Film 2500 - Leviticus

Intro: May the horror fest continues!

Film 2500: "Leviticus" (2026), directed by Adrian Chiarella
Watched: From the projector
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I think this movie is enjoyable, but not as life-changing as the reviews would like you to think. I still had a good enough time, but yeah, I was expecting something a bit different.
Specifically, "Leviticus" reminded me of other films, particularly "It Follows", but also other recent Australian movies like "Talk to Me" (the young protagonists of both movies) and "Bring Her Back" (the ritual part of both stories). With the latter two, it's more a similarity in tone and general vibe, whereas I think there's a genuine likeness to "It Follows"'s story, as literally the monster/creature follows the protagonists to attack them in both movies. Don't get me wrong, I'm not pointing it out to say it's a bad thing, but simply that this came to mind when I was watching this film.
Other than this, I do believe that the best way to describe "Leviticus" is through the words of a review I read online, which went roughly like this: homophobia is the real monster in this story. And I think it's so true.
I mean, there is an actual monster: an entity that impersonates the person you desire the most to then attack you: in this case, as the two protagonists are gay and in love, they basically get attacked by each other, but the "monster" version of themselves. And because this entity gets summoned through some sort of supernatural conversion therapy ritual, it is indeed a case of homophobia at its core. And when you think that the protagonist's mom is also involved in the ritual... it makes it even more upsetting.
Because of these unusual elements, I enjoyed the movie's take on this issue combined with an unexpected horror setting, which is quite refreshing. Additionally, the actors playing the two teenagers in love (Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen) are quite good, and their performances really carry the film, considering they have to portray both the normal and monstrous versions of their characters. On top of that, I didn't expect to see Mia Wasikowska in a movie again (here also producing), as I thought she had retired from acting -- which she clearly didn't, although she stepped away from the Hollywood spotlight.
All in all, I think "Leviticus" presents an interesting take on queer youth -- in Australia, specifically -- and is able to demonize homophobia in such a tangible way that is rare to see on the big screen, especially in the horror genre. That said, I wouldn't say I was blown away.
Cast: Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie, Davida McKenzie, Mia Wasikowska.
Box Office: $8.6 million
Worth a watch?: It's an interesting combination of queer cinema and horror, a genre that rarely engages so openly and honestly with teenage gay characters. If you're looking for a story that is gay and scary at the same time, go for it. Especially because, for once, i'ts not a product from the US or the UK. This film has an interesting point of view and occasionally delivers on the horror as well. If you're looking for a more traditional scary movie, then look elsewhere.
Awards: /
Key word: Desire.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2485 - Disclosure Day

Intro: Not that I was dying to see this film... but when Steven Spielberg has a new one out, you can't really miss it, or what kind of cinema fanatic are you really?!

Film 2485: "Disclosure Day" (2026), Steven Spielberg
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: No one
Thoughts: Oh boy.
I wasn't expecting this movie to be groundbreaking or a masterpiece, but I certainly didn't anticipate just how bored I'd be while watching it. I went by myself, so I was very much focused and present, and I definitely struggled to stay awake during some scenes. Especially at the beginning, when no one really knows what's going on, the story takes so long to actually get going that you begin to wonder what the point of it all really is. And, to be fair, that question still stands.
What I mean is that "Disclosure Day" doesn't seem to know what kind of movie it'd like to be, as it combines so many different elements from different genres: thriller, alien invasion, mystery, action, espionage, sci-fi, and... religious?! The mix is at times so random that it's really hard to take the story seriously. I appreciate the effort to go for something different and not just the seen-it-before alien invasion bit, but I'm not sure venturing into religious territory was the right choice (I'm referring to the moment where Emily Blunt's character reads one person's mind and says something along the lines of, "I don't want to be your religion." I legitimately laughed at that scene).
It's not just this, though. The alien aspect was quite disappointing in the end. Especially the big reveal where Blunt and the alien talk... I don't know, it really ruined the ending for me. I thought there was no need to show the alien, story-wise, and the visual effects really don't deliver. The end result just looks cheap and unconvincing. Speaking of visual effects, I also don't think they were very good throughout the whole film. For a movie that cost $115 million to make—and God knows how much to promote—the end result isn't up to par. The animals, especially, don't look believable and, look, nobody went to the cinema expecting this one to deliver a realistic take on possible human-alien contact, but the overall lack of believability takes you out of the story at times.
Last but not least, I think the story is way too overcrowded. Not just with different narrative elements or plot points, but with characters as well. Too many story arcs to complete, too many side stories we don't really care about. Rarely have I seen a character so obviously utilized as a plot tool as the boyfriend, played by Wyatt Russell: remove him from the story and literally nothing changes.
Anyway, I don't want to only shit on this movie, so here's a short list of the elements I appreciated:

