Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring (2003) | agoodmovietowatch

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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring 6.9 2003 Movie

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring

Dir. Ki-duk Kim & Kim Ki-duk · Germany, Korea · Korean

Our take by Bilal Zouheir

A doorway opens at the beginning of Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring, and through this doorway you are brought into the movie’s world. Explanations or plot transitions rarely exist, and dialogue is kept at a minimum level. And yet this movie remains an incredibly simple film. Following a Buddhist master and his apprentice, it is a fable very much in the ‘cycle of life’ form, offering gentle complexity in the timeless and sole framework of a floating Buddhist monastery. That’s all I can say without saying too much. If you are into aesthetically pleasing films, go watch this.

What happens

An isolated lake, where an old monk lives in a small floating temple. The monk has a young boy living with him, learning to become a monk. We watch as seasons and years pass by.

What the critics said

Notable Critics

"The impression this movie leaves is profound: Here is an artist who sees things whole."

— Peter Rainer

"Although not as gut-wrenching or politically pugnacious as some of his previous work, Kim's film allows a sense of moral renewal unclouded by sentimentality and without blurring his remarkable cinematic idiom."

— David Jays

Awards

Sundance

1 nom

Nominated: Official Selection

European Film Awards

1 nom

Nominated: Screen International Award

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About the author

Bilal Zouheir

Bilal Zouheir

Bilal Zouheir is the founder of A Good Movie to Watch. He is US-based and a member of the Nevada Film Critics Society. He grew up in Morocco, where he learned English from watching movies. Bilal's work with A Good Movie to Watch is focused on offering an alternative to streaming algorithms, which are often used as commercial tools by streaming services.