Martin Cid's Blog: Martin Cid Magazine, page 179

Richard Prince: Early Photography,1977–87 | Gagosian, New York

Richard Prince: Early Photography, 1977–87, opening on March 9, 2024. This exhibition was previously displayed at the gallery’s Davies Street and Grosvenor Hill locations in London in 2023 and will showcase Prince’s famous cowboy, girlfriend, and advertisement photographs, some of which have not been displayed in the city before.

Gagosian is pleased to announce Richard Prince: Early Photography, 1977–87, at the 522 West 21st Street gallery in New York, opening on March 9, 2024. The exhibition, which was presented at the gallery’s Davies Street and Grosvenor Hill locations in London in 2023, features many of Prince’s iconic cowboy, girlfriend, and advertisement photographs, some of which have not previously been exhibited in the city. It also includes the complete series of The Entertainers (1982–83), a rarely seen set of manipulated photographs taken in the bars, clubs, and restaurants of New York’s Times Square that captures the location’s sleazy glamour. Archival material including writings by the artist and source material from his time in the tear-sheet department at Time magazine, some of which has not been shown before, will also be on view.

Collecting, chronicling, and repurposing examples of discomfiting mainstream humor alongside images from a variety of mass media, Prince chronicles the intersection of America’s vernaculars and subcultures in the construction of its national identity. In 1977, he began using a process of “rephotography” to appropriate shots from advertising and the lifestyle press, redefining the concepts of authorship and originality—an approach he would later extend to include social media. A conscious elision of the aims and techniques of traditional picture making, the technique allows Prince to redirect the authority of a visual referent. “When you put an already existing image in front of a camera,” he explains, “you know what you’re going to get. You’ve taken out the decisive moment.”

In the black-and-white photograph Untitled (Self-Portrait) (1980), Prince portrays himself in eye makeup and lipstick along with a suit and tie, plumbing themes of alienation and uncertainty found throughout his oeuvre. As the artist wrote in his 1983 essay “Cowboys: The Perfect Tense,” “Some people would like to try to change places, just for a day, with maybe someone they admired or even envied, to see what it would be like, to see if it would be what they’d always heard it would be.” In Untitled (Cowboy) (1980–84), Prince shows his subject merging with the landscape of the American West, accentuating a heroic individualism.

In works such as Untitled (Couple) (1977) and Untitled (Man Looking to the Left) (1978), Prince explores tropes of masculinity in rephotographed images of square-jawed, suit-wearing models, calling their authenticity into question through a focus on heavily styled representation. Other works depict advertisements for objects such as luxury watches and pens—items that Prince has described as being foreign to him—in a polished but generic manner that suggests a lack of individual author. From Prince’s perspective, this makes his sources fair game for recontexualization; he categorizes the original photographers as having been commissioned: “They were for hire,” he states, “I was working in a completely different way.”

Many of the works reveal a fascination with the photographic medium as a tool for categorization and cataloguing that exhibits a sociological and anthropological slant: Untitled (Three Women Looking in the Same Direction) (1980) assembles its subjects purely according to the attitude of their heads; Criminals and Celebrities (1986) groups images of the famous and the infamous in the act of attempting to shield themselves from the camera’s intrusive gaze; and Untitled (Fainted) (1980) gathers four stills of unconscious women. In this, Prince’s organization of images mirrors the currency (and inherently partial nature) of stock photography and anticipates the ubiquity of categorized and labeled photographic images in the era of Internet searches and artificial intelligence—a period during which the medium has become at once more available and less “reliable” than ever.

#RichardPrince

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Richard Prince: EarlyPhotography,1977–87 | Gagosian, New York

Richard Prince: Early Photography, 1977–87, opening on March 9, 2024. This exhibition was previously displayed at the gallery’s Davies Street and Grosvenor Hill locations in London in 2023 and will showcase Prince’s famous cowboy, girlfriend, and advertisement photographs, some of which have not been displayed in the city before.

