fights for their daughters in order to have a chance for their Tennis careers to evolve.

After many "No" which in any career is usual to get doors shut, they eventually have their shot to play in minor tournaments for young people and then get scouted and trained by the best. However, through this, as the story is focused mainly on the career of Venus Williams, there is also the chance to see what Serena's career looked like at the same time, and as a sneak peeks at hers we get to know her steps in early stages of a wonderful and inspirational tennis career she has experienced and still does in the professional world of Tennis.

The movie has given the chance to Will Smith's performance achieve many award nominations and an Academy Award win for Best Actor in a motion picture at the 2022 Oscars.

Certainly, the story inspires young athletes and many other professionals to use determination as a "weapon" to become the best version of themselves for any performances required.

Congratulations to the cast and crew for this achievement,

Hidden Fire stars 9/10

IMDB

© 2022 The Hidden Review

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

The Hidden Review: Psych TV Series and Film Review

 


“Hello I'm Shawn Spencer and this is my partner Radio Star. I'm afraid your video will kill him.”

The Hidden Review has watched "Psych", "Psych: The Movie" and "Psych 2: Lassie Come Home" written and directed by Steve Franks, James Roday (2 films), and Andy Berman (1 film). The storyline of this beautiful film connects all the previous lives of these characters from the old TV series "Psych" which lasted 8 seasons in 2014. An explosive mix of comedy, drama, and detective genres enchanted the audience in such a smart way that made them feel not only part of the show but part of their jokes, cases to solve and perspectives to live. All talented cast and crew people with amazing chemistry made two films, and one TV series, which do justice to one another each time and are so worth the watch. Besides, not to forget to mention that the last two movies are tributes to two important people who made history in the life of the cast and crew. Tributes to the loss of David Bowie, and the accident of Timothy Omundson that led to a major stroke in 2017, and so the producers and writers of the show, of the movie, made beautifully the stories around them, their characters. We hope to see more of these dramedy and detective movies in future to enchant us into jokes and cases to solve.
The TV series and Psych: the movie is available on Prime Video, and Psych 2: Lassie Come Home is on Peacock TV
Congratulations cast and crew ⭐️
Hidden fire stars 9/10

Review written by Al Fenderico

© 2022 The Hidden Review

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