Believe it or not you know who Katsuhito Ishii is. Not only that, if you're reading this blog you've probably already seen some of his work. Best known outside of Japan for his work as a key animator on the anime sequence in Tarantino's Kill Bill Ishii is also something of a cult favorite live action director. Already responsible for Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl - not a fantastic film, but very entertaining - and Party 7 - not a fantastic film, really a horrid piece of trash - Ishii's newest film premiered this year as part of the Director's Fortnight in Cannes and has won awards at the Neuchatel and Puchon Fantasy film festivals. By all accounts The Taste of Tea is a more restrained effort from Ishii and is widely held to be his strongest film by a long shot. It also happens to star Tadanobu Asano, who you're probably sick of me name dropping by now.

Anyway ... on to the point. A pair of detailed reviews of the film. Screedaily has one here and Midnight Eye has one here. Midnight Eye also has a solid interview with the director here.