Rating: 
Summary: a feast for the eye!
Review: This movies has several great points, a great story, lovely coloring and pictures and awsome music to name a few. I had not seen a movie as good as this for a long time if ever. This movie breaks so many cliches about life, beauty, honesty, love and tradition. Please do yourself a favor and see this one!
Rating:
Summary: Vietnamese Cinematic Treat
Review: This review refers to the DVD edition(Columbia/Tri Star) of "The Vertical Ray Of The Sun"...
This is a film that simply takes my breath away. Not only is it a captivating story, but how refreshing it is to view a film about the beautiful people and luscious land of Vietnam without all the atrocities of the war going on around the story. The brillant photography takes it all in, and under the exquistely artful direction of Tran Anh Hung we are treated to a visual feast.
This moving story revolves around three beautiful sisters, as they prepare a traditional banquet for relatives as a memorial to their mother. Each sister has their own hopes, dreams, and secrets. As their everyday lives gives us a glimpse at life in Hanoi, we can't help but to feel close to them, as one by one their stories come to light. The fantasies they share, the indiscretions they hide, and the love and support of this close knit family, combined with the scenic backdrop of the lush country will surely take you away to another world for a while. It is a world you may want to revisit often.
The DVD presents a fabulous look at it all, in widescreen, and with its rich colors. The sound has the choice of DD5.1 or 2.0, and surrounds wonderfully. Even the rain looks and sounds crystal clear. The language is in Vietnamese and there are optional English subtitles. There are some moments in the film where the sisters or other family members are singing, and it may have been nice to have susbititles for these as well, but to tell the truth, the voices and lullaby like quality of the music were so soothing, it doesn't really matter what langauge you hear it in.
This is a film for lovers of foreign films, romantic getaways, great storytelling and fine filmmaking.
Enjoy.....Laurie
Rating:
Summary: Lush Vietnamese Film Transports to Another World
Review: Three sisters living/working in a cafe in contemporary Vietnam wrestle with love, death and pregnancy in this spectacular film. From the director of SCENT OF GREEN PAPAYA, this visually sumptuous film is like a soap opera vietnamese style. The story is slow to unfold, like the opening of a lotus blossom, and just as rewarding. This was my top choice of the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival.
Rating:
Summary: A Sensual Confection
Review: Tran Anh Hung has given us a distinct impression of Vietnam through his films, and that impression is one of sensuality and beauty. Wheras in "The Scent of Green Papaya," the main focus was on nature, here Tran has turned his camera loose on human sensuality, in all its glorious incarnations. It is a dish seasoned with all the right spices, giving us a richly flavored and mystery filled dining experience. The story revolves around three beautiful sisters of various ages, living together as a family unit. Two sisters are married and one of those has a child. Together with a younger brother, an extended and supportive family unit is formed in Hanoi. As Tran captures the beauty outside of their home, however, he begins to focus on what lies beneath the surface, and what begins as a tiny sprinkle, becomes a steady rain of sensuality. The outward happiness and tranquility of this extended family belies what Tran shows us, pulling back the curtain slowly to reveal deep secrets and shocking deceptions. Always present, is the sisters' search for the truth regarding the romance of their parents, which is shrouded in mystery. Ravishingly beautiful Tran Nu Yen Khe portrays the single sister, Lien. She and her 'big brother' have a flirtatious and teasingly erotic relationship that causes many on the streets of Hanoi to believe they are a couple. Only in the final moments of this film will we come to understand a sensual family history is repeating itself. The lush foilage of Vietnam and the lovely city of Hanoi are wonderfully brought to life by Tran, and an excellent sountrack enhances the unique atmosphere of another impressionistic rendering of a place and its people by one of the great directors. Perhaps Tran's greatest achievement here, however, is a feeling of sensuality you can almost touch. Once again he has turned a movie into a film, and that film into art. You can not go wrong purchasing this Vietnamese delicacy. The Vertical Ray of the Sun is shining straight down on the human heart.
Rating: 
Summary: Better than reading it on a travel book....
Review: Vietnam appears very coulourful and cult. The modern, beautiful people blend in nicely with the beautiful photography and beautiful sounds of the movie. From a vietnamese melody sung by the three sisters, to the cathartic sound of the falling rain, this movie fills your ears with calmness and peace. The story remains simple, yet it takes unpredictable turns.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: What I loved most about this movie, apart from the wonderful performances, was its shear beauty. Director Anh Hung Tran's use of color has few equals. The film is bathed in various shades of blue and green, with just enough splashes of red and yellow to dazzle you. He also uses sound to great effect, whether it's birds chirping, rain falling, water splashing, or the lovely Vietnamese songs scattered throughout the film (you also get a couple of Lou Reed songs for good measure). While watching this film I had what Spalding Gray would call "a perfect moment" for 2 hours.
Rating:
Summary: Gorgeous, interesting and unique - worth seeing more times
Review: Without knowing much about Viet Nam in its own cultural context, I loved "Vertical Ray of the Sun." Tran Nu Yên-Khê did a beautiful job in filming a visually and musically textured (like Pedro Almodovar's work) movie. The only problem I had was that the story kind of fell short at the end. The way it was told and where the story worked reminded me a lot of Ingmar Bergman's "Cries and Whispers" and "Scenes from a Marriage." The songs and music are compelling. My only regret is my own ignorance of Vietnamese culture, because there has to be some layers to that movie that will lure me back to revisit its beauty and deeper meaning. I wouldn't call this a masterpiece, but it will be interesting to see Tran Nu Yên-Khê's next work.
Rating:
Summary: Gorgeous, interesting and unique - worth seeing more times
Review: Without knowing much about Viet Nam in its own cultural context, I loved "Vertical Ray of the Sun." Tran Nu Yên-Khê did a beautiful job in filming a visually and musically textured (like Pedro Almodovar's work) movie. The only problem I had was that the story kind of fell short at the end. The way it was told and where the story worked reminded me a lot of Ingmar Bergman's "Cries and Whispers" and "Scenes from a Marriage." The songs and music are compelling. My only regret is my own ignorance of Vietnamese culture, because there has to be some layers to that movie that will lure me back to revisit its beauty and deeper meaning. I wouldn't call this a masterpiece, but it will be interesting to see Tran Nu Yên-Khê's next work.
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