Full disclosure: This film has subtitles. I know that can be a major deterrent to a lot of people, but I’m telling you, it’s the most fantastic, visually beautiful movie I’ve seen in a very long time. No one ever makes films about Connecticut, at least, films that aren’t about hauntings or bizarre meet-the-parents type set-ups, so it’s great to feel truly connected to the subject matter. I live here! I live in Rome! Only for four months, but that’s enough time for me to feel integrated enough into the culture that I feel like here IS home.

Anyway, “La Grande Bellezza” is a modern-day Gatsby– taking place in Rome. It captures the emptiness of a life filled with people and parties, all held in an effort to fill some sort of void. I find that more people relate to this than they initially think. Maybe the void, or whatever you want to call it, isn’t being filled with parties, but come on, in the words of Nikka Costa, “Everybody Got Their Something”!!!

Trust me. This movie is beautiful. It’s a life…

Top 3 Void-Filling Parties: