I haven't seen this movie but on his blog Cardinal Sean O'Malley is encouraging folks to see Bella, coming soon to a theater near you: the Fenway Regal in Boston; Showcase Cinema in Lawrence; Loew's in Methuen and the Showcase Cinema in Worcester (check the papers for other theaters) - and on DVD.
You can link to the trailer here.
As reported in the following, Bella has already won several awards:
In director Alejandro Monteverde’s emotional tale of self-discovery, two people whose lives are changed forever discover that sometimes it takes losing it all to finally appreciate the things that truly matter. Starring Mexican superstar Eduardo Verastegui (Chasing Papi) and Emmy award winning Tammy Blanchard (The Good Shepherd), Bella is a heartwarming love story about life, relationships and our capacity for love in the face of the unexpected.
Bella took the top prize at Toronto’s International Film Festival by winning the highly-coveted “Peoples Choice Award,” a distinction that puts it in the company of such Oscar-winning films as Chariots of Fire, American Beauty, Life is Beautiful, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hotel Rwanda... Since Toronto, the Bella team has won festivals around the world, received a Legacy Award from the Smithsonian Institute and have been honored at the White House and the Mexican Embassy for Bella’s positive contribution to the arts.
I went to see Bella. It has gotten mixed reviews. I thought it was a beautiful story of a very loving family that reached out to include and welcome new people to their circle. Jose, for me, was a Christlike figure. In my opinion, his goodness and kindness is extraordinary. I left thinking how wonderful our world would be if we all could be as caring as Jose and his family were. Jose had such a warm, gentle manner. One of the reviews of the movie I read said he will be the next Antonio Banderas (I think that is the correct name. I guess he is the latest heartthrob, but soon to be replaced!) While I didn't think this movie was as good as Life Is Beautiful (one of my favorites) or Chariots of Fire, I certainly would not agree with one reviewer that it was "mush." Far from it!
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