Ernani - Giuseppe Verdi - Teatro Alla Scala (Subtitled)

Advantages: An amazing film.
Disadvantages: None in my opinion - subtitles might put some off though (which is a shame)

...in the 2001 film 'Le Placard'. The music is great too, it's all written by Jean-Claude Petit and the theme tune is the 'La Force du Destin' by Giuseppe Verdi - you might recognise it from the Stella Artois adverts. The theme plays for the first five or so minutes whilst you see Ugolin returning from the army to his uncle's house. This is really an introduction to the beautiful surroundings which play such a key role in the film. The film is in French and contains English subtitles. I know that this instantly puts some people off but I urge you to watch this film regardless. The French that is spoken has a beautiful Provence accent (except for Jean and his family) which made it very interesting to listen to. The film lasts for 116 minutes and there are no real special features to speak of - only the original theatrical trailer. It... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Utterly convincing, very moving, superb acting.
Disadvantages: Subtitles may annoy some people.

...on trying to be a good husband and a good father to his son and daughter. There is an emphasis on the mundane - how "normal" this family is and how together they look to us as outsiders. The father is skilled in his work and uses the office in his apartment almost all the time so he can be close to his family. Despite seeing patients suffering terrible emotional traumas, he keeps a professional distance and doesn’t become overly involved in his patients’ lives. He enjoys jogging in his spare time and whatever he does he tries to share it with the family. But this is, of course, building up to massive, shattering blow for the family that leads to the breakdown of these values. One Sunday afternoon, Giovanni has to cancel his plans to spend some time with his eighteen-year old son Andrea (Giuseppe Sanfelice) because... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: touching story, brilliant actors, impressive photography
Disadvantages: none

...their bikes along the bumpy paths or play pubescent 'I dare you' games. One day on the way back from playing on the grounds of a deserted farm house a little girl notices that she's left her sunglasses there, her brother, 10-year-old Michele (Giuseppe Cristiano) rides back to retrieve them. By chance he sees an opening in a roof covered by a lid, he lifts it, peeps into a deep hole and spots a small, pale human leg sticking out from a heap of rags, if it belongs to a dead or living human being isn't obvious, he quickly closes the lid again and rides home. I've pondered on the question why he doesn't tell his parents or his friends about his discovery, it seems odd, but the boy is shown as a dare devil as well as a dreamer, every night before he falls asleep he pulls his sheet over his head, switches on a torch and reads adventure stories, he... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful