CT Rocks

only two can play, s.gilliat, 1961
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫

The film resembles an Italian comedy (Pietrangeli, Loy) about a librarian with a "sexual obsession", a metaphor for his unsatisfied life. When the opportunity arises several times, a series of hitches, typically Sellers-like, instead reawaken his self-esteem and a final twist seems to put things back in order, or almost...
Very funny and modern in the portrayal of all the characters.

bianca, nanni moretti, 1984 
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫


Considered the most iconic film by Moretti, in the wake of his first three films it was welcomed as a black comedy, full of the most important  punch-lines of his cinema. But, to be true, it is a film about the desperation and inability to live of a 30 years old intellectual, a mathematics professor who cannot make sense of human relationships and feelings, as well as the ideals of just 10 (ten!) years before (from the 70s to the 80s). Definitely a cult.

too late for tears, Byron Haskin, 1949
3/5  ○○○

This film remains one of the best examples of noir with a femme fatale as the protagonist. Ruthless and brutal, Scott sculpts a character that transcends the film itself. The photography and dryness of the plot are impeccable. 

 Pink String and Sealing Wax, r.hamer, 1946
 3/5 ⚫⚫⚫

The film is a general rehearsal for a genre of which Hamer becomes a master: noir with glimpses of humor. Here, the protagonists, sons of a despot and upright father, find their way through a thousand subterfuges. The villain, a spectacular Googie Withers, gives life to the best dialogues of the film. A little gem waiting to be discovered.

Stranger on the third floor, b. ingster, 1940
4/5  ○○○○


Noir Jewel. Clear references to Hitchcock, Irish and Welleswith.  Peter Lorre, like no other actor, once again plays a villain who masterfully becomes the protagonist of the film. A plot that develops in Chinese boxes, nightmares and wonderful photography, make this film a small masterpiece of the genre.

alien romulus, f.alvarez, 2024
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫

Film that restores the saga's original strength. A triumph of homages to classic sci-fi, first and foremost the synth, Andy, who brings to mind the unattainable Data from Star Trek. The representation of space is masterful, as are the slightly industrial environments in which the entire film takes place. Also, the audience in Rome  loved, with lots of laughs, finding the Capitoline she-wolf on the portal of the space base. Maybe a funny  touch by Ridley Scott who is also the producer of the film.  Waiting for Alien Remus, this film is a new classic worth seeing. 

follow me quietly, r.fleischer, 1949
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫

In the duration of an hour this film develops many of the main themes of this genre and  gives us surprising scenes that have become cornerstones of noirs of all time. A film worth watching in one sitting. 

la famiglia passaguai, aldo fabrizi, 1951
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫



This is a 1951 comedy film directed by Aldo Fabrizi. It is based on the novella "La Cabina 124" by Anton Germano Rossi. It is the first chapter of the Passaguai trilogy with the films The Passaguai family makes a fortune of 1952 and Daddy becomes a mother of 1952. Fabrizi proves once again to be an exceptional performer, in an irresistibly comic film that perfectly describes the vicissitudes of an Italian family grappling with the imminent economic boom and the
dreaded holidays.

paolo goes to...IL CINEMA RITROVATO 2024

THE LAVENDER HILL MOB, C. CRICHTON, 1951
3/5  ○○○



Very funny and very English in the plot about the bank heist conceived by poor souls unsuspected and unlikely as criminals. In some moments it seems to anticipate Big Deal on Madonna Street , in  many others, Keaton-style chases or situations of light dark humour.

tovarich, anatole litvak, 1937
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫ 

Beautiful and funny comedy about White Russian exiles, and what exiles Boyer and Colbert! Both aristocrats, she is even dealing with survival as a waitress among a rich and bizarre family of a Parisian banker. It could all work, but it's missing the touch of Lubitsch, of Wilder... and you can feel it.

jaws, steven spielberg, 1975
4/5  ○○○○



Good 35 mm copy; the fun and even the fear are still the original ones, perhaps confirming one of the interpretations that have always accompanied this film: the b movie that put an end to  b movies... until the megalodons arrived on Netflix...

deliverance, john boorman, 1972
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫



