Review of Malena (2000) by Matthew F. J — 02 Nov 2014

Maybe one of the most beautiful film is have ever seen in my life. This young boy's coming of age chronicle bathed in the hot Sicilian sun of the WW2 Era and the rise to power of Mussolini, is an example of what European and most specifically Italian cinema can do when a master is sitting behind the camera surrounded by a talented cinematographer and camera crew ever.

This lavish historical drama directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, is an extremely well written, acted and produced piece of old school cinema. Gorgeous locations, amazing scenery and beautiful sets give this film a typically Sicilian feeling.

The ever sculptural Mediterranean beauty Monica Bellucci is shot and depicted like a goddess and her somehow contrasting beauty and sad eyes will forever stuck with you. Few films have the power to literally suck you in to a degree where you wish it could never end.

Malena is one of these, a contemporary masterpiece in my opinion and a love letter to a time when we actually knew how to make films that had the ability to talk straight to the heart and the senses. I saw this film in 2002 and some reviews were terrible back then but I loved every bit of it.

Watching it again a decade later I got even more satisfaction out of a film that reminds me a lot of my own childhood spent in a tiny village in the south of France where people are still very much like the one depicted in the film.

This is a film that gets better with time and I will definitely keep on warmly recommend it to anyone who has a slight interest in film making and cinematography. What a story, what a film, what an actress and of course what a fantasy.

....