"Una bella donna, alla mia età, non è abbastanza!"

Io sono cine-filo! Is that a real word? I love watching movies and when I get a chance, I watch Italian movies! I don't need English subtitles, so I can watch obscure Italian movies- if I find them. The most recent film I got to see, all by myself, without having to interpret or assist in linguistic navigation of the film, was La Grande Bellezza (Great Beauty in English) - nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Foreign Film.

This film is fresh, visually marvelous and to the point of absurdity. The main character Jep Gambardella is so self-assured of his importance in Roman society and at the ripened age of 65, his swagger and charisma is undaunted. One of many great lines in the film, he asks a woman, "che lavoro fai" and she answers, "sono ricca"--brilliant banter!  Jep Gambardella is the epitome of essere convinto, in the trailer above, I love the line:  "Non volevo essere sempliciemente un mondano, volevo diventare il re` dei mondani."  See this website for more brilliant one & two liners from La Grande Bellezza (in Italian of course).

La Mia dolce vita

La Grande Bellezza reminded me a lot of La Dolce Vita, in fact it may as well serve as the new cult film of the millennium. The panoramic cinematography of Rome used in the film, along with the musical soundtrack that everyone can relate to, takes your breath away. Any tourist to Rome could only dream of seeing Rome like this for the first time.
Having lived in Rome for a few years, I can attest to the fact that I had to make special trips with personal itineraries, to visit the exquisite cultural treasures that abound everywhere you turn in Roma, la citta` eterna and beyond.

Imperial Fora, Rome Italy