Cinema Paradiso

Beautiful, picturesque, evocative, enchanting, more beautiful, romantic, moving, touching and not forgetting, beautiful. You might well presume that I like this film. Yeah, it's all right. Quite simply, Cinema Paradiso is one of the most brilliant movies ever made, warranting a position within any greatest movies ever list, and nothing shy of a criminal offence if you have never watched it.

The story is simplicity itself, as a letter from his home town draws Salvatore back to his roots, from which point he reveals the story of his childhood, of the friendship he formed with the town's projectionist Alfredo, and how he succeeded Alfredo as projectionist after an all changing accident.

Tornatore succeeds in drawing utterly believable performances from all of his actors, with arguably the greatest performance by a child actor ever, the result of which is that the whole story is utterly engrossing. The camerawork continually excels itself in finding more and more breath-taking scenery, which serves to observe every-thing perfectly.

The tale told reveals a heart-warming story of youth, friendship and the magic of cinema, and it is this magic which cements the whole film so perfectly. In a world of 'Coyote Ugly's and 'Battlefield Earth's, this film reminds you exactly what it is that draws you to the cinema, and leaves you with a truly childlike sense of wonder at how amazing the whole thing is. If you don't come to see this film, it is your enormous loss, no excuse merits missing this masterpiece.