Chicago – Like Sebastián Silva’s equally mesmerizing and maddening “Magic Magic,” Matteo Garrone’s “Reality” explores a psyche as it slowly unravels, obscuring the line between truth and fiction until it becomes hopelessly blurred. In fact, both filmmakers utilize a similar technique in portraying their heros’ delusions by occupying their peripheral vision with eerie apparitions.
This might make “Reality” sound like a horror film, but it’s actually a Felliniesque comedy—at least for its first act. A surprising portion of the film’s running time is devoted to detailing the modest life of Luciano (Aniello Arena), a fishmonger with an adoring wife (Loredana Paone) and family who harbors an exuberant love of performance. We first see him greeting a Reality TV show star, Enzo (Raffaele Ferrante), in full drag, playing the role of a smitten ex. Though the faces of his surrounding audience are delighted, the scene straddles the line between amusing and squirm-inducing.
This might make “Reality” sound like a horror film, but it’s actually a Felliniesque comedy—at least for its first act. A surprising portion of the film’s running time is devoted to detailing the modest life of Luciano (Aniello Arena), a fishmonger with an adoring wife (Loredana Paone) and family who harbors an exuberant love of performance. We first see him greeting a Reality TV show star, Enzo (Raffaele Ferrante), in full drag, playing the role of a smitten ex. Though the faces of his surrounding audience are delighted, the scene straddles the line between amusing and squirm-inducing.
- 8/26/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – Matteo Garrone is a notable talent. His highly acclaimed 2008 film “Gomorrah” earned praise around the world and the follow-up, “Reality,” won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival last year. It’s a step down from his previous work as it’s less ambitious and doesn’t quite come together but it features enough interesting ideas about our fame-obsessed culture to see why it connected with the French fest jury. And it does nothing to stop that feeling that Garrone is a major filmmaker.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
It makes sense that a film called “Reality” opens with a very abnormal event — a wedding in a horse-drawn carriage with people dressed like clowns and lords & ladies while doves fill the air. This is not a common, everyday “Reality.” And Garrone’s film is about a man in a very dull, plain reality who gets a glimpse of the heightened one on...
Rating: 3.0/5.0
It makes sense that a film called “Reality” opens with a very abnormal event — a wedding in a horse-drawn carriage with people dressed like clowns and lords & ladies while doves fill the air. This is not a common, everyday “Reality.” And Garrone’s film is about a man in a very dull, plain reality who gets a glimpse of the heightened one on...
- 3/27/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Post Tenebras Lux | Jack The Giant Slayer | Reality | Compliance | Identity Thief | The Croods | Neighbouring Sounds | Stolen | Reincarnated | Small Apartments | The Servant | I, Superbiker: Day Of Reckoning
Post Tenebras Lux (18)
(Carlos Reygadas, 2012, Mex/Fra/Neth/Ger) Adolfo Jiménez Castro, Nathalia Acevedo, Willebaldo Torres. 115 mins
Terence Malick gone a bit mainstream for you? Then try this latest litmus test, in which Mexican auteur Reygadas takes his penchant for striking imagery and disjointed narratives to commendably ambitious/infuriatingly inscrutable extremes. Centred on a troubled architect and his family, it's a shuffled jigsaw puzzle involving class tensions, rugby, swingers' parties and an animated Satan.
Jack The Giant Slayer (12A)
(Bryan Singer, 2013, Us) Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor. 114 mins
Another souped-up fairytale offering commercially calibrated spectacle rather than genuine wonder. The promising cast and giant budget amount to a hill of beans.
Reality (15)
(Matteo Garrone, 2012, Ita/Fra) Aniello Arena, Loredana Simioli. 116 mins
TV's celebrity culture exuberantly satirised,...
Post Tenebras Lux (18)
(Carlos Reygadas, 2012, Mex/Fra/Neth/Ger) Adolfo Jiménez Castro, Nathalia Acevedo, Willebaldo Torres. 115 mins
Terence Malick gone a bit mainstream for you? Then try this latest litmus test, in which Mexican auteur Reygadas takes his penchant for striking imagery and disjointed narratives to commendably ambitious/infuriatingly inscrutable extremes. Centred on a troubled architect and his family, it's a shuffled jigsaw puzzle involving class tensions, rugby, swingers' parties and an animated Satan.
Jack The Giant Slayer (12A)
(Bryan Singer, 2013, Us) Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor. 114 mins
Another souped-up fairytale offering commercially calibrated spectacle rather than genuine wonder. The promising cast and giant budget amount to a hill of beans.
