Written by Nena Morena
Who, as a kid, has not seen the Disney version of the story of Pinocchio? A pinewood puppet who desperately wants to become a real boy? Those who, like me, had the privilege to read the original tale by Italian writer Carlo Collodi might have had quite a shock when they found out how different the two stories actually are. Both tales try to teach kids important moral lessons and warn them about the consequences of bad behavior. However, the Disney adaptation changed many things from the original story. With its subtle metaphors about the human condition, the book is a much darker and crude version of life that shows the consequences of making the wrong choices. The movie “Pinocchio”, produced and directed by Matteo Garrone, chose to remain faithful to the original tale and takes the audience on a journey to the past to discover the deepest of human needs.
Tuscany, 1883. An impoverished Italian carpenter named Geppetto decides to carve himself a wooden puppet and use it as a marionette. His plan is to make a living by working as a puppeteer around the country. His friend Mastro Ciliegia, another carpenter, gives him an enchanted piece of wood as a gift. Geppetto, oblivious to the magical nature of the wood, begins to carve the puppet little by little. As soon as the puppet starts talking, Geppetto calls him Pinocchio and keeps him as his son. Geppetto is ecstatic to finally be a dad. Unfortunately, Pinocchio turns out to be a disobedient and selfish boy whose only desire is to enjoy himself without considering his father’s sacrifices. Soon, his troublesome behavior leads him on a dangerous odyssey in the company of dubious and odd characters who will try to impede his way back to Geppetto.
Contrary to the Disney version, the movie "Pinocchio" does not follow a traditional narrative but is rather a series of short adventures set in different places with the involvement of different characters. The complexity of Garrone's work is admirable. The number of fancy costumes used for all the characters, the constant changing of scenarios, and the faithfulness to the novel show how seriously the director took this story and how far he went to create Pinocchio's epic journey. Overall, the movie's pace did not suffer from the elaborate plot, although some scenes seemed a little slow; this is a feature of Italian film-making that resembles classic theatre.
The acting in the movie is done more in the style of classical theatre than that of modern movies, but I think that it made the movie authentic and more like the original tale. As a big fan of comedian and producer Roberto Benigni, I can’t not start with him. Despite his relatively short screen time, Roberto Benigni does an amazing job portraying the poor and good-hearted Geppetto. Through his facial expressions, he is able to convey all the different emotions that his character feels throughout the movie, emotions that, unfortunately, his voice cannot instill as effectively since it is dubbed in English. Federico Lelapi also does a good job interpreting the character of Pinocchio. This was not his first appearance on the big screen; however, this was his first movie as the main protagonist. His acting did not exceed expectations, but it was quite promising, especially for an 8-year-old boy with the task of being a marionette. I also must give him some credit for wearing prosthetic makeup for the entire movie, which took 3 hours each day to apply. Other minor but essential characters were Marine Vacth as the Fairy Lady, Massimo Ceccherini and Rocco Pappaleo as the Fox and the Cat, and Gigi Proietti as Mangiafuoco. Each of these actors gave a great and convincing performance. I was especially surprised by the Marine Vacth, who was able to create a mysterious and surreal atmosphere around her character. Just like in the books, all the other characters in the story were primarily animals. However, the director Matteo Garrone decided to rely mostly on prosthetic makeup on the actors and high-quality costumes instead of CGI. The results are surprisingly pleasant. My only disappointment is the Talking Cricket which I thought was too grotesque and weird looking, two adjectives very different from the character’s personality.
Written in 1883, the book “Pinocchio” is considered one of the greatest pieces of children’s literature and the second-most translated work after the Bible. Its original story is not what most people know from their childhood, and whoever compares it to the Disney version makes a great mistake, in my opinion. Most European stories written in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were often based on older folk tales passed down from generation to generation. Even when they were completely
new such as Pinocchio, these stories reflected the culture and lifestyle of the time, two elements that must be considered when judging a story. The darkness and complexity of these tales often came from their primary focus of telling different aspects of human existence, which is often complicated and dangerous. During an interview, Garrone said, “Collodi wanted to show kids how dangerous and cruel the world around them could be. It was a warning to them to be careful and follow the advice of people that love you. The dark side is connected to this aspect — the consequence of Pinocchio’s bad decisions.” In my opinion, the trailer does a great job of preparing the audience for the general atmosphere of the movie and showing what the real story of Pinocchio is about. Garrone’s adaptation blends realism and fantasy with an effort to bring back the grim atmosphere and satirical tone of the original novel. The realistic representations of some of the characters’ dark personalities and crimes can get under your skin, making this movie mainly for adults. The enchanting and surreal mood of each scene combined with the beautiful Italian scenery and great acting definitely captivate the spectators from the beginning to the end. I realize that The acting is much more theatrical compared to what most people here in the United States are used to, but I think this was done very well and brings levity to balance the movies darker themes. The music and the costumes were both very remarkable and essential in turning this classic into a cinematographic gem. I would rate this movie as Above Average on the Mike’s After Action Reviews five-tired scale (Bad, Below Average, Average, Above Average, Excellent), and I highly recommend it. Unfortunately, the slow pace of some of the scenes and the lack of emotion that comes from the voice dubbing slightly penalizes the movies rating.
