Beyond the Clouds

As we watch, we can sense, once again, the eye of a painter, the dreams of a poet and, tying them together, the vision of a master.

This is why movies were invented.

A shimmeringly beautiful and wise reverie on love and desire.

It's that compelling sense of mystery, of the endless search and its undercurrent of loneliness, that sets this great filmmaker apart.

The impact of these stories is not in the words but in the way the mood, texture and the acting build each situation into a visually intense parable about the similarity of spiritual, erotic and aesthetic aspiration.

A sad blot on an impressive career.

It's not easy to endure, despite -- or due to the embarrassment of -- an all-star cast.