Reality (15)
(Matteo Garrone, 2012, Ita/Fra) Aniello Arena, Loredana Simioli. 116 mins
TV's celebrity culture exuberantly satirised,...
- 3/23/2013
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
"Reality" filmmaker Matteo Garrone's follow-up to the 2008 critically acclaimed crime drama "Gomorrah," hits the Angelika theater in New York City tomorrow, March 15th. Centering on a man who becomes obsessed with starring on "Big Brother," to the point of driving himself into isolation and detaching himself from, well, reality, the film stars Claudia Gerini, Aniello Arena and Loredana Simioli. "Reality" premiered at last year's Cannes International Film Festival before finding distribution with Oscilloscope Laboratories. We're giving away two pairs of tickets to any Monday through Thursday show at the Angelika in New York City (excluding holidays) plus two posters for the film signed by Matteo Garrone. How do you win? 1. Follow us on Twitter and "like" us on Facebook. 2. Share one of the stories we posted on our Facebook page today, and Rt one of our stories on Twitter. 3. Tweet the following: "@theplaylist I want to win the #REALITYprizepack!
- 3/14/2013
- by The Playlist Staff
- The Playlist
Title: Reality Oscilloscope Laboratories Director: Matteo Garrone Screenwriter: Maurizio Braucci, Ugo Chiti, Matteo Garrone, Massimo Gaudioso Cast: Aniello Arena, Loredana Simioli, Raffaele Ferrante, Nando Paone Screened at: Review 1, NYC, 3/7/13 Opens: March 15, 2013 Most people will turn their heads even in New York if Robert De Niro, Al Pacino or Tom Cruise passed by on the street. Americans, like people the world over, are attracted by celebrity, particularly since here in the U.S. more people have TVs than bathtubs. We’re all an audience. But how many people seriously think that they can themselves become famous, so much so that people will turn their heads when they walk down [ Read More ]
The post Reality Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Reality Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 3/8/2013
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
With February almost over, we’ve not got long to go at all before Cannes rolls around once more in May. But before it does, we’ve still got a handful of films to look forward to from last year’s festival, and one of those is Matteo Garrone’s Reality.
The film took home the Grand Prix award at the festival last spring, and spent much of last year on the festival circuit. And now it’s finally about to make its way into UK cinemas towards the end of next month, following its UK debut at the London Film Festival last year – you can read our review here.
With just a few more weeks to go before Reality arrives, we’ve had the new trailer and UK quad poster sent our way to share, giving us a new look at the upcoming comedy-drama.
“A fascinating take on the darker side of celebrity culture,...
The film took home the Grand Prix award at the festival last spring, and spent much of last year on the festival circuit. And now it’s finally about to make its way into UK cinemas towards the end of next month, following its UK debut at the London Film Festival last year – you can read our review here.
With just a few more weeks to go before Reality arrives, we’ve had the new trailer and UK quad poster sent our way to share, giving us a new look at the upcoming comedy-drama.
“A fascinating take on the darker side of celebrity culture,...
- 3/1/2013
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Aniello Arena was convicted of gunning down three rival Naples thugs in 1991. In jail he found a new life through acting – and earned rave reviews at Cannes starring in a comedy about reality TV
Let the duel begin. The cathedral bell has struck 10 by the time the night's rehearsal is ready to begin in earnest, after much work on the set: moving panels bearing a magnified, annotated 17th century script of Romeo and Juliet in Italian. Mercuzio and Tebaldo draw swords; with the agility of wildcats, they leap from position to position; clash swords, stab and retreat. Finally, the ponytailed actor playing Mercuzio – Armando Punzo, lithe for his fiftysomething years – slumps against a back wall.
Outside, the empty, narrow cobbled streets are quite silent in the beautiful hill-top Tuscan town of Volterra – a stillness through which footsteps echo loudly off the ancient stone. This place feels as old as time itself: the Etruscans were here,...
Let the duel begin. The cathedral bell has struck 10 by the time the night's rehearsal is ready to begin in earnest, after much work on the set: moving panels bearing a magnified, annotated 17th century script of Romeo and Juliet in Italian. Mercuzio and Tebaldo draw swords; with the agility of wildcats, they leap from position to position; clash swords, stab and retreat. Finally, the ponytailed actor playing Mercuzio – Armando Punzo, lithe for his fiftysomething years – slumps against a back wall.
