Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles

I'm spent. I'm an emotional wasteland. I just finished watching "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles," a film directed by Zhang Yimou. It's about a stoic Japanese fisherman who attempts to reconcile with his estranged, but dying, son by embarking on a journey that takes him to China to do what his son cannot; capture on film one of his son's greatest passions -- Chinese Masked Opera.

It's such a wonderfully shot film. Beautiful landscapes surround this exceedingly sad story, juxtaposing what life already tells us - sadness and beauty coexist, and sometimes in a raw and stirring way.

You'll find each and every character in the movie endearing in some way. You'll find some of the relationships ripping your heart out. You'll understand the title of this film and how unnervingly appropriate it is. You'll love the main character, and you'll cry for him. I'm still crying for him...