The Children of Heaven

Rating:
Summary: It is simply perfect!
Review: THis movie shows the sensibility and inocense of children.
There are not right words .......just watch it.

Rating:
Summary: Truly beautiful and poignant
Review: This is one of the stories that is deep in meaning and really affecting and touches my soul. It taught about love and humanness. It truly is one of the special movies of all time. In all, love is clearly expressed by the concerns and efforts made by each one of the family members to the other specifically between the brother and his sister. It also emphasise on virtue; about good and considerate children who understand their poor state and the struggle of their parent to make a living and together trying to relieve the burden. The beauty of this movie is simply the tenderness, and values that it brings forth; something that every soul comprehends and appreciates. This film is definitely for all that cherish a story of true beauty - humane, poignant and innocent in every nature.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie to watch with loved ones
Review: Sometimes in this world of computers and technology we forget simple things in life. This movie makes you realize there is more to life than going through life without stoping and looking around. I recommend this movie to all....watch it with loved ones and you will never forget the those 2 hours for long long time.

Rating:
Summary: This is what movies are all about
Review: Dont miss it. Utterly moving cinematic experience

Rating:
Summary: Simply marvellous
Review: Having caught 'A time for drunken horses' a year or so ago on cable, a whole new world of cinema opened up to me. I read up on the film & got links to other Iranian movies & from there links to the great neo realist producers like De Sica & Sajit Ray. The pleasure I now get from these films is huge & I wish I could share the brillinace in these films with all. Sadly I know no-one who will even give a moment to exploring these great films. I'd read of Children of Heaven on Amazon & elsewhere & when I finally got it from the States I was thrilled. It is brilliant & as someone mentioned earlier in these reviews, I think this is the best depiction of love I have ever seen in film. For brother & sister, for mum & dad, for the kids & the great kindness & respect for neighbours despite poverty. It made me both happy & sad to see people who are still thrilled by the gift of a pencil or a pen. What a humbling experience to see & I truly believe I am affected for the better by seeing this & I wish everyone in the World would watch it too.I have watched clips of this every day since I had it last week. For anyone still interested in my
mutterings & if you like this & are not aware, check out The Apu Trilogy (esp. Pather Panchali), Salaam Bombay, The White Balloon, Lilya 4-Ever, Time for drunken Horses, Ken Loaches stuff, Spirit of the Beehive, Butterfly's Tongue, In this World all wonderful stuff that will make you respect other cultures, humanity & be moved.

Rating:
Summary: excellent
Review: If Hollywood can forget about bigger-than-life sex and violence movies and start creating movies such as this one, the world's view of America would improve significantly. My parents who live outside the US still think America is a scary country, all because of the movies that Hollywood has created so far.

Anyway, this movie is not a bigger-than-life movie, there is no violence, sex or crime, or destroyed relationship to get you excited. Yet it is so powerful, it captures your mind throughout. The director does a wonderful work in bringing forward the two children's inner hearts by delicate, subtle, simple ways. The two child actors who played the roles of the boy and his sister were superb. Their acting was not exaggerated, instead very natural and healthy. By taking life as life as it is, and by keeping it that way, the movie ends unexpectedly simple and moving. There is nothing dramatic to turn the misfortune into a happy ending, but you can see that there is a definite understanding between the two children. They grow up so much as you watch.
I particularly liked the scene where the little sister sees another girl wearing her lost shoes, but she does not confront her. Later she secretly vists the girl's house with her brother. There they see her come out, followed by her blind father. They leave the house quietly without being noticed, and continue with their own struggle of life without the shoes. The movie is full of compassion, gentleness, courage and thoughtfulness not only between the kids, but among the people, while being honest about the cruelty of poverty.

My wonder is that why no adults bother to ask the boy what is wrong with him and his sister. There is enough evidence that something is wrong. Instead, the teachers scold the boy, the parents are absorbed with their own worries, while the boy and his sister are trying to take a full responsibility for the misfortune that fell upon them. It is heart-breaking to see the boy unable to talk to his parents about what had happened. I grew up in poverty also, but I would not have hidden it from my parents. They would have taken care of the problem for me.

The ending was more than superb, truly a story of heaven.

Rating:
Summary: Watch this movie and it'll be one of your favorites..
Review: I rarely watch foreign films, especially those in non-english spoken word with english subtitles.. However, this movie was so highly rated by other users that I had to rent it and see what all the hype was about..

The story line sounds simple and quite boring.. It's most definitely not..

You don't have to be a child like Ali or Zahra to understand the simplicity of love, truth and achieving goals.. Although this movie is set in a very low income area in Iran, it touches on the daily trials and tribulations that everyone around the world, rich or poor, have experienced several times in their lifetime.. Right from wrong, financial priorities, stress from things just not leaning your way and overall happiness..

Ali shows true concern for his family and others.. His mother is ill and Ali chooses to stay with her instead of playing with his friends.. His father becomes timid trying to find work in the city and Ali steps in to help him and ends up finding a job for him.. Of course Zahra needs shoes for school.. Ali accidentally lost the shoes, and makes every effort to find them or replace them.. This is the plot of the movie, but don't think that this movie will bore you because it's about a pair of shoes..

I have to honestly say out of the thousands of movies I've seen in my lifetime, this has to be one of the top ten.. Not for cinematography, special effects, soundtracks or Hollywood movie stars, but for the message, the portrayal, the feeling and the wonderful acting and depiction of feeling and thought with little to no words..

Rent this movie, you will not be disappointed.. When Ali falls down towards the end of the film, I was at the edge of my seat rooting for him with joy while crying with sadness at the same time.. This movie truly touches you.. If you have a heart, you won't just watch this movie, you will FEEL it..

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Family Movie
Review: When I say "family movie," I mean a movie that the whole family can watch without any of the members wishing that they were somewhere else, and I do NOT mean that it is boring or stupid or overly sentimental. My 11-year-old nephew had just watched Dickie Roberts with his friends and was telling me how funny and great it was; he thought Baran and the Color of Paradise were too depressing and pointless. Then, he watched the Children of Heaven with his mother and me; he was glued to the TV and did not protest once the whole time. He would never admit to this out of the fear that he will be forced to watch more depressing foreign movies with subtitles, but I got the feeling that he will remember this movie for many more years than Dickie Roberts.

Rating:
Summary: Happy Ending!
Review: I just have to add that many miss the very "happy ending" of the movie. There WILL be shoes for both Ali and Zahra at the end!!
Have fun watching it!!

Rating:
Summary: Yes, It is Magical
Review: I hate to reiterate what so many other reviewers have stated here, but this is a magical movie. It takes you into the world of two Iranian children as they attempt to overcome what is for them a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. This movie is one of the few times when I went in with high expectations and was not disappointed. It is a simple story but told with sublime beauty and grace.