Pistone | 2025 | Italy

Had myself a night at The Roxy, including a three course dinner at Coco, their restaurant (Sunday roast: lamb shoulder). A yummy time followed up by this meditative coming-of-ager playing as part of the Italian Film Festival. Plumbs a straight line to the only ending it could have, but which hits you hard all the same. Indeed, the sound and inventive camera movements are deployed expertly enough to suspend you in the oneiric state required *for* that landing to hit.

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It seems to be my curse that I discover something very cool on the last day I’m in a city, leaving no time to check it out. On the last day of my 2023 stay in Wellington, this was The Roxy. I scheduled a tour of the Weta Cave on the morning of my final day in town, and the tour bus points out the cinema as you’re driving through Miramar (as it’s owned and operated by Weta big wigs). I made a note to drop by the next time I was in town, and I only had to wait two years in the end.

As above, the restaurant is fantastic, with a rotating Sunday roast. Because I am a tremendous nerd, I used the occasion of my solo dinner to begin reading The Lord of the Rings – something I have surprisingly never seen through. Gollum stands guard over the lobby, and he was decked out in his holiday finery when I blew in.

The interiors are beautiful, and the seats are comfortable enough to sink into. It really makes one wish this could be their local. Overall, I had a thoroughly magical evening treating myself to dinner and a movie.

Don’t forget to say bonne nuit to Gandalf on your way out.