- Japan, World cinema, Drama films, Action and adventure films, Akira Kurosawa, Westerns, Culture, Film
Seven Samurai review – an epic primal myth that pulsates through cinema
Akira Kurosawa’s tale of ascetic mercenaries brought together for a single job inspired endless imitations, bu…
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Wife of a Spy review – wartime mystery thriller of double and triple dealing
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s old-fashioned drama delivers big performances and intriguing plot twistsKiyoshi Kurosawa ha…
- Japan, World cinema, Cannes film festival, Drama films, Haruki Murakami, World news, Asia Pacific, Books, Festivals, Culture, Film, Film adaptations
Drive My Car review – mysterious Murakami tale of erotic and creative secrets
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi reaches a new grandeur with this engrossing adaptation about a theatre director grappling wi…
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The Reason I Jump review – an empathic study of nonverbal autism
Documentary inspired by Japanese teenager’s bestselling book takes us into the world of young neurodiverse peo…
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Labyrinth of Cinema review – cult Japanese director’s epic blitz of pop-culture hyperactivity
Nobuhiko Ôbayashi’s last work starts as a sentimental elegy to cinema-going’s golden age but takes us through …
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Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy review – a triptych of light-touch philosophy
Ryusuke Hamaguchi brings a gentle warmth to this ingenious collection of three stories united by themes of fat…
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Lost Girls and Love Hotels review – submission and secrets in erotic Tokyo drama
Alexandra Daddario’s American English teacher drinks, parties and explores BDSM in this cool movie that only o…
- Japan, MANGA, Comics and graphic novels, Science fiction and fantasy films, World news, Asia Pacific, Books, Anime, Culture, Animation in film, Film
Akira review – apocalyptic anime’s startling message of global annihilation
The landmark Japanese cyberpunk animation from 1988 re-emerges as a deeply strange nightmare about destruction…
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The Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice review – Ozu’s bittersweet triumph
This portrait of married middle age is deliciously flavoured with mystery and melancholyThe flavour is that of…
- Japan, Environment, Pollution, World news, Asia Pacific, Photography, Art and design, Festivals, Culture, Film
Minamata review – Johnny Depp attempts redemption in heartfelt look at disaster that struck Japanese town
Depp plays real-life US photojournalist W Eugene Smith who travels to cover the story of mercury poisoning tha…