Korean, Chinese and Japanese Movie DVDs & Blu-ray

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of director Ozu Yasujiro’s death, veteran Japanese director Yamada Yoji’s 50 years as a director and the 60th anniversary of Tokyo Story, Yamada Yoji pays tribute to the timeless classic with Tokyo Family, his 82nd film. A contemporary update of Tokyo Story, Yamada follows the basic structure of the Ozu film, but updates the original story’s pessimistic message, which laments the erosion of familial bond in a rapidly developing post-war Japan, to a modern one that is more optimistic about today’s young generation. At the same time, Yamada also recognizes that the fragmentation of the family unit seen in the original film is just as relevant today as it was back in 1953.

The biggest change Yamada and co-writer Hiramatsu Emiko make from Tokyo Story is replacing the family’s widowed daughter-in-law with a wayward youngest son and his kind girlfriend, played by Tsumabuki Satoshi (For Love’s Sake) and Aoi Yu (Rurouni Kenshin), respectively. The two are joined by a talented cast of actors, including Hashitzume Isao (I Wish), Yoshiyuki Kazuko (Departures), Natsukawa Yui (Still Walking), Nishimura Masahiko (Space Brothers), Nakajima Tomoko (A Taste of Tea) and Hayashiya Shozo. Featuring a score by Hisaishi Joe, Tokyo Family is a touching human drama that isn’t just the story of one family; this is everyone’s story.

Retired teacher Shukichi (Hashizume Isao) and his wife Tomiko temporarily leave their peaceful island life to visit their children in Tokyo: Eldest son Koiichi (Nishimura Masahiko), daughter Shigeko (Nakajima Tomoko) and unreliable youngest son Shoji (Tsumabuki Satoshi). Due to the children’s busy schedules, Shukichi and Tomiko are shuffled around Tokyo from home to home. The two are especially worried about Shoji, who has been a burden on the family in the past and now barely scraping by as a stage set designer. Fortunately, Tomiko finds solace when she meets Shoji’s kind girlfriend Noriko (Aoi Yu). However, the two parents’ hectic schedule eventually takes a toll on them….
We are the major sellers of Entertainment products online in Asia.