'Asako I & II': Things are vague in this girl-meets-boy-meets-boy's doppleganger tale
"There will never be another you" goes the old song. Then again, some people believe in doppelgangers, doubles to living humans who are ghostly in form and malign in intent. Ryusuke Hamaguchi's "Asako I & II," which screened in competition at this year's Cannes Film ...
'Over Drive': An unrealistic racing flick puts the action into top gear
Car movies from Japan are few and far between, which is strange given the huge automotive industry and millions of car lovers here. Now industry leader Toyota has joined forces with Toho, Japan's biggest film distributor and exhibitor, to fill that gap with "Over ...
'Yocho "Foreboding"': The doctor is in ... and he's terrifying
In a Hollywood that is increasingly obsessed with superhero blockbusters, the place to see many acclaimed filmmakers these days is on the small screen. In Japan, though, the Wowow entertainment channel has been producing original dramas by local auteurs for some time. One such auteur ...
'Hero Mania': Japanese heroes are keeping it real
Why don't Japanese audiences turn up in big numbers for Hollywood superhero movies? The rare success in Japan of the Spider-Man series suggests one answer: Japanese like superheroes just fine, as long as they're flawed humans as well as heroic fighters for justice. Another case ...
