Saturno contro

I am puzzled by the tepid response to this film. My friends and I were fully engaged throughout, and completely satisfied at film's end. For me, art in any medium needs to be either 1) a transforming story or 2) so beautifully done that people are reminded anew of how amazing life is. This was a movie in the second category, a soufflé that needed a lot of elements to come together perfectly in order not to fail. And my friends and I found it perfect. The movie also needed to be well controlled to make up for the fact that everyone was so beautiful.

It was one of those "This happened, then this, then this" - and I bought it all. I had no idea where it was going but I didn't care because it was going to be satisfying.

On top of that, this was a movie I didn't have to translate at all. And on top of *that*, the characters possessed a grace of spirit that matched their considerable physical beauty. One scene, where the wife met the mistress, was a marvel. The director either picked people who had extraordinary brains and sensitivity, or else he's really good at getting a lot out of his actors.

My friends had many telling details we needed to lovingly examine. Perhaps the reviewers who found it disappointing are young, or Europeans who have seen a lot of movies like this one (I haven't); maybe they've seen these same actors a lot, or know too much about them from gossip magazines. Maybe they've not lost a charismatic friend or undergone experiences together with a close set of friends. There were moments in my life that I haven't seen represented on film before and here they were. I liked having those moments represented honestly but also idealized - and yes, you can do both things at the same time.

At least reviewer wondered what this movie was about. For me, this movie was many things: an astonishing display of ensemble acting; a set of character studies where each character seemed to have years of history shading every moment; a romanticized story about a kind of family not sufficiently represented on film; a story about people experiencing complex emotional states and not making a big deal about it.

And there were so many beautiful camera moments!

All in all, Mozart is a good reference point for this movie. So perfect that it breaks rules and still makes a good film.

This is a film that tries to do for men what countless movies have done for women: expose the real pain men feel when love is lost. We've seen the genre exploited for the female market ad infinitum. We rarely see it for men.

That's the theme of this movie: how do men deal with the loss of love? For those of you who have seen it and are questioning what the movie was about, consider it. . . . There's the lover who abandons, the lover who is abandoned, the father who rejected, and the lover whose lover dies.

Aside from the title, a major clue is the reference to "Rebecca," a film about a man who grieves for lost love, and yet who is accused of murdering that love. It is perhaps the ultimate movie about submerged male emotion. In that film the woman (the second wife) is both a participant and an observer, as is the case with most of the women in this film. Then there's the title, a reference to a Saturnalia, a "party" where traditional roles are reversed. In this movie, it is the women who observe the men dealing with lost love, not the other way around as it usually is.

It's not difficult for me to understand the "tepid response" of some reviewers, particularly those who are male. Males are so unplugged from this part of life that it is understandable they could watch a whole movie about lost love and not recognize what it is.

Once again, Ozpetek introduce us to an unorthodox gathering in the shape of a family. The gay couple Perfrancesco Favino and Luca Argentero are a model couple. Lovely, talented, kind. The heterosexual couple, Margherita Buy and Stefano Accorsi are also kind even if infidelity and other obstacles complicate their life but only momentarily. Now, okay, it all looks fine but I couldn't quite figure out what was I looking at. The story unfolds without any rhyme or reason. Did I miss something important? Favino is totally credible and Argentero is eye candy of the most delightful kind. Ennio Fantastichini is funny and pathetic, Stefano Accorsi is Stefano Accorsi and Margherita Buy manages a very civilized matrimonial crisis. Serra Yilmaz does her thing, beautifully of course, but hardly new. The only surprise was Lunetta Savino, an ex hairdresser and Argentero's step mom. Her character brings a much needed truth to the proceedings. It is, perhaps, the best written character. Somebody asked me what the film was about and I couldn't quite answer. I think that's were the problem resides. If Ferzan Ozpetek had something to say I completely missed it. However, the beauty of the people on the screen kept me awake and somehow engaged.

Ferzan Ozpetek understands as well as any writer/director today the concept and attending importance of Extended Family. Much as he spoke about the importance of friends who are often more supportive than genetic family in his beautiful film HIS SECRET LIFE, he explores a similar topic in his latest exceptional film SATURNO CONTRO (SATURN IN OPPOSITION). Ozpetek and his co-writer Gianni Romoli have created a story about camaraderie, celebration, shared loss, consolation, and healing among a rather disparate group of Romans that manages to not only underscore our human needs, but also demonstrates how nearly insurmountable hurdles can be managed by the kindness and understanding of true friends.

Davide (Pierfrancesco Favino) is a much admired writer who lives with his artist partner Lorenzo (Luca Argentero) in a healthy, loving relationship. Davide has many admirers who wish to fall under his influence as a writer and Lorenzo likewise has many friends who are devoted to him. These friends gather at the home of Davide and Lorenzo for meals, parties and celebrations - a place where each of the friends finds compassion for whatever is nibbling away at their happiness. Davide's close friend Antonio (Stefano Accorsi) is married to the beautiful Angelica (Margherita Buy) who is writing a book about smoking and is not aware that her husband is having an affair with florist Laura (Isabella Ferrari) until a mutual friend, translator Neval (Serra Yilmaz) - caring for both friends' concerns - shares the information. The possible disastrous discovery is overshadowed by the sudden subarachnoid hemorrhage suffered by Lorenzo during a communal meal. Each of the friends' lives are halted while they gather at the hospital awaiting the inevitable death of their friend - each with open arms of support for Davide and each other as they find their way through dealing with the circle of life. The story places Lorenzo's tragedy near the beginning of the film: the resolution and coping of the large number of this extended family form the message and the sidebars that explore the sanctity of friendship and caring. There are myriad moments of rare beauty in this little film, moments that include the tenderness of Lorenzo's father's acceptance of Davide's relationship to his son as the funeral is passing, the wordless mending that the death of a friend brings to the dissolving marriage of Angelica and Antonio, and many others.

This is a beautifully photographed film (Gian Filippo Corticelli) and one with a musical score (Giovanni Pellino 'Neffa') that is so subtle that it supports without distraction (much like the presence of Extended Families!). The acting is of the highest quality from some of Italy's finest actors. We can only hope that Ferzan Oztepek continues to create meaningful films such as this for a world that too often settles for finding solace as well as happiness from artificial sources outside the circle of human relationships. In Italian with subtitles. Highly recommended. Grady Harp

Ennio Fantastichini, a wonderful Italian stage actor, weeps as he watches Meryl Streep in , I believe, "Out of Africa" He also establishes he is not gay but a fagot..."Isn't that the same thing?" "Yes, but I'm old fashioned" is his replay. I wish the tone had been like that, a bit more Almodovaresque. There is a need to be deep in Oztepek's world and that makes everything seem banal. Even death. Well I don't want to be too harsh. The Turkish filmmaker is one of the best Italian directors around but his universe seems to be tiny, tiny, tiny. He has a wonderful eye for beautiful men - Luca Argentero, a veteran from the the reality show "Big Brother" is scrumptious and Pier Francesco Favino is, without question, one of the best actors we've got. But, what was the film about? Friendship? Love? Death? Ping Pong? I couldn't tell and that's why I couldn't get into it. It seemed like a random trip without destination. Maybe that's it, maybe its about the aimless wondering of us humans during our brief stint on this earth. Wow! Around tables talking - with Sierra Yilmaz as a constant comic relief and a couple of wonderful moments. I wish the daringness that is, quite clearly, within Oztepek's range, could go all the way and tell us, in no uncertain terms, what its all about. He has the talent, the vision and the sensibility. Now he needs a story and a full proof script. Maybe next time.