Film / Reviews Nov 24, 2022

‘She Is Me, I Am Her’: A masterful portrayal of pandemic life

Actor Nahana delivers powerful performances as four different characters in Mayu Nakamura’s omnibus film about the loneliness of the pandemic.

Film / Reviews Nov 17, 2022

‘A Man’: A searing study of Japan’s prejudices

Kei Ishikawa’s piercing drama unravels the mystery of a man’s decisions to leave his past behind while laying out society’s intolerance of “outsiders.”

Film / Reviews Nov 10, 2022

'2 Women': Shinobu Terajima shines as celebrated novelist

The actress gives a luminous performance as a fictional version of Jakucho Setouchi, an author turned Buddhist nun, in Ryuichi Hiroki’s biopic.

Film / Reviews Nov 3, 2022

‘Your Lovely Smile’: A sincere tribute to indie cinemas

In Kah Wai Lim’s drama about a struggling director who wanders around Japan pitching his films to independent theaters, Hirobumi Watanabe plays a version of himself with heart and humor.

Film / Reviews Oct 27, 2022

‘Whisper of the Heart’: First love story is sweet but shallow

Yuichiro Hirakawa's live-action adaptation of a manga by Aoi Hiiragi predictably pulls at heartstrings, but doesn't measure up to the classic anime version released in 1995.

Film / Reviews Oct 20, 2022

‘The Three Sisters of Tenmasou Inn’: Life in limbo becomes too sentimental

The stellar main cast and Non's undeniable energy are the bright spots of Ryuhei Kitamura's cloying drama about a woman who finds herself in a realm between life and death.