Italian filmmaker Roberto Benigni scores on every level with this film that takes place during the Holocaust. Not as brutal as Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List but every bit as effective, Life Is Beautiful is a tremendous piece of filmmaking about love, family, and the power of imagination.

Benigni--who also wrote and directed--plays a high-spirited bookstore owner who, with unmatched imagination, attempts to shield his son from the horrors of a concentration camp by pretending that it's a game. Every aspect of this film works, particularly the balance of sheer dramatic power and laugh-out-loud comedy that magnificently comes together for an unforgettable movie experience. There is also a wonderful love story between Benigni's character and a school teacher, played by his real wife Nicoletta Braschi.

Benigni has fashioned a poetic epic that is overflowing with originality and wonderful performances. It's an inspirational tale about how the imagination can conquer all. Life Is Beautiful and so is this movie!