Peneflix MOVIE REVIEWS BY PENEFLIX

Two enchanting and mystical weeks of temple -trekking through ancient, sacred monuments: iconic reminders of a people’s dedication and love for their gods; the might of their of their dynasties (Chola in particular): Shiva, Vishnu and Buddha, their avatars, miracles, mysteries laid bare by the inimitable scholar, Dr. Maduvanti Ghose, Alsdorf curator of Indian, Southeast Asian, Himalayan, Islamic art at ... Read More »

Periodically there’s a film that resonates long after viewing; marinating in one’s memory for days, oftentimes forever. Iranian writer/director Asghar Farhadi’s (“A Separation”) “The Past” is such a movie; simplicity balloons to complex; ambiguities, seemingly clarified, become murky; empathy, fickly flows from one character to another as “the past’ is sporadically revealed. Bernice Bejo as “Marie” is astounding as a ... Read More »

“Jep Gambardella” (Toni Servillo) is a voyeur, flaneur gliding through life, observing, perpetually longing for “the great beauty” to accost him; a muse of inspiration capable of igniting the creative transformation he yearns for. Director Paolo Sorrentino’s homage to glorious Rome, its hedonistic lifestyle, commences with “Jep’s” sixty-fifth birthday party; freakishly beautiful members of Rome’s elite, sinuously writhing, frenetically dancing ... Read More »