A  well  restored 35 mm copy.
Watched again since its release, the film is today even more powerful in its almost Pasolini-esque description of destructive progress and human types that seem like a snapshot of today's America.

movies on sunday (classics on the big screen)

anouk aimèe (1932-2024)



A beautiful and very elegant actress, but above all of rare skill.  Loved by all the directors she worked with and especially by Fellini who  once said : "Anukkina, my Cipressina, in your always distant gaze, I see the universe and  its mysteries."

napoli piange e ride, flavio calzavara, 1954
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫

This second-class melodrama, filmed with very little means in the Pisorno studios, almost involuntarily transforms into a musical thanks to the presence of two famous Italian singers, Luciano Tajoli and Jula De Palma, who reinterpret the classic Neapolitan repertoire with originality. Worth seeing.

totò cerca moglie, c.l. bragaglia, 1950
4/5  ○○○○

In this film an irresistible Totò gives the best of his experience of body mimicry and theater. Witty jokes and a context, that of the artists of Via Margutta in Rome,  make the film even more precious. The director knows  classic cinema and Buster Keaton, honored with a daring ending. To lift a heavy day.

libeled lady, jack conway, 1936
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫  



The Powell-Loy, Harlow-Tracy couples contribute to making this film a classic of elegant Hollywood comedy. Luxury and journalism are the scenarios in which the accelerating pace takes hold. It lacks a bit of the malice of Sturges or Hawks, but the result is still beautiful. Worth seeing!

still of the night, robert benton, 1982
3/5  ○○○



A film that is a continuous tribute to Hitchcock and which is saved for perfect photography and taste. Unfortunately, to paraphrase the title, it remains still and flat, also due to the two protagonists, Streep and Scheider, who are not so credible in their roles.  Why watch it? Because compared to similar contemporary films, it wins hands down.

Maggie Moore(s), j.slattery, 2023

3/5 ⚫⚫⚫


Excellent example of an independent film, with many brilliant actors (extraordinary Tina Fey) and who "infest" the most successful TV series. Perfect pace and dark humor, for a crime comedy to watch and enjoy.

woman of the year, george stevens, 1942
5/5  ○○○○○


The screenwriter Ring Lardner Jr., one of Hollywood's 10, manages to write a brilliant and modern comedy, where, in addition to the background of the imminent war, the film discusses feminism, pacifism, with a pace that does not make you miss the classics of Buster Keaton and Laurel & Hardy. To see and see again.

american fiction,  C.Jefferson, 2023
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫   



As a cinema enthusiast and a European, the film seems less sensational to me than what was said and written. the screenplay, although award-winning, pales in comparison with the best bittersweet comedies by Italian masters such as Risi, Scola, Scarpelli. Extraordinary actors make the most of it.

poor things,  Y.Lanthimos, 2023
2/5  ○○


What if Frankenstein becomes the protagonist of a soap opera, discovers free sex and embodies all the principles of gender emancipation of today? We get a film like Poor Things.  Emma Stone deserves the golden statuette, but the context is too far-fetched and doesn't hold a candle to the masterpieces of the past. An "already seen" film, for a young audience with no memory.

Riding Shotgun, a. de toth, 1954

4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫

The film made many  film people and fans rediscover its director and, although classified as a second-line western, it anticipates numerous TV series in its creation and plot. However, the themes of guilt, revenge and intolerance prevail. The story is developed in a first-person narrative and turns out to be original, despite all the clichés of the genre.

pia de' tolomei, esodo pratelli, 1941
3/5  ○○○


This film is a classic example of  costume drama,  a film that, despite being made in 1941 (Italy is still under the fascist regime) has innovative qualities in the photography of the master Gallea and in the screenplay.  It is definitively modern and anticipates some of the themes developed in the costume sagas of today.

lady in the jam, g.la cava, 1942
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫

This comedy is very modern, centered on a young and irresponsible billionaire who ends up in the arms of the therapist who is supposed to cure her. Intense and very enjoyable pace for a film set in America which is about to enter war. Worth seeing to understand the most contemporary comedies (see the Cohen brothers).

giulietta  degli spiriti, f.fellini, 1965
5/5  ○○○○○



Film that consecrates Fellini's unconventional love for his muses. A spectacular Sandra Milo compensates for herself and Masina, antagonists in real life, with an ironic and very talented interpretation. Beautiful and with an unforgettable smile, Sandra Milo ranks among the greatest Italian actresses of all time.

