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. Its a wonderful little hidden gem of a film that is going on to me list of films that were wondrous discoveries this year. To be certain its not the best film 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.)

It is common to come across stories about the lives of ordinary people taking certain courses through life. Sometimes we can see things so simple that they catch our hearts and make us smile a little. This movie is a little bit of that, but it presents us with a tragedy that demonstrates the strength and loyalty of a railworker, who with such an attitude and indomitable loyalty always remains steadfast to his job. We come to wonder if he loves his job more than his life itself. This tragedy evolves around multiple flashbacks that gradually build an overall structure that makes us appreciate every moment.

Accompanied by an excellent direction that knows how to make use of transitions as well as small but meaningful scenes that give weight to the main story, Poppoya is a beautiful film that shows us how a lonely and simple life can bring more than we think into our hands. The cinematography presents us with an isolated and cold scene of loneliness and abandonment, but it is also in this kind of images where the small flames warm our hands and we can admire the true culture behind this work. With a fantastic plot twist that wraps our hearts around it, Poppoya is a great work full of emotions that works as an excellent mirror to a world of work, passion and family.

A particularly Japanese take on duty and responsibility, Ken Takakura is a trainman at a rural train station. Sad, poignant, but ultimately redeeming of the choices he has had to make in order to fulfill his chosen occupation, if you are looking for action of any sort go elsewhere. This is a character drama and an excellent one. If all you know of Takekura is 'Mr. Baseball' and 'Black Rain' then you ought to see him in a role which allows him to demonstrate his strengths as an actor, delivering an amazing performance with very little overt emoting.