Rating: 
Summary: atmospheric masterpiece of earth and dust
Review: This internationally acclaimed visual masterpiece by Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami may leave you bored if you demand explosions, car chases, or a strong narrative in your cinema. But if you can appreciate a cinema of beautiful atmospheric compositions and calm conversations, then A Taste of Cherry might be for you. The DVD comes with interview footage of Kiarostami, speaking mostly in what I presume to be Farsi, with English subtitles. The director's comments on censorship, directorial style, his international reception, and even his relationship to Quentin Tarantino may give you a better understanding as to why his films are so beloved. Kiarostami offers his dislike of movies that "take the viewer hostage" (perhaps like those of Tarantino), in favor of those that might even put you to sleep, but leave you thinking about them and processing them for days or weeks to come.
Rating:
Summary: atmospheric masterpiece of earth and dust
Review: This internationally acclaimed visual masterpiece by Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami may leave you bored if you demand explosions, car chases, or a strong narrative in your cinema. But if you can appreciate a cinema of beautiful atmospheric compositions and calm conversations, then A Taste of Cherry might be for you. The DVD comes with interview footage of Kiarostami, speaking mostly in what I presume to be Farsi, with English subtitles. The director's comments on censorship, directorial style, his international reception, and even his relationship to Quentin Tarantino may give you a better understanding as to why his films are so beloved. Kiarostami offers his dislike of movies that "take the viewer hostage" (perhaps like those of Tarantino), in favor of those that might even put you to sleep, but leave you thinking about them and processing them for days or weeks to come.
Rating:
Summary: Cinema at it's best!
Review: This Iranian film deserves all of the awards and credit that it has received from the international critics and the US film critics. It is refreshing to see a film that challenges and perhaps does not walk along the standard guildlines of filmmaking. Importantly, too many films focus on the standard approach of a beginning, middle and ending where characters have to be built at a certain moment and endings must bring clear conclusions to the viewers. But Kiarostami's brillance brings the film to a higher level where the viewer is not able to predict it's direction. Instead every moment is a masterpiece in film history. The use of the camera is exquisite and his original format brings amazment and awe. At one scene, where the protagonist finally reaches his desire for death, the screen goes black as he lies in his grave and the only sound you here is the sound of rain and thunder. At that moment where you are sitting and letting your visual sense rest and take notice of other senses is a dynamic moment in cinema. There are no Hollywood crash scenes, senseless violence, or unnecessary sexual intermissions. Instead, the story is about a simple and yet complicated issue of suicide. A man trying to find someone to bury him in a culture where suicide is forbidden and taboo. His journey to find his end in life leaves the viewer with questions that are not answered and the conclusion is left for the viewer to create. I extremely recommend this film to all viewers who want a refreshing look at cinema from an Iranian filmmaker with an exceptional story to tell.
Rating:
Summary: Original Poetic
Review: This is not a film for everyone! I would call it director's film. Original, complex, mind challanging and cinematographically beautiful.
Rating:
Summary: A great movie (depending on your taste)
Review: This movie is one of my favorites. On an abstract level, it is just the kind of movie that appeals to me. It raises complex philosophical and psychological questions. The overall tone encourages one to ponder these questions and the movie encourages reflection and introspection. The depth of those conflicts can not be adequately understood on a first viewing alone: each time I watch it I am able to reach a little deeper into them. The cinematography focuses on simplicity. Most of the movie is shot from the inside of a Land Rover while the main character drives aimlessly or talks with one of the passengers he picks up. There is no lack of imagination, though. The idea is to create a kind of stark reality, without grandeur. The effect is to bring one man's life and his character to the forefront and to keep it there: we feel a distinct connection with this man as a result of the simple method of movie-making. The acting, I think, is amazing. Ershadi imparts astounding depth into his character - there is no bombast or superficiality present: he is totally immersed in his character. The viewer develops a deep connection with this character despite his quiet and unexcitable personality. The main character is often criticized as coming across as bland, but I think that there very subtle (yet intense) emotion there. The video and sound are excellent. The Criterion Collection can always be counted on to produce high quality DVD's and this one is no exception. All in all, a challenging but most rewarding viewing experience. Highly recommended...
Rating: 
Summary: Savor the Taste of Life
Review: This movie will test almost anyone's patience, but there are parts in the film that are worth it. A man drives around searching for a helper: someone to assist him in his suicide. It's not until we're well into the film do we learn this, however. Throughout the film, we get many different views on life. The old man(who once almost commited suicide) reminds us to enjoy the simple things in life. The ending is sort of a letdown to say the least. I understand what the director is trying to do here, but I think it would have been better if he went about it a different way.
Rating: 
Summary: Where's the dialog?
Review: This movie, though widely acclaimed, was a mystery to me because of the inadequate subtitles on the DVD version. A typical example; after a character speaks for 8 to 10 seconds the subtitle reads "pissy, pissy..." What does this mean? Even in context I couldn't figure what point was being made. It seems that a total of about 30% of the dialog was translated. I'm sure that the theatrical release had subtitles imbeded in the film but the DVD only has it's own inadequate translation
Rating: 
Summary: an interesting film
Review: This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film. This film explores the ethics of suicide from an Islamic standpoint. It surpirsed me initialy that Iranian films were allowed to be shown in the US given the current sanctions with their government. Interestingly, the Iranian government's censorship of films is more relaxed than I expected. (Though the opening koranic verse is shown on the screen before the film starts) The Farsi/Persian name of the film is Ta'm e guilass. The film itsel is directed by Abbas Kiarostami. The story deals with a man who intends to commit suicide by taking sleeping pills, who drives around looking for someone to go to a spot the next day to see if he is still alive and bury him if he is dead or take him home if he survives. The people he asks to help him try to talk him out of doing himself in. The DVD has a theatrical trailer, filmography of the director and an interview with the director for special features.
Rating:
Summary: TASTE OF IRAN
Review: This was the first Iranian film I ever saw. I always had a lot of respect for the Iranian culture but after the Shah there was not much around. The Islam revolutionaries were more into distruction of culture than into developing one. When I saw this film for the first time (I saw it for three times by now) I had many questions. When I saw it for the second time I had even more questions. And only on the third time I could understand questions I had before.
I rated this film five stars. Why? I had to realise the problems experienced by the producers and the actors while filming it. I could understand the budget problems and not judge to harshly. I could see it all and not to care about it considering the situation. This is a good film all around and it represents the good side of Iran. Thank you and please make more good movies.
Rating:
Summary: TASTE OF IRAN
Review: This was the first Iranian film I ever saw. I always had a lot of respect for the Iranian culture but after the Shah there was not much around. The Islam revolutionaries were more into distruction of culture than into developing one. When I saw this film for the first time (I saw it for three times by now) I had many questions. When I saw it for the second time I had even more questions. And only on the third time I could understand questions I had before.
I rated this film five stars. Why? I had to realise the problems experienced by the producers and the actors while filming it. I could understand the budget problems and not judge to harshly. I could see it all and not to care about it considering the situation. This is a good film all around and it represents the good side of Iran. Thank you and please make more good movies.
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