Movie Reviews

Timeless

Decisions for a Life

Gosling On the Go

Back In The Saddle

Can Your Pet Do This?

Away We Go

"The Neon Highway" has various twists in it and photography is unique, centering on faces and emotions other than body language. The soundtrack lingers in the mind.

I grew up not far from a large church that I called Saint Francis Cabrini and it was known for their wonderful autumn spaghetti suppers as a fundraiser. In later years, I realized my error and the patron saint was not a man, but an Italian woman, named Saint Francesca Xavier Cabrini, who founded churches, schools and hospitals around the world. She was the first American citizen to be canonized as a saint. Director/co-scriptwriter Alejandro Monteverde gives us the early days of Saint Francesca from life in Italy to arriving in New York City. Poverty is abundant throughout the world, and shown here in Italy and America. Obstacles are always present, both in keeping healthy and dealing with men in the distinctly masculine society of that time, which is shown here in 1889, when the Sisterhood lands in New York City. Cinematography by Gorka Gomez Andreu gives us, in depth, the poverty of the time. However, in contrast to that, Gene Back’s soundtrack could be softer for better effect.

Italy is a country of leisure vacations, pasta, wine, warm bread and afternoon siestas. That is the scene people think of, however, we are in another century now, and immigrants have come into Italy to the extent that eight percent of the population is now of another ancestry. With a mix of cultures in the country, rules begin to change. People move and take their culture and habits with them. Such is the story of two Afro-Italian brothers in Italy. One, Patrick of slender build (Maurizio Bousso) lives with their mother in what could be considered a slum area of Rome. They have come to Italy from Cameroon. Patrick is against ever being evicted. The other brother, Daniel (Germano Gentile) is a well-built police officer in the Reparto Mobile (riot squad). Director Hieb Papou, himself born in Belarus but living in Italy, brings to life what it is like to have such a division within a family unit. One brother lives just under the law, while the other brother upholds the law. There is police brutality here.

Do you feel the itching in the palm of your hands?  Anxious to grab a pool stick and go for a game or two?  In “Double Down South,” the game is on with a capital “O.”  Not only is it pool, but add Keno to it and you have a pool table with a special addition at the end of the table---one with holes in it so the cue ball can go in special holes.  Holes that mean winning money for the player. Ingenious, yes, and what will they come up with next?  A special upward tube for the ball to enter and then spin downward to a hole on the table? The film doesn’t go there yet, it is content to draw your attention to what it takes to be a winner.  An honest winner, that is.