Shen ye shi tang

Beautifully shot, very slow paced. It's quite quaint. It certainly doesn't feel like a movie.. It has more of a feeling of a Pixar short (have nothing else to compare it to, but gets the point across).

The central character with which all other threads connect, is more of a shadow in the background. And while I get the point of him in the "story" (much like food I guess, something that is so fundamental but rarely noticed), I felt he was a little weak in his life-supporting role. The meat of the movie is scarce-but-heartwarming-drama. It's enjoyable if you are tired of big blockbusters. Someone else here used the word "gentle", and I completely agree.

Haven't seen anything about the original it is based on. But a larger presentation, richer in detail, would definitely benefit it.