rev-ewe 37: Les Contes de la Nuit

Les Contes de la Nuit (English: Tales of the Night)

Michel Ocelot

France

If I had to think of three words to describe this movie (which was really just a series of episodes, similar to A Town Called Panic), they would be ... Beautiful, clever, racist.  But, more than anything, I always love me a good animated film.  If animation style captures me, it's pretty much a wrap.

The premise of the episodes are three people -- an elderly man, a young boy and a young girl who all love to create plays, but are in the wrong age range for the industry.. so they meet in an empty theatre to make their own plays up.  Okay, I can get behind that.  If that really did happen, it'd probably be pretty interesting.  Each episode is a new play that they think up.

1. Beautiful -- the animation style is interesting because it's mostly inspired by Thai shadow puppets, where the main characters are more or less just shadows in front of absolutely gorgeous backdrops.  Wonderful colors, patterns, styles, everything.  Every episode has a distinct flavor and color palette to it which makes it completely unique from the last.  I was blown away by just how stunning the animation was!  The expressions, movements, character designs (for limited shapes such as.. just outlines)... Truly top notch, I appreciate the approach.

2.  Clever -- each story was fun, had a great plot twist at the end, and held true to old style tall tales, where everything was exaggerated, ridiculous and farfetched.  Much like Twilight Zone, you think you know how it's going to end, and suddenly there's something completely different in there.  They follow crazy plots from princesses chasing werewolves, magic drums that no one can resist dancing to, to winning the heart of the daughter of the King of the Dead.  Each one was worth watching.

Aaaaand.. 3.  Racist -- The stereotypes the French flippantly throw around are.. tough to stomach at first, but the stories themselves somehow make up for it.  I don't know why they try to venture into culturally Black scenarios and then use ridiculous stereotypes to portray them, but I guess if anything it's an interesting insight into the French's complete disregard for the term 'politically correct'.  Whatever.  

I would recommend watching it for the stories and the beautiful animation. Also, I would try to avoid the British dub version because the voice actors are kindof annoying.. but it's on Netflix that way so... enjoy it!

rev-ewe 36: Lagaan

Lagaan
Ashutosh Gowarikar

India

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!  Ever since I was probably.. 13, I remember seeing this movie on that random film channel we used to have and I'd love committing my Saturday afternoons to this nearly 4 hour movie. 

That's right - 4 hours.

Worth it?  Absolutely.

Talk about feel-good, well-done, beautiful Bollywood.  Great storyline, developed characters, fun songs.  The colors are all stunning, choreography is on point, and.. well.. it's just a great movie.

The story is basically about this small village that has to pay increased taxes to the British (takes place in the late 1800s) and when no rains come, a challenge is presented by one man - increased taxes or none at all... over a cricket match.  

Simple, sweet, gets the job done.  Sports, romance, singing, dancing, this thing has got it all.

I highly recommend watching this if you have the time (Even if you don't, watch it in installments.. so much fun!) and want a really entertaining feel-good movie.

PLUS it's on Netflix right now!  So get on it!

rev-ewe 34: Smoke Signals

Smoke Signals
Chris Eyre
USA

Aha!  I've found another American film to add to my list of movies.  I know, I can be horribly snobbish when it comes to the types of movies I watch, but it just so happens I don't usually like American movies... And, arguably, this movie isn't "American".  This movie is directed, produced and written by Native Americans.  If you've ever read (and enjoyed) any Sherman Alexie books, then you'll love this movie.

I don't know that plot is even important to this movie at all.  Probably because in actuality, the film is just a compilation of various Sherman Alexie short stories, but also just because it's more about the characters than it is about any sort of plot or conflict resolution.  It presents some really down-to-earth interpretations of Native issues.  Life on reservations, the problems faced by many American Indians today, and what it means to be American Indian (Though, I will note that the three main actors are all Canadian! ...well, whatever that means.).  

I think it's so successful in this way because it's actually written and produced by Native Americans!  I've always had an issue with any minority topics being presented by white people/men.  That's right, I said it!  I can't stand when white people(men) try to represent cultures/experiences they don't and could never actually understand (I'm writing this as an angry anthropologist, as well, because years of reading ethnographies written by white men gets to ya).  Nooot the case with Smoke Signals, though.

