I find with each new Frank D'Angelo film that I see, that he continues to improve as a filmmaker, actor and I think most of all in this case, as a storyteller as well. People could easily find things within the film with both how it was made as well as structured to find fault, or criticism over and they may have some valid points, but I give D'Angelo credit because this is the third film of his that I have seen and I notice that he continues to improve and get better with his filmmaking, but most of all with his acting and storytelling. He has proved that he knows how to carry a film as an actor and he can be quite expressive when he needs to be and show a range of emotions to whatever the particular scene in question is needing. I have no faults whatsoever with his acting and I think he is gradually becoming a very solid actor and I would definitely be curious to see him in some projects that he didn't write, or direct himself because I think that he definitely has the capability and talent to star in films by other directors and still pull off passionate and effective performances even if he was not the one doing the film itself. Here again as the other two films that I have reviewed of his, he has gathered himself with a lot of actors who are not usually in the spotlight, or receive a lot of due notice when it comes to other Hollywood stars who get both more publicity and more fame and glamour as well. And yet I find that he always has had a good supporting cast within his films. Some performances definitely hold the picture in place better than others, but most of these performers definitely can also carry a film and should be given a second look when it comes to casting agents for major as well a minor film roles as well. Here some of the acting is very impressive at times, especially from some of the more season and experienced actors, but generally everyone here puts their best foot forward and achieves what needs to be done and then some. D'Angelo's directing could use a tiny bit of fine tuning here and there when it comes to framing shots as well as having a more coherent and steady flow with both the story as well as moving from scene to scene, but these are just minor faults and did not detract away at all from my overall enjoyment of the film and I truly did enjoy it very much and I only mention these constructive criticisms because I know that D'Angelo will continue to perform well and master his technical abilities behind the camera and I know that he will just get better as times go on and I hope that more people will not only discover his films, but that they will have wider releases as well as more reviews and talk of them in public and in the media. I think he is quite good as a storyteller and one thing that has impressed me in all three films, but is truly standalone here is his sense of good dialogue and how to write interesting characters. In his film Sicilian Vampire there was a lot of back and forth banter and humorous although foul at times conversations between the main stars, particularly the male characters and I find that he has a good sense of how to write characters with good camaraderie as well as having interesting discussions and the odd foul joke as well. The dialogue he has and the actors who pull it off very well, make it feel very natural and breezy and it truly is a great delight to watch it because it is written well, performed well and just makes for compelling viewing as well. Some of the themes he touched on in earlier films can find their way back here and yet the story feels quite original at times and I truly found myself captivated not just with the various goings on of the plot, but also with it's interesting characters as well. As those who have read my reviews before know, I am not a huge fan of crime, or gangster movies because I find that too often they fall into the same category and can feel clichéd, or if you have seen one film you have seen them all. However this film with it's sharp dialogue and truly fascinating characters and storyline truly captured my attention and didn't let go till the end credits rolled. I appreciate that this is a smaller film with a more minuscule budget and yet it makes up for it with it being a more captivating and engrossing film than most in it's genre and again some of the actors here really do a terrific job pulling it off. There is violence in the film, but it is very tastefully done and not done to excess, or to be offensive which I for one could really appreciate. I continue to be fascinated by D'Angelo's new films and as far as the ones I have seen go, this one is definitely my favourite and in my mind his most skilled accomplishment yet and I dare say one of my favourite films of this year. I look forward as always to see what he will do next because I think he is an auteur to watch who keeps getting better all the time and that is an great triumph in itself. See this while it is playing near you and give it a shot, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Review of The Neighborhood
