Movie Review: Bella

Name: Bella
Director: Alejandro Monteverte
Starring: Eduardo Verastegui, Tammy Blanchard and Manny Perez
Rated: PG-13
For: Thematic Elements and Brief disturbing images
Brief summary:Bella is a story within a story within yet another story. Jose is at a beach in present time reminescing of a time 4 or 5 years ago when he shared a life-changing day with Nina, a waitress that worked at the same restaurant as he. During that day, he comes to face yet even another story that haunts him from his past. Nina is facing a tough decision and when Jose' shares a tragedy that affected his life and how his family helped him cope, Nina is also transformed. Nina is then able to make a decision that will forever link her life to Jose's beyond even romance. (from IMDB.com)
Age level: 13 and up
Cautions: ***SPOILERS!!!!*** Mentions of sex outside marriage, a little girl is killed in a car accident (they show the body briefly and there is blood), a woman talks about having an abortion.
If you like this movie, you might also like . . . Juno? There's not really another movie to compare with Bella....
Personal Opinion: Wow. I saw this movie in theaters and cried my eyes out! It is Sooo beautiful! When it was out on DVD, my sister and I decided to buy it for my mom for Mother's Day. We never watched until tonight, November 16th. It's not a movie you can watch everyday, it's a movie you have to reflect on. I'll never forget the way I felt when the lights came on in the theater. I was shocked, touched, and in love. with a movie.
Entertainment: 10/10
Truth factor: 10/10
Random tidbit: Eduardo Verastegui (who played the main character, Jose), is actually a pro-life Catholic in real life. During the forty days for life, he went to an abortion clinic in LA and prayed the Rosary outside it. And two nurses came out and asked for his autograph. He gave it to them, than told them he was praying for him. Wow....