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Movies / On DVD / The Vertical Ray of the Sun
The Vertical Ray of the Sun

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The Vertical Ray of the Sun (2001)

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81 %
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Reviews Counted: 54

Fresh: 44

Rotten:10

Average Rating: 7.1/10

Consensus: The Vertical Ray of the Sun is gorgeously, poetically composed, lulling the viewer into its story of everyday life.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for thematic elements and some sex-related material

Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Jul 6, 2001 Limited

Synopsis: Set in Hanoi, Vietnam, THE VERTICAL RAY OF THE SUN is a rich visual banquet overflowing with lush, artful images that unfold with the same languorous slowness with which the the film's enigmatic... Set in Hanoi, Vietnam, THE VERTICAL RAY OF THE SUN is a rich visual banquet overflowing with lush, artful images that unfold with the same languorous slowness with which the the film's enigmatic characters and relationships develop. Three sisters, Lien (Tran Nu Yen-Khe), Khanh (Le Khanh), and Suong (Nguyen Nhu Quynh), and their brother, Hai (Ngo Quang Hai), come together to prepare a feast in remembrance of their deceased parents. They end up discovering that they each harbor important secrets. The two older sisters, Suong and Khanh, are both married, one to a novelist and one to a photographer. Though their marriages seem quite tranquil and happy on the surface, there is trouble brewing for both sisters. Their scenes of dreamy domesticity become more poignant as the fragility of this bliss--which the sisters try to hide both from themselves and from each other--is revealed. Their younger sister, the gorgeous Lien, lives with their brother, Hai, a struggling actor. Lien is both naive (she isn't quite sure how a woman gets pregnant) and very sensual. At night she sneaks into her brother's bed; she claims it is to stay warm, but there's an ambiguous sexuality in her feelings for her brother which adds another layer of complexity to the film. Director Tran Anh Hung's first two films, THE SCENT OF GREEN PAPAYA and CYCLO were also masterful explorations of Vietnamese life; THE VERTICAL RAY OF THE SUN is perhaps the most elegiac and serene of the three, weaving a very delicate fabric of relationships which are as elusive as the dappled, changeable Hanoi sunshine. [More]

Starring: Tran Nu Yen Khe, Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Le Khanh, Ngo Quanq Hai

Starring: Tran Nu Yen Khe, Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Le Khanh, Ngo Quanq Hai, Tran Manh Cuong, Chu Ngoc Hung, Le Tuan Anh, Le Van Loc

Director: Tran Anh Hung

Director: Tran Anh Hung
Screenwriter: Tran Anh Hung
Producer: Christophe Rossignon
Composer: Ton That Tiet
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Dec 18, 2001

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Reviews for The Vertical Ray of the Sun

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N/R

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Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
10/18/08
David Stratton
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat

Tran is not judgmental of his characters. No one is a bad guy; everyone is lost, but only a few steps from the right path, and love can re-direct them to a better life.

Full Review Source: Looking Closer | comment Comment
12/06/04
Jeffrey Overstreet
Looking Closer
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
12/15/03
Alexander Walker
This is London

a gorgeous dream half-remembered.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
11/12/03
Chris Barsanti
Film Threat

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
05/20/03
Susan Tavernetti
Palo Alto Weekly

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Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
03/10/03
Kimberly Jones
Austin Chronicle

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Film Threat
N/R

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Full Review Source: San Diego Metropolitan | comment Comment
10/21/02
Jean Lowerison
San Diego Metropolitan

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Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
07/21/02
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

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Full Review Source: MovieMartyr.com | comment Comment
03/05/02
Jeremy Heilman
MovieMartyr.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/12/02
Jamie Gillies
Apollo Guide

A fascinating film.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
01/11/02
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
N/R

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Full Review Source: Orlando Weekly | comment Comment
11/02/01
Orlando Weekly
N/R

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Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
10/30/01
Guardian [UK]

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Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
10/30/01
BBC
N/R

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Full Review Source: Sight and Sound | comment Comment
10/30/01
Sight and Sound

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Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
10/30/01
Greg Muskewitz
eFilmCritic.com
 
 
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