mirage, Edward Dmytryk,1965
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫


Hitchcock-style film, even for the cast. But the fun of the film, in its mockery of Bond, harks back to the Hitchcock production of the 1930s. Wonderful photography,

rancho notorious, fritz lang, 1952
4/5 ○○○○



In this wonderful film there is something more than the familiar Langhian themes of violence, revenge, good and evil, justice, the femme fatale, the efficient outlaw organization, the brilliant mind that guides it. Psychological motivation and adventure come together giving a sense of harmony and tragedy. By accepting the age of his interpreter, Lang shows the two myths that interest him, that of the western and his own. This is why there is an unknown emotion, a sort of derisive and tragic complicity with the women in the film, who suddenly resemble the women of life and ourselves. Not to be missed. 

The ghost of sierra de cobre, j.stefano, 1964
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫ 



Terrified of being buried alive by mistake, a woman puts a phone in her crypt to be able to call home if she needs help. She dies and nothing happens. One day, the phone suddenly rings. Paranormal investigator Nelson Orion (Martin Landau) is brought in. With legendary Judith Anderson and Diane Baker, this film (initially made for TV) entertains with suspense, but also with a certain naivety in its staging choices. The courage of the special effects and the impeccable cinematography are to be appreciated.

the loneliness of the..., t.richardson, 1962
4/5 ○○○○



In Italy this film was welcomed as a manifesto of rebellion against the system and political awareness. Watching it again, the film shows more British specificities than universal ones, but my opinion remains absolutely positive. I also recommend it to feel young forever, at least for an hour and a half...





what's up doc? p.bogdanovich, 1972
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫ 



What’s Up, Doc? joyously recaptures the bubbly style of 1930s screwball comedies and firmly establishes Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal as a romantic duo uniquely endearing in screen history. Despite the  many quotes from Jerry Lewis, Marx Brothers and Hawks' cinema, it's not a very nostalgic film. Included are a daffy luggage mixup plot, dippy dialogue exchanges, a marvelous example of the art of hotel-room demolition and one of the funniest chase sequences ever, all over San Francisco. Dexterously written with a surefooted sense of the ridiculous by Buck Henry, David Newman and Robert Benton, directed by Peter Bogdanovich with giddy affection and cast with awesomely hilarious players (including film-debuting Madeline Kahn), What’s Up, Doc? is no idle question. Among comedy movies, it’s the top.

bananas, woody allen, 1971

3/5  ○○○

This film, still very funny, is full of quotes and homages to the greats of comedy. At times, it reaches the strength of the best silent movies of the genre. Lightning-quick jokes, characters at the limits of credibility, but which recall dramatically and prophetically to our present. To be looked at with hindsight.

hell's heroes, w.wyler, 1929
5/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫ ⚫

This is the best film version of the Three Godfathers  tale by Peter B. Kyne. Wyler will also make a sound version of this movie, but the silent one is  very powerful. Expressionist symbols abound and beautiful cinematography accompanies this wonderful story of redemption. A must see.

merry go round, E. v. Stroheim, Rupert Julian, 1923

5/5  ○○○○○

A masterpiece seen at the forty-second edition of the Pordenone Giornate del Cinema Muto. Although removed from Stroheim's direction after a few weeks of work, the film was positively influenced by his golden touch. Modern and beautiful, a source of inspiration for other masterpieces of the genre.




oppenheimer, c.nolan, 2023
5/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫ ⚫

Cinema cinema, wonderful sound and photography, in short, Nolan has accustomed us to enjoying the big screen again, literally. If I have to find a flaw in this film which, in all likelihood, will win many Oscars, it is that it could have lasted thirty minutes less and shake off its Biopic allure. Still worth seeing.

REPULSION, r.polanski, 1965
4/5  ○○○○



Polanski makes a hallucinatory journey into the psychic sphere of an enchanting and disturbed woman. Almost sixty years after its release, the film still raises the same doubts and questions.

la terra trema, l.visconti, 1948
5/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫ ⚫



This  masterpiece by Luchino Visconti is a fundamental work in the film production of Italian neorealism which, in the years immediately following the Liberation, interpreted the Italian social reality, a reality made up of misery but also of hope for emancipation and progress. The photography is beautiful, making the film contemporary, powerful and effective.

