ShangLuda Admirable film.

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Cody One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Massimiliano Misturelli It's pretty clear that all the people who praise this movie have NEVER EVER read one line from "Storia di una capinera", let alone the other works of Giovanni Verga. Zeffirelli has the gift to turn the most tragic stories into some sort of spineless romanticism. Just think of " Fratello sole, sorella luna" that sordid exploitation of one of the most tragic saints of the Christianity. Now Verga was anything except a romantic. His depiction of life is with no mercy or redemption whatsoever. Even when he chooses to put a romantic episode in one of his works, this one is doomed to failure, it crashes against the stone wall of the reality of life. No dreams allowed. It's true that Maria, the main character, cannot fulfill her dream of love in the feature, but Zeffirelli manages to transform the sharp realism of the original novel into a faded romanticism. And something about him casting Jonathon Scaech. I don't mean to tear down Scaech who's a beautiful man a and a talented actor, it's just I'm pretty sick of Zeffirelli, that dreadful hypocrite homophobic fag. People should know, some already do, that he uses to cast beautiful young unknown actors just to sleep with them. He did it with Bruce Robinson, Tom Cruise and J. S. Those who have seen "Withnail and I" the beautiful comedy by Robinson know that the scene in which Withnail's uncle tries to seduce I is directly inspired by what happened during the shooting of "Giulietta e Romeo" where Robinson was playing Mercuzio, I guess. Every night Zeffirelli tried to get into Robinson' s bedroom just to have sex with him. Anyway he failed with everyone of those actors who not only are straight, except one, you guess which one, but have a better taste.

Claudio Carvalho In 1864, in Catania, Sicily, Italy has a serious epidemic of cholera. The novices of a convent are ordered to return home, to the breast and safety of their families to avoid contamination. The teenager novice Maria (Angela Bettis) returns to her wealthy family, where her father, her stepmother Matilde (Sinead Cusack), who indeed wants to get rid off her, and her two half-sisters do not allow her to have a "normal" life of a young woman, since she is a "bride of God". Meanwhile, Maria meets her handsome neighbor Nino (Johnathon Scahech), who is studying to be a lawyer, and he falls in love with her. Maria becomes confused with the new situation and returns to the convent. Maria becomes a nun, and while assisting the disturbed Sister Agata (Vanessa Redgrave), she realizes that the sister became mad because of a lost love. However, the love of Nino for Maria is now completely impossible. "Storia di una capinera" is a beautiful and dramatic story of a forbidden love. The performance of Angela Bettis and Vanessa Redgrave are amazing, and Angela Bettis makes a perfect use of her face, magnificently expressing her feelings. It is very difficult to see a young actress having such a fantastic performance. Although being a sad and never corny story, it is worthwhile to see such a good movie. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Sonho Proibido" ("Forbidden Dream")

fixerup I have seen Angela Bettis in MAY and CARRIE (Remake) and she is just so beautiful and sweet I thought I'd buy a copy of Sparrow. I now have 3 CD's of hers, she's quite intoxicating. The story in a way is like MAY or CARRIE in the respect that Angela's character "Maria" has led a sheltered life (in a convent) and is out of touch with love and interpersonal relationships. So far all three movies I have seen Angela Bettis in all have a very similar personality. I very much liked this movie but I don't think I will watch it as often as I have MAY. Angela Bettis is a fine actress and has a nice way of using lots of facial expressions that you usually only see in a very few great actors. I guess what this movie ultimately says is, if you are at a serious crossroads in your life and you need to make a decision. Then take your sweet time and let others know that you are not sure if you are not. Telling someone you are certain about things may influence them into making changes in their life that don't include you and it may come back to bite you. Angela is an Angel! This movie is well worth seeing and the cinematography is beautiful.

Bloodfordracula Franco Zeffirelli is a genius and is by far the greatest Italian director of all time (yes, greater than Fellini and Visconti). This film is one of the most exquisitely photographed films ever made. The Sparrow is an incredible tragedy about forbidden love, and reminiscent of Zeffirelli's greatest film Romeo and Juliet. Angela Bettis is amazing in her portrayal of a girl that must choose between god and lover. A 10 out of 10.