Night Of The Shooting Stars

First off, let me say that that boy and his dad really pissed me off. The boy was a wimp who had to rely on his dad for everything, and, even though the died grieved when the boy was killed, it was probably his fault in the first place because he's the one who got him involved in the war. Saying "He's only 15" isn't going to help, because the other man's son was like negative 2 months.
Now that I've got that out of the way, lets talk about how historical movies only make sense to those who have historical knowledge, which I lack. I thought Italy and Germany were allies? Or maybe that was just WWI? Well, whatever. Lets talk about the fighting. What I don't get is how ruthless the Germans are. They bombed a church and killed innocent people. Why would they just go around shooting everyone? I know that they had a thing against the Jews, but these people were Catholic.
The movie had several interesting shots involving flashbacks/fantasys/ and inside thoughts. I thought that these greatly contributed to the overall "emotional feel" of the film. However, some issues/situations were left unanswered. Such as what happened to the pregnant wife? And the girl who was taken by the Germans in the truck at the end of the movie? Why did the little girl squish the eggs? These were the parts that I was interested in and they were just sort of forgotten.
Had I been in their place, I'm not sure which option I would have chosen -- the church or the road. The church certainly sounded like the safest option- if you went under the belief that, if you do what the Germans tell you, than you wont get killed.  The road option was the best bet if you didn't trust the Germans, but it was also more dangerous. There would be no food, and you wouldn't know when you might next find water, plus you'd have to be hiding all the time. I think for me, it would all depend on where my family went, because I am very indecisive.
Can we get back to how awful the Germans are? I mean, there basically putting these people in prison, marking there houses for destruction, shooting anyone who goes outside- seriously, this is not okay. I get that they had the whole "Racial Superiority" thing going on, but there's got to be a line. I think that everyone hates the Germans, I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but I can' think of one good thing they have done in the entire course of human history. Now I have nothing wrong with the people, if your German, whoopie for you, I'm Lithuanian, we're practically cousins. I'm just making a point.

The Bicycle Theif

Why do we always have to watch such depressing movies? Just saying.
         Anyway, I kinda liked this movie, and I kinda didn't. I was hoping for a better ending, it's just so sad. They had finally found a way out of poverty and it was ruined by someone else in poverty. I really like the scene right before Ricci decides to steal the bicycle. I think that we truly get a sense of the conflict in his heart. He wants to provide for his family, but he also doesn't want to take the opportunity away from someone else. What really made me mad was when he was riding away on the bike, and the owner shouted "thief!" Tons of people started chasing after Ricci, but when Ricci's bike was stolen and he shouted, no one came to help him.
        Another thing I noticed was that Ricci's son, Bruno, works at a gas station. Now in Ciao Professore, there was big conflict about this, but in The Bicycle Thief, it was sort of pushed to the side. I think this is because the movies focus is more on the job and struggles of the father, rather than those of his son. We're made to feel bad for the father and his predicament, and we desperately want him to find the bike, for the sake of his family.
       Poverty is defiantly a big issue in the film, not only for the Ricci's but for everyone. I am certain that the man who stole Ricci's bike did so to make some quick cash. It was a time right after war, and everyone had so little. Another scene that I thought stood out was the one where Ricci's sell their sheets and the man behind the counter goes to stack them. There's got to be hundreds, if not thousands of sheets there, and one only has to wonder how many people were forced into selling basic comforts.