Rating: 
Summary: A real tear jerker
Review: A story about love found, lost. A tale of two men that fall in love with the same woman. The older one loves less, but cares in his own way. The younger one, a protege of the older man, loves in secret-and dies, lonely and poor without realizing his dream. The compassionate bond between the two men, which overides their competition for the love of this carefree and lovely woman, is probably the more interesting part of this tear jerker. I watched it with my friend years ago, and since then we call each other "holy boy" in reference to this fine movie. Wonderful memories.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the damn dvd?
Review: A truly magnificent film, aesthetically and emotionally. We really see what Ward can achieve when Hollywood does not interfere. An epic that never loses sight of the smallest details of human love and interaction - genuinely a map of the human heart. Ward succeeds in affecting us at a very personal level, exploring very human and very real issues within such an unusual context. A victory for film-making with genuine vision.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the damn dvd?
Review: A truly magnificent film, aesthetically and emotionally. We really see what Ward can achieve when Hollywood does not interfere. An epic that never loses sight of the smallest details of human love and interaction - genuinely a map of the human heart. Ward succeeds in affecting us at a very personal level, exploring very human and very real issues within such an unusual context. A victory for film-making with genuine vision.
Rating:
Summary: Lovely.
Review: An extremely creative and poignant film. Its few flaws are more than offset by the wonderful direction, the fine performances (especially by Jason Scott Lee), and a plot structure that is not predictable and never manipulative. Two of the most sensuous scenes in any film.
Rating: 
Summary: we all need more vincent ward
Review: as an ex-pat kiwi, i must weigh in with more praise for vincent ward...he is a visual master, and for fans of this movie, both "vigil" and "the navigator" are INDISPENSABLE-go get them now.this movie is larger-scale than mr ward's previous movies,and is not without its flaws.the imagery is wonderful and the tale is poignant. when ward is allowed to let loose,no holds barred, he has no equal as an image maker.let's hope he bounces back quickly from the visually stunning but otherwise lacking "what dreams may come."
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful, haunting movie.
Review: Being an ex-pat Canadian, I was sort of suspicious of this movie and wondered if it would capture the heart and soul of Northern Arctic Canada.After all, the director is from New Zealand and among the leads, there are two American's, One Irish, Two French people....Not a Canadian among them! However, my fears were put to rest in the opening 10 minutes of this movie.... The main character is a boy named Avik, who is a half Inuit/Caucasian boy. He has no mother or father and is being raised by his grandmother who loves him dearly. He life is changed one day when a great bird lands in their tribal lands and produces a Cartographer named Walter Russell. The bird of course is a Plane and in 1931, no Inuit has ever seen this before and are naturally suspicious of it. However, Avik is not and this magnificent sight changes his life forever. Russell is staying with the Inuit tribe as he maps their region for world maps. However, he finds out that Avik develops Tuberculosis (the white man's disease) and take's him back to Montreal for treatment at a Catholic Hospital. There, he meets Albertine, who is half Indian/Caucasian and this similarity of being a "half-breed" draws them together. As their friendship blossoms deeper, they find out that they are "soulmates", sharing the perfect innocent love. However, Albertine, who can easily pass off as a White person is separated from Avik and sent away by Sister Banville (played with stern harshness by Jeanne Moreau). Avik, in his anguish, breaks into the X-ray room and steals an X-ray of Albertine's heart. That photograph represents the love that Albertine will show for the rest of the movie. 