I couldn't find a thread on this film, if there is, someone direct me to it and this one can be erased.

Light Spoilers:


It is a truly beautiful film that ends up with an extremely heavy handed christological allusion. But I really thought the allusion was so easy to make, that it really reduced the film to a pretty basic theme. Before the end rolls around, the film plays as a great, complex sort of allegory about little boys who live in holes. I really wish the end would have maintained this level of ambiguity.

I am trying to think of recent Italian films that achieve this sort of visual clarity and I can't, it is well worth seeing on the big screen for the rich tones he captures.

I saw this one a few weeks ago, and I think I thought about starting a thread but I let it pass, and for the life of me, I don't remember very much about it now.

Well, I have the feeling it is going to slip through the cracks on a lot of people's viewing schedules. Which is too bad, because it really is worth the extra trip to the theater to see it.

Saw this one last night. I agree that the ending is a bit heavy handed, but the final shot is kind of intriguing (I'll say why in the spoiler section below.) I was impressed who Michele filled the idea of "when I was thirsty you gave me a drink, when I was hungry you fed me, when I was in prison you visited me." I also liked the story that Michele came up with to have an explanation of why a child would be hidden in such a way and the connection he felt with him.


The last scene, with Michele looking up and seeing a very cherubic looking Filippo and the two reaching out to each other. I'm a little unsure how I want to interpret this: Michele being recieved into heaven or just two boys who have discovered a connection. I lean toward the former.

The former seems reasonable given the very overt Christian context of the end. But the former doesn't preclude the latter at all, Filippo was always totally naive during the whole film. He barely had a clue what was going on and had a very childish perspective on his environment. But at the end there it really dawns on him what had been happening.

As far as Michele is concerned. The shot didn't look fatal. I can't quite remember where he was shot, but I remember thinking that he was going to make it.

continuing the discussion.

One of my thoughts after posting was that it could be something of a continuation of the Matt. 25 scenario of drink, food, visiting. In as much as you did it to the least of these... If you see this as a welcome to heaven the shot of Filippo could be seen Christ being revealed in Filippo. So that not only does Michele serve as a bit of a Christ figure, but also as a figure for those who do what Christ has taught.

Hmmmm. My brain is overworking for such an early hour.