Suburra (2015)

Director: Stefano Sollima
Writers: Stefano Rulli, Sandro Petraglia, Carlo Bonini, Giancarlo De Cataldo
DOP: Paolo Carnera
Cast: Pierfransesco Favino, Alessandro Borghi, Greta Scarano
Language: Italian

A gangster known as "Samurai" wants to turn the waterfront of Rome into a new Las Vegas. All the local mob bosses have agreed to to work for his common goal. But peace is not to last long.

It is a neo-noir mafia thriller film, based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Carlo Bonini and Giancarlo De Cataldo. It is set in 2011 when the Pope is about to resign and the government is about to fall. Italy's financial health is in crisis mode after being bracketed into the so-called PIGS country grouping and the land use law has to be passed before the government falls. It is basically the post 2008 developed world told as a Mafioso story. The establishment is mixed in with the Mafia and the little people among the Mafioso represents the general public. Everybody is in on the crime but just that the scale of it is different. Film ends with a clusterfuck scenario where little people have gone batshit crazy disturbing the equilibrium and the future is uncertain, which is pretty much like the scenario is for Eurozone countries that were in economic doldrums post 2008.

There are so many characters in the film that it took around 45 minutes to establish all the connections. You really need to pay attention to figure it all out but the pay-off is really good. It is quite predictable towards the end but that is not a problem as it is just a case of you figuring out what they are going for. It is really stylish and follows the events that happen over a few days. Some of the narration cards in it didn't have subtitles but I figure it was counting down the Apocalypse. There is a Netflix series spin-off which acts as a prequel to the film following the events from 2008 onward. Stefano Sollima was the director of 'Gomorrah', which I haven't watched, and he has also directed the Sicario sequel which is going to get released soon. My disappointment about Denis Villenueve not directing it has been assuaged after seeing this film. Sicario: Soldado's trailer gives the impression that it is more of an action film but I think it is just a ploy to get asses in the seats. Really looking forward to it now. 

Rating: 4.25/5

Le meraviglie (The Wonders) (2014)

Director: Alice Rohrwacher
Writer:    Alice Rohrwacher
Cast:       Alba Rohrwacher, Maria Alexandra Lungu, Sam Louwyck, Monica Bellucci
Language: Italian

Nothing will be the same at the end of this summer for Gelsomina and her three younger sisters. It is an unusual family which includes their father and mother along with another woman helper and they are a farming family with Honey being their main source of income. To this struggling group, a 14 year old juvenile boy is added and then there is this banal reality show, hosted by Monica Bellucci, in which they can participate with some attractive money on offer for the winners. 

It is really an unusual film which depicts the family in a very non-glamorous and realistic manner. It is quite common to make films in such settings with a very romanticized depiction and our Malayalam industry is replete with such (Ivide Swargamanu). Despite its grittiness, it turns out to be such a sweet film with nuanced performances. Toward the end, it does get a bit more serious in a very non-hammy way and even goes into the surreal territory. It works as a coming of age story of its protagonist teenager, Gelsomina. The basic story of struggling farming family is quite universal these days but participation from even the little kids in the activities is quite rare to see. This must be a really alien concept in Europe and that in itself might be its primary attraction.

It is a great and unique watch. It won the 'Grand Prix' award at Cannes. I would assume it to be semi-autobiographical for the director, going by her bio on wiki. I guess that authenticity is reflected in the film. It kind of reminded me of 'The Broken Circle Breakdown' in terms of its farming settings.

Rating: 4/5