The direction is great, writing even better, and it leaves you feeling really satisfied at the end.  The screenshot I chose was from a monologue given by the main character's father, which was perhaps one of the best monologues I've ever heard.  Such beautiful analogies, fervor, love.  I'm def a sucker for great metaphors, and this one deeeelivers.  The movie has a great sense of humor and there's just the right amount of it and used to the right purpose.  While I found the film just the slightest bit too exaggerated at first, I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.  In fact, quite the opposite!  The over-the-top depiction of these characters and their stories makes it even more fun to watch.  

Really, overall, just delightful and has some absolutely fantastic characters and monologues.  Sure, not THE GREATEST, but it's just one of those good movies you enjoy watching and is certainly above and beyond anything Hollywood is dishing out these days.

rev-ewe 33: Korkoro

Korkoro (English: Freedom/Alone)
Tony Gatlif
France

So much to say about this movie!  Like so many other French movies, it lacks any real plot or usual conflict-resolution arc.  It focused on the Romani gypsies in Nazi-occupied France.  Some might say this is the France/Gypsy version of Schindler's List, but... I certainly liked this movie more.  It was definitely interesting to see a part of the Holocaust that isn't usually discussed.

Within the first five minutes, I was sold.  At first, it seemed to be just another pretentiously 'artistic' film, but it quickly picked up and suddenly you're thrust into the characters' lives.  While each of the characters are interesting in their own way, the character Taloche totez steals the show.  I enjoyed every moment that he was on the screen 'cause he's just so full of energy and good humor.  The humor, when used, was on! point!  The movie is chock-full of Gypsy music, one of my personal favorites, and it helps to keep the movie going.  Beautiful stuff.

While the coherence of the film is just slightly off, it certainly doesn't take away from enjoying the film. The setting, storyline, and timeframe of each scene jumps around and there are a lot of issues that get brought up but never resolved or even explained.  Still, it was absolutely beautiful to watch and the characters were so well portrayed that the lack of any in-depth analysis of just about anything can be overlooked.  The art direction was truly superb and there are certain shots that are just breath-taking.  Sure, it can be a little stereotypical and certainly a bit romanticized, but hey.. isn't that what we go to the movies for?

Watch it for Gypsy music, for beautiful cinematography, and certainly for entertaining and genuine characters.  Overall, I guess I'd give it a 8 out of 10.

rev-ewe 32: Baran

Baran
Majid Majidi
Iran

A charming and beautiful movie.  Don't like foreign films?  Don't worry, this movie isn't heavy on dialogue.  It's much more about the interactions between characters and the sounds throughout the movie.

Background information I found that I think is relevant to appreciating the movie:
The Hazari are an ethnic group from Afghanistan who fled to Iran when the Taliban took over Afghanistan. While the Hazari can be traced to living in Afghanistan as long as any other Afghan ethnic group, they have distinct facial features that set them apart (generally looking very 'Asian' by American standards).  Because of this, many consider them outsiders.  As well, they're mostly Shi'ites, which differentiates them from the overwhelming majority of Sunni Muslims.  In 2001 (when this film was made), the Taliban openly targeted the Hazari people and burned down villages across the Hazarajat region.  When this happened, Hazari people fled where they could, and many went to Iran.  Since living in Iran, many Hazari have complained of being mistreated and taken advantage of (much like the immigrants of USA).  Many work difficult manual labor jobs for extremely low pay.  That's where this film comes in.
[if you're curious, read this National Geographic article: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/02/afghanistan-hazara/phil-zabriskie-text]

The movie takes place in Iran at a worksite where a boy, Lateef, is working the easy job.  Once a younger boy comes along, however, he is made to do the harder work and the younger boy takes his tea making and cooking job.  He tries to sabotage the new boy's work but soon realizes there's more to the situation than he originally thought and changes drastically in how he chooses to interact.  He realizes the magnitude of his actions and that people face bigger problems than he does.  I don't want to reveal what I didn't know at first (even though it's written in almost every quick plot synopsis) so ... I would say just watch it.

Definitely a coming-of-age story as well as a love story.  I didn't realize the first time through who the characters were exactly, but after round 2, it becomes more apparent and the story gets even better.  After watching it a second time, it seriously gets waaay better.  So it's certainly a movie worth watching just because it's an investment in good movies to watch over and over.

