Foreign Language Films

[SisterNightroad]

Ah ah Ok, my personal picks would be:
"La grande bellezza" (aka "The Great Beauty") by Paolo Sorrentino, I''m curious to know the opinion of an American
"La vita è bella" by Roberto Benigni (aka "Life is beautiful") and prepare a handkerchief
"Giulietta degli Spiriti" by Federico Fellini.

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by SisterNightroad

Ah ah Ok, my personal picks would be:
"La grande bellezza" (aka "The Great Beauty") by Paolo Sorrentino, I''m curious to know the opinion of an American
"La vita è bella" by Roberto Benigni (aka "Life is beautiful") and prepare a handkerchief
"Giulietta degli Spiriti" by Federico Fellini.

Okay, these will be the next three on my list. I've long wanted to watch Life is Beautiful actually.
I'll give you my opinion of The Great Beauty (but you'll have to wait for your American opinion and make do with a British one).

many thanks

[SisterNightroad]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

Okay, these will be the next three on my list. I've long wanted to watch Life is Beautiful actually.
I'll give you my opinion of The Great Beauty (but you'll have to wait for your American opinion and make do with a British one).

many thanks

A British review will be a pleasure nonetheless.

Originally Posted by ~*BellaDonna*~

A while back I saw one with Penelope Cruz but I cannot remember the name of it.

Since it's a foreign language movie I think it could be one of her long time collaborations with Pedro Almodovar or one of her more recent italian movies with Castellitto, "Don't move" or "Twice born".

[~*BellaDonna*~]

Originally Posted by SisterNightroad

A British review will be a pleasure nonetheless.



Since it's a foreign language movie I think it could be one of her long time collaborations with Pedro Almodovar or one of her more recent italian movies with Castellitto, "Don't move" or "Twice born".

I looked up her filmography on Wikipedia and found it. It's called Volver.

[Danielle]

Originally Posted by SisterNightroad

A British review will be a pleasure nonetheless.



Since it's a foreign language movie I think it could be one of her long time collaborations with Pedro Almodovar or one of her more recent italian movies with Castellitto, "Don't move" or "Twice born".

No film has ever made me feel as much sadness as "Don't Move". I couldn't even cry like I do with most films, I felt an actual pain in my chest.

[SisterNightroad]

Originally Posted by Danielle

No film has ever made me feel as much sadness as "Don't Move". I couldn't even cry like I do with most films, I felt an actual pain in my chest.

It's based on a book by Margaret Mazzantini (just like Twice Born); all her books are deeply moving and upsetting, and are partly inspired by real life events. Twice Born left me in a pensive state for days.
I think that these movies were some of the best interpretations by Penelope Cruz. Strangely (or maybe not) this is just the kind of movie that is praised in Italy and shunned in the rest of the world. Melodrama and Realism are deeply ingrained in our artistic culture and I often see that other countries have a difficult time in relating to the extreme tales portrayed in movies like these. I had and still have a hard time too, but like my favourite teacher used to say (the one who introduced me and my classmates to these genre), life is also this and we can't close our eyes and pretend.

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

Okay, these will be the next three on my list. I've long wanted to watch Life is Beautiful actually.
I'll give you my opinion of The Great Beauty (but you'll have to wait for your American opinion and make do with a British one).

many thanks

These DVD's recently arrived in the post. Just finished watching Life Is Beautiful...bang, half way through it changes big time. As soon as it finished my wife turned to me and said 'Sometimes it's really crap being a human being'. I wouldn't say I sobbed but I certainly shed some tears at the end.

Will watch La Grande Bellezza tomorrow if I get the chance.

[SisterNightroad]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

Just finished watching Life Is Beautiful...bang, half way through it changes big time. As soon as it finished my wife turned to me and said 'Sometimes it's really crap being a human being'. I wouldn't say I sobbed but I certainly shed some tears at the end.

It has that effect on everyone. I still remember when I watched it in biddle-school during the cinema extra class, even the boasters were crying. I've never wanted to see it in its entirey again. Maybe now I should try again.

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by SisterNightroad

It has that effect on everyone. I still remember when I watched it in biddle-school during the cinema extra class, even the boasters were crying. I've never wanted to see it in its entirey again. Maybe now I should try again.

Yeah, it's not a film I'd like to watch again in a hurry. I have strange feelings about it. On the one hand I want to say its a beautiful film with really beautiful cinematography. At the same time, I think I'd feel rather awkward saying that due to the subject matter. There were some really subtly disturbing moments and there are still questions in my head about it that I'm mulling over.

[SisterNightroad]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

Yeah, it's not a film I'd like to watch again in a hurry. I have strange feelings about it. On the one hand I want to say its a beautiful film with really beautiful cinematography. At the same time, I think I'd feel rather awkward saying that due to the subject matter. There were some really subtly disturbing moments and there are still questions in my head about it that I'm mulling over.

I think such a movie more than anything wants/has to raise questions in the viewer and if it has succeded we can say it is a good movie. I think it deserved all the praises that it got, but like you said, it's awkward that in Italy TV always air that as a Christmas movie...

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by SisterNightroad

I think such a movie more than anything wants/has to raise questions in the viewer and if it has succeded we can say it is a good movie. I think it deserved all the praises that it got, but like you said, it's awkward that in Italy TV always air that as a Christmas movie...

Christmas? Wow. I suppose its good to reflect at that time of the year on how good (the vast majority of) our lives are comparitively speaking.
By the way, Roberto Benigni really reminds me a lot of a French actor I like called Pierre Richard.