“A highly entertaining film that offers a nostalgic and touching dive into youthful passion and romantic feelings and lighthearted celebration of indie-filmmaking and often-forgotten beauty o…
Sep 21, 2021 • Subscribe
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Between Us (2021) review [Camera Japan Festival]
“A great narrative that celebrates the energetic art of Japanese drumming in pleasing way.”
Remain in Twilight (2021) review [Camera Japan Festival]
“Matsui delivers another masterpiece that will long linger in the spectator’s mind.”
It’s All My Fault (2022) review [Camera Japan Festival 2022]
A touching narrative that explores how difficult it is for subject to assume a place for himself, a place from where he/she can desire, without the structuring influence…
Shrieking In The Rain (2021) review [Camera Japan Festival]
“A narrative that does everything well, but lacks the emotional punch to make the experience unforgettable.”
Ripples (2023) review [Camera Japan Festival]
With her quirky sense of humor, she delivers one of the most illuminating explorations of the effect the gap between the imaginary equilibrium of the ego and the…
Bushido (2024) review [Camera Japan Festival]
Kazuya Shiraishi proves that the frame of the samurai and the Edo society can still be utilized to deliver refreshing narratives.
Closet (2020) review [Camera Japan Festival]
“A filmic piece that will not only induce a forlorn feeling in its spectators but also invite them to deeply question their own interpersonal functioning.”
Alivehoon (2022) review [Camera Japan Festival]
Shimoyama hits all the common beats of the sports-genre, but succeeds in elevating his exploration of the art of drifting by framing the battling cars in an exciting…
Eternally Younger Than Those Idiots (2021) review [Camera Japan Festival]
A narrative that, due to its elegant engendering of genuine emotions, offers a touching exploration of the subjective obstacles that complicate the subject’s coming-into-being and his inter-persona…
Prior Convictions (2022) review [Camera Japan Festival]
“A very relevant exploration of the fact that the criminal act is, in many cases, born from an antagonistic relation between the subject and the Other.”
Tea Friends (2023) review [Camera Japan festival]
Sotoyama investigates, in a very touching way, the radical discordance between the societal field and the elderly subject.
Riverside Mukolitta (2022) review [Camera Japan Festival]
A highly touching narrative about re-finding social life.
Nagi’s Island (2022) review [Camera Japan Festival]
The power of Nagasawa’s narrative does not simply lie in the engaging emotional rhythm, as dictated by the musical decorations, but in the genuineness that oozes from every…
Bad City (2022) review [Camera Japan Festival]
Sonamura delivers everything one expects from an action-thriller.
The End of Summer Film – It’s a Summer Film!
I’m only a touch late regarding talking about JFF Theater films. They’ve only been up for over a month, with two of them leaving streaming by the end…
Is This Heaven? (2023) review [Camera Japan Festival]
An experimental narrative that gives the idea of wandering spirits a fresh and whimsical spin
Afternoon Angler’s club (2023) Review [Camera Japan Festival]
Hideo Jojo’s heartwarming tale of subjective growth and salt-water fishing is a pleasant watch.
The Box Man (2024) review [Camera Japan Festival]
An incredible satisfying cinematic experience, one that enthrals the spectator from start to finish
Let’s Go Karaoke (2024) review [Camera Japan Festival]
This is perfect film for anyone who, after a long day full of struggles, wants to sit in a comfy chair and relax.
The Fable: The Killer who Doesn’t Kill (2021) review [Camera Japan Festival]
“A satisfying sequel that fans of Fable’s first outing should not pass this up.”
I Never Shot Anyone (2020) review [Camera Japan Festival]
“Sakamoto creates a nice, pleasant ride, but one that will be easily forgotten.”
Natchan’s little Secret (2023) review [Camera Japan Festival 2023]
Introduction More and more directors take the opportunity to explore the complex dimensions of sexuality within the Japanese societal field within their films. In recent years, more films…
Tamano Visual Poetry: Nagisa’s Bicycle (2022) review [Camera Japan Festival]
Despite delivering three engaging and visually beautiful narratives, the short nature of overall narrative undercuts the impact the movie could have had.
Life of Mariko in Kabukicho (2023) review [Camera Japan Festival]
Katayama and Uchida does not merely offer a glance at the relational drama that hides behind the neon-lit night-life and pleasure district, but also delivers a narrative that…
Love Will Tear Us Apart (2023) review [Camera Japan Festival]
A narrative that blows a refreshing wind in both the slasher and the romance genre.