PAOLO LUCIANI'S FILMS FOR FUN

BECAUSE CINEMA IS, ABOVE ALL, ENTERTAINMENT !

the atomic submarine, s. c. bennet, 1959
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫



I immediately explain that the 4 stars are given by paradox. An absolutely flat film, with laughable special effects and extenuating slowness. Having said that, the soundtrack and the essentiality of the photography, as well as the presence of one of the most absurd alien creatures ever seen on screen, make this film a must-see cult. And, if Oppenheimer has disappointed your expectations, this film is definitely for you.

Please murder me!, p.godfrey, 1956
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫



The film sees Burr who, with this performance of the blameless lawyer, secures the role of Perry Mason for the series that will be launched only a year later. Unsettling Angela Lansbury in the part of the ruthless dark lady, very far from Angela Fletcher and Disney's successes. Absolutely to see!

The Day the Earth Caught Fire, v.guest, 1961
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫ 



This is a British science fiction disaster film, it is one of the classic apocalyptic films of its era and it is really prophetic. Besides the very good acting of the main characters,  the film reveals the dynamics between information ethics and power, narrating a journalistic world that unfortunately no longer exists. To be seen with a spirit of resignation.

the plot against harry, m.roemer, 1971
5/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫ ⚫



For me this film was the best surprise of this year's Cinema Ritrovato festival in Bologna. It is the tragicomic story of a small Jewish gangster masterfully directed and directors such as Altman,  Scorsese and, most of all, Allen breathe. It is an independent film with a troubled history that finally finds the audience and the attention it deserves. To see and see again.


The chase, Arthur Ripley, 1946
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫



This film is one of the best adaptations of Cornell Woolrich's short stories. The first part of the film is classically noir, while the second half turns out to be a nightmare that travels between dream and reality. The actors are all wonderful and credible. It should be noted that this will be Morgan's last Hollywood movie. Enjoy it!

la femme aux bottes rouges, J.Luis Buñuel, 1974
2/5 ⚫⚫



A substantially injudgable film. Disappointing due to the  high expectations of reviewing the cast of  Tristana and its screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere. The film also reveals a sidereal distance between Bunuel father and son...Not to be missed, however, for some surreal and comical moments that make it a cult in spite of itself.

strange illusion, Edgar G. Ulmer, 1945
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫


This dreamlike and romantic noir is somewhere between Shakespeare and Hitchcock and, although not at the level of other films such as Detour, it is a very successful auteur test. I would also like to point out wonderful cinematography by Eugen Schüfftan, although uncredited.

where the sidewalk ends, o.preminger, 1950
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫ 

This beautiful noir is placed somewhere among Lang, Hitchcock and Matarazzo;  the will of redemption from the sins of the fathers becomes the main theme. The film remains fresh and enjoyable, despite the plot and cast refer to classic genre and era.

the big combo,  Joseph H. Lewis, 1955
5/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫ ⚫



A noir film by definition, which I have seen again after more than thirty years and I can confirm that it remains one of the most beautiful films of its kind, endowed with an unexpected freshness. Not to be missed

Tetris, Jon S. Baird, 2023
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫ 



Despite being one of the few in the world who has never played Tetris, I found the film very entertaining, a mix of comedy, spy story and propaganda. In the wake of 1,2,3 by Billy Wilder and with graphics that refer directly to the video game.

THE BIG NIGHT, J.LOSEY, 1951
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫



Based on Ellin's 1948 novel Dreadful Summit, this film combines the noir and black comedy genres with hints of family tragedy in a psychoanalytic key. This is Losey's last American film before his English exile, in which the theme of racism(even unaware in his characters) of the society of the time, emerges clearly.

boston strangler, m.ruskin, 2023
1/5 ⚫

This is a 2023 American historical crime drama film  based on the true story of the Boston Strangler, who in the 1960s killed 13 women in Boston. Unfortunately, the actors and the very dull cinematography relegate it to a slow TV drama, without twists and turns and without conviction. In this film,  the sixties, the very ones in which JFK dies (!), remain flat and faded, like the dominant colors foolishly chosen by the director. A missed opportunity.

easy rider, d.hopper, 1969
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫


Even after more than half a century the film maintains its freshness intact, for the dramatically ever-current themes and with a daring editing and long, blessed pauses for reflection, beautiful musical counterpoints, which make the film a milestone of its genre.

