Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring
Director: Kim Ki-Duk
Year Released: 2003
Rating: 3.5
Delicate mood piece from Korean director Kim about the life cycle of a Buddhist monk: praying, resting and enjoying nature, not to mention training a successor. Works so well not only because it's an amazing visual experience, but because it has a sense of humor and is willing to let its story unfold slowly. I wish it found some way to explain some of the finer points - and I would love to know what the carved letters said - without coming across as a religious tutorial, but the absence of dialogue and explanation let you focus on the images. If Marvin Gaye was right in saying that life is a constant struggle between pussy and Jesus, this film suggests that religion is the way you resist the former ... or at least repent for becoming so enraptured with physical desire.
