The Cave of the Yellow Dog
Posted by martinteller on September 19, 2007
Not only is this a sensually appealing film — a gentle pastoral mood, lush landscapes, gorgeous colors, adorable children — but it’s also a fascinating cultural study. It stars a real family of nomadic Mongolian sheep herders, and captures their everyday life while also playing out the story of how they assimilate a stray dog into their lives. It’s tempting to dismiss the charm of this movie because it’s all too easy to generate charm when dealing with cute little kids and animals. But it’s all so genuine and peaceful, and even the incredibly predictable climax of the story doesn’t feel too Disney-fied. This is the kind of movie that ought to feel slow, but the 90 minutes just fly by. Rating: 8
