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Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 5021866209203 Format: PAL Languages: Number Of Discs: 1 Theatrical Release Date: May 24, 2000 Editorial Review: Amazon.com: The lush, super-chic ambience of Tran Anh Hung's third feature, The Vertical Ray of the Sun, presents a beckoning, irresistible vision of Vietnam. The film opens with a sexy brother and sister waking up to the sound of Lou Reed's laconic voice on the stereo. They stretch, practice tai chi, meander toward a late breakfast, and playfully flirt with each other. This morning ritual--slightly disturbing but mostly alluring--recurs as a quietly resistant motif to the disappointment that awaits each character introduced. Shot on location in an impossibly hued Hanoi (lime green and chartreuse abound), the film trails after three beautiful sisters during the month that separates the anniversaries of the deaths of their mother and father. Attempting to protect the ideal memory of their parents' recently assailed love, the sisters recount kindnesses and joke with each other just as the serene charm of the café they run is to be overturned by an unexpected pregnancy and marital infidelities. Tran's lustrous style of collage is unique, pulling the viewer's attention away from imminent conflict and revelation to completely tactile and isolated moments. As with the titular subject of Velvet Underground's "Pale Blue Eyes," the sensual tension lingers on. --Fionn Meade Average Rating:
 Rating: - hypnotic and compelling.......THE VERTICAL RAY OF THE SUN (made in 2001) was my official introduction to Vietnamese cinema, and, I must say this is a very beautiful and evocative piece. Set in modern day Hanoi, Vietnam, it examines the lives of a group of brothers and sisters (in law) living together, following the death of their parents. The deceptively placid atmosphere thinly veils the thick and complicated family dynamics (as well as secrets) that eventually threaten to tear this closely knit family unit apart. What's ... Read More Rating:  - The Vertical Ray of the SunThis is one of the most cinematographically beautiful films I've seen. The shots along Halong Bay and within Hanoi are stunning and the lyrical beauty of the opening scenes, with the Velvet Underground's Pale Blue Eyes as the accompanying music, is second to none. The plot moves well and sustains the viewer's interest as it tracks the lives of three sisiters and their brother in contemporary Hanoi. Sensational. Rating: - Beautiful: Lucid Sensual DreamThis is one of my favoritest movies. The cinematography in this film is visually eloquent, to say the least. The story unfolds hypnotically; its charisma expressed through rhythmic allegory. Simply BeatyFull. Plus, a soundtrack that features Lou Reed and eccentric passionate love scenes. It is not for those looking for a straightforward climax of sensory overload as we are accustomed to in Holywood theaters. However, it is a nice glimpse at another culture...It makes me wanna go to vietnam ... Read More Rating: - Human relations and amazing photography A wonderful film by master director Tran Anh Hung who gave us a series of equally well directed productions. This film is all about human relations blend with wonderful music and exceptional photography. The actors took up their roles in a balanced way with each one able to show his/her best while at the same time to complement each other in a harmony of acting. The music is spectacular combining well-chosen western music and Vietnamese. It is of a particular importance to notice ... Read More Rating: - A study in the CALMNESS in Buddhist culturesAS a visual artist who spends alot of time in Asian countries, I find this movie very moving...first, the visuals, the orderly square and rectangular compositions, the colours, and the editing, all adding up to catching SO WELL the clamness inherent in Buddhist cultures, (of which there are not as many as most believe). Amazon accurately delineates what the film is all about. There are surprises,,,hearing Lou Reed, discovering a house in the water of an area considered one ot the most beautiful natural ... Read More |
