Chihwaseon (Painted Fire)

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Gorgeous
Review: This is the fascinating and exquisitely filmed story of a Korean painter struggling with his cultural, political, and artistic identity during tumultuous political upheavals of late 19th Century Korea. Being a painter myself, I have seen dozens of films about artists, most of which were unsatisfying because they failed to depict enough of the artwork or the painting process. This film masterfully and generously accomplishes both, and the cinematography beautifully captures lush, gorgeous images of nature throughout the film. I enjoyed everything about this film -- the acting was excellent, the sets were lovely, it was erotic but tasteful, the dialogue about art was intelligent, and visually it was a feast. The first DVD I've wanted to own.