A different way of telling a story

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

one of films by Giuseppe Tornatore. that could be the best definition. because the film has the same special aura, humor, delicacy to explore the detail, mixture of beauty and sadness, melancholy and status of slice from lost golden age. a film about war. and about people. precise manner to create a role who seems be shadow of profound silence by Monica Belucci. impressive performance of Giuseppe Sulfaro. and the inspired atmosphere. a film who use in wise manner the appearances. because it seems be full of sexuality and teenager's dreams, about hate, intolerance and verdicts. in fact, it is only a declaration about small things who defines every day life. cruel. and fascinated. beautiful. and mysterious. a sketch who becomes with each new line fascinating. a film about a meeting. and about first step of a boy in the discover the life.

I bet the director would say this film was about 'requited love' or 'a young boy's ascent into manhood.' I would describe it as 'A kind of collective madness afflicting a small Italian town during the latter stages of WWII'. I mean, this woman can't even walk down the street without people from both sexes staring at her and following her every move as if she was some kind of Goddess. Yes, she's pretty. But having that kind of effect on ALL the residents? So that they'd just stop what they were doing and act completely goofy? Wasn't there any gay men around then? What's even worse, she seems completely oblivious to it. Despite having hundreds of pairs of eyes on her, she never once looks left or right, acknowledging them at all. Besides, beauty is only skin deep. On the rare occasions she does speak, she doesn't seem the sharpest tool in the drawer. Taking all factors into consideration, perhaps the wolves who lust after her could (whisper it) do better?These events are witnessed through the eyes of a 12 year old, who despite all the attention lavished on her, declares himself as her greatest fan. And when he discovers she's lost her husband in the war, he declares to have her when he 'comes of age' in four years... and that means, punishing her detractors and following her everywhere, even to the extent of spying on her at night through a peephole at her house. Don't these kid's parents realise he's missing every evening? He keeps up this charade while she sleeps around, before finally becoming a prostitute in the service of the Germans. Meanwhile, he has his own adventures, including an accusation of being possessed by the devil which some nuns 'cure' him of. I'm not sure about that, but there's definitely SOMETHING wrong with him. And the rest of the province, come to think of it.Well acted and very funny in places, it's still hard to get round the initial idea... that Malena is so beautiful there is nothing else to think or talk about when she's around. This is such a far-fetched ideal it did affect my enjoyment of the film, to the extent I wanted to confront the characters and tell them to get a life. And how can someone be so blind as to not notice that you're being stalked and harassed by pretty much everyone? Either that, or she's the best ignorer ever. Regardless, there is pleasure to be derived from the film, as long as you're willing to accept the ridiculous behaviour of all concerned. Those crazy Italians... 6/10

Malèna Scordia shown as an object of desire for men and an object to envy for women. Set in 1940, the movie deals with the story of 27 year old beautiful widow in an Italian village. From the eyes of Renato, a 12 year old, Malèna arouses sensual feelings (quite normal as the other kids in the neighborhood) and I admire the way the director shows it in a series of scenes. The way the boy's father beats and scolds deserves laugh and applause. IMO, I feel that the director pushed way too hard abusing the character (Malèna) almost every other scene and it makes the viewers feel that the village women ain't got other work than abusing the poor widow. The level of sentiment quotient in this work makes it one short of being 'Irresistible', yet Monica Bellucci looks Irresistible in the scene where she is dressed as the Holy Mother

Malèna (2000) is directed by Giuseppe Tornatore known for his (1988) classics "Cinema Paradiso", (1995) "The Star Maker" and (1998) "The Legend of 1900"Giuseppe Tornatore - His name is not as famous as His movies to the Cinema Lovers from around the world, Like other Italian Directors. May be his name is difficult to remember and pronounce or may be he has not been directing films as frequently as other directors do. But I think he is the most genuine, genius, Romantic & poetic filmmaker ever born in Italy. And If I will be the one to make the list of top 100 movies ever made, I will include most of the films by "Giuseppe Tornatore" in that List. While watching "Malèna", I felt like I am traveling through the time, The patters & transition from my childhood to teenage were very similar to this film. The love which I did not know how to express, The sensual and social awakening I was going through. As the film "Malèna" is being narrated from the point of view of teen age "Renato" and incidents are taking place on the backdrop of 1940s as Italy enters into World War II through Mussolini's fascist belief and obsession. The same I experienced in Gaya, Bihar during 1993-1998 when similar fascist strategy of Laloo Government who put the whole state in the fire of Naxilsm and my obsession or fascination or possibly the first Love with my class teacher. Who was as beautiful as "Malèna". It was the time of sensual and social awakening and exploration except I was not as daring as "Renato" but in many ways not less than that. The most important thing in a movie is when an Audience can see himself in the Movie as one of the characters. The Co-coherence. As he himself is on the screen, he himself speaking all the lines, and he himself feeling all those emotions. When you watch a movie which can give you this kind of experience it means it's a perfect piece of cinematic creation. And I think "Malèna" delivers the similar experience to the all the audience above the age of 10. I think nobody ever forgets "His First bicycle", "His first crush or Love" (Usually Most of the boys have their first crush on a girl quite older to his age.) "And First masturbation imagining woman he has crush on", And at the age when we go through all this we feel no less than "Alexander the Great" or "Robin hood" and any other super hero. This is how adulthood take birth in us long before we become adults. Even for a single second this thought does not appear in our head, that we are still not adult. As we learn to drive bicycle and we feel like flying, the same way we imagine that we are making love to the beautiful woman we are fascinated with and experiencing heaven. But sadly the social structure doesn't allow us to express our most pure and genuine self we experience in the teenage. Even our parents, uncle and all around us has gone through the same in more or less a similar way, But when they catch this expression of us they call it a pervert act. I like the scene in "Malèna" when finally his father takes "Renato" to a brothel where he have sex with a prostitute imaging her as "Malèna". Well it was not necessary, because it can be criticized negatively simple because most people don't use the inner sense. Also that is unacceptable to the most of the social structure in the world. I feel if the society will allow the expressions of childhood and adulthood in it's original form and guide them in a proper way than I believe The Perfect Man will be created to serve the future. The memory of suppression we go through in our childhood lasts very long and by the time we become adults some of us loose half of the excitement to life at its fullest.The Another angle of the film is the dual standard of man dominated society. If there is a beautiful woman, living single or divorced or facing the misery of life. There will be certainly stories about her all over the town. From barber shop to the Meyer's office. She might be called by all the names a man hate to call the most to her sister, daughter or mother. "Malèna" represent that woman, "Every Man want to sleep with "Malèna" But nobody has respect for her expect the teenage "Renato".I hope the film will take you the same joy ride through the time, As it took it to me. And now I feel like meeting the same "Teacher" from my Childhood, I wanna say her the same way Renato Says to "Malèna" in the end of the movie "Buona fortuna, Signora Malena", I will say "Good to see you dear teacher, You are still as Beautiful you were long time ago." When you had your first bicycle, When you had your first crush on a beautiful Woman, When you had your first Masturbation. When everything around you were changing, while you were changing, If all those memories have faded, Watch "Malèna", It is a poetry written on Celluloid.