Last Letters from Monte Rosa

I was privileged to see this film at a small venue in Jupiter, FL called the Atlantic Theater. The only thing I had heard about this movie was that it was a WWII film told from the perspective of the Germans and Italians. It was funny at times, poignant at others. It wasn't an overtly grotesque viewing of war...it was told in moments between real people with real fears and needs. I literally would laugh one moment, then cry the next. The movie has subtitles, but the beauty of both languages, Italian and German, being spoken by the actors brought the audience into the reality of the lives of these characters. It is about love of your country, the pull of the glory of war combined with the exhaustion and degradation. The desperation as one realizes that it's not all it's cracked up to be, while realizing that it is the path you have chosen, good or bad. Never preachy, as some WWII films can be....from either side.

A great film with a talented cast,director and writers. More people need to see this...it will bring a perspective that has not been seen...ever to my knowledge.

What I really enjoyed about Ari's film, is the humanism in the face of war. We think of war as very dark and scary. And it is. Yet, there is more to life and more to humans than the focus of war itself. And there is always more than one side of 'the truth'.

In "Last Letters from Monte Rosa", we see the internal conflicts, as well as the external and how human beings relate and interact with one another, in a forced situation. We are shown that we can't escape ourselves. The heart will still have a place even in a time of war. And how different people can form unique bonds of understanding with one another and face their own individual challenges under difficult circumstances.

I really think that showing the heart of what it means to be human is Ari's strength. I hope Ari continues to make films showing the just how 'human' our lives are.

This film has all the quintessential elements a film should possess-a superb cast, an untold story delivered from a unique perspective, wonderful writing interspersed with moments both light and humorous as well as thought-provoking, and a wonderful director at its helm. It beautifully conveys the banality of everyday life for front-line troops combined with the sheer terror of modern warfare and enables the American viewer to empathize with an enemy fighter in a way that few war movies have done in the past. Although I was surprised by the high level of realism and technical detail achieved by the film, it was the relationship of the German and Italian soldiers, a relationship that has rarely been explored despite Hollywood's obvious fascination with the European theater, that truly carried the film. The tension-filled, yet often comical dynamic between the downtrodden soldiers of the two armies, seemingly fighting for dramatically divergent goals, fully captivated me, allowing me to forget that the American GI was little more than an afterthought in the film. A film that is particularly relevant for our times and should be viewed by all-highly recommended!

Excellent film...brilliant writing, and witty. Shows great feeling and judgement of the minds of the Italian and German soldiers. The costumes and showmanship of the actual wartime wardrobe was great! The scenes were serene and action packed. The film brought back my thoughts of this war. The director Ari Taub explained it in a different perspective which made it really interesting. I am not a wartime movie buff, but it was excellent. It peaked my interest. It is a must see in my book. I hope it gets out in the independent film festivals. It deserves it! I hope Ari Taub continues his great work and efforts to the film industry.

Yes, I can't say I've done the same. Heck, I had to walk out of Observe and Report and I'm not the biggest critic around.....I hardly walk out of anything. the acting really kept your attention and I felt like there was a poignant story being told and it was a challenge to keep up with the subtitles when you're not fluent in English or German.

What do I know I've never produced a film but I know what I like so I say Congratulations on producing a worthwhile piece of work.

I can't wait to see the comedy he's got in the works and hope to be a part of it. It's wonderful to be able to make people laugh such that we're not soooo alone on this planet. Film can definitely be a unifying medium.