• Emily Blunt as a leading lady. I love her. She's clearly talented and can carry a movie on her shoulders with no problem. Her face does look strange, though.
• Steven Spielberg is still a great director. The car chase scene was really good.
• I'm glad to see Josh O'Connor making a splash in Hollywood. He's handsome and so talented, and hopefully he'll stop queerbaiting us in allegedly gay movie romances and either go all in or stop edging us.
• The newsroom setting was interesting, although underdeveloped. I wish they'd explored that a bit more rather than all the government nonsense and the boyfriend crap.

All in all, "Disclosure Day" was unfortunately worse than I expected. Maybe a shorter, less crowded edit of this story would have worked better. And there was no need to show us the aliens: once you materialize on screen the one element your story has asked the audience to imagine, the fantasy is ruined.
Cast: Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Wyatt Russell, Elizabeth Marvel, Colman Domingo.
Box Office: $239.8 million
Worth a watch?: For Spielberg fans. It's not awful, but it is a confused story filled with too many elements that weaken the overall message. One of the biggest disappointments of 2026 for me.
Awards: /
Key word: Cardinal.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2479 - Conclave

Intro: For Jake's last night at mine, this time around we went with a movie that he wanted to watch, and I knew it was a good pick.

Film 2479: "Conclave" (2024), Edward Berger
Watched: On the projector
Language: English, Spanish, Italian, Latin
Watched with: Jake
Thoughts: Yeah, it was my fourth time watching it, and I enjoyed it just as much once again.
I'll keep it short and sweet because I feel like I've already said enough about Edward Berger's film: it's a great movie (my favourite of 2024), the cast is amazing (and I wish Ralph Fiennes had won an Oscar for this role), the cinematography and set decoration are stunning, and the soundtrack is so good it's worth listening to on Spotify.
Seeing this is a movie about religion, I'd call it a little miracle for how good and well-made it is.
Film 2327 - Conclave
Film 2332 - Conclave
Film 2351 - Conclave
Film 2479 - Conclave
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Brían F. O'Byrne, Carlos Diehz, Isabella Rossellini, Sergio Castellitto.
Box Office: $128 million
Worth a watch?: Before "Obsession", I was obsessed with this film. I think it's an amazing example of how cinema can entertain, make you think, and create something beautiful to look at and listen to.
Awards: 1 Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay over 8 Oscar nominations (Best Picture, Actor for Fiennes, Supporting Actress for Rossellini, Original Score, Editing, Production Design, and Costume Design). 1 Golden Globe won for Best Screenplay out of 6 nominations in the drama category (Best Movie, Actor, Supporting Actress, Director, and Original Score). 12 BAFTA nominations and 4 wins for Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Editing.
Key word: Vote.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2477 - Benedetta

Intro: I wanted to see this movie for a long time, but I never found the right moment. A month ago Simon came to my place to watch something and, when I recommended this one, he was almost immediately on board. But I think we both weren't ready for what was to come...

