Sì Può Fare (We Can Do That) – Director Giulio Manfredonia does a wonderful job of making what could easily have been overly sentimental and one-dimensional a heartfelt and inspiring story about the value of human life, the benefits of seeing beyond perceived limitations, and the empowerment that comes from friendship and encouragement.The actors who play the patients are outstanding, performing the illnesses without stereotypes or overacting and Claudio Bisio is just wonderful as their mentor.
To date, catch it while you can though, you can watch the whole thing on YouTube.
Agata e la Tempesta (Agata and the Storm) – Gustavo, played by Emilio Solfrizzi finds out that he was adopted (traded for a sewing machine, rather) when he was a baby and has a bit of a freak out. With his adoptive sister’s help he gets to know his new family and makes some life changes. Agata, played by Licia Maglietta misteriously blows out electrical circuits, Gustavo’s wife is on TV doing wacky pop psychology and his new brother has a bunch of crazy business ventures in this film from Silvio Soldini.
Benvenuto al Sud (Welcome to the South) – Alberto (Claudi Bisio) and his family (his wife, Silvia played by Angela Finocchiaro) lives in a small town not far from Milan and dreams of moving to the big city but when Alberto applies for a transfer he learns that handicapped people are being shown preference. Alberto fails in his wacky, not very believable attempt to make superiors believe he’s needs a wheelchair to get around and his punishment is 2 years in the south.
Dillo Con Parole Mie – (Ginger and Cinnamon) – I usually hate coming of age movies, but this one is different. In most coming of age movies (and I have to stop saying, “coming of age movies” because even the phrase sounds lame), the characters grow a little and “acting their age” means developing maturity. In this movie, it means just the opposite – these characters need to remember their youth and stop acting older than they really are. Stefania (played by Stefania Montorsi) needs to stop acting like an old woman, and Megghy ( Marina Merlino ), who’s only 14, needs to stop obsessing about her virginity. Megghy, who has always been been told that she is seems older than she is, uses it as an insult when she tries to get her aunt to stop being so “anal”. “You’re the one who seems older than she really is”, she tells her aunt.
This film from Daniele Luchetti has a really fun song and dance number at the end.
Pane e Tulipani (Bread and Tulips) – I’ve watched Pane e Tulipani ( Bread and Tulips ) 100 times and I’m not exaggerating – the number may actually be higher. I’m thinking about calling director Silvio Soldini to ask him if I can do commentary on a director’s cut – I love this movie and I’ve given it a lot of thought. It’s practically perfect, and not because there are no mistakes, but because there is nothing in it that I’d change.
WATCH IT ON AMAZON INSTANT VIDEO
Scialla! (Easy) – “I wanted to say something about the responsibility we have as writers”, said director Francesco Bruni. He said that he was interested in speaking to boys, like his son, who he feels are being too influenced by a culture that glorifies violence and chooses the wrong role models. Movies like Romanzo Criminale, for example, give them the wrong idea about life.
In Scialla!, Fabrizio Bentivoglio plays Bruno, the burned out teacher who spends his day half-ass tutoring high school students, getting high, and ghost-writing biographies for famous people. In the film he’s busy interviewing Tina, a porn star played by Barbora Bobulova, who does a great job as the rich and glamorous actress who’s made her living with “DP” (don’t ask).
One of Bruno’s student’s parents chose him as a tutor not quite by chance – the boy is Bruno’s son, and the mother needed for them to meet. She’s leaving the country and needs Bruno to take the kid in while she’s away. At first Bruno tells the boy, who doesn’t know anything about who his dad is and thinks he may be in prison, that he can stay but that he’s no babysitter and that he’s going to have to take care of himself. Later, he finds himself compelled to take a more active role.
Il Terzo Tempo (The Third Half) – Director Enrico Maria Artale tells the story of Samuel, played by Lorenzo Richelmy, in and out of juvie and on his way to doing hard time. His mother is a drug addict and he never knew his father, so when his parole officer, an ex-rugby star played by Stefano Cassetti, gives him the chance to play on his rugby team, he’s able get a little of his aggression out of his system and discover the value of working with a team.
Tutti i Santi Giorni (Every Blessed Day) – Paolo Virzì, who directed one of my favorites (Caterina Va In Città) gives us most recently this sweetly romantic movie. The couple, Antonia (Thony) and Guido (Luca Marinelli), are nothing really out of the ordinary or anything we’ve not seen in other movies. He’s serious and brainy, she’s artistic and less stable, and their happy-go-lucky life together is marred only by their struggle to conceive a child. What makes this couple special is that they are real, and they are believable as a couple. Their happy ending is authentic if not what you expect.
Tutti I Santi Giorni will be screened at my city, Cleveland, OH for its Italian Film Festival.
I Love Italian Everything 