INTO THE NIGHT, J.LANDIS, 1985
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫

important and bizarre cast, B.B.KIng's soundtrack, moments of meta cinema and the right balance between comedy, action and brutality. The film is above all a nice remake of classic American comedies, like Hawks and Sturges', even approaching Hitchcock's North By North West.

halloween ends, D.Gordon Green, 2022
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫

Mike Meyers returns (when did he ever leave???) and this time he  has a follower... who will die in the most obvious way.  Comparable to the first chapter of the series, full of brilliant quotes, this film concludes the  Halloween saga with an ending that leaves no way out and that betrays a healthy, amused and due exasperation of the authors.

les sultans, Jean Delannoy,1966
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫ 

A film that clearly traces the difference between the cinema of the old and new continent. A  messed up plot that fully recovers for the freshness and interpretative strength of the protagonists. To be enjoyed without prejudice.

american graffiti, george lucas, 1973
4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫ 

A film that I am seeing again exactly after 50 years and which, despite the passage of time, remains fresh and absolutely innovative. I can say that today, without falling into the easy trap of nostalgia, for me it is an absolute avant-garde film.

all about eve, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1950
5/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫ ⚫

What can I say about this film if not to see it at least once a year to enjoy magnificent actors and masterful directing class.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles, john hughes, 1987

4/5  ○○○○

Cult film that harks back to  Frank Capra's atmospheres and slapstick classics with two actors who could not be more complementary than that. Director and actors make us laugh with elegance and tenderness. A new classic.

special correspondents, ricky gervais, 2016

4/5 ⚫⚫⚫ ⚫

The film is extremely entertaining and ironically unmasks some dynamics of contemporary journalism. Gervais and Bana are an odd couple that works great. Small curiosity, the film literally quotes a famous gag by Vittorio Gassman in Il Mattatore.

The Super ,  Rod Daniel, 1991
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫

A very funny, cruel and not politically correct film. An extraordinary Joe Pesci and a memorable Vincent Gardenia contribute strongly to making it the ideal film for a carefree evening.

The Terrornauts, montgomery tully, 1967

2/5 ⚫⚫

The film involves two of my favorite science fiction authors, John Brunner and Murray Leinster; the the result on the big screen, however, is inferior to the novel. The imaginative poverty of the special effects (we are dealing with a subspecies of Daleks...) makes it a cult film. For amateurs.

 paolo luciani's film of the week  

 Devil Girl From Mars, David MacDonald, 1954

2/5 ⚫⚫
A British film that has become a cult for the absolutely sadomasochistic Martian protagonist and for the scene that is worth the whole film, the appearance of the alien robot. One of the most successful and comical creations ever seen on the big screen. Unmissable.





PAOLO'S FILM OF THE WEEK

handsome, jeff garlin, 2017
3/5 ⚫⚫⚫

A very pleasant surprise, a film that is less bizarre than it is  generally considered;  it reminds me of a nice variation of the classic detective story with references to Altman and the Farrelly brothers and the main protagonist stands between sharp irony and melancholy, playing the role of a sort of unprecedented Marlowe.

IL GATTO, L.COMENCINI, 1977

3/5 ⚫⚫⚫

A first viewing for me... of a film that, at the time had been accused of too much nonchalance; but under the guise of a bizarre black comedy lies the profound disenchantment that the two protagonists of the Italian cinema comedy, Comencini and Sonego, the screenwriter, feel in the face of the chaotic and violent Italian political situation of the seventies.

Cage of Gold, Basil Dearden, 1950 

4/5  ⚫⚫⚫⚫

David Farrar and Jean Simmons find themselves on screen once again in a film far ahead of its time; a villain and a tragic heroine who in Italy would have been masterfully directed by Raffaello Matarazzo, the king of melodrama on film. An irresistible existentialist London should be underlined without reserve.




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