Top 250 Challenge: 146

Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1989)
Number 99 on IMDb's Top 250

Told in flashback, it tells the story of the return to his native Sicilian village of a successful film director Salvatore, Toto for short, for the funeral of his old friend Alfredo, who was the projectionist at the local "Cinema Paradiso". Ultimately, Alfredo serves as a wise father figure to his young friend who only wishes the best to see him succeed, even if it means breaking his heart in the process. Hilarity ensues.

Trivia: Guiseppe Tornatore's intention was that this movie should serve as an obituary for traditional movie theatres (like the one on the film) and the movie industry in general. After the movie's success he never mentioned this again.

This movie is really a celebration of movies. The story centers around the Cinema Paradiso and later the Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (that replaced the original after it burned down) in his home village. Toto's passion for film is very evident from early on and he is befriended by Alfredo and eventually becomes the projectionist at a very young age. This is a very good movie. Kim might what to rent it if she can and watch it in it's native language, Italian.