Film 2477: "Benedetta" (2021), Paul Verhoeven
Watched: From the computer
Language: French
Watched with: Simon
Thoughts: Possibly one of the wildest movies I've ever seen.
From the lesbian affair in the convent to the naked Jesus with no penis and the wooden dildo used as proof to accuse the title character, "Benedetta" is definitely a crazy ride. Not a bad one, I actually quite enjoyed the film, but it definitely caught me by surprise. To some comedic effect, at times.
Specifically, I think the comedic element of the story was mainly enhanced in my case by the subtitles, which were clearly not professionally made. I don't speak French fluently, but I do understand some bits and I could tell that the dialogue wasn't properly translated. Oftentimes a sentence would be translated literally from French in a way that wouldn't make any sense in English, which added a ridiculous tone to certain scenes. It was frustrating at first, but we decided to keep them on because of how absurd the whole thing eventually got. So, not the proper way to experience this movie, but one impossible to forget.
In a world of biopics that take themselves extremely seriously, I think Verhoeven clearly leaned into the absurdity of this story and ran with it. From IMDb's logline: "A 17th-century nun in Italy suffers from disturbing religious and erotic visions. She is assisted by a companion, and the relationship between the two women develops into a romantic love affair."
It's clear from the get-go that this isn't your typical religious movie tale: Benedetta (Virginie Efira) is a nun who rarely wears any clothes, has a lesbian love affair, speaks to Jesus, fakes stigmata, dies and resurrects—while her lover (Daphné Patakia) carves a wooden dildo... And these are just some of the more extreme examples of what the story throws at you. If you're up for the challenge, it's definitely a refreshing watch. It doesn't happen often that a movie showcases its most controversial elements in such a candid way: literally, what you see is what you get. It's crude, but not exploitative, as Verhoeven definitely displays a voyeuristic tone in his films ("Basic Instinct", "Showgirls", "Elle"), while clearly caring about his female characters. And although the sexual element is quite prominent, it never completely takes over the plot. Benedetta's story arc is defined, clear, and coherent, never compromised in favor of the sexual scenes. Obviously I can't be sure how much of what is shown matches the true story of the real Benedetta Carlini—I'm quite sure a great deal of artistic license was taken—but all in all I really didn't mind the wild direction this movie takes. At least, in its own way, it's a memorable cinematic experience.
Cast: Virginie Efira, Charlotte Rampling, Daphné Patakia, Lambert Wilson, Olivier Rabourdin, Louise Chevillotte, Hervé Pierre, Clotilde Courau.
Box Office: $4.3 million
Worth a watch?: Not your usual biopic, "Benedetta" is a film that would shock many viewers, but could be a great ride for some. It's definitely way too long (132 minutes) and some bits could've been cut out, but if you're up for it and you're ready to be entertained, this is surely a film that delivers.
Awards: In competition for the Palme d'Or and the Queer Palm at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. 1 nomination at the César for Best Actress (Virginie Efira).
Key word: Dildo.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2451 - Angels & Demons

Intro: Last Fuerteventura movie before we came back to our everyday life in Dublin. Another Netflix pick.

Film 2451: "Angels & Demons" (2009), Ron Howard
Watched: From the laptop
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: This was always my favourite of the three movies inspired by Dan Brown's book, but now that I've seen it again... I don't know anymore. I mean, I still find it entertaining and I LOVE Hans Zimmer's soundtrack, but overall, "Angels & Demons" isn't as great as I remember it to be. To be honest, after rewatching the first one right before watching this one, I have to admit some details of the two plots kinda merged together, and I couldn't tell the two movies apart anymore. The Church is still involved, Silas (Paul Bettany) and the Camerlengo (Ewan McGregor) almost feel like the same character, and because of the nature of the two stories (a race against time, the amount of plot twists and clues), there really are similarities between "The Da Vinci Code" and this film. Plus, the plot involving the Camerlengo is so absurd that it's hard to keep a straight face.
Anyway, for what it is, "Angels & Demons" is still an enjoyable, crazy (helicopter) ride.
Film 2448 - The Da Vinci Code
Film 81 - Angeli e demoni
Film 1287 - Angeli e demoni
Film 2451 - Angels & Demons
Film 1237 - Inferno
Cast: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Armin Mueller-Stahl.
Box Office: $485.9 million
Worth a watch?: If you like Dan Brown's books and/or enjoyed the previous film, this one is still a decent enough watch—something that cannot be said about the third, awful movie of this trilogy.
Awards: /
Key word: Tongue.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2448 - The Da Vinci Code

Intro: Another evening at home in Fuerteventura, another movie courtesy of Netflix Spain.

