Vita è bella, La (Life is beautiful)

Advantages: superb story, superb performances, unforgettable
Disadvantages: none

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 ...
...To say that I was glad I did has to be my understatement of 2002. Life is Beautiful (1998) is set in Italy during the Second World War. It stars Benigni as Guido, a likeable, excitable bumbler who moves from the countryside to Florence and becomes a waiter. Guido loves beauty, loves thinking, loves knowledge, and loves life. He sees the good in everything and everyone. His most endearing qualities are his fantastical and childlike imagination, his ... Read review

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 ...
...worth seeing twice, what was there to do when the big blockbusters where memorised word for word? Enjoy the art of fine conversation? Turn to our books perhaps? Or, notice some unheard movie on the billboard and figure it’s worth the chance – what else would we do with those two hours anyway! ? This is how I stumbled across the glorious and truly beautiful ‘Vita ET Belle - Life is beautiful.’ Now don’t get me wrong, ... Read review

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 ...
...This was a compelling, funny, poignant story, brilliantly acted and directed and rightly deserves the success it received! THE PLOT Guido (Benigni) is a charismatic, energetic if slightly awkward waiter in the Fascist Italy of the late 1930’s. He meets and, in typically italian style, falls in love with a pretty teacher called Dora (played by Nicoletta Braschi). He goes through a variety of funny and slightly surreal pranks to win her over. ... Read review

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 before posting ...
...one just made me want to tell as many people as possible about it, so i apologise if the review isn't up t my usual standard, having not had the time to digest the film properly. plot: guido, a jewish man, goes to the city to see his uncle, and discover the delights of city life. while there, he finds romance and excitement in the form of dora. later, tragedy strikes and guido and his son must find a way of escaping the horror that is a nazi death ... Read review

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 ...
...I'd never heard of a good Italian movie before. Infact I'd never even heard of any Italian movie (uncultured you see). in actual fact, there is a version now with English voices, which some might prefer though I find the true essence of the story is presented in a more beautiful way in the character's native tongues. Anyway, each to their preference! Thus the film begins with the hilariously cute, loveable yet ultimately charming Guido, played by ... Read review

Advantages: amusing, clever storyline
Disadvantages: drug taking scenes, but funny enough to get away with it

...If I say Roberto Benigni directed and starred in this 1991 film, would that mean anything to you? It means something to me – I KNOW that I am going to enjoy this film! Mr Benigni is the star of one of my all time favourite films La vita e bella (Life is Beautiful) in which he starred with Nicoletta Braschi. Guess who plays his love interest in Johnny Stecchino too?! This might have something to do with Nicoletta being Roberto’s real life wife. They met on the set of ‘Tu mi turbi’ (1983) and married in 1991. Well onto the story. Benigni plays Dante, a school bus driver who is a simple soul. He ferries handicapped kids around in his yellow vehicle, making their journeys fun by singing to them. Early on in the film we realise Dante is a flop with women, he’s their ‘friend’ rather than their lover. At a party he’s the only guy... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Great story, excellent performances, total eye opener
Disadvantages: none

...It's the late 1930s and Guido, an easy going Jew, arrives in the Tuscan town of Arezzo, where he dreams of opening a book store. Too finance his dream he gains temporary work as a waiter at a local hotel. Whilst working towards his dream, he meets Dora, a local school teacher who is engaged to a local Fascist official. This doesn't stop him from wooing her with his romantic gestures and humour. Finally winning her affections, they get married and have a son called Giosué. Several years on, and the family are sent to a German-run Concentration Camp where Dora is separated from Guido and their son. Too try and make the harsh surroundings more bearable, Guido convinces his son that they are part of a huge game, where you win points for behaving and doing as you are told, with the winner getting a tank. Life is Beautiful (La Vita è... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful