Category: Movies

22nd Nippon Connection: Recommendations

This list does not only reveal the variety of unique perspectives that mark Japanese Cinema, but also echoes that what directors, from a cinematic perspective, put into question within Japanese society.

Stigmatized Properties (2020) review

“A horror without well-developed horror and a romance story without satisfying romantic moments.”

Gonza the Spearman (1986) review

“A fabulous narrative that offers a satisfying exploration of the tragedy of phallic ambition and the destructive potential of desire.”

Journey To The Shore (2015) review

“An elegant and touching exploration of arrested mourning, unresolved subjective regrets, and the impact of unfinished business on the deceived or the living subject.”

Homunculus (2021) review

“A worthy attempt to offer something fresh to the horror-table, but Shimizu struggles to blend the many pleasing parts into a whole that truly engages and pleases the spectator.”

A Liar And a Broken Girl (2010) review

“Seta’s first narrative hits some false notes, but these cannot derail Seta’s first-feature film nor radically complicate the spectator’s pleasure.”

The Wonder Of a Summer Day (2022) [OAFF 2022]

“A visually pleasing narrative that underlines, in a charming and touching way, the importance for the subject to find the kind of signifiers that can unlock his/her deadlock.”