Individualism vs. determinism is it truly up to the individual to change his destiny or is it all predetermined? Anna Magnani in an emotion explosion In his second film Mamma Roma, Pier Paolo Pasolini is constantly moving between these two extreme poles. The story, brings about Pasolini’s typical characters on the margins of life as [...]

In this film Giuseppe Piccioni returns to familiar themes of alienation and the decline of modern family structures, the resulting need for companionship and our value system that wraps it all in good and bad labels. The film’s 3 protagonists: Giulia, Guido and their swimming pool The film runs 3 main parallel plot lines: the [...]

23 songs shot in 21 days would be the skinniest premise for an otherwise very passionate musical journey by John Turturro into the cultural alleys and pathways of a very special city – Napoli. Trailer I attended the film uptown opening, at The Film Society of Lincoln Center’s new state-of-the-art Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center [...]

Quick, what comes to your mind when you think about the word “island?” It’s not a coincidence the word swings between two opposing associations: on the positive end, it offers exotic escape, away from it all repose, while on the negative – a sense of forced seclusion, and disconnectedness from rest of the world. The [...]

As Italy celebrates its 150th year of unification (aka Risoregimento) this year, the Lincoln Film Society in New York chose to include this masterpiece by Alessandro Blasetti as part of their current festival: Open Roads: New Italian Cinema. I attended the screening and here are some of my impressions. Carmelo and Rosuzza his wife reunited [...]