THE RED VIOLIN

This week's movie:
THE RED VIOLIN

A sweeping epic about the "single most perfect acoustical machine" ever constructed. Built by a master violin-maker in 17th century Italy. The man's wife dies in childbirth, and it's believed that the woman's soul entered the instrument. The movie follows the violin as it passes from one owner to another, from one continent to another. In so doing, you see the history of the violin played out in a number of shorter stories. Along the way, there are flash forwards to modern day Montreal, where the violin is up for auction.

I came upon this movie completely by accident, several years ago. I wasn't expecting much and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. As a bonus, if you enjoy music, this film features some spectacular solos.

Technically, I suppose you could call this a foreign language movie. It is spoken in several different languages, including English, depending on where the story takes you. Suck it up and read the subtitles already.

Enjoy.