Italy

• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (2006)

  [6/10]

  "At the end, you feel like you have just ridden a roller coaster -- a long, slow, boring ride up the hill and a brief thrill as you run the course. The excitement happens so fast, that you really want more and wish that Meyer hadn't spent so much time letting Bella mope about."

• Vita è Bella, La [Life is Beautiful] directed by Roberto Benigni (1997)

  [10/10]

  "Benigni and Cerami have finely woven all the plot elements together as you would expect in a superb short story. The story never denies life's harsh realities, yet still encourages us to live with more joy, regardless of our situation."

  Average score: 8.00