nitehawk-8

Since I enrolled in International Cinema at my university, I've had the opportunity to see classic foreign films in the theatre, and it's really opened me up to the genre. I'd have to say that this movie (Shoeshine, in English) struck me as one of the most powerful I've seen yet, a sad, bleak commentary on children's lives in postwar Italy. Shoeshine dealswith a pair of children living on the street, best friends who shine shoes for a living and whose greatest dream is to buy a horse, something they could actually take care of and call their own. Pasquale, the older boy, and Giuseppe, the younger, are drawn into a situation they don't quite understand the weight of. Not knowing that the Italian society is chaotic after the war (when children under ten years old are put into prison for crimes like vagrancy), Pasquale and Giuseppe are coerced into doing a favor for Giuseppe's brother, Attilio Filipucci -- they are to bring and sell smuggled American blankets to a lady fortune-teller for the Filipucci family's profit.

Without warning, police appear at the fortune-teller's house, and question her. The boys are paid not to say anything, and are paid just enough to pool their money and buy the horse. Unfortunately, the fortune-teller has the boys taken from the street and into police custody, where, though claiming not to know anything, are fingerprinted and thrown into a juvenile prison. The prison and events that occur in it force the best friends apart, and the previously light-hearted story turns ugly. The boys' environment corrupts them, and innocence is quickly lost.

Directed by the famous Vittorio De Sica, and with Cesare Zavattini doing his trademark poetic screenplay, Shoeshine definitely deserves its place as one of the first foreign films to with the Oscar of the same name. The Neo-realist De Sica does include some comic relief in the movie, and it's not all serious and depressing... The line from Giuseppe to Pasquale as they're walking up a flight of stairs, "Elevators sure are great," and Pasquale's answer of "Yes, I slept in one for quite a while," is one example.

To say any more would give away the story, and you simply must experience this classic for yourselves. My rating: 9/10.

First of all, I would like to say to all the people who absolutely hated this movie and gave it a 1 out of 10, YOU HAVE NO VISION. Whoever you are... you have no creativity, and your mind is about as open as the gate to Area 51. But then again, we're all entitled to our own opinions, right? ;)

This movie broke all the rules. Those who went to see it expecting chainsaws and gore or things suddenly leaping out at people are in for a surprise. I'm not saying movies like the Alien series or Scream, etc., aren't good... Blair Witch just has a completely different way of scaring you. The movie starts out humorous, with three film students setting off to research and report on a legend in a small town, and slowly grows more ominous with each passing minute. If you are actually willing to really WATCH this movie (and not immediately brush it off because of its initial appearance), you'll end up feeling more subtly disturbed afterwards than you may have thought upon going in. Most of my friends, people that have pretty much seen everything, well.... Let's just say that the average psychological disturbance for them was at least 2 days without any sleep. Same for me. The person I went with is rarely scared by anything, and he was white as a sheet during the last half of the movie (I was afraid to drive home alone after it, too!). There were a few days at work where everyone was grouchy and miserable from lack of sleep (most of us had seen it around the same time), but it was a GOOD lack of sleep... ;)

So there. I've either convinced you into seeing it for its genius or scared you into NEVER seeing it (sorry)... And if I say any more, I'll totally ruin it for you!

Blair Witch should at least receive an award for Original Screenplay this year, if nothing else. Good luck Mr. Myrick and Mr. Sanchez, thanks for the adrenaline-filled ride! (10/10)

First of all, I would like to say to all the people who absolutely hated this movie and gave it a 1 out of 10, YOU HAVE NO VISION. Whoever you are... you have no creativity, and your mind is about as open as the gate to Area 51. But then again, we're all entitled to our own opinions, right? ;)

This movie broke all the rules. Those who went to see it expecting chainsaws and gore or things suddenly leaping out at people are in for a surprise. I'm not saying movies like the Alien series or Scream, etc., aren't good... Blair Witch just has a completely different way of scaring you. The movie starts out humorous, with three film students setting off to research and report on a legend in a small town, and slowly grows more ominous with each passing minute. If you are actually willing to really WATCH this movie (and not immediately brush it off because of its initial appearance), you'll end up feeling more subtly disturbed afterwards than you may have thought upon going in. Most of my friends, people that have pretty much seen everything, well.... Let's just say that the average psychological disturbance for them was at least 2 days without any sleep. Same for me. The person I went with is rarely scared by anything, and he was white as a sheet during the last half of the movie (I was afraid to drive home alone after it, too!). There were a few days at work where everyone was grouchy and miserable from lack of sleep (most of us had seen it around the same time), but it was a GOOD lack of sleep... ;)

So there. I've either convinced you into seeing it for its genius or scared you into NEVER seeing it (sorry)... And if I say any more, I'll totally ruin it for you!

Blair Witch should at least receive an award for Original Screenplay this year, if nothing else. Good luck Mr. Myrick and Mr. Sanchez, thanks for the adrenaline-filled ride! (10/10)