Clevercell Very disappointing...

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

Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Andy Steel I found this a very engaging film with some very interesting characters and an intriguing story line. It's beautifully shot; making the most of the landscape, showing off the wide open spaces of the region. There is also some nice close-up work in which we get to see many of the small creatures that inhabit the fields. All the performances were excellent; particularly Giuseppe Cristiano; he really held the thing together with some great work! Over all, I can safely say I enjoyed this one although I did find it a little predictable towards the end but I think it's still worth a look.SteelMonster's verdict: RECOMMENDEDMy score: 7.9/10You can find an expanded version of this review on my blog: Thoughts of a SteelMonster.

jcru91 With its great plot, this is one of the best foreign films out there. It achieves what can't be done in America with its artistry, openness, sorrow and desire; all while sometimes being very simple. "I'm Not Scared" has convincing characters, a realistic feel, great acting, and is always interesting. Do not ignore seeing this movie! You should not regret watching it in the slightest. It is a movie not just worth seeing, but worth owning in my opinion. It saddens me to know that most people probably have never seen this film or read the book, which encouraged me to write this review. If you are looking for a movie to add to your watchlist, look no further.

scoochie9 I just happened upon "I'm Not Scared" at the library. I'd seen the preview several times through the years, thought it looked good, and never came across it 'til today. I'm so glad I finally did! This is a truly beautiful film, from the stunning cinematography all the way to the very emotional story of two young boys meeting under extraordinary (and scary) circumstances. The acting was fantastic, particularly the young protagonist played by Giuseppe Christiano.It's almost like a crime thriller told in story-book-speak. Pretty understandable since it's seen and told through the eyes of children.Absolutely brilliant and unique! I can't BELIEVE this escaped Oscar notice!!!

IndyMansOldAccount Plot:Thriller dealing with the loss of innocence set in southern Italy. A ten-year-old boy discovers a young child chained up and starving in an abandoned farmyard. He befriends the boy and slowly discovers that he has uncovered a conspiracy that reaches into his own family My Review:Written by Niccolò Ammaniti, whose novel is so sublime and subtle in its creative use to describe sound, colour and imagery, comes the on screen version of one of his appraised novels based on a 1970's kid growing up in Sicily. Director Gabriele Salvatores accrues together scriptwriter Niccol Ammaniti's simple words and tries to apprehend the panoramic imagery that encompasses the film in its finest and darkest hours. Sheer volume of words could not describe how the imagery grasps the viewers eyes, although as if you are standing upon a Sicilian cornfield, where you can almost feel the dry heat and smell the odorous of faint and distinctive Sicilian cuisine. The very imagery makes in an envious place to live, as if on some level that the pleasures of the idyllic rural existence is the very essence of a carefree life.The story is of course a bucolic drama is set in 1978; the Basilicata region of Italy, you think with the title it suggests to be about growing up in the rustic keeps of Sicilian Italy. However, the sheer forceful blow comes from the fact that film is like the idyllic place that has more than meets the eye, of course it does with a title as suggestive as it sounds. It seems like a picture-perfect indigenous location that bears the likes of a tourist's idea of a traditional Italian holiday.The real star is 9-10 year old Michele (Giuseppe Cristiano), the rurally kept pre-adolescent protagonist following his discovery of a feral blind boy Filippo (Mattia Di Pierro), who's chained up in a hole in the ground beside a ruined farm. The pairing of friendship and direction of these two herald by director Gabriele Salvatores shows its true appreciation in the interaction of these two very different children. The range of acting and direction shows the same level of mature child actors in league with other directors, i.e. Guillermo del Toro's work with child star Ivana Baquero in 'Pan's Labyrinth' or Alejandro González Iñárritu's direction of children in his trilogy from 'Amores Perros', '21 Grams' and recently 'Babel'.One scene that particularly engrosses attention and shows true connection between these younger actors is a scene in which Michele tries to get Filippo to open his eyes and look upon the face of the young lad who has befriended him. The scene shows a glimmer and incandescent spark of light and Filippo's first look at Michele. Nevertheless, underneath the pristine imagery and wonderful direct lies the superficial rendering of a thriller, less played out conventionally and more a tense coming-of-age light- hearted rigid story. Good stuff.Verdict:Unparallel drama and tightly woven plot with a wonderfully sublime script thanks to the novelist. Fancy a trip to Sicily? 8.5/10. The Film is showing on Monday 7th July 2008 at 12:10 am. On Channel 4.