Reviews

I've never been a huge fan of Italian movie industry (Spaghetti western simply killed my mind), especially I have to biased approach towards the Italian-French crossover movies, having the belief that all they are about are the strong mature romantic scenes (well, the last scene made kind of reaffirm this belief:) ).

But! This movie is everything for million reasons: great humor, realisticly kind, touchy yet not in a cliche melodrama way, super dynamic AND gives you RIGHT lessons about true friendship. In contrary to "Good Will Hunting", where an older friend of a father-less boy gives him a "follow your dreams and forget about your talent" kind of mainstream advice (IMHO. sorry, if it's your favorite movie tho), in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso the old friend truly cares about the boy, shows him the true face of love and life before he is left heartbroken, directs him for a better life and higher standards. Alfredo shows Toto that nostalgia is the feeling that keeps us where we are and at the end of the day we realize that we belong to nowhere. Moreover, aren't most of his word simply quote worthy (and I am not even talking about real old Hollywood quotes he used)?

Well, I was left with two questions at the end: I did not completely get the very last scene of the movie, but it must be a tribute to the old Hollywood. And was Toto actually happy with the life he get? His mother said a wise thing at the end: we pay for our goals and dreams by loneliness. Is it always true or is it possible to balance? Was it possible for Toto to find the true love after all this time, or did he stick to Elena's memories just to have that nostalgic little shelf in his heart against the whole beautiful, dirty and rich life he ended up in? That's some good food for thought, and all the great directors leave us with similar questions, so that we will not forget the movie in the nearest future.

Will definitely watch it with my kids one day!

I am speechless. Literally out of words. Pardon my upcoming emotional rollercoaster. No eloquence or compliments would be enough for this masterpiece. The true detective, the storyline, the perfect friendship of non-perfect humans, beautiful scenes, the real face of revenge and the love as it is. As a junior lawyer, Irene's skills and her character stole my heart. But even when I get older this movie will remain as my top 5. I might be too romantic, but I am left with thought that the movie took its name not from the eyes of Gomez staring at his victim on group photos, but from the way Irene and Benjamin lovingly look at each other. Oh my, this is the best movie about literally everything I need to see in a movie.

Did this movie fueled hippies with motivation and passion to do what they did? Nevertheless, as a citizen of the former Soviet Republic, it was simply hilarious to watch an American movie (made during the pique of Cold War, which deserves additional applause to the crew) portraying that the situation and people's common belief was nearly the same even overseas: the belief that the "enemy is near and is gonna kill all of us one way or another". Jack Ripper reminded me so many acquaintances of mine who lived back in days!:D Impervious, harsh, brutal, passionately believing in his own truth and sort of a satiric character for all of the listed above. The only difference is that their favorite line was: "It's all America again", but in the movie you can watch the vice versa. Great movie, yet, the question got me thinking: did both parties actually enjoy dropping another war using force and guns less than a couple of decades after the hell on Earth called WW2? P.S. The fictional president of the US being the most sane character of the movie probably "saved" its reputation back in times IMHO:) P.P.S. Spoiler: get ready for the then existing post-WW2 stereotypes about super cold and *still-kinda-nazi* Germans, cynical yet *cowboy-minded" Americans and always up for a drink Russians :D