Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by tinear (A) on August 21, 2006 at 05:15:43

and Magicians."
From Bhutan (which to the ignorant eye looks exactly similar to Tibet), no less!
First things first: not since "Lawrence of Arabia" has a magnificent setting been so well photographed or played as significant a role in a film.
But this film is much, much more than a jaw-droppingly beautiful piece.
In a tiny village high in the Himalayas, a young man with a taste for Western rock music (he sports an "I Love NY" t-shirt under his traditional wrapper and a pair of white basketball sneakers) has just been appointed to a prized civil service post. But, very soon after, he hears from a friend in America who has pledged to help him emigrate. Immediately, he abandons his village and sets out for the capital to begin his long trip.
On this journey, he encounters a Buddhist monk who tells him a story of another man who, years ago, also was displeased with his life and set out. This man traveled through a deep forest until, quite lost, he stumbled upon a shack. In this hidden place, far from any village, he was taken in by a mysterious old man and his much younger wife.
Ingeniously, the director takes us back and forward from the monk's tale to the former civil servant's odyssey.
This is not a film one has to make any allowances whatsoever for. In plain words, it is a master stroke of film making from a totally unexpected source.
Of course, it is a bonus to see Bhutan: it is all but impossible to gain a visa. This film will not help that situation...
By ALL means, see this film: *****.
2 Thumbs, 8 fingers, and 10 toes all straight up and wiggling with glee.