Lust, Caution (R-Rated Edition Widescreen)

So, for 9 months, I let the NC17 rating keep me away from seeing this incredible movie (I skipped its release to theaters for the same reason as well). Despite the rave reviews being so positive and the story so intriguing I still avoided it, primarily because I don't like to watch sex scenes or violence. I love historic fiction and I decided that I could skip the parts that don't appeal to me (unfortunately, the first time through I still saw much more than I wanted (I watched it 2 1/2 times in 48 hours)).Wow!This movie does almost everything right! The actors were superb in their roles. Their talent was on full display. Their every action would be under scrutiny by others and one error could place their life and those of others in jeopardy! The script was equally balanced with their every word being so effectually nuanced in their body language, as their thoughts communicated with glances, laughter, tone and gestures. I loved watching again and again, as I became aware of the subtlities I hadn't consciously noted the first time watching the film.The settings are fabulous. The scenes and the locations made me feel as though I was living in the early 1940's in occupied China. The fear, the sullenness of the weather and political climate and the constraints they place on what is said and thought were well conveyed. I even did some research on the filming locations as I wanted to understand what the region (Shanghai and Hong Kong) were like at that time (after watching other movies set in occupied China).I must also note the point of view of the story's narration. A group of six college students, who want to do their part to return China to the way she was before the Japanese invasion, is well realized in this story. Too often we see war stories told by young children or teenager's, who witness the surface level tragedies of war in their homeland with a lack of true understanding of the darker aspects, here we have young adults, those with access to successful futures being separated from those, who are fighting in the war because they don't have the money or intellect to attend college and escape its brutality. Surely there is some trace of conscience and guilt for not jeopardizing themselves for their loved ones futures?The opening scene where the six meet performing in a play about the war, impacts each of them to leave their comfort zone and actually take action and make a statement which will actually impact their country's future. Their choices place them on a trajectory that makes us realize that at that age, they never truly understood or quite expected the outcomes that followed.This is one of the best movies I've seen in years.Ang Lee is a talented man. My only complaint was not that he showed murder and rape, but that he allowed the graphic depictions of both to be displayed so visceral and realistically and with such significant screen time as he did. I actually felt ill during two particular scenes and think many people would find it to distasteful. The length of screen presence was unnecessary, in my opinion. It could have been more nuanced without diminishing the statement he was trying to express.Still it was a 10 out of 10!

This is an old-school film. It is rich in details, elegance, and subtleties. This film certainly would rank as one of the best Asian films of all time.The pace is slow and deliberate. Each sequence is shot beautifully and carefully. There is no deliberate attempt to shoot a fast paced film to reduce the duration of the film and to engage an audience with short attention span. The plot was cleverly written to make the audience pay attention to the subtle details. Did the main character notice the cover? Maybe, but maybe not. The audience is left guessing to the end and each sequence provides a clue of what each character is thinking and the deep and complex psychology involved.The nude sequences, in my opinion, weren't warranted. But they did not detract from the film either. This would have been a fine film without the sequences which made this film NC-17.The writing and acting were superb. My guess is that the writing team had many female members who understood the subtleties of the female sexuality and psychology. When the main female character gets kissed from her long-ago love interest, she quickly pushes him away saying "you should have done that 3 years ago...why didn't you?". That was real.This is a gripping and engaging film that makes you think. Most of all, you are taken into the inner psyche of the characters who are genuinely conflicted between lust and caution. In that sense, the inner conflict of characters isn't much different from our own relationships.My favorite sequence? It isn't the nude scenes. It is actually the sequence when the main female character sings for her lover and foe that visibly touches him. "Only love that lasts through the hard times is true"..."we're like a thread and needle never to be separated" she sings...That scene moved ME to tears and it was unforgettable. This is an iconic and wonderful film.