The Road Home
At the start of the most recent film from Chinese director Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern,Ju Dou,Shanghai Triad), a young man returns to his native village after the death of his father, the village's schoolteacher, who died while trying to raise money for a new schoolhouse. His body is in a neighboring town; the young man's mother insists that it be brought back on foot, lest his spirit not find his way home. From this starting point, the young man recounts the tale of his parents' courtship, which involved a red banner, mushroom dumplings, a colorful barrette, and a broken bowl.The Road Homeis beautifully filmed, particularly the luminous face of Zhang Ziyi (fromCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), whose performance is a heartrending portrait of hope and yearning. A simple but deeply emotional film.--Bret Fetzer