
Rai pedals his bike and trailer about town, collecting old iron and sowing flower seeds. Because his face never seems to show emotion, everybody calls him Hotoke - meaning Buddha. His elder brother Shiba, however, is tough as nails and works the black market. Rai is building a gigantic statue of Buddha from the scrap metal he has gathered over the years. He prays the Buddha he is creating will come to life and rid the world of its cruelty.
Directed by Jinsei Tsuji, Hotoke leans on a strong ensemble — Shinji Takeda, Ryuichi Ohura, Fujiko — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2001.
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When it rains it pours. Kenji divorced his wife, lost his job and his old squeeze Naoko is getting married back home in the north of Japan, specifically in Akita. He returns there in order to attend her wedding. Naoko surprises him by proposing that they have sex again. The one night stand is the new beginning.
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