Film 2448: "The Da Vinci Code" (2006), Ron Howard
Watched: On the laptop
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I had watched this movie before, but I was never a huge fan of this franchise. If anything, I always preferred the second film. But I have to admit that I enjoyed this rewatch, especially because I didn't remember much of the plot and I'd never seen it in English before.
Obviously, this is one of those movies that, once you've seen it, half of the intrigue is gone. When you rewatch it and remember what happens, it's not as fun as the first time around. That said, it's definitely an ingenious piece of media: all the references to people, places, and facts, how everything is tied up and connected, how it is all part of a much bigger puzzle that eventually leads back to Jesus, religion, and faith.
It's definitely a fun watch once the suspension of disbelief kicks in: there's so much going on, so much that is thrown at you as the audience, that it can be hard to know what's real, what's a theory, and what's just an idea that Dan Brown came up with and added to his story. So yeah, there's definitely a lot to take in—final plot twist included—but for what it is, "The Da Vinci Code" is an extremely entertaining movie, well made and with a great international cast. I'd love to see more Audrey Tautou on my screen, although she hasn't starred in a movie since 2019. Definitely worth giving it a go. It's a bit overstuffed plot-wise, but if you watch it for the first time, it's definitely an entertaining experience.
Film 2448 - The Da Vinci Code
Film 81 - Angeli e demoni
Film 1287 - Angeli e demoni
Film 2451 - Angels & Demons
Film 1237 - Inferno
Cast: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jürgen Prochnow, Paul Bettany, Jean Reno.
Box Office: $801.3 million
Worth a watch?: Definitely worth giving it a go. It's a bit overstuffed plot-wise, but if you watch it for the first time, it's definitely an entertaining experience.
Awards: Nominated for Best Original Score at the 64th Golden Globe Awards and for Best Score Soundtrack at the 49th Grammy Awards. It was also nominated for 1 Razzie Award for Worst Director.
Key word: Royal blood.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2351 - Conclave

Intro: I'm obviously obsessed with this movie and I wanted to show it to Michael, who didn't have the chance to go and see it at the movies.

Film 2351: "Conclave" (2024), Edward Berger
Watched on: The TV
Language: English, Spanish, Italian, Latin
Watched with: Michael
Thoughts: The more I watch it, the more I enjoy it and notice new details, pay more attention to the soundtrack (this wonderful score should have won Volker Bertelmann the Oscar), love Ralph Fiennes' performance even more.
"Conclave" is a great movie, stunningly beautiful, every shot looks like a painting, carefully crafted to please the eyes of the audience. I'm really captivated by this movie, I find it beautiful and smart, its story compelling and entertaining (although I still feel such a shocking ending isn't really necessary here: maybe it works better in the book, I'm not sure it translate well in its cinematic counterpart). And it gives me great joy to see Isabella Rossellini and Sergio Castellitto in such a prestigious production.
One of the best movies from last year, definitely my pick for Best Picture at the Oscar.
Film 2327 - Conclave
Film 2332 - Conclave
Film 2351 - Conclave
Film 2479 - Conclave
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Carlos Diehz, Lucian Msamati, Isabella Rossellini.
Box Office: $107.6 million
Worth a watch?: I'd watch it another 50 times. "Conclave" is great, perfectly narrated, beautifully crafted, masterfully acted. It's a thriller more than anything else, very political and extremely symbolical. Like an onion, there are multiple layers to peal here.
Awards: 1 Oscar win for Best Adapted Screenplay over 8 Oscar nominations (Best Picture, Actor for Fiennes, Supporting Actress for Rossellini, Original Score, Editing, Production Design, and Costume Design). 1 Golden Globe won for Best Screenplay out of 6 nominations in the drama category (Best Movie, Actor, Supporting Actress, Director, and Original Score). 12 BAFTA nominations and 4 wins for Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Editing.
Key word: Certainty.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2334 - Conclave

