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Among the highest peaks of the Polish director. Disturbing, perverse, insane, the mounting tension that leads to the stunning, surreal finale is something exceptional. Little to say other than masterpiece. more
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Martin Scorsese — The Departed | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

"The Departed" is not "The Goodfellas" nor "Casino," and itā€™s not even remotely comparable to two of the peaks of Scorsese's cinema. Here, Scorsese's focus is on the audience and the box office more than on realism and plausibility as in the masterpieces of 1990 and 1995. Setting this aspect aside, however, the film is formally very good, the director's mastery is evident, Di Caprio is good, Nicholson is excellent, Sheen is solid, but it's too bad about the mediocre Damon, yet ultimately the film is very beautiful. more
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Mario Monicelli — La Grande Guerra | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

One of the masterpieces of Italian cinema. It was a time when our cinema rivaled American quality, and "La Grande Guerra," the apex of Monicelli's career, is one of the most striking examples. Divided between irony and drama, it presents a wonderful snapshot of World War I. Alberto Sordi and Vittorio Gassman deliver two exceptional performances, further exalted in the marvelous finale. An absolute masterpiece. more
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One of the high points of Italian comedy. A stellar cast with Gassman in top form and the appearance of the immense Totò. An incredibly funny film, packed with memorable and hilarious scenes, one of the greatest comedies of all time. more
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No jokes. Bud Spencer and Terence Hill, the story of Italian comedy in the '70s. "Altrimenti ci Arrabbiamo" is one of their best, most inspired, and funniest films, free from vulgarity but rich in brilliant gags. Over the years, their movies became increasingly repetitive and banal, but here they were at a level of excellence. Laughter in abundance. more
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Takashi Shimizu — Ju-On-Rancore | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

Just enough, yet definitely superior to the terrible American remake. There are good atmospheres and some rather unsettling scenes. Then there's the hilarious pair of angry ghost mom and son, especially the little one. Salvageable. more
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Takashi Shimizu — The Grudge | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

The infuriating mother-son duo is always lovable, but even they can't save this horrible film, one of the dreadful monstrosities in the history of cinema, American and beyond. A completely useless remake of a film that was barely acceptable on its own, it stands out for its astonishing banality and total absence of even mildly unsettling scenes. Unwatchable actors (aside from the ghost couple, perhaps), deplorable screenplay and direction. Abysmal. more
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Squashed between two masterpieces like Mean Streets (1973) and Taxi Driver (1976), this gem from 1974 is one of the most underrated and least known films of the Italian-American director. The moving story of a woman in search of herself and serenity, excellently portrayed by Ellen Burstyn. The performances of Kris Kristofferson, Harvey Keitel, and a just eleven-year-old Jodie Foster are also remarkable. Not a masterpiece, but an excellent film worth rediscovering. more
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Ted Kotcheff — Rambo | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

Great blend of Action-Movie and war film, Stallone delivers one of the rare convincing performances of his career, with a plot that is far from thin and trivial. A nice film, therefore, but starting from the second chapter the saga will sink, sliding into the banal and "tamarro". more
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Ridley Scott — Il Gladiatore | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

Immensely overrated product, Scott made a couple of films in the 2000s that are even better than this. Mediocre Crowe, better Joaquin Phoenix, a rhetorical film, historically inaccurate, a continuous alternation of sentimental nonsense and battles. For certain aspects, it remains an absolutely decent film, with beautiful sets and excellent music that save the film quite a bit. more
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Ridley Scott — Black Rain | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

Well, itā€™s a bit superior to movies like "The Gladiator," but also significantly inferior to "Thelma & Louise" (the trilogy of Duellanti, Alien, Blade Runner is obviously unreachable and from another planet). It would be a good crime movie, a more than decent action film at 3.5, but I still don't know whether to round it up to 3 or 4. The first part is excellent, with beautiful scenes, lovely sets, good direction, the plot is quite engaging; then it loses its way, and quite a bit, especially with the feel-good and somewhat cheesy ending. What a shame. more
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Robert De Niro — Bronx | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

An excellent directorial debut for Bob De Niro, who directs this Bronx storyā€”an atypical and unique gangster movieā€”based on the screenplay by his friend and co-star Palminteri, straddling the line between violence and sentiment. De Niro is great both in his usual role as an actor and in his new role as a director, with Palminteri excelling, and the young actors who play Lorenzo's (De Niro) son, first as a child and then as a teenager, also delivering strong performances. A nice cameo from Joe Pesci. De Niro as a director receives high marks. more
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The Triumph of Fantasy over Reality. After the masterpiece "Brazil," Gilliam gifts us this sparkling diversion, full of humor, special effects, and imagination. A truly successful fairy-tale film. Stunning. more
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John Carpenter — The Fog | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

Despite being significantly inferior to Carpenter's previous film "Halloween - The Night of the Witches," "Fog" remains a gem of low-budget horror. A very simple yet interesting premise, a not exceptional screenplay, but excellent direction. With limited resources and plenty of imagination, Carpenter creates an excellent atmosphere, considerable tension, and some memorable scenes. Also noteworthy is the mother-daughter duo (Curtis-Leigh). A nice horror film, a somewhat underrated gem from the great Carpenter. 7 more
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A lively and very entertaining film. Carpenter momentarily sets aside horror to delve into fantasy and the most "rowdy" and fun action possible. Not a masterpiece, not even by Carpenter's own standards, but a great entertainment film, featuring numerous truly amusing and engaging scenes, primarily the martial arts duels. more
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Neil Jordan — Intervista Col Vampiro | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

A decent film, it manages to entertain despite not being anything transcendent. Pitt is just decent, Cruise is more than decent (though he never goes beyond that), while the very young Kristen Dunst is excellent, and Banderas is unnecessary. There are very few memorable scenes, and the film becomes too static as it progresses, but it remains an enjoyable watch. more
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Roman Polanski — Cul De Sac | DeRankā„¢: 0,00

A masterpiece from the Polish director, perhaps among his best, alongside "Repulsion," the finest of the 1960s. Bolstered by Donald Pleasance's outstanding performance, with an intriguing screenplay and Polanski's excellent direction, the film captivates and is highly enjoyable, culminating in a crescendo of situations that lead to the hectic, mad, and desperate endingā€”perhaps the only possible one in such a "Cul De Sac." more