It's funny, if you're a film nut like me and keep score of a director's ouvre and when each movie was made or released, the chronology of it, to have started out what turned out to be Edward Yang's last film. It's also kind of a curse because now I'm dying to see more of his movies and it seems this is his only one that is easily available. Yi Yi, released in the year 2000, won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival that year. The film takes us on a journey to Taiwan, and explores the life of a family from Taipei. It's really hard for me to write about this movie without giving it away for those who have not seen it. It's a beautiful masterstroke where every shot is amazingly constructed and thought out, full of long scenes and some wide shots. The mirror reflections that characterize the movie add a quality that's hard for me to describe beyond saying that at some points I was in awe. We see certain types of family celebrations throughout the movie, a wedding and a funeral among them, and the drama involves an accident that will leave a member of the family in bed. The director weaves such a story around this family and the actors who portray it give great performances. The kid who plays Yang Yang is possibly the cutest thing ever, and he will stay with you long after the movie is over.

very long, very good.