Maborosi

Writing on Video Librarian Online, Mike D'Angelo called this elegiac meditation, centering on a young Japanese woman whose husband apparently commits suicide, a "sluggishly paced Japanese film [that] is breathtakingly beautiful, and will undoubtedly please those who are open to the idea of motion picture as dynamic art gallery...the compositions are striking; the natural lighting is exquisite; the actors are expressive...but...Maborosi is the arthouse equivalent of Twister: all dressed up and goin' nowhere." While the DVD offers little in the way of extras (text interview bites from director Kore-eda Hirokazu and trailers), the crisp letterboxed transfer is a real beauty to behold for the exceptionally patient. Optional. (R. Pitman)