Ripley

The Talented Mr. Ripley gets a series makeover with stunning black-and-white visuals. I admit, I barely remembered the original film, which probably made me enjoy this series even more. Each episode kept me guessing about what would happen next, and with Ripley's unpredictable character, anything was possible. The fantastic cinematography brilliantly captured the atmosphere of southern Italy, playing with architectural details in a way that completely drew me in. This is quality filmmaking at its finest. In every aspect. (2024.05.11)

From a technical standpoint, this might be the best thing Netflix has ever released on its streaming platform. Like, in its entire history! Steven Zaillian has transformed Patricia Highsmith's famous novel into an audiovisual opus, where every shot is to be savored. Truly, most of the runtime could be transferred to a canvas, such is the precision of the camera work. I'm also glad there were a few changes compared to the 1999 film version. Notably, the ending is slightly different. Plus, the main characters are in their forties. And honestly, it worked for me. Andrew Scott is deserving of some award for this. He captured Ripley's inventiveness, deceitfulness, and lack of basic human empathy so perfectly... It deserves recognition! The first part dragged a bit, but after the boat scene, the story kicked into high gear. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Luxurious! For me, it's an 8.5/10. (2024.04.26)