Cleveronix
A different way of telling a story
Dirtylogy
It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.
Jerrie
It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...
anjanagunathilaka
This movie feels the heart wrenching. The Children of Heaven is a beautiful illustration of how adversity draws people closer together. This is the best children's movie i have ever seen.
akhilsudhakaran
CHILDREN OF HEAVEN
Majid Majidi
Iranian film marked with lot of classics from undisputable craft and theme which organized and conducted by some power packed legends including Abbas Kirostami, Majid Majidi, Asghar Farhadi, Jafer Panahi etc. These legends just show off something simple atmosphere and outlook that engaged with commons. There themes were so close with the ongoing simple aspects of human beings. Basically they are the subjects of things and beings. Their movies will also often open us to the marvelous world of unknown (but common) that we can read in daily press and in the streets. (So far from Bunuel's view about films).
As far as, for me Majid Majidi looks astonishing about the depiction of downtrodden concepts and ideas. He just portrayed the basic plot of low class people around the Iranian outskirts. Children of Heaven mesmerized me because of the subtle representation of low class people. It is not about anything which marks calamities and atrocities mainly associate with common people, it's just a simple opening to the world of kids or children. This movie opens up to us two siblings of age around 11 or 12, a brother and a sister. We could understand their family appearance from the initial sequence of the movie when the title cards going on. A person repairs a shoe of a small girl. When we look close and analyze we can find out the shoe gets more damaged and there is no worth to repair it. Going back to home after it gets repaired Ali (the brother) lost the shoe and their turns up the beginning of the movie.
Majidi's class can be seen at every course of the movie. He just put the camera to a brother and sister and captured their interactions in a candid way. In the initial part, because of the afraid of his father they both convey the absence of shoe and the consequences associate with them when they do not have a shoe and everything, they just scribbled through the notebook. They can't talk anything about the topic because their father will hear this. So while they are studying they just share their dialogues through writing which is so vast in its context. The audience gets to know more about their complex stage and the problem relate with them and everything through those writings.
CinemaClown
A masterwork of heartfelt grace, endless warmth & soulful compassion, Children of Heaven is an affectionately crafted, tenderly structured & wonderfully performed coming-of-age drama that not only paints a beautifully evocative portrait of siblings relationship but also offers a very captivating glimpse into the lives of lower-class Persian society.Set in an impoverished neighbourhood in Tehran, Children of Heaven concerns a young boy whose routine is thrown off-balance after he misplaces a pair of shoes that belonged to his sister. Promising to make up for the loss and requesting her to not mention the incident to their parents, the two devise a scheme to solve the problems on their own in the meantime.Written & directed by Majid Majidi, the film features a very simple premise which is then brought to life in a very humane & humble manner. Despite the poor neighbourhood setting, the story doesn't have an ounce of cynicism in it, for all Majidi is concerned with is illustrating the siblings bonding & their shared predicament after the shoes go missing. It's pure, kind-hearted & delightfully sweet.Set pieces are kept to a minimum, plot is firmly rooted in reality, and there is a very naturalistic feel to how its events unfold. The two kids play their part very convincingly and are finely supported by the rest of the cast. Pacing is steady throughout its runtime, and keeps its childhood spirit alive till the very end. And its blissful tone & adorable quality is further amplified by its mesmerising score.On an overall scale, Children of Heaven is an exquisite, nostalgic & intimate cinema that captures the essence of childhood in full-fledged fashion and brims with heartwarming themes that reflect the goodness in humanity. An adorable, innocent & refreshing delight that begins on an arresting note and culminates on an emotional high, this Persian gem is absolutely worth your time & money. Thoroughly recommended.
851222
Greetings from Lithuania."Children of Heaven" (1997) is a very economically told pure and simple story. I was genuinely caught into this movie from it's opening shot till the very last end. This is superbly paced and involving movie, which at running time 1 h 25 min. isn't to short nor it is too long - it's length and pacing are excellent. Acting was very good and natural by all involved, especially by children who portrayed young brother and sister. The story as the movie itself are very warm.Overall, "Children of Heaven" is a superb movie for all family who's best evening with a movie isn't bunch of popcorn and some Marvel flick. This is a very warm and charming movie that will definitely win you over. Great movie for whole family.
