Rating: 
Summary: More Appropriately Titled "Life is Strange and Unrealistic"
Review: This movie took me completely by surprise. It went from goofy to just ODD. The beginning wasn't too bad, but there was far too much time spent introducing the characters. Too many of the characters "disappeared" throughout the movie as well. And I don't mean they were killed off. What happened to Guido's friend in the beginning? What ever happened to Dora's fiance? What was the significance in the grandmother's reappearance? And what about the doctor and "It has to be the duckling!!"? Wasn't he reintroduced to the story in order to help and play some part in the outcome? But he really didn't at all. And personally, I hardly think there's anything funny about Nazi death camps. (Which, by the way, were not portrayed as severe as in actuality. I realize the movie was not meant to be historical, but I don't find myself very comfortable with this sugar-coated version of a camp, especially when so many people have actually denied the existence of them all together, it just seems too touchy -and important- a subject to overlook its seriousness.) Although the father may have had good intentions continually lying to his child, in reality that kid would have just turned out really MESSED UP, not to mention Guido would have been killed nearly 10 times throughout the movie. The movie drags on too long for a plot with no real climax. Two stars for good actors and a cute kid. But a more appropriate title for this movie would be "Life is Strange and Unrealistic." I suppose that wouldn't be a big seller..
Rating: 
Summary: Painfully beautiful
Review: I couldn't watch this movie, and I couldn't not watch. I kept having to get up and step outside, but I couldn't turn away from it.
Roberto Benigni's story of a madcap romantic who sacrifices everything to save the life and innocence of his son in the face of the most monsterous evil the world has ever seen is wildly, inventively funny and heartbreaking, both at the some time.
This is one of the best movies of the last 20 or 30 years, and easily the best movie of the 1990s. I may never have the courage to watch it again, but I will never forget it.
Rating:
Summary: A True Classic
Review: This is one of the most uplifting movies I have ever seen. You must sit down with your kids and experience together how the love of family can triumph over the worst imaginable experiences life can throw at anyone. It puts fatherhood into a whole new light and loyalty exactly where it belongs.
Rating:
Summary: Benigni Continues to Top Himself
Review: With Life as Beautiful Roberto Benigni vaults himself from the ranks of good funny man to great all around actor. His wonderful use of physical and situational humor are astonishing. Life is Beautiful is a delightful film about a Jewish man who chases his love through a series of happenstances. The story then takes a dramatic turn as the Nazi's enter his city and he and his family are sent to a concentration camp. This is where the film really makes itself memorable. Benigni is unforgettable as he uses everything in his heart and his head to keep his son happy and alive, promising that all of the horror is just a game and if he can play it well enough he will win a tank. The DVD isn't much of an extra benefit, but it does allow you to watch it in English or Italian. Please, please watch it in Italian. Hearing the emotions of the actors makes it worth the effort.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Movie, so-so DVD
Review: What can I say about this movie that hasn't been said before? Of course it's one of the best movies of the last twenty or so years. It's one of my favorite movies, and definitely should have been in the running for best picture. Why the 4 stars, then? Because, as much as I love the movie, the DVD really isn't anything special. There's a dubbed and a captioned version, a few commercials, and a trailer. That's about it. Unless you only own a DVD player, just purchase the VHS version and save yourself some money!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Story
Review: This is a very gripping story that deserved the awards it won and was nominated for. It centers around a Jewish man's journey through Nazi occupation and concentration camp while trying to keep his young son from being traumatized and to keep him alive. Comedy is wonderfully worked in despite the dark theme and issues involved. The movie does a good job of presenting the dark side of the concentration camps without dwelling on them or being overly gory. Best of all, the plot is not very predictible, as it very well could have been. Wonderful directing, above average acting, and incredible writing make for an excellent film that any teenager or older should see.
