Sotto, Irish Jane R.

SST 21 06-1 (Asian Studies)

BSED SS 2-1 Doc. Conchita V. Yumol

ASSIGNMENT
FILM REVIEW / ANALYSIS

I. HEAVEN AND EARTH

1. What is the message of the movie? How is it relevant to Asian history?

The message of the movie, Heaven and Earth, is that in the middle of chaos and wars,
Asian people will never forget the culture and place where they belong. The village girl, Le Ly
is an epitome of a warrior embedded with deep faith in her soul and it is because of her family.
She is one of the proof that we Asians have deep connections to our own culture even if many
years will pass. Wherever our fate leads us and no matter what will happen in life, we will
always look back on the teachings and lessons of our family and ancestors. Moreover, in
Asian history, it is just evidence that we Asians value our relationship with the land where we
belong because we know that it's the place where we truly found the real meaning of our life
and identity. It is already written in history and it is clearly seen that even if many invaders try
to bury our existence, our culture and beliefs will remain alive. We will always live with deep
spirituality, reverence for our ancestors and will continue to be in sync with the cycle of life.

2. What insights have you gained from the movie? Cite some practical applications of those
insights.

● For long centuries, many Asian countries have lived in sync with the cycles of planting
and harvesting.
The people and especially the farmers in Asian countries like Vietnam, Philippines,
and so on have an intimate relationship with the land because their geographical setting is best
for agriculture. Planting and agriculture is a meaningful part of their life because it is one of
the legacy of their ancestors. With that, as Asians it is important to preserve and continue to
make the agricultural sectors grow because it has already been part of our lives for many
centuries.

● We must do our best to keep the opposing forces of life in balance.

Just like Le Ly, our life is like a land of grain plants or “palayan”. There are times that
the weather is calm and nice but there are also moments of storms. It is difficult to maintain
the balance because there are many factors that may shake our life. With that, the experiences
of Le Ly show that even though there are ups and downs, we must never give up in our
journey. We will not become brave if we will not encounter trials and hardships. Lastly, we
must use the values that our parents and ancestors taught us so that we would choose the path
that would lead us to a good life.

II. WE WERE SOLDIERS

1. What is the message of the movie? How is it relevant to Asian history?

The message of the movie is about the value of human cost of battle and also the
strategic importance of military advancement in the larger wartime context. First, in the
battlefield everyone has their own story of survival. Each soldier has their own reasons why
they fight and join a war. We cannot deny that even though both forces are enemies, in the end
every single life counts and is important. Second, the movie showed that the more advanced a
certain military group in technological devices, they surely have an advantage over their
enemies. Therefore, in the present, we should learn from our history that war doesn't have a
good effect. Humanity will only suffer and soldiers will tragically die. However, when a war
happens only those wealthy countries have the advantage of winning while those countries
with lack of military equipment may not survive.
2. What insights have you gained from the movie? Cite some practical applications of
those insights.

● A true leader will never leave his men behind.

In our society and in different contexts we experience becoming a leader ourselves and
to have someone who leads us. We may become a leader in school projects, or to certain
organizations in our barangay. We may also have someone which we see as a role model and a
person which we really admire for his leadership. With that, all of us know that a good leader
must always fight along with his subordinates. No one must be left behind and every person in
the group must be appreciated by the leader. Lastly, the leader will be the first to lead and will
be the last person to leave the battle.

● There is no good in war. A war only produces a big cemetery.

War is a very heartbreaking and disastrous thing, and we should learn that from our
history – Western Expansionism in Asia, World Wars and so on. In the present, if ever our
country has problems with other countries, then we should settle it first through peace talk and
legal procedures. Holding guns is not a key to solving the problems because it will only make
people and the country itself suffer. All of us must already be aware that war is equal to death,
and not victories.