DTS HD MA 5.1 (Italian)

Italian writer and director Giuseppe Tornatore was born in the small village of Bagheria on the island of Sicily in 1956. The life and culture of his home village has had a tremendous influence on his work. Many of his films have an autobiographical nature to them that he takes no pains to disguise. Earlier we reviewed his love letter to movies with Cinema Paradiso, which also took place in Bagheria. This time we explore five decades of life in that same village, known here by its nickname and the title of the film: Baaria.

"This is a simple story, but not an easy one to tell. Like a fable, there is sorrow. And, like a fable, it is full of wonder and happiness."

Roberto Benigni has been somewhat of a staple in Italian cinema for nearly 40 years. He has a solid reputation not only as a talented actor but as a writer and director, as well. He has been known mostly for his comedy, and that's exactly how many people see Life Is Beautiful. On first glance you might read the description and be somewhat skeptical about watching a comedy about the Jewish Concentration Camps during World War II. But Benigni manages to mix just the right amount of whimsical comedy