Film / Reviews Oct 28, 2020

‘Living in the Sky’: Trust your cat, not your lover

Cannes winner Shinji Aoyama and the pop group collective Exile Tribe joined forces for this film about the complexities of personal relationships.

Film Oct 21, 2020

10 days of J-horror: Films to get your fill of screams and scares

Halloween is only 10 days away, so here’s a list of J-horror films to watch each day to settle into the spooky season.

Film / Reviews Oct 21, 2020

‘Ainu Mosir’: A coming-of-age tale, respectfully told

Takeshi Fukunaga’s film centered on the indigenous people of northern Japan tells the story of a 14-year-old boy learning to appreciate his heritage.

Film / Reviews Oct 14, 2020

‘Wife of a Spy’: Gripping drama lays bare wartime atrocities

Fresh off a win for best director at the Venice International Film Festival, Kiyoshi Kurosawa's masterful look at war heroes is out in Japan.

Film / Reviews Oct 7, 2020

‘Under the Stars’: Parents have stars in their eyes

In Tatsushi Omori’s coming-of-age drama, Mana Ashida plays a teenager who is conflicted about her loving parents who are members of a cult.

Film | Wide Angle Oct 1, 2020

‘Tenet’ triumphs at the Japanese box office

Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic may not be doing well in the U.S., but in Japan, the film has held the No. 1 box-office slot for two weeks.

Film / Reviews Sep 30, 2020

‘Kamata Prelude’: Four tales of the exploitation women face in Japan's film industry

Actress and producer Urara Matsubayashi stars in an omnibus that makes sexual harassment, particularly in the workplace, a central theme.

Film / Reviews Sep 24, 2020

‘Midnight Swan’: A gloomy drama, with moments of realism and grace

Eiji Uchida’s film about a transgender woman who takes in her troubled niece is dark but shines a light on the struggles faced by the LGBTQ community.

Film Sep 18, 2020

Actress and producer Urara Matsubayashi takes control of narrative on societal struggles

“Kamata Prelude” is an omnibus by four directors that is based on the life experiences of Urara Matsubayashi, the film’s star and producer.

Film Sep 18, 2020

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's best director win at Venice is a career changer

The reaction to Kiyoshi Kurosawa winning the Silver Lion for best direction has been overwhelmingly positive, but 'Wife of a Spy' isn’t entirely free of controversy.