Gagosian is pleased to announce Richard Prince: Early Photography, 1977–87, at the 522 West 21st Street gallery in New York, opening on March 9, 2024. The exhibition, which was presented at the gallery’s Davies Street and Grosvenor Hill locations in London in 2023, features many of Prince’s iconic cowboy, girlfriend, and advertisement photographs, some of which have not previously been exhibited in the city. It also includes the complete series of The Entertainers (1982–83), a rarely seen set of manipulated photographs taken in the bars, clubs, and restaurants of New York’s Times Square that captures the location’s sleazy glamour. Archival material including writings by the artist and source material from his time in the tear-sheet department at Time magazine, some of which has not been shown before, will also be on view.

Collecting, chronicling, and repurposing examples of discomfiting mainstream humor alongside images from a variety of mass media, Prince chronicles the intersection of America’s vernaculars and subcultures in the construction of its national identity. In 1977, he began using a process of “rephotography” to appropriate shots from advertising and the lifestyle press, redefining the concepts of authorship and originality—an approach he would later extend to include social media. A conscious elision of the aims and techniques of traditional picture making, the technique allows Prince to redirect the authority of a visual referent. “When you put an already existing image in front of a camera,” he explains, “you know what you’re going to get. You’ve taken out the decisive moment.”

In the black-and-white photograph Untitled (Self-Portrait) (1980), Prince portrays himself in eye makeup and lipstick along with a suit and tie, plumbing themes of alienation and uncertainty found throughout his oeuvre. As the artist wrote in his 1983 essay “Cowboys: The Perfect Tense,” “Some people would like to try to change places, just for a day, with maybe someone they admired or even envied, to see what it would be like, to see if it would be what they’d always heard it would be.” In Untitled (Cowboy) (1980–84), Prince shows his subject merging with the landscape of the American West, accentuating a heroic individualism.

In works such as Untitled (Couple) (1977) and Untitled (Man Looking to the Left) (1978), Prince explores tropes of masculinity in rephotographed images of square-jawed, suit-wearing models, calling their authenticity into question through a focus on heavily styled representation. Other works depict advertisements for objects such as luxury watches and pens—items that Prince has described as being foreign to him—in a polished but generic manner that suggests a lack of individual author. From Prince’s perspective, this makes his sources fair game for recontexualization; he categorizes the original photographers as having been commissioned: “They were for hire,” he states, “I was working in a completely different way.”

Many of the works reveal a fascination with the photographic medium as a tool for categorization and cataloguing that exhibits a sociological and anthropological slant: Untitled (Three Women Looking in the Same Direction) (1980) assembles its subjects purely according to the attitude of their heads; Criminals and Celebrities (1986) groups images of the famous and the infamous in the act of attempting to shield themselves from the camera’s intrusive gaze; and Untitled (Fainted) (1980) gathers four stills of unconscious women. In this, Prince’s organization of images mirrors the currency (and inherently partial nature) of stock photography and anticipates the ubiquity of categorized and labeled photographic images in the era of Internet searches and artificial intelligence—a period during which the medium has become at once more available and less “reliable” than ever.

#RichardPrince

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Ricky Stanicky (2024). A comedy on Prime Video: A “buddy” comedy for a family Friday with a retro and edgy twist

Ricky Stanicky is a film starring Zac Efron. Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino and John Cena. It is directed by Peter Farrelly.

“Ricky Stanicky” is one of those comedies that comes into our lives without any notice of its filming, we pass by it barely paying attention and it leaves just as quickly as it arrived. In between, we have once again watched another movie about friends with jokes that are more or less funny depending on each person’s taste. While not particularly exciting, it entertains thanks to a very charming John Cena.

Ricky StanickyPlot

Three young friends use the fictitious name of a friend to get out of all their mischief. Now that they have grown up, they continue to use their friend’s name as an excuse for anything and to maintain their childish spirit.

To maintain their alibi, they hire an alcoholic actor to pretend to be their friend, which starts a series of comical misunderstandings.

About the movie

This is also Hollywood: an entertainment factory that produces products that are so similar to each other that they are indistinguishable. “Ricky Stanicky” is like one of those meals that we never finish consuming, they are not a delight but they are not bad either and, finally, they consistently feed the entertainment industry.