Tokyo Revengers (2021) Review [Fantasia Film Festival]
“An exciting blend of satisfying violence, tensive moments, surges of pleasing lightheartedness, and touching emotional moments.”
Camera Japan Announces Complete Programme for 2021
Runs in Rotterdam 23rd to 26th September & in Amsterdam 30th September to 3rd October
Dreams of Fire (2021) review [Fantasia Film festival]
“McKie’s film is not only the best dance-film of recent years but might very well be one of the best Japanese films to be released this year.”
Special - Japan Cuts Film Festival 2024
Table of Contents Hello everyone, Once again this year, the Heroic Purgatory podcast is covering the Japan Cuts 2024 film…
461 Days of Bento: A Promise Between Father and Son (2020) review [Camera Japan Festival]
“A heartwarming narrative that does not only affirm that food is what brings people together, but also that the very act of preparing food, in many cases, functions…
Love, Live, and Goldfish (2021) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
“While Makabe’s narrative does not offer anything truly new or groundbreaking, what it does brings to the table is served with excellence.”
The Mole Song: Final (2021) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
Miike’s narrative delivers everything a fan of the previous narratives desires and even succeeds in inviting newcomers to delve into Reiji’s past exploits.
Straying (2022) review [Camera Japan 2022]
A pleasant and charming exploration of the fact that, within the game of love and romance and beyond, subjects often rely on acting-out to reveal to the other…
Summer in Japan 2021
Last year in the summer I went on a good road trip with a few friends through Nagano Prefecture. This year, I didn’t get up to as much,…
Japan Cuts 2018 Film Festival at the Japan Society
This past few weeks I volunteered for the Japan Society Film Department’s annual Japan Cuts film festival, which screens a host of new Japanese blockbusters, avant-garde films, and…
Japan Foundation Film Tour 2021
By Jasper Sharp. The ongoing Coronavirus crisis may have disrupted many aspects of the cultural calendar, but it is heartening to report that one the Japan Foundation UK…
A Seasonal Review — Summer 2021
Dropped: The Aquatope on White Sands, Battle Game in 5 Seconds, Blue Reflection Ray, The Case Study of Vanitas, D_CIDE Traumerei, The Detective is Already Dead, Drug Store…
Scarlet Nexus, The aquatope on white sand, The Case Study of Vanitas, The Duke of Death and His Maid, Battle Game in 5 Seconds
Jigoku-no-hanazono ~Office Royale~ (2021) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
“An absurd and crazy cocktail full of violence and funny twists and unexpected turns.”
POP! Director: Masashi Komura (2021) [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021]
POP! provides a slightly surreal, slightly sweet existential crisis. POP! Director: Masashi Komura (2021) [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021]
Joint (2021) review [The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme]
Oudai Kojima proves, once again, that the yakuza genre is not dead and that, given the current societal constellation and the various currents within, engaging crime narratives can…
Queer East Film Festival Reveals Full 2021 Programme
In cinemas across London 15th to 26th September
Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (2021) [Fantasia Film festival]
“A great animation film that offers an emotional and moving celebration of the strength of the bond between a daughter and a mother.”
Japanese Films at the Cannes Film Festival 2021
A preview of the Japanese and Japanese co-production films at the Cannes Film Festival 2021
Fantasia International Film Festival Confirms Complete 2021 Programme
In cinemas and streaming across Canada Aug. 5 – 25
It’s a Summer Film! (サマーフィルムにのって, Soshi Matsumoto, 2020)
A jidaigeki-obsessed high schooler sets out to make her own summer samurai movie in Soshi Matsumoto’s charming sci-fi infected teen rom-com
Ninja Vs Shark (2023) review [Camera Japan 2023]
A pleasant B-film action experience.
A Glimpse at the Films at the Tokyo Student Film Festival 2021
A Glimpse at the 25 films at the Tokyo Student Film Festival 2021, which runs from October 19th to October 23rd in Shibuya Eurospace
Cube (2021) [Film Review]
Cube (2021); or, Running Scared I see a sin in your eyes. My first encounter with the Cube franchise was not a positive one. Back in…
Zokki (2021) [Film Review]
Zokki; or, Too Many Secrets Lately, I've been thinking. If a living creature loses what it keeps secret, maybe it can't go on living. O...
Japanese Films at the Berlin International Film Festival 2021
A Preview of the Japanese Films at the Berlin International Film Festival 2020