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The Bargain Nexus - Saturn in Opposition
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List Price: $27.99
Our Price: $15.58
Your Save: $ 12.41 ( 44% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Strand Releasing
Starring: Margherita Buy, Luigi Diberti, Ennio Fantastichini, Milena Vukotic, Isabella Ferrari
Directed By: Ferzan Ozpetek
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
EAN: 0712267280421
Format: Color
Label: Strand Releasing
Manufacturer: Strand Releasing
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Strand Releasing
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2008-09-23
Running Time: 108
Studio: Strand Releasing
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Appreciating and Celebrating the Extended Family
Comment: Ferzan Ozpetek understands as well as any writer/director today the concept and attending importance of Extended Family. Much as he spoke about the importance of friends who are often more supportive than genetic family in his beautiful film HIS SECRET LIFE, he explores a similar topic in his latest exceptional film SATURNO CONTRO (SATURN IN OPPOSITION). Ozpetek and his co-writer Gianni Romoli have created a story about camaraderie, celebration, shared loss, consolation, and healing among a rather disparate group of Romans that manages to not only underscore our human needs, but also demonstrates how nearly insurmountable hurdles can be managed by the kindness and understanding of true friends.
Davide (Pierfrancesco Favino) is a much admired writer who lives with his artist partner Lorenzo (Luca Argentero) in a healthy, loving relationship. Davide has many admirers who wish to fall under his influence as a writer and Lorenzo likewise has many friends who are devoted to him. These friends gather at the home of Davide and Lorenzo for meals, parties and celebrations - a place where each of the friends finds compassion for whatever is nibbling away at their happiness. Davide's close friend Antonio (Stefano Accorsi) is married to the beautiful Angelica (Margherita Buy) who is writing a book about smoking and is not aware that her husband is having an affair with florist Laura (Isabella Ferrari) until a mutual friend, translator Neval (Serra Yilmaz) - caring for both friends' concerns - shares the information. The possible disastrous discovery is overshadowed by the sudden subarachnoid hemorrhage suffered by Lorenzo during a communal meal. Each of the friends' lives are halted while they gather at the hospital awaiting the inevitable death of their friend - each with open arms of support for Davide and each other as they find their way through dealing with the circle of life. The story places Lorenzo's tragedy near the beginning of the film: the resolution and coping of the large number of this extended family form the message and the sidebars that explore the sanctity of friendship and caring. There are myriad moments of rare beauty in this little film, moments that include the tenderness of Lorenzo's father's acceptance of Davide's relationship to his son as the funeral is passing, the wordless mending that the death of a friend brings to the dissolving marriage of Angelica and Antonio, and many others.
This is a beautifully photographed film (Gian Filippo Corticelli) and one with a musical score (Giovanni Pellino 'Neffa') that is so subtle that it supports without distraction (much like the presence of Extended Families!). The acting is of the highest quality from some of Italy's finest actors. We can only hope that Ferzan Ozpetek continues to create meaningful films such as this for a world that too often settles for finding solace as well as happiness from artificial sources outside the circle of human relationships. In Italian with subtitles. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, October 08
Customer Rating:
Summary: "Rules exist even in relationships."
Comment: ***1/2 In Saturn in Opposition, director Ferzan Ozpetek creates a vibrant, vital film that deals with issues such as friendship, death, loss and grief. The film quickly establishes the relationships between a close-knit group of friends and then charts what happens when tragedy strikes.
Successful writer Davide (Pierfrancesco Favino) lives with his lover Lorenzo (Luca Argentero). Others in the group include Davide's ex-lover, Sergio (Ennio Fantastichini), married couple Neval (Serra Yilmaz) and Roberto (Filippo Timi), and successful therapist Angelica (Margherita Buy) and her husband, banker Antonio (Stefano Accorsi). Also in the group is the troubled, coke sniffing, pill-popping Roberta (Ambra Angiolini) and newcomer, doctor and budding writer Paolo (Michelangelo Tomasso). All these characters are introduced within the first minutes of the film, and it's a bit overwhelming to absorb who they all are and their significance to one another, but no matter. Once the first few minutes of the film are over, not too many new characters are added, so it's possible to settle in and just watch and enjoy this sensitive portrait of friendship.
In adversity, some of these relationships are stretched to the limit, and sadly already-strained relationships cave in under the pressure. Just how these characters offer support and love is the substance of the film that showcases Ozpetek regulars.