It's got a wonderfully slow pace, which may be difficult to watch at first, and is comforting in its beauty.  It was a great way to look into specific groups of people that I had no idea had such a complex relationship in society.  If you really need another reason to watch this movie, watch it to see how Afghan (specifically Hazari) and Iranians interact together as well as apart.  The Iranian setting is beautiful in every scene, and the emphasis the movie puts on sound is really unique.  I'd definitely have to watch it again to catch on more of the importance in the soundtrack, but it was noticeable enough to pick up on the first time through.
Gender is a very interesting part of the movie that is brought up.  I don't really want to talk too much about it because there's too many cultural and situational things that I'd rather not comment on, but simply found interesting.

Best part of the movie?  In the last scene, there's a great and very subtle combination of visual and audio that was extremely successful in what it had to express.  Subtlety is this movie's greatest asset, truly.

So .. total?  About a 9/10.  Though I probably didn't really understand what was going on, it was so beautiful and gets better each time I watch it.

** Might I also add that Baran means 'Rain' which is pretty important to the last shot in the movie (or really.. the whole movie).

rev-ewe 31: Tears of the Black Tiger

Tears of the Black Tiger (ฟ้าทะลายโจร)
Wisit Sasanatieng
Thailand

I have two things to say about this movie:
LOL. wtf?

So, there's actually a whole lot more to say about it.  It was hilariously exaggerated, beautifully put together, and strongly stylistic.  While the storyline was a bit mundane, it was presented in such a way that I could never have imagined a Thai movie would be like.
I guess I'd give it  8.5 out of 10?  Really, really well-done, though the story is pretty bland.  Beautiful to watch, the supporting roles MORE than make up for anything it lacks.  The first 15 minutes I could not stop laughing.  Watch it for Thai cowboys!!


The plot is basically that of a love between a poor boy and a rich girl, per usual, and of course their love is restricted.  Womp womp.  Truly, though, the best part is that it's presented like an old Western.  At first I thought the color scheme was just because those were the colors of old TECHNICOLOR! But, the whole movie uses mostly just two colors- fuscia and teal.  Beautiful!  The Western feel of it is hilariously done as the supporting actors are over-the-top and the sets are intensely designed.  Plus.. I mean, c'mon.  Thai cowboys?  Yes, please!  Why hasn't this been done before!  I could go into a whole analytical bit about the aesthetics of the film, but really all I wanna say is the fact that it was a Thai Western that was so beyond anything I could have expected!

*Fun Fact: the lead actress isn't actually Thai.  She's an Italian model who... happens to be fluent in Thai.  lol?

rev-ewe 26: All About Eve

"All About Eve"

America

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Like pretty much all of these classic films, so much about it was absolutely on-point. Acting by Bette Davis was beyond anyone I've really seen in today's films (Meryl Streep aside), and while the film was slow at a few points in the movie, it was chock full of great plot, great writing and great cinematography! They really don't make movies like this anymore.

About this on-top-of-the-world actress (Davis) who suddenly comes upon a lowly star-struck fan who idolizes her. She takes her under her wing, only to realize that slowly things are starting to fall apart around her and it might have something to do with this girl.

I really appreciated almost every aspect of this film, from the small insights into the times (like married couples sleeping in separate beds.. lolz I can never get over that) to the great character developments. Totally worth watching for a good, classic movie. Not an OMG storyline, but still fantastic!

rev-ewe 22: Ballad of a Soldier

баллада о солдате (US title: Ballad of a Soldier)

Russia (USSR)

Gregory Chukhrai

Masterpiece! Just like practically every other Janus Film production I've seen, this movie is magnificent. Visually captivating, emotional, inspirational, well-written, and definitely not dated (okay, maybe a BIT dated..but at the root of it, the characters face all the same dilemmas as today!). It's not too much of a tear-jerker, but it sure does play on quite a few of your emotions. It starts out a bit like a typical war movie, but quickly becomes a collection of vignettes into the lives of little characters across Russia. There is no happy ending, so don't expect one.. but that makes it oh, so wonderfully Russian!

The story is about this young soldier who, instead of being decorated, elects to go home and visit his mother. On the way, he meets various people who he tries to help out, which cuts into his time getting home...

I'm trying to put less and less info on the plot because I really don't want to ruin anyone's idea about it, but it really is an interesting look into 1950s Soviet Russia and film-making at the time. It didn't feel like an old movie for me, but obviously faced some technical issues that make it clear just how old it is. Really an easy plot to follow and the characters constantly keep you interested. Basically, a great piece of art.

