edited by Jonathan Doyle

Mafioso (The Criterion Collection, 3.18.2008) Nino Badalamenti is a supervisor in a car manufacturing plant who hasn't taken a vacation in over two years. On his way out the door to visit his beloved childhood hometown of Sicily -- with his blonde wife and daughters -- Nino is handed a package by his boss and asked to deliver it to a powerful and influential Sicilian gangster named Don Vincenzo. Once in Sicily, Nino has a hoot seeing friends and family, but his wife has trouble fitting in and is unfairly dismissed as a snob by Nino's family. Even more worrisome, Nino finds himself entangled in an intricate web of secret mafioso dealings and is eventually sent on an unexpectedly... elaborate errand. (continued)

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"Nativity" in Rome

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Catherine Hardwicke's The Nativity Story (New Line, 12.1) "lacks controversy," said New Line COO Rolf Mittweg to the N.Y. Times Rome correspondent Peter Kiefer, following a Sunday screening at the Vatican. "I think with The Passion, people wanted to see how bloody and gory this movie was. They wanted to see how far one would go to depict that story. This movie isn't political and doesn't make a statement in that regard." Hah! Mittweg seems to almost be saying, "Our film isn't very edgy. In fact, it's kinda tame."

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 28, 2006 at 07:44 AM

comment #1

Dixon Steele says ...

And this is a surprise? New Line is smart to push this as a kinder, gentler PASSION.

I think along with DREAMGIRLS, people in the biz are most eager to see how this one will do.

Posted by Dixon Steele at November 28, 2006 08:09 AM

comment #2

Melquiades says ...

Why exactly should this movie be edgy?

The Passion was oppressively violent and (some say) anti-semitic. I haven't seen it so I can't comment on the latter.

This is a far more innocent story about the birth of Christ... something Christian kids act out in school plays every year around Christmas. I wouldn't expect it to be edgy.

While I believe this tale is a complete myth, I'd like to see the movie if it's well-made. I'm a fan of Hardwicke and Castle-Hughes based on the one film each I've seen of theirs.

Posted by Melquiades at November 28, 2006 08:26 AM

comment #3