Divorce Italian Style ****

Italian, with English sub-titles

Ferdinando is in love with his cousin Angela, who lives across the garden. She's 16 and he's 37. But age disparity is not a problem. Being surrounded by family and lacking privacy is annoying, but most annoying is the fact that Ferdinando is married! As his desire for Angel grows, so do fantasies of doing away with Rosalia, his overbearing wife. Eventually he concocts a scheme . . .

A genuinely amusing comedy start to finish.

U-571 ***1/2

World War II thriller. An American submarine crew is dispatched to recover an Enigma machine from a disabled German U-boat in hostile waters. The Enigma is a code machine that kept the German's one step ahead of the Allies during WWII. Suspenseful and tense, with great sound effects, but essentially a formula movie.

Fascinating information about the Enigma here: ENIGMA

Diva **1/2

French with English sub-titles

A young postal worker surreptitiously records a concert of the diva who refuses to be recorded. Another tape ends up in his bag and soon he is involved with Parisian mob killers, a corrupt police captain, and a mysterious guy who helps save the day. Intricate and stylish thriller that, although full of holes and utter improbability, was likely considered very cool in 1982.

The Bicycle Thief *****

Ladri di Biciclette - Vittorio De Sica's 1948 masterpiece.

Italian with English sub-titles

Unemployment is rampant in postwar Italy and Antonio is ecstatic when he lands a job as a poster hanger. The catch is that the job requires that he have a bicycle. The family is virtually penniless, but his wife gathers together all the bed linens and sells them so Antonio can buy a used bike. While he is busy hanging posters, someone steals the bike. A frenzied search ensues in the streets of Rome with the aid of his young son Bruno.

This is an incredibly simple plot, with no distracting sub-plots or extraneous devices. It is a simple, linear movie about a man struggling to keep his job, to keep his family fed, and to regain his dignity. In one moment, he's on top of the world. In the next, and it happens within seconds, he is reduced to utter desperation. It's heartbreaking to watch as fear and anger undermine his relationship with his son. The movie reminds us that in an absolutely desperate situation, we will stop at nothing in order to survive. A tragic and memorable movie with a poignant ending scene. Don't miss it!

Shooter *1/2

I like to see an action flick from time to time. The Dark Knight filled the bill recently. This movie has action, but other than that, it's about as forgettable as one can imagine. The plot: Ex-sniper is sought out by the government to help prevent the assassination of the President. Instead, the Pres gets knocked off anyway and the protagonist finds that he has been set up and the subject of a manhunt. Unless you are stuck on a runway and have no other options, don't waste your time . . .

Before Sunrise ***

An American tourist meets a pretty fellow traveler on a train heading Vienna. He persuades her to disembark spend the night (his last in Europe) walking the streets with him. The movie was nicely filmed, but overall somewhat boring. I can't bring myself to watch the sequel, Before Sunset.

The Dark Knight ***1/2

In this sequel to Batman Begins, Batman teams with Lt. James Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent in the battle to dismantle Gotham City's criminal organizations. But the Joker, a psychotic villain who stops at nothing, takes control of the situation. Good action flick!