Ren'ai kitanshû

I believe that the low ratings are from Horror fans who prefer films like "The Ring." The horror in "Strange Tales of Love and Strangers" is very low-key and is there for explanation of the melancholy felt by a number of the characters.

The entire case plays wonderfully. Ai-Ning Yao, playing Taiwanese exchange student Yuwen, and her mysterious friend Yuri, played by Mayuko Fukuda, have a very close, mysterious friendship that blossoms in a rural Japanese village. Both feel displaced and can only truly communicate to each other with true clarity. Meanwhile a saddened sake maker (Sôkô Wada) and a former school mate of his, played by the pretty Chika Uchida, renew acquaintances as she returns from Tokyo where she's been modeling. Yuwen develops a crush on a classmate but has to deal with his jealous girlfriend.

The film is beautifully shot and acted. The modern, Japanese countryside is not something I've seen in many movies before. The story is one that stresses dealing with loss, loves found and lost, and the ability to live life anyway. All the performances were believable, but Miss Yao and Miss Fukudu really brought a lump to my throat. Highly Recommended!