Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (9/10)

I once heard an argument that a film can be good based off beauty alone. That means movie's like this would be the best in the world. There's a movie thats name that escapes me right now that is just amazing scenery to great music. So according to that argument that film would be the best film ever made, I disagree but I can see where the debate has merit. "Uncle Boonmee" happens to be one of the most beautiful and haunting movies with some deep meditating thought I think I've ever seen.

I won't describe a strict plot because I can't. It would be like describing a dream of nature. The film follows the final days of Boonmee who is suffering from kidney failure. He elects to stay at his farm with friends and what family he has left. He sees his past lives as spirits come to visit him. There are three scenes I think I'll always remember. One is during a dinner where Boonmee's dead wife's ghost materializes next to them. Next Boonmee's son who disappeared years ago returns as a "Monkey Ghost" spirit. I was actually terrified when it first showed up, but the spirit is kind and pleasent. The next scene is when a princess has "relations" with a catfish. It's not something I like to see, but the dream feeling makes it intoxicating. The final scene is when Boonmee returns to a cave from his past. The cave is like a womb to him with starry imagery with glow worms.

This film won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. That's cinephile talk for best picture (paraphrasing Peter Travers there). Tim Brton, head of the jury called it "a beautiful strange dream". I feel that it's quite deserving. It's film let you lose your mind in a dream world with.

9/10
Recommendation: Action junkies stay away! This is would be like cancer to you, I'd suggest the "Notebook" or "Twilight" rather than "Uncle Boonmee" for you. This is an artsy film for those with brains looking for a deeper connection and something to stimulate thought. Fans of Terrence Malick and Wong Kar-Wai will not be disappointed.