Korean director Kim Ki-duk's Buddhism-inspired fable takes place on a placid lake nestled among hills on which floats a small, one-room monastery housing two monks, one old and one young. The action takes place over the course of several years, and is divided into five sections denoted by the seasons of the title. While each section tells a story of its own, the overall plot follows the education of the younger monk, a small boy in the beginning, as he learns lessons over the course of his life
from his aging counterpart. Troubled outsiders also visit the monastery seeking guidance, including an ill young woman and a man who murdered his wife. As the title suggests, the film's ultimate theme is cyclical renewal. Just as the seasons pass through phases of birth and death and rebirth, so do the lives of Kim's characters. ~ Tom Vick, Rovi
I'm sure over two dozen people have used the word 'meditative' to describe it, but, with its contemplative moments and exquisite use of natural color, the word simply fits.
a mystical primer on Buddhist spirituality, and an immediately absorbing story about lessons that we all must grapple with, regardless of faith and culture
One I watched in several sittings, which means I probably lost a little of the continuity throughout.
This film could almost qualify as a silent movie, with the focus on the visual impact of the setting, characters actions and the spiritual training and then through the changing of seasons and characters.
An
enjoyable film, but can't quite put my finger on why!
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