“Ricky Stanicky” is not particularly special, it doesn’t offer anything that we haven’t seen in another buddy movie, but it knows how to stick to the genre, give us exactly what we expect and make us have a couple of pleasant hours, with some smiles or laughs, especially because John Cena is there, who is a great actor for comedy, with his exaggerated gestures and muscular appearance that he hasn’t lost since he was a wrestler.

Then we have a star who, since High School Musical, has not quite taken off, but is still perfect for this type of comedy: Zac Efron continues to sell though he is no longer a teenager, he still has a charming smile and we still know his name, although it doesn’t seem like he’s on his way to winning an Oscar.
“Ricky Stanicky” has one of those scripts that are written before they even start: you have to follow the rules and tell some jokes, because the structure itself is firm and has worked a thousand times before. The rest, not much needs to be invented for it to simply work.

Our opinion

Just another “buddy movie” that, born without ambition, simply sticks to the genre, gives us a couple of funny situations, and lets a great John Cena shine in another entertaining comedic role.

To have a good time.

Where to Watch “Ricky Stanicky”

Prime Video

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Core Keeper Adds Additional Language Support to Celebrate 2nd Anniversary

LONDON, UK – March 8, 2024 – Mining sandbox adventure Core Keeper is celebrating its second anniversary with a brand new Language Update enabling even more players to enjoy the game’s enchanting underground.

Available to download today, the new Language Update introduces full localisation support for French, Italian, Traditional Chinese, and Brazilian Portuguese, alongside additional bug fixes and performance optimisations.

“It’s been an incredible two years for Core Keeper, lighting up the Steam community with over 500,000 sales during its first two weeks, and soaring to over 2 million units to date. We couldn’t have dreamed of a better start for the game, and with Core Keeper arriving on consoles later this year for the 1.0 release, we can’t wait for even more players to start their underground adventure,” said Vincent Coates, Senior Brand Manager at Fireshine Games. “We are so thankful for the amazing community of players, and we look forward to surprising and delighting them with even more content to come at the 1.0 release.”

Available now on Steam Early Access and with over 2 million copies already sold, Core Keeper is an award-winning 1-8 player mining sandbox adventure where your choices shape an epic journey. Harvest relics and resources to build your base, craft advanced tools, and explore a dynamically evolving world waiting to be unearthed.

Level up your skills, defeat legendary Titans, and unveil the power of the Core. Explore mysterious caverns, encounter the Cavelings and discover new biomes, creatures, treasures and trinkets. Grow your garden, fish in mysterious waters, master recipes, hatch pets, drive vehicles, and carve out your own unique adventure alone or with friends in an enchanting underground sandbox.

Core Keeper is available now on Steam Early Access and will be available on the Nintendo Switch system, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, the PlayStation®5 (PS5) system and the PlayStation®4 system this summer. For the latest info & updates, follow @CoreKeeperGame on X (formerly known as Twitter) and join the community on Discord.

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Damsel (2024) Movie Review: A story of dragons and princesses that doesn’t quite convince

Damsel is a film starring Millie Bobby Brown. With Nick Robinson, Robin Wright, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Angela Bassett. It is directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.

It’s a classic story, adapted to modern times, that remains a tale of princesses, dragons, and good and evil, very evil. It’s a youth-oriented story that would be perfect for a Friday night with the whole family… if the movie had more complexity in its plot and characters. Did we like it? It wasn’t the movie of our lives, and we don’t believe it will be yours either.

DamselPlot

By the way, the best performance in the movie is by an actress named Shohreh Aghdashloo, with a magnificent voice worthy of a dragoness. Everything seems happy and almost like a fairy tale when a young princess from an impoverished kingdom receives a marriage proposal. This would save her people from poverty. But when the marriage takes place, she discovers a great secret of the family, which pays tribute to an ancient and ruthless dragon (or dragoness), to which they sacrifice.