Written by Nena Morena
As the title implies, Season 7 of the Flash really disappointed me. I have been watching the show for some years now and while I used to be thrilled with watching Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) become more of a hero with each episode, it took all my strength and patience to see these last few seasons. I don’t blame Tom Cavanagh (Harrison Wells) or Carlos Valdes (Cisco Ramon) for leaving the show, although it is a shame because throughout the years they have become, in my opinion, the show’s two greatest characters. It wasn’t only their absence, however, that made the show unwatchable. The dialogue was often cringy and nonsensical, some of the characters were shallow and mediocre, and the storylines went nowhere. I do not know if at the end I was more confused or bored by what was going on.
Season seven starts right where season six left off: Team Flash trying to stop Eva McCulloch (Efrat Dor) and find a way to bring Iris (Candice Patton), Kamilla (Victoria Park), and Singh(Patrick Sabongui) back from the Mirrorverse. Once Barry Allen and his team save their friends and defeat Eva, they then must deal with four new forces that threaten the peace not only of Central City but of the entire world: Fuerza, the Speed Force (Michelle Harrison), Psych (Ennis Esmer), and Deon (Christian Magby). The immediate solution seems to be killing them but as soon as Barry and Iris find out that these forces were born from them, they decide to act as “loving parents” and help them overcome their differences and dark sides. The last challenge that Team Flash faces in the show is fighting Godspeed and his clones. Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) and Bart (Jordan Fisher), Barry and Iris’ future children, arrive from the future to help. Along with the three main storylines, the show incorporates minor stories such as Cecile (Danielle Nicolet) and the Psycho-Pirate’s Mask, Killer Frost’s (Danielle Panabaker) trial and imprisonment, and Kramer (Carmen Moore) and Joe’s (Jesse L. Martin) investigation of the metahuman Adam Creyke (Julian Black Antelope).
Season seven was the shortest season of the show but it felt like the longest. The writers insert too many storylines that are poorly written, rushed, and repetitive. Most villains were “defeated” by being confronted with a long speech about the importance of love and compassion which they respond to by giving up their evil ways. The action that the fans of the show were used to seeing in the past seasons is mostly replaced with poor and long monologues. I read that the
restrictions imposed because of Covid limited the actors from touching each other too much during the fight scenes but since most characters are metahumans and use their superpowers to fight, physical contact is largely not needed for there to be action. The action that was present was unexciting and monotonous. The atmosphere also suffered this season. The show was never dark but always contained some mystery that intrigued me and made me look forward to the next episode. This time the mood is too cartoonish, the humor is silly, and there is not much of an emotional connection to what is going on.
Another indicator of how bad this show has become is the lack of character development. I remember when Barry Allen used to train hard to become faster and stronger. Now, not only are Barry Allen’s chemistry skills underused, but the Flash has become almost a side character in his own show. Caitlin and Killer Frost finally split into two different beings but neither of them faces real personal growth in the season. Cisco Ramon seemed to have lost his spunk and ingenuity, but this could have been done intentionally by the writers of the show to leave more space to Chester P. Runk (Brandon McKnight), the scientist that replaced him in Team Flash. Joe West remains a solid character, but unfortunately in this season he does not get much screen time. The only character who showed some development was Iris West-Allen who is now the owner/editor of The Central City Citizen, co-leader of Team Flash, and Barry Allen’s emotional anchor. The acting was below average; however, I do not blame the actors who have shown their talent in past seasons. It is the poor writing that, in my opinion, put the actors in a difficult spot and did not give them a chance to demonstrate their skill.
As a big fan of the show, it saddens me to rate The Flash: Season 7 as Below Average on Mike’s five-tiered scale (Bad, Below Average, Average, Above Average, and Excellent). This season had the potential to be good but failed to provide interesting villains and compelling stories. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that this show should end or implement some changes. Hopefully, the writers will take people’s feedback and create a more exciting storylines with intelligent dialogue and unexpected developments that will bring back fans of this amazing superhero. We want to see the Flash be the protagonist of his own show. We want to see him be smart, brave, but most of all fastest man alive like in the comic books. We want to see him be the impossible.
