One the most honest explorations of the idol-phenomenon, touching both on the dark and the bright sides of clothing oneself with an idol-image for the male other
Love Doesn’t Matter to Me (2025) review
Aya Igashi corroborates with her latest film that she fully grasps the difficulty for the subject to find within the Other a symbolic place for himself
The Convenience Store (2026) review
A straightforward horror-experience that works well for new-comers to the genre and young audiences in need for some thrills.
Encounters | Masakazu Kaneko: Nature as Other, Societal egoism, and the need to look beyond.
We encounter Masakazu Kaneko and explore his coming-into-being as director and explore his creative philosophy.
Short Movie Time: Orange of Daydreams (2026) review
McCurtain brings Mariya’s transition from a space without love to a space bursting with love in a very heartwarming way and visually engaging alive.
All Greens (2025) review
Takashi Koyama delivers a coming-into-being narrative that effectively and satisfactorily blends social drama, dark comedy, and musical moments.
When You Open The Door (2026) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
A rare treat that blends fairytales, gothic imagery, and folk religious practices into a compelling and visually arresting exploration of forced self-discovery.
The Specials (2026) review [Fantasia 2026]
Uchida’s film will not win any awards, yet the film delivers what it promises and successfully pleases the spectator with its heartwarming message
Gozu (2003) review/analysis [Fantasia 2026]
Takashi Miike delivers a cinematographic gift, a surreal masterpiece that stays with the spectator long after the credits have faded.
Bye Bye Love (1974) review
A true classic of political cinema.
Break Free (2026) review [Fantasia 2026]
A pleasant Rocky-like dance-narrative, yet Nakamoto struggles to develop his promising concept into an emotionally satisfying experience.
You Are The Film (2026) review [Fantasia 2026]
Makoto Ueda proves that cinema is alive and kicking.
Fiamma (2025) review [Nippon Connection 2026]
With brutal elegance, Uchida develops the idea that physical reality cannot be equated with subjective truth.
Night Flower (2025) review [Nippon Connection 2026]
Eiji Uchida delivers a highly moving drama of motherhood.
SAI: Disaster (2025) review [Nippon Connection 2026]
Yutaro Seki and Kentaro Hirase deliver an experience that, in our view, has everything to become a cult-phenomenon, so do not sleep on it.