What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:
*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*
Movies
Luca (2021)
The story of Luca is fairly simple and straightforward. Luca (Jacob Tremblay), a young sea monster, is sick of living his life underwater herding fish all the time, and wonders what’s above the surface. His parents have told him horror stories of humans who hunt and kill creatures like him, but much like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, he thinks they’re being paranoid. So he goes up and discovers a world of wonders. Not only does he meet another sea monster named Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) living up there, he also finds out that he can look like a human, so long as he’s completely dry. Alberto introduces him to a whole new world, and the two boys set out on a mission to get a Vespa and travel the world.
Of course, little do they know that this simple mission will get them tangled up in a whole mess of things. They make an enemy of Ercole (Saverio Raimondo), and find a friend in Giulia (Emma Berman), who have a long standing rivalry for the local triathlon and the esteemed Portorosso Cup. The boys get dragged into competing with Giulia in the hope of winning the prize money to buy a Vespa, and along the way get to learn about all sorts of things, like pasta, biking and astronomy.
Over the course of the film, the boys’ friendship is tested, Luca discovers a love of learning, and they realize just how scary people can be sometimes, but how most of the time they can be kind and caring. Yes, the story was simple, but that’s exactly what suited the style of the film. It reminded me of a bygone time, where people took joy just from being, and Luca took its time establishing the setting and the people of this idyllic town on the Italian Riviera.
Colourful Granny 