Movie Review

A movie created for the big star, Millie Bobby Brown, who shines in a role that, on the other hand, is not very prominent due to the script. She does well and is in her element, but it’s a script that doesn’t allow for interpretative displays or a role that is too complex. The same goes for the movie, which lacks complexity and simply offers us a dragon story to please the producers who wanted a dragon movie. The objective was achieved commercially, as it has great marketing and exceptional distribution (we’re talking about the Netflix premiere on a Friday, no less). However, artistically, the movie disappoints, especially in its script. It also lacks aesthetic ambitions, limiting itself to being a movie about dragons and princesses with more CGI effects than script, which is easily forgotten once seen. It takes a while to get started and, once it does, it disappoints in terms of action, taking place almost entirely in the dragon’s lair. It has great supporting actors, like Robin Wright and Angela Bassett, but as is the case in dragon movies, the star is the one who voices the dragon, an actress named Shohreh Aghdashloo whom we loved. Oh, and without giving any spoilers, if you’re still a fan of Daenerys Targaryen, you’ll like the ending.

Our Opinion

We were disappointed by its excessive simplicity in the script and overall treatment. It’s more concerned with not breaking the rules than with surprising the audience, and it ends up being a forgettable story.

Where to Watch “Damsel”

Netflix

About Millie Bobby BrownMillie Bobby Brown in Damsel (2024)

In the realm of Hollywood, where talent and charisma reign supreme, there are few rising stars as captivating as Millie Bobby Brown. With her extraordinary acting prowess and undeniable charm, Millie has swiftly risen to prominence, captivating audiences around the world. From her breakout role in the hit series “Stranger Things” to her impressive filmography and philanthropic endeavors, Millie Bobby Brown has established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry. Read more

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Fedele Spadafora: Carthage | Exhibition Opens March 18 at Iona University

New Rochelle, NY — Carthage, an exhibition featuring over thirty works by New York-based American artist Fedele Spadafora will be on view from March 18 – April 12, 2024, at the Br. Kenneth Gallery at Iona University. The paintings and drawings created between 2011 and 2023 focus on Tunisia and on Carthage, an ancient port city on the northern coast of Africa, the ruins of which are in a suburb of present-day Tunis.
 
Spadafora, who divides his time between Manhattan and his wife’s homeland of Tunisia, offers a unique perspective. As the son of Italian immigrants in America, his perspective underscores both an insider’s and outsider’s lens on the broader world and, more specifically, Tunisia. His work delves into Tunisia’s post-revolutionary society, depicting the fundamental changes in its citizens’ lives over the past 15 years. Spadafora’s subjects express a proud connection to tradition, alongside a yearning for new opportunities and prosperity, their hopes often tinged with despair.

SpongeBob Tunisia, 2014, 72 x 42 inches, pencil on paper

In contrast to the darker circumstances depicted in his New York City paintings, the Tunisian pieces demonstrate a more intensive and lighter palette. This shift in hue corresponds to Spadafora’s initial impressions of Tunisia newly marked by revolutionary enthusiasm following the Jasmine Revolution of 2011, which are akin to his earlier experiences in Prague after the Velvet Revolution of 1989. Despite the change in color and tone, the works in Carthage maintain the artist’s unique character. He is known for lively brushwork, moody lighting, and narratives that are both specific and suggested.
 
Regarding his technique, Spadafora states, “I construct each piece by using shapes in an abstract way to design the picture, continually refining these shapes until figures and landscapes emerge and become solid and real.” Transitioning effortlessly from portraiture to landscape to still life, he is recognized for merging personal figures with cityscapes, creating timeless human landscapes.
 
Spadafora’s exploration of Tunisian subject matter began in a solo exhibition titled New Paintings at Slag Contemporary in 2013. Over the years, it has evolved to include portraiture of family, friends, strangers, landscape, and still life. Carthage provides an opportunity for Spadafora to present a large selection of works strictly related to this distinctive subject matter.
 
Iona University’s Br. Kenneth Chapman Gallery is located at 665 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801. 
 
About Fedele Spadafora
After earning a B.A. from Michigan State University, Spadafora ventured to Prague, working as an illustrator and book publisher. He later relocated to New York City, dedicating five years to studying with Nelson Shanks at the Art Students League of New York and Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia. His art reflects a continuous fascination with people, places, nature, and landscapes.
 
