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As Ben, Bertonov has a superb hangdog vibe. He's a smart man who simply can't get out of his head, and he knows that this obsession is beginning to jeopardise his relationship with Raz. Bertonov and Wolf have a vividly strong camaraderie that's relaxed and engaging. So even as the strain begins to show, it's clear that their connection is resilient and open enough to get through this. And while the film is tightly focussed in on Ben and Raz, the smaller side characters feel bracingly realistic around them.

The enormous ideas swirling through the film's narrative are handled by Haguel with remarkable subtlety, remaining largely seen through Ben's eyes as he contemplates the attitudes of people in his neighbourhood in relation to the wider culture. This is a gentle reminder that there is aways a need to have a sense of perspective and context when facing the momentous things that happen both within our lives and in the world around us. And remaining open and connected is the most important thing.

themes, language, violence, sexuality

25.Jan.23

Performances beautifully echo these feelings, with Favino's thoughtful Felice facing each situation with an almost uncanny grace. The film occasionally flickers to Oreste's point of view, which is a polar extreme, although Ragno reveals some intriguing parallels. Both men are thinking deep thoughts about their shared past, and each is having his own internal reactions. Characters around them add colour and knowing detail, most notably Di Leva's complex, involved priest. Others provide sharp glimpses of history through various perspectives.

Flashbacks to Felice and Oreste's lively past are beautifully shot, framed in a home-movie ratio to set them apart alongside the vintage photos Felice flips through. As the title suggests, this is a movie about looking back, as both Felice and Oreste confront at how their similar origin led them to such disparate places in the present day. It's their shared past that raises a sense of nostalgia in a finely played confrontation scene. And perhaps if the film was a little less overpacked with detail it might have carried an even more powerful kick.

themes, language, violence

13.Feb.23

The drama is carried adeptly by Lau as a father using technology to keep his late daughter alive, knowing this will cause problems with the all-important supercomputer. Even though he's conflicted, he literally dives in to save the bigger project. Wu's Peiqiang is also strongly engaging, awkwardly romancing Wang's razor-sharp Duoduo before leaping into the chaos, then later finding more emotional resonance. Li Xuejian is also magnetic as a venerable leader in the United Earth Government, working with his sparky assistant (Manzi) to fend off those shouty Yanks.

Thankfully, the filmmakers deliberately have quite fun with these kinds of playful stereotypes, throwing these disparate people into several hilarious moments that are carefully placed to elicit big laughs. But the main focus here is on the massive action sequences, which involve expansive settings, thousands of extras and jaw-dropping effects that deserve to be seen on a very big screen. So even if the film feels a bit relentless in its pacing and silly in its drama, it's thumpingly entertaining.

themes, language, violence

22.Jan.23