Terrific movie with Excellent performances from Li Gong, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang. and others in the cast. I understand Japanese people being critical of Chinese playing Japanese. I'm sure there are plenty of Japanese Actresess who could have played the roles just as well. But I find some of the reviews rather silly Quote from a review here "First, I have to ask the director why he did not hire a Japanese art director who would not create absolutely untruth interior architecture and furniture, and not make funny hair and Kimono style. Japanese never wear Kimono making the right side in front until they die." I'm sorry, I didn't watch to learn about Japanese architecture. if i did. i would watch a documentary about Japanese architecture. I don't care about the hair do's, and whether or not the kimono is displayed probably or not. I'm irish. If I watch about Ireland, eg Michael Collins, i don't care if the films get's historical facts wrong. what's more important is the story, the acting, directing. stuff like that. Look, this film was made primarily for a western audience. i'm sure there are people in the west who take a deep interest in Japanese culture who will take issue with what the film got wrong. But for the average film-goer like me, I highly recommend this movie.

It is the Story of Sayuri (Suzuka Ohgo), a famous geisha and her extraordinary life. As told by her mother Sayuri is like water, water can carve its way, even through stone and when trapped makes a new Path. Film opens in a unknown village where Chiyo and her sister Satsu forcibly removed from their home. Chiyo is taken care of Geisha's house whereas her sister deemed less attractive sold onto prostitution.She was not born to Geisha , but one day near Sunagawa she met a gentlemen. That man was so gentle to her and give her a cup of sweet ice and money to buy food. In that moment she changed from a girl nothing but emptiness and someone with some purpose. She wants to become Geisha and return his favor. And her Journey beginsGeisha are not courtesans, they are not wives . They sold their skills not bodies, she sings, entertained us. The very word Geisha means "Artist".There are plenty of good things of this movie is Storytelling, Costume Design, Cinematography, and of course the struggling of Chiyo and how she becomes Chiyo to Sayuri . Does she met the gentlemen ?

I love it! This is wonderful! I remembered that I watched it when I was a kid! Her dance was extremely beautiful! I would recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in Asian culture! I wanted to buy a DVD of this movie! I would buy it on Amazon now! I wonder many people like this? Actually, this movie was about a woman became famous geisha and everyone know her very well since she hosted many dances. I cried when she became a geisha! She was very popular! But I don't like that woman who tried to hurt that geisha! She worked hard to became a pretty geisha! And these cherry blossom are very pretty than in Washington, D.C. And it makes me want to eat snow cones!

This is one of the most beautiful movies I have seen - a rags-to-riches story about Nitta Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang), where her childhood life in her fishing-village was depicted and how she was sold to a geisha house in Kyoto's Gion District, eventually becoming one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.Set before and after World War II, Dion Beebe's cinematography captures the brilliance of Japan with its pagoda-style homes and buildings, people-filled courtyards with bridges and streams, and dozens of cherry blossom trees. The people are seen in their culture-rich clothing including the flowing kimono.This movie features, I think, some of most gorgeous actresses from Asia, including Ziyi Zhang and Li Gong. The rivalry between the two were staged breathtakingly; Zhang's Sayuri becomes the new geisha in town whose innocence and beauty surpasses that of Hatsumomo (Li Gong). This sets off Hatsumomo's jealously, and her rage and hatred towards Sayuri was astonishingly depicted. Her coldness combined with her overwhelming beauty made Hatsumomo a stunning villainess.Michelle Yeoh gave a great performance as Mameha, who is a motherly figure to Sayuri and takes her under her wing to make her become a great geisha. All the geisha dances were wonderfully staged; I just wished that Sayuri was given more scenes to show her dance styles and geisha performances.To top if off, the unfolding drama throughout the plot, terrific direction by Rob Marshall and John William's spellbinding music score made this movie an intriguing masterpiece.Grade A-