Thursday, March 25, 2010

Poppoya The Railroad Man (1999)

A sweet little review for a sweet little film.

Ken Takakura gives a heart felt magical performance as an aging railroad station master closing out his time on the job looking back on his life around the anniversary of the death of his young daughter.

Magical little story had me tearing up at the end as this beautiful film came to a close. Takakura is wonderful as the title character who has spent most of his life living in a small post at the end of the line in the wilds of Japan. To be certain the story is ultimately cliché as we have our hero looking back over his life and regretting the choices he made and facing an uncertain future, but at the same time there is something about this film, the performances, the photography , the music, that really sells the story and moves you.

This is a wonderful little hidden gem of a film that went on to my list of films that were wondrous discoveries of the year. To be certain its not the best film ever made but it is a heart warming, at times heart breaking, little film that deserves to be seen.

(Those who love trains need to see this since the scenes of the trains in action make this a truly magical film to watch, after all there is nothing like watching trains in the country in the snow.)

Available as an import DVD or VCD.

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