Rev-ewe 17: This Is England

This Is England
England (duh)
Shane Meadows

This film. Dizzam! I was really surprised when I first watched it because I suppose I was expecting some sort of light-hearted British humor something or other. What I got was a pretty intense look into a bit of English history I had no idea existed. Though I saw this film about 2 years ago, it is still a movie I love going back to from time to time.

A young 12-year-old boy, Shaun, is having trouble at school but meets some older skinheads who take him in. Through that group he meets an even older skinhead, Combo, who has just gotten out of jail (Tommy the Tit from SNATCH! I know you've seen that movie..) and then Shaun chooses to follow Combo.

I don't want to give too much away in terms of plot but the fact that it's about skinheads and their sortof social origin was really, REALLY interesting for me. Very beautiful visually, music choice was on point, and it uses violence to just the right purpose--which is usually an issue for me. I'm not fond of violent films if they're over-the-top violent for no reason.. but this film definitely gets it. I truly love films that put faces to socially taboo issues and give them dimension. Similar to one I reviewed earlier (Paradise Now), it really deals with how people were feeling at the time and why it happened the way it did.
This movie really gets me into the punk vibe and even inspired me to buy my first pair of doc martens, though they're the ridiculous steel-toed ugly-red-that-goes-with-nothing docs.. oh well, ebay wins. ANYWAY, IT'S A GREAT MOVIE.

rev-ewe 16: Dogtooth

Kynodontas (Greek: Dogtooth)
Greece
Giorgos Lanthimos


uhhh... yeah. This film was a whole lot of weird. The only movie I could think of while watching it was Napoleon Dynamite. But, a darker way creepier version. It had the same awkwardness as N.D. but used it in a way different manner. There was no plot, there was really no conflict, and then it just ... ended. While I will give credit to the film that I did not turn it off and was compelled to see the thing all the way through, at the end I was just unhappy and disturbed. If its point was to do that, it wins. But, for what purpose?

The film focuses on a family that shelters its 3 children to the point where they have no idea what the outside world is like (at ALL) and have stayed only on the premises of their house. When the eldest daughter acquires films from the real world, things begin to change.

I usually like weird, but this was intensely creepy weird and didn't really work for me. Though I may need to see it again, and usually seeing it again makes me like it more, I'm not so sure how long it'll take me to watch it again. It was really, really intense! And just.. crazy. Mindfuck, for sure, but I suppose its point was something along the lines of "don't shelter your children" but.. I don't know. I'd say watch it, but know what you're getting into.. I certainly didn't, and got a whole lot of opened-mouth scenes and NO, NO, NO!! moments.

rev-ewe 13: Paradise Now

Paradise Now
Palestine
Hany Abu-Assad


Well. I am still contemplating this film but I feel like writing a review about it without completely coming to a conclusion (alliteration ftw). What I did like about the film was it showed how hard the lives are of Palestinians and how suicide bombing would seem like a logical solution. It made people who (especially in America) seem heartless and insane appear as human and loving people. This created such a dark contrast that made one question ethics all together. While it did follow a sortof expected path of a film about suicide bombers, it did it in such a way that it really made me think, which I truly appreciate.

Two men, best friends, have been chosen to execute a suicide bombing mission together in Tel Aviv. The two are ecstatic to make such a sacrifice for a movement they strongly believe in. When the plans face a sudden change, the two men become separated and suddenly their paths seem invariably altered.

The characters are interesting, camera work is beautiful... predictable, but probably worth watching anyway. I did not love it, I may grow to love it, but currently I'm at a 'really liked it'.

rev-ewe 12: The Maid

The Maid (Spanish: La Nana)
Spain
Sebastian Silva


Well this film was much more than what I was expecting! I'm pretty sure Netflix categorized it as a comedy, so when I started watching it I thought it would be funny.. Either the Spanish have no sense of humor, or Netflix never actually watched the film. I may just need to watch it again.. I guess looking back on it, it's sortof silly.. but at the time, it feels super intense. There's no exact plot line, but there is tension that builds and is sometimes released but at the end you feel good and fulfilled. It kept me really interested and it offered interesting little perspectives into power and family relationships.

