Ridley Scott -Blade Runner
One of the 5 most beautiful science fiction films of all time. Although it is not the most faithful adaptation of a Dick novel, it is the one that is qualitatively the most successful: a masterpiece that could be discussed for hours. The atmosphere, the direction of the best Scott ever, the wonderful ending (the one from The Final Cut, of course), the unforgettable Rutger Hauer, the excellent performances by Ford, Daryl Hannah, and Sean Young, the soundtrack. A timeless masterpiece. more
John Carpenter -1997: Fuga da New York
Great action/sci-fi film, now recognized as a cult classic. A great Kurt Russell and exceptional supporting actors, from Henry Dean Stanton to the loyal Donald Pleasance, Adrienne Barbeau (Carpenter's wife), Frank Doubleday, and Tom Askins, all the way to the old glory Lee Van Cleef. As always, excellent direction by John Carpenter, a dark and devastated New York, more pessimistic than ever, good cinematography, a screenplay that is not exceptional (not surprising with Carpenter), and some truly great scenes. Really a nice film. 8 more
Stanley Kubrick -Arancia Meccanica
Epic, stunning, shocking, violent, extraordinary, a breathtaking finale. One of the 10 greatest films of all time. I won’t use more words because I have none left; I’ll just say that the first 30-40 minutes and the finale alone are worth a 10, everything else just solidifies it. Story. more
Tim Burton -Ed Wood
"Ed Wood" remains for me one of Tim Burton's brightest gems, though it is far from his typical style. The story of a man completely devoid of talent but with an endless passion for cinema and his work, wonderfully portrayed (with applause for Depp and Landau) and directed. You root for him, even knowing that his films are actually terrible. A great film. more
Francesco Rosi -Salvatore Giuliano
A piece of Italian history too often forgotten or overlooked, more than a film, it’s an exceptional documentary on the life of the bandit Salvatore Giuliano. There are truly powerful scenes, from the massacre of 1947 at Portella della Ginestra to the astonishing finale, not to mention the scene of the bandit's death or the trial in Pisciotta and others. An exceptional film for its realism and historical plausibility, perhaps Rosi's masterpiece. more
Quentin Tarantino -Pulp Fiction
Alongside The Unforgiven, the only Tarantino film that I truly appreciated. I don't consider Pulp Fiction a masterpiece, but a stroke of genius, yes; a real, big stroke of genius. Fantastic characters, 2 and a half hours that fly by in a breeze, a very funny film, quick, snappy. Splendid, in short. more
Vittorio De Sica -Sciuscià
Among the peaks of the neorealist movement, among the heights of Vittorio De Sica, one of our greatest directors. Little to say about this film, a dramatic story, one of the many from post-war Italy. A masterpiece. more
Martin Scorsese -Cape Fear - Il Promontorio Della Paura
A lesser film in a filmography dotted with masterpieces like Scorsese's. Still, it remains a nice thriller, with a rather unsuccessful and decidedly exaggerated ending, but otherwise very beautiful. De Niro is terrifying, a magnificent performance (yet another).
Great film. more
John Schlesinger -Il Maratoneta
Excellent thriller directed by the equally excellent Schlesinger and beautifully performed by Dustin Hoffman (reuniting with Schlesinger after "Midnight Cowboy") and the legendary Laurence Olivier. The sequence of dental torture is historic, but the entire film flows very well; the excellent performances of the actors and the great screenplay contribute to making the viewing quite enjoyable. Great film. more
Jonathan Demme -Il Silenzio Degli Innocenti
Demme's masterpiece, one of the best thrillers of all time, has literally revolutionized the genre (along with Mann's progenitor "Manhunter"), rewriting its rules. Excellent direction, outstanding Foster, simply superb Hopkins, and Levin is great as well. In short, a stunning film, directed and acted magnificently, that rightfully occupies a place among the top 10 films of the '90s. 9 more
Roman Polanski -Chinatown
"Forget it, Jack, it's Chinatown." An outstanding Noir, directed by a masterful Roman Polanski and featuring a stunning Jack Nicholson in one of his best performances. Fantastic plot, exceptional thriller, terrible ending. A truly great film. more
Michael Mann -Heat - La Sfida
Mann's masterpiece, it's wonderful to see Pacino (here in one of his best performances) and De Niro (brilliant as always) acting together, the meeting of the two at the bar is extraordinary. A great film indeed. Ultimately, a great director and two acting phenomena for the best crime film of the '90s. Awesome. more
Sergio Leone -Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo
A masterpiece as well, an epic film, engaging, technically perfect as always in Leone's movies, the characters are exceptional (golden palm for a wonderful Eli Wallach), the music is immense, perfect direction, only the screenplay has a few minor flaws but that's a small matter. The scene where Wallach runs among the tombs and the final triello are legendary. Great Sergione, great film. more
Jonathan Demme -Philadelphia
Second major gem from Jonathan Demme, a remarkable director who gave us two of the best films of the '90s. Philadelphia showcases the best performance of Tom Hanks (even better than in Forrest Gump) and a strong showing from Washington. A very delicate theme well addressed, with a hint of feel-goodism perhaps (which isn’t bothersome) but with so much class and intelligence. Heartbreaking ending to the notes of "Philadelphia" by Young.
8.5 more
Martin Scorsese -Casinò
After "Mean Streets," "Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore," "TAXI DRIVER," "Raging Bull," "King of Comedy," "After Hours," "The Last Temptation of Christ," "The Age of Innocence," and "Goodfellas," here is the latest great Scorsese film, this immense "Casino." He will continue to make good films, but for me, this extraordinary movie remains his last great masterpiece. more
Roberto Benigni -La Tigre E La Neve
2 just for that homeless guy with the voice of a drunk werewolf who appears at the beginning of the movie and for the nice song he sings; otherwise it would have been a 1. Apparently, he is a friend of the director. more
Peter Weir -L'Attimo Fuggente
Great movie, it has its flaws and it's not Weir's best film (Gallipoli, Truman Show, Picnic), but it has a truly beautiful ending (a bit predictable but splendid) and moving, and Williams proves to be a very versatile actor also suited for dramatic roles. Excellent. more
Tim Burton  -Batman
Jack Nicholson is worth the film all by himself and raises the score by at least a notch. Ultimately, it's a good adaptation of the character of Kane; Burton was the one from his early days, pre-Edward, but the talent was already all there. more
Orson Welles -Quarto Potere
Among the top 5, or perhaps even the top 3 films of all time. A masterpiece of masterpieces by Orson Welles, one of the most important films in the history of cinema. I'm speechless. more