“A beautiful film that elegantly explores the role the imaginary plays in marital failure as well as in the beginning of a new romantic bond.”
Apr 2, 2022 • Subscribe
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Far Away, Further Away (遠くへ,もっと遠くへ, Shinji Imaoka, 2022)
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Kingdom 2: Far and Away (2022) review
An epic and quite emotional experience that sadly fails to reach it full potential by holding on too tight to its shonen-roots.
Wash Away (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
A pleasant narrative that offers a fresh but familiar exploration of the subject’s fundamental desire for recognition/love and the problematic yet medicative function of consumption.
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“Do you want to fly through the sky? Isn’t that painful? Do you want to go together? …Hey the world is pretty isn’t it? But there’s something I…
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Far Away, Further Away is a road movie with a quirky and loving and independent lead character taking us from Tokyo to Sapporo as she aids a man…
Random Call (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
Ohkanda’s narrative proves that one does not need a big budget to deliver a narrative that touches the spectator.
Melting Sounds (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“Kahori Higashi’s debut is impressive.”
Angry Son (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“An incredibly rich and deep narrative that not only delivers a satisfying coming-of-age story but also an elegantly delivered social commentary on some of the frictions marking Japanese…
Our House Party (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
Kawanobe delivers a very touching and emotional story about homosexuality in Japan.
OAFF 2022 Special
Hello everyone, In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss their favorite movies from the wonderful 2022 Osaka Asian Film Festival. Timestamps:2:53 - Media Consumption19:12 - News23:42…
OAFF 2022 Special
Hello everyone, In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss their favorite movies from the wonderful 2022 Osaka Asian Film Festival. Timestamps:2:53 - Media Consumption19:12 - News23:42…
OAFF 2022 Special
Hello everyone, In this special episode of Heroic Purgatory, John and Jason discuss their favorite movies from the wonderful 2022 Osaka Asian Film Festival. Timestamps:2:53 - Media Consumption19:12 - News23:42…
Kakushigoto – 04 – Somewhere Far Away
This week’s time leap occurs at the beginning, with 18-year-old Hime explaining that the boxes her mother left her were full of things she’d need for the age…
Short Movie Time: Outsourcing (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“A very satisfying satirical short thta shows that, within the job-seeking process, only the image matters.”
A Far Shore (2022) review
A highly engaging story that explores the destructive effects of a societal field that fails to reach out to subjects-in-need.
From Far Away volumes 1-14
There are many spoilers in this review, so please read with caution! One of my favorite types of shojo series tell stories about girls who get sucked into other worlds.…
The Light Of The Spring (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“An experimental ‘dramamentary’ that succeeds to charm and touch the spectator with its rich mundane and genuine interactions.”
Sanka: Nomads of the Mountains (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“A visually enticing narrative that elegantly explores the unresolvable tension between the societal Other and the subject.”
Short Movie Time: Bagmati River (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“A beautiful poetic short that elegantly plays with the contrast between life and death.”
Short Movie Review: Natsuko (2020) [OAFF 2022]
“A splendid debut by Shuna Iijima.”
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Alan never feels more uncomfortable than he does when he is at home. His parents are intensely religious to the point that they are stunted into praying their…
Far Far Away (緣路山旮旯, Amos Why, 2021)
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Star Wars: Visions takes audiences across vast space and time to showcase nine different stories. Jedi, Sith, found family, a pair of twins, and even a garage band…
Ask For The Moon (2022) review [OAFF 2024]
A satisfying narrative that illustrates how the subject’s ego is but a response to his complexes and struggles.
North Shinjuku 2055 (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]
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Out of TOKYO 202x (Japan, 2022) [OAFF 2022]
Jason Maher reviews Akinori Ikuse's short film Out of TOKYO 202x.
To Be Killed by a High School Girl (2022) review [OAFF 2022]
“The effective interaction between his fluid composition, the great narrative structure, and the thematical exploration of trauma and perverse fantasies ensures that the film hits all the rig…
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury – 10 – Drifting Further Away
On the surface this has the makings of a cooldown episode after the big Earth House win over Grassley. GUND-Arm Inc. continues its steady progress towards becoming a…
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Short movie time: North Shinjuku 2055 (2021) review [OAFF 2022]
“A pleasant experimental short.”
The Wonder Of a Summer Day (2022) [OAFF 2022]
“A visually pleasing narrative that underlines, in a charming and touching way, the importance for the subject to find the kind of signifiers that can unlock his/her deadlock.”
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We continue to ride the trapar waves as Zigg & Aqua watch the classic 2005 mecha anime Psalms of Planets Eureka Seven, and discuss their thoughts and feelings…
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Continuing with the theme of isekai from the 1990s pulled from my pile of random volumes I’ve picked up over the years is From Far Away / Kanata…
Amalock (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
A narrative that fluidly combines comedy and tragedy to deliver an experience of smiles and tears.
Snowdrop (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
A complex character portrait that touchingly illustrates how easy it is to misrecognize the logic of the subject-supposed-to-be-in-need.
Cafune (2023) review [OAFF 2023]
A very strong debut by Haruki Kinemura.
Suton (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
Rikako Watanabe’s narrative succeeds to echo the unvocalized ‘pandemic’ truth of many.
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FROM FIRST "GODZILLA" TO NEW "STAR WARS" Akira Takarada Goes to a Galaxy Far, Far Away!
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Autumn 2022 Anime: Thoughts So Far
Better late than never, right? I’ve managed to tear myself away from whatever it was I was doing long enough to share my thoughts on the current season…
My Master Has No Tail, Naruto, One Piece, Reincarnated as a Sword, Akiba Maid War
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We’re definitely more than halfway through the summer season of anime for 2022, so I guess it is about time for me to share my thoughts on all…
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We’re now halfway through the winter 2022 season of anime, so I’ll be sharing my thoughts so far on all the shows I’ve been watching.
One Piece, Attack on Titan, BanG Dream!, BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!☆PICO, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
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We have now passed the halfway point of the spring 2022 season of anime, so it’s that time again: I will be sharing my thoughts on all the…
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The neatly interwoven narrative fabric, which evokes the dimension of loss in various forms, beautifully sketches out the importance for the subject to construct a narrative to support…
Blue Imagine (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
A powerful reminder of the sexual transgressions that structurally plague the Japanese film industry
Good Luck (2025) review [OAFF 2025]
Shin Adachi utilizes the dynamic of the encounter to examine the problem of desiring within the societal field and the way desire give rise to misunderstanding between subjects.
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A very touching narrative that explores the frail position of the father and how his structural failure can cause subjective struggles and inhibitions.
Yoyogi Johnny (2025) review [OAFF 2025]
Kimura’s choice to give the tragical dimension of love a deadpan comical twist pays off, creating a unique narrative that will resonate with youth and those who have…
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“Gokan expertly reveals the position of the freeter as an attempt to escape the capitalistic machinery but also as a position that most easily falls prey to the…
Sumiko 22 (2024) review [OAFF 2024]
A subtle but playful narrative about a subject who slowly tries to crawl out the hole of emptiness and diminished self-worth.
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