The unobtrusive visual style respects both the human characters and the wider landscape, with Davaa shooting her compositions in medium and long shot.
Comment
10/28/06
Cave of the Yellow Dog (2006)
88 %
Reviews Counted: 48 Fresh: 42 Rotten:6 Average Rating: 7.3/10
Consensus:
A sparse, hauntingly beautiful journey across continents and cultures.
Rated: U
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Theatrical Release: 30-06-2006
Synopsis: A Mongolian nomad family find themselves in disagreement when the oldest daughter, Nansal, finds a dog and brings it home. Believing that it is responsible for attacking his sheep, her father refuses to allow her to keep it. When it’s time for the family to move on, Nansal must decide... [More]
Genre: Foreign Films
Starring: Nansal Batchuluun, Buyandulam Daramdadi, Batchuluun Urjindorj
Director: Byambasuren Davaa
Reviews
Top Critic
More successful as a documentary than a drama, this offers a gently absorbing glimpse into nomadic Mongolian life.
10/28/06
Top Critic
How wonderful it is to encounter a film like this, with its sweet simplicities and its quiet observations.
03/07/07
The movie is very beautiful and also very slow, mostly due to the relatively primitive setting.
01/25/07
Damn me for an unreliable cynic, but The Cave of the Yellow Dog is a remarkable movie: touching, honest, and unassuming, without a hint of irony or false motive.
01/04/07
Add in a wisecracking sidekick with a Brooklyn accent, and the Mongolian drama "Cave of the Yellow Dog" could be remade as a Disney cartoon.
01/04/07
Here, it's 'progress' the family rebels against. There's a sense their existence, which is unencumbered by PlayStations or balsamic vinegar, is endangered. That idea, like everything else in this low-key charmer, is expressed in simple terms.
12/30/06
The Cave of the Yellow Dog is a gentle film, leisurely of pace and nicely shot. To me, it seems more like a National Geographic special than the sort of thing I look for in cinema.
12/30/06
At the same time, [director Byambasuren] Davaa also concentrates blissfully on those fleeting moments of life that most movies excise in favor of forwarding the plot. This gentle, observant storytelling is perfectly appropriate for kids.
12/30/06
It must also be noted that each of the Batchuluun children are extraordinary and that Nansal Batchuluun (both her real and her character's name) is among the most captivating creatures captured on film -- ever.
12/30/06
A truly touching tale which patiently paints a simple tableau while ever so subtly highlighting an endangered lifestyle deserving of protection from the onslaught of Western civilization.
12/25/06
It exudes a sweetness and easygoing charm that make it hard to resist despite its lackadaisical quality.
12/19/06
This is no heart-tugging family drama; rather it's a contemplative, compassionate portrait of a hardy people. Offered as a borderline documentary, it proceeds in long, uncluttered takes.
12/15/06
Thanks to some ace photography, the beautiful Mongolian wilderness also has a strong presence.
12/15/06
A simple film, yes, but a wonderful one, nonetheless. But then, I am a sucker for any film with little girls and dogs.
12/12/06
Mongolia is no longer habituated by Genghis Khan and his Mongol horde. Instead we are treated to three of the cutest kids you'll ever see on screen.
12/12/06
Top CriticRelated Forums
(2006 USA release)-THE CAVE OF THE YELLOW DOG opens in NYC on Friday, November 10th!!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 2/18/07
by: REEL_REVIEWER 2/18/07
(2006 USA release)-THE CAVE OF THE YELLOW DOG opens in NYC on Friday, November 10th!!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 2/18/07
by: REEL_REVIEWER 2/18/07
(2006 USA release)-THE CAVE OF THE YELLOW DOG opens in NYC on Friday, November 10th!!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 2/18/07
by: REEL_REVIEWER 2/18/07
(2006 USA release)-THE CAVE OF THE YELLOW DOG opens in NYC on Friday, November 10th!!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 2/18/07
by: REEL_REVIEWER 2/18/07
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