PURE, UNBRIDLED MASTERPIECE!!!

Rating: 10/10 (22 April 1999)

To All Who Read:
I saw "La Vita E Bella" (known to us Americans better as "Life is Beautiful") two weeks ago. I still have not been able to get it out of my mind. "Life is Beautiful" is why we go to movies. It makes us think, it entertains us, and it stays with us long after we've left the theater.
Roberto Benigni wrote, directed, and starred in this gem of a film. He has a joy of performing that I haven't seen in any actor since James Cagney and the plot and dialogue moves along in a Chaplin-like fashion. I believe that Benigni will be the Chaplin for the 21st century, and I, for one, will greet him with open arms.
"Life is Beautiful" is one of the best films of the year and also one of the best films that I've ever seen. It's a true masterpiece. Once in a while there's a film that sort of fills a void for me after I see it and makes me wonder how I went along with life before this movie. This one is one of them.