Spadafora’s work has been exhibited in New York, Frankfurt, and Tunis, and he is represented by Galerie Leuenroth in Frankfurt, Germany. Please visit www.fspadafora.com

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The Yard Theatre announces further details of ‘Multiple Casualty Incident’

Multiple Casualty Incident by Sami Ibrahim, a play about a group of individuals in a London training centre, preparing to help people in crisis on another side of the world opens at The Yard Theatre, Hackney Wick on 27 April (press night 2 May).

Here, in a London training centre, people prepare to help strangers on another side of the world. There, a city is burning.

Here, Sarah gets a meal deal. There, people are in danger. Here, Khaled watches a training video. There, there are men with guns. Here, Sarah and Khaled flirt with each other. There, an aid worker looks after a refugee.

Suddenly — here becomes there.

Roleplay, desire and compassion will intertwine, revealing the limits of help, the beginnings of harm and the complexities of humanitarian work.

Going right to the heart of humanitarian crises, Multiple Casualty Incident transcends geographic boundaries to explore the complexities of aid work where personal motivations clash with the pursuit of justice, and the desire, compassion and stark realities of aid work are revealed. This world premiere is a provocative exploration of the limits of help, and the beginnings of harm where colleagues find themselves entangled in expected relationships, blurring the lines between duty and desire.

A raw and unflinching portrayal of the gritty terrains traversed by those dedicated to alleviating human sufferings, challenging us to confront the uncomfortable truth that lies at its core. 

Jay Miller, Artistic Director of the Yard Theatre said, “Sami Ibrahim’s brilliant play tells a story about people on one side of the world, who want to help strangers on another side of the world. About how people who want to help those close to them too. About how that help can distort – can slip into romance, or domination, and from there, into violence.

This is another play at The Yard that tells a beautiful and thrilling story, evocative of our most relevant questions today.  Born from East London.  Given to you, live.”

Civilisation
von / by Jaz Woodcock-Stewart
in Zusammenarbeit mit / in collaboration with Morgann Runacre-Temple

Stück & Regie / Script & Direction: Jaz Woodcock-Stewart
Choreografie / Choreography: Morgann Runacre-Temple & Ensemble
Produktion / Production: Antler
Bühne & Kostüm / Stage Design & Costume Design: Charlotte Espiner
Licht Design / Light Design: Alex Fernandes
Produktionsassistenz / Produktion Assosicate: Eve Allin
Technische Leitung / Technical Stage Manager: Fergus Waldron
Abendspielleitung / Assistent Stage Manager: Bryony Byrne
Produktionsvideo / Produktion Video: Richard Perryman
Auf dem Bild: Jaz Woodcock-Stewart

Writer Sami Ibrahim won Theatre Uncut’s Political Playwriting Award for two Palestinians go dogging, which ran at the Royal Court in 2023 and was nominated for an Olivier Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre’. He has been on attachment at the National Theatre Studio and writer-in-residence at Shakespeare’s Globe – where he co-wrote Metamorphoses, which was performed in 2021 and recently transferred to the Seattle Rep in Washington. He is working on a handful of theatre commissions and developing a feature film with BBC Film and A24-backed company 2am.

Sami’s theatre credits include: A Sudden Violent Burst of Rain (Paines Plough/Gate Theatre); two Palestinians go dogging (Royal Court/Theatre Uncut); Metamorphoses (Shakespeare’s Globe); Wonder Winterland (Oxford School of Drama/Soho Theatre); the Palestinian in the basement is on fire (Pint-Sized/The Bunker); Wind Bit Bitter, Bit Bit Bit Her (VAULT Festival); Iron Dome Fog Dome (The Yard Theatre/First Drafts), Carnivore (Brockley Jack). Audio credits include: 50 Berkeley Square (Radio 4); The Twig (That Podcast ETT); and Fledgling (Radio 4).

