Yoko (Hitoto Yo) is a young Japanese writer researching the life of Taiwanese musician Jiang Wen-ye who was popular in Japan during the 1930s. Raised by her uncle in Yubari but living in Tokyo with her father and stepmother Yoko becomes friends with Hajime (Asano Tadanobu) the owner of a secondhand bookstore. They often meet in her favorite coffee shop making small talk and enjoying the passing scene. He is a train buff who spends his days riding the subway recording the sound of trains public address announcements and the conversations of passengers. Though they... are best friends he is startled to find out that she is pregnant by a Taiwanese whom against her strict parents' wishes she does not want to marry... Acutely observed and exquisitely realized Hou Hsiao-Hsien's 16th film is a loving tribute to the great Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu. The film the first by Hou to be shot in a foreign location pays homage to Ozu by depicting themes repeated in many of his films: relationships between aging parents the marriage plans of a grown child the coming and going of trains and the quiet contemplation of everyday life. [show more]
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Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play Hou Hsiao-Hsien one of China&39;s greatest filmmakers honours the memory of the great Yasujiro Ozu in the beautiful CAFE LUMIERE Like Ozu Hou tries to capture honesty and reality in the film which stars pop idol Yo Hitoto as Yoko a young woman who makes her way through life almost casually not letting anything get her too upset or too excited She regularly visits Hajime (Tadanobu Asano) at his small bookstore where he orders books and CDs especially for her; she has a particular interest in the Chinese composer Jiang Ewn-Ye She returns home to visit her stepmother (Kimiko Yo) and father (Nenji Kobayashi) who care about her and love her but never take interest in her life In fact the characters in the film prefer superficial relationships that may have some meaning but are not very deep Yoko seems happiest or at least most at home when she&39;s on a train heading somewhere else; she&39;s never quite content in the moment itself Hou&39;s film is gorgeous to watch with long well-framed shots featuring natural sound and lighting The story plays out slowly mimicking real life with little artifice There are no big crescendos or dirty secrets unfolding just a charming compelling tale about everyday characters doing everyday things Age Rating - U Suitable for all
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