Ciao a tutti,
here is the new program for FALL 07,
have fun!!!!!!
As instructors of Italian, we decided to choose for our students and colleagues extremely recent films related to contemporary Italy or narrating Italian history as a metaphor for today's condition. Just to give you an idea, the first 4 films, in particular, have been suggested by Professors of Italian at the 2007 AAIS Conference in Colorado Springs in their papers' presentations, which is an assurance of quality and relevance. Some of the films are intense, and visually demanding, others are lighter. But all of them are good to improve your Italian and to increase your knowledge of Italian society and artistic potential!
here is the new program for FALL 07,
have fun!!!!!!
As instructors of Italian, we decided to choose for our students and colleagues extremely recent films related to contemporary Italy or narrating Italian history as a metaphor for today's condition. Just to give you an idea, the first 4 films, in particular, have been suggested by Professors of Italian at the 2007 AAIS Conference in Colorado Springs in their papers' presentations, which is an assurance of quality and relevance. Some of the films are intense, and visually demanding, others are lighter. But all of them are good to improve your Italian and to increase your knowledge of Italian society and artistic potential!
When you post a comment, please don't forget to write clearly the title of the film you are writing about!! Please come and have fun:
VVR room, MLB 2nd floor, a
t 6:30 pm
Tue, Sep.11: La Sconosciuta, by Giuseppe Tornatore, 2006*^
Tue, Sep.18: Nuovomondo, by Emanuele Crialese, 2006*^
Tue, Sep.25: Fame chimica, by A. Bocola and P. Vari, 2003*^
Tue, Oct.2: Saimir, by Francesco Munzi, 2004^
Tue, Oct.9: Provincia meccanica, by Stefano Mordini, 2005*
Tue, Oct.16: Dopo mezzanotte, by Davide Ferrario, 2004*
Thur, Oct.25: La seconda notte di nozze, by Pupi Avati, 2005*
Tue, Oct.30: La tigre e la neve, by Roberto Benigni, 2005*
Thur, Nov.8: Dillo con parole mie, by Daniele Luchetti, 2003*
Tue, Nov.13: Buongiorno notte, by Marco Bellocchio, 2003*
Tue, Nov.20: La strada di Levi, by Davide Ferrario, 2006*
Tue, Nov.27: Anche libero va bene, by Kim Rossi Stuart, 2006*
VVR room, MLB 2nd floor, a
t 6:30 pmTue, Sep.11: La Sconosciuta, by Giuseppe Tornatore, 2006*^
Tue, Sep.18: Nuovomondo, by Emanuele Crialese, 2006*^
Tue, Sep.25: Fame chimica, by A. Bocola and P. Vari, 2003*^
Tue, Oct.2: Saimir, by Francesco Munzi, 2004^
Tue, Oct.9: Provincia meccanica, by Stefano Mordini, 2005*
Tue, Oct.16: Dopo mezzanotte, by Davide Ferrario, 2004*
Thur, Oct.25: La seconda notte di nozze, by Pupi Avati, 2005*
Tue, Oct.30: La tigre e la neve, by Roberto Benigni, 2005*
Thur, Nov.8: Dillo con parole mie, by Daniele Luchetti, 2003*
Tue, Nov.13: Buongiorno notte, by Marco Bellocchio, 2003*
Tue, Nov.20: La strada di Levi, by Davide Ferrario, 2006*
Tue, Nov.27: Anche libero va bene, by Kim Rossi Stuart, 2006*
*Italian subtitles
^English subtitles
25 comments:
MONDONUOVO is a fantastic movie ... especially if you are a US immigrant ... enjoy it ... :) XA
Ho visto "Nuovomondo" il 18 settembre: un film bellissimo che racconta sul lungo viaggio di una povera famiglia di agricoltori e pastori dall'Italia all'America, dal Vecchio al Nuovo Mondo, dal passato al futuro...
Emozionante
...ahem... volevo dire "...che racconta IL lungo viaggio... ", scusate...
Anche a me Nuovomondo รจ piaciuto molto. Ci sono delle scene molto potenti, per esempio quella della tempesta sull'oceano in cui tutti i corpi dei migranti si ammassano l'uno sull'altro...
grandioso!
I am going to post in English, because if I try to post in Italian no one will have a clue what I am trying to say!! I liked the film alot-especially since there were no english subtitles and I actually understood most of what was going on! More seriously, I was really impressed by the directors shooting style. The photographic form was AMAZING. I also really liked how powerful the film was, despite how little language was used. It was also pretty original for a story that has been told many times. I really liked that the director left out the cliche statue of liberty. I also liked that the director left out the cliche dream of finding a land where you can work and become rich, a place where everyone is equal, and instead focused on how the family took the trip with hopes of finding a place with human sized vegetables, rivers of milk, and trees of money. That was very interesting, and different.
