Tokyo Story: a study of social and economic change in Japan during the 1950s
Yasujiro Ozu, “Tokyo Story / Tokyo monogatari” (1953) Under the precise and careful direction of
Tag: Japanese Films
Reviews of Japanese-language films I find significant or interesting.
French and French-language Films | Japanese Films
The Truth: where lies and deception are as important as truth in keeping families together
Hirokazu Kore-eda, “The Truth” (2019) Ironically truth is the one thing going missing in this
The Lost Breakfast: amusing animation on how chaos invades and disrupts order and control through daily rituals
Q-rais, “The Lost Breakfast” (2015) Where some cartoonists treat the weekday early morning ritual of
Shoplifters: an intelligent low-key film that examines the nature of family and connection in a fragmented society
Hirokazu Kore-eda, “Shoplifters / Manbiki Kazoku” (2018) In this slow realist drama about an impoverished
Tokyo Godfathers: a heart-warming if fussy Christmas movie on the importance of family in assuring survival and resilience
Satoshi Kon, “Tokyo Godfathers” (2003) No, this ain’t no cult yakuza film – though yakuza
Japanese Films | North American Films
A stale and confusing plot and dreary characters in “Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars”
Shinji Aramaki, “Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars” (2017) Multiplying not quite as fast as the
Tales from Earthsea: a fantasy film lacking in sparkle and wonder
Goro Miyazaki, “Tales from Earthsea / Gedo senki” (2006) Watching this film, gorgeous as it
Over Your Dead Body: an extreme, almost cartoon-ish horror ghost film homage where life imitates art
Takashi Miike, “Over Your Dead Body” (2014) From the incredibly prolific director Takashi Miike, who
5 Centimetres per Second: an insubstantial trilogy on the fleeting nature of youthful love, hope and desire
Makoto Shinkai, “5 Centimetres per Second” (2007) As with his “Your Name”, Makoto Shinkai’s earlier
Your Name: teenage romance comedy drama comes with an unexpected twist sending it into disaster sci-fi fantasy
Makoto Shinkai, “Your Name” (2016) At first this teenage romance drama seems to be just