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2000-12-19 | 06:23:49

movie time! grab the popcorn and red vines.

while the bleakly beautiful "dancer in the dark" retains my heavyweight title for best film of the year, i saw another great movie this weekend.

it's called "yi-yi" and it won best director at cannes. it's a chinese film that takes a look at life's transitions and losses through one family's experiences.

while the story and acting and cinematography were all first-rate, the thing that got me most about the movie was the time the director spent holding on certain shots.

in an mtv world, it is tough to focus on anything. he forced focus upon the viewer. at times, i fought it, but then succumbed to the beauty of just "being" in a moment and feeling it and knowing each nuance of it. it was like taking a deep, cleansing, peaceful breath. wonderful.

there was a scene of the grandma riding in the backseat of a car. nothing was happening. just her sitting calmly as the city slipped by her. watching her subtle expression, sensing the thump and bump of the road under tires, living the moment with her.

the only caveat: it is a very long film...almost three hours. i got a bit anxious for an ending a couple of times, but i think that was the film-maker's intent. he wanted to slow the story down to real-life's pace. it worked wonderfully well. he deserved his award, and how.

plus, there is an adorable little boy in the film who steals every scene he graces. he ranks right up there with the little lad in "ma vie en rose" and the little lass in "ponette."

so, alls i'm sayin' is, if you get a chance, please see "yi-yi." you'll be glad you did.

***

simon says what kind of girl he'd like today at girlboy...

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take a peek at these - (c) 2000-2003 nictate:

health tip
2005-03-16

health tip
2005-03-16

moving house
2004-11-19

quibbling with quitherfeather
2004-11-17

catcher in the wry
2004-11-16