I am very curious about the ending though. Did the son and grandma end up getting to stay? Or did they get sent back to Italy? Or did the whole family go back together?
Amanda Pattock
Italian 232 student
Finally I know how to post! In any case, I enjoyed the film immensely. It was certainly a worthwhile cinematic experience. I felt it was a return to the Golden Age of film during which little dialogue and stirring realism were de rigueur. For me, this brought to mind the films of Antonioni, Pasolini, et al. This is refreshing in an age of overt sentimentalism, which characterizes Tornatore's works. (I enjoy these nonetheless.) The cinematography was excellent per usual and really served as the impetus of the film. I especially enjoyed the surreal scenes depicting the fantastic notions of America-- particularly the unusually large carrots. The images alone spoke volumes and rendered dialogue for the most part unnecessary. It was quite enlightening with regard to the dehumanization of the immigration process depicted as well as social mores, conditions and conflict. All these elements, along with the ambiguity of the ending, (the youngest son finding his voice or alternatively the grandmother's gift of her own for the sake of keeping the family together in the new world) coalesced to create a truly poignant picture.
The comment I posted previously was regarding the movie "Mondonuovo"...
My comment was also in regard to "Mondonuovo."
Today I saw the movie "Fame Chimica". I felt that this movie was fantastic. I was incredibly taken back by how similar American "neighborhoods" are to the Italian one portrayed in the film. I feel that with the events taking place in America today, specifically Jena 6, it is important to remember that these racial issues take place everywhere, and this movie really put that into perspective. I think I was also taken back because when I think of Italy, I think of amazing history, beautiful villas, canals and all of those romanticized images, I have hardly, if at all, entertained the idea that there are poor neighborhoods infested with drugs. This movie really gave me a good look at a completely different perspective of Italy.
After viewing "Fame Chimica," I must say that it is an effective socially-conscious commentary unique in that the conclusion conveyed a sense of hope (through Claudio, a universally identifiable main character) amidst the pervasive social degeneration of Barona. It depicts quite vividly the universal themes of ethnic and class tension, the angst of youth, the desire for something greater, and the discontent that arises from the disparity between one's reality and their yearning. The music captured all of these elements excellently. Even more, the bomb at the film's climax captured precisely the societal fervor which continued to intensify through the course of the film.
Although right now I want nothing more than the 1.5 hours I spent watching "Saimir" back, I have to admit, it wasn't all bad. The actors gave a convincing performance and the storyline in and of itself was touching, original in its angle, and socially aware-- a young man coming into his own in spite of his father's efforts to make a living for them by questionable means. The concept is good; the fault lies in the execution. The film dragged quite a bit (understatement of the century) and although the storyline came full circle with Saimir making a definitive moral decision indicative of his much-anticipated arrival at adulthood, the ending left much to be desired. It simply ended (with overdramatic music, no less) leaving much unsaid and even more unexplored as characters and subplots which took up quite a bit of screen time simply disappeared.
I too felt that "Saimir" was long, and poorly executed. While the tale was a very interesting one, and while it is necessary to bring this issue of immigration to the table-there has got to be a better way to do it.
One thing that I would like to comment on that has nothing to do with immigration, is that throughout the last few films there has been a trend in the way the men treat the women. Women are portrayed as possesions-objects that can be used and abused as desired. Even the girls that are considered desirable-such as Mikela (?) in "Saimir". He acted as though his wanting her meant she was supposed to completely succomb to him. I'm just a little disturbed by the fact that this is a reoccuring theme. Is this the dominant attitude in Italy?
I attended the Italianismo Party today in the MLB and I must say that I am glad I did. I came starving from work, and I was not disappointed!! The spaghetti was fantastic, as was the Tiramisu. I also really enjoyed the salad which was strang for me because I usually dont like any salad without Ranch dressing! Overall I was very impressed with the food, as well as the turnout of students :)
I also attended the Italianissimo party. I enjoyed the congenial atmosphere immensely. I was impressed by the wide variety of foods. The salame al cioccolato was particularly good.
Today I watched the film "La tigre e la neve". It was by far the best Italian film I have seen so far. While it was incredibly unrealistic, it was also funny, cute, and all together uplifting. Despite the war surrounding the characters (and the suicide which was totally uncalled for) the main character's (whose name I forgot...it started with an A) love for Vittoria was cute and fun and a good change from the last few films. Maybe the change is the difference in how realistic each film is...either way I thoroughly enjoyed "La tigre e la neve".
I also enjoyed "La tigre e la neve." I came from class, so I missed the beginning--and have no idea why Allito's love for Vittoria was unrequited--but it didn't really matter. I still understood and identified with Allito's struggle. Though the film was comically unrealistic on the whole, I found the ending very moving. The scene with la tigre e la neve was beautiful, and Vittoria's ephiphanic moment of recogition (as she silently lets Allito leave) was an aesthetically satisfying ending.
La Sconosciuta: The story about a Ukrainian girl Irina who comes from a small town and her construction worker lover is very interesting. The plot thickens when Irina’s dreams of becoming rich and famous transforms her into a prostitute resulting in the death of her lover by a pimp, Muffa and the auctioning of her baby. That little tidbit is all that needs to be said to understand the uniqueness of this movie. When Irina works for a small family and her past in unraveled, it’s a clever way of explaining her past. I enjoyed the movie and though the actors were brilliant. Kseniva Rappoport who plays Irina in the movie, does a splendid job of acting and is absolutely gorgeous. Her pimp, Muffa displays his character perfectly as a scary and mean individual. I would recommend this rather naughty Italian movie to anyone who wants a breath of fresh air since I doubt anyone we’ll see a movie like this in American theaters coming soon.
Nuovomondo: I found this movie to be rather intriguing since I’ve seen many immigration movies but none like this. Instead of portraying the stereotypical scenes of the Statue of Liberty and brief captions of life below the deck, the director, Emanuele Crialese walks us through the real life situations of the immigrants below the deck. Furthermore, following the end of the voyage and arrival at Ellis Island, the movie showcases more footage than most typical movies regarding immigration as I believe a third of the movie illustrates the immigrants first hand experience in the Lower east side of New York city. I enjoyed this movie because of it’s historical accuracy and ability to persuade viewers of the truly harsh and rugged environment, foreigners had to experience back during the immigration phase of America.
Fame Chimica: Claudio and Manuel are both interesting characters. They have a harsh life living in the Milan ghettos with Claudio as warehouse worker and Manuel as a drug dealer. They both end up liking the same girl named Maja, who comes from London and wants to raise money to return. The drugs and sex walking around this film makes it very easy to watch and a more enjoyable experience. I had a great time watching this film because I understand that drugs and sex occur in the ghettos wherever you go in the world. I enjoyed the ending where there was a drug deal, more confrontation, and an explosion. I’m happy that Maja ended up in London again since I thought she deserved it.
La tigre e la neve: Roberto Benigni is my favorite Italian actor of all time. I think he is hilarious at everything he does and is an excellent actor. I loved him in Johnny Stecchino, the movie I watched last year in 231. I always get excited when I hear his name in a film we watch in Italian class. This movie reinforces Roberto Benigni’s ability to carefully mix comedy with drama in a tasteful manner. I liked the plot of the movie as a man discovers that the love of his life is injured in Baghdad and he flies over there to see her and help her out. I thought the script was beautifully written and I enjoyed the music throughout the film.
Saimir: I liked this movie because it kind of represents the hardships that my father and I had once in our lives. Saimir’s father tries his hardest to provide a secure start for Saimir as new immigrant. Eventually, Saimir transforms from an obedient son into a normal immature and disobedient teenager. I find this movie to be similar to my life situation when I was younger. I was very obedient to my father’s wishes until one day I woke up and decided not to follow him. We ended up enduring numerous fights throughout the years over my nativity. Eventually, I grew out of my selfish state and we have begun to grow closer to each other.
"Provinicia Meccanica" The movie is ok and has a pretty strong plot. A man named Marco has a complicated relationship with his wife, Silvia who runs away with her baby so she does not lose custody. In the end, they end up being a family. I was hoping for more of a comedic movie but the film was a decent view. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in melodramas.
-Jordan Reiser Italian 232 (Federica)
"Dopo Mezzanotte" I enjoyed this movie. was waiting for an Italian comedy since they are my favorite. This comedic love story involves a young woman, Amanda, who falls in love with two men, but she has no idea in how to deal with picking the right one. I like the character Angelo. I really like this movie because it was very witty humor.
"Buongiorno notte" I thought this film was boring. I don't really think presidential kidnappings are that interesting because it can pretty much never happen. All around, the movie was slow though there were some interesting parts, like the letters that Moro writes to his family.
"Anche libero va bene" I enjoyed this movie. You can really relate to the characters in the movie. The ending is a little sad but the character Rossi does say that in the end he will bounce back which is very inspirational. I recommend this movie since you can really relate some characteristcs of normal life to the characters in this film.
Jordan Reiser- Italian 232 (Federica)
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