Freddy's Cine It

My Last Day at Cinanima (With Eva) For my second and, ridiculously, last day (lol) in Espinho for the 49º Cinanima Festival, I took my daughter Eva to the Family Screening. This one was called "Mini Micro," a selection of short animations put together by Casa de Animação, held on November 9th at the Centro Multimeios. I'm gutted that I couldn't stay for the whole week... 😞 I really wanted to see the international and national competition screenings. But for now, I'm just doing my own little competition here at Cine It. 😛 So, here's the full list of the shorts we saw, ranked from my favorite to my least favorite. 📅 A Quick Note By the time I'm posting this, the festival is still running (it ends on November 23rd). If you're anywhere near Espinho, make sure you catch it. It's seriously worth the visit. 🥇 Cine It Gold: Tiger (2010) In first place, no contest, is Tiger (or Tige...

Plot Summary: A Czech stop-motion animation about a chubby 12-year-old named Ben (Pipetka) navigating the brutal realities of childhood obesity, bullying, and rejection, while trying to find joy in life despite being betrayed by his own body during puberty. Director: Kristina Dufková Written by: Petr Jarchovský, Anna Vášová, Barbora Dřevikovská Based on: La vie, en gros (French bestseller) Produced by: Matěj Chlupáček Cinematography: Václav Fronk Music: Michal Novinski Original Czech Voices: Hugo Kovács, Tatiana Dyková, David Novotný, Klára Melíšková Portuguese Dubbed Version: Alexandre Carvalho as Ben Carolina Salles as Klara Gonçalo Lima as Erik André Ramos as Max Tiago Peralta as Ben's Father   A Trip to Espinho and a Stop-Motion Surprise This year, I decided to take the family on a 3-hour ride to Espinho for o...

Plot Summary: The Bad Guys are struggling to find trust and acceptance in their newly minted lives as Good Guys, when they are pulled out of retirement and forced to do "one last job" by an all-female squad of criminals. Director: Pierre Perifel Screenplay: Yoni Brenner, Etan Cohen Based on: The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey Edited by: Jesse Averna Music: Daniel Pemberton Produced by: Damon Ross Starring: Sam Rockwell as Mr. Wolf Marc Maron as Mr. Snake Awkwafina as Ms. Tarantula / "Webs" Craig Robinson as Mr. Shark Anthony Ramos as Mr. Piranha Zazie Beetz as Diane Foxington / Crimson Paw Danielle Brooks as Kitty Kat Natasha Lyonne as Doom / "Susan" Maria Bakalova as Pigtail Petrova Alex Borstein as Misty Luggins Richard Ayoade as Professor Marmalade   ⚠️ SPOILER ALERT ⚠️ ...

Plot Summary: Based on Stephen King's novel, The Institute follows Luke Ellis and other kidnapped children with psychic abilities who are held captive in a sinister facility where they're subjected to brutal experiments and torture to harness their powers. Based on: The Institute by Stephen King Developed by: Benjamin Cavell Executive Producers: Jack Bender, Benjamin Cavell, Gary Barber, Sam Sheridan, Shane Elrod, Ed Redlich, Stephen King Episodes: 8 episodes (Season 1) Release Date: July 13, 2025 - August 24, 2025 (MGM+) Starring: Ben Barnes as Tim Jamieson Joe Freeman as Luke Ellis Simone Miller as Kalisha Fionn Laird as Nick Hannah Galway as Wendy Gullickson Julian Richings as Stackhouse Robert Joy as Dr. Daniel Hendricks Martin Roach as Chief Ashworth Mary-Louise Parker as Ms. Sigsby Jason Diaz as Tony Season 1 Ep...

Plot Summary: On a remote Irish island in 1923, two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly decides to end their friendship, with devastating and bizarre consequences that may or may not be connected to the Irish Civil War raging on the mainland. Director: Martin McDonagh Screenplay: Martin McDonagh Cinematography: Ben Davis Music: Carter Burwell Producers: Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Martin McDonagh Starring: Colin Farrell as Pádraic Súilleabháin Brendan Gleeson as Colm Doherty Kerry Condon as Siobhán Súilleabháin Barry Keoghan as Dominic Kearney Pat Shortt as Jonjo Devine Sheila Flitton as Mrs. McCormick Gary Lydon as Peadar Kearney   ***SPOILER ALERT*** So... What the Hell Was That About? Alright folks, I'm digging this one out of the 2023 archives. I watched The Banshees of Inisherin ...