Uncle Boonmee, suffering from kidney failure, retreats to his country home with his family members in the final preparations for death. During dinner at the outdoor picnic table, he is greeted by a vision of his dead wife who is there to ease his suffering, followed by the arrival of his son who has taken an animal form. These events cause Boonmee to go on a spiritual quest and examine the origins of his existence. "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" is the acclaimed and certainly atypical film from Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul which won the Palme d'Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. "UBWCRHPL" is incredibly strange and unfolds at a deliberate snail's pace. At the same time, though, it is an incredibly beautiful and original work that is not at all trapped by convention. It is not to every taste (admittedly not to mine) but it is certainly worth the effort if you are in a patient and receptive mindset.
