Dome Vongvises
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- May 13, 2001
- Messages
- 8,172
Before cries of outrage take place, I would like to go ahead and say up front that I credit Edwin Pereya and Scott Weinberg in coming up with "taking a look at movies" approach to discussion. Quite frankly, I think it's a great idea, and I'd like to share a look at some movie gems (and turds) I've seen over my past life.
Cineman Paradiso
Score: A-
This is one of the movies we had to watch for ENG 281-001 at the University of Kentucky (Intro to Film). And I'll honestly say if it weren't for this class, I would've not been able to have discovered this cinematic gem.
CP is the flashback story of a young boy named Toto who grows up in a small Sicilian village watching movies at his local theater house. There he befriends Alfredo, an old man who runs the projector. Their relationship grows from one of antagonizing action, to acceptance, and finally friendship. As the story progresses, we see Toto grow and mature as he goes through different parts of his life. And finally in the end Toto, a now successful film director in Italy, reflects on his life, particularly his friendship with Alfredo, his relationship with his mother, his lost-love Elena, and his love of the movies.
I'm simply amazed by the moving story that Giuseppe Tornatore presents before us. Regardless of the fact that it's a foreign film, anybody from the planet Earth can easily identify with its themes of fascination, love, and maturity. Alfredo, the wiseman character in this film, serves to not only tutor Toto in the ways film projection, but to also show him the ways of life. A clear cut example is when Toto is a young adult and Alfredo encourages him to leave and never return to the town of Giancoli. While this may seem cruel, one needs to look no further than to see the lesson inherent in this stern lecture: never hold onto the past, but merely reflect upon it, a life lesson we may all need to heed.
One thing I'm kind of surprised by is the portrayals of Italians, particularly Sicilians. After having read The Godfather and watching other Italian mobster movies, you'd think that such charcterizations are exaggerated. The way they watch movies is in such stark contrast to what we have in America (and people complain about cell phones
). I was slightly amused, but more understanding of the fact that public places, particularly the movie house in this film, served as a place where the community can come together (no pun intended) and enjoy the movies as one.
I would recommend anybody to take a chance with this movie. You'll be quite surprised. As a matter of fact, it's one of those movies that wouldn't be a bad idea for a date (any girl with a heartbeat will find Toto, during his kid days, to be cute. Case example is a girl in my class). Such a moving story could easily be classified as a tearjerker. Not to say I cried or anything, but you get the point
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"I don't know, Marge. Trying is the first step towards failure." - Homer J. Simpson
"Stranger things have happened..." - Wes Deskins
"It's not Pikeville, Kentucky. It's Pikevool!!! And it's not Louisville, it's Loolvool!!! Get it right, damnit!!!"
My DVD Collection
Cineman Paradiso
Score: A-
This is one of the movies we had to watch for ENG 281-001 at the University of Kentucky (Intro to Film). And I'll honestly say if it weren't for this class, I would've not been able to have discovered this cinematic gem.
CP is the flashback story of a young boy named Toto who grows up in a small Sicilian village watching movies at his local theater house. There he befriends Alfredo, an old man who runs the projector. Their relationship grows from one of antagonizing action, to acceptance, and finally friendship. As the story progresses, we see Toto grow and mature as he goes through different parts of his life. And finally in the end Toto, a now successful film director in Italy, reflects on his life, particularly his friendship with Alfredo, his relationship with his mother, his lost-love Elena, and his love of the movies.
I'm simply amazed by the moving story that Giuseppe Tornatore presents before us. Regardless of the fact that it's a foreign film, anybody from the planet Earth can easily identify with its themes of fascination, love, and maturity. Alfredo, the wiseman character in this film, serves to not only tutor Toto in the ways film projection, but to also show him the ways of life. A clear cut example is when Toto is a young adult and Alfredo encourages him to leave and never return to the town of Giancoli. While this may seem cruel, one needs to look no further than to see the lesson inherent in this stern lecture: never hold onto the past, but merely reflect upon it, a life lesson we may all need to heed.
One thing I'm kind of surprised by is the portrayals of Italians, particularly Sicilians. After having read The Godfather and watching other Italian mobster movies, you'd think that such charcterizations are exaggerated. The way they watch movies is in such stark contrast to what we have in America (and people complain about cell phones
). I was slightly amused, but more understanding of the fact that public places, particularly the movie house in this film, served as a place where the community can come together (no pun intended) and enjoy the movies as one.I would recommend anybody to take a chance with this movie. You'll be quite surprised. As a matter of fact, it's one of those movies that wouldn't be a bad idea for a date (any girl with a heartbeat will find Toto, during his kid days, to be cute. Case example is a girl in my class). Such a moving story could easily be classified as a tearjerker. Not to say I cried or anything, but you get the point
------------------
"I don't know, Marge. Trying is the first step towards failure." - Homer J. Simpson
"Stranger things have happened..." - Wes Deskins
"It's not Pikeville, Kentucky. It's Pikevool!!! And it's not Louisville, it's Loolvool!!! Get it right, damnit!!!"
My DVD Collection
