Malèna

I found the film to be visually hypnotic and very moving. I was also impressed with the film maker's story telling technique. The film brought me into the bustling street life of the Sicilian village by eye-level camera work and the comments of the people in crowded scenes, through which I was taken with the characters. Just like walking down a busy urban street anywhere with your ears and eyes open. The film made me wake up to the fact that so much American film, perhaps all contemporary film, is composed mainly of close ups with two or a few people. Not this film. There is a sequence with airplanes overhead that is absolutely dizzying without any fancy 3-D or pyrotechnic effects. Mr. Tornatore brilliantly uses silent stares, pairs of eyes and silly dream sequences with amazing effect. The male lead, an adolescent boy, is portrayed with great empathy by Giuseppe Sulfaro without schmaltz or sanitizing, so typical in American films about puberty. The title role, played well by a dazzling Monica Bellucci, could have been written for a young Sophia Loren. (My dream sequence, I guess) My favorite character was Renato's father, hilariously played by Luciano Federico. A must see.

The film is developed on WWII in a small town from Sicily,there live an adolescent(Renato)coming of age,he is obsessed of a married woman(Monica Belucci)whose husband was to the war.The young man tries to help her but he is enamored and is too young .We see him growing up during a few years and by Malena he changes his life forever.

The picture contains drama and nostalgia completely wrapped in an enjoyable love story between an innocent young boy and a beautiful woman.The movie gets a sharply social critical about village customs,habits and gossips leading to mistreats and violence. The story is narrated with great sense and sensibility,the intelligent screenplay is by Luciano Vincenzoni(Sergio Leone's usual screenwriter).Gorgeous Monica Bellucci is sensational although she barely talks throughout the movie and the starring boy is sympathetic and agreeable;another actors are good but they are unknown.Glowing cinematography with scenarios colorfully and splendidly photographed by Lajos Koltai who reflects the elegant beauty Monica Belucci.Sensible and moving score musical by the veteran master and prolific Ennio Morricone who was nominated with a deserved Academy Award.The picture is produced by the great American brothers producers:Harvey and Bob Weinsten and well directed by Giuseppe Tornatore who made a similar nostalgic film,the excellent¨Cinema Paradise¨. Ratting :Better than average,well worth watching by a beautiful,exceptional Monica Bellucci.

The first time I got to watch this utterly beautiful film, I knew nothing of the awesomeness of Giusseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) or the ethereal beauty of Monica Bellucci.

Well, all the needed knowledge flooded my mind within the two hours I spent watching Malena. It's a coming-of-age film, set in the World War 2 years in a small town of Sicily. The main lead is a young boy named Renato, and through his perfectly understandable obsession of a married woman named Malena (there couldn't be a more perfect cast than Monica Bellucci in this role),we get to see him maturing over a few years time. Most of the team focuses on Malena of course, but it's all through Renato's eyes (he's stalking her all the time), and his affection for her. It's no wonder that all males in the town (even teenagers) mostly view her as a hot piece of meat, but this boy's pure love is what eventually makes the difference in his (and her) life.

The ending credits will leave you with the "life goes on" aftermath and possibly the strongest feeling of melancholy you ever achieved from a movie.

Great cinematography, excellent performances from Monica Bellucci(though she barely speaks throughout the film) and the boy playing Renato, amazing score by the grand Maestro Ennio Morricone (nominated for an Oscar), this film has become my absolute favourite and Monica Bellucci my most recent (and strongest) obsession! A perfect 10, though it might seem over the top to a few of you.

Although mellowed by a narrative through the eyes of an adolescent, Malena is a movie that attempts to critique the savagery inherent in the 'civilized' society of men. Through the story, the viewer is shown the cruelty that people are capable of as a collective unit, with each individual playing a small part. It attempts to lay bare the gross hypocrisy and fragile morals that hide just beneath the surface.

Malena is also a discourse on beauty, and its brutal power. The feverish lust it produces in a man, and the severe and horrible envy in a woman. The viewer's feelings of appreciation for Malena's beauty are slowly overtaken by a feeling of utter despair for Malena's beauty, which is the cause of all her woes.

Technically the film is true to its period - a small Italian village that passes through the crisis of the 2nd World War. The story unfolds through the eyes of a young boy, who carries us along on a journey of lust, love and maturity. We watch helplessly as his innocent perspectives about life are jarred by the realities of society, while he watches helplessly the misfortunes of the beautiful Malena.

Firstly, this movie is a perfect lesson about Sexual Exploitation and Harassment.

As a man it touches my heart when seeing an innocent and faithful woman how community and war impacts made her to undesirable whore!

By this movie's story you understand that there are too many women victims like Malena!

Another lesson is for governments to not ignore the war made widows.

Overall, it's a great movie 👏