Maybe simply because he still

treats his own movies as art, pays attention to details, and wants to express something simply and delicate - life. Unlike others who are chasing after fame and the lable of "big".

It's not just one movie from him, but rather the most films he made, "eat, drink, man, woman", "tui shou", "wedding banquet" etc etc. They are all the same, so-called 文艺片. It's not just the taste of Amercians. Americans watch Hollywood crap for fun as well, but they also enjoy some real art.