7 years later Avik is back in the Arctic and things are not going well. The hunt is going poorly and many are blaming him because he had influence from White people. Again, another plane lands and Russell has returned. Avik helps him find a German submarine and Walter offers him a position a position in the Royal Canadian Army. Avik hearts leads him to go, but he is the only one who can support his Grandmother. So he refuses. He asks Walter to find Albertine and gives him the x-ray of her heart. Later, as conditions worsen for the tribe, they decide to travel north. While they take the grandmother, they refuse to take Avik. In a fit of anguish, the grandmother leaps from the ship and commits suicide. Separated from the tribe forever, Avik heads south and joins the Royal Air Command. In 1945, Avik is on his last mission as a recon photographer/bomber for the Royal Canadian Army. There he finds Albertine and reunites with her. She has a surprise for him. She has fallen in love with Walter. Crushed, he spurns her and rejects Walter. However, in a peace gesture, Walter gives him the X-ray and she reconciles with her. She has lived as a Caucasian and seeing Avik brings out the painful reminder that she is a "half-breed". However, as she learns to accept who she really is, she fall in love with Avik. This love breaks the triangle relationship that has formed between the three. Russell, who has much power in the Air Command, extends Aviks' plane's tour of duty as it becomes aware that he knows about their affair. And it is this extra mission, that the "Holy Boy" plane (a phrase Avik used as a child) get hit and only Avik survives. As he parachutes into Germany, his X-ray picture of Albertine's heart is destroyed. With his guilt (he feels responsible for the death of his shipmates) and his love for Albertine, he heads back to the Arctic to disappear from the world. Hence we come to the "present" 1965, where the whole movie was told as a flashback story from a now 40 something Avik to a young Cartographer (John Cusack). The conclusion of this movie is something that is very special and needs to be witnessed directly on film, so I will omit it from the review. This movie is beautiful to look at. Vincent Ward, who later directed the visually spectacular "What Dreams May Come" with Robin Williams, does a fantastic job capturing the mood and spirit of the far north and creates the most Stunning WWII coverage I have seen on celluloid (it is even better than Saving Private Ryan's footage). Avik, played by Jason Scott Lee is played well, but it is the emotionally wounded Albertine (played fabulously by Anne Parillaud) is the character to watch. While she is too old to play the part, she brings an emotional vulnerability to this role that suits the character perfectly. All the supporting characters (John Cusack, Patrick Bergen and Jeanne Moreau) and well as the young children have outstanding performances. If you want a movie with a daring vision, artistic flair and is overly romantic, please rent this movie. It has my highest recommendations....Rating: A
Rating:
Summary: This movie will tug at any human's heart
Review: Filled with surreal imagery, this movie weaves a beautiful tale of the joining of two persons from very different backgrounds. The latter part of the story is set against the backdrop of World War II and shows how passions shape individuals' lives, both for good and ill.
Rating:
Summary: Dreamy vision.
Review: For me, watching Map of the Human Heart was like being cradled in grandmother's lap as she told a sad story, while I slowly dozed off, and her words playing in and out of my consciousness, wandering in and out of reality and dream world. The imagery in Map of the Human Heart is dreamy, passionate, romantic, and at the same time, dark, nightmarish, and sad. Because of overall beauty of the visuals, contradictorily dark and tragic story felt much more agonizingly painful and emotional. An element that almost steals the show is the music by Gabriel Yared, who also did music for "The Lover" and "English Patient". It is a wonderful companion to such a great film.
Rating:
Summary: Great movie, if flawed, but...
Review: Great movie, if flawed, but...what I don't understand is why it is said to "star" Patrick Bergin when it STARS Jason Scott Lee. Oddly coincident to his previous role as Bruce Lee in "Dragon - the Bruce Lee Story." (Bruce Lee, as most know, was the victim of race prejudice throughout his entire life.) Since this is the story of a young Inuit's emotional relationships to his past and his present, how can the movie be said to star anyone BUT the individual who plays that character...in this case, JS Lee - an oriental/Asian non-white actor -- and he is great! I hope we see more of Jason Scott Lee, and often. He is not only a fine-tuned actor, but - let's face it - he's a hunk.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent!
Review: I cried so hard during this movie! The story was unusually beautiful, inspiring, tragic, and magical all at the same time. Jason Scott Lee was painfully beautiful as Avic, and Anne Parillaud as Albertine--a poetic heroine. Wonderfully acted, uniquely directed, a film with great heart.
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