I love this movie so much

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Snow Falling on Cedars (1999): Dir: Scott Hicks / Cast: Ethan Hawke, Sam Shepard, Richard Jenkins, Max Von Sydow, Youki Kudoh: Snow is a metaphor for burdens while cedars represent people. Ethan Hawke stars as a reporter who carries the job after his father's passing. He is covering a case involving land payment and possible murder. A Japanese male is on trial whose father bought the land during the war but they got behind in payments. Romantic subplot bares no weight but director Scott Hicks does a fantastic job. This is Hicks's followup to his success with Shine. Hawke is superb as he searches for answers but his involvement with a female sidelines what's important. Sam Shepard as his father is superb and the relationship is seen as one trying to reach the other in potential or measuring up. Also with Richard Jenkins as a Sheriff who survives what might have been a cliché type role by applying intellect and reasoning. Max Von Sydow as a lawyer also rises above convention by stealing his scenes. Youki Kudoh plays the married Asian woman whom Hawke rolls about under the cedars enacting hot forbidden passion. While the story structure doesn't always bear weight, the winter photography is enchanting particularly when the snow and cedars physically enter the picture. Strong themes heavy on symbolism to demonstrate the weariness of a burdened soul. Score: 9 / 10

Midpoint in the movie, the Japanese-American Internment is underway in a small Northwestern farming and fishing island in the Seattle, Washington, area. The Miyamoto family is visited by officials enforcing the expropriation and relocation of American citizens of Japanese ancestry. The officials rummage through the family's entire home and grounds, turning up every manner of personal items, especially anything of sentimental value such as personal letters or keepsakes (which supposedly suggest Japanese-cultural sympathies)—all boxed and taken away before their tearful eyes. The policemen find a container of dynamite, used by the Miyamoto men to clear the land, blow tree stumps. Turns out the law makes it a crime for people of Japanese ancestry to own explosives—a felony. "Aha!" the cops say, "we have a serious criminal." With the sensitivity of a dirty toilet seat, the goon squad handcuffs the father and takes him into immediate custody. Sound familiar? It does if you've been on the receiving end of any sort of act of state aggression... from busting kids for drugs to fabricating wars for the benefit of the Carlyle Group. ...For my complete review of this movie and for other movie and book reviews, please visit my site TheCoffeeCoaster.com.Brian Wright Copyright 2009

This is probably the worst movie I have ever seen in my life, and the first video rental that made me and a buddy push the fast-forward button more than three times. When you have two religious viewers show the most emotion when a character swears at his former love while losing a limb, you know the movie is really bad. Snow falling on cedars has way too many shots of snow actually falling on cedars. And snow falling on the ground. And people talking like they are watching snow falling. Soooo boring. Believe me, it is much better to simply sit in front of your apartment window and watch the snow actually fall then to waste money renting this movie.

As the referees say on pro football TV games, "On further review......" That's the way I thought after my second viewing of this movie. GOOD NEWS - On the first look, I was totally blown away and dazzled at the fabulous cinematography. Man, this is one of the prettiest movies I've ever seen.....and that's important for my entertainment. Scene after scene looks like some picture postcard. I also enjoyed the two lawyers in this film, played by James Rebhorn and Max VonSydow. Sometimes those two were riveting to watch.BAD NEWS - Most of the story was anything but riveting, way too slow and with way too much time used on flashbacks. This story could have been told in a much more presentable way which could have kept the audience's attention. It's also a little too politically-correct. We were beaten over the head with the prejudice against Japanese. Everyone here, except the Liberal newspaper editor and his son, is portrayed as extremely bigoted.Overall, a spectacular visual film - one of the best ever - but a story that takes interminably long to tell.....too long.