Jaz Woodcock-Stewart is a director working in theatre and performance.  She was nominated for an Olivier award this year for her production of Paradise Now! at the Bush Theatre. Her play Civilisation won the Jury Prize at Fast Forward, the European Festival for Young Stage Directors at Dresden Staatsschauspiel. She was also nominated by the National Theatre to create Something New at Performance Laboratory Salzburg 2019. She is the Artistic Director of award-winning arts company, Antler, Associate Company at the Bush Theatre 2017-18. Jaz is an associate artist at Brixton House. 

As Director, Jaz’s productions include Jason Medea Medley (Staatsschauspiel Dresden), Paradise Now! (Bush Theatre), Electric Rosary (Royal Exchange), Gulliver’s Travels (Unicorn), Civilisation (New Diorama, HOME Manchester, Hellerau), Madrigal (RCSSD), Fen (Lamda), Learning Piece (The Place), Something New (Performance Laboratory Salzburg, Thomas Bernhard Institut/NT/Mitos21), Lands (Bush Theatre), Mother Courage (East 15 Acting School), The Bacchae (East 15 Acting School), Wifmon (National Theatre Studio) and If I Were Me (Underbelly/Bush Theatre/Soho Theatre).

Luca Kamleh Chapman plays Khaled. He graduated from the Oxford School of Drama.  His theatre credits include The E.U Killed My Dad (Jermyn Street Theatre), Grey Rock (Remote Theatre Project), two Palestinians go dogging (Royal Court Theatre). At the Oxford School of Drama he appeared in A Lie of the Mind, As You Like It, Medea, A Couple of Poor and Polish Speaking Romani. His film credits include Anna (Good Films Collective) and How To Have Sex (Film 4 & BFI). Luca’s television credits include The Gathering (Channel 4 / World Productions).

In line with The Yard Theatre’s approach to exploring the stories and ideas in shows in different ways, on weekends audiences are also warmly invited to continue their night at The Yard by being part of the venue’s nightlife programme when the bar becomes a home for collectives from across London’s subcultures, who are exploring the intersection between clubbing and performance.

Playwright. Write. Facilitator. Restless Development. Texture Background of plants. Purple Hair. Braids. Blue cafe.

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“ARA San Juan: The Submarine that Disappeared” (2024). Documentary on Netflix

ARA San Juan: The Submarine that Disappeared is a documentary directed by Mauricio Albornoz Iniesta.

In 2017, a submarine departing from Mar de Plata arrived in Ushuaia and, once in open sea, completed some patrol exercises. It was the most important exercise in thirty years for an Argentine submarine.

A sound, resembling an explosion, was heard. There was a fire and the submarine submerged. It never returned or emitted any signals again.

The oxygen in a submarine lasts for about 7 days, which can be extended to 12.

The Argentine government stopped searching for survivors after 14 days.

About the documentary

A necessary documentary about an event that shook the entire country: families demanded explanations and the causes of the disappearance were not clear: was something being hidden? Was another submarine involved? Speculations multiplied and the Government could not silence the crowds or the media, which echoed the news and increased the questions.

“ARA San Juan: The Submarine that Disappeared” offers the perspective of both sides, the victims and those in charge, explanations from experts, and shows all sides of a dark case in which something must have happened and that no one understands based on the facts.

What happened to the submarine?

A good, precise documentary that analyzes the events seriously and tries not to leave any point of view unexplored, behaving like a good documentary by presenting the facts objectively.

Where to Watch “ARA San Juan: The Submarine that Disappeared”

Netflix

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The Gentlemen (2024). Series on Netflix: Guy Ritchie revisits a tried and true formula that works and entertains

The Gentlemen is a series starring Theo James with Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, Joely Richardson and Vinnie Jones. It is directed by Guy Ritchie, David Caffrey, Eran Creevy and Nima Nourizadeh.

ers everything that the viewer expects and never disappoints. It sticks to the formula of a good Guy Ritchie series, a director who made a name for himself with his films that blended gangster thrillers and comedy. Even years after his initial successes, he continues to excel with the same style. This time around, the series is more leisurely paced, with more humor and less action, but still highly stylized. It is a fantastic television series that may not surprise, but certainly entertains while staying true to our expectations. It gives us exactly what we ask for.