There is only one setting, the house of a family where a maid works and has worked for 23 years. When she starts suffering major headaches and fainting, the family decides it's time to hire help -- but when the maid misinterprets this as an attempt to get rid of her, she pulls all sorts of antics to get rid of whoever is hired.

While talking about it with my dad, I realized this film is the complete parallel but opposite of the film Happy-Go-Lucky (incase you've seen it). More of a climactic understanding of the character rather than the plot. While I suppose the film can be looked at in a humorous way, for me it felt really psychological and intense.. but still really interesting! I'm going to tag it as a comedy incase other people get the humor, but it's not exactly the type of humor that is outrageously funny. Just in-your-head funny.

Oh, and plenty of boobs.

rev-ewe 11: In the Mood for Love

In the Mood for Love
Hong Kong
Kar Wai Wong


What a beautiful composition! Almost every shot, angle, and composition was extremely thought out. The pace is veeery, very slow... but I would not say boring, because it visually captures you, and the story itself keeps you interested enough. This is very French in the sense that there is no actual plot or typical conflict-resolution story. You just sortof follow the two main characters and then suddenly it's over. You still think about it long after it has finished and think 'wait.. was there a point? there must have been.. did I miss it?' and you think and think about it, which I think is successful for a film if it can keep you thinking. Definitely the strong point of the film was the aesthetics and visual story-telling. Much of the composition added to the development of the story, probably in ways only my AP literature teacher would recognize.

Set in 1960s Hong Kong, two couples move in next to each other and soon Mr. Chan and Mrs. Chow find out their respective spouses have started seeing each other. Sharing their loneliness, they spend much time together but vow to never act the way their spouses have been. Though the time they spend together is mostly innocent, they are more concerned about not being seen by others than their actual cheating partners are.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this film, the costume designer was FANTASTIC, and the characters are immediately known. Everything is very subtle and slow, but to the point. Definitely recommend watching it!

rev-ewe 7: Queen Kelly

Queen Kelly
USA
Erich von Stroheim


Finally, an American film! This film was well ahead of its time. It was made in 1929, and dealt with issues of prostitution, adultery, pre-marital sex, and even had some forms of nudity! The humor was pretty quirky and risque for its time, again. If you don't like silent films, maybe this one isn't for you, but it doesn't really feel like a silent film in the sense that it doesn't have cheesy music playing over people doing sped-up outrageous actions. What I thought was interesting was the film was originally meant to run for about 3 hours but something happened, and the way I watched it was with stills at the end to finish the story.

The story is pretty much a girl from a convent (Kelly) runs into a free-spirited, drink-loving Prince who is meant to marry a controlling, crazy queen. The prince quickly falls for Kelly and goes to steal her from the convent and bring her back to the queen's palace. The queen finds out and banishes her, then the girl receives a letter from her aunt in South Africa who is dying and sends for her. When Kelly gets to South Africa, she is forced to marry a dirty old man and instead turns to prostitution.

Pretty intense, right? For 1929, I'd say so! Really quite interesting to see. The cinematography was pretty interesting, and they did good things with the camera. Worth watching, I'd say. Out there, but awesome. Pretty funny ending, too.

rev-ewe 6: The Man of my Life

L'homme de sa vie (The Man of My Life)
France
Zabou Breitman


It seems I only watch foreign films... and though I haven't seen this film in a while, I remember loving it very much. What is particularly amazing about this film is the editing. The scenes are not sequential and go back and forth, but this works so well that it keeps you wondering 'but wait! what happened before this scene to make them yell like that?!' The scenes are beautifully shot, and there is one scene in particular that blew my mind.. I won't go into too much detail about the subject matter, but that one of the character's rooms has words on the wall that are missing a letter, and the scene shows the sun setting with a shadow of letters (cast from the window) moving down across the wall, filling in the missing letters into the various words (pictured above). Beautiful!!

A French family goes to the countryside for holiday and soon meet their neighbor, an openly gay man named Hugo. The father, Frederic, and Hugo develop a strong friendship that makes Frederic question his life. He loves his wife and children, but this new man has opened his eyes to something more.