Intro: Before I went to Boston, I asked Niamh and Debbi to wait until I got back to go and see this movie together. When in Salem, though, I broke my own promise and went to the movies and watched it with Bizzy (because, to be fair, there wasn't much else to do on a Monday night). So, when I got back to Dublin a week later, I went to see this movie again without telling the girls I've watched it already until the end of the show.

Film 2334: "Conclave" (2024), Edward Berger
Watched on: At the movies
Language: English, Spanish, Italian, Latin
Watched with: Niamh, Debbi
Briefly: I'm glad I saw this movie twice already because this second view felt a bit different than the first one.
Firstly, because the movie we watched in Salem had subtitles (as it was a video-described show), I admit I was a bit distracted by the text. Basically I was checking how the trasnaltion in Italian and Spanish was handled, if it made sense and was correct, but also reading the subtitles in English because when it's there on the big screen it's really hard to ignore it. This not to say that I didn't pay attention to the movie or the actors' work, but I was definitely paying less attention than usual. On a positive note, though, I didn't miss a bit of the story. (Usually, for example, I don't remember any character's name...)
That said, watching "Conclave" for a second time - and especially so soon after the first viewing - was a different experience because I knew the twists and turns of the story, so I could focus more on the actors this time. I'll be honest, I still think Isabella Rossellini gave a wonderful performance, not worthy of an Oscar nomination though. Again, not because she wasn't good, she's actually amazing in the movie, but because her part isn't big enough and doesn't have that "wow" moment, that scene that really has an impact on the viewers and stays with them even after the movie has coe to an end. She has one powerful scene and she definitely steals that moment from everyone else, but that happens literally for 30 seconds, than she disappears again. We'll see if the Academy rewards her - and if it happens I'll be ecstatic - yet I think it'd be very similar to what happened to Jamie Lee Curtis' Oscar win for "Everything Everywhere All at Once" or Keira Knightley's 2nd Oscar nomination for "The Imitation Game": the nomination comes with the movie. What I mean that the movie gets nominated in so many categories and it's so popular with Academy members that the supporting actress nom has a bigger shot at getting recognized. Because, let's be honest here, I'm glad Jamie Lee Curtis is an Oscar winner, but do we really thing she'd been nominated or even won if her movie didn't do so good on Oscars' night?
Anyway, Isabella Rossellini does a great job in the movie and I'm glad she's finally getting recognized by international awards bodies. And I'm also extremely happy that Ralph Finnes is back as a possible Oscar contender after many years of great performances but no recognition (his 2 Oscar nominations come from the 90s): his take on Cardinal Lawrence is exceptional and shows once again what an amazing actor he is. I really do think he has a shot at a possible Oscar win, althought I'm sure Timothée Chalamet will give him a run for his money in "A Complete Unknown".
Great performances aside, watching "Conclave" a second time really convinced me that this is one of the best movies of 2024. It has great actors, the story is smart and has numerous plot twists, Edward Berger's direction and vision is amazing and visually powerful, the soundtrack from Volker Bertelmann is so powerful and tense, and the movie overall presents a great story, a wonderfully written thriller that is both incredibily tense and stunningly beautiful. I'm still not a huge fan of the final plot twist, but I admit the second time around didn't bother me as much as the first time. (I still think it has a shock-value "effect" that is a bit out of place in this story, but it probably comes from Robert Harris' book and so the screenplay honours the sorce material here.)
"Conclave" is a great movie that presents a powerful story about faith, religion and doubt that goes hand in hand with politics and people's greed. Powerful.
Film 2327 - Conclave
Film 2332 - Conclave
Film 2351 - Conclave
Film 2479 - Conclave
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Lucian Msamati, Carlos Diehz, Isabella Rossellini.
Box Office: $51.4 milion
Worth a watch? A must-see. Great movie, stunningly shot, with a plot twist after another. The cast is amazing, the visuals are evocative and the soundtrack is the glue to it all, for a final result that is thrilling and exciting. Not your typical religion movie!
Awards: Nominated to 6 Golden Globe nominations in the drama category for Best Movie, Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Fiennes), Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture (Rossellini), Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Score.
Key word: Doubt.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 81 - Angeli e demoni

