jacksononthemoon Why they claim this is a comedy is beyond me. There are funny bits in it of course, but it is a family and community drama, brilliantly acted. Engaging right from the first few minutes.It also has the best and most powerful curse I have ever heard in my life and I have heard a few! I highly recommend this to anyone. There are some harsh bits, so this would be Parental Guidance at the least.

billcurry-1 It's better than Lunesta! No, seriously, I felt nothing for the characters. A good bit of the time their motivations blew past me. Why in the hell is this Queen Antonia returning to this pig farm rather than taking a flight to LA to run a movie studio? And is the movie iconoclastic or religious? When the icons aren't moving, one can ponder this. Fun is poked at incense, out-of-wedlock kids are celebrated, the priest hates his job, yet they all attend mass every Sunday like good Catholics. Fits well with Twain and Hawthorne but not reality. And I'm not saying a film or story has to be real to be good. Of course there's an undercurrent of evil under much that is good. But we don't have to dwell on it. I didn't like The Scarlet Letter or Young Goodman Brown either. As for the feminist propaganda here, it's a joke. Antonia's in such control that she knows the exact date of her death. And she takes her time about it too. While being given the last rites, she berates someone for coming in late. At least death FINALLY shuts her up, so maybe it's not all bad.

palmiro One of those films that falls in the category of "a celebration of life" (films falling into this category are a sure bet for serious Oscar consideration for Best Foreign Film). This film annoyed me a bit because it seemed to suggest that happiness is to be found simply by cultivating our relationships to one another and keeping connected. But there's also a big wide world out there, beyond our little Dutch village, and it plays a huge role in our chances of finding some measure of happiness--and it's something we ignore at our peril. Best feature of this feminist fable was its immanentism: an absolute refusal to accept the notion that there is any reality beyond the sentient existence we experience as we pass through life--so that all we can know and enjoy and hope for is contained in the endless cycle of Birth, Love, and Death.

Andy (film-critic) To talk about "Antonia's Line", discussing plot, character, and mysticism, would mean to denounce the magic of this immaculate film. Gorris has challenged modern mid-90s cinema and developed a feature that not only makes you smile, but evokes conversation, intellect, and continuous repeat viewings. Gorris has created lovable characters, truly evil townsfolk, and especially a venue for love to demonstrate its unyielding power. When writing reviews, my words typically flow between four to five paragraphs – but with this little, random, powerful film – I can only give you this much. This film, "Antonia's Line" needs to be required viewing by all. It redefines family when our current culture so desperately lacks it. This film makes you look beyond your imagination, into a whole new world that Disney could never begin to touch. It is perfection. It is simple. It is mind-blowing.As our cinemas are bombarded with crass humor, extensive explosions, and unchallenging words – "Antonia's Line" breathes a breath of fresh air into the DVD player. Grab yourself a copy of this immediately – before it goes out of print or forgotten.Yep. It is honestly that good.Grade: ***** out of *****