Outside, the empty, narrow cobbled streets are quite silent in the beautiful hill-top Tuscan town of Volterra – a stillness through which footsteps echo loudly off the ancient stone. This place feels as old as time itself: the Etruscans were here,...
- 2/17/2013
- by Ed Vulliamy
- The Guardian - Film News
Jayne Mansfield.s Car
Piers Handling, CEO and Director of Tiff, and Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, made the first announcement of films to premiere at the 37th Toronto International Film Festival. Films announced include titles in the Galas and Special Presentations programmes. The announced films include 17 Galas and 45 Special Presentations, including 38 world premieres.
Toronto audiences will be the first to see the world premieres of films from directors Andrew Adamson, Ben Affleck, David Ayer, Maiken Baird, Noah Baumbach, J.A. Bayona, Stuart Blumberg, Josh Boone, Laurent Cantet, Sergio Castellitto, Stephen Chbosky, Lu Chuan, Derek Cianfrance, Nenad Cicin-Sain, Costa-Gavras, Ziad Doueiri, Liz Garbus, Dustin Hoffman, Rian Johnson, Neil Jordan, Baltasar Kormákur, Shola Lynch, Deepa Mehta, Roger Michell, Nishikawa Miwa, Ruba Nadda, Mike Newell, François Ozon, Sally Potter, Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, Eran Riklis, David O. Russell, Gauri Shinde, Ben Timlett & Bill Jones & Jeff Simpson, Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski,...
Piers Handling, CEO and Director of Tiff, and Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, made the first announcement of films to premiere at the 37th Toronto International Film Festival. Films announced include titles in the Galas and Special Presentations programmes. The announced films include 17 Galas and 45 Special Presentations, including 38 world premieres.
Toronto audiences will be the first to see the world premieres of films from directors Andrew Adamson, Ben Affleck, David Ayer, Maiken Baird, Noah Baumbach, J.A. Bayona, Stuart Blumberg, Josh Boone, Laurent Cantet, Sergio Castellitto, Stephen Chbosky, Lu Chuan, Derek Cianfrance, Nenad Cicin-Sain, Costa-Gavras, Ziad Doueiri, Liz Garbus, Dustin Hoffman, Rian Johnson, Neil Jordan, Baltasar Kormákur, Shola Lynch, Deepa Mehta, Roger Michell, Nishikawa Miwa, Ruba Nadda, Mike Newell, François Ozon, Sally Potter, Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, Eran Riklis, David O. Russell, Gauri Shinde, Ben Timlett & Bill Jones & Jeff Simpson, Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski,...
- 7/24/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Earlier, we brought you a snapshot glance at the first wave of programming announced for the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. Shortly after, the fest released a thorough breakdown of the Galas and Special Presentations for this year’s event, which kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 6.
So far, 17 Galas and 45 Special Presentations have been announced, including 38 world premieres. Andrew Adamson, Ben Affleck, David Ayer, Maiken Baird, Noah Baumbach, J.A. Bayona, Stuart Blumberg, Josh Boone, Laurent Cantet, Sergio Castellitto, Stephen Chbosky, Lu Chuan, Derek Cianfrance, Nenad Cicin-Sain, Costa-Gavras, Ziad Doueiri, Liz Garbus, Dustin Hoffman, Rian Johnson, Neil Jordan, Baltasar Kormákur, Shola Lynch, Deepa Mehta, Roger Michell, Nishikawa Miwa, Ruba Nadda, Mike Newell, François Ozon, Sally Potter, Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, Eran Riklis, David O. Russell, Gauri Shinde, Ben Timlett & Bill Jones & Jeff Simpson, Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski, Margarethe von Trotta, Joss Whedon and...
Hollywoodnews.com: Earlier, we brought you a snapshot glance at the first wave of programming announced for the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. Shortly after, the fest released a thorough breakdown of the Galas and Special Presentations for this year’s event, which kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 6.
So far, 17 Galas and 45 Special Presentations have been announced, including 38 world premieres. Andrew Adamson, Ben Affleck, David Ayer, Maiken Baird, Noah Baumbach, J.A. Bayona, Stuart Blumberg, Josh Boone, Laurent Cantet, Sergio Castellitto, Stephen Chbosky, Lu Chuan, Derek Cianfrance, Nenad Cicin-Sain, Costa-Gavras, Ziad Doueiri, Liz Garbus, Dustin Hoffman, Rian Johnson, Neil Jordan, Baltasar Kormákur, Shola Lynch, Deepa Mehta, Roger Michell, Nishikawa Miwa, Ruba Nadda, Mike Newell, François Ozon, Sally Potter, Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, Eran Riklis, David O. Russell, Gauri Shinde, Ben Timlett & Bill Jones & Jeff Simpson, Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski, Margarethe von Trotta, Joss Whedon and...
