the audience applauded

Overrated

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The classic Hollywood love story can be summarized by what Shrek joked about.1. There is a princess in need of help. 2. Prince Charming slays the dragon, rescues the princess. 3. They fall in love and lived happily ever after. As an example, Avatar falls into that category.Eternal Beloved on the other hand shows us that true love is selfless and received by grace. Its not earned by slaying a dragon for your princess and you may not get to live happily ever after. And whatever happiness we have today is to be treasured, for there may not be a tomorrow.10/10 for all those who want a true romance movie0/10 for all those action/horror/thrill seekers... ...because beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

This is a classic Chinese love film. It is a wonderfully told story of two souls destined to meet, come together, for better or worse and then be torn apart under tragic circumstances. Yet, their souls meet again. This provides the backdrop of the plot line and from there the story gets unfolded and told simply and without any rush. For those who prefer foreign movies with "simple stories told well" or "stories told beautifully", you should enjoy this film. Anyone with any knowledge of Chinese culture will appreciate the multi-layered story lines that encompass the film: brother to brother; younger brother to captured bride; bride to husband turned monk; and finally two souls meeting years later to play out the final chapter in their eternal love. The acting is superb. Each character holds his / her own even with the leads playing dual roles and the constant flash backing. The scene shots and editing will also sustain your imagination. Great film which has just gone onto my recent favorites list.

I was thinking that this is one of the movies that are predictable and with no deepness. I was so wrong, even as I thought that I can predict the story, parallel stories of the film caught me in the tiny web of perfect graphic, and crossroads. Then I realized that the message of the film is very important, and must be seen all the way. Some reviews here brought my expectations very low, but this film shows once again that you can't trust them until you watch the movie. Acting is great, graphic compelling, but the story... it's a real surprise, because yes, it is predictable up to a point. But even a predictable stories if they're done well can catch an imagination. Feeling that i had after i watched this movie was pleasant. And that's something that i haven't felt for a long while.

"Your tea is cold. I will refill it for you." A reoccurring phrase from the movie that will mean so much to you after you watch it. Eternal Beloved is about a story that takes place in the early to mid 20th century China.Mr. and Mrs. Mo, a young couple, move into a troubled house which used to be a monastery. One evening, the wife meets the spirit of a monk standing under a tree in the front yard. She gathers her wit and listens to his story. He tells his story from 50 years ago - a story of family rivalry and unrequited love.The monk, in his previous life, was Ah-Ming, the younger brother of a bandit leader. As he's horse-riding one day, he sees a beautiful young woman (Ah-Jiu) and decides to kidnap her and force her to marry him. Years pass and despite his persistence to woo her, she remains silent and cold. But one day she begins to smile at him. This doesn't last long and their love is abruptly cut short.Ah-Ming waits for his lover for 50 years as a ghost, but will she ever return to him? Will he get to another chance to make her happy? The movie is fairly easy to follow and will keep your attention, as long as you don't mind storytelling. As with most things, having patience paid off with this movie - the last ten minutes was the most dramatic segment, a release of all the emotions built up throughout the movie.Character development is also fantastic - the main characters are realistic and deep. Feihong Yu and Yihong Duan performed exceptionally well in their roles: Mrs. Yu plays both the quiet and cold role of Ah-Jiu and the friendly, gregarious character of Mrs. Mo. Yihong Duan does an even more fantastic job with his two roles: on one side, he is the tired, broken-hearted spirit and on the other, an energetic man who enjoys everything young people did.I also want to mention that the use of audio, particularly music, is also very well thought out. Some scenes were really brought to life, especially the last part, with the choice of music.Overall 8.5/10