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7. Heaven and Earth

A film by Oliver Stone, actually one of a trilogy of films he did regarding the Vietnam Conflict.

But, this movie was beautiful.

It's told from the point of view of a young Vietnamese woman who lives a simple and balanced life in her village, with her mother, father, brothers and sisters, until… the Vietcong begin to come into the village at night to indoctrinate the villagers with their ideals and then, during the day, the South Vietnamese come to round up the VC.

It's an impossible situation for everyone. She is raped by VC and sent away to Saigon where, after many adventures and misadventures, she meets, falls in love with and marries and American soldier.

She moves back to California with him and the film explores her culture shock and his exceeding descent into the madness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

It is exquisite in it's rendering of her life coming full circle when she travels back to her village, taking her sons with her.

 

 

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