Ultimately this is not my favourite Ozpetek film, but then again there's some stiff competition. I'd rank this one probably my least favourite with the following order: Steam, Facing Windows, Harem Suare, His Secret Life, and now Saturn in Opposition in last place. In some ways, Saturn in Opposition reminds me of His Secret Life--a death, and the friends who form an ad-hoc family of characters. Not a lot happens in Saturn in Opposition, but then again that's the film's structure, and the plot focuses on relationships not action. The film's exquisite beauty is found in scenes with perfect shots--the empty bench, empty rooms and the final shot of the abandoned table--all echo the ephemeral qualities of life and the enduring relationships between friends.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Stefano Accorsi---A Gift From God!
Comment: This delicate, moving and absorbing film continues director Ferzan
Ozpetek's growth as a great film artist. His movie STEAM possessed a
sweet sensuality that was potent and moving. His movie HIS SECRET LIFE
is a sexy little masterpiece. It is moving and funny. And, like I said,
very sexy.
With SATURN IN OPPOSITION, Ozpetek teams up again with the gorgeous
Italian actor Stefano Accorsi. This actor added sensuality to every
scene in HIS SECRET LIFE. Stefano continues to bring his amazing heat
to SATURN IN OPPOSITION.
This movie is an ensemble piece in every sense of the word. A group of friends are thrown into turmoil when the most beloved member of their group is struck down in his prime. How the friends and lovers and former lovers survive this tragedy is heartwarming and very moving.
If this movie does not get to you then you have no heart. Period.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Let us not make of it more than it is............
Comment:
Let's not aggrandize this film; there is not a lot of substance going on here. A sad and youthful death, yes (why do all the pretty ones have to go first?)----and grieving and loss. But there's little to create an emotional attachment to these characters......even prior to the death.
This production is NOT a "Steam: The Turkish Bath" in that regard, or even an "His Secret Life," both of which got us more "involved." To this viewer, the most interesting point was before film's end, in the denoument between widower, Davide, and a come-to-acceptance and grieving, deceased's father.
At film's conclusion, there is a tying-up........a coming to terms. I wonder, though, is real life ever as smooth as pictured?
PS--Points for beautiful, beautiful photography work (are this man's films ever not?)
****
Customer Rating:
Summary: Loss, Despair anf Recovery
Comment: "Saturn in Opposition"
Loss, Despair and Recovery
Amos Lassen
Ferzan Ozpetek who gave us "Steam" now deals with a powerful story of loss, despair and recovery from hopelessness during the times of great turmoil in "Saturn in Opposition".
Davide, a writer, and Lorenzo are in a very loving relationship. They have a beautiful home and wonderful friends. One day while hosting a dinner party, Lorenzo faints and is rushed to the hospital where he has a brain hemorrhage and dies. As Davide is faced with the loss of his partner, his friends' lives begin to fall apart. Angela discovers that her husband Antonio is having an affair and she is left with two children. Roberto who is addicted to drugs struggles to be accepted. Davide's former lover, Sergio, tries to maintain a relationship with his domineering wife, Neval. Lorenzo's parents have come to terms with their son's sexuality. In other words there is a lot going on but it is interesting to watch as everyone puts aside their personal dramas and help Davide deal with his grief.
When we meet the group of characters they are all busy with usual things--love and deceit, honesty and compassion and they are self-effacing, timid, courageous and blatant. There is no conflict to speak of and the nature of death appears to be the underlying theme of the film. Family, we learn, is not always what you are born into but it is what you for among friends and lovers and as members of a family tears are shed, lessons are learned and compassion is shown.
Ozpotek introduces us to an unorthodox group that is regarded as family by its members. When they are faced with the fact that Lorenzo is gone forever, they realize that death is indeed permanent and there are no miracles in life.
The cast is uniformly excellent and Ozpetek's direction is subdued and fine. He shows that homosexuals are not aliens from another world but people just like everyone else and suffer the same as others. The script is outstanding and the characters are well developed. This is a beautiful film that can be enjoyed over and over again. It is fine ensemble acting and a set of character studies as well as a romanticized about a group of people that we usually do not see on film--people experiencing complex emotional states that they do not know how to deal with but not worrying about them. The cinematography is gorgeous and the shots of Rome are breathtaking.
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Editorial Reviews:
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Acclaimed director Ferzan Ozpetek unites a group of friends a la THE BIG CHILL. Starring today`s hottest Italian stars, this touching, funny and heartwarming ensemble finds a group of friends who come together after one of the people in their circle falls ill and discover that their friendships are the strongest bonds in their lives.
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