kabei our mother (kâbê) 2008 region free dvd5 japanese bcbc

Kabei: Our Mother (母べえ, Kābē?) is a 2008 Japanese film starring Sayuri Yoshinaga and directed by Yoji Yamada.

The film was based on the autobiographical novel by Teruyo Nogami, who for many years worked with director Akira Kurosawa, often as script supervisor.

Contains movie and Hardcoded English Subtitles. No menus or extras. Regular DVD quality (Not BD, 1080p etc...). Seeding/Feedback appreciated. Thanks, Mike.







Plot

Set in Tokyo in 1940, the peaceful life of the Nogami Family suddenly changes when the father, Shigeru, is arrested and accused of being a Communist. His wife Kayo works frantically from morning to night to maintain the household and bring up her two daughters with the support of Shigeru's sister Hisako and Shigeru's ex-student Yamazaki, but her husband does not return. WWII breaks out and casts dark shadows on the entire country, but Kayo still tries to keep her cheerful determination, and sustain the family with her love. This is an emotional drama of a mother and an eternal message for peace.



Reception

The film received several nominations at the 32nd Japan Academy Prize, including for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress for Sayuri Yoshinaga, Best Supporting Actor for Tadanobu Asano and Best Supporting Actress for Rei Dan.



Cast

Tsurube Shôfukutei, Sayuri Yoshinaga, Keiko Toda, Mirai Shida, Miku Sato, Tadanobu Asano, Takashi Sasano, Rei Dan, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Mitsugoro Bando



Kabei: Our Mother Film Review

In 1940 Japan, Shigeru Nogami (Mitsugoro Bando), a.k.a. Tobei, a college professor, enjoys a nice meal at home with his wife, Kayo (Sayuri Yoshinaga), a.k.a. Kabei, and two daughters. Later that night, the police arrive to throw him in jail for expressing his anti-war thoughts in writing. The fascist Japanese government expects every citizen to proudly support the war against China and anyone who dissents, no matter what reason, is labeled as a traitor. While in jail, Tobei writes a recantation as an attempt to finally be set free, but the government doesn’t approve of the recantation. It takes Kabei a while to learn how to successfully send items to Tobei without reservedly accepting a “no” for an answer when approaches the employees at the jail. Meanwhile, his daughters write letters to him and he replies. When Toru Yamasaki (Tadanobu Asano), a.k.a. Yamazaki, Tobei’s former student, shows up at his home, Kabei welcomes him and invites him for dinner there. He gradually becomes a more integral part of Tobei’s family and helps Kabei through all of her emotional struggles. At one point, Kabei visits her father (Umenosuke Nakamura), a policeman, who thinks that she’s just like her husband because she hasn’t divorced him, this continuing to put her family through hardships. However, in a simple, yet powerful scene, she defends her unconditional love of Tobei even as he sits in jail. Sayuri Yoshinaga delivers a convincingly moving and well-nuanced performance that helps to keep you fully immersed in the film. Director/co-writer Yôji Yamada has crafted a very sensitively written and tender drama that never veers toward melodrama or soap opera territory. Each character comes to life in a way that heightens the realism of many scenes. Most importantly, you’re able to feel the palpable chemistry between Tobei and Kabei as husband and wife even until the emotionally devastating third act, which won’t be spoiled here. The same can be said for the strong bond between Tobei and his daughters. Yamada also moves the scenes at an appropriate leisurely pace and includes small details that represent something more significant than meets the eye, such as a simple gift of flowers that Kabei sends to Tobei. At a running time of 2 hours and 13 minutes, Kabei: Our Mother, manages to be an unpretentious, engrossing, well-nuanced and tender drama brimming with a raw and powerfully moving performance by Sayuri Yoshinaga.