Written by Nena Morena
Have you ever watched a Korean Drama? Me neither. I was never interested in foreign movies. However, I got tired of watching shows that would focus more on their political messages rather than improving their bad writing. Crash Landing on You, written by Park Ji-eun, was just what I needed. An impossible romance, life-bonding friendships, people hungry for power with no limits, and the right amount of comedy to lighten the mood. This show has it all. It has a great story with true character development that gives real insight into the differences in lifestyles between North and South Korean people.
The show tells the story of Yoon Se-ri, a successful South Korean businesswoman who ends up landing in North Korea after a paragliding accident. She is found by Captain Ri Jeong-hyeok and his four patrol officers who try to capture her and bring her to the State Department for questioning. She manages to escape and starts running toward what she believes to be the South Korea’s border. Instead, she makes her way into a small impoverished North Korean village where Captain Ri again finds her, she convinces him to secretly help her get back home as soon as possible. However, their plans are obstructed by two people; Cho Cheol-gang, a corrupt officer who is trying to find a way to destroy Captain Ri, and Se-ri’s second brother Sae-hyung who wants to take her position as future successor of their family’s company. Things become more complicated when Captain Ri’s fiancé and Gu Seung-jun, a con man related to Se-ri’s past, show up to stop her from ever returning home.
Crash Landing on You can be divided into two acts. The first act takes place in North Korea and mostly focuses on building up the characters and their relationships. Therefore, it is more serious and suspenseful. The second act is set in South Korea and centers its attention on story development. There is more action, comedy, and of course resolution. The show has 16 episodes that range from 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 50 minutes long. Although the runtimes are longer than your typical series, all the episodes are worth watching until the end because they all provide funny moments, surprising twists, and suspenseful cliffhangers. The scenes with the two protagonists are at times slow and cheesy but, aside from being a typical characteristic of Korean Dramas, were refreshing for romantic people like me. Too many times I have seen shows where sex takes the place of the development of mutual respect, trust, honesty, and communication. Here, Park Ji-eun takes his time revealing all the ups and downs of a romantic relationship between two people raised with an opposite mentality and lifestyle.
In this show, the whole cast would be worth mentioning because everyone is perfectly cast for their role and gives great performances. Son-Ye as Yoon Se-ri is one of the most versatile actresses known in South Korea. She has previously acted in horror-romantic movies, comedies, dramas, and thrillers. In Crash Landing on You, she nailed her character. She is a very confident and determined businesswoman who also has many insecurities and doubts, especially when it comes to the people she loves. Hyun Bin as Ri Jeong-hyeok also did an outstanding job. He showed what it means to risk losing everything to protect the people you love and do it without blinking. He portrayed his character as a confident, brave, strong-willed, and resourceful man who, despite saving his loved ones, let many people down at times. I appreciated this from the writer of the show because it shows the reality that achieving one’s goals often means to sacrifice something in the process. This actor deserves extra points for communicating most of his thoughts and emotions only through his expressions. It was very impressive. Gu Seung-jun was the character with the best arc. He started as a ruthless con man and ended up being a great hero. Lastly, Yang Kyung-won, Yoo Su-bin, Tang Jun-sang, and Lee Shin-young as the four iconic North Korean soldiers. They made me smiled throughout the show with their distinguished personalities, humor, and profound friendship.
Crash Landing on You deserves an Excellent score on the five-tiered scale (Bad, Below Average, Average, Above Average, and Excellent). Through the cast and the music, this show was able to convey every single emotion to its audience who cried, laughed, and suffered with the characters. Their complicated relationships and difficult situations were so realistic that every person can find themselves somewhere amongst the stories told even though the show may portray a very different culture than their own. Afterall, love, which is the main theme of the show, is a universal language and this show presented it in all its beautiful forms. My favorite aspect of the show is true friendships which are a rare gift in today’s world. The show is only available in Korean or Spanish with English/Spanish subtitles. However, I did not find it burdensome but rather an addition to all the other perks of the South Korean culture shown in the series. The best and hardest thing that made me appreciate this show more is that even though the story is fictional, it is the true story of many people in North Korea which are not allowed to easily leave the country, enjoy the modern innovations of the world, follow their passions and talents, marry whoever they love, and live in freedom. It would have been easy to make a mockery of this country, but I appreciate the writer who showed its flaws with light humor and exposed the beauty of living an ordinary life and being content with the little you have.