This film has some sort of raw human touch that's snuck its way inside of me like a virus and subconsciously helped me enjoy the film.

Rating: Null/10 (21 February 1999)

Well, Just the fact that I am writing this review says A LOT about this movie. I have been going to movies religiously for as long as I can remember, and I have always seen films that I have considered "greatness", i.e.: Fargo, Saving Private Ryan. But this film reached a new plateau within my film criticism rankings. I am currently studying film in college, and I can't describe to you how this film has changed the way I will forever judge my own work in the future. This film has some sort of raw human touch, But much different from other "human touch" films, I didn't realize I was becoming emotionally involved with the characters. It just sort of got inside me like a virus and subconsciously helped me enjoy the movie.
The only negative criticism I've read about this cinematic masterpiece is that from people who are angered by the fact that it looks lightly on the holocaust. It seems that these critics are upset because it doesn't show "true justice" on how the nazis tortured the jews. All I have to say to those critics is: Hey, everyone knows the nazis treated the jews like animals, we don't need another movie to remind us! If I had survived the holocaust I would MUCH rather see this movie than one that would bring all the horrible memories back.
Also...if your thinking about not seeing this movie because of the subtitles DON'T WORRY. This is my first subtitled film and everyone told me before I went in that I wouldn't notice them after awhile. And I was like "yeah right, this is going to suck having to look at the bottom of the screen the whole time". But it's true!! I was bothered the first 5 minutes or so because I'm a slow reader and I was having trouble keeping up. But I soon got with the pace. As I was driving home from the theater I thought to myself "hey, that movie had subtitles".
Well, as this is my first "review" of a film ever, I hope it wasn't too bad for everyone to read. .....anyway, go see "La Vita è Bella" !!!!!!!!