Little Buddha

It is refreshing to find a heavy-hitting European auteur telling his story with such directness, and delightful to see a serious, artistically exacting film for children, even if you suspect it will soar over that audience.

In a quiet way, this gorgeous movies accomplishes many things.

Bertolucci's celebrated burnt-orange-and-burnished-lemon look remains handsome, and the story itself still commands some interest as a pivot into daunting material.

Bertolucci's epic is a disappointment.

A crazily mesmerizing pop artifact that ranks alongside Herman Hesse's novel Siddhartha in terms of extreme earnestness and quasi-religious entertainment value.

Though uneven, the film is engagingly moving and often humorous.

This Bernardo Bertolucci film feels like two films stuck together, one more compelling than the other.

An intimate, spiritual film from Bertolucc, which trying to combine elements of mysticism and Western culture.

Excellent introduction to Buddhism--strongest portions are mythical excerpts of Buddha's life.

Although the search for enlightenment may not have much in the way of high-concept appeal, the film should satisfy adventurous moviegoers as well as the large number of adults already intrigued by eastern religions.