351. Web-series Reviews – 169

More web-series reviews…

The Trial (Il Processo) – Came out in 2019. Italian series. A group of characters is implicated in the brutal murder of Angelica, a 17 yo girl involved into something bigger than her: the prosecutor Elena Guerra, who discovers to be indissolubly close to the victim; Ruggero Barone rampant lawyer who considers this trial the chance of a lifetime; Linda Monaco, the only defendant, who insists claiming her innocence. They all walk on a razor's edge searching for the truth, waiting for a verdict, which will establish, in a way or another, a new course for their lives.

A review from IMDB...

This Italian noir is crafted with the utmost finesse. Set against the palatial Renaissance backdrop of Mantova-a city still relatively untouched by tourists-Il Processo takes us on a ride through the Italian judiciary system without bogging us down in bureaucracy, detail and Amanda Knox.

A refreshing change from Neopolitan, mafia-led dramas, and all the cringe set in Venice and Rome, Il Processo breathes a breath of fresh air into Italy's TV exports. It steers clear of the path to pretentiousness (from which many of its contemporaries never return), instead prioritising character development and a slow-burning sense of unease over a quick, intense thrill, maintaining intrigue until the end.

Elena, the enigmatic main character-our new best friend and elusive partner in crime-solving-is expertly cast. True to her surname, the prosecutor wages a war against an increasingly desperate defendant and, in the process, lets us question her own motives. The director never leads us down the garden path, instead giving us objectivity with which we come to our own, likely erroneous, conclusions.

Saying bye to Vittoria Puccini's Elena in the sunset-based finale (a solitary dose of corniness to sign off an exceptional series) is genuinely quite sad.

My Take – Worth a watch!

 

The Hijacking of Flight 601 – Came out in 2024.  Two armed and hooded individuals hijack and threaten to blow up Flight 601 unless the Colombian government releases 50 political prisoners and pays them a hefty ransom in cash.  Based on a true story.

A review from IMDB...

"Flight 601" takes viewers on a turbulent journey through the harrowing events of a real-life hijacking, offering a glimpse into the chaos and uncertainty faced by those onboard. While the premise holds promise, the film's execution often veers into the realm of incredulity, leaving audiences questioning the veracity of certain events depicted on screen. This ambiguity between fact and fiction can be both intriguing and frustrating, as viewers grapple with discerning what is true and what is embellished for dramatic effect.

The film's strength lies in its ability to capture the tension and fear experienced by the passengers and crew during the hijacking. The claustrophobic atmosphere aboard the aircraft, combined with the constant threat of violence from the hijackers, keeps viewers on the edge of their seats throughout. However, these intense moments are often undercut by implausible plot developments or unrealistic character actions, detracting from the overall impact of the story.

Despite its flaws, "Flight 601" does offer some compelling performances from its cast, particularly in portraying the resilience and courage of those caught up in the crisis. The emotional depth conveyed by the actors helps to humanize the otherwise chaotic and surreal events unfolding on screen, drawing viewers further into the narrative.

Ultimately, "Flight 601" is a film that requires a certain level of commitment from its audience. While its basis in true events may initially lend it credibility, the liberties taken with the source material may leave some viewers feeling frustrated or misled. Nevertheless, for those willing to overlook its shortcomings, "Flight 601" offers a gripping if somewhat uneven cinematic experience.

My Take – Worth a watch!

 

Parasyte: The Grey – Came out in 2024.  Jung Soo In, who is infected with a parasite on her hand and start a strange cohabitation as it failed to steal her brain. Seol Kang Woo chases a parasitic water to find his missing sister, and Choi Jun Kyung is the team leader of the parasitic life team 'The Grey', and lives only to exterminate the parasitic water after losing her husband to the parasitic water.

A review from IMDB...

I have an understandable fear when it comes to anime live action adaptation, especially when we talk about shows where CGI is required, but this was executed relatively well.

The story is good, but not perfect. It can be seen that it uses similar topics compared to the original, when the series elaborate on what being a human means, but the series definitely made those topics its own with its own plot points. Pacing-wise - because the story tries to be a bit more complex at certain points - the first half can feel a bit slow.

For the characters, the main cast is much more unique personality-wise. Like from acting you could tell who has a bigger role in the series. I wouldn't call it bad and it made the characters interesting and less boring, but sometimes it was like that the main cast are the players in a game and everyone else is an NPC. The main cast was good and their characters felt real and developed with the story.

About the technical aspects, the sound directing and OST were good. Nothing exceptional, but worked perfectly.

Directing and editing, again it was good overall, nothing exceptional. There was one really good chase scene without a single cut.

About the CGI and effects, errr... it look good, there was maybe one scene where it looked a bit funny, but even in daylight it looked okay. One little complaint maybe about the blood. They surprisingly low amount of blood. I mean people got beheaded and there wasn't a lot of blood there.

And I would say the weakest part was the choreography. When it comes to normal hand to hand or weapon to weapon combat there are some really good scene out there. We spent decades on creating good looking fights, but here they should have developed a new fight, because the parasites head could shapeshift into a tentacle monster. I believe they failed to do that.

In many cases, while the tentacle fights look cool in a close up, but from a bit afar it looks like they are tied to bodies and their bodies don't do anything just stand there. Imagine a rock with a tentacle, the rock sits in one place while the tentacle fight.

They could have came up with some more unique or interesting fights.

All in all, good to watch, at least once. It is not as good as the original anime, but not as bad as I was expected to be.

My Take – Worth a definitive watch!

 

 

Cheers till next time😊!