The Taste of Tea at the Grand Illusion

[randy_byers]

Yesterday I saw the Japanese movie The Taste of Tea (Cha No Aji, 2004) at the Grand Illusion. It's playing today and tomorrow, and then I think that's it. The Tom Mes' review that I've linked to is a great summary of what the movie is up to and of its strengths and weaknesses. It's about a middle class family and their eccentric, whimsical lives. It borders on the surreal and the magical, and it's all about the characters and not about a plot. It's visually beautiful. A few of the episodes are less effective than others, but in the end it left a very poignant, nostalgic feeling of paradise lost. A very sweet, good-natured, meandering, oddball movie. Worth checking out, if you have the chance.