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Mark Schilling
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 18, 2020
‘Any Crybabies Around?’: Banishing your inner child is hard to do
Taiga Nakano gives a raw performance as a social pariah who attempts to make amends with his family and town in Takuma Sato's film.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 11, 2020
‘Life: Untitled’: The fables and foibles of sex work
Kana Yamada's film about a motley crew of employees at an escort agency called Crazy Bunny is based on her own stage play.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 6, 2020
'Sumodo' documentary offers a rare inside look at the competitive world of sumo
Director Eiji Sakata's documentary reveals the human side of Japan's wrestlers.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 5, 2020
‘Ora, Ora Be Goin’ Alone’: Grandma isn’t done living life to the fullest
Shuichi Okita's film about a lonely elderly woman searching for meaning in her life presents old age with humor and pathos.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 28, 2020
‘Living in the Sky’: Trust your cat, not your lover
Cannes winner Shinji Aoyama and the pop group collective Exile Tribe joined forces for this film about the complexities of personal relationships.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 21, 2020
10 days of J-horror: From funny frights to shock and gore
Halloween is only 10 days away, so here's a list of J-horror films to watch each day to settle into the spooky season.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 21, 2020
‘Ainu Mosir’: A coming-of-age tale, respectfully told
Takeshi Fukunaga's film centered on the indigenous people of northern Japan tells the story of a 14-year-old boy learning to appreciate his heritage.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 14, 2020
‘Wife of a Spy’: Gripping drama lays bare wartime atrocities
Fresh off a win for best director at the Venice International Film Festival, Kiyoshi Kurosawa's masterful look at war heroes is out in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Oct 7, 2020
‘Under the Stars’: Parents have stars in their eyes
In Tatsushi Omori's coming-of-age drama, Mana Ashida plays a teenager who is conflicted about her loving parents who are members of a cult.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle
Oct 1, 2020
‘Tenet’ triumphs at the Japanese box office
Christopher Nolan's sci-fi epic may not be doing well in the U.S., but in Japan, the film has held the No. 1 box-office slot for two weeks.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 30, 2020
‘Kamata Prelude’: Four tales of the exploitation women face in Japan's film industry
Actress and producer Urara Matsubayashi stars in an omnibus that makes sexual harassment, particularly in the workplace, a central theme.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 24, 2020
‘Midnight Swan’: A gloomy drama, with moments of realism and grace
Eiji Uchida's film about a transgender woman who takes in her troubled niece is dark but shines a light on the struggles faced by the LGBTQ community.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 18, 2020
Actress and producer Urara Matsubayashi takes control of narrative on societal struggles
“Kamata Prelude” is an omnibus by four directors that is based on the life experiences of Urara Matsubayashi, the film's star and producer.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 18, 2020
Kiyoshi Kurosawa's best director win at Venice is a career changer
The reaction to Kiyoshi Kurosawa winning the Silver Lion for best direction has been overwhelmingly positive, but 'Wife of a Spy' isn't entirely free of controversy.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 17, 2020
'Cenote': A hypnotic dive into a wellspring of stories, ancient and new
Kaori Oda's documentary delves into the allure of natural sinkholes and the people who live around them in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 10, 2020
‘A Beloved Wife’: Marital woes deliver laughs and pull at the heartstrings
Director Shin Adachi's comedy about sparring spouses is based on his 2016 semi-autobiographical novel, “Chibusa ni Ka” (“Mosquito on the Breast”).
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Sep 3, 2020
‘Reiwa Uprising’: Political passions make for a compelling watch
Kazuo Hara's documentary about the Reiwa Shinsengumi political party's 2019 campaign is worth sitting through even though it's just over four hours long.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 27, 2020
‘Stigmatized Properties’: The otherworldly entities are spooky but unconvincing
Hideo Nakata's latest film is based on the real-life experiences of a comic who has made a career of living in apartments where terrible things have occurred.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 21, 2020
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia lineup delivers despite COVID-19
Other than delaying the festival from its usual June starting date, things are on track for the event, which will screen more than 200 films at venues around Tokyo.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Aug 20, 2020
Never forget the struggles of conflict with these Japanese World War II films
Filmmakers are able to record the feelings of history in ways that you can't get from textbooks at school.

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