by CHRIS BARRY

With Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring, South Korean director Kim Ki-duk not only found a catchy English title for his latest work, but produced a genuinely intriguing and cinematically stunning little film. However, this little film has big ideas, addressing life, death, rebirth and a whole bunch of other spiritual stuff along those lines. And while some might wince occasionally at its prolific ambition, overall, Kim deserves great praise for his ability to approach these heady, esoteric themes without having all us non-Oprah types barfing in the aisles.

Shot entirely on Jusan Pond, a spectacularly beautiful mountain lake somewhere in remote South Korea, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring explores the cyclical nature of life via the tale of one Buddhist monk. The seasonal references reflect the age of our protagonist as he moves from childhood (spring) through to wise old Buddhist master (winter).

Divided into five segments, the film opens with our aspiring brother as a child, living with his ever vigilant master on a floating monastery on the above mentioned body of water. Come the next segment, summer, he's already a teenager and when a sultry young broad comes to the monastery to get her head straight through the teachings of Buddha, our protagonist's hormones start raging like nobody's business. To hell with Buddhism. The most important thing to this healthy buck once he's tasted female is to enjoy a constant diet of the sweet stuff. His master warns him that lust will ultimately lead to the desire to possess, and yo, that don't necessarily jive with the wisdom of Buddha. But all our horny teen really cares about now is pussy, so he leaves the lush surroundings of the monastery for life in the city with his new wife. By the next segment, well, let's just say, we learn our hero, now an adult, might have been wise to heed his master's relationship advice.

Thanks to a heapin' helpin' of subtle metaphors, a bit of spot-on mysticism and some of the most beautiful scenery this side of Seoul, Kim has created a truly thought-provoking film, chock-full of imagery that may well stay with you long after you've left the theatre.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring opens Friday, Aug. 6

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