8/6/2019 - Ash is the Purest White (2018) - 6+/10

A film that rumbles and smolders beneath the surface, like the begrudgingly temperamental volcano hiding out of sight. Ash is a slow and steady dance with dangers; of crime, of violence, of love, of sacrifice, and the human experience. Like Jia’s other recent film Mountains May Depart (https://www.sleeperawakened.com/latestreviews/2017/6/17/mountains-may-depart-2015), this is the slow personal story of a woman told over decades as she interacts with different people and places in China, this time hovering in the low orbit of a crime gain and a complicated love. Again, his storytelling is slight and subtle, letting forlorn glances, wide metaphorical landscapes, and an ingrained social rigidity speak to the pain and loss that is never shouted to the heavens. While this may turn some off, like myself with the aforementioned Mountains, I found Ash to be compelling and absorbing.

Along with the smooth and rich direction/cinematography, Tao Zao again transmits so much with the echo in her eyes. Easy to identify with and even easier to sympathize with, Zao’s Qiao is a woman of supreme strength and undeserved sorrow. A slave to her past and her placement, but with a driven strength to push her through her world of struggle. So much of this is done and expressed within the fragile dialogue of body language and subdued emoting - something she is a master of. Yeah, I really loved her in this. Fan Liao is also good, possessing a natural cool charisma, but his coldness was perhaps a bit too steely to really dig my fingers into.

I thought this film was pretty good and a certain should watch for Asian cinema fans. The slowness and repressed nature of the film still held me back a bit from falling madly in love, but if you are so inclined, Ash is be quiet treasure.