Spring again...

I went to watch the movie "Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring" last evening. I entered the cinema with very high expectation but left pretty disappointed - And thats not because the film wasnt great. Rather, its because I was unable to grasp the esscence and morale of the story on spot.

Ever since I took up Film & History, I was taught how to view films from a different angle - not just for entertainment & enjoyment, not just plain watching but also 'reading' and interpreting of films. Of course, there are still many pretty meaningless blockbuster movies that only aim at making money, but surely there are a handful of them which the directors have used to deliver wonderful messages to the world. There is definitely much more to this film, like the using of 5 diff animals for each seasons, opening of the doors for each new season, instead of just retundant guessing of relationships between the characters.

This film speaks a universal story about the human spirit, moving from innocence, through love and evil, to enlightenment and finally rebirth. Its almost like a pastoral poem about the changing seasons and a meditation on the cycle of life. In a tranquil setting of a temple floating on a lake in the forest, surrounded by endless mountains that cut the monastery off from worldly concerns, an old monk teaches his young disciple the wisdom of Buddha over the many seasons of their lives.

Despite the cutting off from the worldly desires, the young monk could not escape from the sufferings in life. The innocent cruelty in him was revealed as the child monk tortured the animals, oblivious of the sufferings he would be exgravating on himself eventually. In the intensity and lushness of summer, the monk is now a young man, experiences the power of lust, a desire that ultimately led him to dark deeds.

With winter, the monk returned as a middle-aged man, who diligently cultivate himself both physically and spiritually. Sitting on top of the mountains, he overlooks at his own monastry floating atop the lake, reflecting on his life and the endless repeating cycle of the seasons. Probably its after experiencing a whole cycle of joy, lust, anger and sorrow should the importance of seeking inner peace is realised - and the vow of never wanna be trapped in the Samsara world again.

In fact, 'winter' seems to be the hardest part of the movie to interpret, but that also makes the film most meaningful. Nobody can be very sure what messages or meanings the director is try to send over though.

Overall, i think the director has successfully portrayed the joy, anger, sorrow and pleasure of our lives through four seasons and through the life of a monk who lives in a temple on a lake surrounded only by nature. Its not a simple film, but I believe its surely meaningful and interesting to buddhists.