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MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA tells the story of four soldiers caught behind enemy lines. During their attempt to return to base, they befriend a traumatized young Italian boy and soon find themselves in a remote Tuscan village - with civilians who have never even seen other ethnicities before. Strong relationships soon develop between those who would never have met in ordinary life and who understand and help each other against the horror of war. They know the need to learn to overcome cultural and language barriers and form an allegiance for the terrifying oncoming Nazi attack. Directed by revered film-maker Spike Lee (DO THE RIGHT THING, MALCOLM X) featuring an all-star cast including John Turturro (THE BIG LEBOWSKI, O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?), Laz Alonso (AVATAR), John Leguizamo (ROMEO AND JULIET, MOULIN ROUGE), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (INCEPTION) and Kerry Washington (RAY, THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND), MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA pulls at the heart-strings and has left audiences world-wide with long-lasting impressions. Based on the novel by acclaimed writer James McBride, MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA centres on the famous Buffalo Soldiers -the 92nd Infantry Division, consisting of 15,000 African-American soldiers serving in Italy during the Second World War.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By Bobby Smith
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
First of all, in reply to other reviewers, if you buy a Spike Lee film you know what you are going to get - some preaching, some history and some hard hitting scenes. The Miracle certainly manages all three of these, with the addition of a good plot and spectacular action scenes. Personally I thought the way he linked the central story from the start to the end of the film was ingenious, without wishing to give anything away.
The Italian partisan scenes were especially believable in this film and the central message - that all humans are capable of inflicting misery onto others and that, conversely, each are also capable of compassion - is rammed home with a vengeance; in this film, you have good Germans, bad Germans and downright Nazi Germans. If you like WW2 films with a touch of class then this is for you.
The Italian partisan scenes were especially believable in this film and the central message - that all humans are capable of inflicting misery onto others and that, conversely, each are also capable of compassion - is rammed home with a vengeance; in this film, you have good Germans, bad Germans and downright Nazi Germans. If you like WW2 films with a touch of class then this is for you.
20 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I was intrigued by this film after seeing the trailer online - it was an interesting premise and I like Spike Lee as a director - he always has something to say beyond just entertaining you. The film kicks off in recent times with a very dramatic opening before moving to flashback where we join the infamously segregated Buffalo Soldiers division in Tuscany as they are being pummelled by Nazi infantry fire - in what can only be described as an epic battle scene to rival any you may have seen in any war film ever made. Some of the men are cut off from their division and end up in a mountain village where they befriend the initially wary villagers and rescue a traumatised young boy who has witnessed a massacre by the Nazi's - as a punishment for recent resistance activity. One of the men carries around with him a dismembered stone head that he rescued from a blitzed bridge - which he believes gives him special protective powers - which he uses to protect the boy....no ordinary war movie for sure - but a totally fresh perspective on a little told aspect of WWII.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By MrGrumpie
Format:Blu-ray
I still don't know what to make of Spike Lee's Miracle At St Anna, the story of a squad of black soldiers stuck behind enemy lines in Italy. It was good in places, and I liked the basis of the story, but some of the execution was woeful in my opinion.
Firstly, the concrete head. The attention to detail is appalling, such that it all feels so fake. A concrete head not weighing (even a big guy) down? Bouncing when someone walks? It's so obviously plaster of paris and as this is a key symbol running throughout the movie, I thought it was poorly done.
Some of the characters I simply found annoying. Cliched, lacking dimension and with ill-placed attempts at humour, it just didn't work for me, and added to the completely mis-judged accompanying score and some horrific scenes of violence, you have a great idea that simply fails.
Picture quality was a real mixed bag, with some softness in many shots and a lack of absolute clean lines and detail which mark the best BluRay transfers, punctuated by moments of strong detail and resolution. Audio was ok, but nothing spectacular.
Worth watching? I'd pass given the opportunity again...
Film Quality - 5/10
Picture Quality - 6/10
Audio Quality - 7/10
Firstly, the concrete head. The attention to detail is appalling, such that it all feels so fake. A concrete head not weighing (even a big guy) down? Bouncing when someone walks? It's so obviously plaster of paris and as this is a key symbol running throughout the movie, I thought it was poorly done.
Some of the characters I simply found annoying. Cliched, lacking dimension and with ill-placed attempts at humour, it just didn't work for me, and added to the completely mis-judged accompanying score and some horrific scenes of violence, you have a great idea that simply fails.
Picture quality was a real mixed bag, with some softness in many shots and a lack of absolute clean lines and detail which mark the best BluRay transfers, punctuated by moments of strong detail and resolution. Audio was ok, but nothing spectacular.
Worth watching? I'd pass given the opportunity again...
Film Quality - 5/10
Picture Quality - 6/10
Audio Quality - 7/10
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Napoleon
Format:Blu-ray
During Christmas 1983, dedicated New York post clerk Hector Negron (LAZ ALONSO) suddenly shoots a stranger wanting to buy a stamp. After his arrest the police search his small apartment and discover that not only was Negron a soldier in WWII, but won the Purple Heart and more astonishingly owns a valuable Italian marble head which has been missing since the war.
Facing the death penalty for the fatal shooting, Negron is visited by young reporter Tim Boyle (JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT) who wishes to know his story.
