Archive for April 30th, 2010

Gianni (Gianni Di Gregorio) is a middle aged Italian man living with his 93 year old mother (Valeria De Franciscis); the two share a small condo/apartment of which they are significantly behind on maintenance dues. When the building manager comes to Gianni with a way to work off some of the debt, he’s sees little option but to say yes to what seems to be a simple proposal– he’ll watch over the manager’s mother for several days during Italy’s biggest summer holiday. Before long Gianni is also pulled in to watch over the manager’s aunt, and then further suckered into also watching over the family doctor’s mother, crammed quarters indeed. Conflicting personalities full of zeal, differing dietary requirements, and sweltering heat, how and can Gianni keep these four very real women happy?
Endearing in it’s simplicity and underlying dry wit, Di Gregorio’s directorial debut arrives with an examination of culture that show’s not only a window into the Italian lifestyle but also how a little wine and a little kindness can go a long way. Sharp and believable acting from all of the players lends to the film’s organic feel; and, for anyone who’s ever had to tend to an elderly parent or relative, the film’s relatability is even greater. A fun matinee and good prep for a real Italian meal afterward. Mid-August Lunch plays at the Guild 45th this weekend.

A reboot of the horror franchise featuring Freddy Krueger (Jackie Earle Haley), the twisted burned pedofile who wears a glove made of knives and hunts high school teens in their dreams takes to the theatres this weekend. In this go around, two classmates, Quentin Smith (Kyle Gallner) and Nancy Holbrook (Rooney Mara) are in a race against time to figure out what it is that Freddy is after, where he came from, and perhaps how he can be stopped. But can the two stay awake long enough to actually do away with Freddy?
Now, first of all it should be noted that as remakes or reboots of classic horror flicks go, a lot is expected by fans of the genre to make things newer, scarier, and full of more suspense. Knowing this, sadly, it seems this offering just can’t pull it off. Sure there are a few paint by number scares, and there are plenty of nods to previous incarnations of Freddy which fans may or may not appreciate. And, to Haley’s credit, he certainly handles the role admirably as only the second actor to wear the glove and hat, it’s just unfortunate the material he’s given to work with just seems trite and under whelming.  Appreciated though is a more developed backstory to Freddy’s character but it isn’t enough to make up for the short comings of the rest of the storyline which keeps drawing from the same well only to pull up stale water; what should be shrieks and laughs instead turn out to be snickers and sneers. Better luck next time. Maybe a rental later for the curious. A Nightmare on Elm Street is rated R.