Japan
In This Corner of the World is a beautifully captured and quietly tragic animation, which succeeds due to how it captures the sadness underneath the mundanity of life in a war-torn country.
Masaaki Yuasa is known for his dynamic anime, which take inspiration from surreal 1960s-70s animation and Golden Age Disney films.
With his hundredth film, director Takashi Miike shows no signs of slowing down, with another fantastic, blood-soaked cinematic treat.
Never thought much about Japanese pop idols? Then this disturbing yet insightful documentary, Tokyo Idols, from Kyoto Miyake definitely will.
Happy Hour excels in every way a narrative film can, leaving no stone unturned in its examination of different aspects of social life.
Like all Godzilla films, Shin Godzilla criticises how governments respond to disasters – but in this film, it’s not nuclear, but natural disaster.
Ghost in the Shell is full of visual splendor, yet ultimately lacks the originality or prowess of the original Japanese anime film.
Blending grounded animation with fantasy, Only Yesterday is a stunning work from Studio Ghibli, expressing down-to-earth life in the country.
1995’s Ghost in the Shell creates a prescient vision of a connected world that functions as both as character study & social commentary.
Your Name is the latest anime from Makoto Shinkai; grounded in a contemporary setting, it is as endearing as it is gorgeous to watch unfold.
Abbas Kiarostami’s Like Someone In Love creatively shows how the concept of love changes from person to person.
Martin Scorsese’s Silence begins with a dark, blank screen, with only the gentle humming of cicadas heard on all sides. It then immediately opens up to an overcast shot overlooking the banks of a river, where numerous people are being strung up and tortured. Such a peaceful moment undercut by extreme violence is very much an indication of what’s to come.
Miss Hokusai is based on the Japanese manga, and through a series of montages, it tells a powerful story of the struggles of an artist.
The Godzilla franchise has had a long and storied history, dating back to the original motion picture of 1954 directed by Ishirō Honda. Produced and distributed by famed Japanese film studio Toho, the original feature has spawned multiple franchise sequels over the years, from both its country of origin and the United States. Starting with the 1956 Japanese-American remake of Honda’s original feature from only two years prior, Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
Film is one of the best artistic mediums because it’s always growing; it speaks every language, and every place in the world has their iteration as to what’s scary, twisted, weird or just downright bizarre. Different countries offer different interpretations of horror, from China where vampires hop to Korean Shaman. They don’t wave crosses, nor do they compel the power of Christ upon anyone, but just don’t fall in love with Isabelle Adjani.