Back in 1944, Negron was a member of the 92nd Buffalo soldier infantry regiment fighting the Germans in Italy. After an ambush while crossing the Serchio river, he suddenly finds himself on the enemy held side and cut off from his comrades. A trio of other soldiers have made it across too, Sergeants Stamps and Cummings (DEREK LUKE and MICHAEL EALY) and the towering Private Train (OMAR BENSON MILLAR). Train is carrying the Italian marble head, which he believes is a good luck charm that makes him invisible to the eyes of the enemy.
Establishing radio contact with Headquarters, the four soldiers are ordered to exploit their opportunity and capture a German prisoner. Disheartened by this news, the quartet stumble upon a deserted barn where they find a young boy, Angelo Torancelli (newcomer MATTEO SCIABORDI), who is feverish and shell shocked. Angelo babbles of visions and the deeply religious Train comes to believe the child is in direct contact with God. The soldier nurses the boy until he is fit to walk and lead them to the small village of Colognord. Here they find some of the Italians wishing to help, such as the young woman Renata (the lovely VALENTINA CERVI), who is secretly assisting the local Partisan leader, Peppi Grotta (PIERFRANCESCO FARINO).... Read more ›
Facing the death penalty for the fatal shooting, Negron is visited by young reporter Tim Boyle (JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT) who wishes to know his story.
Back in 1944, Negron was a member of the 92nd Buffalo soldier infantry regiment fighting the Germans in Italy. After an ambush while crossing the Serchio river, he suddenly finds himself on the enemy held side and cut off from his comrades. A trio of other soldiers have made it across too, Sergeants Stamps and Cummings (DEREK LUKE and MICHAEL EALY) and the towering Private Train (OMAR BENSON MILLAR). Train is carrying the Italian marble head, which he believes is a good luck charm that makes him invisible to the eyes of the enemy.
Establishing radio contact with Headquarters, the four soldiers are ordered to exploit their opportunity and capture a German prisoner. Disheartened by this news, the quartet stumble upon a deserted barn where they find a young boy, Angelo Torancelli (newcomer MATTEO SCIABORDI), who is feverish and shell shocked. Angelo babbles of visions and the deeply religious Train comes to believe the child is in direct contact with God. The soldier nurses the boy until he is fit to walk and lead them to the small village of Colognord. Here they find some of the Italians wishing to help, such as the young woman Renata (the lovely VALENTINA CERVI), who is secretly assisting the local Partisan leader, Peppi Grotta (PIERFRANCESCO FARINO).... Read more ›
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Jools
Format:DVD
I saw this movie, the first time, in a cinema in NW Italy .... in Italian.... and bought the DVD to make sure I had understood properly as an English speaker. Amazon users may be interested to know that the movie is controversial in Italy where the partesans/resistance movement in the second world war is much revered. One of the film's central points is that there is good and bad in everyone - American soldiers, Nazi soldiers and, indeed, the partesans. The fact that it portrays evil in a partesan is reviled in Italy - some older people who were in the cinema with us left noisily part way through the film as a form of protest. However, they waited outside the cinema to speak to us because they realised we were English and wanted to make sure that we knew how they felt - in a very kind and passionate way. I don't know enough about the subject to agree or disagree, but it's good to know how they feel. I think they were also upset about the way an Italian woman was portrayed. Even so the movie is nicely shot, well acted and very believable with good characterisations and a different approach to WWII compared to the standard war movie fare and it's well work the attention - in Englsih or Italian!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
st anna
A good deal better then I theart it was gawing to be not to bad atall this did not go in to the jumbual well not yet eny way jc
Published 1 month ago by J. Coleman
1.0 out of 5 stars
I could have spent my money better
I think, this makes it only the second time that I have paid for a film, and failed to watch it until the end. Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. A. Sugrue
5.0 out of 5 stars
War Film
I'm not usually interested in War but my children and are interested to see the history behind the black american soildiers in World War II as this is not readily available in... Read more
Published 2 months ago by C. Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars
religion
This is a soldiers story of a miracle whilst at war, all the soldiers see a vision that takes them to safety, this is quite a moving film but I like it.
Published 11 months ago by beryl
2.0 out of 5 stars
miracle at st anna
did not realize at the time i brought it that it was subtitled so a real let down. would not have brought it as you miss the story reading the subtitles.
Published 14 months ago by lesley
1.0 out of 5 stars
One of the worst films I have ever seen
While the subject of black soldiers in the US army in the Second World War is deserving and admirable, and although I have no problem with political points being made- This film... Read more
Published 16 months ago by G. Phillips
1.0 out of 5 stars
Rubbish
This is a movie with an interesting story (e.g. soldiers stuck behind enemy lines) and some interesting aspects (e.g. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Lamu Hermit
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
A real hidden gem of a movie. Wasn't even at cinema I don't think. If you have a spare 2 hours then watch this movie!
Published 19 months ago by M Newbold
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
A brilliant film that reaches out to all aspects of the genre, from action scenes to romance, the backstory is thrilling and captures the viewers interest from the start,it even... Read more
Published 22 months ago by dr wicksy
4.0 out of 5 stars
deeply poignant movie
Miracle at St Anna is not the kind of movie that i though I would enjoy. War movies are normally the same concept of blood, violence and death. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Lewis1234
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