Director Masaharu Take answers questions about his two films that came from Fuminori Nakamura’s novel The Gun.
Read MoreJapanese film
Film Review: Stranger (Shunichi Nagasaki, 1991)
in Film Reviews
under-seen gem from the V-cinema era
Read MoreFilm Review: Radiance (Naomi Kawase)
in Film Reviews
EDITOR'S CHOICE: Kawase's film is profound and emotional, relating the unspoken quality of art to human connection.
Read MoreBook Review: Unchained Melody - The Films of Meiko Kaji by Tom Mes
Tom Mes' overview of Meiko Kaji's career is more than an overblown Arrow Video booklet even if it doesn't spend very much time in her post-Snowblood career.
Read MoreJapan Cuts 2017: Memoirs of a Murderer (Yu Irie)
in Film Reviews
The remake of the 2012 Korean thriller surpasses the original by forgoing action for subtext.
Read MoreNYAFF 2017: Happiness (Sabu)
in Film Reviews
EDITOR'S CHOICE: Sabu's latest film is a tender yet cerebral exploration of memory and loss.
Read MoreNYAFF 2017: Traces of Sin (Kei Ishikawa)
in Film Reviews
A cold, distant, and confidently anti-climactic mystery thriller from a first time director.
Read MoreFilm Review: Close-Knit (Naoko Ogigami, 2017)
in Film Reviews
Naoko Ogigami (thankfully) returns with a film that continues her trademark quiet quirk but is a new chapter for the director because of its social significance.
Read MoreFilm Review: The Blue Mountains Pt. I and II (Tadashi Imai, 1949)
in Film Reviews
Liberal propaganda in two parts. Setsuko Hara as two character types. One of Akira Kurosawa's 100 favorite films.
Read MoreFilm Review: Daughters, Wives, and a Mother (Mikio Naruse, 1960)
in Film Reviews
Hara, Takamine, Nakadai, and more in spectacular TohoScope.
Read MoreEiga Joyū/Enigma: Setsuko Hara
A B-movie video essay/appreciation of Setsuko Hara.
Read MoreFilm Review: Double Life (Yoshiyuki Kishi, 2016)
in Film Reviews
A film in which questions of self and existence are explored through the simple act of stalking.
Read MoreFilm Review: Raise Your Arms and Twist - Documentary of NMB48 (Atsushi Funahashi)
in Film Reviews
From the director of Nuclear Nation is an uncompromising, humanist look at a few girls wrapped up in a pop culture phenomenon.
Read MoreRetro2016: The State of Western Distribution for Japanese Film
Another slow year for Japanese film but there were some great highlights.
Read MoreFilm Review: Wolf Girl and Black Prince (Ryuichi Hiroki, 2016)
in Film Reviews
Hiroki's film is a mixture of thoughtful and iconoclastic formal techniques and tired anime clichés. A watered down Secretary at the high school level.
Read MoreBlu-Review: Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (1990) - Criterion Collection
in Blu-ray/DVD
Criterion gives this late masterpiece a superb edition with over four hours of special features including a behind the scenes film by Nobuhiko Obayashi.
Read MoreFilm Review: After the Storm (Hirokazu Kore-eda)
in Film Reviews
Kore-eda tries his hand at the detective genre. Already his latest, a spiritual successor to Still Walking, attains must-see status.
Read MoreSDAFF 2016: Over the Fence (Nobuhiro Yamashita)
in Film Reviews
Most likely Yamashita's most reserved picture yet. He uses his stellar cast to portray a group of lost souls, the film itself matching their in-the-moment approach to living.
Read MoreFilm Review: Wet Woman in the Wind (Akihiko Shiota, 2016)
in Film Reviews
From Nikkatsu's reboot of the roman porno genre comes this fun, self-aware battle of the sexes that indulges in the formula as much as it transcends it.
Read MoreFilm Review: Harmonium (Koji Fukada)
in Film Reviews
Koji Fukada's latest is one of the year's best films. It's hypnotic nature and heartbreaking story will get under your skin and stay there.
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