Some 40 years after Ozu's death, the traditions that govern middle-class Japanese family life - the crux of his films - are even more frayed.

Both Hou and Ozu excel in evoking the poetry of everyday life, and, as a tribute from one great filmmaker to another, Cafe Lumiere should richly satisfy devotees of both artists.

The film often takes on the hypnotic rhythm of a dream.

The film is calm and quiet, but without the intensity (and element of protest) at its core that Hou's films once possessed.