DEPARTURES, an indie film from Japan, with subtitles, concerns a young cellist whose 2nd tier orchestra has to shut down.  He finds himself another job as a person who helps prepare bodies for burial, with loved ones in attendance, in what seems to be an ancient ritualized ceremony, one which I myself was completely unfamiliar.  DEPARTURES does have a really good, complex plot in addition to this fascinating look at a specific and beautiful cultural practice.  DEPARTURES is one of the best movies I've seen this year, and I recommend it highly.  (For details of cast list, director, writers, and where it might be playing near you, check the web.)