Thursday, April 21, 2016

883. Caro Diario

Caro Diario
Dear Diary
1994
Directed by Nanni Moretti









The Book states "Exercises in personal filmmaking are sometimes narcissistic and cloying, but that is not the case here."  While I am not sure Dear Diary completely escapes these labels, I still enjoyed this quite a bit.

The movie is divided into three sections.  The first is titled "On My Vespa" which provides a glimpse of Moretti's thoughts and opinions.  The second is "Islands" which depicts Moretti and his friend, a Joycean scholar, attempting to find a quiet island to work.  The final chapter is titled "Doctors" which tells the story of Moretti's cancer diagnosis.

This film is fairly judgmental.  I know this is a serious case of the pot calling the kettle black, as I am rather judgmental myself.  But the "Islands" segment just rubbed me the wrong way.  I think we were supposed to regard it as some sort of tragedy that a great mind would become obsessed with soap operas.  Just do you. If you want to watch soap operas, watch soap operas.  I think I would rather talk to someone who worships The Bold and the Beautiful than someone who worships Ulysses.  That book took years off my life.  Sorry, we have hit upon a pet peeve of mine: people who argue you're not really living unless you are doing x, and not spending your time doing y.  Just leave everyone alone.

Wow, I am really going off the rails.  Let's just end this review by saying I greatly enjoyed "Doctors" and "On My Vespa."

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Moretti won Best Director at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival.

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