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Reviews
Shanghai Surprise (1986)
An amazing adventure film that deserves to be revalued
Missionary "Madonna" hires adventure "Penn" to capture a cache of stolen opium in 1937 China, but only for medical purpose. The plot seems simple but it reserves great unforseen turns of events, with a lot of action, a tender love story and a little bit of humour, on the backdrop of a beautiful 30s' China. "Shanghai Surprise" takes the best from 30s adventure films and re-propose it with the freshness of the 80s. The cinematography and the music are very suggestive and Madonna gives a good performance. She is a chameleon not only for what concern her looks but also getting into very different part (an explosive street girl in "Desperately seeking Susan", a modern "Betty Boop" in "Who's that girl", A seductive 30's night club star in "Dick Tracy", a baseball girl in "A league of their own", just the "Body of evidence" in the hononym film, an actress in the mirror in "Dangerous game", the first lady of Argentina in "Evita".etc. ) and I think that that is the most important quality that an actress should be! Penn is good too. Thrilling.exciting...really a good film.
My Own Private Idaho (1991)
The greatest Gus Van Sant's film
In this amazing film there are a lot of symbolic images that are the keys to understand it. Mike Waters is a young drifter who works as a male prostitute. He has had a very difficult childhood. This film is surely the greatest Gus Vas Sant's film , one of my favourite directors. A shocking drama of uncommon strength and beauty. The actors are the best they could have been, River Phoenix is superlative (this is his greatest performance too and I am very happy that he had been rewarded with the "Coppa Volpi" just in my country, Italy), Keanu Reeves gives also a good performance in a very complex role, Grace Zabriskie gives a great charm and charisma to his character and and James Russo a strong dramatic charge. The cinematography is excellent as well as the soundtrack through which song there is the beatiful Madonna's song "Cherish" that stresses Mike's search for a person who loves him (who cherishes him), a man or a woman this doesn't matter. During the film all his hopes seem to be shattered but the end of the film leaves an open door to different interpretations.
My Own Private Idaho (1991)
The greatest Gus Van Sant's film
In this amazing film there are a lot of symbolic images that are the keys to understand it. Mike Waters is a young drifter who works as a male prostitute. He has had a very difficult childhood. This film is surely the greatest Gus Vas Sant's film , one of my favourite directors. A shocking drama of uncommon strength and beauty. The actors are the best they could have been, River Phoenix is superlative (this is his greatest performance too and I am very happy that he had been rewarded with the "Coppa Volpi" just in my country, Italy), Keanu Reeves gives also a good performance in a very complex role, Grace Zabriskie gives a great charm and charisma to his character and and James Russo a strong dramatic charge. The cinematography is excellent as well as the soundtrack through which song there is the beatiful Madonna's song "Cherish" that stresses Mike's search for a person who loves him (who cherishes him), a man or a woman this doesn't matter. During the film all his hopes seem to be shattered but the end of the film leaves an open door to different interpretations.
Shanghai Surprise (1986)
An amazing adventure film that deserves to be revalued
Missionary "Madonna" hires adventure "Penn" to capture a cache of stolen opium in 1937 China, but only for medical purpose. The plot seems simple but it reserves great unforseen turns of events, with a lot of action, a tender love story and a little bit of humour, on the backdrop of a beautiful 30s' China. "Shanghai Surprise" takes the best from 30s adventure films and re-propose it with the freshness of the 80s. The cinematography and the music are very suggestive and Madonna gives a good performance. She is a chameleon not only for what concern her looks but also getting into very different part (an explosive street girl in "Desperately seeking Susan", a modern "Betty Boop" in "Who's that girl", A seductive 30's night club star in "Dick Tracy", a baseball girl in "A league of their own", just the "Body of evidence" in the hononym film, an actress in the mirror in "Dangerous game", the first lady of Argentina in "Evita".etc. ) and I think that that is the most important quality that an actress should be! Penn is good too. Thrilling.exciting...really a good film.
Dogfight (1991)
A poignant love story of surprising tenderness and strength
This film doesn't want to tell only a love story but the story about how a young woman helps a confused young marine to discover his own better nature. Every word of the screenplay is absolutely perfect and Savoca directs with great care creating moments of surprising tenderness (like that in which Birdlace and Rose make love) and other of enormous strength (like that in which Rose finds out about "dogfight" and attacks Birdlace). River Phoenix is excellent (the best actor of 90s even though he is unfortunately gone) and Lily Taylor absolutely superb. A beautiful movie. I love the end, in which no word is used to explain what an embrace can explain much better in a scene of extraordinary intensity.