Daiteiden no Yoru ni

The glow of neon, the pattering of rain on umbrellas--underneath which a Japanese man gawks at a looming and luminescent Christmas tree. And in one second, everything grinds to a stop.

Set over one unique Christams Eve, "Daiteiden no Yoru ni" tells an interweaving tale of the interrupted lives of characters during a massive blackout over Tokyo. Trains and time come to a stop, leaving each character enough free time to clean up the bits of life that have collected in their heads. Sentimental without schlock, "Daiteiden no Yoru ni" also presents a vivid and uncharacteristically peaceful Tokyo with its lush camera work.

Special edition DVD set comes out May 12, and features a bonus disc with tons of additional content and English subtitles for the main feature. Make sure to also check out the original soundtrack for the film by avant-garde jazz player and UA-collaborator Naruyoshi Kikuchi.