FREE ITALIAN MOVIES

You like FREE, don't you?

Ciao ragazzi,

In case you didn’t know; I love Italian movies.

It’s just that, it always surprises me when I get criticized for writing about movies that aren’t intellectual masterpieces. Am I the only one who loves a dumb comedy or a sappy rom com once in a while? Italians make them too!

Someone on Facebook just tried to tell me that Italian cinema isn’t any good any more, and he used the movie I talked about on last Friday, The Last Paradiso, as an example. Look, if you ONLY watch films that are considered “great works”; if you only like CLASSIC Italian cinema, this newsletter is not for you.

I enjoy ALL KINDS of Italian films, from the Academy Award winning La Grande Bellezza to the completely ridiculous comedy of Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo. I am not a movie snob, by any means.

Speaking of Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo, one of my very favorite “guilty pleasure” movies of all time is their Tu La Conosci Claudia (Do You Know Claudia); it stars the lovable comedy trio along with the adorable Claudia Cortellesi.

You very rarely find a movie with Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo in the USA with subtitles, and so I was really excited to find the whole thing on YouTube. Just adjust it for closed captioning, then set if for auto generated English subtitles. They aren’t perfect translations, but they are good enough. Better watch it soon because it could go away at any time. YouTube giveth and YouTube taketh away.

Keeping in mind, Aldo, Giovanni, and Giacomo are very corny…

Let me know what you think, but if you don’t at least laugh at the Relaxomatic, we just have totally different definitions of funny. 🤣

---

OK, Brainiacs,

if you insist on something artsy fartsy, might I suggest this for your weekend viewing…

Bella e Perduta (Lost and Beautiful)

Bella e Perduta is a work of art by the director of Martin Eden, and frankly, went right over my head. But people LOVE it, and the reviews were glowing.

---

What to watch this weekend for FREE FREE FREE

I hope you have all been taking advantage of the FREE movies from Italian Film Festival USA 2021. Normally, the screenings would be in theaters, but because of, well, you know, you can watch them at home, which is nice.

IFFUSA@Home Winter Edition runs now until March 6 and the film titles and times are listed at http://www.italianfilmfests.org/winter.html

You need to get on their mailing list so they’ll send you links for the FREE movies WITH SUBTITLES. To do this, send an email to info@italianfilmfests.org.

You can also find out about the films on their Facebook Page.

Today it’s a documentary, Rione Sanità: La Certezza Dei Sogni.

This one’s about hope for the civil, economic and cultural rebirth of the Sanità district in Naples, animated and directed by Father Antonio Loffredo. The stories unfold from the church of Santa Maria della Sanità where young people have taken back their destiny, following their dreams with conviction. Management and guidance of the Catacombs, schools of theater, music, sculpture, a new sports center: everything that seemed impossible only 15 years ago has become reality. It is a world made possible by the choice of humanity and beauty over the world of Gomorrah .

Did I mention it’s FREE? What are you waiting for?

WHAT I WATCHED LAST NIGHT

New to Amazon Prime, a quirky comedy, Shooting Silvio. I’ve been trying to get a few words with director

and I’ll let you know if I have any luck. The movie is…odd. If you love dark humor, give it a try. I can’t say I didn’t get kind of a kick out of it.

---

Question:

Is twice a week too much for this newsletter? I can tell that most of you are opening it when you receive it, but I don’t want you to get sick of me, so let me know!

Allora, ci vediamo martedì? See you Tuesday?

Un bacione,

Cheri

America’s Cheerleader For Italian Cinema