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July 17, 2024
 

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Kaori Shoji
Kaori Shoji writes about movies and movie-makers for the Film Page, plus takes a turn at the Bilingual Column. Biggest mistake of her career: taking the very dignified Nagisa Oshima to McDonald's for an iced coffee.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 5, 2014
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared: 'old dynamite expert gets involved with the mob'
The years are short, but the days are long. The title of this film is even longer. Not that it necessarily explains itself; what matters in "The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared" is what happens to the old coot before and after his escape.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 5, 2014
Blue Jasmine
Director: Woody Allen Language: English
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 29, 2014
Dracula Untold: 'Never before has Dracula wielded power on such a grand scale'
Here's the thing about vampires: They're not only cool to begin with but they are also afforded endless opportunities to further their coolness. This is where they differ significantly from werewolves and Frankenstein's monster. I mean, if proms and singles' parties were held in the realm of paranormal...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 29, 2014
The Equalizer: 'Like an argument between a couple who have been married too long'
When "Eastern Promises" came out in 2007, I felt like it signaled the end of an era for a certain kind of cinema gangster. The Italians were finished. The Chinese didn't cut it anymore. The new kids on the block were the Russian Mafia and they were the meanest of the lot — neck deep in abduction...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 29, 2014
Divergent
Director: Neil Burger Language: English
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 27, 2014
In the long shadow of an aged and enraged population
Here's an astonishing fact: the crime rate among Japan's elderly is on the rise. And among an rapidly aging population with long life expectancy, that's a problem.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 22, 2014
TIFF Critic's Picks: Films from countries famed for unrest and oppression
According to TIFF's visual programming director Yoshihiko Yatabe, the semiofficial theme for this year's festival is "People on the Edge." They may be pursued, stuck in a rut, in dire trouble or just plain confused, but their stories are some of the most compelling at this years festival. These films...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 22, 2014
Tom at the Farm: 'a horror story about surviving the aftermath of a lover's death'
Is Xavier Dolan a genius? Maybe so. The Quebecois actor/filmmaker — with a beautiful, impish face and brooding eyes — is only 25 and has already made six films and appeared in 17. With his model looks and quirky sense of aesthetics, Dolan could switch careers to become a designer for Gucci...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 22, 2014
Cuban Fury: 'the meanest salsa moves that ever clicked heels across an English dance floor'
The British and the Japanese both have a terrible self-image and a huge capacity for self-deprecation. Which probably explains why my Japanese friends are already marking the date to go see "Cuban Fury," starring English comedy actor Nick Frost.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 22, 2014
Winter's Tale (New York Fuyu Monogatari)
Director: Akiva Goldsman Language: English
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 16, 2014
Tokyo International Film Festival contender 'Pale Moon' gets to the root of all evil
The bad news? Japan has only one entry in the Competition section at this year's Tokyo International Film Festival. The good news? The submission, Daihachi Yoshida's "Pale Moon," is a major contender for the $50,000 Tokyo Grand Prix.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 15, 2014
Tale of panic and pain strikes an operatic chord
At a time when Japan is being rapped over the knuckles by the U.N. for hate-speech rallies against ethnic Koreans, a movie like "The Tenor: Lirico Spinto" takes on special significance. Directed by Kim Sang-man, "The Tenor" (released here as "The Tenor: Shinjitsuno Monogatari") is a collaborative project...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 15, 2014
Tonnerre: 'Being nice is one way to get a girl, but it's not enough to keep her'
What do you do when you're a has-been musician with thinning hair, staring at middle age and years of loneliness ahead? The good news — at least for Maxime (Vincent Macaigne) in "Tonnerre" — is that you've got a kind old dad (Bernard Menez), a dog and a rambling house in the titular French...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 15, 2014
Grace of Monaco: 'Decked with as much glittering artifice as the budget allows'
One of the best moments in "Grace of Monaco" comes when Alfred Hitchcock (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) visits Princess Grace (Grace Kelly, played by Nicole Kidman) in Monaco, hoping to lure her back to Hollywood via a starring role in his new movie "Marnie." Ashton-Griffiths is intentionally grotesque and...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 15, 2014
Hummingbird
Director: Steven Knight Language: English
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 8, 2014
Me, Myself and Mum: 'Not only is this guy a total control freak, he looks splendid in drag'
Guillaume Gallienne is little known outside his native France, but pundits inside the Japanese movie industry are predicting that in a year or two, Gallienne will be huge. In 2015, you could be saying to your friends: "Ah yes, Gallienne. Of course, I've followed his work for ages."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 8, 2014
iNumber Number: 'Reeks of blood, mud and sweat'
"iNumber Number" is the final film in the World Extreme Cinema (WEC) event at the Human Trust Cinema Shibuya, in Tokyo, and suffice to say, it takes the "hit me on a gut level" statement to a new dimension. WEC was designed to showcase raw talent from the world's indie scene — prepare to be shocked....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 8, 2014
Angel Heart
Director: Alan Parker Language: English
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 1, 2014
Conjuring the strange brutality of Agota Kristof
Those who loved poring through Agota Kristof's 1986 novel, "Le Grand Cahier," have been waiting for a film adaptation for almost two decades.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 1, 2014
Million Dollar Arm: 'Even Disney can't completely botch a baseball tale'
There's something about baseball that truly gels with movies. My secret conviction is that it's impossible to make a really terrible baseball movie. Even Disney can't botch it up completely, which is why their new true-to-life baseball tale "Million Dollar Arm" will wind up making you cry and glad to...
South Korea couple beat same-sex barriers to parenthood
South Korean lesbian couple Kim Kyu-jin (left) and her wife, Kim Sae-yeon, pose with a "pregnant woman" badge during an interview in Seoul last month.
Japan unveils new overtourism countermeasures
The majority of tourists in Japan tend to stay in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, resulting in overcrowding in popular tourist spots and a strain on transportation systems.
Opportunities await the bold in the Year of the Wood Dragon
2024 marks the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac, with the year predicted to be a good time for fresh starts.
Japan pharma startup developing world-first drug to grow new teeth
A new tooth is seen in a ferret's mouth after it was administered a drug to stimulate the growth of tooth buds.
Don’t worry about global population collapse
Most projections show the world will hit peak humanity in the 21st century as people choose to have smaller families and women gain power over their own reproduction.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
After Trump shooting, U.S. presidential race might take a violent turn
United States Secret Service Counter Snipers stand guard on a rooftop during a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Avoca, Pennsylvania, in 2020.
No AC this summer? No problem (for me).
Think air conditioning is a requirement for a Tokyo summer? Think again.
She’s paying ¥1 million to help behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics
Mai Tarumi, who previously volunteered at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has a travel budget of ¥1 million for her trip to volunteer at the Paris Games.

Podcast

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
By Tomoko Otake

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Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals
Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

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