Rating: 
Summary: Bring a couple of hankies
Review: This is an incredibly seductive movie with a strong sense of the spirit of Demeter and Dionysus throughout. There's no Hollywood glamour here. Instead we have an unabashed celebration of life ("This is the only dance we dance") in which love, community and simple hard work prevail. The simple are seen as the equal of the gifted, and everybody (except for rapists and hypocrites) are appreciated for their strengths and forgiven their faults. Intellectualism is seen as quaint and unsocial (as in the person of Crooked Finger) possibly leading to a morbid cynicism. And brain power (as in the person of the prodigy Therese) is just another talent, like being able to laugh or to bale hay or to have lots of children.This is the Dionysian view of life that doesn't allow for Apollo, and there's a lot to be said for it. But I couldn't help but reflect that during the time span depicted in this movie--five generations in Holland during the twentieth century--Europe experienced some of the most horrific events known to humankind, two world wars, genocide, concentration camps, poison gas, fire bombings, political repression, and the death of millions of people. But perhaps that is director Marleen Gorris's point, to see life at its most elemental, locally and without the horror of war and the delusions of generals and politicians. What's not to like about that? Well, not to rain on anyone's love-fest, but we have vigilante justice here and a murder, seemingly justified and certainly agreeable to the audience since the victim was a brutal rapist. Men are not exactly banished, but they are put in their place, serving or (literally) servicing women. What is banished is orthodox religiosity in the form of a hypocritical cleric who (with his disciples, we are told) goes to town and becomes a social worker (!). This is also an ode to feminism and a deliberate tear-jerker that manipulates the emotions of the audience. Yet, somehow Gorris, who also wrote the script, manages not to offend my sensitivities. I think it is because the movie amounts to a very effective sermon against prejudice of any kind, and because of the gentle humanity of her tale. You'll forgive me, however, if I say that my favorite part was the handstand! It was just perfect.
Rating: 
Summary: NOW YOU WILL UNDERSTAND
Review: The story of an unconventional woman and her unconventional daughter and how their lives progress once they return to live in the woman's hometown. It pretty much illustrates why many people find the Dutch to be the most civilized people on earth. An excellent and moving film. I love it.
Rating:
Summary: A joy!
Review: A beautiful movie that shows many difficult subjects -- rape, suicide, incest, intolerance, death -- and how one woman's strength helps her and "her line" to transcend them. I laughed at points when I least expected to find humour, and wept at others. <Antonia's Line> demonstrates that we can create family that is made up of not only our flesh and blood, but also of those whom we help and whom we allow to help us.
Rating:
Summary: Great Film!
Review: This is the reason why I love foreign films. They do not offer the slapstick humor but no american film will offer a priest conducting unholy business in the confessional and then leaving the church and having 12 kids, or a mother arranging for her daughter to get a child without a marriage or anything like that. All of the characters are touching and poigant from the nihilist scholar to the farmer. This is an excellent and very funny film. Watch it and enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: All of the above!
Review: Read all of the POSITIVE feedback in the other reviews and then watch this film - and you will see not one of these reviews are over-the-top. Being Dutch maybe this film meant more to me than to people from other country's, but I'm sure everyone with some humanity, some minimal level of emotion, will find themselves somewhere in this film. A gem. If you are looking for other Dutch films to watch, may I suggest The Northeners (de Noorderlingen) and Soldier of Orange (Soldaat van Oranje). Don't expect a different version of Antonia's Line -these are very different films. But in the same league, I feel.
Rating:
Summary: HERMOSA PELICULA (BEAUTIFULL MOVIE)
Review: Esta es una de las películas más hermosas que he visto. Habla del amor a la vida y del respeto por las diferentes formas de amar. ¡No dudes en comprarla, es una verdadera obra de arte!
Rating:
Summary: how films should be.
Review: this movie is just wonderful. bah if that makes it or me sound corny, but it really is. it is so well-crafted. it is sumptuous in its simplicity, like the best cheeseburger in the world. it never gets lost in its own aspirations, and never gets bogged down in any one message, event, or moment. it's a beautifully naked story. best of all, it is a paean to women without being a torch song. the deep love that the women of the story have for one another, and their unapologetic independence, leaves barbie-spice notions of "girl power" spitting out dust in their magic vans and canopy beds. the women here are so full, they make me laugh with joy. stamp out cynicism. see this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely fabulous! Larger than life!
Review: I saw this movie on the big screen and went back to see it the next night. A rare thing for me. An extremely appealing movie that focuses on a single mother after the war, who takes on the "lost" of a village. Kind and big hearted, Antonia is a jewel. So is this movie !
Rating:
Summary: Charming
Review: Finally, a picture that won the foreign films Oscar that deserved it! Beautifully filmed and a story line which quickly engages the viewer. Antonia is the epitome of women- strong, loving, generous to her friends, and merciful to the less fortunate as well as unconventional, comedic,and a temper to boot. A wonderful fim.
Rating:
Summary: The best foreign film I have ever seen.
Review: This is a great movie. The relationships that are exploredreveal their depth between all the characters.You see a love betweeneveryone, mother to daughter, grandmother to grandaughter and last but not least, lover to lover. There are those out there that might be offended by the rape scene and the frontal nudity but mainstream foreign filmmakers are not afraid to hide the naked body from their audience. I decided not long ago that I had to own this movie so I went out and bought it. It will always remain a part of my movie collection. END
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