Review of Cinema Paradiso (1988) by Arianeta L — 17 Jan 2010

I just saw Cinema Paradiso for 10th time and I realized that I had never reviewed this film before. For one more time I am carried to a small village in Italy where the dreams of a young boy come true and we can join him in his marvelous journey through life? I like Italian language and I think it adds to film beauty and sound of music.

The characters are so real that you can almost smell them. I could say that I?m in Paradise every time I see it? The story is quite simple. A human?s life it's tragedies and triumphs within the context of a vocation.

"Cinema Paradiso" takes place in a Italian village and tells about a friendship between a projectionist in the local cinema of the title, Alfredo (Philippe Noiret, one of the best French character actors whose career spanned more than half a century and who was equally good in the surreal satire, light comedies, moving dramas or revenge war movies) and the little boy Salvatore or Toto whose father had died during the war.

Since his childhood, Toto was fascinated by the movies and spent countless hours in the projection booth with Alfredo who had become the boy's friend and the mentor. After a fire blinds Alfredo, Toto becomes the projectionist, and the Cinema Paradiso continues to attract all villagers and to bring them together on Friday night to experience again and again the miracle of film.

The boy's obsession with film becomes a lifelong love affair which will make him eventually a famous and successful filmmaker. Excellent performances of all the cast, impeccable cinematography and editing, amazing soundtrack, ideal use of flashbacks and story telling .

.. and ?and I could keep on naming all the variables and every one of them is better and gets better with time. Share it with your loved ones. This beautiful cinematic poem is a wonderful gift for all movie lovers around the world?.