Dopo aver visto questa pellicola al cinema a maggio, ho scoperto di recente che i miei non erano riusciti ad andarlo a vedere. Così, come regalo di natale ho comprato loro il dvd (quello del primo film glielo avevo già comprato) e poi, una volta che lo hanno visto, me lo sono fatto prestare.


Film 81: "Angeli e demoni" (2009) di Ron Howard
Visto: dal computer di casa
Lingua: italiano
Compagnia: Ale
Pensieri: Al cinema mi era sembrato migliore del primo episodio, però effettivamente ora come ora non ne sono più tanto convinto... Sarà che il cinema propone un'esperienza visiva ovviamente migliore e più appagante, comunque certi passaggi un po' lenti li ho accusati (ma è anche vero che ero super stanco). Diciamo che c'è sicuramente un aspetto di questo film che più di tutti ho adorato: la colonna sonora!
Hans Zimmer è un mago nello scrivere e condurre la musica, in questo caso particolare ho trovato la sua produzione davvero ben riuscita! Ho perfino salvato sull'ipod la prima traccia del cd della colonna sonora (per chi fosse interessato è "I60 BPM"). Meno male che di certi blockbuster americani c'è almeno qualcosina da salvare, perchè altrimenti ci sarebbe da strapparsi i capelli al cinema...
Comunque, per tornare a questo sacro e profano versione 2000, posso dire che effettivamente il mistero è meno intrigante. Ale mi aveva (e si era) gasato un casino nella prima parte girata al CERN di Ginevra con l'acceleratore di particelle e quant'altro, però mi ha fatto notare le numerose informazioni errate riferite durante il film (ma per questa considerazioni lascio a lui il piacere di deliberare). Diciamo che, volendo sorvolare sulle quisquiglie da cervelloni, rimangono un po' di dubbi sulla natura del film. Io capisco che con gli oltre 700milioni di $ incassati con "Il codice Da Vinci" un sequel era quasi d'obbligo - tanto il libro c'era già - però farlo un po' alla buona non ha senso... Tom Hanks non ha più lo smalto di un tempo e recita come vezzo da accompagnare alla sua ormai fortunata carriera da produttore. Ron Howard dirige senza aggiungere niente di particolare al mondo della cinematografia. La storia già fa acqua sulle questioni scientifiche. Tutti gli attori sembrano incazzati con l'universo. E poi: alle 8 di sera c'è il sole che neanche a mezzogiorno, documenti dal CERN possono arrivare a Roma in un'ora - evidentemente non con poste italiane - e Pierfrancesco Favino recita meglio che in "Baciami ancora". Insomma, di roba strana ce n'è in abbondanza!
Tutto sommato, comunque, è un intrattenimento piacevole per chi ama non pretendere troppo. Quando lo abbiamo visto, lunedì, eravamo entrambi stanchi e decisi a spegnere il cervello. Missione assolutamente compiuta! Ps. Ma Dan Brown ce l'ha un po' con la Chiesa, eh?

Film 2448 - The Da Vinci Code
Film 81 - Angeli e demoni
Film 1287 - Angeli e demoni
Film 2451 - Angels & Demons
Film 1237 - Inferno
Consigli: Da guardare di seguito a "Il Codice Da Vinci" per comprendere bene il personaggio un po' saccente del prof. Robert Langdon.
Parola chiave: Illuminati.


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Bengi