eucalyptus9
One of the reasons I like to watch movies from around the world is too observe the different locations, be they city or country. A while back I watched "Tony Manero", shot in Santiago Chile, in which the city setting was about the most desolate and depressing locale I've ever seen. The setting in Tulpan is certainly desolate, but it's not depressing. Having lived part of my younger life in places like that, it's almost uplifting.As are the cast. Samal Esljamova is one of the beautiful women I've ever seen. The kids are delightful - Maha the singer, Beke the news reciter, the little one who seems to enjoy taunting and annoying Beke. Beke seems to be the only one aware of the camera - I had the feeling that if the camera wasn't there, the little one might have received a few clips across the ear-hole.Boni is funny, and the episode with the vet is fascinating. I wasn't sure how scared of the mother camel the cast really were, but it certainly seemed real enough. The little touches were done so well - the relationship between Tulpan's parents for instance - the stoic mother, the father trying to exert his authority and being studiously ignored.And then comes the climactic scene, the birth of the lamb. Both this, and the previous scene in which Ondas attempts to revive a dying lamb, were just riveting to watch. For sure, the actor playing Asa didn't look too excited by it all, but the realism couldn't be faulted.I thought this was a great film, a film showing that despite the differences in how we live, we all share the same burdens and joys and ambitions.
irishsounds
I was charmed, amused, and fascinated by this superb film. It manages to be so natural that it is hard to believe that the characters are in fact actors. The plot is unimportant, but the fly-on-the-wall look into the lives of a rare and wonderful people, in a rare and wonderful place - is priceless. This type of docu-drama would be highly beneficial as a teaching tool to history departments everywhere. I highly recommended this film, but certainly not for those whose appetite is limited to the usual dose of Hollywood mind candy; action, special effects, violence, sex, and schmaltz.There is a haunting and charming quality in this film that held me every minute right to the end. It is up there in my top 50 movies of all time along with Babette's Feast.
asc85
Most of the first hour or so of this movie was dull, boring and unnecessary...if not for my wife asking me questions, I think I would have fallen asleep. I must admit that once we got to the point of the film where sheep are birthing their lambs that the film began to pique my interest, but by then, I really couldn't care less about the characters, and wanted it to end.Also the insistent, braying, bleating, etc. of the different animals was extremely annoying and irritating, as was the kids when they would be loudly singing off-key. I'm sure this was intentional, but irritating nonetheless.I know this film got superb reviews, which is why I rented it in the first place. But why? Because it showed a slice of life that few of us ever see? That's the only thing I can think of. And if so, make a documentary about it.
lastliberal
The fact that this film won almost every award it was nominated for is of little consequence to the average film goer. It is about life on the Central Asian steppes of Kazakhstan. Yes, that Kazakhstan, but without Sasha Baron Cohen.Life here is very hard. There is not a tree in sight, and the wind whips the dirt around mercilessly. Asa just returned from his tour of duty in the Russian Navy, and we hear him tell his potential in-laws of the things he encountered. He is after the hand of Tulpan, the only available bride in the area. He wants to settle down and raise sheep, but he must have a wife. No deal. She thinks his ears are too big, but I believe it is mama that wants her to do more than just be a wife who cooks and cleans and has babies on the steppes.Asa keeps trying to win her as he tries to become a shepherd. He is not doing well at either.The funniest part of the film is the vet. You can't describe what he does with a cigarette, but you have to see it.It won't win any popularity contests, but it is worth seeing.
AD
