A masterpiece, a culmination of his past disillusionment with the societal Other and his interest in spiritualism and rebirth born from being mistreated by the Other of the law.
Tag: Masahiro Higashide
Hijacked Youth – Dare To Stop Us 2 (2024) [Japannual 2024]
Inoue delivers a heartfelt ode to the mini-cinema and subjective failure.
Trapped Balloon (2023) review
A touching and visually pleasing narrative about the importance of finding an address for one’s signifiers of suffering
Winny (2023) review [Japan Cuts 2023]
Matsumoto offers a serene insight in how the Other of the law curtails a subject and, indirectly, sabotages the prospects of a new industry.
The Pass: Last Days Of The Samurai (2022) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
A very engaging samurai narrative that does not only offer an intriguing glance at one of the most important crossroads of Japanese history, but also a melodramatic exploration of one subject’s function in it.
Punk Samurai Slash Down (2018) review
“Ishii’s narrative meanders a bit too much, but it luckily never outstays its welcome.”
Blue (2021) review
“A very emotional journey about the difficulties of dealing with loss and lack.”
We Couldn’t Become Adults (2021) review
“An elegant and moving exploration of a how certain subjects unwillingly compose their own romantic failures.”
Wife of A Spy (2020) review
A tremendous achievement [that succeeds in calling] forth orth certain (indigestible) truths concerning the Japanese imperialistic Other.
The Chrysanthemum and The Guillotine (2018) review
“Zeze movingly reveals that the ground for true revolution should be love and its goal the realization of that place where a woman can realize her agency as subject.”
Asako I & II (2018) review
“(The narrative) breaths much needed fresh air into the rather stale genre of Japanese romance narrative”
The Kirishima thing (2012) review
“A splendid crafted high-school narrative (…) that meticulously (…) investigates the complexity of the high-school social fabric, while confronting the spectator with the necessity and the difficulty to become more true to one’s subject.”
Satoshi: A Move For Tomorrow (2016) Review [Camera Japan Festival edition]
And if we add Matsuyama Kenichi’s splendid performance to the mix, the already engaging narrative is turned into to be a very moving character study of Satoshi Murayama, but, above all, into a beautiful love-letter to the art of Shogi.
Creepy (2016) Review
“Kurosawa’s masterful formal approach to cinematography shows vividly that creepiness lurks at the surface of society (…) So yes, Creepy lives up to its name, as a masterpiece. And yes, you will think twice about getting cozy with your neighbours”.
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