Several years ago I remember an Italian actor winning an Oscar and literally jumping for joy on the stage. I'd never seen him before and thought him a funny looking man. That night, the movie he starred in won two other Oscars too, and it was an incredibly popular choice with the audience. The man was Roberto Benigni and the film, which he starred in, directed and co-wrote, was called Life is Beautiful. I made myself a mental note to watch it some ...
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Advantages: Simplistic Disadvantages: not appealing to the masses on first glance.
Being A very poor student with far too little time on my hands due to my intense course, I, like many other of my comrades, spent every wakened minute, even the ones meant to be spent in lectures, between the student union (but shhh I was under aged) and the good ol’ Odeon Cinemas just down the road from my student accommodation. This life began to get taxing on us, the student body. Hangovers tested friendships and, more importantly, only so ...
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01.10.2001
LA VITA E BELLA! Review ofVita è bella, La (Life is beautiful)by
tallpaul1983
Advantages: Superb acting, funny and moving script, just great! Disadvantages: Holocaust may disturb
I rented this film out from my local video store as I’d heard good things about it but little else (I never like to hear to much about film plots before I see them). It wasn’t until I saw the box that I became aware of the critical acclaim this film received. It was the winner of the three Acadamy awards including ‘Best Actor’ for the main star (and director!) of the show Roberto Benigni. Not a bad effort for an Italian language ...
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22.08.2003
Moved to tears... Review ofVita è bella, La (Life is beautiful)by
esthersmile
Advantages: Everything - it's really thtat good Disadvantages: Slapstick comedy can be a bit silly
title: la vita è bella (life is beautiful)
year: 1997
director: roberto benigni
(subtitles)
intro:
i've been a member of dvdsontap.com (now known as lovefilm.com) for a while now, and this has been waiting in my queue for ages. my boyfriend was a bit sceptical when i told him that it was a comedy about the holocaust (what i'd heard from a friend) but we decided to watch it anyway. i'd just like to point out that i usually wait a while ...
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Advantages: a beautiful side of a harsh reality Disadvantages: using a box of kleenex at the end of it!
Turn off bright lights, get a box of kleenex + curl up with a blanket. Then press 'play'. I guarantee after the moment you have pressed play, you will be transfixed to the screen, transfixed to a captivating, beautiful story of love + sacrifice ultimately intertwined in the most beautiful of ways. I certainly was.
From the first moment this film was advertised on Front Row I had little fancy for it - an Italian movie in subtitles - I thought it ...
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Advantages: Pleasing idea, nice performances... Disadvantages: Not as hilarious and heart-wrenching as it should be.
Remember how Roberto Benigni livened things up at an otherwise dull Oscar ceremony? Chances are you'll fall into one of two categories; those who applauded the little Italian's disruption of the Academy's glitzy pomposity, or those who wanted to wring his neck as his milked his loveable sub-Chaplin shtick for all it was worth. If you are one of the latter, you probably won't be reading this review; if you are one of the former, there are plenty of ...
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Advantages: Great Story, Very well constructed etc. Disadvantages: Holocaust
A sensitive story about an ingenious father who will do just about anything for his son, and will willingly give up his life for the love of his wife.
That would be a decent summation of Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful.
This is not the kind of film you will watch for entertainment, despite the fact that there is a lot of extremely good comedy in the first half of the film.
The story of Guido (Roberto Benigni), a Jew caught in the horrors ...
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Advantages: Wonderful, charming Disadvantages: Clash of motives?
'La Vita è bella' is indeed a truly beautiful film - but perhaps I didn't think it was quite as glorious as some have deemed it since. It's a charming story of a Jewish family ( the director playing the head of household ) and their suffering during the holocaust. Starting off as a quaint look at period life in rural Italy, it progresses to the harsh world of a concentration camp, through to the final surrender. Never is there a moment when you get ...
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17.11.2000
A hidden beauty. Review ofVita è bella, La (Life is beautiful)by
WednesdayAddams
Advantages: Moving. Set in beautiful Italy, it prompted me to learn Italian and visit the country. Disadvantages: None
La Vita E Bella. This is an Italian movie with English subtitles. But don't let that put you off!
In the beginning of the movie, the characters do have "beautiful lives," and as the story continues the beauty lies in the preservation of innocence against all odds. When the characters find themselves in dire circumstances, the viewer is spared unnecessary graphic imagery. Rather than horrific scenes, their difficulties are presented to the viewer ...
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09.08.2000
Amore in Italia Review ofVita è bella, La (Life is beautiful)by
SideTiePanties
Advantages: Wonderfully uplifting at times Disadvantages: Upsetting at times
...are sooo sad. La vita is still bella! ...
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03.05.2001
A Beautiful Life? Review ofVita è bella, La (Life is beautiful)by
mundugnus
Advantages: Uplifting Disadvantages: Sad
Life is beautiful (la vita è bella)
Director - Roberto Benigni
Italian with subtitles. DVD has option of watching dubbed version but I’d only recommend this if you struggle to read quickly.
I recently borrowed The Pianist from a friend at work and on returning it, I thanked him and commented that I’d really liked the film but was it suitable to say that I’d ‘enjoyed’ a film about the holocaust? He replied that he knew exactly what I meant and ...
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Advantages: Fantastic original plot, great cast. Disadvantages: The subtitles - but they really shoulsn't put you off
Considering the amount of acclaim and publicity this I was surprised that this film had very few ops about it. So lets starts with the basics - its an independent, italian, sub-titled film set during the second world war. Robert Benigni co-wrote this masterpiece as well as directing and starring in his oscar-winning role.
A Jewish man, falls in love with Nicoletta Braschi (his wife in real life), and they settle down and start a life together ...
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Advantages: Funny, uplifting, great acting - Perfect in every way! Disadvantages: You will go through quite a few boxes of tissues!
One of my all time favourite films!! I think I was destined to watch this film after picking it up twice in blockbusters and having complete strangers come up to me, telling me to rent it! And I was so glad I did! Don't be fooled by the happy, smiling people on the front cover though, it is a sad sad film (tissues at the ready!) but it is uplifting and funny at the same time. The film is set mostly in a concentration camp during the second world war ...
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23.09.2004
Ciao Bella Review ofVita è bella, La (Life is beautiful)by
Little_Mario
Advantages: great music, great story, original Disadvantages: don't think so
Some movies are better when you watch them together with your girlfriend. This one is better when you watch it whith your dad. The relationship between the father and the son in this movie is so realistic and so emotional that you will need your dad when the movie is over. I gave my dad a big hug when I came home (he didn't know why). I cried in the movie theatre. That is something that I don't do a lot. This movie does the impossible: it's funny ...
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12.03.2001
La vita è bella Review ofVita è bella, La (Life is beautiful)by
Fasteleven
Advantages: It's a most beautiful film Disadvantages: I don't speak english.
...attore comico, ma con "La vita è bella" al di là di ogni premio, credo abbia fatto il passo più lungo della gamba.
Non a caso ha ricevuto tre statuette. ...
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Production Year: 1981 - Drama - Director: Franco Zeffirelli - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Brooke Shields, Martin Hewitt, Shirley Knight, Don Murray, Richard Kiley, Penelope Milford, Beatrice Straight
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands