Enrique Fuster
Choosing a film 2010. Armando Fumagalli and Luisa Cotta Ramosino. Ares, Milano 2010
By Enrique Fuster
Choosing a film 2010Choosing a film 2010 saying that defines a film as “something that is written in two years, shown in theaters for in two months, seen in two hours and is forgotten in two minutes.”
The best characteristic about this book is that it draws the reader to reflect on movies. So besides being a useful guide to choosing a film, is a great resource to go back once you’ve seen the film, in order to study and discuss the film, or enjoy it all over again, remembering the scenes, the actors, the details of the plot, and the hidden symbolism that was perhaps overlooked in the first viewing.
The authors of the reviews are experts in cinematography and many of them are also screenwriters. Thus, they merit the privilege of analyzing the film’s plot, in terms of the quality, the internal coherence and the representation of the characters. The work also has an educational purpose – to be a reference point for the whole family or for use in a film club.
Therefore the overall judgment of the movie takes into consideration not only the aesthetic elements, but above all, the values and vision of life that are conveyed through the film. The guide is rooted in Christian anthropology. At the end of each review, there is very helpful information, summarized in just one or two lines, that indicates any morally problematic elements, due to scenes of violence, sex, etc.
The reader will also find in this book, in addition to the alphabetical list of directors and films, a list of the 50 highest-grossing films of the season, a selection of films appropriate for all audiences, and an index of merit, in which the films are grouped according to their quality (i.e. the number of stars received, from one to five). The interesting introduction signed by the editors includes a summary of the films produced in 2010 that
focuses on the most salient moments (such as the success of 3D, with Avatar and others), the disappointments, and the surprises. Among delusions about the major Hollywood titles, the authors find “a weakening in the ability to create compelling stories beyond technical excellence”.
Among the outstanding films coming from the US, we find Up made by the well renowned Pixar, Clint Eastwood’s Invictus, Up in the Air and Sherlock Holmes. In Europe, hats are tipped to the co-production The Concert, the French films,Little Nicolas and Welcome, and Polish film Popieluszko: Freedom is Within Us. For Italy in particular, the five stars were awarded to The Man Who Will Come, directed by Giorgio Diritti and winner of the “David di Donatello” movie award.
