Cinema Paradiso: The New Version is a film by Guiseppe Tornatore released as a director’s cut in 2002. The story is about the flashback of the famous film director Salvatore Di Vita. He reminisces about his childhood and his experiences he had with his father-figure Alfredo as he grows up. How Alfredo has helped him reach the top to where he is now in his life as a famous director.

The film’s story revolves mainly around the flashback of the main character. As we have notice, I can say that this is Tornatore’s styling in portraying the message of his film. Just like in Malena, when Renato narrates the story of his life by narration, letting us see his flashbacks. As well as in Cinema Paradiso, Toto flashes back to his memories with Alfredo and his love affair with Elena. And also, another styling of Tornatore I noticed was the time duration of the two stories. Both films focused on the main character’s maturity – from childhood to adulthood – and his experiences while he’s in the stage of growing up.

The motifs of the story were: the cinema paradiso itself and the reel of films. The Cinema Paradiso represents the native Sicilian town he was in. How this cinema made him stand behind the reel of films and be a projectionist like he always wanted to be – that because of the fire that broke out in the first cinema, he would not be given a chance to be a projectionist. Also, it was the time of the “new age”, not only to make way for the new cinema for the people’s convenience inside the theater but also for the people to embrace the changes – to able to watch kissing scenes in the big screen without the filtering of their town priest.

Also, by the end of the film, when the cinema was burned down to pieces, it was the time when his connection of Alfredo and Elena died. That he must forget about the past and embrace the life he is leaving today. That as he comes home to his native town in Sicily, he looks back one last time, and must move on. That it was the end of their journey together, that if not because of this old town of his, the people in it, Alfredo, Elena and the Cinema itself he would never be a famous director in his time.

Moreover, the reel of film represents Toto himself, which from time to time he would grow older, and new inventions will emerge. Just like the reel of film that will never caught fire, the dying of the traditional cinematography, editing and screening. Thus, compared to Toto’s life when he was growing up – when he meet the beautiful Elena, how they feel in love, their struggles and the love affair in which also became the main reason why he left his old town Sicily and also the blooming of his career thus the replacement of the old projector with the new and high-tech one.

The sex in the film is somehow appropriate, since it was somehow the turning point of Toto’s adolescence. Also, the music really did sync well with the clips in the movie. Since music is also one of the most important elements in a movie, it is also another way of letting the readers feel the tension and drama, and Tornatore did a pretty good job collaborating with the Music Director. Also implementing his style like that in Malena, having theme music throughout the film.

Over all, I did like the movie pretty much since it is about life and childhood, about parenting and making decisions. Some parts of the film made me cry so it's a four out five stars for me. :D