"Little Italy" Movie Review: Delicious and Delightful

Emma Roberts and Hayden Christensen star in "Little Italy"

It's 1999. Best friends Sal and Vince pool their talenta and secret family recipes to give Little Italy its most storied pizza. One day a terrible fight breaks out between the two. No one knows why. But Little Italy is never the same again and neither is its pizza. A wall now runs between the once fabled pizza. Pizza Napoli is now divided into Vince's Pizza - The Best and Sal's Pizza - It's Better.

Present day. Nothing has changed. Sal and Vince spend more time trying to sabotage one another's shops than focus on their own business. But not everyone wants ear. Love blossoms in Little Italy's cobblestoned piazzas between Sal's daughter Nikki and Vince's son Leo. Nikki is now a Cordon Bleu chef freshly returned from London. She and Leo, a pizza chef who dreams of owning his own organic pizza place, rekindle their childhood crush right under their oblivious father's eyes.

But what if Sal and Vince decides and succeeds in pitting their children against each other? Will their love become the victim or  emerge victorious in this ridiculously epic food feud?

"Little Italy", directed by Donald Petrie and starring Emma Roberts and Hayden Christensen, is your typical romcom complete with rooftop dances, music video styled ronantic sequences (at least they've got Shawn Mendes singing his single "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" in the background) and of course, a last minute airport chase. We can't deny the fact thar this film is cluttered with these romance film cliches. At least the film is aware of that and whole-heartedly embraces it. But despite being cliched and predictable, the film manages to be entertaining.

The film is peppered with fun and hilarious moments that will make you smile and laugh a bit. Its Romeo and Juliet-inspired story may not be fresh and unique, but "Crazy Rich Asians" didn't have a very original plot either yet it managed to be fun and enjoyable. Plus, this film kinda reminded me of those romcoms from the 90's and early 2000's, giving out this nostalgic vibes. Emma Roberts and Hayden Christensen looked good together and has some pretty nice chemistry. Fans of Emma will surely enjoy this one. Audiences will surely love Andrea Martin and Daniel Aiello as another pair of clandestine lovers.

"Little Italy" is a predictable yet fun and very entertaining old-fashioned romcom with some really nice performances from its stars. It's a delicious and delightful mix of cheesy romance and tasteful comedy.
"Little Italy" is showing in Philippine cinemas October 3, 2018 from Go Asia Entertainment.

Rating: 8/10

TOFARM 2018 Review: "Sol Searching" Finds It's Heart Amidst It's Laughs

Despite the obvious budget constraints, this dramedy starring Pokwang manages to win the hearts of it's audiences. An official entry to the ToFarm Film Festival 2018, Roman Perez Jr.'s "Sol Searching" stars Pokwang as Bb. Lorelei Baloloy, Joey Marquez as Djanggo Bustamante and Gilleth Sandico as the titular character, Sol. It also features JM Salvado as Bugoy, Raffy Tejada, Raul Morit, LotLot Bustamante, Mayen Esther, Kenken Nuyad and Troy Aquino with the special participation of Paolo Rodriguez, Francis Magundayao, Lee O'Brian, Sue Prado, Jelson Bay, Skyxz Labastilla & Chokoleit.

The dark dramedy follows Lorelei as she tries to give her co-teacher/ best friend Sol a proper wake and burial, while remembering the life of Sol: her struggles, pains, and sacrifices when she was alive.

Now on its third year, it was my first time to catch TOFarm (which stands for The Outstanding Farmer). The annual film festival will run in select cinemas from September 12-19, 2018. 

The film's story is actually bigger than what it seems during it's first half which shows the efforts of Lorelei as she tries to find a decent place for her friend's wake. But after that, we get to discover so many things about Sol's character, changing our initial impression of her. The best aspect about this film is it's rich narrative, though it may come a bit muddled at times due to too many overlapping subplots. Still, it was able to tell the truth, Sol's truth, and managed to stir our hearts with it's revelation.

The best performances comes from Gilleth Sandico, JM Salvado and Pokwang. All three of them were    consistent in providing the laughs and sometimes, manages to touch our hearts at times. And just like what Pokwang, she accepted this project not because of the money but because of her desire to hone her craft as an actress. She was able to showcase her acting chops and proved her talent as a dramatic actress. 

JM Salvado's raw and honest portrayal of a student who looks up to the woman who acted as his teacher and mother was really touching. And of course, Gilleth Sandico whom we usually see in movies and teleseryes as a side character is finally given her moment of spotlight as Sol. Her performance in the film was redoubtably her best work yet as she brings her character to life with devotedness and verisimilitude.

Despite some clunky parts and uneven pacing (and the ending feeling rushed), the film was very funny and entertaining. Admittedly, there were some gags that were hit or miss. Despite that, the film does have some truly hilarious moments, thanks to the amazing performances of the cast. 

"Sol Searching" is definitely worth your time and buck. It's a small film loaded with big laughs and a big heart.

Rating: 9/ 10