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I wanted to watch this film after I attended a classical concert that played Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini." The morning after the concert, I learnt that this beautiful piece was in this movie, but for some reason, it took me until now to finally sit down and watch it.

I don't even know how to describe it. Aside from the Rachmaninoff piece, this movie is filled with beautiful music by John Barry as well as sets and costumes that bring you into the story. Everything about this movie is so wonderful and it definitely messed with my head a bit as it's not like other time travel movies I've seen.

Overall, I loved it so much. Would definitely recommend to any romantics or fans of beautiful music!

Despite this story being beloved throughout post-Soviet countries and even has its own festival in St. Petersburg, "Scarlet Sails" is not very well-known outside of this region. The story is charming and has many qualities found in other fairytales. The 1961 film adaptation is also very faithful to the original story and it is something I recommend to anyone who enjoys classic movies or fairytales.

The film explores the characters of Assol and Arthur Grey as they grow up in different areas. Assol is the daughter of a toy maker who has been dubbed as "crazy" by her village. Assol herself has also been called crazy because she holds onto the belief that a self-proclaimed sorcerer has told her: when she grows up, a ship with red sails will come to her, and it will be captained by a prince who will love and cherish her. The attitudes of the people around Assol do not taint her optimistic spirit and she continues to think fondly of the man's magical prophecy. Arthur Grey, on the other hand, is the son of a stern count. Despite being the heir to a noble family, Grey's real passion is ships. He wishes to be captain of his own ship one day, and becomes so when he is much older. One day, he sails near Assol's village and the story progresses in a very romantic way. It is a very sweet story and I can see why people in Eastern Europe (my mom included) like this story so much. The movie is beautifully shot and gives you all the information you have to know in this rather simple story. It is only a little over an hour long and does not feel dragged out at all. The soundtrack by Igor Morozov is also very beautiful. It truly is just a wonderful classic film about hope and making miracles happen yourself that it's no wonder this story is so beloved in Eastern Europe. It is a story I would definitely show to kids of my own if I had any, as well as those who just want something light-hearted and wonderfully executed. As Assol says, "Everyone dreams."

If there was a fairytale I wish more people outside of Eastern Europe knew about, it would be "Zlatovlaska." Originally written by Karel Jaromír Erben, this Czech story is beloved by those living in Eastern Europe. Most people know this story from the 1973 film adaptation which is as magical as they come. The movie is an extremely faithful adaptation and is almost exactly like how the original story was written. The scenery and costumes are gorgeous, the soundtrack is whimsical and charming, and the acting gives me a warm sort of feeling. I also enjoyed the chemistry between the two leads, even if they only had a few interactions alone together.

I did not grow up with this movie. The only reason I know about it is because my mom was showing me movies from her childhood, and this was one of them. I did not sit down and watch it until years later and I can safely conclude that it is still a fun watch no matter how many times you've seen it.

The story follows Jirík (pronounced YIR-zhik), a king's chef who is told to prepare a "fish" (though it more resembles a snake) that an older woman gave to the king one morning. The king strictly orders that Jirík cannot taste the "fish", but will not explain why. Jirík disobeys as he feels that because he is a chef, he should make sure the meals are prepared correctly. After he takes a bite of the "fish", he begins to understand the animals around him. The king eventually finds out about this and orders Jirík to bring him the princess that they overheard two birds talk about. On his journey, Jirík helps multiple animals and in turn has them help him. Most of the animals in this movie are actually some sort of puppets. Some may find it silly, but I feel that it adds to the charm of this movie. It is also technically a musical, so there are a lot of songs throughout the film that actually sound quite nice. The end song that plays throughout the film is catchy and there is another song that the princess's family sings to her as they say goodbye that actually made me tear up. While there isn't a lot of action in this movie like others I've seen, I don't think it affects the quality of the film.

If you are a fan of fairytales or movies from this time period, there is a chance you will like this one. While it may not be as known as "Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella", for example, it is still charming in its own right and tells you a story that you probably haven't heard of before. This movie will give you plenty of things to enjoy and may even have you looking into other fairytale movies!