Michele Pellegrini Movies
- 2009
In a series of bizarre and infamous events that transpired in 2001 and made local headlines, two half-baked Italian thieves learned of the death of banker Enrico Cuccia and ham-fistedly attempted to partake in a "victimless crime." Several weeks after Cuccia's demise, the men visited the Lake Maggiore cemetery containing his body, stole his coffin, and ransomed it to his poor family. The events grew more complex when the thieves were mistaken for terrorists and the French secret service became involved. With their feature L'Ultimo Crodino, writer Federico Mazzei and director Umberto Spinazzola spin this material into a contemporary comedy of errors with a slightly tragic quality. Director-actor Ricky Tognazzi and Enzo Iacchetti star. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ricky Tognazzi, Serena Autieri, (more)
- 2007
French filmmaker Paolo Franchi's sophomore feature follows a psychologically damaged youth who makes the grim decision to kill his parents. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bruno Todeschini, Elio Germano, (more)
- 2007
A man facing a possible brush with death decides to help another in a similar situation in this drama from Italy. Lorenzo (Fabio Volo) grew up in a working-class household, and from a young age he was determined to make something of himself. By the estimation of most people, Lorenzo has succeeded; he's a lawyer with a lucrative practice, he owns a fine home, and he has a beautiful girlfriend, Silvia (Anita Caprioli). However, one day Lorenzo has a sudden blackout, and wakes up in a hospital where doctors are giving him a battery of tests, believing he may have a serious brain tumor. Spending his days in the hospital doesn't agree with Lorenzo, but the days pass a bit more quickly when he finds himself sharing a room with Giovanni (Ninetto Davoli), a truck driver who strikes up a fast friendship with the lawyer. Giovanni isn't sure how long he has to live, and confesses that he wants to mend fences with his daughter Tresy (Tresy Taddei), who he hasn't seen in years. With nothing to do but find out if he has a tumor or not, Lorenzo checks himself out of the hospital and travels to Umbria in hopes of finding Tresy and arranging a reunion between her and her father. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Fabio Volo, Anita Caprioli, (more)
- 2007
A moderately successful, thirtysomething rocker in dire need of a warm bed and a home-cooked meal returns to his family home in Rimini, only to be faced with a series of crises both large and small in this affectionate family comedy from director Gianni Zanasi. Stefano Nardini (Valerio Mastandrea) is a post-punk guitarist stuck in a strange career limbo; while he isn't exactly an unknown, he wouldn't be considered a household name by any means. When Stefano returns to his childhood home for a momentary reprieve from the rock & roll nightlife, his family welcomes him back with open arms. Unfortunately for Stefano, this retreat will be far from relaxing, since everyone under the roof seems locked into some sort of personal crisis. For starters, once-studious sister Michela (Anita Caprioli) has abandoned her education in favor of working with dolphins, and struggling mother Giuliana (Gisella Burinato) is taking self-help classes from a loopy guru who claims to hold the secrets to a happier life. On the more serious end of things, brother Alberto (Giuseppe Battiston) is locked into a bitter split with his ill-content wife -- a deeply personal woe that is only compounded by the fact that the family factory he runs has sunken deep into debt. When Alberto proves reluctant to divulge the sorry state of the family business to father Walter (Teco Celio), loyal siblings Stefano and Michela do their best to pitch in and set things right. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Valerio Mastandrea, Anita Caprioli, (more)
- 2007
A romance starts on a dangerous note in this drama from Italy. Teo (Marco Foschi) is a Jewish college student pursuing a graduate degree in astrophysics while trying to keep up with his girlfriend. One day, Teo is crossing the street when he's struck by a car driven by Mavi (Kasia Smutniak), a beautiful but flighty young woman from Croatia. When Mavi takes Teo to the hospital, he's immediately smitten with her, and while she warns him that she's poor material for a relationship, Teo isn't deterred in the least. Several years later, Teo and Mavi are married and the parents of a new baby, and while his folks are miffed that his bride isn't a Jew, they clearly love their grandchild. However, the demands of supporting the baby forces Teo to give up his career in science and become a textbook salesman; his new work means lots of travel, and a difficult relationship becomes all the more unstable as Mavi imagines Teo is chronically unfaithful while on the road. Nelle Tue Mani (aka In Your Hands) was the first feature film in seven years from writer and director Peter Del Monte. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kasia Smutniak, Marco Foschi, (more)
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