Italy and France are common destinations for romance. Go to any travel website, and they’ll have several listicles about the must-visit destinations in these countries. At the same time, both countries have a strong entertainment world, with several Italian and French movies turning out to be classics that filmmakers and audiences all over consider landmark movies and the best Italian movies
Here’s a list of the Best Italian movies to watch
Life is Beautiful (1997)
All film buffs know this movie, and almost everyone has watched it at some point in their life. Yes, watching old movies in the era of readily available 4K is a bit tiresome, but even so, it’s a popular watch even today. It’s a feel-good movie set during the darkest eras of our life, the Holocaust.
The movie’s plot is as simple as they come. A Jewish family is captured and sent to a concentration camp, and the father hides the terrors from his young son, telling him that it is all a game.
Roberto Benigni co-wrote and starred in this, one of the best Italian movies, which has won critical and commercial acclaim. Today, it has become one of the highest-grossing non-English language movies. Life is Beautiful has won several awards, including three Oscar Awards.
Cinema Paradiso (1998)
And then we come to Cinema Paradiso, which critics don’t just consider to be one of the best Italian movies, but also movies about movies. It’s a tad bit difficult to make movies about films and filmmakers, and Cinema Paradiso hits the ball out of the park with this warm, bitter-sweet story about the camaraderie of a young boy and the person who runs the projector in the village.
City of Women (1980)
Who would have believed that there could be a nightmare with beautiful women in it? City of Women, the 1980 fantasy is just that – and critics consider it one of the best Italian movies of all time. In the movie, a young man in a train has a brief fling with a young woman, and that spirals into a fascinating journey that turns out to be as entertaining as it’s dangerous. The movie is also one of the few ones with a sensual aesthetic rare for a film. But then, it’s the eighties, the golden age of entertainment.
Suspiria (1977)
Critics consider Suspira not just one of the best Italian movies, but an excellent horror outing too. The movie is about a young female ballet dancer who stumbles on a supernatural conspiracy. You will find the movie’s name in several of the best horror movies. It also became one of the few Italian movies to have a Hollywood remake, that movie released in 2018.
Girl with a Suitcase (1961)
Girl with a Suitcase is one of the most popular movies about unrequited love and has equal parts of emotion, sensuality and raw grit. A woman experiences a breakup with her lover, but the lover’s younger brother has a spark for her as well.
Fists in the Pocket (1965)
The movie that has a stunning and revolting plot, Fists in the Pocket will headline the list of incredible films. If you were impressed by movies like Bollywood’s Gurgaon, you need to look at Fists in the Pocket. It’s about a family where all brothers, except the eldest, have epilepsy. One of the brothers decides that the eldest brother will live carefree if all of them die. What happens forms the rest of the story. Fists in the Pocket is a stunning study into the human psyche and the things that people do.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is one of the greatest Westerns ever by one of the greatest directors, Sergio Leone, and it stars one of the greatest actors alive – Clint Eastwood. The movie has the right amount of drama, action and emotional heft that keeps the audience hooked until the last frame. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly has influenced every director in the world. The movie isn’t just about an action-packed story, but directors have long spoken about the technical brilliance that it possesses.
Roma, City Aperta (1945)
Roma City Aperta is one of the oldest movies on this list and is the most relevant one, even today. The movie is about the people of Rome protesting against the Nazis and effectively saying that Rome is an open city.
Bicycle Thieves (1948)
And who can forget Bicycle Thieves? That’s the movie that introduced people to Italian cinema. The movie is a story about compassion, redemption and is a feel-good story – all at the same time. A man who is desperate to fend for his family needs a bicycle. When his family gets it back, a thief steals it, and the man has no other option but to pursue the thief, with his son in tow. What happens after this forms the rest of the movie.
Roman Holiday (1953)
Ask cinema lovers about Roman Holiday, and they will tell you that they don’t make movies like these any longer. Roman Holiday wasn’t just a successful movie; it was a cultural breakthrough, starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant as royalty and a journalist – and both are looking to bring a change to their lives but are unfortunately pitted together because of a series of events.
These are the best Italian movies of all time. It’s interesting to see that two of the best movies are mainstream and have created a yardstick for the genres, one being an action western and another being a horror flick. Of course, Italian cinema is pretty rich in content, and several other Italian movies have captured the hearts and minds of a global audience.
Italian Cinema is one of the very best when it comes to entertainment across genres. Make sure you watch at least some of them to experience Italian cinema at its best!
These are the top ten best Italian movies of all time. Chandigarhfirst.com strives to bring you all the information you’d need related to entertainment. From the best televisions to the best keyboards, we have all the information. Do you think this list leaves out some? Tell us in the comments section!