The GentlemenSynopsis

An aristocrat inherits his father’s fortune, title, and troubles. His brother’s debt of 8 million pounds leads him into a world of traffickers and loan sharks.

About the series

It is a perfect series in the formula invented by Guy Ritchie, who has truly made the most of it. The style, which was already invented thirty years ago, was very fresh and dynamic, direct like a boxing match. This sport remains present twenty years later, with some slight changes. It still maintains its humor and has become more refined in terms of photography. What used to be action scenes and physical confrontations have now evolved into more leisurely and refreshing dialogues, with a touch of reflection.

A style that has matured and adapted to its audience, who remain loyal to its principles despite being more calm.

“The Gentlemen” is a series that primarily aims to entertain through its dark humor and well-paced storyline. It does not need to condense all the action into two hours of constant excitement, giving it time to refine the jokes, sequences, and prepare for each situation.

The actors do a great job, especially Theo Hames in his role as the duke. However, the character that stands out the most is portrayed by Kaya Scodelario, who is elegant, charming, and funny as she plays the femme fatale. She strikes the perfect balance between sophistication and the grimy world of loan sharks, making her character a delight to watch.

Our opinion

“The Gentlemen” knows how to deliver exactly what we came for and what it promised. The formula may be repeated, but it continues to be successful and entertaining with quality, elegance, and rhythm. It is excellent in terms of photography and technical and cinematic aspects, although it may not be very original in its approach or aspirations.

Where to Watch “The Gentlemen”

Netflix

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The Signal (2024). A German space miniseries on Netflix. Review: entertaining, family-friendly and without too many complications

The Signal is a series starring Florian David Fitz, Peri Baumeister and Yuna Bennett. It is directed by Sebastian Hilger and Philipp Leinemann.

A German mystery series that skillfully collects and summarizes the latest successes of science fiction cinema by adding a touch of sentimentalism and giving us four excellent chapters of unsolved enigmas and mysteries. The series cleverly uses elements reminiscent of Interstellar, such as a landscape of farmers, without taking any visual risks, and instead focusing on the safety of a sentimental and mysterious story, while maintaining the familiar tone of science fiction films from the 1980s. It is well-made in terms of cinematography.

The SignalPlot

The disappearance of an astronaut sparks a desperate search for answers by her family. However, as they delve deeper, the danger escalates not only for them but for the entire world.

About the series:

“The Signal” is a series that knows its limitations: it does not have Christopher Nolan’s budget nor does it play in the Hollywood league. To create a spectacular space series, one needs millions of dollars. In this series, there is a story to entertain, a more limited budget, but a team willing to make the best out of its limitations. The series turns out well, always relying on the safety factor, presenting a family-friendly series with good feelings and no moral or philosophical conflicts, while doing an excellent job in all its technical aspects and choosing not to be original by taking ideas that already worked and, once again, are successful without being surprising.

The modern era of space travel began with Kubrick, we all know that. He surprised us with a work that was a mix of philosophy and psychedelia, with overwhelming effects for its time. A film that wanted to surprise at all times. It was cold, without feelings, with that first artificial intelligence called HAL and its confusing plot. Don’t expect that from “The Signal”: it is no longer like this first space incursion, neither in its risks nor in its production, which is much more familiar and sentimental.

Good performances, but not outstanding, because the screenplay is not exceptional or impactful. It is written to entertain and, without attracting too much attention, leave a good taste in a film that will not go down in history. The screenwriters knew this from the beginning and did well, without complicating their lives with extravagances.

By the way, it is said that Interstellar cost more than the recent Indian space mission. In this series, it is a millionaire Indian woman who funds everything, having made her fortune from scratch by lending money only to women because, according to her, men would spend all their money on beer.

Our opinion:

Overall, it is well-made, telling a family-friendly space story, entertaining at all times and knowing how to capture the essence of a soft, entertaining and sentimental story. Suitable for the whole family.

Where to Watch “The Signal”

Netflix

The CastFlorian David FitzNilam FarooqPeri BaumeisterKatharina Schüttler

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