Cake, Review

In the last Academy Awards, we saw Julianne Moore receive,deservedly, the award for best actress in a leading role in "Still Alice" where she has delivered an outstanding performance. This is one of those movies where the main performance makes acceptable the vision. The same applies to "Cake" where there is a Jennifer Aniston struggling not with the usual American comedy, but with a real drama. Her performance is certainly high quality and for this reason many have been disappointed not to see his Academy Awards nomination. But "Cake", directed by Daniel Barnz ( " Phoebe in wonderland") and written by Patrick Tobin, is a movie that superficially talks about pain, anguish, mourning and the movie becomes pathetic and pompous.

Claire (Jannifer Aniston) is emotionally afflicted and tormented. We can see her suffering from the way of dragging , between a groan and the other,  her body now scarred. Infact she is recovering from an accident that caused the death of his son. From that moment, she asks if it is right to continue to live, taking with her the inner wound that will never heal; for this reason the suicide of Nina (Anna Kendrick), a woman who she barely knew, strikes her. Maybe the death is the only way to accomplish this intolerable pain.

Claire is deliberately a unbearable and unpleasant character who preserves anger and resentment and who can't communicate with others. His grumpy attitude expels the people, friends and husband and for this reason she remain alone. The only one,who can bear her and understand her impatience with the surrounding world, is the housekeeper Silvana (Adriana Barraza) who accompanies her everywhere, even to buy the drugs that helps quell the sadness. She is the classic caricature of domestic annoyed by the behavior of despotic mistress but she ultimately feels for her great affection and tenderness.In fact all of the movie surrounds itself with stereotyped characters, mostly Roy (Sam Worthington), husband of Nina. Claire approaches him and his son to find someone who shares his pain. Certainly the two have a different attitude about the grieving: Roy is furious with his wife and hopes that "burn in hell" for the choice that she made, but accepts with resignation what happened and anyway tries to get ahead; Claire, however, assumes a passive behavior and her victim is the proof.

 "Cake" focuses mainly on observation of the character of Claire. In fact the director, Daniel Barnz, chose to take mainly her and her movements. This preference has left little space to the context and the other characters who are not developed and characterized.. Surely the result that emerges is that of a flat film which doesn't evolve and shows clichés and content in an expeditious way.

                                                                                                          Caterina Barbieri

Daniel Barnz (“Phoebe in wonderland”

Daniel Barnz (“Phoebe in wonderland”

San Francisco: cinematic tour.

Hi guys!!! Now I'm studying english on San Francisco and for this reason I want to dedicate my first post to the movies that were shot in this beautiful city.

The first that comes to mind is "Vertigo"(1958)  direct by Alfred Hitchcook. This movie is a thriller with ex-cop Scottie (James Stewart) hired by worried husband Gavin Elster to examine the strange behavior of his wife, Madeleine (Kim Novak),

 Alfred Hitchcock wanted to use the red of the rich interior of Ernie's restaurant for represent the passion of the first meeting between Madeleine and Scottie.

 Ernie's restaurant was one of Hitckcook's favorite place. The restaurant is located at 847 Montgomery Street but now it's closed.









Another important place in the film is the point where Kim Novak fell in the water and James Stewart saved her. The place is Golden Gate Bridge.






The second movie that I want to talk about is "Mrs Doubtfire" (1993) direct by Chris Columbus with Robin Williams. Daniel, dubber of cartoons, has recently divorced. The three children were entrusted to the wife who prevented him from seeing them. Helped by a friend and brother, he disguised herself as old babysitter.

 

This is Mrs Doubtfire location. The family home: 2640 Steiner Street, Pacific Heights, San Francisco





Completely different is the point of view of the bay offered by the island of Alcatraz, about two and a half kilometers off the coast of San Francisco, has always been associated with the  maximum security prison that so often has been the set of a lot of movies. The particular hardness, that characterized the living conditions of prisoners in this prison is the perfect set for stories of injustice and the struggle for freedom. The first that I want to remember is " Escape from Alcatraz" direct by Don Siegel with Clint Eastwood .

June 11, 1962 three inmates escaped from the terrible prison-fortress of Alcatraz. No one had ever managed to escape in twenty-six years of operation of the penitentiary; but Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers could do it. This story is really happened.






 Instead, "Milk", direct by Gus Van Sant with Sean Penn and James Franco, is a politic movie. 

This movie tells the story of the politician Harvey Milk and the evolution of the Castro district during the 70's, when Milk and his partner moved to San Francisco to open the photo shop Castro Camera. After Castro became a important point of gay community and Milk became the mouthpiece of gay rights but after he was killed by city councilman Dan White.




So, this is my first short post! My other post will be dedicated to reviews!