CineCrossroads: “The Roses,” “La Strada,” and “Bambi 2”

Movie of the week — The Roses (2025)
The biggest premiere of the week is the dark comedy The Roses, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. Directed by Jay Roach and written by Tony McNamara, the film reimagines the cult classic The War of the Roses in a modern context.

The story follows Theo (Cumberbatch), an architect whose career is falling apart, and his wife Ivy (Colman), a rising star chef. What was once a harmonious marriage turns into a battlefield where sarcasm, ambition, and despair become weapons.

The U.S. premiere took place on August 29, with the global release expected in early September. International reviews are mixed, but nearly all agree on one thing: the chemistry between Cumberbatch and Colman makes The Roses a standout event of the fall.

Classic pick — La Strada (1954)
Federico Fellini’s La Strada has been touching hearts for seven decades. The film tells the story of Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), a naive young woman, and Zampano (Anthony Quinn), a brutish strongman, as they wander through postwar Italy.

Fellini combines neorealism with metaphor, showing how poverty and despair exist alongside childlike wonder and brief moments of kindness. Gelsomina, almost like a clown, sees life as a kind of performance, while Zampano relies only on brute strength. Their meeting with the tightrope walker Matto leads to a series of tragic events.

The film became Fellini’s first Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film and remains a powerful allegory of the human condition, capturing longing, resignation, disillusionment, and the fragile hope that kindness still matters.

Family choice — Bambi 2 (2006)
More than 60 years after the original, Disney released Bambi 2, a midquel that revisits the classic forest tale. Created during Disney’s transition to computer animation, it stands out as one of the studio’s stronger sequels.

The filmmakers carefully preserved the lush backgrounds, recognizable characters, and tender atmosphere of the first film. This time, the story centers on Bambi’s relationship with the Great Prince, highlighting themes of fathers and sons. Despite its predictable plot, the film resonates emotionally with heartfelt moments and a lyrical score.

With its vivid animation, gentle nostalgia, and heartwarming spirit, Bambi 2 is a wonderful choice for family viewing, whether you’re meeting the fawn for the first time or revisiting a childhood memory.

So, will you choose an ironic marital drama, a cornerstone of Italian neorealism, or a tender animated tale? Whatever your pick, may it set the mood for the weekend ahead.

Earlier, it was reported that Joseph Kosinski’s movie brought Formula 1 racing to the big screen, with Brad Pitt in the lead role and breathtaking race sequences that recreate the full adrenaline of the track.