Rating:
Summary: Touched like never before
Review: I have seen a number of movies that made me cry - yeah I am weeper and don't apologize for it. I enjoy great movies and this one is tops. I rented it simply because I remembered the actor's antics while accepting the Academy Award years ago. I thought it was a comedy. It is and it isn't. Anymore would say too much. I rented it months ago on DVD at Blockbuster, so I have no idea why Amazon says it is being released in January 2002. I want to buy it for myself for Christmas and watch it with my kids when they are old enough. DVD has English audio with no sub-titles which makes it much easier to concentrate on the story. Being new to DVD's, I wish I had found that option earlier in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon... Live and learn - especially after being touched by this story. This should be mandatory viewing for everyone...
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Film In Three Decades
Review: Those who approach "Life Is Beautiful" as a war film will be disappointed. It is not about WWII, and it is not meant to convey all of the atrocities and horrors of the Holocaust in detail. Those are things that have been done very well by others. This is not Schindler's List! What it IS (and what makes it so beatiful) is the story of a man's love for his wife and son, and the lengths to which he will go to protect them in the face of unspeakable evil. Time after time Roberto Benigni's character chances death in order to provide his wife with a fleeting moment of comfort, or in order to protect the fragile sensibilities of his young son. The central message here is one of love and self-sacrifice, and it would not have been better served with more severe depictions of concentration camp life...besides, the inclusion of a shot of a mountain of dead bodies is quite enough (even if Benigni had the good taste to keep it relatively hazy, so that children could still see this film), not to mention the fate of Benigni's own character. This is the sort of film that we see far too few of these days...a film that glorifies love, family and human dignity. Lets hope it starts some sort of trend.
Rating:
Summary: Accidental find but one of the best movies I've seen...
Review: I was shipped this by accident from a DVD club, and rather than send it back, kept it. I had never heard of it, but saw all the awards that it won and figured that it may be worth while. It sat on our shelf for a while until my wife and I finally broke down and watched it. I must say that we were both blown away. We watched it with the English subtitles (the first movie I've ever watched completely in subs) and I must say it was very easy to follow. The movie itself was in my opinion GREAT. I know a lot of people are upset at the comedic portrayal of the Holocaust, but I believe that the purpose of this movie was not to make the Holocaust something to laugh at. The movie starting off funny and light and then turning to a very heavy topic was briliant. It showcased the title well... LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. The ending of the movie really makes you realize how precious life really is, and seeing how Benigni's character truely treasures his family is very warming. For me, a person who is very much a slapstick comedy type person (ie. Mel Brooks, Kevin Smith, and Monty Python stuff) and doesn't usually digest drama's or moral movies too often, it was very surprising the effect this movie had on me. Well worth the money!
Rating:
Summary: You laugh and you cry
Review: I recently saw the list of the all-time favorite foreign movies as rated by moviegoers and this one topped the list. I am hardly surprised. In fact I have yet to come across a person who has told me that he doesn't like this film. When people watch a movie, they expect to be entertained. Some expect to be touched, while others expect to be impressed. 'Life is beautiful' is capable of doing all that and more. A good comedy is hard to execute, a 'tragicomedy' harder and to draw a comedy out of the darkest period of mankind is almost impossible. Benigni begged to differ. His mind was set on showing you that laughter is the remedy of all ills. He would make you forget to cry without demeaning the gravity of the situation. Only at the very end would you feel the weight of this crime against humanity. The reason why the film works so well is because he brilliantly divided it up into two almost distinct segments. Like a good salesman, before he makes the sale pitch, he would like to get personal with you. For the first hour or so, he would introduce you to his family, charm you endlessly and before you have the chance to get bored, he would take you to the gutter. By the time you are in the slaughterhouse (in this case literally), he has built up enough credibility that you no longer doubt him. By that point, you would laugh with him and not at him. This film is not only about the triumph of humankind, it is also a triumph of moviemaking. Like everyone else in the room, I am eagerly awaiting what mischief Benigni is up to next. Will it get any better than this?
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