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From the pictures and descriptions, I was expecting a light, feel-good romantic comedy. "Muriel's Wedding" is most definitely not that. It has some romance. It has some comedy, mostly dark. It also has characters who are very cruel to each other, situations that are gut-wrenchingly tragic, and a main character who is dishonest and pathetic as often as she is noble. That being said, the movie does have texture and unpredictability. It's original and mostly believable, unlike most feel-good romantic comedies. But it is not cinematic wedding cake. In fact, it's more like fruit cake, with some sweetness, some unexpected bitter bits, more than a few nuts. I came away with the same impression I get from fruitcake, appreciating the complexity, but not really having enjoyed the experience.

Mark Dolson is an eager Catholic seminarian who throws himself-- body, mind, and emotion-- fully into everything he does. Father Tim Farley has fallen into a comfortable rut in his suburban parish, where he is loved and valued precisely because he doesn't make waves. Mark torments his teachers with unanswerable questions and unending intellectual debate. Father Farley relies on practiced clichés and vanilla humor to fill the air during the sermon slot of his morning services. When no other priest will take Mark on as a parish intern, the bishop gives him to Father Farley.

The pairing of Zeljko Ivanek and Jack Lemmon is perfect in this character-driven film. The characters are multi-layered, and the issues they wrestle with are as pertinent now as they were in 1984.

Without a doubt, Ashes of Time is a beautiful, deeply felt movie. The acting and cinematography are outstanding. The color and camera angles are poetic. But the DVD quality is barely acceptable and the plot, what there is of it, is very confusing. The movie is less a journey from point A to point B than it is a dream-like dance around a central theme: regret for the way we treat those we love.

For those who would watch the movie for the martial arts-- the main characters are mostly swordsmen and martial artists-- the movie is less than satisfying. The fight scenes are highly stylized, employing fast cuts, blurs of motion, and disorienting lighting and camera angles. The fight scenes are more about camera technique than martial arts technique.

Ashes of Time is not a movie that can be absorbed in one viewing. For many viewers, though, it will be worth a second or even third.