“A visually engaging narrative about the nature of happiness and the importance of desire that is highly relevant for Japanese youth.”
Category: Reviews
Mari and Mari (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
“A beautiful narrative that seems to bear no relation to our romantic life at first, but ultimately hits close to home.”
The Goldfish Dreaming Of The Sea (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
“Ogawa’s thoughtful lyricism that gives the emotionality of the performances their power to touch the spectator and enables her exploration of the difficulty to separate from one’s mother and the need for such separation to happen for subjective growth to resonate so vividly with the audience.”
Talking The Pictures (2019) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
“Masayuki’s celebration of cinematic history deeply satisfies the spectator’s desire to see cinema as an experience that can touch our being and the art of the benshi triumph.”
Hiroku The Goblin (1991) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
‘A classic that offers an unforgettable experience that is as touchingly lighthearted as is it disturbingly horrifying.’
Kiba: Fangs of Fiction (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
“Daihachi Yoshida succeeds in turning Shiota’s interesting story and fascinating world of publishing and bookstores into an engaging and pleasant filmic narrative.”
The Great Yokai War – Guardians (2021) review [Japan Cuts 2021]
“A pleasant and truly satisfying ride for the whole family.”
Dreams of Fire (2021) review [Fantasia Film festival]
“McKie’s film is not only the best dance-film of recent years but might very well be one of the best Japanese films to be released this year.”
Jigoku-no-hanazono ～Office Royale～ (2021) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
“An absurd and crazy cocktail full of violence and funny twists and unexpected turns.”
Tokyo Revengers (2021) Review [Fantasia Film Festival]
“An exciting blend of satisfying violence, tensive moments, surges of pleasing lightheartedness, and touching emotional moments.”
Love, Live, and Goldfish (2021) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
“While Makabe’s narrative does not offer anything truly new or groundbreaking, what it does brings to the table is served with excellence.”
Follow The Light (2021) review [Fantasia Festival 2021]
The narrative might not offer anything new at a thematical level, but stands out due to his refusal to spell things out and, instead, imply certain subjective truths via elegant and naturalistic poetic moments.
Short Movie Time: Yamome (2018)
A pleasant short film that highlights that deception in romance finds its ultimate support in the subject’s desire to be loved.
Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice (1952) review
A heartwarming and lighthearted narrative that shows how women, within the societal device of arranged marriage as well as within the modern device of marriages out of love, can find subjective happiness.
R100 (2013) review
“A truly enjoyable comical experience.”
