Kaori Shoji - The Japan Times

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Kaori Shoji

Kaori Shoji writes about movies and movie-makers for the Film Page, plus takes a turn at the Bilingual Column. Biggest mistake of her career: taking the very dignified Nagisa Oshima to McDonald's for an iced coffee.

For Kaori Shoji's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Sep 6, 2017

Documentarian Megumi Sasaki hopes to bring balance to the story of Taiji in 'A Whale of a Tale'

At the 2010 Academy Awards, a film titled "The Cove" won the Oscar for best documentary. It was a proud moment for producers Fisher Stevens and Paula DuPre Pesmen, director Louie Psihoyos and activist Ric O'Barry, all of whom got on stage to accept the award. It was also the start of an onslaught of...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle

Aug 31, 2017

What works for Japanese actresses in the West may not work at home

"The Shack" feels like a sugar-coated salve for wounds sustained from the flurry of recent news events. Directed by Stuart Hazeldine and starring Sam Worthington as a grieving dad, the big surprise in this religious fantasy story is the presence of Japanese actress Sumire Matsubara (who goes by just...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Aug 30, 2017

Loading Docs film website tells the stories of New Zealand

For a Japanese national, the question of why a person from the West would come to Japan is a fascinating one, so much so that there's even a TV show about it: "You wa Nani Shi ni Nihon E?" ("Why Did You Come to Japan?").

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Aug 23, 2017

'Wonder Woman': A superhero blockbuster that stands apart from the crowd

The "Wonder Woman" comic was created by William Moulton Marston in 1941, an unlikely year for a female superhero. World War II was in full swing, and in the DC Comics world, Batman and Superman reigned supreme — then along she came, fighting with "love, instead of hatred," according to Moulton...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Aug 17, 2017

'Gleason' documentary explores the spirit of a family battling ALS

In 2006, professional football player Steve Gleason made one of the most dramatic plays in NFL history when he blocked a punt that led his team, the New Orleans Saints, to its first home victory following Hurricane Katrina. Five years later, he was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Aug 16, 2017

'Baby Driver': Things go fast with Baby on board

Banzai to fossil fuels! Lots of love to gas-guzzlers! That's the basic sentiment behind "Baby Driver," which is all screeching tires and revving engines, unfolding to what has got to be the coolest movie soundtrack of 2017.

Japan Times

LIFE / Lifestyle

Aug 13, 2017

Taking minimalism to the next level

Ever since the release of Marie Kondo's 2011 bible on the Japanese art of decluttering, much of the developed world has been somewhat fixated on tidying up.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Aug 9, 2017

'Le Moulin' gives a voice to Taiwanese poets who wrote under Japan's colonial rule

The word "nisshiki" (Japanese style) can often be seen on storefront signs in Taiwan to indicate chic, high-end products. It's a little similar to what we in Japan associate with luxury items from France, though "nisshiki" is a holdover from the days when Taiwan was under Japanese rule (1895-1945).

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle

Aug 9, 2017

'A Quiet Passion': Cynthia Nixon portrays poet Emily Dickinson with true grace

It seems strange to say, but "A Quiet Passion," a biopic on American poet Emily Dickinson, feels tailored to Japan's sensitive side with its emphasis on inner calm and the dynamics of the family circle.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle

Aug 3, 2017

Wonder Woman doesn't need the kawaii treatment

If they did it to Cutie Honey and Fujiko Mine, they can do it to Wonder Woman. I’m talking about the kawaii treatment, which works like a kiss of death to bad-ass super-heroines in Japanese pop culture.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Aug 3, 2017

Director Kohki Hasei's 'Blanka' finds the strength of a young girl on Manila's mean streets

If you were a Shibuya regular 20 years ago, chances are you would have seen, or even made contact with, Kohki Hasei. Fresh from an Okayama high school, he came to seek his fortune on the streets of the capital. The first job he landed was selling rings and Zippo lighters on Center Gai street.

Japan Times

LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL

Jul 31, 2017

Be aware of Japanese workplace no-nos

The Japanese workplace has never been known for congeniality, but these days, female employees say 'Working conditions are more comfortable than in the old days.'

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Jul 26, 2017

Tom Cruise has 'Mummy' issues

'The Mummy" begins with one main premise: Tom Cruise still has it. It ends with a promise: Tom Cruise will always have it. Assuming you're on board with those statements, you'll have a blast.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Jul 19, 2017

'Okja' reminds us of friendship and factory farming

Bong Joon-ho's latest film, "Okja," received a four-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival in May, an about-face reaction from the loud boos heard at the beginning of the screening. Those were likely due to a technical failure that delayed the screening for a good 15 minutes, and for which...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle

Jul 13, 2017

Meet the kawaii witches of the East

Despite being a fantastic go-to costume on Halloween, witches in the West have never had it easy. There were the Salem witch trials of the 1690s, and similar trials elsewhere in North America and Europe through the 17th century, which served as warnings to independent women that they could be persecuted...

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Jul 12, 2017

'Life' provides the chills of a sci-fi horror

Hot and humid Japanese summers call for kaidan, scary stories that send shivers down the spine. In the days before we had air conditioning, kids would gather around after dinner to tell and listen to those terrifying tales in an effort to chill out with genuine chills.

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Jul 6, 2017

Rainbow Reel film festival celebrates the struggles and the victories of the LGBTQ community

You officially become an adult at the age of 20 in Japan, but you don't really start feeling it until your mid-20s. That's when the pressures of work and marriage start kicking in, making it as good a time as any to re-evaluate.

Japan Times

CULTURE / TV & Streaming

Jul 5, 2017

Japanese TV is making some progress in writing broader female roles

One of the best things to come out of the rise of streaming websites overseas has been an increase in productions that have featured great roles for women. This year alone we've seen some phenomenal acting from Elisabeth Moss on "The Handmaid's Tale" and powerful ensembles on Netflix's "Orange is the...

Japan Times

CULTURE / TV & Streaming

Jun 29, 2017

In a tale of two Akiras, let's see more Ai

For fans of the ikemen (handsome dude), Wowow's new mini-series "Akira and Akira" is like manna from heaven. Kicking off July 9, it stars actors Osamu Mukai and Takumi Saito, and the hype at this point may as well be soundtracked by The Weather Girls' "It's Raining Men."

Japan Times

CULTURE / Film

Jun 21, 2017

When it comes to action, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi is your man

Hiroyuki Ikeuchi has what we refer to in showbiz as "the look."

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.

[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Things may look perfect to the outside world, but today's mom is fine with some imperfection at home.

How 'Reiwa moms' are reshaping motherhood in Japan

By Mai Yoshikawa

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Vol. 35: Travel in time — and stay there

Vol. 35: Travel in time — and stay there

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