My Favorite Movie

Last night Jeremy & I stayed up late watching my favorite movie ever, "Life is Beautiful." We had not seen it in about 10 years, and we had forgotten the whole first half of the story. It is truly one of the most beautiful stories ever portrayed in film. It's an Italian film, so you have to read subtitles, but you get used to it real quick. It's about a funny Jewish man (Guido) who moves to a Tuscan town and keeps bumping into this beautiful school teacher (Dora) who is engaged to a pompus jerky guy. Anyway, she eventually falls for the sweet Jewish man and they have a cute little boy. The story then jumps ahead 5 years to WWII. Guido and his son are taken to a concentration camp, and Dora can't bear the thought of being without them, so she jumps on the crowded train to the camp with them. When they get there, she is taken to another part of the camp where the women are, so she's not with them anyway. As I was watching her, I thought about how any mother would do the same thing, and I felt so much pain for her. Anyway, Guido goes to elaborate lengths to keep his son from understanding the truth of their situation. He tells the boy that they this place is all a big "game" and they are competing with others to win an armored tank. The ultimate prize. Everything from food shortages to tattoos is explained as necessary for participation in this big game. The little boy is so sweet. He completely believes everything that his dad tells him. It really tugged at my heartstrings thinking about my son who is that age, and how he truly trusts and believes every word that his parents say. It's just an awesome movie. Make sure you see it soon!