Yi Yi

what a beautiful film. so many shots to die for. there is such an incredible balance of tone here. there are moments of lighthearted comedy, youthful romance, family drama, tragedy, and reflective melancholy; and it all adds up to create a sprawling portrait of so many characters' lives intertwined with each other as they all fight for their ideas of what life is supposed to be and come to terms with what it means to live. "I've come to realize things aren't really that complicated. Why did they ever seem so?"