- 7/24/2012
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
2012′s Toronto International Film Festival is set to officially announce its initial line-up later today, but Variety let the cat out of the bag, at least partially; and it’s quite astounding. Most of our most-anticipated films of the year will be premiering at the Canadian festival, notably Terrence Malick‘s To the Wonder, Wachowskis & Tom Tykwer‘s epic-sounding Cloud Atlas, Rian Johnson‘s Looper (which will open the fest), Ben Affleck‘s Argo, Dereck Cianfrance‘s The Place Beyond the Pines and much, more more.
Coming from Sundance, the only mentioned film was Ben Lewis‘ John Hawkes-starring The Sessions, while Cannes premieres include Matteo Garrone‘s Reality, Thomas Vinterberg‘s The Hunt, Pablo Larrain‘s No and Jacques Audiard‘s Rust and Bone. One of the biggest surprises is a new film from Noah Baumbach, starring Greta Gerwing titled Frances Ha. There’s also The Avengers director Joss Whedon...
Coming from Sundance, the only mentioned film was Ben Lewis‘ John Hawkes-starring The Sessions, while Cannes premieres include Matteo Garrone‘s Reality, Thomas Vinterberg‘s The Hunt, Pablo Larrain‘s No and Jacques Audiard‘s Rust and Bone. One of the biggest surprises is a new film from Noah Baumbach, starring Greta Gerwing titled Frances Ha. There’s also The Avengers director Joss Whedon...
- 7/24/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
"Reality" makes the case that society renders everyone impossibly small. The first and last shots of Matteo Garrone's drama take place from extreme heights that make their focal point blend with their surroundings. Everything in frame takes on the dimensions of a dollhouse, as if the Italian filmmaker has assumed a godlike awareness. The compositions suggest that people are inherently trapped by their surroundings and never fully capable of realizing it. Luciano (Aniello Arena) is a Neopolitan fishmonger intent on landing a role on "Big Brother." Initially, he endures a low-key existence with his wife (Loredana Simioli) and young children, enthusiastically hawking fish from his tiny stand and running cheap scams for extra money on the side. Driven by some intangible combination of ego and alpha-male aggression, he strives to impress his family at every turn. When his daughters come across "Big Brother" auditions at the local mall and beg him to.
- 5/18/2012
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Cinephiles have unwrapped the presents put under the Cannes Film Festival Christmas tree this morning, with organizers unveiling their impressive lineup for the 2012 festivities. And this is the gift that will keep on giving. Over the next four weeks in the lead up to the fest, an array of stills and footage will be released for the films headed to the south of France, and things are off to a good start already. The brand new trailer for David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis" arrived a few hours before it was officially confirmed for Cannes, and now a couple of fresh images for some In Competition movies are out of the gate.
First up is a look at at Matteo Garrone's "Reality" (previously known as "Big House"). Starring Claudia Gerini, Aniello Arena and Loredana Simioli, exact plot details are still under wraps, but the as the title hints, this time around...
First up is a look at at Matteo Garrone's "Reality" (previously known as "Big House"). Starring Claudia Gerini, Aniello Arena and Loredana Simioli, exact plot details are still under wraps, but the as the title hints, this time around...
- 4/19/2012
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
#77. Big House Director: Matteo Garrone Writer(s): Garrone, Ugo Chiti, Massimo Gaudioso and Maurizio Braucci Producers: Garrone and Fandago's Domenico ProcacciDistributor: Rights Available The Gist: Focusing on the myth of reality shows in our society, this is about a Neapolitan based family who await the news about a their father being selected for a Big Brother type show...(more) Cast: Claudia Gerini, Ciro Petrone, Nunzia Schiano, Angelica Borghese, Aniello Arena, Loredana Simioli List Worthy Reasons...: Before his inside look into modern-day crime and corruption (Gomorrah), Matteo Garrone was better known as the helmer of Euro hits The Embalmer and First Love. Hopefully this comedy slash drama will be a biting commentary rather than a Truman Show like concoction. Release Date/Status?: Cannes is a distinct possibilty since his last film was a Grand Prix winner. ...
- 1/5/2012
- IONCINEMA.com
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