Ghost in the Shell: Arise (1: Ghost Pain): resurrected science fiction series needs new spark to keep alive
Kazuchika Kise, “Ghost in the Shell: Arise – 1: Ghost Pain” (2013) First of a new four-part series in the Ghost in the Shell franchise, this…
Japanese Films
Reviews of Japanese-language films I find significant or interesting.
Garden of Words: small-scale character study of adolescent infatuation is a lesson on desire, loneliness and alienation
Makoto Shinkai, “Garden of Words / Koto no ha no niwa” (2013) Makoto Shinkai is a new name to me and he has been billed as…
Battle Royale (Director’s Cut): satire on Japanese society and militaristic values with plenty of teen angst and splatter gore
Kinji Fukasaku, “Battle Royale (Director’s Cut)” (2000) For all its extreme violence and other liberties it takes, for me this film reads like a satire of…
The Hidden Fortress: majestic epic tale of honour, loyalty and friendships across social barriers
Akira Kurosawa, “The Hidden Fortress” (1958) Inspiration for George Lucas’ “Star Wars: A New Hope”, the 1978 space-fantasy flick that spawned an industry, this unusual historical…
Code of samurai honour and Japan under Tokugawa shoguns under superficial examination in “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai”
Takashi Miike, “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai” (2011) As this is a Takashi Miike film, this flick has the requisite blood-letting shock factor to satisfy Miike’s…
Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor: a bleak and surreal observation of one man’s existence in an uncaring universe
Koji Yamamura, “Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor / Franz Kafka: Ein Landartz / Kafuka: Inaka Isha” (2007) Excellent if rather visually grotesque animated short film based…
Japanese Films, Middle Eastern Films
Fukushima Fallout: even-handed survey of situation in northeast Japan, one year after the earthquake / tsunami / nuclear meltdown disaster
Kathy Hearn, “Fukushima Fallout” (101 East / Al Jazeera, 8 March 2012) A year after the combined earthquake / tsunami / Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant explosion and…
The Trip (dir. Kihachiro Kawamoto): lesson on Buddhist attitude to suffering falls short on what it should teach
Kihachiro Kawamoto “Tabi (The Trip)” (1973) Very striking little animation piece, reminiscent of an extended Monty Python cartoon piece, “The Trip” looks quite simple and has…
Aragami: rather bland action bromance film about how appearances can’t be trusted
Ryuhei Kitamura, “Aragami” (2003) The Japan Foundation Office across the road from where I work put on a week’s worth of Japanese films during the April…
Arrietty: disheartening social conservatism and narrow prospects for a plucky heroine mar a charming film
Hiromasa Yonebayashi, “Arrietty / Karu-gurashi no Arrietti” (2010) A charming offering from Studio Ghibli, based loosely on Mary Norton’s novel “The Borrowers”, this film is beautiful…