Love and Gelato

​"Love and Gelato".

Watched English movie "Love and Gelato". 

This movie is directed by Brandon Camp. Written by Brandon Camp. Produced by Brandon Camp and others . It stars Susanna Skaggs, Owen McDonnell, Anjelica Washington, Valentina Lodovani, Tobia De Angelis, Saul Nanni. Cinematography by Thomas Scott Stanton. Music by Kostas Christides. Film runs for  1 hour and 50 minutes and was released in June 2022. I watched it on 26th Jun 2022 on Netflix with Aditi .

Lina promised her (now dead) mother that she will spend a summer in Rome with mothers best friend, before starting her university. Here she meets two young men who are diametrically opposite. She also meets Howie and Francesca, her mothers friends.  She falls in love with the city and gelato. 

It’s a coming of age romantic drama. Lina comes to Rome for a vacation and it turns into self discovery. Secrets tumble out of the closet. Two young men vie for her. Who will she choose? 

Two things were not palatable. The significance of gelato is not enough to include in movie title. The end after one year was unnecessary. It was good to hear lot of Italian dialogues after a long time. 

Susanna plays Lina. The American in Italian setting. Tobia (rich, playboy) and Saul (poor, honest) play the young men. Owen plays Howie, the silent lover. But it’s Valentina’s Francesca that everyone loves. She portrays a happy go lucky, fun loving, single, middle aged Italian lady. 

Positives: Feel good. 

Negatives: Gelato.  

Watch when you are in good mood. 

Can you keep a secret

"Can you keep a secret?"

Watched English movie "Can you keep a secret?". 

This film is directed by Elise Duran. Screenplay by Peter Hutchings. Produced by Claude Dal Farra, Brice Dal Farra, Brian Keady. Music by Jeff Cardoni. Cinematography Autumn Eakin. The film stars Alessandra Daddario, Tyler Hoechlin, Sunita Mani, David Ebert, Kimiko Glenn, Laverne Cox, Robert King, Judah Friedlander. The film runs for about 1 hours 35 minutes and was released in 2019. I watched it with Aditi on Netflix on 30th Jan 2021.

Emma is a junior marketing executive. While returning from a disastrous marketing trip, she puts out her heart and frustration about work, life, friends, colleagues and boyfriend to a handsome total stranger seated next to her. Next day the stranger visits her office. It turns out he is the boss of company. He doesn't want anyone to know about his trip to Chicago and she doesn't want anyone to know what she had told him. Can they keep the secrets?

Alexandra plays Emma. She is beautiful and has mesmerising eyes. She also acts well. Tyler plays the rich, down to earth Jack. He looks somewhat like Akshay Khanna. He has a good smile. 

Well, it's a love story. So the relationship goes through strangers meeting, liking each other, falling in love, breakup, longing and happy ending. It's basically about sharing your secrets and insecurities with someone you love and knowing that the person will keep your secret. 

The story is ok. It neither entices nor bores you. You don't abandon but you aren't excited either. You just go with the flow. The importance of secret and keeping the secrets is not handled convincingly. 

Thre story really starts and ends in an aeroplane. 

This movie is based on 2003 novel with same name by Sophie Kinsella. I haven't read the novel, so can't say if movie is true to it.

Positives: Alexandra and Tyler.  

Negatives: Handling. 

Not a must watch.

All the old knives

​"All the old knives"

Watched English movie "All the old knives". 

This movie is directed by Janus Metz Pedersen. Written by Olen Steinhauer. Produced by Mark Gordon and others. Music by John Ekstrand and Rebekah Karijord. Cinematography by Charlotte Bruus Christensen. This movie features. Chris Pine, Thandiwe Newton, Jonathon Pryce, Mitchell Williams, Ahd, David Dawson, Lawrence Fishburne. This movie was released in 2022 and runs for about 1 hour 40 min. I watched the movie on Amazon Prime on 1st Sep 2022.

A mission had gone wrong in Eastern Europe few years ago. Chris and Thandiwe (both CIA agents and lovers) broke off after that. Thndiwe is now married and has 2 children. Chris’ boss calls him and asks to interview Thandiwe for a potential leak that resulted in failure of that mission. They meet. 

It’s a movie shot mostly in a restaurant and a long dialogue between the protagonists with events of past shown in flash back. The story is slow yet it’s gripping. It’s not happening but it’s riveting. Director deserves credit. The real reason of betrayal, however, appears weak. 

The chemistry between the lead characters is sizzling. There is a strong undercurrent of sexuality and love, yet there is a kind of distance and formality. There is a conflict between personal and professional feelings. 

Positives: Direction. Chemistry.  

Negatives: The real reason. 

Recommend watching.