I won't really give it a rating because I should watch it again.... but IT'S REALLY GOOD!

rev-ewe 5: Boy

Boy
New Zealand
Taika Waititi


This movie offers such a great glimpse into New Zealand (specifically Māori) culture. It would be hard to get a hold of in USA, but if you can find it somewhere, watch it and love it. It is really slow (another glimpse into NZ culture... who needs to rush?) but has a great, quirky sense of humor and a great touch of human-ness to it. The characters are very real, and they are consistent throughout the film. If you've seen Flight of the Conchords, Taika has directed a few episodes of it (specifically "Drive By," "New Fans," "NewZealandTown," and "Evicted,") so that should give you an idea of what kind of humor or feel to get from it. While the film tackles social issues and can be quite serious, it is mostly light-hearted and fun to watch.
Boy is an 11-year-old living in rural New Zealand and when his grandmother, who takes care of him, his brother and his cousins, leaves to attend a funeral, he is in charge of the household. We find out his mother has passed, and his father has been in jail for roughly 6 years. One night, his father shows up and takes over the house with his two friends from jail. The film follows their getting to know each other and dealing with what being an adult means.
Very touching, beautifully done, very funny, and I can't help but be biased because I love New Zealand!
Rating: 8.5 out of 10

rev-ewe 3: Water Lilies

Water Lilies
France
Celine Sciamma


While it could be that I am secretly a lesbian and love this movie's play on subtle lesbian curiosities, I still think this movie is a great French film. If the lack of a real story or movement of a conflict is something of interest, then this film is pretty on point. It may not be as out there as other French films may be, it still has the same pace and feel. Slow, meticulous.
The film focuses on a girl named Marie who goes to watch a synchronized swim competition that her best friend Anne is in. While watching another, better team perform, the team captain (Floriane) sparks her interest. Marie tries to get close with Floriane by asking if she can get tips on how to get into synchronized swimming, and Floriane sees it as an excuse to use her to get out of the house and meet up with boys. Anne, on the other hand, is desperately trying to get the attention of a boy from the water polo team. A very simple film about growing up and learning what it is to want to be with someone.
I really can't explain why else I like it except that it relaxes me and offers an interesting perspective into all sorts of sexualities. The characters are easy to get to know and while Anne can be kind of annoying, it's a good contradiction to Marie who is as low-key a character as possible..

If I had to rate it, I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10.
Worth watching, nicely put together, nothing original or outstanding, but I really like it.

rev-ewe 2: Heavenly Creatures

Heavenly Creatures
New Zealand
Peter Jackson


Now for a film I did not like... Heavenly Creatures was strangely put together and felt more than a bit sloppy, for me. I will not say this is a film no one will like because, obviously, it did fairly well and made a star of Kate Winslet. The acting seemed strangely exaggerated, and for what purpose? While the story itself could have been interesting, the direction was so distracting and upsetting that I just did not like it. I understand the story is upsetting, but that in and of itself should be the upsetting point, and if anything I would have understated the acting/scenes to truly show how dramatic a situation it was. This story was based on true events, strangely enough. I will say that the effects used in the fantasy scenes were wonderful for the time in which the film was made, but as I have mentioned before, effects mostly will not win me over.

Heavenly creatures was about two girls who meet and become inseparable to the point where the two families feel it is unhealthy. The girls cannot handle the idea of being apart and decide that murder is the only solution.

It did not help that the girls outrageously claimed that Orson Welles was the most hideous person alive. I would never, EVER support a film that makes claims like that. Orson Welles is absolutely gorgeous!!

rev-ewe 1: Be With Me

"Be With Me"
Singapore
Directed by Eric Khoo


Simply amazingly beautiful. It follows 3 seemingly separate stories which come together in the end, all regarding love.
While the story I particularly loved was the one following an elderly man who runs a grocery shop but keeps himself distanced from his customers and his jobs, and seems to be going through the motions. When he reads a story his son is translating about a blind and deaf woman, he finds happiness in life again. This so moved me as I am personally going through some tough times, but the way it was done and filmed was absolutely perfect. I think I read something that the whole movie has about 2 minutes of dialogue.
I think this may make the film seem a bit slow or hard to follow, but it made it even more interesting for me to watch. Sometimes I think it's easy to get too caught up in dialogue or words, and forget what the film is actually trying to say. This movie says everything without any words.

cinematography is great, story line is simple but lovely, and great great emotional pay-off in the end.
I cried for a while after the film ended. I still cry thinking about it. Just wonderful.
I give it 900 stars. out of 10.