Forget about the actors for a moment; these are the top ten wildest, most charismatic, funniest, and/ or most memorable characters of the millennium.
Vito, Noi E La Giulia
A grumpy Cammorista, Vito, (Carlo Buccirosso) expects to conduct business as usual when he shows up at the area’s new B&B, but the bumbling owners manage to thwart his extortion attempt in last year’s comedy of the year, Noi E La Giulia. (Buccirosso won the award for best supporting actor).
Catch Noi E La Giulia (The Legendary Giulia) in your city: Italian Film Festival USA.
Gep Gambardella, La Grande Bellezza
In La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty) Gep Gambardella, (Toni Servillo) a journalist wrote an important book years ago and has spent the time since resting on the laurels. Everything in life seems like an exaggeration; a vapid, narcissistic, waste of time. In the midst of his socialite life in Rome he is surrounded by self-absorbed pseudo-intellectuals and artists that sully the name of art with meaningless nonsense, and he’s hesitant to contribute to the blah, blah blah that he feels swirling around him.
“Ci sono cose più importanti che provocare me”, Gep tells a young artist who has just run naked, smashing her head into an aqueduct as part of her performance. “There are more important things than provoking me.” He doesn’t get how shocking = brilliant and she doesn’t get why he doesn’t appreciate her brilliance.
WATCH LA GRANDE BELLEZZA
The Great Beauty (English Subtitled)
Mina, Hungry Hearts
In Hungry Hearts, there were early signs of newlywed Mina’s (Alba Rohrwacher) mental unbalance; her unwillingness to eat during her pregnancy was clearly something beyond ordinary morning sickness. But starving herself is one thing; starving the baby is another. Hungry Hearts will confirm every meat eater’s suspicion that vegans are evil food haters. As Mina’s phobias and idiosyncrasies grow stronger, Jude withdraws from the world in an attempt to focus on his child and protect him; but from what? Is Mina really trying to kill her child?
Italia, Non Ti Muovere
In Non Ti Muovere (Don’t Move) Italia (Penelope Cruz) seem so tough and yet surrender so willingly to this otherwise wimpy man ? Is she just another damaged human expecting nothing more in life or has she found the love of her life?
Rosalba, Pane E Tulipani
Pane E Tulipani (Bread and Tulips) is my favorite movie, and Rosalba, my favorite character of all time. When Rosalba gets left behind at a rest stop on the Autostrada on the family vacation she makes limonata out of limoni and uses the opportunity to find what she really wants in life.
Watch Pane e Tulipani – Bread & Tulips (English Subtitled)
Gianni, Pranzo di Ferragosto
In Pranzo di Ferragosto (Mid-August Lunch), unemployed Gianni (Gianni Di Gregorio) lives with his aging Mamma and together they scheme to make ends meet. One Ferragosto (August vacation time), Gianni gets roped into babysitting the neighborhood old ladies so their families can go to the beach.
Pranzo Di Ferragosto – Mid August Lunch (English Subtitled)
Viola, Suburra
Badass Viola (Greta Scarano) is a much bigger badass than any of the men in Netflix’s very cool crime movie, Suburra.
Suburra NETFLIX
Luciano, Anime Nere
In Anime Nere (Black Souls), Luciano (Fabrizio Ferracane) is a father/family member on the verge of a nervous breakdown. And he’s getting squeezed from all sides; his Cammoristi brothers are not only making it difficult with the law and the rival families in his home town, but his son is showing more respect for his uncles than he is for him.
Anime Nere – Black Souls
Claudia (Tu La Conosci Claudia)
I absolutely a love a movie that everyone else has forgotten all about, and I love Claudia (Paola Cortellesi), the adorable protagonist in Tu La Conosci Claudia (Do You Know Claudia). Well, EVERYONE in the film loves her too, and she inspires all the men in her life to make it their mission to win her on a hilarious road trip.
Maria, L’Uomo Perfetto
In another movie that nobody thinks about anymore, L’Uomo Perfetto, Maria (Gabriella Pession) is the best friend that you love and hate passionately. She’s great, but she’s gonna steal your boyfriend because that’s what she does.
To this day I say certain Italian words like her, “ScuuusAAAAAA!” and “”Oihlà!” She can’t help being adorable even when’s she’s deciding for everyone where they should go for dinner or proclaiming that the airport is “the only place you can get a decent cappuccino these days.”
I Love Italian Everything 