Life is Beautiful (9.5/10)

I wasn’t surprised at all after watching this film that it won three Academy Awards. The acting, storyline, and underlying messages were all exceptional. While it’s undeniably a sad story, the ending feels fulfilling in its own unique way. The film is entirely in Italian and, given its 1997 release, the style may feel a bit dated but that doesn’t take away from its impact. "A gentle Jewish-Italian waiter, Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni), meets Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), a pretty schoolteacher, and wins her over with his charm and humor. Eventually they marry and have a son, Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini). Their happiness is abruptly halted, however, when Guido and Giosue are separated from Dora and taken to a concentration camp. Determined to shelter his son from the horrors of his surroundings, Guido convinces Giosue that their time in the camp is merely a game."